#53🌿 GAIL 2025: Greening ASEAN Is Not a Slogan—It’s a Call to Action 🌿 GAIL 2025：绿化东盟不是口号，而是时代的召唤
中文版的文章就在英文版的下方。
“Will we be authors of our sustainable future—or mere footnotes?”
That question lingered in the air as leaders, policymakers, financiers, legal experts, and sustainability professionals gathered for the GAIL 2025 Sustainability Forum on 22 July at Suntec City Convention Centre. Organised by ONERHT Foundation, RHT G.R.A.C.E. Institute, and VRSE, this 8th edition marks a pivotal moment in ASEAN’s green transition.
💼 Leadership in Law, Business & Purpose
Azman Jaafar, Managing Partner of RHTLaw Asia LLP, reminded us that RHT is not just a legal powerhouse—it has raised over $5 million through its philanthropic arm. GAIL stands as its signature sustainability leadership programme, a beacon for professionals looking to integrate purpose with performance.
“Greening ASEAN is not a slogan of stewardship—it is our survival strategy.”
Azman emphasized that ASEAN doesn’t merely follow trends—we lead. This summit was built with intent and design to shape sustainability through law, policy, and bold leadership.
🌏 Climate Emergency + Digital Surge = The Twin Transition
Prof. Poh Seng Lee brought data to the urgency:
- 🌡 2024 was the hottest year on record
- 🌊 Over 260M people live in ASEAN’s vulnerable coastlines
- ⚡ DC electricity demand is rising 15% annually
- 🔌 AI-powered solutions are cutting emissions, costs, and delays:
Urban digital twins, social credits, and real-time analytics aren’t sci-fi anymore—they’re the new frontline of climate resilience.
⚖️ Law Meets Climate Justice
Ch’ng Li Ling, Partner at RHTLaw Asia, reviewed climate litigation in ASEAN and how evolving legal standards—from Thailand’s EIA challenges to Indonesia’s youth-led constitutional claims—are setting new precedents.
COP29 in Baku reached final agreement on Article 6, with critical implementation milestones approaching in 2025, 2028, and 2030. ASEAN’s role in this regulatory convergence is both urgent and consequential.
🔆 Policy in Action: From Solar Farms to School Buildings
Minister Low Yen Ling highlighted Singapore’s commitment:
- ☀️ 2.5GW peak solar capacity by 2030
- 🌊 Floating solar PV farms in Tengah reservoir
- 🏢 80% of buildings to be green
- 🏫 Schools and MOE buildings joining the sustainability push
- 🌐 Exploring clean energy imports via subsea and land cables
With MTI’s 9 agencies progressing on net-zero playbooks, Singapore is transforming even returned land plots into solar farms to maximise our solar potential.
🏛 First Panel: Building and Adapting
Yvonne Soh noted that 61% of Singapore’s buildings are now green, with protected coastlines and adaptive indoor norms like 25°C standards.
Darren Teoh shared that 88% of organisations are quietly progressing their sustainability agendas—less noise, more substance.
Win Sim (Verra) highlighted that while India and China lead carbon credit generation, ASEAN has just ~300 projects, underscoring vast untapped potential.
💡 Second Panel: Carbon Markets and ESG Realities
Moderated by Melissa Low, the session featured:
- Thomas McMahon (ACX): “Singapore has signed 33 carbon credit trade agreements—others are just getting started.”
- Steve Kim, former banker turned sustainability advocate: “We’re losing the fight on mitigation—adaptation and carbon sequestration must be our priority.”
- Puar Si Liang (GenZero): Stressed calibrated, flexible ESG policies to foster adoption.
- Dr. Deven Chhaya (KPMG): Suggested social credits to boost market liquidity and credibility amid concerns if the West stops buying Asian credits.
🔥 Fireside Chat: Redefining Green Leadership
Rajeev Peshawaria, CEO of Stewardship Asia Center, reframed the ESG narrative:
“We were trying to save the world in unnatural ways. Telling people to consume less will always backfire—it’s human nature.”
The audience raised questions that invoke our thoughts:
- If ESG frameworks only benefit financiers, where is the real green impact?
- If your bonus is linked to ESG markets, are you optimising for impact or income?
Azman Jaafar followed up: “Is the backlash on ESG and DEI political? Or inevitable?”
Rajeev’s reply was candid—“It had to happen. Now let’s rebuild responsibly.”
“The future is about doing, doing. Maximise profits by maximising good. Consumers will choose companies that are a force for good.”
🪙 Final Reflection: Greening Profit, Profiting Green
“Perhaps it’s our task now to create more resources to meet consumption while cleaning and maintaining the environment in a way that benefits us the most holistically.”
Because the companies that last centuries are the ones that solve real problems in society and nature, not just balance sheets.
Let us define our legacy not by reports—but by results.
Let bold leadership, ethical governance, and purposeful collaboration write ASEAN’s green chapter—one that the world will follow.
#GAIL2025 #SustainabilityLeadership #GreeningASEAN #ClimateJustice #CarbonMarkets #DigitalTwin #AIforClimate #ESG #CircularEconomy #NetZeroASEAN #EthicalLeadership
This article is also published on LinkedIn.
