EB Impact Sustainability Exchange Finale and ComfortDelgro-EB Impact Sustainability Education Grant Award Ceremony – Mr Baey Yam Keng

WELCOME ADDRESS BY SPS BAEY YAM KENG AT EB IMPACT SUSTAINABILITY EXCHANGE FINALE AND COMFORTDELGRO-EB IMPACT SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION GRANT AWARD CEREMONY ON 5 NOVEMBER 2024

Ms Jessica Cheam, Founding Director of EB Impact

Mr Mark Christopher Greaves, Chairman of ComfortDelGro

Young Sustainability Leaders

1 Good afternoon. It is my pleasure to join you today for the Sustainability Exchange Finale and the ComfortDelGro-EB Impact Sustainability Education Grant Award Ceremony. It is truly inspiring to be in a room full of youths passionate about building a more sustainable future for Singapore. I would like to thank EB Impact and ComfortDelgro for their efforts in nurturing and supporting our next generation of sustainability leaders.

2 The Sustainability Exchange programme is now in its fourth season. It has become a useful mentoring platform for youths to develop innovative solutions to meet our environmental challenges. The programme aims to encourage youths to embark on real-world projects that solve sustainability problem statements aligned with Singapore’s Green Plan.

3 I’m pleased to know that the SG Eco Fund has provided funding for the Sustainability Exchange programme. SG Eco Fund is here to lend support to platforms like this to turn your green ideas into reality. I encourage you to take advantage of the available resources if you need support for your environmental initiatives.

4 Earlier, I spoke to the top five finalist teams of the Sustainability Exchange. It was inspiring to listen to each team which shared so passionately about their solutions covering various environmental issues.

5 I was impressed to see how they were able to develop these innovative solutions in just two months. Later this afternoon, the five teams will be pitching their ideas to a panel of judges from the public and private sectors. The winning teams will receive a total of $50,000 in funding to implement their ideas. All the best to the teams in the finale and thank you for your hard work.

6 The Sustainability Exchange is just one of the initiatives by EB Impact that nurtures the next generation of sustainability leaders. Another initiative that complements this effort is the ComfortDelGro-EB Impact Sustainability Education Grant. Launched in February this year, this grant aims to support youths in their pursuit of environment-related studies, not just financially but also by means of providing mentoring and leadership opportunities. Today, we welcome and congratulate the 10 grant recipients on their well-deserved recognition. I hope that you will continue to pursue a career in sustainability after your studies, and maybe I will see you in my ministry in the future.

7 Being here today has reminded me of the collective responsibility we all share in building a more sustainable and climate-resilient future. The challenges we face are significant, but so are the opportunities for innovation and positive change.

8 To our young leaders and sustainability champions, I encourage you to continue working on your ideas to build a green, liveable, and climate-resilient Singapore, together. Each of us can and must play a part in building a sustainable Singapore and make a positive difference to our environment.

9 Thank you.