International Conference on Tropical Sciences: Contributions to Sustainability

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TROPICAL SCIENCES : CONTRIBUTIONS TO SUSTAINABILITY 25 - 27 OCTOBER 2021

KUALA LUMPUR

Contents 01

Foreword from the Chair

02

Conference Overview

07

Sponsors and Strategic Partners

09

Setting the Scene

18

Addresses by Ambassadors

22

Tropical Medicine

30

Tropical Agriculture

38

Tropical Natural Resources

46

Tropical Architecture & Engineering

54

Special Themes

62

The Way Forward

74

MSAF-ASM Communique and the Next Steps

79

Acknowledgements

|1|

Foreword from Chair The Tropics is a region united by a unique

climate.

characterised and poverty.

by

It’s

also

a

region

underdevelopment

The potential of the Tropics should not

Emerita Prof. Dr Mazlan Othman Chair, TropSc 2021 Steering Committee

be underestimated and creating this awareness was the motivation for this

conference. We wanted to serve as a platform to showcase the unrecognised potential and challenges of the region, by

gathering

the

world's

leading

experts to discuss solutions for the region.

issues concerning the Tropics. On Day 1, began

dialogue

sustainable Tropics.

on

We

conversation

with

the

an

enlightening

path

development then

with

towards

in

the

continued

15

this

more

panel

discussions, and special addresses by ambassadors and important figures in the

Tropics.

conference,

At I

the

end

presented

of

the

the

culmination of all the ideas of the Conference,

in

the

form

of

a

communique which you can find in this report.

exchange

to

translate

into

meaningful action for the Tropics.

This

Conference

should

be

the

beginning. Between now and the next

MO

TropSc, we will be organising more activities to continue the discussion.

For three days we discussed a range of we

What is left now is for this knowledge

As mentioned in the Communique,

these activities need to be organised as a collective. Together, we can mobilise

solutions

for

Together, we are stronger.

our

region.

"By the Tropics, With the Tropics, For the

Tropics."

was

the

overriding

principle of the Conference. In the

words of Tun Dr Mahathir, “If the Tropics fails, the world falters”. The

pursuit of sustainable development of the Tropics is not a selfish pursuit but is indeed in the global interest.

Please join us on this journey towards a better, more sustainable Tropics. I hope that this report will serve as a launchpad

of

ideas

forward in this journey.

to

propel

us

|2|

Conference Overview Introduction The inaugural International Conference on Tropical Sciences (TropSc) 2021, jointly organised by the Mahathir Science Award Foundation and the Academy of Science Malaysia was held from 25 to 27 October 2021.

About the Organisers The Mahathir Science Award Foundation was established with seed funding from the Academy of Sciences, Malaysia (ASM) to manage and oversee the prestigious Mahathir Science Award. The Mahathir Science Award is positioned as the world’s most prestigious science award for tropical sciences, and bestowed on any scientist, institution or organisation worldwide in recognition of contributions and innovations towards solving problems in the tropics through science and technology.

ASM strives to be Malaysia’s Thought Leader for matters related to science, engineering, technology and innovation. ASM is committed to pursue excellence in the fields of Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) for the benefit of all. ASM supports good science by endorsing activities of highest fulfillment to promote engagement, understanding and literacy in science, technology and innovation.

Motivations The Tropics has a population of 3 billion, 55% of whom are under 5 years old, covers 40% of the world’s agricultural area and 80% of the world’s biodiversity. It also suffers rampant poverty and worsening impacts of climate change. While there are scientific and technological remedies to some of the problems, the Tropics needs solutions that are designed for its challenges while harnessing its values.

The virtual conference provided a platform to bring together stakeholders to position the Tropics in the context of global development and identify needed interventions by government, private sector and academia to advance the region. The conference aimed to highlight the immense potential of the Tropics and discussed how science, technology and policy could address challenges faced by the region.

Why are the Tropics Important?

|3|

Why are the Tropics Important?

|4|

Pre-conference Webinars

|5|

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the conference was postponed from its original date. To maintain interest and keep up the momentum, we organised 18 webinars leading up to the conference.

Click here to watch the pre-conference webinars

|6|

The Conference in Numbers

3 days

5 tracks 26

Tropical Agriculture

Tropical Architecture & Engineering Tropical Medicine

Tropical Natural Resources Special Themes -

sessions

3 sponsors

954

speeches

panel discussions

networking sessions

15 70

strategic partners

participants

from

keynote lectures

48

speakers

countries

99% would recommend the Conference to their colleagues 97% were likely to attend the next TropSc Conference 96% were highly satisfied with the Conference

|7|

Sponsors and Strategic Partners We would like to thank the following organisations for their generous contributions to the Conference.

These contributions facilitated the organisation of a high-quality conference for attendees.

PLATINUM SPONSOR

International Science Council The International Science Council (ISC) is a non-governmental organisation with a unique global membership that brings together 40 international scientific Unions and Associations and over 140 national and regional scientific organisations including Academies and Research Councils. The Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP), 2007 -2021, promotes the development of science throughout Asia and the Pacific and helps strengthen the voice of developing country scientists in this region. ROAP’s priority areas include the public discourse of science, responsible conduct of research, open science, disaster risk reduction, urbanisation, climate change and transdisciplinary domain studies.

THEMATIC SPONSORS

Sunway University

Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB)

Sunway University is one of Malaysia’s leading

TNB is an organisation that powers the nation.

profit institution and dedicated to quality

enrich the lives of our surrounding communities

private universities which is a strictly not-foreducation,

supporting

enterprise,

and

undertaking research focused on key global problems. The University is based in Sunway

City, a thriving green resort city built on reclaimed former tin-mining land, on the

western side of Kuala Lumpur in the heart of the Klang Valley. The University is relatively

young by global standards, but is already ranked within the top 2% of universities in the world (QS World University Rankings), and in the top 1.5% of universities in Asia, as well as being ranked within the top 150 universities in the world under 50 years old.

One of its primary business principles is to

through its sustainability efforts. Categorised into three (3) pillars of Economy & Social, Education and Environment, our efforts are in

line with the UN Sustainable Development

Goals. With the desire to create a world that is

‘Better. Brighter’, TNB believes that its promise is not only to provide access to electricity to

homes and businesses throughout the country but also in adopting sustainable practices and

activities in its operations to improve societal

and environmental outcomes and support our aspiration

“To

Be

a

Leading

Provider

of

Sustainable Energy Solutions in Malaysia and Internationally”.

|8| STRATEGIC PARTNERS

Forest Research Institute Malaysia

Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine, USM(INFORMM)

International Islamic University Malaysia

Universiti Malaysia Terengganu

Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia

Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia

Tan Sri Ramon Navaratnam

Universiti Sains Malaysia Top Glove

UCSI University

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

Universiti Teknologi Petronas

Universiti Malaya

Young Scientists Network of Academy of Sciences Malaysia

Setting the Scene

| 10 |

Introductory Remarks

Emerita Prof. Datuk Dr Asma Ismail FASc President

Academy of Sciences Malaysia

On behalf of the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM), I would like to extend a warm welcome to everyone for making the time to participate in the International Conference on the Tropical Sciences: Contributions to Sustainability. In short, TropSc 2021.

ASM is honoured to co-organise the TropSc 2021 with the Mahathir Science Award Foundation, which is starting today until Oct 27th, 2021.

It is a privilege to hear the keynote address by YABhg Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad today. We have known Tun Dr Mahathir as the passionate proponent of science in the tropics and today we got to hear his insightful views.

The Academy as the nation’s Thought Leader for matters relating to science, engineering, technology and innovation, is committed to develop a strong science, technology and innovation (STI) ecosystem in Malaysia and the region.

With our mission to pursue, encourage and enhance excellence in the fields of STI, we believe it is vital to recognise scientific leadership and research in the tropics. As such, the Academy established the Mahathir Science Award in 2005 that aims to recognise the outstanding

breakthroughs and impactful innovations toward solving problems in the Tropics.

ASM continues to work hand in hand with the Foundation to champion and recognise outstanding research in the Tropics through a rigorous selection process involving Fellows of ASM and experts in the field.

As we know, the Tropics is composed of intriguing ecosystems, which are unique to the Tropical region. Therefore, many discoveries and research done in developed countries, which are mostly in temperate region, may not be applicable directly in the Tropics.

The tropics is a very interesting region for many reasons. Firstly, 3 billion people (42% of the world’s population) live in the Tropics. By 2050 two thirds of the world children (67%) will live in the tropics.This has huge implication on food security as 25% of world population rely on the Tropical Rain Forest to generate food and income.

Moreover the Tropics covers 40% of the world’s agricultural area.

To be continued on next page

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

| 11 | While 80% of the world’s biodiversity are in the Tropics, however the threat to food security and livelihood is something that need to be address.

For example the fishing yield of marine species of tropical countries could decreased by 40% in the near future. Tropical rain forest also provide natural resources that make up ingredients for more than 60% of anti-cancer drugs. This attests to the value of Tropical natural resources and calls for strong collaboration and championing of tropical sciences for sustainability in terms of economic growth, societal well-being and conservation of the environment.

program that we have today. With the partnership of the Academy, the build-up to the conference began with the celebration of the International Day of the Tropics on the theme “The Future Belongs to the Tropics” on 29 June, 2020. In addition, 6 online conferences were organised to engage various stakeholders around the world to discuss issues and challenges faced by the tropics. Among the topics covered from July 2020 – March 2021 include People and Mangroves, Youth for the tropics, Protecting Mountain Biodiversity, Extinction in the Tropics etc. This provided a good prelude to this conference.

