Sofia Castelo is Think City’s Lead for the Environmental Resilience Community of Practice and is currently based in Penang. She holds a degree in Landscape Architecture and postgraduate degrees in Project Management and in Climate Change and Sustainable Development Policies. Originally from Lisbon, Portugal, she has 20 years of experience in designing and managing landscape and urban design projects in Europe, China, the USA, Australia and Malaysia.

She is currently responsible for designing and managing the nature-based climate adaptation programme for the urban areas of Penang island, which won the Climathon Global Cities Award 2020 after being shortlisted with four other world cities (Miami, Karthoum, Dublin and Salvador).

Sofia’s two other areas of interest are the arts and women’s empowerment: her art project Middle Passage won the third prize in the International Competition for the United Nations Slavery Memorial for the UN headquarters in New York City; as a co-founder of the NGO Mulheres na Arquitectura (MA) she has contributed to the empowerment of women in the public space and in the architecture profession. Sofia is both a dog and a cat person.

Norliza Hashim is the Chief Executive of Urbanice Malaysia, a Centre of Excellence for Urban Well-being and Sustainability of Malaysia. Urbanice focus on four key areas – Knowledge Platforms, Urban Innovation, Applied Research and Development, and Projects and Partnerships. Through these, Urbanice hopes to provide urban leaders, practitioners and communities with the knowledge and support needed to achieve a sustainable urban nation for Malaysia.

Norliza lead the Local Secretariat team for World Urban Forum 9, where she works alongside UN-Habitat WUF Unit to deliver the objectives of the Forum and has since then work with all levels of government, decision makers and stakeholders at both national, state and local levels towards localisation of the agendas. In realising the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on Cities 2030, she further lead to organised the Malaysia Urban Forum and co-organised the Asia Pacific Urban Forum to bring local and regional stakeholders together to dialogue, discuss and declare actions to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 agenda.

A registered Town Planner, Norliza is the Founder of her consulting firm for the past 27 years – AJM Planning and Urban Design Group Sdn Bhd and her experience covers a wide spectrum of the planning discipline and has written several development plans and blueprints that has contributed towards nation building. She also led a team of experts to develop the Low Carbon Cities Assessment Framework for Malaysia and is the Director Malaysian Institute of Planner’s Low Carbon Cities and Sustainability Centre.

Najihan is the Project Executive at Malaysian Institute of Planners and the Low Carbon Cities and Sustainable Centre. She obtained her Master's degree Science in Built Environment from International Islamic University Malaysia. She joined MIP in 2017 with specific portfolios on low carbon cities, sustainable developments and young professional activities. Najihan is responsible for assisting various sustainable programs for MIP, such as the yearly Pledge and Plant a Tree Programs where MIP collaborates with local authorities and supported by MIP members, other NGOs, developers and local communities to plant trees. She is also involved in organizing youth programs such as Young People’s Lab, PJ International Youth Leadership Program and PJ Child Friendly City. Najihan is energetic and passionate about sustainable development and low carbon cities.

Farhana is an MSc by Research Candidate on crop insurance, and she has presented at conferences in Malaysia and Romania on the development of rural communities through crop insurance.

With a background in Risk Management, she spends her free time learning about the climate crisis and its effects on different sectors. She believes environmental issues will continue to present new challenges worldwide and many opportunities would arise from it.

Affan Nasaruddin is the co-founder of UM Water Warriors. He is a former undergraduate at the Department of Geology, University of Malaya and also has a Masters in Environmental Management from Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

His interest is in water bodies restoration, sustainable innovation and environmental education. Currently, he is doing research on place-based citizen science for Sungai Klang and Sungai Selangor river basins. He is also co-managing Rumah No.2, Universiti Malaya as an environmental education space. Together with his wife, Asiah and a community group of Mukim Pasangan - he also co-founded Inspirasi Kawa, a youth environmental club in Kuala Selangor.

Bryan is the policy and research working group coordinator for Malaysian Youth Delegation. He is leading a collaborative research project between MYD and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) to conduct a national youth survey on climate change. The survey aims to understand youth awareness and initiative on climate change. He aims to use the research findings as leverage and evidence for advocating the youth’s voice on climate policy to the Malaysian government.

Cheerful and endearing, Bryan enjoys his time at MYD by sharing his experience with fellow youths at talks, leading editorial teams to write articles on climate change, and leading other research projects and initiatives. Currently a busy undergraduate in The University of Nottingham Malaysia, he applies academic learning to devise solutions for climate action, from the classroom.

