GreeNUSummit 2023

One Summit, Endless Opportunities

NUS presents its inaugural edition of the GreeNUSummit, a 3-day programme comprising panel discussions and dialogues, as well as environmental activities that provide a hands-on learning. The aims of the GreeNUSummit are to:

Improve climate awareness and environmental literacy within the campus;
Instil and inspire the spirit and values of sustainability in NUS;
Introduce avenues for students to involve with environmental advocacy;
Showcase local and regional green efforts and organisations

Join as a participant

Want to participate in panel discussions by scholars and industry professionals, and take part in green activities led by practitioners? Come connect with like-minded peers and industry. Wait no more, sign up under the link below! We hope to see you there.

1. PROGRAMME SCHEDULE

Day 1 – 25 August 2023: Opening; Panel discussions

Venue: SDE3-LT424

Time	Activity
0930 – 1000	Registration
1000 - 1030	Opening Address
1030 - 1115	Ice breakers/ Sustainability-related Kahoot trivia games/quizzes
1115 - 1130	Panel Discussion 1: Green Economy and Carbon Markets Introduction
1130 – 1230	Panel Discussion 1: Green Economy and Carbon Markets Speakers Sharing and Q&A
1230 – 1400	Lunch
1400 – 1415	Panel Discussion 2: Weighing Development versus Conservation Introduction
1415 – 1515	Panel Discussion 2: Weighing Development versus Conservation Speakers Sharing and Q&A
1515 – 1545	Tea break
1545 – 1600	Panel Discussion 3: Creating Resilient Futures Introduction
1600 – 1700	Panel Discussion 3: Creating Resilient Futures Speakers Sharing and Q&A
1700 – 1730	Closing by Mr Baey Yam Keng, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Sustainability and the Environment Briefing for Day 2

Day 2 – 26 August 2023: Activities

Activity 1: Ground-Up Initiative Farm our Heart

Time	Activity
0830	Assemble at Khatib MRT Exit A and attendance taking
0830 - 0850	Walk to GUI
0900 - 0915	Welcome Introduction
0915 – 1115	Hands-on Activities: - Farm Activities - Pallet Dismantling
1115 – 1130	Washing Up of Tools & Gloves
1130 - 1145	Refreshments
1145 - 1245	Debrief
1215 - 1300	Kampung Plant Base lunch
1300	Dismissal from site

Activity 2: Tree Planting @NUS Science by University Campus Infrastructure

Time	Activity
0845	Assemble at NUS Biological Sciences drop off point and attendance taking
0855 – 0900	Walk to planting ground
0900 – 0930	Introduction and tree planting briefing
0930 – 1115	Tree planting
1115 – 1200	Wash-up and pack up
1200 – 1300	Reflections and de-brief
1300	Dismissal from site

Activity 3: Tree Planting @Rail Corridor South by NUS Toddycats!

Time	Activity
0845	Assemble at Buona Vista MRT and attendance taking
0855 – 0900	Walk to planting ground
0900 – 0930	Introduction and tree planting briefing
0930 – 1115	Tree planting
1115 – 1200	Wash-up and pack up
1200 – 1300	Reflections and de-brief
1300	Dismissal from site

Day 3 – 28 August 2023: Panel discussions; CCA booths exhibition; Closing

Venue: SDE3-LT424

Time	Activity
0900 – 0930	Registration
0930 – 0945	Panel Discussion 4: Clean Energy and the Low-Carbon Future Introduction
0945 – 1045	Panel Discussion 4: Clean Energy and the Low-Carbon Future Speakers Sharing and Q&A
1045 – 1115	Tea Break
1115 – 1130	Panel Discussion 5: Living Sustainably within Community Introduction
1130 – 1230	Panel Discussion 5: Living Sustainably within Community Speakers Sharing and Q&A
1230 – 1300	Closing ceremony + photo-taking

NOTE: There will be a CCA booths exhibition happening outside the LT concurrently.