The Academy is pleased to note that many eminent speakers and leaders of the tropics will be sharing their thoughts, ideas and insights with the Conference participants. This Conference will feature keynote lectures as well as 16 curated panel discussions that will focus on various topics in the Tropical Sciences and special tracks such as Climate Change, Open Science and Youth Resilience. This inaugural co-organisation of the conference by ASM with MSAF has drawn participations of top notch speakers and we look forward to the impact that the discourse will create.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the conference Steering Committee members and the Technical Committee members for all their relentless efforts and contributions to make this Conference a reality. Not to forget our Conference secretariat from the Mahathir Science Award Foundation, Academy of Sciences Malaysia and International Science Council Region of Asia Pacific for their dedication and hard work to make this Conference a success.

I must congratulate the insurmountable efforts of Academician Dato' Seri Mazlan to organise the inaugural Trop Sci conference which will emphasise the extraordinary diversity of the tropics and highlight the unique challenges and opportunities tropical nations face.

Her leadership in organising this conference built the momentum since 2020 amidst challenges due to the pandemic towards providing reach

I would like to conclude my speech with the hope that this Conference will bring us together and inspire us to be in this important journey towards a better and safer Tropics.

I look forward to fruitful outcomes from this conference and hope it will spark sustained engagement and building of networks that will support Science in the Tropics. Our actions today will matter to ensure a bright and sustainable future for the Tropics and preserving the rich natural resources for coming generations.

Thank you.

Click here to watch the full video

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

| 12 |

Opening Speech

Tan Sri Samsudin Osman Chairman

Mahathir Science Award Foundation

On behalf of the Mahathir Award Award Foundation and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, I would like to welcome all the speakers and participants from across the globe who are joining us for the inaugural International Conference on Tropical Sciences.

The Mahathir Science Award Foundation was established in 2010 to support the Mahathir Science Award. The Mahathir Science Award is positioned as the world’s most prestigious science award for tropical sciences. It is bestowed on any scientist, institution, or organisation worldwide which has made outstanding contributions and innovations towards solving problems of the tropics through science and technology.

The Award aims to promote interest in Tropical Sciences and value the scientists who work tirelessly in this important area. Year after year, the Foundation promotes Tropical Science research as a way of solving the problems of the Tropics. The winners of the award exemplify this.

The work of our Mahathir Science Award Laureates on issues such as food security, global health, and sustainable management of natural resources, has indeed made the Tropics a better place to live.

The Tropics are healthier and safer than ever before. As a region with over half of the world’s biodiversity and over half of the world's renewable water resources, the Tropics shines with potential.

However, while poverty levels in the Tropics have declined since the early 1990s, 45% today still remain poor. While the life expectancy in the Tropics has increased from less than 50 to over 60 years, this is still considerably less than the global average life expectancy of 72 years.

We must look both to the future and to the past for these solutions. Some of them are right here in our own countries. Indigenous knowledge, for example, passed down from generation to generation, goes unrecognised despite its immense value.

To be continued on next page

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

| 13 | As an example, in Malaysia and many other tropical countries, bamboo is a native plant. It is a sustainable and environmentally superior material for which the indigenous people of Malaysia have become master craftsmen and constructionists.

Despite this, its value is still unrecognised. We need to include such indigenous knowledge and knowhow in our quest for a more sustainable Tropics.

We also need new ideas, new products and new knowledge. Science and technology play a huge role in this. Science and technology have transformed the standard and quality of our lives.

Not only have they made our countries richer, but also healthier and safer. It is therefore important, that we recognise the contributions of science and technology to this success, alongside indigenous peoples, academics, institutions and organisations.

Collaboration between nations is the way forward for the advancement of the Tropics. The most impactful breakthroughs in science, technology and even, policy have all been a result of collective efforts. Today’s Conference is our initiative to facilitate global knowledge exchange on the Tropics, by bringing together the world’s foremost experts in tropical sciences to one platform.

The multidisciplinary approach of this Conference is due to our recognition that the challenges in the various subject areas; tropical medicine, tropical architecture and engineering, tropical agriculture and tropical natural resources, are all interrelated.

This is the first time we are organising an International Conference on Tropical Sciences in collaboration with the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. Although the circumstances only allow us to meet virtually, it is a great honour to have all these esteemed speakers and participants from all over the world at our Conference.

The Mahathir Science Award Foundation is incredibly proud that we can be part of the mission to champion tropical sciences, with the Academy of Sciences Malaysia. We would also like to thank our partners, the International Science Council, Sunway University and Tenaga Nasional Berhad in supporting this mission.

I sincerely hope that this Conference will be the start of more discussions and actions working towards the betterment of the Tropics. Please join us in this important journey. With this, I hereby declare the Conference open.

Thank you.

Click here to watch the full video

// 25 OCTOBER 2021 // 25 OCTOBER 2021

| 14 |

Keynote Address on Tropical Sciences

YABhg. Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad Former Prime Minister of Malaysia

Esteemed guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Firstly, I would like to thank the organisers for inviting me to this conference. It is indeed an opportune time to reflect on how much the COVID-19 pandemic had impacted us, in particular in the Tropics. The pandemic wreaked havoc across the globe, regardless whether you are rich or poor, strong or weak, or whether you are from an advanced or a backward nation. It is how we pick ourselves up that differentiates us from one to the other. That makes this conference much more significant and important given that the Tropics is home to the majority of the world's poorest nations.

Ironically, the Tropics is also endowed with abundance of wealth in terms of resources. It is home to 80% of the world's biodiversity. In terms of human capital, it is projected that by 2050, two thirds or 67% of the world's children will be living in the Tropics. What all these figures represent is how significant the Tropics is in terms of global equation. In other words, if the Tropics fail, the world falters. But much as we are aware of the critical role of the Tropics and the need to ensure sustainability of its resources and biodiversity, it suffers and carries the burden of disproportionate share of challenges.

There has been major concern over the unprecedented loss of biodiversity in the Tropics, in particular animals of which some are on the brink of extinction. It is also saddled with the annual burden of some 1 billion people infected by tropical diseases due to lack of R&D efforts on these diseases, and the lack of health care compounds the problem further. At the end of the gloom is the climate change which is as much a defining challenge as it is to the rest of the world.

Climate change is expected to bring higher temperatures, drought and extreme weather which in effect will reduce freshwater supplies. The Tropics despite being a source for more than half the world's renewable water resources will not be spared of this phenomenon. It has been five years since the resolution to commemorate the International Day of Tropics being by the United Nations. Major strides have been chalked since then. However, much as there are solutions involving mitigation and adaptation to the challenges from climate change, the Tropics are still unable to benefit from these solutions due to financial. technological and institutional constraints.

To be continued on next page

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

| 15 | Sadly, some of the institutional problems include corruption, environmental apathy, limited investment in R&D, poor natural resources, poor governance, lack of conservation, inappropriate international aid, and unfair trade practices to name some. If these constraints are not addressed and resolved, the future of the Tropics will be in jeopardy and its impact on global will be can be devastating.

While we lament over the inability of nations in the Tropics to benefit from the solutions available, we have also to step up and make our way forward. If I may suggest among other things, the few things that we should start doing includes putting in greater investment in R&D in tropical-related issues. Secondly, the transfer of technology, in particular green technology to developing nations must be facilitated, enhanced and expedited. At the same time, for us in the Tropics, we must ensure that this technology takes into account the special environmental conditions of the Tropics.

Benefits can be multiplied if we share in as many aspects as possible. For example, sharing R&D outcomes and good practices should be institutionalised and be made the norm. In addition, knowledge and data should be shared through an Open Science approach which focuses on cooperation and new ways of using digital technologies and collaborative tools. In fact, the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us the benefits of

Open Science and that retreating to the era of operating in silos and putting up knowledge barriers are unappealing options. The Tropics’ civilisations can be traced back thousands of years. With such a legacy, we should revisit and revive traditional methods and indigenous knowledge, of which many can provide solutions for our current problems. And given the similarities in our problems, the diversity in our resources, and the wealth in our traditional knowledge, we should collaborate with each other and take ownership of our problems in order to benefit each other.

To rise to the challenges facing us, we need to create an alliance that realises how important it is to adopt a coherent approach. Only through this can we have a strong and collective voice to champion and defend the Tropics. Going forward we should also put in place a mechanism that will recognise and incentivise creative and innovative solutions to tropical issues, this time targeting the involvement of young people. As pointed out earlier in less than 30 years more than two-thirds of the world's children will be living in the Tropics.

The Tropics is young and continues to be young into the future. It belongs to the young.

On that note, I will end my speech. I truly hope and I'm sure you will come up with viable and innovative solutions that we can adopt and adapt for the betterment of the Tropics, which in turn will contribute to global wellbeing. Thank you.

Click here to watch the full video

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

Dialogue on Sustainable Development in the Tropics

| 16 |

MODERATOR Tan Sri Dr Munir Majid CARI ASEAN Research and Advocacy

PANELLISTS Tropical Underdevelopment

Prof. Jeffrey D. Sachs​ Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University

Agricultural Trade, Tropical Diseases, Tropical Ecology and Global Warming

Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Jomo Kwame Sundaram Academy of Sciences Malaysia​

Redesigning the System of Inequality

Prof. Muhammad Yunus Grameen Bank, Bangladesh

Financial Inclusion Supported by Digital Evolution for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in the Tropics Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Njuguna Ndung'u African Economic Research Consortium, Kenya

Tropical Challenges and The Sustainable Development Agenda Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Stewart Lockie​ James Cook University​ Australia

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

Dialogue on Sustainable Development in the Tropics

| 17 |

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Tropical underdevelopment can be attributed to features of tropical regions which include high

burden of infectious diseases, challenges in tropical agriculture production, a lack of connected and contiguous land with a smaller population, and late access at the beginning of the fossil fuel era.

The issue of global warming necessitates broad support as well as immediate attention to the

adaptation required by developing countries, which are dealing with the consequences of rising sea levels and extreme weather.