Jasmin Irisha Jim Ilham is a youth mobilisation expert on climate action and experienced sustainable development researcher at the science-policy-practice nexus. She was the former Manager of the Malaysian Youth Delegation to UNFCCC, where she tracked the climate change negotiations. She has also held research positions at Universiti Sains Malaysia, Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development at Sunway University, and the Earth Institute and NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York.

Her field of research is on the intersection of food systems, gender, and climate change.She obtained her Masters in Climate and Society from Columbia University, majoring in climate science with concentration in climate policy, international environmental law, and global governance. She is currently the Climate and Environment Consultant at UNICEF Malaysia.

Robin is part of the policy and research working group at Malaysian Youth Delegation, as well as the organising committee for MYLCOY2020. He spends his time at MYD working on various climate-change related research projects and initiatives, as well as writing articles on current climate issues to increase awareness among the public. He is also a part of the investigations team for the YOUNGO International Youth Ocean’s Voice Working Group, which works to raise the profile of climate change impacts on the ocean within the UNFCCC process, advocating for stronger global climate action on ocean issues.

He is currently an undergraduate at the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE), studying environmental policy and economics. His goal is to make the largest positive impact within his lifetime in regards to the climate crisis, with the ocean holding a special place in his heart.

A climate change advocate, Emily has been at the forefront of the cause since 2015, particularly on climate education, climate policy and corporate sustainability.

She’s now a Senior Analyst of Policy Studies with the Malaysian Green Technology and Climate Change Centre (MGTC), a government agency under the purview of Ministry of Environment & Water (KASA); mandated to lead the nation in the areas of Green Growth, Climate Change Mitigation and Climate Resilience and Adaptation.

Prior to MGTC, she was a Supervisor at the Ernst and Young (EY) Malaysia's Climate Change and Sustainability Services advisory team. Emily also served the YTL Corporation Berhad's Group Sustainability Division from 2016-2018. She was also part of the Malaysian Youth Delegation (MYD) from 2015-2018, where she attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) as a youth civil society organisation delegate from Malaysia.

Emily is a MSc holder of Environmental Monitoring and Management as well as a BEng holder of Chemical Engineering with Environmental Engineering from The University of Nottingham Malaysia.

Lucy is a communication assistant in WWF-Malaysia under the working group of Education for Sustainable Development.

Her interest area includes biodiversity loss, climate change, marine pollution, marine species conservation and communications in conservation. From a science background, she joined MYD in 2019 to connect with like-minded people from various expertise, for example, finance, policy and technical background who shared the same interest to deliver local youth voices in climate change.

As an environmentally conscious PADI certified Rescue Diver envisioning to major in underwater photography, it is not hard to guess she is a massive marine conservation enthusiast which drove her to join Sustainable Ocean Alliance(SOA) as a Youth Ocean Leader and current onboard member of Youth Policy Advisory Council. In her ASEAN regional engagement, she joined the ATO-ClimatEducate Project as the science advisor in climate change since 2019.

She is also a hobbyist self-taught photographer who envisions to develop a conservation storytelling and media literacy platform through her photography.

Nasha Lee is the Environment Analyst for Climate Change and Energy at UNDP Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam. In UNDP, she manages a portfolio of projects focusing on climate change mitigation, sustainable energy, low carbon cities, and support to the implementation of Malaysia’s Nationally Determined Contribution. She has experience in programme management, policy research, and monitoring and evaluation for climate and energy projects, and has worked extensively with the national government in these areas. In former roles, she worked as a sustainability consultant conducting environmental impact assessments for the energy sector. Nasha graduated from the University of Oxford with a Master’s degree in Environmental Change and Management where she was a Commonwealth scholar. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Malaya.

A Renewable Energy Project Executive, Syaqil was introduced to the Malaysian Youth Delegation in 2017, through MYD’s sister organisation, Powershift Malaysia.

With MYD, he’s had the opportunity to attend the annual UN Climate Change Conferences in 2017 and 2018, as well as the 2019 Asia Pacific Climate Week in Bangkok.

He believes that it is important for youth to be part of an inclusive policy-making process. Ultimately, it is young and future generations who will be facing the full effects of the climate crisis.

During his free time, Syaqil enjoys sports in general and makes time for the occasional hike. He is also a feline-lover with two dorky cats at home, Timo and Awang. He is one half of MYD 2020’s Focal Points.

Justin joined MYD in 2020, and has contributed to articles about Covid-19 and climate change as part of the Policy and Research working group.

He is part of the organising committee of #MYLCOY2020 and is excited to continue learning more about the climate change scene and connect with like-minded peers.

He has WWOOFed in farms across Connecticut and Alaska during his studies in the US as a Freeman Scholar at Wesleyan.

