Singapore Institute of International Affairs

2nd Singapore Green Dialogue (SGD) — Sustainability in a Fragmented World
2026-02-11 08:30 - 14:30 (Asia/Shanghai) | Tower Club Singapore, 9 Raffles Pl, Tower 1, Penthouse (62nd 64th Floors, Republic Plaza, Singapore, 048619, Singapore
The global sustainability agenda is entering a new and uncertain phase, shaped by growing fragmentation in international cooperation. Global consensus is weakening, momentum behind multilateral climate efforts has slowed, and major powers are adopting more inward-looking policies. Efforts to sign a legally binding instrument on plastic pollution have thus far failed. ESG considerations are now being politicised, with pushback from countries and businesses. COP30 in Belém illustrated what climate action now looks like: negotiators landed a deal that kept the Paris framework alive, but only by softening ambition and deferring hard choices to future meetings.
For ASEAN and Asian economies, this raises a difficult question: what does climate ambition on mitigation and adaptation mean when major emitters and fossil fuel economies are not pulling their weight? ASEAN’s aggregate contribution to global greenhouse gas emissions remains modest, yet the region sits at the frontline of climate impacts. Coastal cities, low-lying deltas and island states are already grappling with frequent floods, rising sea levels, and extreme heat. Three tropical storms in the last months of 2025 have displaced millions across Southeast Asia and claimed over 1,000 lives. Climate adaptation and resilience is urgently needed, along with the right economic choices to lock in development trajectories in the years to come.
The burden—and opportunity—of practical climate leadership is shifting towards Asia. Singapore’s role as a regional hub for policy dialogue, sustainable finance and climate innovation is more important than ever. The 2nd Singapore Green Dialogue will bring together policymakers, corporate leaders, investors and experts to address these tensions: how countries and companies should define meaningful climate action; how to prioritise resilience without locking in high-carbon pathways; and how Asian businesses can stay competitive amid diverging standards in the US, EU and beyond. By convening diverse voices from government, industry, finance and academia, the Dialogue aims to chart practical, actionable pathways for ASEAN and its partners to advance sustainability in a more fragmented global order.
Programme

Time

Programme

08:30am – 09:00am

Registration

09:00am – 09:10am

Welcome Remarks By Mr. Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA)

09:10am – 09:55am

Keynote Dialogue: Sustaining Commitments in a Turbulent World

Speaker: Dr. Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Republic of Singapore
Moderator: Mr. Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA)

09:55am – 10:55am

Panel 1: The Cost of Compliance – Sustainability versus Competitiveness?
How can businesses in Singapore and ASEAN maintain sustainability goals and build resilience while managing rising costs? Companies must increasingly contend with different regulations and buyer expectations across markets, with some countries continuing to prioritise ESG considerations while others do not. The European Union is continuing to push forward with frameworks such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM). While some companies are working to comply with new EU regulations and maintain market access, others are looking to do more business with markets that have softer rules. This session explores how firms are balancing ambition with affordability, how businesses view evolving EU and other international standards, and whether efforts within ASEAN countries such as carbon taxes enhance or constrain competitiveness.

What are the new or upcoming sustainability regulations that might affect international trade and investment flows?
What are the costs or pain points that businesses are facing in complying with sustainability regulations and maintaining market access?
Will the introduction of carbon taxes and similar initiatives hinder competitiveness of ASEAN countries, or provide new opportunities?

Panel Keynote: Ms. Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer, City Developments Limited (CDL)
Panellists:

Ms. Kuldip Gill, Assistant Chief Executive (Accounting Development & Regulatory Group), Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA)
Mr. Hirotaka Ishizaka, Chief Sustainability Officer, Mitsubishi Corporation Singapore Branch
Ms. Melissa Moi, Head of Sustainable Business, UOB
Ms. Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer, City Developments Limited (CDL)

Moderator:

Ms. Fang Eu Lin, Partner and Sustainability & Climate Change Practice Head; and PwC Asia Pacific Centre for Sustainability Excellence Leader, PwC Singapore, and Council Member, SIIA

10:55am – 11:25am

Break

11:25am – 12:10pm

Keynote Dialogue: ASEAN-Asia Climate Cooperation – Regional Leadership, Global Impact

Speaker: Dr. Bambang Brodjonegoro, Dean and CEO, Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI)
Moderator: Mr. Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA)

12:10pm – 1:10pm

Panel 2: Finding Climate Momentum – Progress, Gaps, Opportunities
With global or multilateral consensus on climate action becoming increasingly uncertain, can the ASEAN region and other partner countries sustain climate ambition on their own? This session takes a long-term, strategic view of ASEAN and Asia’s climate leadership in a time of fragmentation, exploring what the region’s climate mitigation and adaptation priorities should be. The region sits at a crossroads — highly vulnerable to climate impacts yet still economically dependent on fossil fuels — and must now take greater ownership to maintain long-term momentum, strengthen collaboration, and define its own climate narrative.

