Cities are at the frontline of the toughest economic, environmental and social challenges today —but they also hold the key to drive radical change.
Nowhere is this dynamic more pronounced than in Asia Pacific. Rapid urbanisation has fuelled meteoric growth—the region’s share of global GDP is expected to reach 50 per cent by 2040 – but its cities are also on the frontline of escalating climate threats.
In Southeast Asia, unchecked emissions and poor urban planning could inflict economic losses of up to 11 per cent of GDP by 2100, according to an Asian Development Bank report, as intensifying droughts, heatwaves, floods and infrastructure failures threaten livelihoods and communities.
The stakes are high and the impacts uneven. Cities are engines of social mobility, but they also deepen inequality and leave the most vulnerable exposed to climate shocks.
As we near the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals, the defining test of this decade will be balancing urban growth while driving decarbonisation, building resilience and bridging social divides. The upcoming COP30 climate conference in Brazil this year, though seeking to strengthen multilateralism and reach a consensus on global climate targets, will also have to be cognisant of present geopolitical and economic realities.
Despite these headwinds, cities are proving themselves the ultimate accelerators of change. Innovative solutions—from AI-driven resource management and circular waste systems to nature-based infrastructure and blended finance—are rewriting the rules of urban sustainability. Smart policy, green infrastructure and inclusive leadership are demonstrating that climate action will ignite, not inhibit, economic opportunities.
Unlocking true transformation will demand bold, cross-sector partnerships—connecting governments, financiers, planners, business and civil society, and fostering cross-border and regional collaboration.
Cities: Possibilities 2025 will bring together leading minds across the ecosystem to forge powerful alliances and share breakthrough strategies to accelerate the transition to a sustainable urban future.