Justin is currently a Researcher at Khazanah, Malaysia’ sovereign wealth fund, where he covers global megatrends and its implications on investments and national development. Previously, he spent a year consulting at KPMG.

In his free time, Justin plays badminton, board games, and piano. He also enjoys hiking and climbing. He dreams of someday living on a farm by a bubbling creek against a mountainous background with dogs, cats, tomatoes, and fruit trees aplenty, in a world without gates, picket fences, and land deeds.

Adzmin Fatta 27th years old; from Semporna - Sabah. He is working full time with Reef Check Malaysia as Programme Manager for Cintai Mantanani Project based in Mantanani Island. The project focuses on marine resource management, waste management improvement program, and improving economic livelihood of the island community. He is also the Head/Co Founder of local youth volunteers organisation called Green Semporna that has been running environmental education and youth empowerment programs for more than eight years now. Green Semporna is community based organisation founded on 2012 by passionate youth leaders in Semporna that aims to diversify the participation of young people in marine conservation and being the agent of changes in the community. Prior joining Reef Check he worked for almost 4 years as Assistant to Marine Biologist and went on to Assistant to Marine Conservation Officer in WWF-Malaysia. He is also part of the Hard Corals Mapping Project Award Team by Conservation Leadership Programme, Active alumni of Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, Global Youth Biodiversity Network, and Malaysia's representative in Our Ocean Youth Ambassador 2016 in United States. Adzmin has been working with youth and coastal community since 2012; Apart from diving, he is very passionate about marine environment and community empowerment.

After graduating as an environmental science student at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, Amir started his conservation career as a field officer in WWF Malaysia. He is part of the tiger conservation team, working as an anti-poaching officer where he works closely with the Orang Asli Communities, especially the Temiar and Jahai community in Belum-Temenggor Forest Complex to combat illegal wildlife crime.

Amir believes that the orang asli communities are the best people to conserve and champion the rights of our rainforest. After all, the forest plays a huge role in their everyday life, and championing the orang asli communities as guardians of the forest plays a fundamental role in forest and wildlife conservation.

Amir loves to spend his time in the forest and exploring new mountains in Malaysia. If he is not in the forest, he would spend his time eating almost anything that he can get his hands on. later, he would burn off his calories cycling around the scenic kampong routes to make himself feel better from the amount of food he has eaten.

Abraham Ngu is the Malaysia Program Coordinator for Green Empowerment, a US-based nonprofit that works with local partners to bring renewable energy and clean water to rural communities around the world. Inspired by the environmental changes in his backyard and armed with an academic background in biochemistry and forest management, he continues to work with rural communities in Sabah and Sarawak. Abraham brings a personal commitment to social justice and equity for underrepresented communities and is passionate about improving rural livelihood opportunities and forest conservation. When he is not whipping up a storm in the kitchen, he can be found stomping around in the forest.

Bryan is the project coordinator for a local CSO/NGO, SAVE Rivers which is based in Miri, Sarawak. SAVE Rivers supports and empowers rural communities to protect their land, rivers, and watersheds through capacity building, networking, research, education, and advocacy.

Bryan is an Indigenous Bidayuh Kayan hailing from Long Liam, upper Baram, spent his childhood growing up both in Sarawak’s capital city and in the remote interior of Borneo. Bryan is passionate about science and geography and draws his inspiration from the dense, biodiversity rich forests of the Baram region.

Working with SAVE Rivers since 2018, he worked closely on the ground between the rural indigenous communities and other local CSOs/NGOs to implement sustainable independent off-grid power supplies, such as the micro hydro and solar power to help create “green-alternatives” power resources in response to non-environmental-friendly projects such as mega dams, simultaneously provide a consistent power supply to the rural communities.

As a project coordinator, Bryan is responsible to mediate between the targeted communities and the project stakeholders to ensure the success of the projects for both parties in order to reach the stakeholders and communities’ goal, a sustainable environment and livelihood.

Previously a Conservation Officer for Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT) for almost 2 years, Natasha is now a PhD candidate for MEME studying human elephant conflict mitigation in Peninsular Malaysia. She started engaging in local communities since her first volunteering experience with WWF back in 2015 with the Jahai and Temiar tribe in Perak. Her role grew professionally with MYCAT where she engages in multiple communities from rural and urban backgrounds to protect tigers. She also plays a passionate role in science communication through her personal Twitter account (see: Ratu Rimba) and professionally through the Society for Conservation Biology-Malaysia and MYHUTAN initiative under UNDI18.

