28 July, 2025 (Monday), 15:00 – 16:00 JST
IDEC Large Conference Room (in-person only)
About the Lecture
Sustainability discourse has long been dominated by fragmented approaches that fail to holistically address the interconnected challenges of climate change, social equity, and economic resilience. The urgency of reconciling economic progress with planetary boundaries and social justice calls for a radical shift in the dominant sustainability narrative. Drawing upon the speaker’s recent works, including “Decoding the Epics of a Sustainable World” and “Sustainalism: An Integrated Socio-Economic-Environmental Model to Address Sustainable Development and Sustainability”, the presentation critically examines the limitations of prevailing growth-centric frameworks and presents Sustainalism as a viable alternative grounded in systemic thinking, and an integrated pathway for global development rooted in justice, equity, ecological harmony, and long-term resilience. Special emphasis will be placed on the “Sudhakar Paradox,” a philosophical insight questioning the pursuit of perfection in sustainability within imperfect systems, and how technological solutions for sustainability often create new forms of resource competition and potential conflict. The talk will demonstrate how Sustainalism’s holistic approach can mitigate resource-driven conflicts through cooperative governance models, equity-driven solutions, embed peace in sustainability transitions and redefining global development. The discussion will further reflect on the role of education, innovation, policy and governance in embedding peace considerations within sustainability transitions, with Hiroshima’s Legacy of resilience and Gandhian Philosophy symbolically positioned as an ideal example for global peace and sustainability leadership. The presentation will conclude by outlining transformative pathways to a post-carbon era through the Sustainalism lens, offering a blueprint/roadmap for building resilient communities, redefining prosperity, development, and global harmony. This discussion aims to inspire interdisciplinary collaboration, provides transformative strategies for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners committed to building just and resilient communities within planetary boundaries while fostering societal wellbeing across generations.
About the Speaker
Dr. Sudhakar Kumarasamy is an Associate Professor of the Faculty of Mechanical and Automotive Engineering Technology, Principal Research Fellow at the Automotive Engineering Centre, and the International Coordinator for the FTKMA, UMPSA. He leads interdisciplinary research work on renewable energy integration, energy transition, decarbonization pathways, climate policy, and sustainable lifestyles. He is the founder of the ICFGS Foundation (an NGO working for Global Sustainability) and an advocate for Sustainalism—a holistic socio-economic-environmental paradigm aimed at driving equitable and ecologically balanced development. Recognized among the Top 2% Scientists globally (since 2020), he has supervised PhD / postdoctoral researchers, published extensively, and contributed to international collaborations and policy dialogues. With a strong focus on techno-economic analysis, he has led studies on floating solar, airport-based solar systems, electrofuel production, offering actionable insights into energy transitions, community-based energy systems, circular economy, and low-carbon strategies that align with sustainability and resilience goals. Dr. Sudhakar holds a PhD in Energy Engineering from the National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli, India, with a master’s degree in Energy Management and a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering. Before joining Universiti Malaysia Pahang Al Sultan Abdullah, Malaysia, he served at Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology, India, where he led educational programs at the master’s level in Renewable Energy and Green Technology. He is also an editorial board member of Frontiers in Energy Research and Energy Engineering Journal, and a frequent invited speaker on sustainability transitions, education’s role in systemic change, and technological innovation for SDG implementation. With over 15 years of experience in teaching, research, and leadership across Asia and Europe, he is committed to sustainability and energy transitions, integrating socio-political, economic, and environmental resilience into his work. His mission is to inspire collective action and develop transformative models for building sustainable, inclusive, and resilient communities worldwide.
