Asian cities like Singapore, Bangkok, Manila and Ho Chi Minh face very real risks of huge economic losses should their adaptation measures be inadequate. Singapore faces up to 20.2% gross domestic product (GDP) loss in a two-degree warmer scenario, a warning of how adversely megacities will be affected.

A lower middle-class family is tasked with the upkeep of a new garden and street planting installation touted to provide environmental benefits to their city and local community. Instead of relaxing in their downtime, they spend hours on manual labour; weeding, watering and tending to the city’s much-celebrated “green infrastructure.” This was the case with a community in Los Angeles (LA), USA, found Sayd Randle, Assistant Professor of Urban Studies, in her paper “Ecosystem duties, green infrastructure, and environmental injustice in Los Angeles”.

An organisation can signal its commitment to sustainability through green certification and labels, or marketing campaigns with messages of environmental stewardship. However, according to Thomas Menkhoff, Professor of Organisational Behaviour & Human Resources and Dr Kevin Cheong, Adjunct Teaching Mentor at SMU, making bold statements and focusing solely on operational changes such as the eradication of single-use plastics is not enough to drive meaningful change.

Higher education has been central to Singapore's rise as one of the world's strongest economies. Now, these Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) have an additional role in shaping, influencing and contributing to Singapore's Green Plan 2030, a plan that sets out the Republic’s aspirations for a green, sustainable and resilient economy. This was the central point of discussion at the Straits Times Education Forum, held on 11 March 2023, in partnership with the Singapore Management University (SMU).

The demand for talent in the field of sustainability is increasing, but the amount of expertise in the field is thin. As more nations take the step towards transitioning to greener and more sustainable economies, there is a need to develop workers with the necessary skills through a sustainability talent pipeline (a pool of candidates ready and equipped to take on the positions).

Last Update 05 June, 2023

At the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference (COP21) in Paris, world leaders agreed to work together to maintain global warming to no more than 1.5° C. Two targets were set in the Paris Agreement - achieving 45% reduction in emissions by 2030, and reaching net zero by 2050.