Tropical products were once highly valued and a source of attraction for merchants and colonists.

However, prices have been falling over the years, in part due to the absence of protectionism policies in the agricultural sector, as seen in developing countries, affecting food security.

The major barriers to achieving sustainable development include healthcare system incapacity,

global environmental changes and novel climate states, geopolitical tensions and localised conflicts, massive underinvestment in research & development and higher education in the Tropics, mobility and migration, organised ignorance and political polarisation and mass incarceration.

The current financial system needs to be redesigned to serve collective interests. Financial inclusion

can be supported by digital evolution sustained by good connectivity, supported infrastructures, and innovative platforms that are backed up by institutional capacity.

We must strengthen multilateral interactions and governance in the Tropics through building

coalitions and institutions, establishing genuine partnership, instilling political will and ensuring science informs policy.

Click here to read the full report

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

Addresses by Ambassadors

| 19 |

Address by H.E. Hermono Ambassador of Indonesia to Malaysia

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Indonesia has mainstreamed the targets and indicators of sustainable development to the 20172019 and 2020-2024 Medium Term National Development Plan (RPJMN) as well as developed a sustainable development roadmap for the provincial and city/ district levels.

The President of Indonesia has delivered four directives based on his commitment to the implementation of SDGs:

Indonesia must harness large tropical forests and mangrove forests for the well-being of the population,

Indonesia must participate in the global effort towards the green

economy. .Indonesia must harness maritime biodiversity to power sustainable blue economy in all coastal areas.

Indonesia’s economic growth must be inclusive, equitable; and economic fairness as the foundation.

Despite Indonesia’s commitment a wide gap of SDGs financing exists, which has worsened due to the pandemic. Evidently, various instruments for innovative financing of all potential resources are needed.

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

Address by H.E. Francis N. Muhoro

| 20 |

High Commissioner of Kenya to Malaysia

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Kenya is committed to five-year National Climate Change Action Plan 2018 – 2022, that helps Kenya adapt to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

70% of the Kenya’s installed electricity capacity comes from renewable energy sources, which is more than three times the global average.

Kenya invested heavily in geothermal power generation, which supplies low-cost, low-emissions energy, ranking the nation 9th in the world for its geothermal power generating capacity.

Kenya ranks second highest in Sub-Saharan Africa in the Global Innovation Index.

Kenya welcomes collaboration with strategic partners including Academia, private sectors, NGOs, and civil society in the Tropics.

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

Address by H.E. Abdoulaye Barro

| 21 |

Ambassador of the Republic of Senegal to Malaysia

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Senegal pioneers tropical science in both modern science, as defined by the West, and also

indigenous science. The Pasteur Institute of Dakar existed in 1896 played an important role in the development of tropical medicine.

Senegal is working on the construction of a facility for manufacturing vaccines against COVID-19 and other endemic diseases, by 2022. The Project will significantly increase Africa's medical and

vaccine production capacity and reduce its dependence on imports, which account for 99% of its vaccine needs.

Senegal is committed to the Sustainable Development. Goals Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE) was

adopted in 2014 and encompasses a number of large-scale social inclusion and regional equality programmes. Senegal covers nearly 97% of the SDG targets and that the 17 SDGs are found in the three axes of the PSE, the only framework benchmark in terms of economic policy.

Senegal’s effort to mitigate climate change include committing to reduce GHG emissions by 5% and 7% (unconditional) and 23.7% and 29.5% (conditional) compared to BAU levels in 2025 and 2030

respectively, setting up public research institutions which intervene in climate change and moving towards ‘green economy’.

Moving forward, the Government of Senegal, through its Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, would like to develop a win-win partnership between the scientific communities of Senegal and Malaysia.

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

Tropical Medicine

| 23 |

Keynote Lecture: A Strategy to Predict and Prevent Viral Pandemics

Dr Peter Daszak

President, EcoHealth Alliance Click here to view speaker profile and here to view presentation

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Emerging disease hotspots are mainly found in Asia corresponding to their population size and mammalian species diversity.

Factors that contribute to pandemic risk are, but not limited to, growing human population, change in the climate and environment parameters (e.g. deforestation, landscape change), and wildlife trade.

Regular wildlife-human interface could lead to another pandemic, therefore, regular tracking evidence of wildlife-to-human spillover events is important.

There needs to be strong economic incentives for transformative change to reduce the risk of pandemic.

We require better management of land use. For instance, rigorous studies should be carried out to determine whether building new road poses risk to people by getting too close to the wildlife.

There is a need to monitor wildlife trade closely and perform better surveillance studies to determine the cause of the outbreak.

Click here to read the full report

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

| 24 |

One Health in Action: Tales of Emerging Pathogens and Things to Come MODERATOR Prof. Dr Latiffah Hassan Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

PANELLISTS Emerging Infections and One Health: The Search for Reservoirs and an Appropriate Response Click here to view speaker's presentation

Prof. Dr David Heymann London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom

Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV): Anatomy of an Outbreak as an Example of One Health in Action Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr John MacKenzie Curtin University, Australia

The One Health Experience

Click here to view speaker presentation

Prof. Dr Malik Peiris Hong Kong University, Hong Kong

One Health in Action: From Hendra to Wuhan Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr Wang Linfa​ Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore

Click here to view speakers profiles

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

| 25 |

One Health in Action: Tales of Emerging Pathogens and Things to Come

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: The COVID-19 pandemic should serve as a catalyst for more One Health activities. Researchers

should use this opportunity to drive policy changes that can lead to improved funding and legal frameworks which embody the One Health concept

The One Health approach needs to have the buy-in of top leadership by highlighting to them that

human health security is very much dependent on animal and environmental health. There needs

to be political will to support policy and funding across both the animal and human health efforts.

Routine and systematic surveillance must be established for sentinel livestock, local wildlife and communities living at the forest fringe or in close proximity with wild animals. Atypical sickness must be further investigated to reduce impact if there is pathogen spill over.

Laboratory capacities and funding must be improved, particularly in the Global South, to enhance pathogen discovery and detection. This can be done via regional collaboration and making full use of resources provided by developed countries.

There should be a recognition that animal health side is equally as important as the human health side. Veterinary workforce should be provided more funding and more human resources to ensure continuous disease surveillance amongst animals.

One Health research must be supported and funded even when it is purely surveillance in nature to ensure adequate knowledge about current and potential diseases thereby improving disease preparedness.

Click here to read the full report

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

| 26 |

Digital Innovations for Public Health in the Tropics MODERATOR Tengku Datuk Dr Mohd Azzman Shariffadeen FASc Academy of Sciences Malaysia

PANELLISTS

An Overview of Digital Transformation in Healthcare

Dr Anurag Agrawal Boston Consulting Group​, Malaysia

AI Utilisation for Outbreak Surveillance and Forecasting in the Tropics: SELANGKAH for COVID-19

Dr Helmi Zakariah​ Artificial Intelligence in Medical Epidemiology (AIME), Malaysia

Digital Solutions for Disease Elimination in the Tropics Click here to view speaker's presentation

Lakshmi Balachandran Clinton Health Access Initiative

Automated Malaria Microscopic Diagnosis in Africa Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Rose Nakasi​ AI Lab, Makerere University, Uganda

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

| 27 |

Digital Innovations for Public Health in the Tropics

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: The application of Artificial intelligence to diagnostics improves the quality of diagnosis and reduces misdiagnosis due to human error.

Involvement of healthcare professionals in any digital health project is important to ensure that the technology can be applied directly in the field by health practitioners.

To bridge the gaps in technology adoption we need to ensure that all levels of society are technology-literate and that the technology rolled out fits the context it is rolled out in.

Regulators need to be trained to recognises biases in AI models and developers need to be able to clearly explain how their models work.

Strengthening information systems, improving routine data analysis and use, and facilitating

data-driven strategic planning are among the approaches that should be taken by governments to improve digital disease elimination strategies.

Despite the increasing consumerism of healthcare, public health has always faced underinvestment.

It is crucial to have political will from the government to adopt AI solutions and provide incentives for effective digital solutions to be developed.

Click here to read the full report

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

| 28 |

Vector-Borne and Neglected Diseases in the Tropics MODERATOR

Prof. Dr Yvonne Lim Ai Lian FASc Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

PANELLISTS

Drug Discovery and Resistance: The Need for Novel Antimalarials

Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr Alan Cowman Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Australia

Snakebite Envenoming: A Neglected Tropical Disease of High Global Impact

Click here to view speaker's presentation Emeritus Prof. Dr José María Gutiérrez University of Costa Rica, Costa Rica

Global Health Policy for NTD Eradication Click here to view speaker's presentation

Dr Raman Velayudhan World Health Organization, Switzerland

Innovative Treatments and Prevention Methods for Dengue

Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr Sazaly Abu Bakar Universiti Malaya, Malaysia

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

| 29 |

Vector-Borne and Neglected Diseases in the Tropics

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: There is a need for novel, out-of-the-box and innovative approaches to tackle vector-borne and

neglected diseases in the Tropics. These different approaches can complement one another and should fully prevent disease transmission.

Concerted and collaborative effort from all stakeholders, at all levels, in the Tropics is crucial in eradicating vector-borne and neglected diseases in the Tropics.

We must leverage on the improved resources, opportunities, and enhanced emphasis on concepts such as One Health presented post-COVID to tackle NTDs.

Greater country ownership, accountability and domestic financing will create a more sustainable approach to NTD eradication.

South-South collaboration and bilateral partnerships are vital to supporting R&D on NTDs, which are often diseases of poverty.

Click here to read the full report

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

Tropical Agriculture

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Keynote Lecture: Circular Economy for Sustainable Agriculture

Prof. Dr Shenggen Fan

Chair Professor and Dean, Academy of Global Food Economics and Policy, China Agricultural University Click here to view speaker profile and here to view presentation

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: COVID-19 has exacerbated global food insecurity by disrupting food supply chains and reducing the demand for nutritious and more expensive food due to increased poverty.

