The Asian Pacific region is on the frontlines of climate change, witnessing a surge in extreme weather events this year, accentuating the urgent need for unified climate action. In the lead-up to COP28, Cities Alliance participates in the Asia Pacific Climate Week (APCW) 2023, serving as a platform for policymakers, practitioners, businesses and civil society to exchange on climate solutions, challenges and opportunities in the region.

The session Seizing the Opportunity: Rapid Urbanisation and the Circular Economy, will focus on how circularity approaches and the informal economy can deliver solutions for rapid urbanisation and climate change. The event is organised in partnership with Arup, ICLEI, Habitat for Humanity International and the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA).

Circular approaches aim to decouple economic growth from resource production, consumption, and environmental impacts while enhancing social values. The prevalence of informality in many fast-growing settlements and economies offers an entry point for the transition, building upon local circular economy strategies already informally practised.

Rebuilding the global economy must include efforts for informal settings, making local governments, entrepreneurs, and communities the agents of change.

The event will showcase how circularity approaches operate within different global economies and how they can help reconcile future challenges, focusing on the APAC region.

Cities Alliance will discuss ways to strengthen existing initiatives and city-wide approaches while advocating for more inclusive, people-centred solutions. Recent research on circularity approaches and the informal economy will be presented. Brief inputs and statements from local governments and civil society on key messages regarding the circular economy will serve as starting points for a facilitated discussion with the audience.

Speakers:

Anna Surgenor, Climate, Sustainability and Strategy Lead Southeast Asia, Arup
Arne Georg Janssen, Urban Environment Lead, Cities Alliance
Puja Sawhney, PhD, Global Director, Climate Change, Habitat for Humanity International
Emani Kumar, Executive Director, ICLEI South Asia
Kamisah Mohd Ghazali, Head, Resilient Environment, IRDA

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