Introducing the Panel Session - ESG & Startups

On the 07^th December 2023, Ng Kin Foong, our Chief Executive Officer for Red Sycamore, will chair a panel discussion for the Institute of Electrical & Electronic Engineers GreenTech, Sustainability, & Net Zero Policies & Practices Symposium.  This is a programme in alignment with the United Nations Climate Change 28^th Conference of Partners (COP28), in the Green Zone, at Expo City, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.  The title of the session is “ESG & Startups.” 

The panellists for the session are as follows:

David Chen C. Y.; Chief Executive Officer; AgriG8

De’Angello Harris; Partner; Think & Gro

Dr. Victor Tay; Group Chief Executive Officer; RHT Consulting Asia 

The climate crisis is real, and several government and large multinational corporations worldwide have declared that they will be unable to meet their pledges.  Given that the top-down approach to solving climate crisis is not working as intended, we need to democratize the process by encouraging and enabling more people to be active stakeholders in solving the climate crisis, and explore this blue ocean of opportunity.  Many great ideas and solutions die undiscovered for several reasons.  These reasons include lack of funding, the lack of public acceptance because it runs contrary to common convention, or simply being too far ahead or behind the curve due to the rapid rate of technological advancement.  We need new perspectives from all stakeholders, not just those with access to resources. 

Yet, in the push towards renewables and saving the environment, we often fall short on the social aspect. Lithium batteries are championed for their role in EVs, but the outcomes on the people impacted by lithium mining have been discounted. If such climate initiatives negatively impact peoples’ livelihoods and health, we will lose support from people in the conversation to avert the climate crisis, especially from people on the ground. 

Our goal for this session to for us to have a discussion to arrive at more perspectives for all stakeholders to address problems of climate crisis by democratising the process of looking for solutions.  People need to be sufficiently excited by the opportunity to change the world for the better.  What we should address includes the uncertain international regulatory environment, political interference, and siloed economic agendas hampering funding efforts, as well as the social aspect of environmental initiatives.