Singapore to host second World Cities Summit next June
By Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 01 December 2009 1237 hrs

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SINGAPORE: Singapore will host the second World Cities Summit next year from June 28 to 30.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said Tuesday the theme for the World Cities Summit 2010 is "Liveable and Sustainable Cities for the Future".

Opening an engineering conference in Singapore, Mr Mah said that in recent years, nations have seen growing evidence of the adverse effects of climate change, with several extreme weather events in ASEAN and the rest of Asia.

Besides climate change, there is also the challenge of a rapidly growing population.

The world population is expected to grow from the current 6.8 billion to over nine billion by 2050, and a large proportion of this increase will come from Asia.

By 2050, cities will be home to more than 70 per cent of the world's population, putting tremendous pressure on the global demand for food, energy, water and other resources.

Given these challenges, Mr Mah stressed that sustainable development had become a necessity requiring governments to play an active role.

Corporations and individuals are also required to evaluate how everyone can contribute to sustainable development.

At the summit, participants will discuss the challenges and solutions to leadership and governance, building eco-friendly cities and fostering harmonious and sustainable communities.

Singapore expects leaders and policy makers, mayors, business leaders, representatives from international organisations and experts from various parts of the world, to come together and identify practical, scaleable and replicable solutions to challenges faced by cities today at the summit.

Mr Mah also said that the inaugural Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize would be presented at the summit.

It is an international award that recognises outstanding urban initiatives by individuals or organisations that display foresight, good governance and innovation in tackling the many urban challenges faced by cities.

Other key highlights include the World Mayors' Forum where Mayors and Governors will discuss solutions for liveable cities, as well as a "Sustainable Cities of the Future Exhibition" showcasing urban solutions.

- CNA/yb