Circular agriculture is more sustainable and recognises the importance of proper use and

maintenance of soils and the role of farmers as key drivers and beneficiaries of the system.

We can transform our food systems to become more productive, nutritious, sustainable, resilient

and inclusive through investing in agriculture R&D that improve multiple aspects, repurposing food subsidies, investing in new infrastructure, innovating existing institutions, enacting regulations that

respect nature, enhancing resilience of local food systems, and facilitating consumer behavioural change.

Social protection programs, access to land, credit, finance, and political voice are critical to ensure that disruptions in food systems do not affect the health of the population, particularly those who are most vulnerable.

Countries that import food must be aware of the carbon emission of the exporting country and ensure that what it is importing is sustainable and environmental-friendly. These countries can facilitate the adoption of more sustainable practises by investing in science, research, and technology in the exporting country and work together to ensure that the exported food is sustainably produced.

Click here to read the full report

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

Climate-Smart Agriculture in the Tropics

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MODERATOR Dr Mahaletchumy Arujanan International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA), Malaysia

PANELLISTS Impact of Climate Change on Eucheumatoids Aquaculture in the Tropics

Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Anicia Hurtado Integrated Services for the Development of Aquaculture and Fisheries Inc ​, Philippines

Impact of Climate Change on Livestock in the Tropics Click here to view speaker's presentation Emeritus Prof. Dr Lindsay Falvey University of Melbourne​, Australia

The Future Food System: Possibilities, Opportunities, and Imperatives

Click here to view speaker's presentation Luke Tay Independent Food Futurist, Singapore

Reading Palms: Genetic Tools for Sustainable Oil Palm Click here to view speaker's presentation

Prof. Dr Robert Martienssen Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, USA

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

Climate-Smart Agriculture in the Tropics

| 33 |

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Climate change has impacted agriculture as climate variability and extremes have resulted in

reduced yields due to nutrition stress, changes in pasture productivity and increased susceptibility of crop/livestock to diseases.

Adaptations to climate change include increasing nutrition and creating new breeds to address

emerging environments via molecular genetics; maintenance of animal health where both animal and human health are considered; the creation of climate-sensitive disease surveillance and control tools; as well as climate risk maps and policy support tools.

Benefits from technology addressing climate change must reach all levels of the supply chain and communities in the Tropics. It is important to develop technology in regions where such benefits can be reaped.

High potential solutions that can be used for future food systems include smart-food cities,

personalised nutrition aggregated to population levels as well as incorporating breakthrough

technologies in the agroforestry and mariculture fields to boost the productivity of such foods while promoting sustainability and conservation efforts in such areas.

Social licensing is a crucial aspect of future food system acceptance among communities, which may, in turn, affect the political will of governments as well as funding of climate change

mitigation efforts. Persuasion sciences, i.e., the use of behavioural scientists, can be used to inform as well as influence the outcome of food system policies to the masses.

Click here to read the full report

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

| 34 |

Changing Agriculture Landscape in the Tropics MODERATOR Dr Ruslan Abdullah Malaysia Palm Oil Council, Malaysia

PANELLISTS Changing Political Landscape for Palm Oil in the Tropics Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), Malaysia

Policy Imperatives for Changing the Agricultural Landscape in the Tropics

Click here to view speaker's presentation which was Prof. Gbolagade Ayoola Farm & Infrastructure Foundation​, Nigeria

presented during the Focus on Africa Session (pg. 62)

Community Agriculture and Ending Deforestation in the Tropics

Click here to view speaker's presentation Patrick Anderson Forest Peoples Programme, Australia

Demographic Changes in the Agrarian Population Click here to view speaker's presentation

Prof. Paul P.S. Teng NIE International Pte Ltd, Singapore

Changes in the Rubber Industry Landscape Click here to view speaker's presentation Salvatore Pinizzotto​ International Rubber Study Group, Singapore

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

Changing Agriculture Landscape in the Tropics

| 35 |

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: It is inevitable that rural populations will decline as economies grow and develop. As such, there is a need to sustain a viable food producing capacity in the countryside while concurrently

increasing urban agriculture using an appropriate mix of policy incentives and technologies.

The oil palm industry is much regulated and has contributed greatly to the economic growth of

many countries, especially Malaysia and Indonesia. This is due to the efficiency and productivity of the crop when compared to other agricultural crops such as rubber. However, the industry is still work-in-progress that requires more input from scientists and industry practitioners.

Rubber cultivation can be made to adapt to the climate change by implementing climate-

resilient agronomic practices as well as developing adaptive traits in rubber clones. The rubber

industry can contribute to climate change mitigation efforts via increasing carbon stocks, limiting negative impacts of land-use change and improving managing practices that increase yield and soil carbon as well as reduces GHG emissions.

The implementation of zero deforestation standards in agriculture may be a problem for

independent smallholder farmers who cannot fund such studies and certifications. As such,

governing bodies should develop simplified methodologies and jurisdictional approaches, and incentivise such efforts among smallholder farmers

There is an urgent need to understand how global crop production can be safeguarded and

sustainably increased on a lasting basis under climate change, while contributing to climate mitigation goals.

Click here to read the full report

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

Frontier Technologies in Tropical Agriculture

| 36 |

MODERATOR Dr Surina Ismail IOI Corporation Berhad, Malaysia

PANELLISTS Blockchain for Agriculture in the Tropics Click here to view speaker's presentation

Azizi Meor Ngah Foodchain SpA, Italy

How Smallholders Can Adopt Frontier Technology Click here to view speaker's presentation

Chandrashekar Badsavle Saguna Rural Foundation, India

Overview: Disruptive Technologies in Agriculture

Jack A. Bobo Futurity, United States

Tumaini: Mobile App to Enhance Crop Health Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Michael Gomez Selvaraj International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), Columbia

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

Frontier Technologies in Tropical Agriculture

| 37 |

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Innovations and future technologies can save the planet. We need to do all we can today to ensure the technologies and innovations that are being developed at research institutes reach farmers and ultimately leads to sustainable agriculture.

No-till farming methods such as the Saguna Rice Technique (SRT) are affordable, quick and

easy regenerative agricultural technology that smallholders can adopt to increase their land productivity sustainably.

We should analyse our "food balance sheets" and use tools such as technology and freedom to obtain information to detect food loss and waste.

Blockchain technology can provide traceability in agriculture and could be used to resolve

issues such as food safety protocols, human rights and environmental stewardship including supply chain transparency.

Moving forward, we need new policies which promote innovation, encourage collaboration & partnerships, provide access to intellectual property, ensure fair and equitable licensing agreements and greater investments to bring innovation to market as well to enhance consumer trust in our food system.

The preservation and study of existing crop diversity is as important for the future well-

being of humanity as the creation of new technologies, and can be done via gene banks.

Click here to read the full report

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

Tropical Natural Resources

| 39 |

Keynote Lecture: Sustaining Natural Resources for People and Planet

Emeritus Prof. Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid FASc

Chairman, Atri Advisory Click here to view speaker profile

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Biodiversity is the most precious but also the least appreciated natural asset. It must be

acknowledged that biodiversity contributes greatly to our economy, health, culture and is a form of ecological life support.

Although the ASEAN region contains 18% of the world’s biodiversity, the region suffers from the highest rate of mangrove, forest and coral reef losses.

To address the severity of biodiversity loss, there have been many initiatives put into place throughout history from the intergovernmental to the national levels.

To formulate better conservation strategies, governments should seek and take into account scientific advice.

To address biodiversity loss, the government needs to increase funding for R&D so that the strategic programmes planned can be executed.

Commitment to conservation needs to be articulated at the highest level from, however informed and proactive citizens can mobilise changes in policies.

The COVID-19 pandemic has served as a wake-up call on the importance of conservation, as habitat loss of wild animals has contributed to spillover of disease to humans.

Click here to read the full report

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

| 40 |

Sustainable Use and Health of Tropical Biodiversity MODERATOR Dr Rahimatsah Amat FASc Academy of Sciences Malaysia

PANELLISTS Challenges and Opportunities in Managing Natural Resources

Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Arvin C. Diesmos ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, Phillipines​

Sustainable Natural Resource Planning and Management in the Tropics

Prof. Dr Hugh Possingham Queensland Chief Scientist, Australia

Governance of Nature Areas: Impact on the Community and Livelihood

Click here to view speaker's presentation Assoc. Prof. Dr Ramesh Boonratana IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group, Thailand

Infrastructure Tsunami and the Fate of Tropical Nature Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr William F. Laurance James Cook University, Australia

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

| 41 |

Sustainable Use and Health of Tropical Biodiversity

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Simple, reliable and quantifiable metrices on biodiversity should be developed for corporations and industry to adopt and assess their impact on biodiversity, similar to that of "carbonneutral" status.

Poor governance is the major challenge in ensuring the sustainable use and health of tropical biodiversity.

Increasing public awareness on the impact of biodiversity loss can allow different stakeholders to assert influence on governments to become more transparent and take action.

Conservation can be promoted through strategic talks to a diverse audience that highlight the

economic benefits of conservation, condemn the role of corruption in approval of infrastructure projects and educate on the impacts of pollution caused by these projects.

The rapid build-up of infrastructure in developing countries has led to a global infrastructure

“tsunami” that threatens the biodiversity of the Tropics through direct and indirect damage to the environment.

Instead of profit-driven economic development, the health of the planet should be seen as the foundation of human wellbeing and economic profit.

