Invited Speakers
Prof. Zhongsheng Guo
Northwestern A & F University
China
Prof. Zhongsheng Guo
Northwestern A & F UniversityChina
Biography
Zhongsheng Guo got his doctor degree in the Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, now, he is a professor in Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, China. He put forward the theory of resources use limit by plants, the theory of vegetation carrying capacity, the theory of critical period of regulation of plant resource relations and the new theory of soil and water conservation. This is the theoretical basis for high-quality development of forest, grass, agriculture and soil and water conservation. Since June 2022, he is Head of "innovation China" Agricultural high-quality production and industry Service Group.
Speech Title
Climate change and Agriculture high quality development
Dr. Nurul Muiz Murad
CEO of Malaysia Steel Institute
Malaysia
Dr. Nurul Muiz Murad
CEO of Malaysia Steel InstituteMalaysia
Biography
Dr. Nurul Muiz Murad is an Environment Sustainable Development professional with a background in Engineering, having obtained his Bachelors and PhD degrees in Mechanical Engineering from Swinburne University in Melbourne with 24 years working experience in Australia and Malaysia. He is currently the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Malaysia Steel Institute (MSI) a government agency under the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry (MITI) and formerly the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Yayasan Hijau Malaysia, a national foundation under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES), Malaysia.
He specializes in Environment Sustainable Development, particularly in Renewable Energy, Energy Efficiency, Green Building, Biodiversity, Climate Change and Decarbonization. He has been involved in training, strategic advisory and consulting services to various government and corporate bodies various capacity.
He was recognized for his efforts and achievement by STAR newspaper profiling him in the STAR Outstanding Malaysian Abroad in 2009 and was showcased by Green Plus Magazine in 2024 for his leadership in innovation, sustainability and environment stewardship.
Dr Muiz is a certified GCPV Solar Professional with Sustainable Energy Development Authority (SEDA), a registered Green Building Facilitator with Green Building Index (GBI) & REHDA GreenRE and a Registered Energy Manager (REM) Type 1 and Type 2 with Suruhanjaya Tenaga Malaysia.
He is presently active in the ESG sector through providing services to micro, small and medium enterprise (MSMEs) and corporates in adopting and transitioning ESG into their organization through training, capacity building engagements, consulting and advisory services.
Speech Title
Forging a Low-Carbon Future: The Steel and Metal Industry’s Role in Malaysia’s Climate Transition
Mr. Alper Yilmaz
Istanbul Barosu
Turkey
Mr. Alper Yilmaz
Istanbul BarosuTurkey
Biography
Av. Alper Yılmaz is an accomplished attorney and legal scholar specializing in labour law, industrial relations, and the intersection of law and climate policy.
After graduating from Galatasaray University Faculty of Law, Mr. Yılmaz began his professional career as a legal counsel at Arthur Andersen and Ernst & Young, two of Turkey’s leading independent audit and consultancy firms. He later transitioned into private practice, where he continues to provide expert legal consultancy in labour law and industrial relations.
Currently, he works as an independent attorney, offering legal advisory services and conducting seminars, conferences, and in-house training programs for various institutions and organizations.
Mr. Yılmaz is a former member of the Istanbul Bar Association’s Labour Law Commission and currently serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Labour and Social Security Law. He is also the author of two notable publications—one compiling key Turkish labour court decisions, and another translating the EU Artificial Intelligence Directive into Turkish.
In addition to his legal work, Mr. Yılmaz has been an active speaker and presenter at numerous national and international academic events, sharing his expertise on labour law, climate change, and the future of work. His recent research explores the impact of the climate crisis on labour law and the development of just transition frameworks that integrate social protection with green transformation policies.
Mr. Yılmaz is fluent in French and English, and continues to contribute to academic and professional dialogues bridging law, sustainability, and social justice.
