About
As Asean Chair, Malaysia is leading efforts to strengthen regional unity, economic integrity and climate resilience under the Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future – a blueprint for fostering inclusive, sustainable growth and deeper multilateral cooperation.
Coupled its presidency of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) – a focal point for pressing urbanisation and human settlement challenges globally – Malaysia will be leading the regional and global agendas on urban sustainability.
These priorities will align with COP30’s focus on revitalising global climate action amid geopolitical and economic challenges. Cities, as engines of progress, will be pivotal in delivering this vision.
Though driving economic growth, Southeast Asia’s urban centres face severe climate risks, with projected GDP losses of up to 11 per cent by 2100 under high-emission scenarios. Marginalised urban citizens are at heightened risk to climate change impacts – from flash flooding to heat waves and water stress – due to pervasive social, income and resource inequalities.
The defining challenge for Malaysia and the region lies in harmonising urban development with decarbonisation, resilience and equity. Cities are already pioneering solutions, from nature-based solutions to artificial intelligence and blended finance, supported by effective governance mechanisms. Nonetheless, scaling these efforts demands unprecedented collaboration across governments, industries, financiers and civil society, alongside enhanced regional coordination.
In its maiden edition in Malaysia, Cities: Possibilities 2025 will convene these key decision makers from these stakeholder groups to forge partnerships, exchange innovative ideas and accelerate actionable pathways for sustainable urban development.
By bridging stakeholder divides and amplifying local innovation, the forum aims to turn shared challenges into transformative opportunities, ensuring cities become cornerstones of Asean’s – and the globe’s – sustainable development agenda.
Speakers
Founder and Managing Director, Eco-Business
Director of Partnerships, Eco-Business
Executive Director, Head of ESG Intelligence, Eco-Business
Agenda
8:00 | Registration
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9:00 | Welcome remarks by Eco-Business / Strategic partner
9:15 | Opening address by Guest-of-Honour
Speaker
Jessica Cheam, Founder and CEO, Eco-Business
9:30 | Fireside chat – Building future-ready cities
10:00 | Morning tea break
10:15 | Opening plenary – Smart networks: collaborative cities for inclusivity and sustainability
11:00 | Plenary 2
11:45 | Special presentation by Strategic Partner
12:00 | Networking lunch
13:00 | Plenary debate – This house believes that tourism is necessary for sustainable urban development to balance economic growth with environmental preservation
13:45 | Live podcast / Fireside chat
14:30 | Moderated discussion
15:00 | Closing plenary – Transdisciplinary approaches for adaptive and resilient cities
15:45 | Closing remarks by Eco-Business
Partners
Register
Cities: Possibilities 2025 – Malaysia
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.