Eco-Business

25/09/2026

Watch the highlights from our Trash to Treasure project launch!

From plastic waste to playable art: this guitar by Jens Ritter is now travelling across Singapore to raise awareness – and turn that awareness into impact. 🎸♻️

Fresh off its debut at Eco-Business's Unlocking capital for sustainability Singapore and AT ONE Impact Week 2026 NO.17 Foundation, the handcrafted electric guitar — made from 100% polypropylene plastic waste reclaimed by PLASTIFY has begun its year-long residency at The Nanson.

This project builds on the momentum of Eco-Business’s award-winning WASTED documentary, turning storytelling into action for climate education, circular economy awareness, and youth opportunity. Find out more at https://hubs.ly/Q04yj98X0

Over the next year, the guitar will travel across schools, communities and public areas – eventually being auctioned off, with all proceeds directly funding EB Impact’s youth and education programmes.

Want to activate the guitar for your event, panel, school programme, or corporate initiative?

Contact EB Impact to explore partnerships, speaking opportunities, workshops, or impact-driven activations that turn conversations into measurable outcomes for young people and communities. 💚

📩 Reach out: [email protected]
🎧 Catch the MoneyFM interview by Glenn van Zutphen with master luthier Jens Ritter and EB Impact Board Chair Jessica Cheam here: Listen on Spotify / Omny https://hubs.ly/Q04yj98Y0

25/09/2026

Türkiye is seeking global backing for an “Antalya Pledge on AI” at COP31, calling for greater transparency over data centre energy use and a shift towards clean power.

The push comes as the United States and China are expected to account for nearly 80 per cent of the global increase in data centre electricity demand by 2030.

COP31 president-designate Murat Kurum said governments need to set clearer expectations for AI companies, including disclosing energy consumption and avoiding further strain on already stretched power grids.

The presidency will also launch an “AI for Clean Technologies” initiative and a separate pledge to raise electricity’s share of global final energy use to 35 per cent by 2035, backed by cleaner power, storage and stronger grids.

Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q04yhZhJ0

25/09/2026

24/09/2026

Singapore’s plan to import up to 6 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035 faces a key hurdle: whether cross-border projects can secure the long-term licences needed to attract financing.

A new Singapore Sustainable Finance Association report warns that Indonesia’s five-year export licence cycle is out of step with the 20 to 30-year financing needed for major power projects, while Sarawak’s licence terms remain discretionary.

The uncertainty could make billions of dollars in generation and transmission infrastructure harder to finance and increase the risk of assets becoming stranded if permits are not renewed.

With the wider Asean Power Grid expected to require around US$800 billion in investment, the report says durable regulations, long-term revenue arrangements and clear risk-sharing will be essential to turn regional power trading plans into bankable projects.

Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q04ybXQt0

24/09/2026

What will it take for Thailand to turn ambition into action?

That was the focus of 𝗨𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 – 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, held yesterday at One Bangkok Forum, which brought together more than 100 policymakers, investors and industry leaders to explore how finance, technology and collaboration can strengthen climate and economic resilience.

Three themes stood out:
💧 Water security is an economic risk, with droughts and floods disrupting production, supply chains and investment.
💰 Mobilising climate finance at scale is critical, with Thailand needing approximately US$210 billion by 2035 to deliver its net-zero targets.
⚡️ Resilience and competitiveness are increasingly intertwined, from clean energy and resource efficiency to resilient infrastructure and credible regulation.

Thank you to our speakers, partners and delegates for joining us in Bangkok.

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Unlocking capital for sustainability – Thailand was organised by Eco-Business in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), with UOB as Strategic Partner, One Bangkok as Venue Partner and CDP as Knowledge Partner.

23/09/2026

Southeast Asia’s growth is getting thirstier as industrialisation, digital infrastructure and climate pressures increase competition for water.

Melissa Moi, Head of Sustainable Business in UOB’s Group Corporate Sustainability Office, said businesses need to look beyond their own water consumption and assess the health of the wider watersheds and value chains they depend on.

Thailand offers a glimpse of the challenge, with industrial water demand in the Eastern Economic Corridor projected to rise 43 per cent by 2037 as industries including semiconductors, electronics and EV batteries expand.

For businesses, water is increasingly becoming a question of investment and competitiveness – not just scarcity – as reliable supplies, resilient infrastructure and healthy catchments become critical to long-term growth.

Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q04y5GSk0

23/09/2026

Climate adaptation needs its own investment language as Asia faces rising climate risks but struggles to channel private capital into resilience at scale.

Abigail Ng, Chief Sustainability Officer at the Monetary Authority of Singapore, said the absence of a common way to measure resilience makes adaptation projects harder for investors to compare, value and finance.

Asean economies could need US$422 billion by 2030 for adaptation, while just 17 per cent of global climate finance currently goes towards it.

The MAS-led MARS Guide aims to help build a stronger pipeline of bankable projects, while experts say blended finance, guarantees and better climate-risk data will be critical to unlock more investment.

Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q04y5GJb0

22/09/2026

What does sustainability leadership look like when it reaches the boardroom?

That was the question at the heart of 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱: 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲, an executive masterclass held at Ayala Corporation in Makati on 20 August.

As the Philippines moves towards mandatory adoption of PFRS S1 and S2 for Tier 1 publicly listed companies, the session explored what boards need to understand – from regulatory expectations and climate risk to the strategic forces reshaping business.

The morning brought together board directors, senior executives and governance leaders for discussions on board readiness, accountability and how directors can ask the right questions as sustainability moves further into the boardroom.

The programme featured insights from Rachel Esther Gumtang-Remalante of the Securities and Exchange Commission Philippines and Jessica Cheam of Eco-Business, including a board readiness dialogue on what directors need to know as sustainability reporting requirements take effect.

Thank you to our speakers and participants for joining us for an engaging morning of discussion and exchange.

Looking to bring tailored insights and expertise to your organisation? Get in touch at [email protected] or fill out our enquiry form: https://hubs.ly/Q04y18ly0

22/09/2026

Bhutan’s decades-long conservation efforts are gaining global attention as the kingdom’s Restore Bhutan initiative targets 50,000 hectares of degraded landscapes for restoration by 2030.

Princess Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck says Bhutan’s mountains, forests and rivers are deeply interconnected, with nearly 2,000 water sources already drying up amid retreating glaciers, erratic rainfall and rising climate risks.

As one of 15 finalists for the 2026 Earthshot Prize, Bhutan is using the recognition to highlight a conservation model rooted in Gross National Happiness, community stewardship and the idea that healthy ecosystems are essential to people’s wellbeing.

But the Princess argues that protecting the Himalayas cannot stop at national borders: “Rivers do not stop at political boundaries,” making stronger regional cooperation, science and preparedness vital for managing shared climate and water risks.

Read more: https://hubs.ly/Q04y0Pyx0