Click here to read the full report

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

| 42 |

Sustainable Blue Economy in the Tropics MODERATOR Prof. Narnia Bohler-Muller Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa

PANELLISTS Policy Framework pertaining to Blue Economy in the Tropics​

Click here to view speaker's presentation Cheryl Rita Kaur Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA), Malaysia

Innovative Seaweed Farming Techniques for Communities in the Tropics

Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Flower Msuya University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania​

Working With the Private Sector Towards Sustainable Seafood and Healthy Ocean

Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Henrik Österblom​ Stockholm University, Sweeden

Coastal Communities and the Blue Economy in the Tropics

Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr Melanie Austen University of Plymouth, United Kingdom

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

| 43 |

Sustainable Blue Economy in the Tropics

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: The Blue Economy (BE) is identified as a driver of transformational change and sustainability in the tropics.

Challenges in BE uptake and implementation include coastal and marine ecosystems under

threat, lack of funding, lack of data and standard methodology, lack of technical capacity, lack of coordination among governmental agencies, and very few pilot projects.

Mapping and modelling of ecosystem services allow projection of different scenarios (e.g.,

climate change, fisheries exploitation), risk assessment and enables prioritisation of proper

management that can reap benefits ranging from seafood and aquaculture to human wellbeing.

Seaweed farming can bring many economic benefits to the local communities. To sustain this activity, innovative seaweed farming techniques such as planting in deeper waters, using floating line systems, bamboo rafts, net baskets, and tubular nets should be adopted.

Engagements between the large players in the marine industry and academia should be

intensified to stimulate transformative change towards ocean stewardship through monitoring and tracing of progress, transparency of reporting, and communications.

Scientists, academics, researchers, and academic councils/ institutions should provide

scientific evidence to policy makers and governments and work with civil society and the private sector to make a real difference through a sustainable blue economy.

Click here to read the full report

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

Natural Product Development and Trade: The Future is in the Tropics

| 44 |

MODERATOR Professor Dr Khozirah Shaari FASc Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia

PANELLISTS Education, Collaboration and Regulation: An

Alternative Model for Commercial Use of Medicinal Plants in Human Health Prof. Dr Atta-ur-Rahman Karachi University, Pakistan

Click here to view speaker's presentation

Botanical Drugs Development and

Commercialisation: The Malaysian Biotechpreneur Experience Abdul Razak Mohd Isa Medika Natura Sdn Bhd, Malaysia

Natural Product Research Within the Current Regulatory Framework

Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Ami Fazlin Institute for Medical Research (IMR), Malaysia

Integrated, Sustainable Approaches to Tropical Forest

Development and Traditional Medicine Quality Control in the 4IR

Click here to view speaker's presentation

Professor Emeritus Dr. Geoffrey Cordell University of Illinois at Chicago, USA

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

Natural Product Development and Trade: The Future is in the Tropics

| 45 |

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: The key to producing quality traditional medicinal products in the marketplace is to consider

quality, safety, efficacy, consistency, and accessibility (QSECA) at every stage of the production process.

We should look to the utilisation of blockchain technology to enhance traceability and quality

control from farm in the forest, to the marketplace as we move forward in terms of developing natural products for patients.

A network of collaborating centres, focusing on a few key fields of importance (e.g. one or two diseases) should be developed with the aim of collaboratively developing an extract until clinical trials, which can later be introduced in an integrated Pharmacopoeia.

Education and training of professionals in academia, industry, government (particularly the

Ministry of Health) and regulatory bodies is the key to obtaining regulatory approvals and the acceptance of herbal extracts in modern medicine.

It is imperative to build harmonisation strategies especially in terms of pharmacopeial

monographs to create a mutual understanding and agreement between different countries and regions regarding traditional/herbal medicines.

We can learn from industry practitioners that have successfully produced or are currently on the right track to producing a product, on how the timeline to production can be reduced significantly while still adhering to the regulatory requirements.

Click here to read the full report

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

Tropical Architecture & Engineering

| 47 |

Keynote Lecture: Development of a Green and Sustainable University Campus in the Tropics

Professor Dr Wong Nyuk Hein Professor and Vice Dean (Research), School of Design and Environment, National University of Singapore

Click here to view speaker profile and here to view presentation

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Net zero-energy buildings are buildings or construction characterised by zero net energy consumption and zero carbon emissions calculated over a period of time.

Microclimate simulation of the NUS campus through a “digital twin” allows for the design of more sustainable buildings with lower solar gain and enhanced natural ventilation.

CFD modelling and AI-based data-driven prediction models for temperature can produce a

detailed profile of complex terrain including a realistic simulation of wind fields to understand air motion and temperature distribution.

Planting trees is one of the best investments into cool ambient temperature as presence of greenery can reduce temperature by 2 °C due to shading or evapotranspiration.

Biophilic design principles are important to establish and nurture a relationship between the built environments and its surroundings through visual and physical connections with natural elements.

NUS’s SDE4 building is a zero energy building as it is designed for the tropical climate by reducing solar heat gain and optimising hybrid cooling sustainably. It is also WELL certified as its design

focuses on increasing the well-being and productivity of its occupants through the development of healthy and active workplaces.

Click here to read the full report

// 25 OCTOBER 2021

| 48 |

Green Energy in the Tropics MODERATOR Prof. Mohamed Kheireddine Aroua Sunway University​, Malaysia

PANELLISTS

Energy Policy in the Tropics: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa

Click here to view speaker's presentation

Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo​ Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN)​, Nigeria

Clean Energy Opportunities in Tropical Countries Click here to view speaker's presentation

Prof. Shaharin Anwar Sulaiman Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS​, Malaysia

The Potential of OTEC for the Tropics Click here to view speaker's presentation

Prof. Yasuyuki Ikegami Institute of Ocean Energy, Saga University, Japan

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

| 49 |

Green Energy in the Tropics

Click here to watch the full video Key points: The Tropics is naturally abundant in certain energy sources such as solar and biomass

however energy access in some countries in the Tropics (especially Sub-Saharan Africa) is still very low.

Ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) has great potential to harness the energy sources

found in the Tropics and the development of OTEC sites can foster economic development by supporting other downstream deep sea water-related industries.

The projected increase in energy consumption is the highest in tropical countries. As the Tropics is rich in energy resources it should be able to solve the low energy access with its own resources, subject to holistic energy policies and good governance.

There is a need to embrace an innovative mindset in developing clean energy technology that is specific to the Tropics, whilst being supported by developed countries through technology transfer.

The intensity of R&D work should be increased to reduce the cost of the green energy transition in the Tropics.

To achieve the 2050 Net Zero target, we need supportive policies and governance, public

awareness on the importance of energy efficiency, and a skilled workforce for the renewable energy sector.

Click here to read the full report

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

| 50 |

Smart People-First Cities in the Tropics MODERATOR TPr. Ts. Norliza Hashim URBANICE, Malaysia

PANELLISTS

Designing for the Tropics – from bioclimatic architecture to ecological architecture Click here to view speaker's presentation Dato’ Dr Ar Ken Yeang TR Hamzah & Yeang​, Malaysia

Joyful Chaos in the Tropics

Click here to view speaker's presentation

Gaetan Siew UN Habitat Special Envoy, Mauritius

Smart Cities in Indonesia: A Brief Overview & Reflection for the New Capital City

Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Galuh Syahbana National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia

Urban Transformation in the Making of Smart PeopleFirst City

Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Limin Hee Centre for Liveable Cities, Singapore

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

| 51 |

Smart People-First Cities in the Tropics

Click here to watch the full video Key points: Cities, particularly in the tropics, are made up of a chaos that creates uneasiness but also allows for growth and creativity. These cities may seem to be in different geometries or

patterns, but are often organised and governed by several common guiding principles.

We should make use of climate-responsive designs because bioclimatic factors such as

climatic data, rainfall, humidity and solar insulation have significant implications on ecological architecture.

It is important to integrate vegetation into building design to promote habitat, flora and fauna interaction especially in high-rise buildings. This can be done with an Ecocell device.

E-planners can help urban planners visualise and analyse various datasets so that future

urban spaces can be developed with ease, optimising building layouts for an improved living environment.

Accessibility, availability, affordability and fairness must be addressed in the development of smart cities and bottom-up initiatives are required to educate people how to use the digital infrastructures and public services available in smart cities.

As tropical countries may encounter similar challenges and issues, it is important that they collaborate with each other to expedite the pathway to sustainable smart cities.

Click here to read the full report

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

| 52 |

Leading Edge Material Development in the Tropics MODERATOR Dr Rezal Khairi Ahmad NanoMalaysia Berhad, Malaysia

PANELLISTS Innovating High Value Biomass-Based Advanced Materials

Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Annabelle V. Briones Industrial Technology Development Institute (ITDI), Philipines​

Bamboo: A Re-Emerging Material Click here to view speaker's presentation Ewe Jin Low Better Bamboo Buildings and TENTEN Design

Localising and Diversifying Downstream Mining Outputs for Sustainable Economic Growth Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Mohamed Sani Haruna National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Nigeria

Nanotechnology Development and

Commercialisation in Indonesia Based on Natural Resources: “From Lab to Industry” Prof. Dr Nurul Taufiqu​ National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia

Click here to view speaker's presentation

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

Leading Edge Material Development in the Tropics

| 53 |

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: The Tropics is rich in sources of biomass and should utilise this advantage to develop advanced materials that are sustainable and suited to the region.

Nanotechnology will revolutionise many sectors including agriculture, thus we should take advantage of it and the abundance of natural resources in the region to enhance competitiveness of the region.

Bamboo is a re-emerging material that can be found in the Tropics. With its unique physical and mechanical properties, and appropriate treatments and techniques, bamboo can be a good choice for sustainable product and building materials.

Governments should take the initiative to invest in and bring new innovative materials to the marketplace that can be designed for tropical conditions.

Governments should seek more inclusive Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) which fosters linkages with the host economy to generate job creation by not only upgrading upstream and

downstream value chains, but also spurring broader spill-overs on the host economy.

The high export of raw materials in a country may reflect the low level of industrialisation and ability to create a high value chain within the country.