Dr Helena Varkkey is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of International and Strategic Studies, University of Malaya in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her research focuses on the governance of transboundary pollution or ‘haze’ in Southeast Asia. More broadly, she seeks to understand how economic development can be reconciled with environmental sustainability in this resource-rich region. The findings from her PhD at the University of Sydney has been published as a book in 2016 as part of the Routledge Malaysian Studies Series, entitled “The Haze Problem in Southeast Asia: Palm Oil and Patronage”. She has consulted for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Academy of Sciences, Malaysia and the ASEAN Secretariat on these topics, and continues to undertake research in this field.

Rizky Fauzianto (Rizky) joined ASEAN German Energy Programme (AGEP) team since July 2015 and currently acts as the Team Leader. He completed his Bachelor Degree with major on Informatics Engineering at Telkom Institute of Technology, Indonesia, and then pursued his Master Degree of Sustainable Resource Management at Technical University Munich, Germany. In between, he was an implementation manager for company’s strategic project & multinational clients (Chevron, ConocoPhillips, JP Morgan) in the largest Indonesian state-owned-bank for almost four years and worked in Linde AG on European-scale IT improvement project & Munich-based research institution on energy for more than one year. After completing his studies, he showed a huge interest in sustainable energy and experienced vast exposures of project management, which led him to work in GIZ. At GIZ AGEP, he is responsible for supervising the implementation of all AGEP Phase I and Phase II activities jointly with ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE) with total budget of around 7 Mio EUR for regional activities and publication, i.e. The 5^th and 6^th ASEAN Energy Outlook, ASEAN Regional Grid Integration Training Series, ASEAN Energy Database System, ASEAN Smart Grid and Grid Code study, and Levelised Costs of Electricity for Renewable Energy Technologies in ASEAN.

Saloni volunteers with Singapore Youth for Climate Action (SYCA) researching international policies related to climate change mitigation and adaptation. As an energy analyst by day, she brings her passion for decarbonisation in the sector to SYCA, exploring Asian countries’ commitments to the Paris Agreement. She also covers SYCA’s research into key areas such as mobilising finance for climate change, corporate strategies to curb emissions, and the role of global governance. As an avid believer including more participants into the fight against global warming, Saloni’s expertise includes examining the mechanisms to make multilateralism successful through dialogue, actions and shared commitments. In light of this, she recently represented SYCA in the youth summit of the P4G (Partnering for Green Growth & the Global Goals) alliance held in South Korea.

Since joining MYD this year, Josephine has been involved in writing financial proposals and managing the official website as part of the Admin & Finance Working Group. She has represented MYD at the virtual International Greentech & Eco Products Exhibition & Conference Malaysia (IGEM) and the Global Youth Climate Challenge (GYCC) Conference Korea, and coordinated the programme in the MYLCOY Working Group.

Josephine is currently an undergraduate at the London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) studying actuarial science, and is keen to explore how she can have a socially impactful career. Aside from sustainability, she is curious about politics and international negotiations and has participated in numerous Model United Nations Conferences in Malaysia.

Nanticha Ocharoenchai is an environmental writer and climate activist who started the climate strike movement in Thailand (Climate Strike Thailand). She is exploring storytelling through writing, film and photography to bring conservation, nature appreciation and environmental science to the Thai public in order to push climate action. Currently, she is also the Communications Consultant for an international environmental non-profit and Director of Storytelling at SOS Earth.

Melissa is a TV Host and producer, actress, climate activist and zero waste advocate who uses her platform to advocate for sustainable living and fashion, climate action and other areas of the circular economy. She is the Earth Day Network Ambassador for Malaysia and a Climate Reality Leader.

A passionate environmental speaker, she produces events like The Conscious Market and Clothes Swaps to engage

the public in sustainable living. She regularly works with major brands and NGOs on content creation, campaigns and other environmental projects.

Melissa hosts and produces on Tech360.tv and represented Malaysia in Asia’s Next Top Model and The Apartment.

Swati is a youth delegate representing Singapore Youth for Climate Action (SYCA) and is passionate about creating awareness about climate change from the point of policy development and economic growth. She currently works as a sustainability business analyst with a waste management technology company based in Singapore.

Swati is an avid supporter of environmental conservation and has been involved in tiger habitat and marine life conservation programs in the region. She is also a writer with Eco-Business, a digital media company that reports on the topic of sustainable development in the Asia Pacific region.

She is a graduate of the Masters in Environmental Management course from the National University of Singapore where she focused on the topic of environmental economics and international climate change negotiations.

Mitzi is a youth climate activist from Marikina City, Metro Manila, Philippines born at 375 ppm. The Philippines is one of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world, and as of 2019, the 2nd most dangerous country for environmental defenders. She has always been very passionate about the environment. Even at the age of 9, she would go up to strangers and tell them about greenhouse gases and global warming and she would weep when she saw the destruction happening around her after every typhoon.