2.PANELISTS

Panel Discussion 1: Green Economy and Carbon Markets

Introducing the speakers for the topic

Ms Tang Zhi Hui
Senior Director, Industry Division
Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI)

Ms Tang is currently the Senior Director of the Industry Division at Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). In this role, she oversees industry development strategies and policies for key economic sectors, including manufacturing, services, lifestyle and tourism. She also oversees efforts to decarbonise the industry and grow Singapore’s Green Economy. Prior to joining MTI, Ms Tang worked in the Ministry of Health as Director (Special Projects), supporting the Ministerial Taskforce in its COVID-19 strategies and implementation work. Ms Tang had also served as Director (Policy and Planning) at the National Population and Talent Division under the Prime Minister’s Office, overseeing overarching policy issues related to population, including economy and workforce growth, society and identity, and infrastructure long-term planning

Ms Esther An
Chief Sustainability Officer
City Developments Limited (CDL)

A sustainability practitioner for over two decades, Esther published the first sustainability report in 2008, and issued the first green bond by a Singapore company in 2017. Conferred the 2018 SDG Pioneer for Green Infrastructure and A Low Carbon Economy by the UN Global Compact Esther sits on the boards or advisory platforms of international organizations including Global Reporting Initiative, GRESB Foundation Board, and UN PRI Real Estate Advisory Committee. She chairs the World Green Building Council Corporate Advisory Board, the Asia Pacific Real Estate Association’s ESG Committee. Named by Reuters as one of 25 trailblazing women leaders in climate 2023, she is also chair of the Sustainability Reporting Advisory Committee established by Singapore’s Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority and the Singapore Exchange Regulation.

Dr Darian McBain
Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Outsourced CSO Asia

Dr Darian McBain is the CEO and Founder of Outsourced Chief Sustainability Officer Asia (OCSO Asia). She is also currently a Visiting Professor in Practice with the London School of Economics and Political Science. Previously, she was the former Chief Sustainability Officer for the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the former Global Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability for Thai Union, a global food producer. She has over 20 years of experience in sustainability, working for corporates, government, the UN, academia and NGOs. She is highly awarded for her work, including being named one of Asia’s Top Sustainability Superwomen in 2019, one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business 2020, and a UN Sustainable Development Goal Pioneer in 2021.

Dr Linda Yanti Sulistiawati
Senior Research Fellow
NUS Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmntal Law (APCEL)

Linda is a Senior Research Fellow at APCEL and also an Associate Professor of Law in Universitas Gadjah Mada. She is an internationally recognised scholar in Indonesian international environmental law and her research has established her as a leading expert who is frequently consulted by the Indonesian government and international organizations. Her research focuses on international environmental issues, such as climate change, REDD+, land issues and customary (adat) issues. Linda was a member of the delegation leading Indonesia’s negotiations of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. From 2018 to 2021, Linda is a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report. Linda was a Visiting Fellow at APCEL from 5 August 2019 to 3 September 2019 under the APCEL Visiting Fellow Programme.

Panel Discussion 2: Weighing Development versus Conservation

Introducing the speakers for the topic

Dr. Radhika Bhargava
Research Fellow | NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions
PhD Geography | National University of Singapore
2021 National Geographic Explorer

Dr. Radhika Bhargava is a 2021 National Geographic Explorer and a research fellow at the Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions at the National University of Singapore. Radhika recently completed her Ph.D. at the Department of Geography at the National University of Singapore, where she worked on understanding the response of mangroves and local communities towards shoreline retreats. Radhika used geospatial analysis, social science methods, and biophysical measurements to understand how coastal areas and their services are changing and how we, the ecosystem, and communities adapt to that change.

