Practical, community-focused solutions in the pipeline
The United Kingdom will work with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Malaysia to support Malaysian efforts to protect itself from the effects of climate change.
This includes the use of financial tools to attract new green investment from businesses and banks for climate-related projects.
The UK will also partner with Monash University Malaysia on a project that helps local leaders in Selangor make informed decisions about water, energy, and food consumption.
The project will fund economic models to show how changes in one area – like building more hydropower – could affect others, such as farming or wetlands. This in turn helps the local leaders make choices that protect their people, nature and economies.
The two new climate adaptation initiatives were launched by UK Minister for the Indo Pacific Seema Malhotra at a ceremony in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 6.
The event was also attended by Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability deputy secretary general Datuk Mas Rizal Mohd Hilmi.
The UK and Malaysia have a long history of working together on climate and the environment, Malhotra said.
“Today, we are taking our climate partnership further still.
“These joint projects will deliver practical, community-focused solutions that strengthen Malaysia’s ability to respond to climate impacts such as flooding and heat stress,” she said.
This work is part of the UK’s wider commitment to supporting climate resilience across Asia and is supported through the UK’s flagship Climate Action for a Resilient Asia (CARA) programme.
Representatives from UNDP Malaysia and Monash University Malaysia joined the ceremony to exchange grant agreements and present their project plans.
The event marked a key milestone in UK-Malaysia climate cooperation, ahead of the 30th UN Climate Change Conference, where Malaysia is expected to play a leading role in shaping regional climate outcomes.
UNDP Resident Representative to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam Edward Vrkic said scaling up climate finance, especially for adaptation, is critical to ensure communities, ecosystems and economies remain resilient.
This collaboration, he added, builds on the organisation’s ongoing initiatives, including the Climate Finance Network and MyClimateFinHub.
Monash University Malaysia vice president for education Prof Stephen Boyle said the funding, will support the development of strategies that optimise water, energy and food systems while conserving natural ecosystems – an integrated approach essential for climate adaptation.
