July 14, 2025
By Dadi Darmadi
Depok, July 2025 – Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia (UIII) is strengthening its position as a global hub for climate policy innovation, with Dr. Sonny Mumbunan, Head of the Master of Public Policy (MPP) Program specializing in Climate Change, representing the university at the Global Tipping Points Conference 2025 held at the University of Exeter, UK from June 30 to July 3. His participation underscores UIII’s commitment to addressing the climate crisis through research, policy, and international collaboration.
The Global Tipping Points Conference, organized by the University of Exeter’s Global Systems Institute in partnership with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, convened over 200 researchers and policymakers to discuss climate tipping points—self-propelling changes that could lead to irreversible environmental shifts—and strategies to trigger positive social and economic transformations. Dr. Mumbunan contributed expertise in climate policy and sustainable finance, aligning UIII with global efforts to mitigate climate risks ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025.
Dr. Mumbunan’s Role and Expertise
As Head of UIII’s MPP in Climate Change program and Chairman of the Center for Climate and Sustainable Finance at the University of Indonesia (CCSF UI), Dr. Mumbunan brought a wealth of experience to the conference. An environmental economist by training, he has served as a policy advisor in Indonesia’s Presidential Offices under Presidents Joko Widodo and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, focusing on green economy and sustainable development. At the Faculty of Social Sciences of UIII, he recently established the Climate Policy Lab.
At the conference, Dr. Mumbunan presented research on positive tipping points in social-ecological system. He applied Indonesia’s fiscal transfers that consider forest cover of provinces and districts as a tipping case toward positive change for tropical forests. This policy has mobilized domestic resources of around 1 billion USD in 2023 alone, making it arguably the largest REDD+ funding in the world to date. This is about one third of all global REDD+ funding since this funding is established.
UIII’s Global Impact
Dr. Mumbunan’s participation positions UIII as a key contributor to the global discourse on climate tipping points. The conference highlighted critical risks, including the potential collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, Greenland Ice Sheet, and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (Amoc), alongside opportunities for positive tipping points, such as the exponential growth of solar power and electric vehicle adoption. Dr. Mumbunan’s work at UIII, in graduate program teaching and policy research alike, align with these themes by exploring how policy and finance can drive sustainable transitions, particularly in the Global South.
Looking Ahead to COP30
The conference called for urgent policy action at COP30 to prevent catastrophic climate tipping points and promote positive ones. The positive tipping point case he illustrated at the GTPC 2025 about forest cover indicator in sharing substantial and predictable amount of fiscal resources to forested subnationals in Papua, Aceh, and Kalimantan, are critical to stabilize global climate.
Dr. Mumbunan’s contributions will inform UIII’s engagement with the coming global climate summit in Belem, Brazil, reinforcing the university’s role in shaping sustainable development strategies. Through the MPP in Climate Change program, attended by students from more than 18 countries of the Global South, UIII is training future leaders to address these challenges, integrating rigorous research with practical policy solutions.
Join UIII’s Mission
Dr. Mumbunan’s leadership at the Global Tipping Points Conference 2025 highlights UIII’s growing influence in global climate policy. The Faculty of Social Sciences invites prospective students and researchers to join the MPP in Climate Change program to contribute to innovative solutions for a sustainable future.
Sources:
– The Guardian, “A cascade can be more positive,” June 28, 2025.
– Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia, Faculty of Social Sciences.
– Global Tipping Points Conference 2025, University of Exeter.
Universitas Islam Internasional Indonesia
