Events

School of Social Sciences Seminar

A Traditional Chinese Perspective on Sustainability: Daoism and Ecology

Daoists have a deep admiration and close connection to nature. Among the various modern schools of ecology, they resonate most with Deep Ecology: developed by the Norwegian thinker Arne Naess, it focuses on the system of environmental cooperation as a whole and can be described as a form of biospherical egalitarianism or organic holism. Daoists accordingly integrate all natural features, plants and animals, in a comprehensive coexistentialism. They see everything as interconnected in a natural pattern of complementarity, described in terms of yin and yang. In contrast to the prevailing view of nature in the Western world, determined by the Biblical injunction in Genesis that “man have dominion over every creeping thing” on earth, Daoists propose to merge with the flow of Dao, that is, return to organic harmony, a stable, homeostatic order.

School of Social Sciences Seminar

Public Support for Environmental NGOs: The Case of Southeast Asia

The decision to donate to a nonprofit or nongovernmental organization (NGO) is based on a multitude of factors. In regions like Southeast Asia, several countries rank highly on global charity indexes. Furthermore, the region is highly vulnerable to climate change. However, concerns over mismatch between local needs and priorities set by international NGOs have created a wariness towards some environmental campaigns. Furthermore, researchers have not yet investigated the motivations of donors in this region and their preferences towards environmental NGOs. This paper explores motivating factors such as donor concerns over locally relevant environmental issues, gender representation, and funding sources for environmental NGOs.

Transition Finance Conference: "Raising the Ambition"

Bringing together leading thinkers, researchers, and practitioners from the fields of climate and nature science, sustainable finance, and technology, this in-person conference will explore the critical elements of a credible transition. The programme is curated to foster constructive dialogue across key thematic areas. The four key themes include: Transition Finance in the Asian Context; Blended Finance; Technology – Digital Transition; Carbon and Capital Markets.