Economies in the Tropics should collaborate with each other without exploitation agenda to

redefine the global supply chain to ensure that high value-added activities can be retained within the tropical belt.

Click here to read the full report

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

Special Themes

| 55 |

Investing in the Tropics YBhg. Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah AO

Founder and Chairman, Sunway Group Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Investment is not only the act of pouring money, effort, time and other resources into a profitable

venture, sometimes it can be not doing something, yet gaining a return. In the words of the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu “act without action”. In this context, preservation of our natural resources can also be an investment.

In the past, we did not recognise the value of peatlands to our ecosystem and built over them in

the name of progress. Now we know that these areas serve as carbon sinks and play a vital role in combating climate change. Just by leaving these areas untouched is a positive contribution and form of investment for the future.

Surely, the Tropics are owed some form of investment from the rich countries for doing our part in helping ensure the very survival of humanity through the untouched carbon sinks in the region.

In fact, the carbon stock within Southeast Asia would be valued at USD 6.8 trillion according to the recommended carbon tax rate by the IPCC.

A fund similar to the UN Green Climate fund can go a long way towards much needed investment in public goods across the region.

What if we developed brownfields instead of green fields? Sunway City, Kuala Lumpur is an example of landscape rehabilitation where abandoned and disused mining pools were transformed into Malaysia’s first integrated green township.

The Sunway group is founded on the concept of sustainable development and has contributed to the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network. It has established the Sunway Center for Planetary Health and will establish the UNSDSN Asia headquarters at Sunway.

Sunway firmly believes that building a sustainable future is not the responsibility of governments alone, it requires the commitment of all elements of society: the private sector, academia, civil society and of course every single individual.

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

Climate Change in the Tropics

| 56 |

MODERATOR Alizan Mahadi

Institute of Strategic and International Studies (ISIS), Malaysia

PANELLISTS Sustainable Tropical Agriculture in a Climate of Change Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr Mark Howden The Australian National University , Australia

Global Warming of 1.5°C and the Tropics Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr Joy Jacqueline Pereira SEADPRI-Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Malaysia

Decolonisation and Climate Change

Click here to view speaker's presentation Dr Renzo Guinto Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, Malaysia

Climate Change and Tropical Biodiversity

Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr Richard Corlett Chinese Academy of Sciences, China

Oceans, Climate, and Human Health: Cholera, COVID-19, and the Next Pandemic

Click here to view speaker's presentation Prof. Dr Rita R. Colwell University of Maryland, USA

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

| 57 |

Climate Change in the Tropics

Click here to watch the full video Key points: Limiting global warming to 1.5°C temperature increase requires changes on an unprecedented

scale such as deep emission cuts in all sectors, a range of technologies, behavioural changes and increased investment in low carbon options.

Heat stress has impacts on all aspects of agriculture. Based on the projected high emission

scenario towards the end of the century, the tropics will experience heat stress days almost every day.

Tropical vegetation has a major impact on global carbon storage and cycling, and this is vulnerable to climate change.

In the tropics, the greatest impacts of climate change have been on mountains, where glaciers

have shrunk on the highest peaks and both plants and animals have moved upslope, and on coral reefs, where mass bleaching episodes have coincided with sea-surface temperature extremes.

Using data obtained from satellites, a disease prediction model for cholera linking chlorophyll and sea surface temperatures was developed. Sunlight and warming cause algal blooms which have an impact on the vectors of the bacteria that cause cholera.

The colonisation of climate negotiations mostly affects those from poor countries. We should dig deeper to address the root problems that result in asymmetries of power manifested in climate negotiations.

Click here to read the full report

// 26 OCTOBER 2021

Youth Resilience in the Tropics

| 58 |

MODERATOR Dr Vellapandian Ponnusamy Institute for Youth Research Malaysia, Malaysia

PANELLISTS The Importance of Youth Involvement in Science in the Tropics

Dr Clarissa Rios Rojas Centre for the Study of Existential Risk University of Cambridge

Youth Employment Trends in the Tropics Click here to view speaker's presentation Kee Beom Kim International Labor Organisation Switzerland

Youth in the Tropics: Evidence from the Global Youth Development Index

Click here to view speaker's presentation

Dr Terri-Ann Gilbert-Roberts Commonwealth Secretariat United Kingdom

Youth Grassroots Movement to Address Climate Change Click here to view speaker's presentation Zawad Alam Team Lead, Project WE Movers Envoy

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

Youth Resilience in the Tropics

| 59 |

Click here to watch the full video

Key points: Tropical countries are making slow but positive progress in youth development, however they are still generally lagging behind the global averages in terms of peace and security, health and well-being, equality and inclusion, and employment and opportunity.

The Youth Development Index (YDI) indicators and domains provide evidence that can support

policy-making by monitoring the progress of SDGs’ completion, identifying issues, and looking for corresponding solutions.

There should be partnerships between a wide range of stakeholders including national statistical offices and youth departments to deepen the research and promote the development of national YDIs.

The share of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET) is much higher for young women than young men, tropical regions show gender discrepancies as high as 20%.

Young people benefit less than adults from response measures like job retention policies

undertaken by countries around the world and youth labour markets are recovering more slowly.

Curriculum on climate issues should be included in primary level education because there are

many vulnerable people living in the rural areas who have no knowledge about climate issues at all.

Mentoring is a powerful tool for students and young professionals and mentorship programs should be initiated especially where there are none available.

Click here to read the full report

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

| 60 |

Open Science for Tropical Biodiversity CO-MODERATORS Prof Em. Mazlan Othman FASc

Dr Simon Hodson ISC-CODATA

Academy of Sciences Malaysia

Click here to view speaker's presentation

PANELLISTS

The Need for Comprehensive Biodiversity Data Sharing in the Tropics

Click here to view speaker's presentation

Dr Alice Hughes Chinese Academy of Sciences

Open Science for Biodiversity Data in Indonesia Click here to view speaker's presentation

Dr Anang Setiawan Achmadi National Research and Innovation Agency Indonesia

GBIF: Towards Open Data for Tropical Biodiversity Click here to view speaker's presentation

Tim Hirsch Global Biodiversity Information Facility

Click here to view speaker profiles

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

| 61 |

Open Science for Tropical Biodiversity

Click here to watch the full video Key points: Open science aims to maximise the benefit of science for society through data sharing that can increase efficiency and save significant cost.

The data need to be open by default – as open as possible and as closed as necessary.

The Tropics is the most diverse region in the world with plenty of threatened species. Using data and open science may overcome the psychological and behavioural barriers to conservation.

Current biodiversity data is inconsistent and biased. We need to collate better and more

representative data to understand where species are to better inform policy and management.

To promote open science, we need to engage with individual countries/institutions/communities and show how shared data is used and cited. We need to provide incentives, grants and

recognition to scientists and institutions who share data and require data from publicly funded research to be shared. We also need to reduce political boundaries to data sharing.

There needs to be a risk-benefit analysis on data sharing. Sensitive/rare species data should be shared when necessary for research and conservation efforts, and at a resolution that does not facilitate illegal practices such as poaching.

It may be difficult to centralise/integrate biodiversity data from different countries, however, a standardised format may enable the data from different regions to be shared on different platforms.

Click here to read the full report

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

The Way Forward

Focus on Africa: Fulfilling Potentials

| 63 |

MODERATOR Dato’ Dr Shazelina Zainul Abidin Director General, Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia

PANELLISTS Agricultural Policy Reform

Prof. Gbolagade Ayoola Farm & Infrastructure Foundation, Nigeria

Energy Policy

Prof. Abubakar Sani Sambo​ Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN)​, Nigeria

Marine Resources and Seaweed Production

Dr Flower Msuya University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania​

Regional Collaborations

Prof. Mohamed Sani Haruna National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), Nigeria

Blue Economy

Prof. Narnia Bohler-Muller Human Sciences Research Council, South Africa

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

Focus on Africa: Fulfilling Potentials

| 64 |

Focus on Africa: Fulfilling Potentials Click here to watch the full video Key points: This session discussed what can be adopted, changed, and supplanted in Africa to further

advance the region. Agriculture, food security, energy, marine resources, and the blue economy were identified as areas of strength in propelling the region forward.

Policy responsibility, accountability, transparency, and the rule of law are vital for sustainable

food security in Africa and can be advocated via the concept of food as a fundamental right.

The African region is fortunate to be located near the ocean which provides natural resources such as seaweed, that can benefit Africa's food and economic development.

The blue economy offers numerous opportunities for sustainable growth, and it is critical to recognise the role and contribution of women in the blue economy to truly achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Energy, particularly electricity, is important in advancing socioeconomic development.

Therefore, proper regulatory policies and frameworks to foster sustainable growth in the energy sector in Africa are needed.

The African region possesses an abundance of resources and talents and thus internal

collaborations among African countries in developing home-based solutions is the way forward.

Click here to read the full report

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

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The Way Forward for Tropical Sciences The multidisciplinary approach of this conference recognises that all challenges in the Tropics,

despite belonging to different domains, are interrelated. The 26 sessions spanning five different tracks discussed at length the challenges and opportunities in different tropical sectors.

However, at the end of the discussions, it was evident that there are three common themes that underlie the way forward for each of these sectors.

1

2

REGIONAL COLLABORATION

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS

3

THE APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES

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1

REGIONAL COLLABORATION All the sessions at this Conference reaffirmed that the sustainable development and advancement of the Tropics is not a task that can be shouldered alone. Collaboration

between countries of the Tropics would ensure that efforts are streamlined, resources are optimised and expertise is exchanged in a win-win scenario for all countries in the region.

Many tropical agricultural products are exported within TROPICAL AGRICULTURE

and outside of the Tropics. As mentioned in the Keynote Lecture on Tropical Agriculture, countries importing food can facilitate the adoption of more sustainable practises by investing in science, research, and technology in the

exporting country and working together to ensure that the

exported

food

is

sustainably

produced.

