About
Reducing carbon emissions from cities is key to addressing the climate crisis. Cities are now responsible for up to 75 per cent of energy-related global greenhouse gas emissions, despite occupying less than 2 per cent of the planet’s surface.
At the same time, there is a massive financing gap – almost US$30 trillion is needed by 2030 to help cities to decarbonise, but only 1 per cent of the annual global climate finance reaches cities, according to the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance.
The COP28 climate summit last year saw nations pledge to “transition away” from fossil fuels – a historic first. But with the planet having already exceeded the temperature rise of 1.5-degree Celsius limit set under the Paris Agreement in 2015, countries must urgently tackle city emissions to avoid further warming, especially as three-quarters of the global population will live in urban centres by 2050.
Cities must rapidly decarbonise by deploying various strategies, from accelerating the energy transition, improving urban planning and infrastructure, electrifying and enhancing public transport systems, managing waste and water resources, and increasing green and blue spaces.
Cities must also be regenerative and develop and implement plans to adapt to rising climate impacts such as permanent temperature increases, sea level rise and extreme weather events.
Robust policy frameworks, the development and deployment of innovative technological solutions, and scaling of successful collaboration models between government, business and citizens will be key to achieving liveable, climate-positive cities.
Cities: Possibilities 2024 – A CapitaLand Sustainability Edition will convene key stakeholders and decision-makers to spotlight solutions to decarbonise the built environment and scale tangible climate action for low-carbon and regenerative cities. The forum will also underline the sustainable investment trends that are shaping the real estate sector, and how climate finance can be mobilised to reduce city emissions.
Speakers
Chairperson of the Board, Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction
Chief Executive Officer, ENGIE South East Asia
Founder and Managing Director, Eco-Business
Head of Sustainability, GIC
Head of Research, Asia Pacific, CBRE
Co-Chair, Working Group II, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and Professor of Urban Climate, Singapore Management University
Head of Sustainability, CapitaLand Development
Executive Director, APAC Head of Sustainable Solutions, J.P. Morgan
Regional Pre-Investment Head, Infrastructure, Asia Pacific, International Finance Corporation
Lead Representative, Asia, GRESB
Chief Industry Specialist, Green Buildings and Cities, IFC Climate Business Group, Climate Change
Director, NUS Cities and Practice Professor with the College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore
Regional Head of Equities Research and Stewardship, AIA Investment Management.
Director of Partnerships, Eco-Business
Ambassador of Sweden to Singapore
Global Leader – Property, Science, Industry, Technology & Social Infrastructure, Arup
Chief Sustainability & Sustainable Investments Officer, CapitaLand Investment
Senior Portfolio Manager Real Estate, APG Asset Management
Head of Real Estate & Hospitality and Construction & Infrastructure, Sector Solutions Group, UOB
Head of Sustainable Transition Solutions for Southeast Asia, BlackRock
Director, Sustainability & Climate Change Strategy, Temasek
Global Design Director, Ramboll
Regional Governance Advisor, UNDP Asia and the Pacific
Global Advisory Services Lead, Arup
Agenda
8:45 | Registration
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9:15 | Welcome remarks
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9:25 | Opening speech by CapitaLand Group
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9:40 | Keynote address
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10:00 | Opening plenary: Climate-focused infrastructure: The new frontier for green financing?
Adaptation financing has traditionally garnered low private-sector interest as it does not present clear revenue-earning opportunities. Yet, in recent years, we are seeing transformative shifts with the development of new financing tools and models that could potentially close the current funding gap.
Across Asia Pacific, there is an annual shortfall of about US$800 billion in climate finance, of which around US$170 billion falls in the adaptation category, according to the International Monetary Fund.
Multilateral financiers are now championing “blended finance” models, where they commit part of the funds needed for climate projects which face bankability issues. The understanding of what is a good business model for adaptation might be an emerging concept for the private sector but increasingly financiers see the demand for more support in climate-resilient infrastructure, from water and sanitation, coastal resilience-building to energy and transport-related projects.
On a global scale, there is also now growing momentum to get wealthier countries to provide “loss and damage” funding to vulnerable nations to recover faster from climate disasters. The issue will be at the forefront of upcoming talks at the COP29 climate summit, but it remains to be seen if sufficient capital can be made available.
This opening plenary puts the spotlight on financing models and partnerships that could provide Asia’s cities with the ammunition it needs to adapt to urgent climate risks. It also explores crucial questions such as how to move from financing to implementation and ensure that resources are channelled to local city governments and cash-strapped provinces through a faster route.
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Moderator
10:45 | Tea break
11:00 | Plenary 2: Opportunities & risks of decarbonisation in the built environment
Decarbonising the built environment could potentially address more than a third of the planet’s carbon emissions.
Doing so, however, is a mammoth task.
From retrofitting existing infrastructure, overcoming financial barriers, to finding ways of powering the built environment with renewable forms of energy, decarbonisation will require a collective and concerted effort among key stakeholders and all segments of society.
But decarbonisation also presents ample opportunities for businesses to leverage.
