Helping cities transition to net zero is key to winning the fight against climate change.  More than 70% of the global population lives in cities and urban areas, and rising urban populations are intensifying carbon emissions. In addition, close to 40% of global carbon emissions is generated by the real estate and infrastructure sectors alone.​

Challenges on the path to net-zero are unique to each city, depending on inherent constraints, as well as its social fabric and governance models. Stakeholders such as developers, regulators and solution providers will need to work together to find innovative ways to help cities in their net-zero transition. ​

​There are ways of achieving so. This can  include harnessing digitalisation to help sustainability initiatives within cities,  building renewable energy infrastructure,  investing in food and nutrition solutions, and supporting those who contribute directly to moving society and the built environment toward sustainability, also known as the green workforce.​

Asia’s cities must therefore identify, test and build their net zero models while they can. What are net-zero models that Asian cities can follow? What risks and opportunities do urban assets face during the net-zero transition? How can stakeholders address these risks? How can stakeholders take advantage of these opportunities?​

Against the backdrop of COP28 and G20, this year's edition of Cities: Possibilities forum will discuss the leading models in Asia net-zero shift, and assess the technologies, system integrations, and stakeholder collaboration that are needed in Asia’s transition towards net zero