Such

collaboration can produce mutual benefits for all stakeholders along the agricultural supply chain.

With

its

wealth

of

native

natural

TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEEING

resources, many global supply chains begin in the Tropics but are not

retained within the region. Economies in the Tropics should collaborate with each

other

without

exploitation

agenda to redefine the global supply

chain to ensure that these natural resources are developed into high value materials within the tropical belt.

The Tropics is also rich in renewable and green energy resources. Despite this, certain

regions in the Tropics still have limited access to electricity and are vulnerable to water stress. As mentioned in the Green Energy in the Tropics session, we should therefore

materialise the demand for strong collaborations between different countries in developing new technology for green energy harnessing.

| 67 |

Neglected Tropical Diseases are often

TROPICAL MEDICINE

diseases of poverty. R&D in these areas

need

to

be

supported

by

adequate laboratory capacities and funding

in

the

region.

Pooling

resources and bilateral partnerships

can facilitate this. We must also make full use of resources provided by developed

maintaining

countries

country

whilst

still

ownership,

accountability and domestic financing

to create a sustainable approach to disease eradication.

be developed to collaboratively develop herbal extracts until clinical trials, which

can later be introduced in an integrated

TROPICAL NATURAL RESOURCES

Pharmacopoeia.

Standardisation

and

harmonisation of regulations across the region could create mutual understanding on

traditional/herbal

development

to

development

and

medicine

expedite

use.

As

their

mentioned

during the Open Science for Tropical In

developing

resources

into

our

tropical

high-value

natural

medical

Biodiversity would

also

session,

biodiversity

benefit

standardisation

network of collaborating centres, focusing

platforms promoting further collaboration

session

that

on a few key fields of importance should

a

enable

data

format

products, it was suggested in the Natural Product Development

to

from

data

from

different regions to be shared on different and research.

| 68 |

2

BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN DIFFERENT STAKEHOLDERS The major stakeholders that were consistently brought up in discussions at the Conference were governments and policymakers, scientists and society. Some sessions also discussed the role of specific stakeholders such as corporations, farmers, and youth.

The common finding of all discussions was that in all sectors, we must be as inclusive as possible for better outcomes.

With the Tropics being projected to be home to two thirds of the world’s children

voices. The involvement of young people TROPICAL NATURAL RESOURCES

SPECIAL THEMES SPECIAL THEMES

by 2050, it is vital that we include their in decision-making should be increased to build youth resilience, particularly as

they will be the ones who will inherit the

Earth and live through the effects of the current climate crisis. Climate change will have disastrous effects on the most vulnerable climate

communities.

change

Therefore,

resilience

adaptation strategies should be

and

understandable and accessible to all

members of society. It was recommended

during the Youth Resilience session that climate guidelines should be published in

native languages and included in school curriculum.

and private sectors which resulted in the

growth and organisation of the oil palm industry

in

Malaysia.

The

government

ensured that economic prosperity and TROPICAL AGRICULTURE

social progress went hand-in-hand by organising structured and synchronised

development. It is important to recognise

that rural economies (where most of the agrarian population is based) capitalise Public-private partnerships can be very beneficial growth

of

to

a

support

sector.

the

An

structured example

mentioned in the Changing Agriculture

Landscape in the Tropics session was the

convergence of coordinated initiatives and policies between the government

and generate excess value for growth in

both urban and rural sectors. There is a need

to

sustain

viable

rural

sectors

through the adoption of policies and

technologies that safeguard the agrarian environment and are inclusive of the rural agrarian population.

| 69 |

The

digitalisation

of

public

health

will

increase

productivity, efficiency and accuracy. It is crucial that healthcare

professionals

are

included

in

the

TROPICAL MEDICINE

development process of any digital health project to

ensure that the technology can be applied directly in the field by health practitioners. In the control of

outbreaks, particularly in the case of zoonotic diseases,

the One Health approach is important as collaborative

work between veterinarians, animal health and human health scientists can help us understand how diseases are spread and how we can prevent them in the future.

As per the name of the Smart

People-First Cities in the Tropics session,

building

sustainable

and

TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEEING

smart cities in the tropics requires a people-centric

approach

where

citizens are encouraged to provide meaningful

feedback

on

smart

urban solutions. This will help to create an inclusive smart ecosystem that considers those in need such as the elderly population.

In certain regions in the Tropics, energy access is still very low. With the renewable

energy resources already available in the Tropics, the transition to renewables is possible. To ease this transition, it is important to increase public awareness on energy efficiency, and have government policies that support the transition.

| 70 |

seafood industry. Therefore,

engagements between this industry

academia/governments should

be

stimulate change

intensified

TROPICAL NATURAL RESOURCES

to

transformative

towards

stewardship. public

and

ocean

Increasing

awareness

on

the

impact of biodiversity loss and the economic benefits

of conservation can allow To conserve and sustainably manage our tropical

natural resources, all stakeholders must play a role.

This may require incentives and strategic public

communication. As mentioned in the Sustainable Use

and Health of Tropical Natural Resources session, it was

mentioned

environmental

that

policies

governments

change

over

and

time,

their but

corporations can consistently invest in conservation

and climate change mitigation. To facilitate this, scientists

should

make

simple,

reliable

and

quantifiable metrices on biodiversity available for industry to assess their impact on biodiversity.

In the Blue Economy session, it was mentioned that a few large companies dominate global catches in the

different

stakeholders

assert

influence

governments

to

to

on

become

more transparent and take action.

In

addition,

the

training of professionals in industry

and

regulatory

bodies will enable greater understanding acceptance extracts

in

of

and

herbal

modern

medicine, bridging the gap between

regulators.

researchers

and

| 71 |

3

THE APPLICATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES As discussed in depth at the Sustainable Development for the Tropics session, tropical underdevelopment is a result of numerous factors which include geography and colonial

history. However, much of the burden of tropical underdevelopment has been effectively overcome by advanced technology. At this time, the greatest challenge for the region is

mitigation of and adaptation to the disastrous impacts of climate change. With technology that is localised to the region and climate-friendly, the Tropics stands to undergo more rapid and sustainable development.

At the Frontier Technologies in Tropical Agriculture session, blockchain was mentioned as a way of providing

a

holistic

decentralised

database

critical for agriculture operations, governance, TROPICAL AGRICULTURE

food security and food balance sheet in data warehousing. With artificial intelligence, we can use big data such as satellite images and drone images for crop disease surveillance systems.

Another technology mentioned during the session was

the

Saguna

Rice

Technique

(SRT),

a

knowledge intensive based technology, which is a

zero-till method of farming that can help farmers increase land productivity in an affordable and sustainable manner.

Crops and livestock can be engineered via molecular genetics to address the emerging

environment, genetic conservation and the methane emissions that are driving climate change. Our future food systems must sustainably cater for a growing population. This can be done by having smart-food cities where personalised nutrition is aggregated to

population levels as well as incorporating breakthrough technologies in agriculture to

boost the productivity of such foods while promoting sustainability and conservation efforts.

| 72 | In

the

field

of

Tropical

Architecture

and

Engineering, we can look to both the past and the future for technology to utilise for the region. As mentioned in the Smart People-First

Cities in the Tropics session, there is wisdom in traditional designs such as the traditional

Malay house as an example of ecological architecture suited to the Tropics. Looking to

the future, we should make use of climateresponsive designs such as solar shading using

louvers, double-skin glass and façade angles to create energy-efficient architecture. We can adopt

technology

from

more

developed

countries through technology transfer, but at

TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE & ENGINEEING

the same time it must be modified to suit the local context.

An example of how technology can help us build better buildings in the Tropics was mentioned at the Keynote

Lecture

Engineering.

on

Tropical

Microclimate

Architecture

simulation

and

through

a

“digital twin”, CFD modelling and AI-based data-

driven prediction models for temperature allows for the design of more sustainable buildings with lower

solar gain and enhanced natural ventilation. Besides

that, we must not underestimate the power of trees.

Planting trees is one of the best investments into cool

ambient temperature as presence of greenery can reduce temperature by 2 °C due to shading or evapotranspiration. We can incorporate nature into conventional builds using biophilic design principles.

Additionally, with technology we can engineer our natural resources to provide enhanced value. In the Leading-Edge Materials session, it was mentioned that manipulation via nanotechnology could add value to natural resources to enhance their commerciality

and competitiveness in the market. Bamboo was also mentioned as an emerging source of raw material for household products and building materials in the tropics which can be made viable with the appropriate treatments and techniques.

| 73 |

Digital solutions and new technology have the potential to revolutionise medicine. There is a

TROPICAL MEDICINE

need for novel, out-of-the-box and innovative approaches

to

tackle

vector-borne

and

neglected diseases in the Tropics. However, as

mentioned in the Digital Innovations for Public

Heath session, it is crucial to have political will

from the government to adopt these solutions and

provide

developed.

incentives

For

digital

for

health

them

to

projects

be to

succeed, it is also crucial to bridge the gaps in technology adoption by ensuring that all levels

of society are technology-literate and that the technology rolled out fits the context it is rolled out in.

As

mentioned

Product

blockchain

in

the

Development

Natural

technology

session, can

enhance traceability and quality control of natural products from

TROPICAL NATURAL RESOURCES

farms

or

forests

to

the

marketplace. Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)

systems for ethnopharmacology, botany,

chemistry,

biology,

can

also facilitate bioactive compound discovery.

Technology allows us to use mapping and

modelling for natural resource management.

Mapping natural capital assets allow projection

of different scenarios (e.g., climate change, fisheries

exploitation)

and

point

to

future

challenges. It can also be utilised to improve the quality of natural resource products.

