There is the need to mainstream the role of the designer. We have a lot of specialised experts who are contributing to thought leadership of dealing with climate change. However the hollistic perspective that considers systems and processes is still missing as is the alternative perspective of questioning given paradigms. Designers can fill that gap. Rather than just the end product design thought process creates an opportunity to think laterally and in turn come up with new, alternative and local solutions that are people rather than result oriented.

The technical challenge for successful applications is providing human, animal, plant, mycellium centric continuity in design. Although use of places are part of the cultural norms, nature-centric green infrastructure design and harmony of the components of the green infrastructure systems can re-generate the "new urban culture of re-connectivity. Instead of car-centric transport, transforming in to human-centric mobility with nature-centric connectivity is also another challenge. Smart city systems can support this transition by providing "participatory" data generation, rewarding, feedback and managing the different components of the green systems. Using natural materials for the infrastructure projects are key.

One perspective that could meet the needs of my country Malaysia is to focus on mangrove conservation. Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees that grow in intertidal zones and provide a range of ecosystem services, including carbon sequestration, coastal protection, and habitat for marine life. Mangroves can also help reduce the risks and impacts of flooding, erosion, and landslides by stabilizing shorelines and absorbing wave energy. Investing in mangrove conservation could help increase the resilience of communities. For example, funding mangrove restoration projects, providing tax incentives for mangrove conservation, and promoting ecotourism could help protect mangroves while also providing economic benefits to local communities.

One of the best ways to design healthy and resilience communities is design building that incorporate sustainable architectural design concept into them such as the use of sustainable building materials like Bamboo , reclaimed wood, fibre reinforced concrete and a whole lot more

Globally, transport is responsible for approximately a third of total carbon emissions. This is a challenge, and a tremendous opportunity to deliver decarbonisation through concerted action across the industry. To achieve net zero land transport, we need to think about where we can have impact and what interventions are appropriate where. This will help us prioritise our efforts and target the right actions for maximum impact. Widespread adoption of what we already have in policies, infrastructure solutions, and technologies, like spending more on active travel is a key starting point. However, the transport industry must go beyond adopting what we already have. To go further, we will need to develop a ‘systems thinking’ approach.

In Malaysia, one perspective is to focus on electric mobility. Electric vehicles (EVs) are powered by electricity instead of fossil fuels and produce zero emissions at the tailpipe. EVs can help reduce air pollution, noise, and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as improve energy efficiency and reduce dependence on oil. However, one of the challenges in promoting electric mobility in tropical countries like Malaysia is the lack of charging infrastructure. Therefore, investing in charging infrastructure through policies and incentives could help increase the adoption of EVs.

Community involvement is crucial for climate action. To address climate challenges effectively, we must first understand each community's specific needs and incorporate their insights. When we engage the community in climate initiatives, we motivate everyone to join forces and contribute personally. This way, people aren't just observers of change; they actively drive it. Simply put, by collaborating and pooling our ideas, every member becomes an essential player in the fight against climate change.

I cannot underscore community engagement enough. Sure, reducing GHG, incorporating green infrastructure, or pushing a circular economy is needed, but the specific ways those show up MUST come from the community. In my experience with developing the Climate Action Plan (CAP) for the City of Tempe, our community engagement process identified the specific tactics of the CAP (e.g. shade was a huge theme in mobility, GI, and adaptive design). It also galvanized the support needed to not only pass the plan, but generate energy because the non-sexy items (e.g. it is hard to get excited about green stormwater infrastructure (a tool at best) if you can't connect how it brings a need to life).

Focus on community-based natural resource management (CBNRM). It is an approach that involves local communities in the management and conservation of natural resources such as forests, water, and wildlife. CBNRM can help ensure that the needs and aspirations of local communities are taken into account in natural resource management decisions, while also promoting sustainable use and conservation of natural resources. It can also provide economic benefits to local communities by creating job opportunities. However, one of the challenges in implementing CBNRM is the lack of awareness and capacity among local communities.

Any design solution that’s considered without community engagement is a non-starter. Having the primary input of those who will be affected by the project is absolutely crucial to ensuring that historical harms are not being perpetuated. Moreover, design solutions should seek to actively repair historical harms and leave communities with a net benefit.

Circular bioeconomy aims to create a sustainable and regenerative economic system by using renewable biological resources such as biomass, organic waste, and byproducts. It can help reduce the environmental impacts of communities by minimizing the use of non-renewable resources, reducing waste, and promoting sustainable production and consumption patterns.

Adopt adaptive reuse practices for existing buildings, such as heritage shophouses, in Malaysia as an example. This can help preserve cultural artifacts that uphold the country’s identity and enhance the flexibility, functionality, and durability of communities. In addition, modular, movable, transformable, and multifunctional elements can be incorporated into the design of new buildings to enable them to adjust to changing conditions and needs over time.

This aspect is the challenging point due to long-standing lineer and mechanical traditions. "Systems approach" is the key for combining different disciplines. Moreover, multidisciplinary and trans-disciplinary perspectives are emerging. Since the green infrastructure is based on "being part of the Nature" that is the most complex organisation, "synthesizing" different perspectives as like nature is the new game. Beyond the common rhetoric and cliche, hands on, logic based connection can bring success. Add to the technical disciplines, social psychology, history, archeology, geography are impressive disciplines can inspire people to combine knowledge for green solutions. Learning-unlearning-relearning cycles are part of that mechanics.

While the aforementioned ways to design climate resilient communities are essential, the action needs to be systemic and in tandem but also be sector/community/local environment agnostic. Having said that a very important part of the designing is the capacity building and awareness especially of the most vulnerable communities. Individuals, professionals, business owners, service men - rich & poor - no matter what their background have a role to play in mitigation and resilience toward the polycrisis and need to be equipped with the right knowledge and skills to do so. This is a step towards the design thinking principle of Empathy which would prompt a systemic change towards sustainability, resilience & a liveable planet

Cities, covering just 3% of the Earth's land area, are responsible for using beyond 60% of the source energy and emitting 70% of global carbon emissions. The primary contributors to these statistics are the buildings, power, and transportation sectors. Net Zero (NZ) strategy would be a key solution to this issue by improving energy and cost savings while promoting resiliency and redundancy. The global effort for climate change mitigation and achieving NZ requires a comprehensive approach, such as establishing universally understood NZ definitions, quantifying approaches, verifying NZ achievements, and incorporating energy efficiency and renewable power across the building, power, and transportation sectors.