URBAN EMERGE BLOG
NEWS & INSIGHTS

The global and local challenges we face cannot be addressed by the energy transition alone; we also need to rethink how we produce, consume, invest and structure economies so that our local and regional economies become more just and circular. In what follows we explore this twin-lens from the perspective of any business. We promote the concept of a circular economy because it offers a simple yet all-encompassing framework for achieving environmental sustainability. A circ

Co-authors: Navaka Navaratne and Naji Makarem Financial institutions are positioned to serve as vital catalysts in ensuring that Sri Lanka’s agricultural shift is both economically feasible and less perilous for local producers. A primary challenge of such systemic change is the temporal mismatch. While advantages such as enhanced soil vitality, reduced reliance on foreign inputs, and improved climate stability accrue gradually, the financial burdens and uncertainties are imm

Author: Naji Makarem - Managing Partner, UrbanEmerge (May 2026) For years, discussions around regenerative agriculture, agroecology and circular food systems were largely framed as environmental issues. Concerns about soil health, biodiversity loss, emissions and pollution shaped much of the debate. But something important is changing. Recent disruptions to global fertiliser markets — first following the Russia–Ukraine war, and now amid the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz —

20 April. 2026 By Andreas Beavor (Managing Partner) and Mpho Katjiuongua (Sustainability Consultant) The scale of urban development challenges Cities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face a growing paradox: they are on the frontline of climate impacts and rapid urbanisation, yet often lack the finance, capacity and tools to plan and deliver the sustainable infrastructure their residents need. At the same time, private investors and infrastructure developers struggl