How can countries in ASEAN and Asia show climate leadership amidst current global headwinds?
How are ASEAN and Asia meeting the climate financing needs of the region?
What role can businesses and financial institutions play in climate resilience towards NDC 3.0 and National Adaptation Plan targets?

Panellists:

Mr. Jackie Surtani, Regional Director and Head of Singapore Office, Asian Development Bank (ADB)
H.E. Satvinder Singh, Deputy Secretary-General for ASEAN Economic Community, ASEAN
Ms. Helena Ooi, Head of Strategy, Sustainability, Digital and Data, Maybank

Moderator: Ms. Cheryl Chen, President, S&P Global Foundation, and Council Member, SIIA

1:10pm – 1:20pm

Closing Remarks By Mr. Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA)

1:20pm – 2:30pm

Networking Buffet Lunch

Registration
Thank you for your interest in our event. The registration has been closed. Should you have any queries, please reach out to events@siiaonline.org.

[Closed-door] CompCom Roundtable | Enhancing Singapore’s Global Competitiveness – Session 2
2026-02-24 09:45 - 11:30 | Singapore
The closed-door corporate roundtable is part of a four-part series convened by the SIIA to examine Singapore’s global competitiveness amid geopolitical uncertainty, technological disruption, and evolving global investment patterns. This series brings together senior leaders from multinational companies with regional and global influence to gather forward-looking insights that will inform SIIA’s policy-relevant analysis supporting ongoing deliberations by the Economic Strategy Review (ESR) Committee on Global Competitiveness.
In this second session, Prof. Simon Tay, Chairman of the SIIA, will provide a strategic framing analysis and moderate a candid discussion under the Chatham House Rule. The dialogue will focus on how multinational firms’ headquarters view Singapore’s competitiveness in an AI-driven, slower-growth environment, and how deeper engagement with ASEAN, cost considerations, and collaboration with neighbouring economies can strengthen Singapore’s role as a trusted and effective regional hub.

[Closed-door] ATTS Workshop: Climate Risks and Food Security
2026-03-16 13:45 - 17:30 | Singapore
The ASEAN Think Tanks Summit (ATTS) workshop on “Climate Risks and Food Security” will address the following issues:

Strengthening the resilience of ASEAN’s agricultural systems, including enhancing climate adaptation for producers and smallholder farmers

Assessing the implications of global market volatility for ASEAN’s food stockpiles, import/export policies, and domestic food prices

Balancing land use for food, animal feed, and fuel in ASEAN, and how the region can ensure the integrity of biofuels and waste-to-energy supply chains

The discussions from this workshop will be presented at the 3rd ATTS for further deliberations. The ATTS is an annual Track 1.5 dialogue held at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA), the ASEAN Institutes of Strategic and International Studies (ASEAN-ISIS) network, and other think tank partners. Insights from ATTS workshops held throughout the year will be incorporated into the 3rd ATTS policy memorandum to be circulated to the ASEAN Secretariat and the Permanent Representatives of ASEAN Member States (AMS).

SIIA Talk | Beyond the Storms – Climate Adaptation and Resilience in ASEAN Agriculture
2026-03-16 17:30 - 19:00 | SIIA, 60A Orchard Road, #04-03 (Level 4M), Tower 1, The Atrium @Orchard International Involvement Hub, Singapore, 238890
In 2025, several ASEAN countries experienced severe tropical storms and monsoon floods, affecting millions of people and straining response capacity. Aside from the humanitarian impact, these weather events illustrate that the region’s agricultural systems remain vulnerable to shocks. The hit to supply chains and manufacturing from the 2025 storms was relatively manageable, but damage to crops and delays in harvesting have been more significant with losses reaching billions of US dollars across the region. With climate change bringing more frequent and potentially more severe extreme weather events, it is increasingly urgent to ensure that ASEAN’s agricultural producers are both resilient and productive, in order to meet both domestic nutritional needs and regional trade for economic growth. This talk at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) will explore how countries are strengthening the resilience of food and agricultural commodity systems, as well as exploring longer term climate adaptation and productivity goals.

What issues have the events of 2025 exposed, such as inefficiencies and misallocation in flood control, or environmental violations that have worsened the impact of landslides?

What infrastructure, capacity, and financing does the agricultural sector need to build resilience against extreme weather events and enhance long term climate adaptation?

