Qayyimah moderates ROK-BN ASEAN Joint Seminar on Climate Change
By Qayyimah Al-ZelzyT
To commemorate 40 years of Republic of Korea (ROK)-Brunei diplomatic relations, GAIA Volunteer Research Associate Qayyimah Al-Zelzy moderated a session in a joint seminar on climate change that was held at the Lecture Theatre at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday, 20 May 2024. Organised by the Korea Environment Institute (KEI) and sponsored by the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs, KEI as well as the Brunei Climate Change Office (BCCO), the seminar sought to align the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ (ASEAN) objectives, which aim to strengthen regional cooperation, and jointly discuss ROK’s entry points for technical cooperation with the to-be-established ASEAN Centre for Climate Change (ACCC).
The seminar was attended by Hajah Farida binti Dato Seri Paduka Haji Talib, Permanent Secretary (Energy) at the PMO, Yang Berhormat Hajah Rosmawatty binti Haji Abdul Momin, member of the Legislative Council, Dr. Chang Hoon, President of KEI, K Anh Nguyen, Director of Sustainable Development Directorate of ASEAN Secretariate, diplomats designated to Brunei, and various stakeholders at the local and regional level.
Qayyimah Al-Zelzy represented the Global Awareness and Impact Alliance (GAIA) as a Moderator for the first session of the seminar titled, “ROK-Brunei knowledge-sharing on climate change response”. In this session, Dr. Hoon Chang, Director General of Climate and Air Quality Research Group at the KEI shared ROK’s efforts towards a national climate change adaptation plan for a safe society and sustainable green growth whilst Dr. Sungjin Kim, Director of Division for Climate and Energy at the KEI presented on the significant challenges posed by greenhouse gas emissions and the solutions implemented to achieve carbon neutrality while addressing future energy demand in ROK. Mr. Zaiem Halbi, Head of the BCCO then proceeded to give a comprehensive overview of Brunei’s climate action, highlighting its progress, policies and path ahead. The session then continued with a discussion between the aforementioned speakers as well as Dr. Vanessa Teo, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Agrome IQ and Dr. Hanif Mahadi, Assistant Vice Chancellor (Research) at the University Brunei Darussalam.
The joint seminar also saw online participation from various ASEAN and international representatives. Representatives from the ASEAN Working Group on Climate Change (AWGCC) also had the opportunity to share their reflections on the importance of collaboration to address climate change in the ASEAN region. The ACCC, which was established during Brunei’s ASEAN chairmanship in 2021, was considered crucial to these efforts as it serves as a pivotal platform for regional cooperation, knowledge exchange, and the implementation of effective climate change responses.
At the end of the session, Qayyimah Al-Zelzy presented several key takeaways, highlighting that climate change is a global phenomenon that transcends borders and affects lives, national economies, weather patterns, communities, and countries. It impacts every nation simultaneously, but at the same time, it provides plenty of opportunities for us to collaborate and develop a mutual understanding of the challenges posed by climate change at local, regional, and global levels. Our comprehension and implementation of climate-forward strategies will undoubtedly enhance the efforts and relationships of all stakeholders as we confront an unpredictable and ambiguous climate phenomenon.
GAIA extends a heartfelt appreciation to BCCO and KEI for the opportunity to be part of a prestigious joint seminar and hopes to explore more avenues to foster deeper understanding and cooperation to tackle pressing regional issues.