While studying at the University of the Philippines Diliman, she was a student leader and became part of the College of Science Student Council where she was part of the environmental concerns committee. In 2017, Mitzi was able to talk with one of the leaders of the the Lumad indigenous group in the Philippines and he told her about how they were being militarised, displaced, harassed, and killed all for defending the forests, the environment, their home and that was why they have no choice but to fight back. That was when she realized that we need collective action to push for systemic change. typhoon.

In 2019, she co-founded Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines, the Fridays For Future of the Philippines and has been raising awareness, talking to policy makers, organising strikes, and making connections globally ever since. Also active in Fridays for Future International, Mitzi always brings her advocacies of climate justice, intersectional environmentalism, and leadership of the vulnerable everywhere she goes. She also always fights to make sure that voices from the Global South are heard, amplified, and given space.

Daniel Abunales is the Program Coordinator for Ecology and Social Justice at the Heinrich Böll Stiftung (hbs) Southeast Asia Office in Bangkok. He works with CSOs across the region in supporting communities affected by large-scale investments. He also collaborates with various organizations promoting just energy transition and climate policy.

Prior to hbs, he has 13 years of experience in multimedia journalism, Abunales has covered women and children’s rights, the peace process, disability and environmental issues. He has also helped run trainings and fellowships for journalists in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

He holds a masters degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Sydney in Australia. Abunales hails from Biliran in eastern Philippines, which was among the areas worst hit by typhoon Haiyan in 2013.

Dewi Candraningrum got her master from Monash Univ & doctoral from Universitaet Muenster, Germany. She is Chief Editor of Indonesian Feminist Journal SALASIKA & Editorial Board of IJIS Faculty of Arts Monash Univ. Currently she is teaching in Univ Muhammadiyah Surakarta, and guest lecturer in UGM & UIN Yogyakarta (Graduate School: Islam & Gender Studies). She is founder and coordinator of Jejer Wadon (Narrative of Womb). Her works & research activities are mainly in areas of Gender, Islam, & Ecology. Her publications, The Challenge of Teaching English in Indonesian Muhammadiyah Universities (1958-2005): Mainstreaming Gender through Postcolonial Muslim Women Writers (Berlin: Lit Verlag, 2008); Negotiating Women’s Veiling: Politics and Sexuality in Contemporary Indonesia (Paris EHESS: IRASEC, 2013); Seri Kajian Ekofeminisme I, II, III, IV, and V Parahita Press, PPSG UKSW Salatiga. “The Spiritual Politics of the Kendeng Mountains against the Global Cement Industry” in After the Death of Nature: Carolyn Merchant and the Future of Human-Nature Relations, ed by Kenneth Worthy, Elizabeth Allison, & Whitney Bauman (Ed) NY: Routledge. “Democratizing the Womb: Girls’ Human Rights Amid Fear of Zina” in Human Rights and Democracy in Indonesia and Malaysia ed by Azmi Sharon & Magdalen Spooner; Petaling Jaya Malaysia: Gerak Budaya Press. She is painting occasionally & has exhibited her paintings: TIM Jakarta Aug-Sept 2019, Bentara Budaya Balai Soedjatmoko Surakarta on Aug 2013 (Narasi Rahim); Solo Paragon on Jan 2014 (Wajah Rahim: Drawings-Solo Exhibition); Sangkring Art Space Yogyakarta on March 2015 (Womb Document: Solo Exhibition); and Hotel Oranje (Majapahit) Surabaya entitled Mom and Me in April 2015; etc.

Nguyen Thi Ha is Manager of Sustainable Ennergy Program Green Innovation and Development Centre (GreenID). She has ten years’ experience working on non-profit organizations, and focusses now on sustainable energy development including advocacy, cooonsutation and networking activities, especially focused on renewable energy solutions developmment. Ha promotes GreenID’s ideas through commnunity activity, press releases, policy briefs, research and other activities, and hopes to create green life for future generations. Especially, she is promoting Million Green Home Innitiative in Vietnam and sharing to ASEAN’s country via webinar, workshop, etc. And now she is trying to encourauge participation of Vietnam’s community and government; private sector toward to conduct SDGs and no left one in behind.

