Kuala Lumpur, 13 August 2025: ERIA reaffirmed its commitment to shaping sustainable urban futures by hosting a training session and a side event on digital twin technology during the ASEAN Sustainable Urbanization Forum (ASUF), the ASEAN Governors and Mayors Forum (AGMF), and the Meeting of Governors and Mayors of ASEAN Capitals (MGMAC). The three gatherings brought together city leaders, international organisations, investors, and urban policymakers from across Southeast Asia and beyond to exchange ideas on inclusive and sustainable city development.

Training Session: Advancing SDGs through Digital Twin Innovation

The training session explored how digital twins – virtual models of physical systems and processes – can accelerate progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities. Moderated by ERIA’s Senior Research Fellow Dr Venkatachalam Anbumozhi, the session built on ERIA’s ongoing study of digital twin applications for achieving deep sustainability.

Contributions came from global experts including Suhono Harso Supangkat (Indonesia), Yu Ye (China), Stéphane Pean (France), Lanfranco Marasso (Italy), Terrence Kok (Singapore), and Fumitaka Machida (Japan).

Speakers stressed that digital twins are not merely technical tools, but enablers of better decision-making for SDGs. Examples ranged from waste and water management in Indonesia, to new computational approaches for urban design in China, to integrated urban planning platforms in Europe and Japan. Common themes included trust and transparency in data governance, system interoperability, and citizen engagement in co-designing solutions. The session concluded that ASEAN cities must prioritise people-centred governance, peer learning, and inclusive innovation ecosystems to unlock the full potential of digital twins in achieving SDGs by 2030.

Side Event: Digital Twins for Derisking Sustainability Transitions

On the same day, ERIA hosted a side event that opened with a keynote by Kentaro Machii of ERIA, who introduced the E-DISC initiative to strengthen the ASEAN startup ecosystem. He highlighted programmes such as Innovate Bridge, the Jakarta Startup Showcase, and the One ASEAN Startup Award, which connect entrepreneurs with investors and policymakers, while driving innovation in AI, zero-emission technologies, and sustainability.

A panel discussion moderated by Dr Anbumozhi brought together Kok Chin Tay (Singapore), Donna Tabangin (Philippines), José Palma Andrés (Portugal), Bhupendra Singh (India), and Yadan Luo (United States). The panel explored how digital twins can help city mayors reduce the risks of business-as-usual development and move confidently towards more sustainable and inclusive urban pathways.

Speakers emphasised that readiness assessments, long-term vision, strong governance, data standards, and citizen participation are prerequisites for success. They also noted that small, visible innovations often generate early momentum. However, scaling digital twin applications requires viable business models, sustainable financing, interdisciplinary expertise, and enabling national policy frameworks that support interoperability and collaboration across governments, businesses, and communities.

Looking Ahead

ERIA’s engagement at ASUF, AGMF, and MGMAC 2025 underscored its ongoing role in shaping sustainable urban futures for ASEAN through research, capacity building, and initiatives such as E-DISC and AZEC. By bringing together international expertise and local leadership, ERIA highlighted how digital twins can serve as intelligent planning and risk management tools that connect governance, technology, and community needs.

As a next step, ERIA plans to publish a guidebook on Digital Twin Applications for Deep Sustainability by the end of 2025.