The impact of emissions on cities is becoming increasingly evident as populations grow, infrastructure expands, and energy demand rises. This means cities need to transform into greener and more climate-resilient areas.
From developing energy-efficient buildings and resilient transportation systems to expanding renewable energy, various measures need to be taken now so that urban growth in Asia, including Indonesia, does not worsen the climate crisis.
Cities are centers of economic activity and places where millions of people live and work. However, the concentration of populations and economic activity also leads to higher energy consumption and emissions.
Urban areas are currently estimated to account for around 75% of global CO2 emissions. If not properly managed, urban growth can increase the risks of heatwaves, floods, storms, and other impacts of climate change.
The Impact of Emissions Places Cities on the Front Line of the Climate Crisis
It is estimated that around 85% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2100. Many cities could eventually be home to millions, or even around 10 million, residents.
This will significantly increase demand for electricity, transportation, buildings, water, and other infrastructure.
One of the main challenges comes from construction. Concrete and steel require large amounts of energy to produce, while oil and gas are still widely used to meet energy demand in many countries.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, greenhouse gas emissions associated with building construction and operations have increased by around 50% since 1990.
For this reason, the building and energy sectors need to accelerate decarbonization to help achieve global climate targets.
The good news is that nearly 60% of the buildings expected to fill the world’s cities by 2050 have not yet been built. This means there is still an opportunity to design more energy-efficient and low-emission buildings from the start.
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Strategies for Cities to Address Climate Change
Cities need to do more than simply reduce emissions. Infrastructure must also be prepared to cope with increasingly frequent extreme weather events.
1. Expanding Green Spaces and Tree Coverage
Trees can help lower urban temperatures through shade and evapotranspiration.
Green spaces also help reduce the urban heat island effect, a condition in which urban areas become hotter than their surrounding regions.
Austin, in the United States, for example, aims to increase tree canopy coverage to 50%, particularly in lower-income communities that have experienced greater tree loss.
For rapidly growing Asian cities, expanding green open spaces can be a relatively simple way to make urban environments more comfortable while also helping absorb carbon.
2. Developing Energy-Efficient Buildings
Buildings play an important role in reducing emissions.
Buildings designed with proper insulation, efficient cooling systems, LED lighting, and suitable ventilation can reduce energy consumption.
Energy-efficient buildings also provide economic benefits by lowering electricity use and operating costs.
For this reason, green building concepts should not only be applied to new developments, but also through the renovation and retrofitting of older buildings.
3. Making Infrastructure More Disaster-Resilient
Climate change increases the risks of flooding, extreme rainfall, storms, and rising sea levels.
Cities need buildings and infrastructure capable of withstanding these conditions.
Japan provides one example. The country has building standards designed to improve resilience against earthquakes and other disasters.
Strengthening older buildings, using seismic isolation systems, and developing flood-control infrastructure are all part of efforts to improve urban resilience.
4. Managing Rainwater Through Nature-Based Solutions
Flooding across various parts of Asia highlights the importance of better water management systems.
Green spaces, water-retention parks, and natural infrastructure can temporarily store rainwater before releasing it gradually.
This approach can help reduce pressure on urban drainage systems while also providing additional green spaces for communities.
5. Building Resilient and Low-Emission Transportation
Public transportation has a dual role: maintaining mobility during disasters while also reducing emissions from private vehicles.
New York’s experience after Hurricane Sandy demonstrated the importance of resilient transportation systems.
The subway system was strengthened through improved flood protection and infrastructure upgrades so that services could recover more quickly after extreme weather events.
For densely populated Asian cities, developing low-emission public transportation is becoming increasingly important to control emissions growth while maintaining reliable mobility.
6. Restoring Coastal Ecosystems
For an archipelagic country such as Indonesia, mangroves play an important role in responding to climate change.
Mangrove forests can help protect coastlines from waves, flooding, and erosion while also providing habitats for a wide range of species.
Mangroves can also store significant amounts of carbon.
This means protecting coastal ecosystems can provide both climate adaptation benefits and support climate change mitigation.
Asia Needs Multiple Pathways Toward Net Zero
Asia faces a complex challenge.
The region contributes more than half of global emissions, yet at the same time still requires economic growth and energy development to improve public welfare.
Because conditions differ from one country to another, the energy transition cannot follow a single model.
Initiatives such as the Asia Zero Emission Community, or AZEC, encourage Asian countries to work together in developing multiple pathways toward zero emissions.
Japan promotes the principle of “One Goal, Various Pathways,” meaning that countries share the same overall objective while adapting their pathways to their individual circumstances.
This cooperation includes decarbonization technologies, hydrogen and ammonia, carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS), green supply chains, and transition financing.
Meanwhile, the Southeast Asia Energy Transition Coalition, or SETC, is an example of collaboration among civil society organizations and think tanks from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, and the Philippines to support the energy transition in Southeast Asia.
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Together with TBS, Indonesia Needs to Accelerate Renewable Energy
Indonesia has significant opportunities to reduce the impact of emissions through the development of renewable energy.
In addition to solar power, hydropower and wind energy can become part of a cleaner energy mix.
One of these efforts is being carried out by TBS through its strategic expansion into the renewable energy sector.
In 2020, through its subsidiary PT Toba Bara Energi, or TBAE, TBS acquired PT Adimitra Energi Hidro, or AEH, the developer of a 2 x 3 MW mini-hydropower plant in Lampung.
The project reached its Commercial Operation Date, or COD, on January 22, 2025, contributing 6 MW of clean energy to the Southern Sumatra region.
The mini-hydropower plant also provides benefits to local communities through infrastructure development, improved electricity access, and environmental conservation efforts.
TBS is also developing the 46 MWp Tembesi Floating Solar Power Plant in Batam.
The project reached financial closing in 2024 and is targeted to begin commercial operations and connect to the national electricity grid in 2026.
The project is expected to help reduce carbon emissions, improve local air quality, create green jobs, and encourage technology transfer and collaboration with local communities.
Through collaboration among governments, businesses such as TBS, communities, and other stakeholders across Asia, future cities can continue to grow without sacrificing environmental sustainability.
Ultimately, net zero is not simply a target. It is a long-term process to ensure that cities remain livable for future generations.