Samantha Thian
Founder
Seastainable

Samantha is the founder of Seastainable, and also presently at Electrolux as Snr Manager for Sustainability in Asia Pacific. In 2017, she founded Seastainable in Singapore to give back to marine conservation and is also responsible for the development of Stridy (a tech-based solution to community cleanups). She is currently part of the Climate Change Delegation representing Singapore for Y20 2023 in India, and recently received recognition for the Forbes 30 Under 30 for her work in social impact.She sits on the Climate Action Singapore Alliance as an Executive Member, as well as leads the Public Hygiene Council’s Youth Action Group as Co-Chair. She lives by the philosophy - “We don’t need one person doing sustainability perfectly, we need millions doing it imperfectly”.

Mr Teddy Baguilat
President
Global Consortium of Indigenous and Local Communities Conserved Areas and Territories

Teddy Baguilat describes himself as a Katutubo, Activist, Organiser and an Ifugao, which defines his work both as a public official and as an environmental advocate. After moving to his father’s hometown in Kiangan, Ifugao at thirteen, Teddy learned about his indigenous culture and being part of a tribe and discovered his calling in life – to be a public servant for the marginalised. After graduating from the University of the Philippines, Teddy has worked in many roles such as with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Philippine Ecological Network, as the Governor of Ifugao, the Executive Director of the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, and many more. He is currently serving as the President of the Global Consortium of Indigenous and Local Communities Conserved Areas and Territories and the Secretary General of the Liberal Party. He also organises a national movement of volunteers for the environment and Indigenous Peoples Rights called the Angat Kalikasan Pilipinas.

Panel Discussion 3: Creating Resilient Futures

Introducing the speakers for the topic

	Yasser Amin Chief Stridy Officer Stridy Over the past two years, Yasser has been involved in organizing weekly beach cleanups and hosting members of the public in these sessions. During these sessions, many participants are exposed to the issue of plastic pollution for the first time. In his roles as Cleanup Facilitator for Seastainable and Co-Lead of the East Coast Beach Plan Initiative, he has been able to actively participate in activities and conversations relating to sustainability & environmentalism. This includes community organizing, advocating for cleaner environments, appearing in various state media coverages, and connecting with other individuals & organizations in the 'green' space. Currently, Yasser is the Chief Stridy Officer at Stridy, which is a not-for-profit that focuses on tackling waste management issues worldwide such as littering. With the use of the Stridy app, individuals or organizations can track their impact when they take part in cleanup activities.
	Lecarl Lim President Inter-University Environmental Coalition Lecarl Lim is a Senior at Yale-NUS College, where he is majoring in Environmental Studies with an Urban Studies minor. He chairs the Inter-University Environmental Coalition and has co-founded two start-ups, to promote sustainable F&B businesses and the other to recycle glass waste into tiles. He recently concluded a semester exchange at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and an internship with Climate Resilient Cities Project in the Philippines.
	Ms Toh Han Jing Founder Little Green Chef Han Jing is a soil lover and a regenerative gardener. Having witnessed the issues of our food system, she is driven to make a difference by being the change she wants to see. At Living Soil, she takes on a duo role as the research lead on the ground, as well as a facilitator for educational programs. Han Jing also founded Little Green Chef, where she guides individuals to grow, eat, and trash consciously. She was also recently featured in a CNA Documentary, Growing Wild where she shared about native edibles in Singapore. As an educator at heart, Han Jing believes that no one is too young or too old to make a positive difference on this Earth.

Panel Discussion 4: Clean Energy and the Low-Carbon Future

Introducing the speakers for the topic

Dr. Stephen Tay
Associate Professor
NUS College of Design and Engineering

Dr. Stephen Tay obtained his PhD from Imperial College London under the National Research Foundation (Clean Energy) Overseas Scholarship, and is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of the Built Environment (DBE) in the National University of Singapore (NUS). Dr. Tay has worked with both the public and private sectors in solar PV projects, such as SolarNova in Singapore and the Floating Solar Market Report commissioned by the World Bank. In recognition of his contributions to the solar PV industry, he was awarded the “Young Green Building Advocate Award” in 2019, which was jointly conferred by the Building Construction Authority (BCA) and Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC). In addition, he was awarded the Annual Teaching Excellence Award for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023 for his contributions to teaching excellence.