With nine in 10 commercial real estate occupiers targeting 100 per cent green-certified portfolios by 2030, enterprises can strategically green infrastructure and derive value from cost-effective low-carbon technologies – all while capitalising on increasing investor demand.
This plenary will discuss the key decarbonisation opportunities businesses can leverage and the short- and long-term challenges to navigate.
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11:55 | Networking lunch
12:45 | CLI sustainability strategy – the way forward
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13:00 | Fireside chat: Navigating Sustainability in an Uncertain Environment
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13:30 | Breakout plenary: Sustainability trends – what investors want
The real estate investment landscape has evolved.
Once primarily underpinned by high returns on investments and cash flow from property appreciation, investors now view sustainability as a long-term key revenue driver and a way to capture market demand.
On one hand, while sustainable real estate may command higher premiums and may be more resilient to climate – and therefore investment – shocks, many investors may not know where to start.
With a myriad of sustainability reporting frameworks to navigate in the real estate world, greenwashing concerns, higher investment costs, and the majority of infrastructure requiring retrofitting to meet sustainability standards, knowing which real estate trends to leverage can be the difference between a climate-resilient portfolio and one exposed to short- and long-term risks.
Sustainable real estate can also influence a nation’s total amount of emissions reductions over time as investors seek to derisk their investments by financing climate-resilient property.
This panel will discuss the key trends that are driving sustainable real estate investments, and how investors can fortify their investments amid increasing and unpredictable climate risks.
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13:30 | Breakout plenary: Why (green) buildings matter: A stakeholder perspective
Creating sustainable cities is a collective effort, particularly within the real estate sector, where a broad ecosystem of stakeholders plays a crucial role. This ecosystem includes property owners, developers, investors, tenants, contractors, suppliers, and regulators.
Tenants, for instance, can contribute up to 70% of a building’s total energy consumption. As their preference for sustainability grows, it directly shapes the design of buildings and the adoption of energy- and resource-efficient features.
Meanwhile, investors are increasingly prioritizing sustainability, recognizing that properties with strong environmental credentials offer long-term value and reduced risk. This shift in investor priorities is channeling more funding toward sustainable projects.
The rising demand for sustainability throughout the real estate value chain influences investment decisions, property values, and the competitiveness of green buildings in the market.
However, stakeholders face challenges in navigating this complex landscape, including varying green building certification standards, regulatory compliance, costs, Scope 3 emissions, and impact measurement. Achieving sustainability requires coordinated efforts across all parties.
This plenary will explore emerging trends in real estate development, their impact on stakeholders, and the increasing focus on sustainable cities, which are setting ambitious net-zero targets and raising expectations for livability.
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14:15 | Tea break
14:50 | Closing plenary: Building the future for regenerative cities
There are sustainable cities, and then there are regenerative cities.
While sustainable cities aim to minimise environmental impact and meet present needs without affecting future generations, regenerative cities strive beyond for a net positive impact, by integrating nature into urban environments, creating spaces that minimise harm, and restoring natural ecosystems.
This includes designing urban areas that support wildlife, improve air and water quality, transform waste into resources, and enhance community well-being through green infrastructure.
With the UN projecting that 68 per cent of the global population will live in cities by 2050, the role that cities play in climate action cannot be ignored. As a response, a growing number of cities have adopted several strategies – Copenhagen has designed recreational parks that mitigate the heat island effect while promoting more outdoor activities among residents; green roofs, vertical gardens and cooling initiatives have proliferated in Singapore; and Tokyo has integrated some urban parks and public plazas with green areas, public transport and commercial zones.
Scaling these solutions across different cities, however, presents unique challenges, from navigating complex regulatory frameworks to engaging the right stakeholders, and from funding constraints to poor public awareness.
As discussions at COP29 highlight the urgent need for climate action, this plenary will discuss the various ways in which cities can adopt regenerative models of urban planning and contribute to carbon capture and ecological restoration across the world.
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15:35 | Closing remarks
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16:00 | Networking session
Partners
Presenting Partner
CapitaLand
CapitaLand Group (CapitaLand) is one of Asia’s largest diversified real estate groups. Headquartered in Singapore, CapitaLand’s portfolio focuses on real estate investment management and real estate development, and spans across more than 260 cities in over 40 countries.
Venue Partner
Catapult
Catapult is Southeast Asia's first Shared Executive Learning Centre in Singapore's Rochester Park area. Designed as a Learner's Playground, it aims to groom future leaders through immersive and experiential learning journeys.
Register
Cities: Possibilities 2024 - A CapitaLand Sustainability Edition
Cities: Possibilities is an annual flagship forum organised by Eco-Business that convenes strategic decision makers to discuss the latest developments in creating sustainable cities and communities.
Now on its ninth year, Cities: Possibilities 2025 will explore unlocking true transformation through bold, cross-sector partnerships - connecting governments, financiers, planners, business and civil society, and fostering cross-border and regional collaboration.
In 2025, the forum expands across two countries: 11 November in Malaysia and 26 November in Singapore. Register below to join us at your preferred forum.