13th Asia Smart City Conference ASCC in Yokohama, Japan, 22-24 Oct 2024

Summary

The ASCC is an international conference to share knowledge on developing economically, socially and environmentally sustainable urban environments, in collaboration with ASEAN cities, World Bank, Asia Development Bank (ADB), academic institutions, and other major stakeholders. The 13th ASCC brought together more than 2,200 participants to discuss the trajectory of sustainable development to achieve SBD goals, economic growth and a desirable urban environment, and to share best practices on decarbonisation. The conference was opened by Takeharu Yamanaka, Mayor, City of Yokohama; Angelica Nunez, Practice Manager, Urban, Resilience, and Land Global Practice, World Bank; with Welcome Remarks by Ramesh Subramaniam, Director General and Group Chief, Sectors Group, ADB.

Elaine Tan, Director, Research, Centre for Liveable Cities presented at the keynote session “Port-City Decarbonisation”, on 23 Oct 2024. Her presentation titled “Best Practices for Port-City Decarbonisation in Singapore” focused on outlining some of the key government initiatives to build sustainable ports and the need for a comprehensive approach to resilience of the coast, the city, and the community. Drawing on the interconnections between the port and the city, the presentation showcased the decarbonisation efforts of Singapore’s ports through technology and innovation, clean energy transition, incentivisation programmes, and international collaboration. Elaine also shared on safeguarding and building of coastal resilience through stormwater management efforts and regenerative, nature-based strategies, reinforcing the need for a concerted, island-wide approach in advancing the city’s sustainable development agenda.

The panel session that followed was moderated by Dr Duncan McIntosh, Senior Regional Maritime Specialist, ADB. Panellists discussed how ports had a significant role to play in lowering carbon emissions by pivoting towards integrating renewable energies and transitioning to electric alternatives.

Two cities shared on their efforts to improve operations and initiatives to support this transition. Mr Mrityunjay Jha, Director, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways, India, spoke on the Maritime India Vision 2030, which aims to achieve zero carbon emissions of Indian ports through the use of green hydrogen and electric-powered tugboats. Similarly, Mr Thilakarathne H.C.J, Director of Engineer, Colombo Port City Economic Commission, Sri Lanka, shared on Sri Lanka’s strategies to decarbonise its ports, mainly through supplying nearby solar power to its berthed vessels and electrification of diesel-powered cranes and tractors.

On the topic of financing, Mr Feirully Irzal, Head of Economic Division, Jakarta Regional Development Planning Agency, Indonesia, spoke on Jakarta’s investments in low-carbon projects such as refuse-derived fuel plants and its plans to implement carbon pricing to accelerate its carbon transition.

Turning from operations to process, Dr Yesim Elhan-Kayalar, Advisor at the Office of Chief Economist, ADB, shared studies on how ports in the Pacific region could better incorporate smart technologies to increase Just-in-time (JIT) arrivals to significantly reduce carbon emissions.

Finally, Mr Osamu Hayashi, Executive Director of Port and Harbour Bureau, Yokohama, Japan, presented Yokohama’s future initiatives for decarbonisation such as tapping more on alternate energy sources from green hydrogen, ammonia and offshore wind power.

The panel discussion provided useful case studies and best practices from the different cities which can be distilled into the following key takeaways for the audience:

1. The ‘How-to’ for Decarbonisation of Ports: There is growing emphasis of ports worldwide embracing renewable energy, electrification, digitalisation, and green infrastructure to reduce emissions and enhance sustainability, whilst balancing economic growth and environmental responsibility through collaborative efforts and strategic investments.

2. Getting on the Path of Climate Resilience: Asian cities are leveraging technological innovation and climate solutions to address urban challenges, promote sustainable development, and foster inclusive economic growth in the post-pandemic era, with a focus on local initiatives and start-up ecosystems.

3. Fostering Cooperation Among Cities: Cooperation between cities is vital for effective decarbonisation efforts. By sharing knowledge, resources, and best practices, cities can accelerate their transition to low-carbon economies more efficiently than working in isolation. These collaborations enable the global exchange of innovative solutions, the development of common standards, and the implementation of coordinated international policies, all of which are crucial in addressing climate change and creating more resilient, sustainable communities worldwide.