By Mr. Rakesh Mistry and Ms. Sumnima Ghimire

The webinar on “Urban Planning and Governance for Climate Adaptation and Resilience in ASEAN Cities” was a regional knowledge-sharing event organised under the CLARE-ASEAN Initiative at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT). The webinar brought together researchers, academics, policymakers, government officials, practitioners, students, and other stakeholders to discuss how urban planning and governance systems can contribute to climate adaptation and resilience across ASEAN cities. Held on 10 September 2026, the webinar was conducted online through Zoom.

The webinar provided a platform to exchange experiences and perspectives on the integration of climate adaptation into urban planning systems, with particular attention to planning dimensions, implementation challenges, governance approaches, institutional coordination, stakeholder engagement, and lessons learned from practice. The discussion emphasized the need to move beyond climate-related policies and plans towards their effective integration into urban development decisions and local implementation.

The webinar attracted over 790 participants from a wide geographical and professional background. Registration data recorded participants from 52 countries and regions, with particularly strong participation from the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, the United States, Bangladesh, Malaysia, Singapore, and Vietnam. The event also demonstrated diverse professional participation, including students (42.5%), researchers/lecturers/professors (20.1%), government officials (10.5%), private-sector representatives (8.8%), and practitioners (6.3%). The gender distribution was relatively balanced, with 50.8% female and 47.8% male participants.

The webinar was structured into five major segments:

• Opening and Introduction: The webinar began with welcome remarks from Ms. Anna de Palma, Climate and Environment Adviser at the UK Mission to ASEAN, an introduction to the CLARE-ASEAN initiative by Prof. Shobhakar Dhakal, Principal Investigator of the CLARE-ASEAN Initiative, AIT, and an introduction to the webinar by Dr. Malay Pramanik, Associate Professor, AIT. 
• Keynote Presentation: Dr. Wijitbusaba Ann Marome, Thammasat University, Thailand, delivered the keynote presentation on, “Urban Planning and Governance for Climate Adaptation and Resilience in ASEAN Cities: Emerging Challenges and Opportunities.” The presentation provided an overview of the emerging challenges facing cities and highlighted the importance of strengthening planning and governance systems as part of broader climate adaptation efforts. 
• Panel Discussion: The central session, “Strengthening Urban Planning and Governance Systems for Climate Adaptation and Resilience in ASEAN Cities,” was moderated by Dr. Malay Pramanik. The panel brought together Dr. Sayd Randle, Assistant Professor, Singapore Management University, Singapore; Dr. Mario R. Delos Reyes, University of the Philippines / Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research; Dr. Tri Mulyani Sunarharum, Assistant Professor, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia; and Dr. Cai Yanjun, Research Fellow, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore.
• Interaction with Participants and Q&A: Dr. Surabhi Mehrotra, Assistant Professor, MANIT Bhopal, India, facilitated the Q&A session with the audience. The session provided an opportunity for participants to engage with the speakers and raise questions related to urban planning, governance, climate adaptation, and implementation. 
• Closing and Key Takeaways: Dr. Nor Zalina Harun, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), and Dr. Kristian Karlo Saguin, University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD), provided key takeaways from the discussions. The webinar concluded with closing remarks by Dr. Arjan de Haan, International Development Research Centre (IDRC).

Missed the session? Watch the full recording.