In Phase 1, teams will attend a briefing on Sat, 14 March where they will hear from CDL’s Chief Sustainability Officer and GCNS’ Executive Director, learn more about SDG 11 and 13, and understand the format and timeline of the case competition.

Problem Statement: 

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks Report 2026, five of the top ten risks over the next decade are environmental in nature. As global temperatures continue to rise, 2025 was recorded as the third-warmest year on record, and scientists warn that 2026 is likely to remain among the hottest years ever observed. Heat stress is fast becoming a defining challenge for cities worldwide.

This rising heat is not just uncomfortable — it is deadly. Dubbed a “silent killer,” extreme heat is now the deadliest climate risk of our time, claiming nearly half a million lives each year — more than floods, hurricanes, earthquakes and wildfires combined. This is especially relevant for us in the tropics. Singapore is warming at about twice the global average, despite having close to 40% green cover.

In dense urban environments, the urban heat island effect traps heat, making it harder for cities to cool down and driving up energy demand for cooling.  

How can the private sector play a transformative role in mitigating and adapting to urban heat by rethinking the way buildings and spaces are designed, operated and experienced? Using CDL as a real-world business case, propose innovative and practical solutions that advance SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities & Communities) and/or SDG 13 (Climate Action) through the integration of nature-based solutions, built environment innovations, and community engagement to create cooler, more climate-resilient urban spaces.

Participants are to submit their video clips (no more than 5 mins) to https://tinyurl.com/YSDGLA2026 in recorded format (e.g. videos, presentation slides, skits, animations, voiceovers, combination of these, etc…) consisting of all the following by (Sun) 19 April, 11.59pm:

• Self-introduction of team members
• The business segment(s) of CDL which the team is focussing on
• Implications to CDL if climate change is ignored for the chosen business segment(s)
• Proposed ideas for CDL that supports SDG 11 and/or SDG 13 and how it addresses urban heat
• Impact that can be generated from the proposed ideas, including metrics for tracking impact
• Supporting photos, graphics, videos, or any other creative expressions are encouraged.

Only 10 finalist teams will be selected to proceed to Phase 2 of the case competition.

In Phase 2, each of the 10 finalist teams will be attached to an assigned organisation for a 3- to 5- day work attachment in June.

During the work attachment, teams will have the opportunity to interact with the company representatives and learn first-hand about the challenges of implementing sustainability across complex operations. The case company will provide the student teams with a challenge statement aligned with SDG 11 and/or SDG 13. The attachment will help in the preparation of the final proposal and it is mandatory for all members of the finalist teams to attend the work attachment. Students must prioritize their attachment to their respective case companies.  Should all team members be unable to attend the work attachment, this will impact the score of their submissions.

Each finalist team will be mentored by an experienced youth mentor who will provide advice and guidance to improve their final proposals and presentation. These youth mentors were winners in previous editions of the CDL-GCNS Young SDG Leaders Award.

The 10 finalist teams will present their final proposals to a judging panel comprising sustainability leaders and experts from various industries.