What policy and governance changes are underway in ASEAN countries that will impact land management? What does this mean for supply chains and financiers in the sector?

Speakers:
Dr Sonny Domingo, Senior Research Fellow, Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS)
Mr Tomi Haryadi, Director, Food, Land, and Water Programme, World Resources Institute (WRI) Indonesia
Moderator: Mr Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA)
Programme

Registration Form
Thank you for your interest in our event. Registration is now closed. Should you have any queries, please reach out to events@siiaonline.org.

SIIA Talk | US-Israel-Iran: Implications for Geopolitics, International Law, and the Global Economy
2026-03-27 10:00 - 11:30 | SIIA, 60A Orchard Road, #04-03 (Level 4M), Tower 1, The Atrium @Orchard International Involvement Hub, Singapore, 238890
Attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran have prompted retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, hitting Israel and other countries in the region. Critics have argued that the operation is both illegal under US law without congressional approval and a violation of international law. Spillover effects are already emerging, with oil prices rising and Iran attempting to close the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that handles nearly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade. This dialogue jointly organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) and the Middle East Institute (MEI) will examine the geopolitical, legal, and economic questions arising from the crisis.

What are the political implications of the conflict, not just for the Middle East, but for the rest of the world including Southeast Asia and Singapore?
Does this action by the US and Israel mean an upending of the basic tenets of international law? What does this mean for countries like Singapore?
What impact, both immediate and in the medium to long-term, could this have on trade with the Middle East and for businesses in general?

Speakers:
Ms. Angela Mancini, Partner, Head of Geopolitical Risk Analysis – APAC, Control Risks
Prof. Joseph Liow, Chairman, Middle East Institute (MEI), National University of Singapore (NUS)
Mr. Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA)
Moderator: Ms. Michelle Teo, Executive Director, Middle East Institute (MEI), National University of Singapore (NUS)
Programme:

Registration Form

Thank you for your interest in our event. The registration has been closed. Should you have any queries, please reach out to events@siiaonline.org. Thank you.

[Closed-door] CompCom Roundtable | Enhancing Singapore’s Global Competitiveness – Session 3
2026-04-10 13:45 - 15:30 | Singapore
The closed-door corporate roundtable is part of a four-part series convened by the SIIA to examine Singapore’s global competitiveness amid geopolitical uncertainty, technological disruption, and evolving global investment patterns. This series brings together senior leaders from multinational companies with regional and global influence to gather forward-looking insights that will inform SIIA’s policy-relevant analysis supporting ongoing deliberations by the Economic Strategy Review (ESR) Committee on Global Competitiveness.
In this third session, Prof. Simon Tay, Chairman of the SIIA, will provide a strategic framing analysis and moderate a candid discussion under the Chatham House Rule. The dialogue will focus on strengthening Singapore’s competitiveness, with emphasis on creating quality jobs and reinforcing the role of trust in underpinning Singapore’s position as a reliable and strategic regional hub.

13th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources (SWR) - Resilient Commodities: Innovation and New Markets
2026-05-07 08:30 - 15:30 | One Farrer Hotel, 1 Farrer Park Station Road, Singapore, Singapore, 217562, Singapore
ASEAN’s commodity producers stand at a pivotal moment. Global trade flows are shifting, affected by Sino-American tensions. Nationalist and protectionist policies are changing how certain commodities are being traded. ASEAN economies are adjusting to these shifts and are increasingly looking to explore new markets beyond the United States, European Union, and even India and China, trading more within ASEAN and strengthening South-South trade. Producers in ASEAN are also aiming to move up the value chain, turning from primary exports of raw materials to high-value products such as sustainable fuels, while exploring avenues to turn waste to energy and contribute to climate resilience. Policymakers and businesses will need to consider what the future of commodities production and trade will look like, and how these evolving dynamics will affect sustainability in the region.
While commodities exports are important for ASEAN economies, food production is also crucial, especially as countries are increasingly paying attention to food resilience and social concerns. For ASEAN, sustainability is about more than conserving ecosystems. Sustainability is also about delivering affordable prices and securing livelihoods, while ensuring that agricultural systems are resilient in the face of climate change.
As a hub for business, innovation, and finance, Singapore has an important role in working together with its neighbours in ASEAN and the region’s private sector in navigating this dual future — staying competitive in global markets while advancing sustainable and resilient outcomes at home. The 13th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources (SWR) will bring together policymakers, business leaders, and experts to discuss the challenges facing the region’s agricultural commodities and food industries, while exploring opportunities for sustainable business and investment.
Programme
Please visit our website for more information on the programme and speakers lineup.
Registration Form
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