PIONEERING CENTRE: Committed to making the world better for future generations
TO support Malaysia in its efforts to make the world a better place for future generations, Sunway University recently launched the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development in Bandar Sunway, Selangor.
The Center, the first of its kind in Asia, was launched by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak.
Established in collaboration with the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network through a gift of US$10 million (about RM45 million) from the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation (JCF), it will be the regional hub for deepening technical knowledge in sustainable development.
The gift is the largest financial commitment to date that is focused on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) education and implementation following the adoption of the 17 goals by 193 members of the United Nations (UN) last year.
The Center will develop linkages with leading universities and think tanks around the world to generate research and policy.
In addition, it will curate the world’s best curriculum, academic and executive programmes on sustainable development.
In his speech, Najib hailed the establishment of the Jeffrey Sachs Center which reinforces the government’s commitment to achieving the SDGs and commended the Center for taking on a leading role in supporting the government in advancing these goals.
Sunway University itself is located in Malaysia’s first Green Building Index-certified township, while the Center is a catalytic move to mobilise comprehensive collaboration in the region towards achieving the
UN’s 17 SDGs.
The SGDs continue the work of the Millennium Development Goals which had focused on ending extreme poverty, hunger and preventable disease.
Apart from continuing the fight against extreme poverty, the SDGs will add the challenges of ensuring more equitable development and environmental sustainability, especially the key goal of mitigating the dangers of human-induced climate change.
A one-day conference was held in conjunction with the launch of the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development.
Speakers at the conference included Professor Jeffrey Sachs, Professor Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid, Professor Angelo Riccaboni, Professor Xue Lan and Professor Daniel Schrag.
Schrag, from Harvard University, addressed the topic of Climate Change and Sustainable Development: Opportunities for the Developing World.
He said that the massive change in energy infrastructure required to limit climate damages brings challenges and opportunities for countries like Malaysia in the developing world.
“A solar-dominated energy system favours tropical countries. This is even more true for an advanced biofuels industry that must someday replace petroleum,” he said.
“This makes truly sustainable development even more essential. Meeting this challenge will provide economic opportunities for many, but only if other land users are valued and protected.”
Schrag added that addressing climate change is not an economic question but a moral obligation to future generations. He ended his address with this solemn quote from University of Michigan’s Professor Andy Hoffman: “Just as few people saw a moral problem with slavery in the 18th century, few people in the 21st century see a moral problem with the burning of fossil fuels.
“Will people in 100 years look at us with the same incomprehension we feel towards 18th-century defenders of slavery? If we are to address the problem adequately, the answer to that question must be yes — our common atmosphere will no longer be seen as a free dumping ground for greenhouse gases and other pollutants.”
Sachs, who is with Columbia University and who will also be chairman of the Center, said that it will be an important part of the world’s drive towards achieving the SDGs.
“This partnership signals the vision of Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah in recognising that sustainable development is the defining challenge of our times,” said the director of the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network.
Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah, JCF Founding Trustee and Founding Chancellor of Sunway University, said the realisation of these goals is not the sole responsibility of governments and requires the commitment of all sectors of society, down to each individual.
“It is the vision of this Center to change the mindset of people towards sustainable development in our daily lives,” he said.
“We were truly delighted when Professor Sachs agreed to lead the Center, being a world-renowned authority on sustainable development and a tireless campaigner in the effort to end poverty.
“I strongly believe that a developed nation is measured not just by its economic statistics, but also its contribution to the world of ideas and its commitment to ensuring a more sustainable and equitable world.
“It is my hope that setting up the Jeffrey Sachs Center here will help establish Malaysia as a leader in driving the sustainability agenda for the region and, indeed, the world.”