Launch of NTU Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Health - Dr Amy Khor

1. Good afternoon. It is indeed my pleasure to join you at the launch of the new Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Health.

Climate change and health 

2. The establishment of this research centre is indeed timely, given the growing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events as suggested by the three speakers earlier, and their resulting health impacts. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), climate change poses an urgent threat to the global population as it can lead to increased disease prevalence and destruction of health infrastructure that could potentially overwhelm health systems. The WHO estimates that by 2030, the direct costs of damage to our health systems as a result of climate change will reach US$2 – 4 billion per year. As climate change intensifies, its impact on environmental and human health will become increasingly severe. 

3. Rising global temperatures caused by climate change have triggered a cascade of interconnected climate impacts that amplifies the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. Regionally, occurrences of heat stress are becoming more severe and frequent. Record rainfall and flash floods are also happening with higher incidence in Singapore and our region during the monsoon seasons.  

4. These erratic weather conditions can potentially foster the spread of vector-borne diseases, affect the management of water resources, increase the likelihood of heat stress, and worsen air pollution. 

5. Heat stress, in particular, poses a growing threat to human health. Studies show that on average approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths occur each year over the past two decades. An estimated 45% of these in are Asia. 

6. Air pollution is another health hazard which can be worsened by climate change. Higher temperatures contribute to forest and peatland fires, exacerbating haze and air quality issues.

7. As a highly urbanised and densely populated city-state, Singapore is exceptionally vulnerable to climate impacts on our environment and public health. For example, rising temperatures coupled with the urban heat island effect would lead to the effects of heat being more likely felt by our people here. Unlike people in larger countries, Singaporeans would not be able to seek respite from the heat in another part of the country with a different climate zone. This is precisely why our climate adaptation efforts, particularly those protecting public health, must be robust and effective.

8. Human and environmental health issues have in recent years come to the forefront of global climate discussions. In 2023, countries collectively agreed to the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, to reflect our common position on the importance of health within the climate discourse and the COP process. COP28 elevated the health agenda with the introduction of a Health Day, to mainstream health considerations within the global climate agenda. WHO subsequently released a COP29 Special Report on Climate and Health last year. 
   

9. What do all these mean for Singapore? While Singapore may be small and resource-scarce, we have always turned our vulnerability into strength. Our nation-building experience has shown us how we can, with boldness, tenacity, and vision, shape our lived environment and rise above our constraints. 

10. Many of you would be familiar with NEWater. Its genesis dates back to the 1970s, when the Government commissioned a study to determine the feasibility of producing reclaimed water to address our limited water sources. Through years of extensive research and innovation, we successfully developed high-grade reclaimed water that is safe for drinking. Today, it stands as a sustainable water source and forms part of our Four National Taps. From a daring dream in the 1970s to a cornerstone of our nation's water security today, our NEWater journey showcases our nation’s innovation and resilience.  Similarly, we can overcome today’s challenges arising from climate change with the same boldness, tenacity, and vision demonstrated by our forefathers. 

Importance of research and innovation in safeguarding human and environmental health

11. Research and innovation will help us achieve our net zero ambition and strengthen our resilience against climate change. We will continue to build on RIE 2025, which supports basic research and promotes innovation in the areas of climate change and human health. 

12. Research will open up pathways for us to testbed and develop measures to safeguard human and environmental health. One successful example is Project Wolbachia. Vector-borne diseases such as dengue are endemic to Southeast Asia, and higher temperatures can create favourable conditions for mosquitoes to breed and viruses to multiply faster. Project Wolbachia, which was the outcome of scientific research, has helped us avoid major dengue surges in 2023 and 2024. Results from a field study indicate that residents living in Project Wolbachia sites are about 75 per cent less likely to be infected with dengue. By the end of 2026, 800,000 households or about 50% of all households in Singapore, will benefit from Project Wolbachia. 

13. Another research project by NTU Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine uses computer simulations to show how climate change will impact health risks from mosquito-borne diseases. The simulations also examine the economic impact of such diseases and the impact on productivity due to rising absenteeism. Such projects allow us to develop a better understanding of the evolving impacts of climate change on human health.

NTU’s mark in sustainability science and research 

14. It is indeed encouraging to see NTU’s network of research entities enhance local knowledge and capability-building for climate science and environmental sustainability. This includes the Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS), Nanyang Environment Water and Research Institute (NEWRI), Singapore Centre for Environmental Life Science Engineering (SCELSE), and Energy Research Institute (ERI). 

Launch of Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Health

15. The new Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Health (CCEH) is an important addition to this network. CCEH’s research will span three domains - air quality, extreme heat, and water supply and quality – with a focus on the tropics. This will build on findings from Singapore’s 3^rd National Climate Change Study (V3) released last year, to advance our understanding of tropical climate variability and its potential impact on Singapore and the larger Southeast Asia region. 

16. In bringing together the interdisciplinary expertise of existing research entities within the NTU ecosystem and a consortium of experts from global Institutes of Higher Learning, CCEH is well-positioned to further catalyse the design of evidence-based strategies and inform policy-making. 

Conclusion

17. As we launch CCEH today, we are not just opening another new research facility or adding to the litany of acronyms. We are advancing new knowledge and capabilities in environmental and public health for Singapore and the wider Southeast Asian region. These possibilities could pave the way for us to better build a more climate-resilient society, while aligning our efforts with the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, or Agenda. So let me congratulate you on the launch of CCEH, and have a very good afternoon. Thank you very much.