Main Feature / 4th Quarter 2024

Entering a State of (Climate) Emergency

by Ian Tan, PhD

December 11, 2024

It seems not one day goes by without the mention of global warming and the catastrophic effects it has unleased this year. In East Asia where I am based, this year has seen two typhoons, Yagi and Bebinca, batter Chinese coastal cities of Hainan and Shanghai respectively. The latter was even described in local media as the “strongest storm to hit Shanghai in 75 years” since 1949.¹ Hundreds of flights were cancelled; thousands of residents evacuated. The cities took weeks to clear up the debris left in the wake of the storm.

More often, though, detrimental effects of global warming are no longer acute, sudden and with the understanding that life can return to normalcy thereafter.

As global warming exceeded the psychological threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius across an entire year in 2024, scientists warn that the effects of climate change will become more severe and harder to manage in major cities as social problems like income disparity and inequality to life-saving resources exacerbate the impact of disasters.² During Tokyo’s sweltering summer this year, over 120 people died of heatstroke.³

The increased frequency of wildfires and unregulated vegetation burning had also directly contributed to worsening air pollution in Chiang Mai and Bangkok.⁴ Even seasonal flash floods are becoming longer and harder to disperse. In Kuala Lumpur, once-every-100-years floods have become annual affairs, with the inundated city struggling to recover from massive traffic congestions and the economic cost to damaged infrastructure, businesses and homes.⁵

It is clear no Asian city is immune to climate change. Such gloom and doom are no longer considered anomalies, but unique challenges every city must address. As built environment practitioners, how might we change our practices and paradigms to incorporate planetary considerations to better serve our communities?

I spoke to experts working across different but connected disciplines in the built environment field. Ranging from a sustainable investing consultant to a city planner developing rapid visualisation for urban heat, each brings different expertise and skills to tackle climate risks and other societal changes.

[This is an excerpt. Subscribe to the digital edition or hardcopy to read the complete article.]

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Ian Tan tells stories about the urban environment we live in. He uses his understanding of cultural heritage, placemaking and conservation to do so. Through interactions with other built environment professionals, he is also inspired by emerging technologies, innovative building solutions and new design strategies that can create a more liveable and inclusive environment for all. He has a PhD in Architecture and currently works at Arup, a global sustainable development consultancy.

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