Speech Title
Towards a Just Transition Insurance Mechanism Integrating Climate Risk, Social Protection and Green Finance Presentation
Mr. Michael Kakande
Founder and Chairperson of Resilient40
Uganda
Mr. Michael Kakande
Founder and Chairperson of Resilient40Uganda
Biography
Michael Kakande is the Founder and Chairperson of Resilient40, a pan-African youth-led network that brings together climate leaders from across the continent to champion resilience, economic justice and sustainable development. Through this platform, he has positioned African youth as critical actors in shaping the continent’s climate agenda, ensuring their voices are not only heard but meaningfully integrated into decision-making processes at national, regional and global levels. Under his leadership, Resilient40 has grown into a trusted convener and advocate, bridging African grassroots realities with international climate negotiations.
With a strong background in leadership and policy engagement, Michael has consistently convened multi-stakeholder dialogues involving governments, civil society organizations, private sector partners and young people. His work focuses on ensuring that climate solutions are both inclusive and justice-driven, particularly within the frameworks of the UNFCCC. He is deeply committed to advancing Africa-led solutions that recognize the continent’s unique challenges while amplifying its opportunities for innovation, resilience and growth. His work reflects a deep passion for empowering African youth to claim their space in global decision-making, and for advancing climate justice as a pathway to both environmental sustainability and economic dignity.
Among his key achievements - He has co-led a request for an advisory opinion from the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights on State obligations in response to climate change, An Impact Maker – Spearheading Climate Justice in Africa as recognized by the COP29/30 Presidencies and the UNFCCC High-Level Climate Champions. He is named among the Top 100 Most Influential Africans – The Voice of African Youth in Climate Change by the New African Magazine, An Advisor at the Climate Counsel, A member of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation (MIF) Now Generation Network and an Earthcubs Superhero. Beyond policy, Michael is a strong advocate for integrating debt cancellation, economic justice and fair climate finance into the heart of climate action, highlighting the structural reforms needed to unlock Africa’s full potential. He is equally invested in mentoring the next generation of leaders who will carry forward the fight for a just and resilient future for Africa and the world.
Speech Title
Not Just a Transition - A Transformation: African Youth Demands for Climate Equity
Prof. Amal Hayati Ishak
Universiti Teknologi MARA
Malaysia
Prof. Amal Hayati Ishak
Universiti Teknologi MARAMalaysia
Biography
Amal Hayati Ishak is an Associate Professor at the Academy of Contemporary Islamic Studies (ACIS), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam. Her academic expertise lies in the field of muamalat and Islamic banking and finance, and she teaches various subjects in the area for more than 15 years, both at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. She also has led and completed various research grants including FRGS and industrial funded grants. Her current research involves Islamic social finance, particularly waqf, sustainability, integrity, well-being of gig workers and halal governance. Dr. Amal has published extensively in indexed journals and has been actively involved in reviewing journal articles for Scopus and WoS indexed journals.
Speech Title
Critical Success Factors for Sustainable and Productive Waqf Land Development
Muneeb Shakeel
ADAM Cresco LLP
United States
Muneeb Shakeel
ADAM Cresco LLPUnited States
Biography
We Will Update Soon
Speech Title
Dr. Mustapha El Janati
Agronomic and Veterinary Institute
Morocco
Dr. Mustapha El Janati
Agronomic and Veterinary InstituteMorocco
Biography
Dr. Mustapha El Janati is a Professor of Crop Physiology and Agronomy at the Hassan II Agronomic and Veterinary Institute (IAV Hassan II), Morocco. His research focuses on sustainable agriculture in arid and semi-arid environments, with particular expertise in nutrient management, composting, and circular agriculture. He has published extensively on soil fertility, organic waste recycling, and climate change adaptation strategies in oasis agroecosystems. Dr. El Janati has supervised numerous graduate and doctoral students, and has collaborated with international research institutions on projects related to water use efficiency, salinity mitigation, and sustainable crop production. Beyond academia, he actively engages with farmers, cooperatives, and policymakers to promote the adoption of climate-smart practices that enhance resilience and reduce environmental impacts.
