Manila city skyline at night

Manila: Collaboration for a Sustainable future

Shell Powering Progress Together returns to Asia on March 3, 2016. The event culminates its three-year run in Manila with the theme “Collaboration for a Sustainable Future”. It aims to build on previous years’ discussions and to present, as well as celebrate, concrete examples of innovative solutions and collaborative actions.

Collaboration for a Sustainable Future

The half-day session includes a discussion on the important and challenging task of working towards a carbon-neutral world. Leading the conversation for an insightful and thought-provoking dialogue on “Energy Transitions and the Climate Challenge” are Shell Head of Scenarios Team, Jeremy Bentham; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Working Group 1 Co-chair, Dr. Edvin Aldrian; Ateneo School of Government Dean, Dr. Antonio La Viña; and Philippine Department of Energy Secretary, Hon. Zenaida Y. Monsada.

In addition, WEnergy CEO Atem Ramsundersingh and TALINOev CEO Henry Abreu will give case study presentations on technologies that provide lower carbon solutions in power generation and transportation.

Inspiring innovation

A special panel comprised of Shell companies of the Philippines Chairman Edgar Chua, Philippine Business for Social Progress Executive Director Rafael Lopa, City of Marikina Mayor Del De Guzman, and National Competitiveness Council of the Philippines Private Sector Co-Chairman Guillermo Luz will share positive, practical, and inspiring projects in the Philippines that promote environmental and urban resilience.

Dutch artist and innovator, Daan Roosegaarde, joins the list of speakers to present his Smog Free Project, the world’s largest air purifier that absorbs smog and turns it into fine pieces of jewelry.

Shell Powering Progress Together Manila will again welcome over 250 thought leaders from government, business, NGOs, academe, and media.

Follow the event live from 9am (GMT+8), with our media partner Rappler.

In 2015: Urbanisation and resilience

The forum

Lady drawing a story board at the Powering Progress Together Asia forum

Resilience in an urbanising world

Shell brought around 300 leading thinkers from academia, business and civil society together in Manila for its Powering Progress Together Asia forum on February 26, 2015. The theme for the event was “Resilience in an Urbanising World”, held against the backdrop of the city’s second Shell Eco-marathon Asia competition, in which students design, build and drive their own vehicles to see how far they can go on one litre equivalent of fuel.

Shell brought around 300 leading thinkers from academia, business and civil society together in Manila for its Powering Progress Together Asia forum on February 26, 2015. The theme for this year’s event was “Resilience in an Urbanising World”, held against the backdrop of the city’s second Shell Eco-marathon Asia student mileage competition.

Sharing ideas and experience

Powering Progress Together event in Manilla

The forum encouraged participants to share ideas and experiences about how cities can become more resilient and liveable, how business can contribute to drive further action, and the role that innovation and collaboration can play in accelerating positive change. They discussed the implications for Asia as well as the Philippines.

Shell’s Chief HR and Corporate Officer Hugh Mitchell opened the conference, explaining the critical importance of greater resilience as the proportion of global energy demand from cities “is expected to rise to 79% by 2040”. He underlined the need to increase understanding and encourage cross-sector collaboration.

“Urbanisation will be one of the most significant dynamics affecting the future, presenting both opportunities and risks,” said Dr Glynn Ellis from the Shell Scenarios team, which explores plausible alternative visions of the future to help test and strengthen its business decisions.

The business contribution

Discussion turned to how businesses might contribute to greater resilience by developing innovative strategies. In one panel, Shell, Coca-Cola and HP discussed responsible business models which respect the environment. Stuart Hawkings, Director of Sustainability at Coca-Cola ASEAN, spoke about a symbiotic relationship between businesses and their surrounding communities.

Luke Beckman of the American Red Cross and Illiac Diaz from MyShelter Foundation said communities should work together to empower themselves. “Resiliency means that we are not victims waiting for a handout, but we’re ready to shape the future.”

Our first conference in Manila, in 2014, explored the urban nexus – a connection between people, mobility and technology in cities that can inspire collaborations able to make a difference.

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