Global climate-health partnerships take centre stage
Group photo of the attendees and representatives for the Advancing Research for Climate and Health (ARCH) Award Ceremony.
The university recently hosted the Advancing Research for Climate and Health (ARCH) Award Ceremony 2025 on 24 June 2025. The event brought together representatives from five regional hubs to reaffirm global partnerships in tackling challenges regarding climate change and public health. The ARCH initiative is jointly funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
In her welcoming remarks, Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, President and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Monash University Malaysia, highlighted the pressing urgency of climate change as a present-day health emergency. “Climate change is not a distant concern. It’s a present and escalating global health emergency,” she said. She also mentioned the need for stronger support in low and middle-income countries, stating that “building local expertise, research, infrastructure, and leadership is not optional. It is essential for a just and sustainable response.”
Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman during her welcoming address.
Next to address the audience was His Excellency Ajay Sharma CMG, British High Commissioner to Malaysia, who praised the focus of the initiative. “The climate crisis is a health crisis, with the World Health Organisation having declared that climate change is the greatest threat to human health,” he said. He further noted that, “Ultimately, by building this evidence base and supporting research capacity at the intersection of climate and health, we hope that we will be able to support here in Malaysia, ASEAN and the wider Indo-Pacific region, outcomes and change people’s lives.”
Representatives of the various regional hubs and funders along with Professor Sibrandes Poppema, President of Sunway University (bottom row, fourth from right), Professor Dato’ Dr Ir Faisal Rafiq Mahamd Adikan, Vice President (Research and Development) at Monash University Malaysia (bottom row, third from right), His Excellency Ajay Sharma CMG, British High Commissioner to Malaysia (bottom row, second from right), and Professor Emeritus Dato’ Dr Adeeba Kamarulzaman, President and Pro Vice-Chancellor of Monash University Malaysia (bottom row, far right).
Sharing similar sentiments, Her Excellency Jodi Robinson, Canadian High Commissioner to Malaysia, emphasised that climate change is a global issue requiring localised, community-based solutions. “Climate change is not just an environmental issue. It’s a health crisis. It is affecting the safety, the health and quality of life of people across the world, including in Canada,” she said. She explained that Canada is committed to working together to reduce the risk from the changing climate to keep our communities safer and healthier.
One of the five regional hubs receiving their awards during the award ceremony, with the Regional Hub shown above being the Regional Hub for Asia Climate Change and Health (REACH), and from the Canadian High Commissioner, Her Excellency Jodi Robinson (third from right).
Following the speeches, the event transitioned into the official award ceremony, where certificates were presented to directors of the five regional hubs, which includes West and Central Africa (CHINNOVA), Latin America and the Caribbean (CLIMAS), Middle East and North Africa (MARCH), Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA-RHRCCH), and South Asia and Southeast Asia (REACH). The awards were presented by His Excellency Ajay Sharma, Her Excellency Jodi Robinson, Dr Montasser Kamal (Director of Global Health, IDRC), and Ms Holly Drake (Health Advisor, FCDO).
The ceremony was followed by a forum titled Advancing Research for Climate and Health: Global Perspectives, moderated by Professor Tin Tin Su, Director of REACH. Panel discussions featured representatives from all regional hubs and focused on the unique climate-health challenges facing their respective regions, as well as their collaborative strategies to address them. Attendees then later explored project booths at a special exhibition, displaying the work and ideas from across the hubs.
A special exhibition highlighting each of the project booths from the regional hubs was on display during the event day.
As the Regional Hub for Asia Climate Change and Health (REACH), lead by Monash University Malaysia, in partnership with Sunway Centre for Planetary Health, Sunway University and Maldives National University, is the only hub for South Asia and Southeast Asia under the ARCH initiative, the hub remains committed to co-develop a regional road map to inform regional and global climate change mitigation and adaptation policies and strategies as well as support research that strengthens health systems across South Asia and Southeast Asia. The ceremony also marked the official launch of REACH, offering a first look into its strategic direction and priorities. Most significantly, REACH will soon be opening calls for grant applications, and interested individuals and organisations are encouraged to apply. These grants aim to support impactful, locally led research that addresses the pressing health challenges posed by climate change in the region.