Speech Title
Circular agriculture and climate resilience: lessons from Oasis agroecosystems
Ms. Grace Lotoom Ewoi
Climate Change Officer and Social Safeguards Focal Person
Kenya
Ms. Grace Lotoom Ewoi
Climate Change Officer and Social Safeguards Focal PersonKenya
Biography
Grace Lotoom Ewoi is a humanitarian and development professional with over 15 years of experience in climate change, social safeguards, and sustainable development. She currently serves as Climate Change Officer and Social Safeguards Focal Person at the Ministry of Tourism, Natural Resources, and Climate Change in Turkana, Kenya, where she leads initiatives on resilience, inclusive adaptation, and social safeguards.
Her expertise spans climate adaptation and mitigation, carbon taxation, greenhouse gas accounting, environmental and social impact assessment, and anticipatory action planning. She has worked with institutions such as the World Bank, GIZ, IOM, OXFAM, and Save the Children, contributing to projects on disaster risk reduction, food security, and humanitarian relief.
Grace holds a Master’s in Climate Change Engineering and International Climate Cooperation from Incheon National University, South Korea, and a BA from the University of Nairobi. She is a strong advocate for climate justice, inclusive governance, and community-driven solutions across Africa and beyond.
Speech Title
Climate Justice
Ms. Paola Bettelli
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
United States
Ms. Paola Bettelli
New Jersey Department of Environmental ProtectionUnited States
Biography
Paola Bettelli is an attorney admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey, and Colombia. She holds an LL.M. in International Trade and Business Law from Fordham Law School and a J.D. (cum laude) from Pace Law School. With over 20 years of experience in international law, environmental law, and sustainable development, she has served as Colombia’s lead negotiator in multilateral climate change and biodiversity negotiations, headed the Climate Change Office at the Colombian Ministry of Environment, and worked as Senior Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations. She has also contributed to the private sector in environmental markets and consulting, taught International Environmental Law, and published on sustainable development. Currently, she is a Regulatory Officer at the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Speech Title
Climate-Water-Health Nexus
Phd. Nzabirinda Etienne
University of Rwanda
Africa
Phd. Nzabirinda Etienne
University of RwandaAfrica
Biography
Nzabirinda Etienne is an African economist from Rwanda pursuing a Ph.D. in Economics at the University of Rwanda and the University of Gothenburg. He holds a B.A. and M.Sc. in Economics, with additional training from UoN, UCC, and UniGe.
Speech Title
Climate change and political economy effects on the agricultural sector
Mr. Marne Ramadan
AGRO-PRODUCT
Chad
Mr. Marne Ramadan
AGRO-PRODUCTChad
Biography
Ramadan Marne is the Founder of AGO-PRODUCT in Chad, an organization dedicated to advancing sustainable agriculture and climate-smart solutions. With over five years of experience in climate adaptation, renewable energy and sustainable agriculture, he also brings extensive expertise in the WASH sector, having worked with international organizations such as International Committee of the Red Cross as Water and Habitat Emergency Project Officer and Concern Worldwide as WASH Program Assistant, supporting Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad. Ramadan Marne has contributed to projects focused on resilient farming systems, solar-powered irrigation, climate adaptation and community-based water and sanitation solutions. Passionate about translating scientific insights into practical strategies, he works to empower communities, guide policymakers and support industry stakeholders in building a sustainable and climate-resilient future.
Speech Title
Integrated Climate-Resilient Agriculture and WASH Solutions for Vulnerable Communities
Dr. Mushtaq Hussain Khan
Cardiff Metropolitan University
United Kingdom
Dr. Mushtaq Hussain Khan
Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityUnited Kingdom
Biography
Dr. Khan is a Lecturer in Accounting and Finance at Cardiff School of Management, Cardiff Metropolitan University. His research focuses on the intersection of corporate governance, sustainable finance, and data science. His work has been published in leading international journals, including Corporate Governance: An International Review, Finance Research Letters, Business Strategy and the Environment, International Journal of Finance and Economics, and the Journal of Environmental Management.
Dr. Khan’s current research leverages advanced computational techniques, such as machine learning, deep learning, and textual analysis, to model climate-related financial risks and evaluate the efficacy of corporate governance mechanisms in mitigating them. He has been awarded prestigious research grants, including a British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grant (2024/25).
Speech Title
Corporate Governance-Climate Change Risk Nexus