Julian is an active member of the Malaysian Youth Delegation (MYD) since 2019. Julian is currently the Project Manager of the Malaysian Local Conference of Youth 2020 (#MYLCOY2020), a conference under the auspices of YOUNGO, which brings together climate experts, leaders, activists, and passionate youth from across Malaysia and Southeast Asia to mobilise for a green post-COVID recovery. Julian also works for an international consulting firm, helping clients to transform their workforces and workplaces for business success in this era of disruption. Prior to joining consulting, Julian gained initial professional experiences with international organisations in Geneva, Switzerland, managing international social media campaigns. Julian has written multiple diplomatic reports on international meetings in Geneva for the government of the Sovereign Order of Malta. Julian has worked on policy-focused research projects in Switzerland and Malaysia, and has also conducted original and prize-winning academic historical research using sources in English, French, German, and Mandarin Chinese from libraries and archives in Belgium, France, UK, USA, Switzerland, and China. Julian has presented his research at academic conferences in Beijing, Berlin, London, and Sheffield. Julian has a Master's in International History from the Graduate Institute Geneva and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with High Honours from the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan University where he was a Freeman Asian Scholar.

Lavanya joined WWF-Malaysia in 2013. She represents WWF-MY on various national and international level engagements on climate change, biodiversity and SDGs, and was part of the WWF Network Leadership team on Climate and Energy. She is also part of the CSO-SDG Alliance secretariat that supports the All Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia (APPGM) on SDGs. Previously, she coordinated the preparation of Malaysia’s Second National Communication to the UNFCCC, worked at the UN in Geneva on post conflict issues; and practiced law in Malaysia. She was a Malaysian delegate to the UNFCCC, an expert reviewer of Malaysia’s First Biennial Update Report and prepared the technical report on Adaptation for the Forestry and Biodiversity sectors for Malaysia’s Third National Communication to the UNFCCC and co-authored a study for the Academy of Sciences Malaysia on Climate Change and Water Resources Adaptation, amongst others. Lavanya is a Chevening Scholar with a MSc in Sustainability (Climate Change) from the University of Leeds and a law degree from the University of Kent at Canterbury. Lavanya is passionate about ensuring that nature’s contributions which underpins everything is properly recognized and valued by society and integrated into development and economic agendas.

As Lead Analyst, Jo currently focuses on the work of non-state actors in 8 ASEAN member states through the EU-funded Sustainable Use of Peatland and Haze Mitigation in ASEAN (SUPA) project, which is being implemented by the People for Peat (PFP) coalition comprised of World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia, Tropical Rainforest Conservation and Research Centre (TRCRC), and The Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH) Indonesia. His role involves consolidating and synthesizing coherent narratives of available tropical peatland data and literature, especially in Southeast Asia. He also regularly meets with stakeholders (these days, virtually) and contributes in the development and improvement of peatland businesses, livelihoods, and projects that fulfil the criteria of environmental protection, economic productivity, and social inclusion through PFP’s Business Hub.

Aside from his involvement in tropical peatlands, Jo has a background in forest floor carbon dynamics. Previously, he developed restoration opportunities (IUCN ROAM) in Peninsular Malaysia’s Central Forest Spine initiative and planned forest restoration programs in partnership with private sector stakeholders. An alumni of the Professional Fellows Program by Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI), he continues to connect and contribute to YSEALI initiatives to build-up and empower Southeast Asian changemakers.

Satrio Adi Wicaksono is a scientist-environmentalist from Indonesia currently working in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. He received a BA from Wesleyan University, where he double-majored in geology and environmental studies and obtained a certificate in international relations. Afterwards, he received a PhD in tropical paleoclimatology from Brown University.

Although he was trained as a climate scientist, Satrio’s interest has primarily been in the nexus of actionable research and policy processes in Southeast Asia. His past and current affiliations include Institute at Brown for Environment and Society, World Resources Institute, Indonesia's Social Forestry Acceleration Task Force, European Forest Institute, and Al Sharq Forum. He has conducted research and managed projects in the areas of forest and landscape restoration, community-based forest management, forest conversion legality, sustainable commodity production, and sustainable ocean management.

Ms. Kathryn Bimson, is the Programme Officer for Water and Wetlands at IUCN Asia Regional Office. She has eight years of experience working on wetlands in Southeast Asia, and is currently supporting the regional implementation of the Mekong WET project in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam. Ms. Bimson also supports the Secretariat for the Indo-Burma Ramsar Regional Initiative, working closely with the governments of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam to conserve wetlands in the region. Ms. Bimson holds a MSc. in Biology from the Prince of Songkla University, Thailand, and a BSc. in Biology from Fairfield University, USA. She previously received a National Geographic Young Explorer’s Grant, and spent her first year in Thailand as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant.

