JOHOR BARU: The Tuanku Permaisuri of Johor Raja Zarith Sofiah Sultan Idris urged for urgent actions to be taken in addressing climate change and environmental degradation.
Speaking at the Asia-Pacific Climate Week 2023 (APCW), Her Majesty said climate change and environmental degradation are the "defining challenges of our lifetime".
She said the degradation had profound impact on the people globally, thus immediate and collective action to mitigate the impending crisis were paramount.
"We are living at a time when our geopolitical landscape is shifting and there are crises in many parts of the world.
"These crises have exposed the fragility of the systems that have been put in place and practiced for decades.
"We have now come to realise that changes must be made," she said in her speech during the launch of the Johor Green Development Masterplan and the establishment of the Johor Sustainability Centre.
Raja Zarith Sofiah, who was addressing over 2,000 delegates from 150 countries attending the APCW conference, called upon global leaders and stakeholders to formulate a comprehensive, systematic, and inclusive policy that can be universally adopted by nations, businesses and individuals.
"The goal is to pave the way for a sustainable future that enhances the lives of all citizens," she said at the conference held at the Persada Johor International Convention Centre, here, today.
Raja Zarith Sofiah said the state government's commitment to sustainability and green initiatives, was exemplified by the establishment of the Johor Sustainability Centre (JSC) and the formulation of the Johor State Green Development Masterplan, also known as the Johor Green Deal.
"I am confident these two initiatives will help drive key environmental, social, and economic benefits in Johor by reducing carbon emissions to mitigate climate change, while also rendering the state climate-resilient," she added.
The APCW, jointly organised by the Johor state and federal governments and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, is held between Nov 13 and 17 at Persada.
The event is one of four regional climate weeks this year, aiming to build momentum ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference in Dubai.