Welcome to the Climate Group Asia Action Summit highlights blog where you can catch up on all the biggest moments from from this year's event as they unfolded in Singapore.
,-------------------------------------------------------------------
3.22
Deepali Khanna, Head of Asia, Rockefeller Foundation said that before making investment, it's important to focus on the objective: to serve the well-being of humanity.
“We're not just pursuing cheaper power – but fairer power.”
Deepali Khanna, Head of Asia, Rockefeller Foundation
3.15pm
In the final session of the day, Michael Wen, Executive Vice President, Cathay Financial Holdings spoke about the importance of balancing risks.
"Sustainability is crucial, both to help society improve, and for industry and manufacturing, bringing costs down. [...] Cathay works to foster investment and mobilise finance."
Share this quote with your network.
Michael Wen, Executive Vice President, Cathay Financial Holdings participates in a panel
3pm
The Under2 Coalition held it's first-ever Asia Ministerial this afternoon — uniting subnational governments to strengthen climate leadership, collaboration, and action toward a just, resilient, net-zero future.
Members, including Under2 Coalition Asia-Pacific co-chair Governor Kim Tae-heum of Chungcheongnam-do, discussed scaling renewables, unlocking climate finance through green bonds and carbon markets, and amplifying subnational voices globally.
-3.jpg)
2.45pm
In a discussion around clean energy powering the future Alain Mahieu, Director, Sustainability Solutions, Engie Impact said that "more governments are opening the door for corporates to enter into the renewable energy space".
Sam Kimmins, Director of Energy, RE100 agreed, saying Asian business leaders want renewable electricity.
"We need credible connections, credible tracking, and regulatory alignment in renewable electricity tracking across Asian markets."
Alain Mahieu, Director, Sustainability Solutions, Engie Impact shares thoughts with the panel
2.24pm
Speaking to the challenges and opportunities for the region, Seonghoon Woo, CEO, Amogy said "We have to start from somewhere, somewhere that is economical. [...] What is happening now in the US is creating an opportunity that Asia can deliver on."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
2.15pm
Part three of the Climate Group Asia Action Summit began with a panel exploring the future of Asia's climate technology landscape.
Gina Domanig, Managing Partner, Emerald Technology Ventures spoke about the demand for green innovation saying, "If you put solar panels on every building in Singapore it would still only cover 10% of the country’s energy demand."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
12.53pm
Spencer Low, Head of Regional Sustainability, APAC, Google spoke about the importance of the four P's: public, private, philanthropic, partnership, and how efforts from the whole society will be required.
"To be resilient, the measures need to be hyper local. You need to look at local conditions. What's happening on the ground? You need more computational power to get data at the level. Google is working with national authorities to provide information to help communities become more resilient."
Share this quote with your network.
Spencer Low, Head of Regional Sustainability, APAC, Google participates in a panel
12.45pm
In a panel session about greater public-private collaboration supercharging climate adaptation, June Kunugi, East Asia and Pacific Office Regional Director, UNICEF spoke about one billion children being at high risk from the negative impact from climate change and APAC being the most at risk for children.
"In APAC, 100 children under five are dying every day from causes related to air pollution."
Share this quote with your network.
Key priorities for resilience include expertise and innovation from the private sector including skilling young people and greening our own system.
June Kunugi, East Asia and Pacific Office Regional Director, UNICEF speaks onstage
12.26
Harjeet Singh, Strategic Advisor, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative spoke powerfully about the urgency required to deal with the state of the planet:
"We’ve lost three precious decades by not speaking about the causes of climate change. At the same time, we're barely talking about the consequences. If we'd spoken about these things in 1992, we would be in a different world today. I have a belief in humanity and think that we can turn it around using the power of people.”
-------------------------------------------------------------------
12.20
Kimiko Hirata, Executive Director of Climate, Integrate spoke about how Asia can become the new standard bearer for the climate movement.
"We have to ask ourselves about why action for transformation in decarbonisation is so slow. Call for action in Asia is pertinent. [...] These are difficult times and various global and regional issues make it difficult to bring focus to climate change. But did we focus on climate change when the times were good?"
Kimiko Hirata, Executive Director of Climate, Integrate speaks on stage
12.18pm
In a conversation with Helen Clarkson, CEO, Climate Group, Steve Howard, Vice Chairman, Sustainability, Temasek spoke about Asia's green priorities and human potential in solving the sustainability problem.
“Every problem has scope for innovation. This is a century which is built for sustainability”
Steve Howard, Vice Chairman, Sustainability, Temasek
11.12am
Dany Qian, Global Vice President of JinKo Solar spoke about the widespread impact of the GEC method:
"The cooperation between CREEI and RE100 upon mutual recognition of GEC will facilitate and accelerate the pace of IDZ’s energy transition, by encouraging and increasing the willingness of companies to purchase more GEC and use the renewables as much as possible.
GEC as a complement method will help RE100 member companies to meet its climate goal. But to justify this investment, this method should be acknowledged globally, so standardizing this approach and process at an international level is pretty important."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
11.05am
Jacob Li, Head of Climate Impact Programs, Nova Complex spoke about how the conventional development models of data centre and industrial development zones have become untenable.
"In this context, the Powered-Campus model by Nova Complex uniquely leverages worldwide supply chains to optimise both computational and energy deployments."