Liyana Yamin is currently a Ph.D. student at the Institute of Marine Affairs and Resource Management, National Taiwan Ocean University - Keelung, Taiwan. Liyana’s interest lies in climate adaptation, ocean governance, and small-scale fisheries. She recently trained as a Climate Reality Leader (part of US VP Al Gore’s campaign) raising awareness of the seriousness of the Climate Emergency and what we have to do to address it. She is also involved in enhancing community resilience through climate communication and advocacy with the Malaysian Youth Delegation (MYD) and U-Inspire Malaysia.

Mr. Victor Karayan is the current First Secretary and Press Counsellor at the Embassy of France in Kuala Lumpur. Diplomat and Asian specialist, he previously served as a Desk Officer for China in Paris after working at the Embassy of France in Beijing.

Muhammad Ridzwan Ali holds the position of Senior Assistant Secretary under the Climate Change Policy and Negotiation Unit, Climate Change Division, Ministry of Environment and Water (KASA).

Prior to KASA, he was the Senior Assistant Secretary under the same division of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) and Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change (MESTECC). Muhammad Ridzwan directly involves with policy coordination, policy implementation and negotiations of climate change. Muhammad Ridzwan also represents Malaysia in United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations, ASEAN Climate Change meetings and other climate change related meetings and programs. He has been involved in climate change negotiations since UNFCCC COP-21 in 2015, which gives birth to Paris Agreement. Currently Muhammad Ridzwan follows the negotiation issue related to the development of modalities, procedures, and guidelines for Article 6 to the Paris Agreement, which is on market and non-market mechanism under the Paris Agreement and issues related to common time frame of nationally determined contributions.

Muhammad Ridzwan holds a bachelor’s degree in Conservation Biology from Universiti Malaysia of Sabah (UMS).

Counsellor Pietro Tombaccini started his tour in Malaysia in January 2020 coming from Cairo- Egypt- where he was Head of the Economics and Trade Department at the Embassy of Italy there. He was previously posted in Uganda and Argentina. Before joining the Foreign Service nearly 20 years ago, Mr. Tombaccini had working experiences in the private sector in France and Germany. He holds a degree in Economics and a Master in international Relations, both from Bologna University. He stays in KL with wife and 2 children.

Ee Jenn is a Malaysian A Levels student who believes that the climate emergency is one of the most pressing issues facing humanity today. She joined MYD this year as a part of the Admin and Finance Working Group to learn more about the Malaysian climate policy landscape and help amplify local climate action efforts; since, she has helped lead media efforts for MYLCOY, among other projects.

Ee Jenn is also a new member of the World Oceans Day Youth Advisory Council, which works to direct the strategic focus of World Oceans Day events annually. Her interests primarily lie in cross-sectoral solutions to climate change, especially those involving politics and economic development. She is an avid debater, having been a member of the Malaysian national team and ranked within the top 15 debaters in the world, and sporadically attends Model UN conferences.

Mr. Emmanuel Mirus is a 19-year-old freshman at De La Salle University currently taking up Development Studies and Economics in the Philippines. Mirus started to volunteer at the age of 9, which sparked his passion for volunteering in more than 50 organizations before establishing his organization, Youth Advocates for the Philippines Inc. He serves as the current National President. His organization is considered one of the fastest-growing non-profit, youth-led organizations with more than 10,000 members, most from the ages of 13-21, serving more than 100,000 beneficiaries all just in its first year.

As an advocate for youth empowerment, Mirus is also currently the Philippine Officer of the ASEAN University Student Council Union. Active locally in his community, he is also the President of JJC Makati and the Project Management Chairperson of his Batch Student Government. He spends his free time mentoring the youth, frequently being invited to speak in schools and events locally and internationally, and an adviser to many organizations. This quarantine, Mirus, was one of the founders of the Online SDG Youth Action Forum. This online community initiates and promotes SDG learning efforts. Last July, he was the master of ceremonies of the UN Volunteers’ Reimagining Volunteering for the 2030 Agenda and was the youngest of one of thirty-five experts of the ASEAN Youth Plan for 2021-2025.

Last August 08, he, with his colleagues, officially launched the ASEAN Youth Advocates Network. He serves as the Founder and Executive Director, with now more than 10,000 members all over the 10 South East Asian Countries in just two months since its inception.

Chris is the Managing Director of Climate Tracker, an organisation that aims to support, mentor and train young climate journalists around the world. So far, they have connected with more than 16,000 journalists around the world, and hope to further their work in Malaysia in the coming years. Recently, Climate Tracker finalised a regional media analysis, looking into the biggest challenges and opportunities for influencing media narratives on energy across Southeast Asia.

Cherry Sung is a 14-year-old, youngest campaigner of Greenpeace Korea. She is also a member of Youth 4 Climate Action Korea, the main youth organization that fights for climate justice in South Korea. She chairs the Climate Education Youth Steering Committee, working closely with the Ministry of Education to enhance and expand environmental education provided in her country.

