Overview
A Living Lab of Sustainability
By 2026, the United Nations forecasts that half of all Asians will be urban dwellers. Mega cities, with populations of more than 20 million, will emerge across the region, putting intense pressure on finite resources such as land, energy and clean water.
These significant challenges call for governments and city planners to have a comprehensive toolkit of cutting-edge urban solutions at their fingertips.
A liveable and sustainable city
Limited land area and natural resources, combined with a growing population, have led Singapore to take an integrated and long-term approach to urban planning and development. This focus has made Singapore a globally recognised model of sustainable development, while giving rise to a large number of world-class home-grown urban solutions providers at the same time. For several years, Singapore is consistently ranked among the world’s most liveable cities in Mercer’s Quality of Living Survey. By 2030, the city state aims to reach even more sustainability goals that cut across energy intensity, waste management, water consumption, air quality and green environment.
Solving the world’s problems
From transportation and public housing, to energy management and water treatment, Singapore has developed some of the world’s most advanced urban solutions, including collaborating in the development of eco-cities from China to India. An example is home grown company Hyflux, a leading water and environmental solutions provider, which is now building the world’s largest seawater desalination plant in Algeria.
Urban Solutions Business Events: Opportunities for growth
Current business events landscape
Given its standing as an urban solutions ‘living lab’ and a dynamic business and innovation hub in Asia, Singapore is the perfect location for exhibitors, delegates and buyers to seek out and take advantage of the tremendous business opportunities and Asia-for-Asia solutions in a rapidly urbanising region. Singapore’s sustainable development initiatives are poised to turn it into a hub for important international urban solutions events. It hosts business events such as the World Cities Summit, Singapore International Water Week and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore which bring together government leaders, experts and captains of industry to address critical challenges that come with urbanisation. Other events like Singapore International Energy Week, Singapore Green Building Week and Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition are platforms to discuss and discover innovative solutions to energy, green buildings and transport challenges.
Opportunities
Singapore’s progressive commitment to innovative urban solutions has seen vast business event opportunities. The twin goals of liveability and sustainability call for more thought-leadership platforms and marketplaces that deep-dive into unique and niche areas including clean and renewable energy, food security, place management, social inclusivity and other themes that nurture the next generation.
Did you know?
- According to estimates of the Third World Centre for Water Management, at least 1.3 billion tonnes of food are wasted each year globally2.
- By 2030, urban areas are projected to house 60 per cent of people globally and one in every three people will live in cities with at least half a million inhabitants2. More than a third of this increase will be in Asian countries.
2http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/population/publications/pdf/urbanization/the_worlds_cities_in_2016_data_booklet.pdf
3http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/news/population/world-urbanization-prospects-2014.html
