ECONOMIC growth can no longer be pursued at the expense of climate change and environmental degradation. The theme of the upcoming World Cities Summit, “Liveable and Sustainable Cities: Emerging Stronger”, aptly reflects this.

According to a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, South-east Asia is among the regions that are most vulnerable to climate change. At the same time, the region is expecting a population surge of 90 million in the next decade. What this means is there will be an increasing burden on existing infrastructure systems and escalating stress on the environment.

How can South-east Asia build cities that are both smart and sustainable? Through a focus on 4 principal areas: citizens, technology, collaboration and resilience.