• The Jeffrey Cheah Foundation made a US$10 million (RM44.6 million) contribution to establish the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development to promote collaboration and linkages between various stakeholders.

By 2030, the 193 United Nation Member States hope to end poverty, fight inequality and tackle climate change via the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted at the Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015.

The SDGs, which are part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, furthers the previous eight Millennium Development Goals that were adopted in 2000 aimed at addressing poverty, hunger, disease, gender inequality, as well as access to water and sanitation.

The launch of the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development on 9 December 2016 aims to advance the SDGs among Southeast Asian nations by promoting collaboration and linkages between leading universities and think tanks both globally and in Malaysia.

As a regional hub for research and policy practice, the Centre will curate the world’s best curriculum, academic and executive programmes in the area of sustainable development, thus equipping students, practitioners and policymakers globally to successfully implement the SDGs in the decade to come.

Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato’ Sri Najib Tun Razak officiating the launch of the Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development, flanked by Professor Jeffrey Sachs (left), Tan Sri Dr Jeffrey Cheah (second from left) and Science Advisor to Prime Minister of Malaysia, Professor Tan Sri Zakri (right)

The launch comes after the Jeffrey Cheah Foundation made a US$10 million (RM44.6 million) contribution to establish the Centre in April 2016.

Professor Jeffrey Sachs, the Centre’s Chairman and Director of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network, said the launch of the Center will help further the development of the global community towards SDGs as Asia is the epicentre for development.

In conjunction with the launch, five keynote speakers shared their views on different areas of sustainable development.

Conference Speakers and Their Topics

Professor Jeffrey Sachs
Director, Center for Sustainable Development, Columbia University;
Director, UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network;
and Chairman, Jeffrey Sachs Center on Sustainable Development

“What Does Sustainable Development Really Mean?”– Topic by Professor Jeffrey Sachs –

Professor Daniel Schrag
Sturgis Hooper Professor of Geology,
Professor of Environmental Science and Engineering,
Director of the University Center for the Environment,
and Director of the Laboratory for Geochemical Oceanography, Harvard University, USA

“Climate Change and Sustainable Development: Opportunities for the Developing World”– Topic by Professor Daniel Schrag –

Professor Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid
Science Advisor to the Prime Minister Malaysia

“ Walking the Talk on Implementing the SDGs: A Case for Malaysia and South-East Asia” – Topic by Professor Tan Sri Zakri Abdul Hamid –

Professor Xue Lan
Member of United Nations University Council; and Dean, School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

“ Policy Challenges in Implementing Sustainable Development Goals”– Topic by Professor Xue Lan

Professor Angelo Riccaboni
Chair of SDSN Assembly; and Rector of the University of Siena, Italy

“ Food Systems for Sustainable Development: Innovations are Needed”– Topic by Professor Angelo Riccaboni