🌿 GAIL 2025：绿化东盟不是口号，而是时代的召唤
“我们会成为可持续未来的作者，还是历史边角的注脚？”
这个发人深省的问题，贯穿了 2025 年 7 月 22 日在新达城会议中心举行的 GAIL 2025 可持续发展论坛。由 ONERHT 基金会、RHT G.R.A.C.E. 研究院 以及 VRSE 共同主办的第八届论坛，汇聚了政界、法律界、金融界与企业领袖，共同探讨东盟在绿色转型道路上的角色与路径。
💼 法律、商业与目标引领下的新领导力
Azman Jaafar 律师, RHTLaw Asia LLP 管理合伙人指出，RHT 不仅是法律服务提供者，更是一个有使命感的组织——通过旗下基金会已筹得超过 500 万美元，推动区域性的可持续发展项目。
GAIL 作为其旗舰级的可持续领导力项目，汇聚各界专业人士，以“有意图、有设计、有执行”的方式推动东盟走出自己的绿色发展之路。
“绿化东盟，不是口号，而是我们的生存战略。”
🌏 气候危机 + 数字浪潮 = 双重转型时代来临
李宝成教授（Poh Seng Lee）提供了关键数据支持此次转型的迫切性：
- 🌡 2024 年为有记录以来最热的一年
- 🌊 东盟沿海城市人口已超过 2.6 亿
- ⚡ 数据中心电力需求每年增长 15%
- 🤖 人工智能驱动的节能方案已成现实：
城市数字孪生、社会碳信用机制、实时采购分析，正在重塑我们的环境与能源基础。
⚖️ 法治如何回应气候正义
郑丽玲律师（Ch’ng Li Ling）分享了东盟地区日益演进的环境法律体系。从 泰国煤矿项目的EIA程序诉讼 到 印尼青年群体对政府未履行气候责任的起诉案，东盟正在通过宪法、人权与行政法建立气候正义的法律先例。
她指出，2024 年 11 月 COP29 巴库会议已就 《巴黎协定》第六条的碳市场机制达成最终协议，而 2025、2028、2030 等关键节点也即将到来，东盟的法律系统需要迅速适应。
🔆 政策与实践：从太阳能农场到绿色校园
刘燕玲政务部长（Minister Low Yen Ling）分享了新加坡的绿色目标与进展：
- ☀️ 2030 年前提升太阳能峰值产能至 2.5GW
- 🌊 中部蓄水池的浮动太阳能发电项目
- 🏢 80% 的建筑需实现绿色转型
- 🏫 教育部及学校也纳入可持续建筑改造范围
- 🌐 与马来西亚等国探讨跨国电缆进口清洁能源
贸工部（MTI）下属九大机构均已启动净零战略，部分归还国家的土地亦将转为太阳能场地，彰显新加坡“地少志大”的绿色决心。
🏛 第一场专题讨论：建筑与适应并行
苏筱珊（Yvonne Soh）提到，目前新加坡已有 61% 建筑实现绿色认证，70–80% 的海岸线得到保护，公共建筑也在采纳 25°C 作为空调设定温度，以适应气候变暖。
张启明（Darren Teoh）指出，尽管宣传减少，88% 的企业依然在持续推进可持续发展目标——这说明绿色已成“常态化”。
Win Sim（Verra 亚洲代表）则指出，虽然印度和中国主导碳信用市场，但 东盟只有约 300 个项目，未来增长潜力巨大。
💡 第二场专题讨论：碳市场与 ESG 挑战
由 Melissa Low 博士主持，几位专家分享：
- Thomas McMahon（AirCarbon Exchange）：新加坡已签署 33 项碳交易协议，其他国家还在摸索阶段。
- Steve Kim，由银行家转型为“环保斗士”：强调 适应和碳封存 是当务之急。
- 潘思良（Puar Si Liang, GenZero）：呼吁 ESG 策略要有灵活性，避免“惩罚性”法规产生反效果。
- Dr. Deven Chhaya（KPMG）：提出 社会碳信用 可提高市场信任与流动性，回应“如果西方不再购买亚洲碳信用”的担忧。
🔥 炉边对谈：重新定义绿色领导力
Rajeev Peshawaria（Stewardship Asia Center CEO）为 ESG 的未来开辟了新角度：
“我们曾用不自然的方式拯救世界。要求人们减少消费，本就违背人性。”
现场观众提出了引人深思的问题：
- 若 ESG 框架只是让金融机构获利，真正的绿色成效在哪里？
- 若绩效奖金与 ESG 相关，人们是否会钻制度的空子只为最大化收益？
Azman Jaafar 紧接着提出：“ESG 和 DEI 曾是企业宠儿，如今为何遭遇反弹？是政治问题吗？”
Rajeev 的回应发人深省：“这场反弹是注定的。接下来，我们必须用更自然、可持续的方式重建信任。”
“未来是行动的时代。利润最大化，源于善行最大化。消费者会选择成为‘善的力量’的企业。”
🪙 结语：既要绿色，也要赢利
“或许，我们的使命不是抑制消费，而是创造更多绿色资源来满足人类的需求，同时以最全面的方式清理和维护环境。”
因为，那些能存在几百年的企业，往往将 社会与自然问题的解决 放在企业核心。
我们的遗产，不该由报告决定，而应由行动书写。
让我们以 果敢的领导、负责任的治理与跨界合作，为东盟描绘绿色蓝图，成为全球可持续发展之路的引领者。
#GAIL2025 #可持续领导力 #绿化东盟 #气候正义 #碳市场 #人工智能与气候 #ESG #循环经济 #净零排放 #道德治理
