Arup champions integrated climate action at Bangkok Climate Action Week 2025 to empower Southeast Asia’s green transition | Taiwan News | Sep. 23, 2025 13:25

Bangkok’s first-ever Climate Action Week is set to convene public agencies, businesses, researchers, and civil society to accelerate practical climate solutions across Southeast Asia. Among the leading contributors is Arup, bringing an integrated approach that links decarbonisation, resilience, and social equity to help cities adapt and thrive in a warming world.

Arup has aligned its strategy with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and is targeting net zero emissions across its own operations by 2030. Its climate and sustainability teams work across energy systems, urban planning, transport, and nature-based solutions—helping clients move from commitments to measurable outcomes that benefit communities as well as the environment.

From policy to practice in Thailand

In Thailand, Arup’s recent efforts illustrate how policy design and infrastructure choices can reinforce one another. A nationwide circular economy study examined opportunities across strategic sectors to boost resource efficiency and reduce waste, laying the groundwork for greener growth. In Bangkok, support for congestion charging explored tools to ease gridlock, cut emissions, and improve air quality—measures that enhance urban liveability while building long-term resilience.

Across Southeast Asia, the firm has also assessed pathways for an AI-enabled, sustainable future—emphasising the importance of transparent governance, robust data, and inclusive decision-making to ensure technology serves climate resilience rather than undermines it.

Priorities for a hotter, wetter, more urban region

With climate impacts intensifying—from urban flooding and extreme heat to air pollution and the urgent need for cleaner mobility—Arup’s work in the region focuses on actionable solutions. These include integrating heat-risk mapping into planning decisions, strengthening flood management, decarbonising transport systems, and designing infrastructure that supports both emissions cuts and social well-being.

What to expect at Bangkok Climate Action Week

On 29 September, Arup will contribute to two core sessions:

• AI and Data for Resilient Cities: How analytics and digital tools can guide adaptation, infrastructure investment, and community protections.
• Decarbonising Transport Systems: Strategies to shift modes, improve public transit, and accelerate electrification while delivering equitable access.

Keynote speakers include Dr. Tavida Kamolvej, Deputy Governor of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, and Sarah Love, Regional Director for Climate, Energy & Nature in Southeast Asia at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. Representatives from Bangkok’s transport authorities, the Asian Development Bank, C40 Cities, the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, the World Bank, and Arup are slated to join the discussions, underscoring the cross-sector collaboration required for success.

During a VIP networking session, Dr. Bruce Chong, Arup’s APAC Sustainability and ESG Practice Leader, will outline approaches to reducing climate hazards in East and Southeast Asia, with a focus on pragmatic steps cities can take now to minimise risk and protect vulnerable communities.

Ports as engines of the energy transition

Arup has also collaborated on research exploring the transformation of ports into clean energy hubs. The analysis highlights how repurposing port infrastructure for renewables, green fuels, and electrified logistics can generate quality jobs, improve local air quality, and stimulate regional economies—while cutting emissions from some of the hardest-to-abate sectors.

A platform for united, data-driven climate action

Arup’s engagement in Bangkok Climate Action Week underscores a broader commitment to partnering with governments, industry, and communities to deliver evidence-based climate solutions. By coupling systems thinking with on-the-ground implementation, the firm aims to help Southeast Asian cities reduce risk, unlock investment, and build a more resilient, inclusive low-carbon future.