The beginning of her activism against climate change also marks the turning point of her recovery from the most fatal mental illness, anorexia nervosa. While struggling with anorexia, she has felt isolated from society and hopeless about world events. However, since learning about the urgency of mitigating and adapting to climate change, as well as the injustice that climate change imposes on society, she developed a sense of obligation to raise her voice and take direct action to prevent further damages to the present and the future.

She is currently leading a civilian group that monitors and publishes the ranking of each member of Congress’s effort for the legislation of the Green New Deal upon their bill proposition, research meetings, inquiries during the National Assembly Plenary Session, and press and SNS activities.

A climate change advocate since 2019, Azierah was introduced to MYD this year as part of the Policy & Research working group. Her interest areas include environmental law, international law, public health and also policy negotiation. She hopes to explore her interest areas through her status as a law student from Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) with a previous background of medical education and her portfolio as the Head of Corporate Relations Exco in International Law Club (ILC) within the faculty. She believes that youths should be deeply invested in policy-making, especially in seeking to mitigate environmental issues as it makes for a more resilient solution.

Thiaga Nadeson is Head of Markets and Education at WWF-Malaysia, where one of his main focus is to support corporates and financial institutions with implementing best practice sustainable solutions. He leads teams that engage with Malaysian corporates, regulators, stock exchange, banks and institutional investors in a range of advocacy, capacity building and research initiatives on corporate sustainability and sustainable finance, including Islamic banking. Most recently, he supported the Central Bank of Malaysia in the development process of the Value-based Intermediation (VBI) Assessment Framework and was one of the environmental experts in the VBI Scorecard deliberation with local and international Islamic banks in Malaysia. He is also representing WWF-Malaysia in all the sub-committees of Joint Committee for Climate Change. Prior to this role at WWF, Thiaga worked on environmental education and rural community management. Before WWF, he spent over 6 years in the private sector, where he was the Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs in a private investment holding companies that has interest in a wide range of sectors including property, food and timber. Within 19 years as WWF-Malaysia staff, he was exposed to various conservation issues and projects including the most trending issues - plastic and species conservation.

Bernadette Victorio is an international development and finance specialist with extensive experience delivering high impact initiatives in a variety of strategic, management, and policy advocacy roles in organizations including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), and Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI). She has a proven track record in influencing policy discussions on financial inclusion, sustainable finance, and ESG (environmental, social and governance) investment transparency and accountability. Her passion for gender equality is a defining value and key guiding principle both in her personal and professional life. She aims to enable more female voices and leaders to take prominent roles in shaping sustainable and inclusive financial sector policies and practices.

Originally from the Philippines, Bernadette has lived and worked across highly diverse development and cultural contexts in Asia including in Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, and Cambodia. She also worked extensively on assignment to other regions including Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific. Currently, Bernadette leads Oxfam Novib’s regional program, Fair Finance Asia, which aims to accelerate policy implementation and action on sustainable finance and responsible cross-border investments across Asia. She holds a master's degree in international development from the International University of Japan.

Khairun Nisa Zabidi leads the UK’s International Climate Fund (ICF) in Malaysia via the UK Partnerships for Accelerated Climate Transitions (UK-PACT) programme. She has over 10 years of experience in corporate responsibility, sustainability reporting and standards, ESG strategy and integration as well as capacity building for the mitigation and adaptation of climate change for the private, public and third sector.

In her past life, Khairun lobbied the UNFCCC negotiations as a climate youth activist, practiced CSR in corporate Malaysia, founded an equal opportunity zero-waste social enterprise and consulted high-profile corporate clients on future-proofing their businesses with PwC’s Southeast Asia Sustainability Consulting practice.

As a sustainability practitioner, connector and coach with an exceptionally broad range of experiences, Khairun considers herself a catalyst and cross-pollinator of sustainability solutions and is drawn to opportunities that promise high transformational change and impact potential.

Khairun graduated from LSE with an MSc in Environment and Development.

Ai Hui is an Economics graduate with a growing passion for sustainable finance. Currently she is an analyst with an international financial services firm. With a background in capital markets, she spends her spare time learning about how governments and corporates from various industries utilise various financial instruments towards a sustainable growth.

She is also committed in harnessing the potential of youth, and is actively involved in Malaysian Youth Delegation (MYD), a Malaysian civil society organisation representing Malaysia’s local youth climate movement at international climate conferences and raising awareness of climate policies among Malaysians. Ai Hui is also part of the organising committee of Young Corporate Malaysians (YCM), Malaysia's leading and largest corporate and business networking community for the youth.