Share this quote with your network.
On the computational side it harnesses Asia’s robust equipment manufacturing and logistics capabilities and utilises Nova’s parallel rapid-deployment methodology for data campus rollout. On the energy side it capitalises on South America’s abundant hydropower resources and carbon credit systems and reduces clean energy costs through global renewable energy certificates and cross-border carbon accreditation schemes.
Jacob Li, Head of Climate Impact Programs, Nova Complex gives a keynote speech
11.00am
Following RE100’s full recognition on China's Green Certificate, both parties sign a MOU for broader collaboration.
Climate Group's RE100 and CREEI sign an MOU for broader collaboration on stage
10.55am
Sam Kimmins, Director of Energy System, Climate Group shakes hands with Yuechun Yi, First Deputy Director-General, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute on behalf of RE100 in full recognition of the China GEC system.
Sam Kimmins, Director of Energy System, Climate Group shakes hands with Yuechun Yi, First Deputy Director-General, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute
10.48am
CREEI and Climate Group have held in-depth discussions and a review of China’s GEC system, confirming it meets international standards, including full life cycle tracking and no double counting. GEC info is accurate and traceable.
"By improving institutional design, deepening international cooperation, and strengthening mutual recognition of standards, GECs will provide Chinese wisdom and solutions for the global green and low carbon transition." - Yuechun Yi, First Deputy Director-General, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute
China’s GECs are helping corporations—including manufacturers (70% of buyers)—track and report green electricity, emissions, and carbon footprints. China is advancing international recognition of GECs to support global harmonisation and cooperation on renewable standards.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
10.41am
In a session on China's pivotal role in driving the global transition to renewable energy, Yuechun Yi, First Deputy Director-General, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute speaks about how China accounts for 41% of global renewable energy capacity and is injecting "new momentum" into green development worldwide.
"We should join hands to promote the sustainability of the global renewables industry. [...] Vigorously developing renewable energy has become an important measure to help countries speed up green development and slow down global climate change."
Yuechun Yi, First Deputy Director-General, China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute
10.35am
Responding to the question of what should companies focus on to achieve their goals as we approach 2030 and beyond, Peter Bakker, President & CEO, World Business Council for Sustainable Development says, "Disclose more and disclose better."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
10.30am
Jose Ordonez, Chief Revenue Officer & Managing Director APAC, CDP addresses how companies can ensure transparency at a time of increasing scrutiny.
"Companies can and should turn disclosure into a source of competitive edge."
He says, disclosing is a journey that over time should increase in transparency. Companies should think about data collection and submission for reporting as an asset. The cost of inaction in Asia could lead to blind spots and severe hidden supply chain costs not getting noticed and dealt with.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
10.18am
Speaking about areas we've seen the most decarbonisation so far, Bernard Tan, Country President (Singapore), Sinar Mas and Chairman, Golden Philanthropies highlights that Indonesia and China are both dedicated to reaching net zero by 2060 and Sinar Mas is going to participate in achieving that target.
Sinar Mas has made a Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) and will look to source renewables themselves as much as possible to help reach that target.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
10.10am
Our first panel session of the day, The hidden opportunity for corporate Asia: Decarbonising the global supply chain, begins.
Helen Clarkson, CEO, Climate Group speaks about Climate Group's work across markets to understand what policies we need to change and how we can leverage corporate voices to achieve those.
"Since 2020, 143 companies headquartered in Asia have joined RE100, future-proofing their business and increasing competitiveness."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
09.55am
In a Q&A with Ali Izadi-Najafabadi, Head of Asia Pacific, Bloomberg NEF he addresses the opportunity for energy market regulation in the Asia Pacific is discussed.
"The path to climate solution relies on renewable power and electrification. [...] We need to identify steps that can help accelerate deployment of renewable electricity and increase economic competitiveness."
-------------------------------------------------------------------
09.45am
Low Xin Wie, Assistant Chief Executive (Markets & Systems Division), Singapore Energy Market Authority takes to the stage to deliver his keynote: Powering Asia’s future: Building a connected, decarbonised region.
"Southeast Asia has immense renewable potential, but only a small portion is tapped. Three key words to highlight the decarbonisation of Southeast Asia: Connectivity, Capital, and Collaboration."
He makes the case for regional interconnection to decrease costs and increase reliability, and the need for collaboration to decarbonise the supply chain and manufacture for global industries.
"The future looks bright."
Low Xin Wei, Assistant Chief Executive (Markets & Systemse Division), Singapore Energy Market Authority
09.40am
In her opening speech, Helen Clarkson, CEO, Climate Group speaks about the two man-made crises we're currently experiencing: the economy and the climate. But while the world is watching the stock market, there's little awareness of the catastrophic floods, heatwaves, and lowering levels of arctic sea ice.
"How do we continue to drive progress towards a solution?"
Helen Clarkson, CEO, Climate Group gives an opening speech
09.32am
We're live at #CGAsiaActionSummit. Our host Ishika Mookerjee, Asia ESG & Climate Reporter, Bloomberg welcomes everyone.
"Asia Pacific is at the heart of the climate change story. It’s Time. Climate change is not going to wait."
Ishika Mookerjee, Asia ESG & Climate Reporter, Bloomberg, hosts the Climate Group Asia Action Summit 2025