Hanoi:Bernama Strong government policies and community-driven initiatives are both crucial for achieving a positive tipping point for planetary health, according to former health minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, during an interview at Bernama's mini conty, held alongside the Global Tipping Points Conference 2026, Khairy explained that a positive tipping point involves a series of cascading effects that lead to irreversible beneficial changes. He emphasized that achieving systemic change requires firm government commitments, such as reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, along with effective enforcement, implementation, and appropriate incentives and penalties.

Khairy also stressed the importance of grassroots efforts, involving individuals, religious authorities, and social institutions, in driving change. He highlighted the need for both large-scale policies and small community-led initiatives to create a reinforcing cycle that cascades into positive tipping points.

Reflecting on his experience managing the COVID-19 pandemic, Khairy noted that mobilizing public action on planetary health is more challenging due to its less immediate threats compared to the pandemic. He pointed out that while people are experiencing environmental issues like haze and floods, they do not perceive these dangers as immediate as those posed by COVID-19.

Khairy identified a lack of political motivation as a significant barrier to sustainability, citing misaligned incentives for political leaders. He expressed concern about the global lack of coordinated action, citing differences in national jurisdictions and political interests, and highlighted the problem of skepticism among some world leaders regarding climate change and planetary health, which undermines efforts for a coordinated global response.