Technology

can

also

sustain community ventures. For

example, at the Blue Economy session

it

innovative

techniques

was

mentioned

seaweed for

that

farming

community

adoption resulted in less diseases, die-backs, breakage and higher

growth rates, biomass production, and income.

The recommendations from all the sessions are best summarised by the MSAF-ASM Communique on the Tropics. This can be found in the next chapter.

MSAF-ASM Communique on the Tropics and the Next Steps

| 75 |

1 MSAF-ASM COMMUNIQUÉ ON THE TROPICS The International Conference on Tropical Sciences (TropSc) 2021, organised by the

Mahathir Science Award Foundation and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia, on 25 – 27 October 2021 in Kuala Lumpur,

Reaffirming the principles upheld by the

UN General Assembly Resolution: The Future We Want

UN General Assembly Resolution: Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

UN General Assembly Resolution on the International Day of the Tropics and Other declarations related to the Tropics,

Recognising that tropical countries have made significant progress, but they face a

number of challenges that necessitate concentrated attention across a range of developmental factors in order to achieve long-term development,

Noting that the Tropics, collectively, inter alia, hosts 80% of the world’s biodiversity, 45% of world’s forest and 54% of the world’s renewable water resources, and that warm tropical oceans play a critical role in regulating the Earth’s climate,

Valuing the potential of the Tropics where, by 2050, the region will host more than half of the world’s population and two-thirds of its children, and the reality that 82% of the world’s living languages are spoken in the Tropics,

Cognizant of the unique problems the Tropics confront as a result of climate change and economic pressures on resources, as well as the global ramifications of these concerns,

Emphasising that 85% of the poorest people in the world live in the Tropics, and that tropical diseases annually affect more than 1 billion people in the Tropics,

Acknowledging the role of governments, private sectors, academia, scientists, youth, nongovernmental organisations, civil society organisations, indigenous people and local communities,

Noting that sixteen panel sessions were convened on significant issues concerning the Tropics and that each session has its own set of detailed recommendations in its Report.

// 27 OCTOBER 2021

| 76 |

2 MSAF-ASM COMMUNIQUÉ ON THE TROPICS 1. Proposes the following main recommendations: Address existential threats to the sustainable development of the Tropics, Strengthen multilateral interactions and governance in the Tropics through building coalitions and institutions, establishing genuine partnership, instilling political will and ensuring science informs policy,

Affirm that tropical ecological systems are fragile and thus require sustainable

harnessing of tropical biodiversity and genetic resources while delivering benefits for national, regional and global wellbeing,

Recognise that there are problems of climate change that are specific to the Tropics which must be resolved through global cooperation and through democratising and enhancing capacities and participation of the Tropical countries in international climate negotiations,

Strengthen health systems in the Tropics by designing and deploying digitallyenabled solutions to enhance the quality and reach of vital health information and services for the most disadvantaged,

Support medicines security through the innovative and sustainable harnessing of tropical resources to meet regional and global disease needs,

Improve scientific understanding and ensure equitable access to therapeutic

solutions, integral intervention tools and technologies, in addressing existing and emerging diseases in the Tropics at the interface of human, animal and the environment,

Adopt, adapt and contextualise frontier technologies for public health, agriculture,

food production, and engineering in the Tropics through research and development, enabling policies and regulations, investment and capacity building,

Acknowledge the changing landscape of tropical agriculture in the context of climate change, land use, demographic shifts, policies and regulations, and technological solutions to address gaps between the various stakeholders as well as the social and financial well-being of the agricultural community,

Benefit from the diversification of economies beyond land-based activities in

delivering sustainable and inclusive Blue Growth in the Tropics,// 27 OCTOBER 2021

| 77 |

3 MSAF-ASM COMMUNIQUÉ ON THE TROPICS Profit from downstream conversion of tropical natural resources into high value leading-edge materials and products for higher economic growth and a more balanced trade between economies,

Galvanize the advantages the Tropics presents in adopting and accelerating the transition to renewable energy in the Tropics,

Take action on the need to set up a federation of data platforms on Tropical Biodiversity that promotes data sharing through FAIR principles,

Take into account the special characteristics of the Tropics in architecture and urban planning in prioritising people in the development of cities,

Recognise, respect and support indigenous peoples, their knowledge and traditional methods, and local communities in addressing sustainable living in the Tropics,

Emphasise the role of youth as the next generation of climate experts who will create

a broad movement, take action and make changes; capitalise on inspiring narratives around science and technology to solve problems of climate change in the Tropics through galvanizing youth and providing inclusive capacity building,

Stress the role of youth in the future of the Tropics and the need to empower youth and cultivate resilience through embracing science and technology, developing entrepreneurial and innovative mindset and acquiring employability skills.

2. Invites Nations, the United Nations, organisations of the United Nations system,

international and regional organisations, and civil society, including non-governmental

organisations, civil society organisations and local communities to pay particular attention to the needs of the Tropics: its peoples and its unique and special

environment; and address the specific challenges and invest in emerging opportunities that the Tropics presents through:

International collaboration between academia, industry, and government,

Adopting cross-cutting approaches, multisectoral action and Open Science, Ensuring that science informs policy and

Undertaking strong country responsibility within the framework of global goals, 3. Recommends the convening of the next International Conference on Tropical Sciences (TropSc) under the umbrella of an Alliance of the Tropics.

| 78 |

Next Steps Where do we go from here? This report is not just about looking back,

but also looking forward. One conference will not be enough to spur the sustainable advancement of the Tropics, but it is a starting point for more conversation and concerted action.

01. Micro-meetings Leading up to the next conference, we will be

organising, together with our strategic partners, discussions on the topics covered at the

Conference and how to move the Conference recommendations forward.

02. Next Conference TropSc 2024 will build on the recommendations

obtained from this Conference, provide updates on the actions taken since, and explore further cooperation by gathering the world's greatest minds on Tropical Sciences.

03. An Alliance Together we are stronger. An alliance between different institutions worldwide focusing on

Tropical Sciences will align efforts to collectively advance the agenda of the Tropics and enable meaningful exchanges.

JOIN US ON THIS JOURNEY TOWARDS A BETTER TROPICS

| 79 |

Acknowledgements The conference and the report would not have been possible without the contributions of the people who worked tirelessly on the sessions mentioned within. We would like to

acknowledge them for their efforts and commitment to making the Conference a success.

Steering Committee Chair of Steering Committee

Emerita Professor Tan Sri Dr Mazlan Othman FASc Academy of Sciences Malaysia

Contact: mazlan@akademisains.gov.my Chair of Technical Committee

Emerita Professor Dr Phang Siew Moi FASc UCSI University, Malaysia

Chair of Conference Management & Finance Pn. Hazami Habib & Ms Seetha Ramasamy Academy of Sciences Malaysia Chair of Sponsorship

Tan Sri Ir Dr Ahmad Tajuddin Ali FASc SIRIM Berhad

Chair of Strategic Partnership

Professor Dato’ Dr Khairul Anuar Abdullah FASc

Association of Academies and Societies of Sciences in Asia Chair of Branding and Promotion Datuk Kamarudin Meranun AirAsia

Chair of MSA Laureates

Emeritus Professor Dr John Sheppard Mackenzie Curtin University, Australia

| 80 |

Technical Committees Tropical Agriculture

Professor Datin Paduka Dr Khatijah Mohd Yusoff FASc (Chair) Dr Ravigadevi a/p T.S Sambanthamurthi FASc Dr Mahaletchumy Arujanan Professor Dr Paul Teng

Professor Dr Zulkifli Idrus Dr Surina Ismail

Dr Ruslan Abdullah

Tropical Architecture & Engineering

Professor Dato’ Dr Kamaruzzaman Sopian FASc (Chair) Emeritus Professor Dato’ Ar Dr Elias @ Ilias bin Salleh Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Ar Esa Mohamed FASc Dato’ Ir. Ahmad `A sri Abdul Hamid

Tropical Medicine

Professor Dr Yvonne Lim Ai Lian FASc (Chair)

Academician Emeritus Professor Dato’ Dr Lam Sai Kit FASc Professor Dr Joseph Sriyal Malik Peiris

Professor Dr Balbir Singh Mohan Singh FASc Dr Fazilah Shaik Allaudin

Tropical Natural Resources

Datuk Dr Abdul Rahim Nik FASc (Chair)

Professor Dato’ Dr Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah FASc Dr Ahmad Aldrie Amir

Professor Dr Nor Hadiani Ismail Dr Yap Sau Wai

Secretariat Aliya Ahmad Nabil (Lead) Ammielyya Jusnieza Azila Tasha Azhar Celine Ng

Dharshene Rajayah

Farah Atiqah Ag Ismail

Hannah Norazharuddin

Nurul Farhana Mohd Farizah Sufyan Aslam

Varsheta Sellappah

Vinotheni Rajendran

Rapporteurs Dr Amirah Abdul Rahman

Assoc. Prof. Dr Baharudin Ibrahim Dr Chee Su Yin

Dr Gan Hong Seng

Dr Heo Chong Chin

Ts. Dr Kang Chia Chao Dr Kew Si Na

Dr Lee Tze Yan

Dr Mohd Bakri Bakar Dr Ng Sing Muk

Dr Nina Diana Nawi

Dr Phang Kean Chang

Assoc. Prof. Dr Rafidah Zainon Ts. Dr Ranjetta Poobathy Dr Tan Shing Cheng

Dr Wendy Yeo Wai Yeng

| 81 |

Contact Us Mahathir Science Award Foundation (MSAF) 902-4 Jalan Tun Ismail 50480 Kuala Lumpur Tel: (+60)03-2698 3900 / 03-2694 9898 Email: admin@msa-foundation.org http://msa-foundation.org/

@mahathirscienceaward

@mahathirscienceaward

@Mahathir_Award