Kuala Lampur, Oct. 30 -- When the air becomes difficult to breathe and outdoor activities have to be cancelled, science suddenly becomes very real.

Parents worry about health. Businesses worry about productivity. Schools worry. People check the Air Pollutant Index (API), look for face masks and ask when the haze will clear.

Yet when scientists warn about climate change, the public response is often less immediate. The threats may be enormous, but they can seem distant, abstract and disconnected from the routines of daily life.

This contrast presents Malaysia with an important opportunity. Can we turn the public's haze concern into a lasting commitment to science itself?

Climate change is a global concern whose consequences unfold over...