Ying Jie Tan

Water is the main channel through which climate impacts are experienced, and can have cascading economic effects across sectors. Many adaptation projects struggle to scale due to fragmented value, unclear revenue models and risk-return profiles that do not align with private capital. A new report identifies four enablers that can unlock global private-sector investment in adaptation through water, and highlights how they can be applied in key Southeast Asia systems.

Water-related climate disasters in South-East Asia have cost billions of dollars in damages, alongside additional productivity losses, supply-chain disruptions and health impacts. Climate adaptation and resilience present a trillion-dollar annual investment opportunity by 2050, yet the public sector accounts for approximately 90% of its deployed financing.