Elizabeth Wu
Legal Consultant
ClientEarth

Elizabeth Wu is a Legal Consultant with international environmental law NGO ClientEarth and a Visiting Researcher with the National University of Singapore Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law. Elizabeth works with the private sector, civil society and government regulators on climate-related risks and opportunities in Asia, and leads on initiatives that explore the role of corporate law, international economic law and public international law to facilitate the net-zero transition. These include investor-corporate engagement, climate-aligned investment and trade law analysis, regional judicial training and legal capacity building. Elizabeth has a background in international law and financial and investment disputes, as a former private practice disputes attorney and as a State Counsel and prosecutor with the Attorney-General’s Chambers of Singapore. She holds an LLM in International Economic Law, Business and Policy from Stanford Law School, was a Fellow of the Permanent Court of Arbitration, and is qualified in Singapore and New York.

Sita Rahmani
Research Fellow
NUS Energy Studies Institute

Sita joined Energy Studies Institute in June 2023 as a research fellow. Prior to this appointment, she was a research fellow at Tokyo Institute of Technology. She has worked as a research assistant in various projects of urban planning, including projects funded by foreign university, ministry, and various government agencies in Indonesia. Sita holds M.Eng and PhD degree in environmental planning and policy science at the School of Environment and Society, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Japan. She received her B.Eng in urban and regional planning from Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia. During her graduate study, her research was about sustainable management of community-scale renewable energy project, particularly solar water pumping system in rural Indonesia. Her research interests include energy governance and policy, social dimension of energy, low-carbon development, energy transition, and regional development studies.

Panel Discussion 5: Living Sustainably within Community

Introducing the speakers for the topic

Professor Veera Sekaran
Department of Biological Sciences – University of Singapore
Head, Regenerative Agritech Centre

Dr Veera is a botanist, urban farming specialist and green futurist with over 35 years of experience. He has directed cornerstone local and overseas greening projects in public and private sectors, and has served in his capacity as Assistant Curator of Horticulture at the Zoo and Night Safari, as the Curator of Horticulture at Changi Airport, and as the Assistant Director at National Parks Board. He establishes businesses to transform urban and nature spaces into thriving habitats and sustainable ecosystem with regenerative, nature-based solutions, and his work provide solutions in climate-controlled urban farming and smart farming, along with development of Green Intelligence (GI) Networks for Nature-Based Solutions and Eco-developments.

Ms Pamela Low
Founder
Tingkats

Pamela is driven to accelerate climate action to benefit profit, people and the planet through technology and innovation. She founded Tingkats in 2018 as an undergrad in NUS to reduce single-use disposables on campus and she continues to partner businesses and the community to implement strategies that benefit sustainable development. She received the NUS FASS Student Leaders Award (FSLA), OCBC Cares for the Environment Fund and HSBC/NYAA Youth Environmental Award for her efforts on campus. Pamela's work has also been recognised by the likes of Eco-Business Youth A List and Conservation International's 10 for Zero Award.

Dr. Sivasothi
Otterman
NUS Biological Sciences

N. Sivasothi, a.k.a. ‘Otterman’ has been immersed in mangroves and wildlife for research, education and conservation at the National University of Singapore since the late 1980’s. He earned the moniker ‘Otterman’ through his work with otters in the 90’s and promotes youth development, public education and environmental stewardship. He coordinates NUS Toddycats, the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore, OtterWatch, as well as The Biodiversity Roundtable and The Biodiversity Friends Forum in partnership with NParks. He contributes his expertise actively in numerous wildlife conservation working groups, ground-up partnerships and close-door engagements to mitigate development impact, which seems endless! He is happiest now as an active proponent of habitat enhancement and community involvement through the One Million Trees movement in Singapore.

3. ACTIVITIES

Activity 1: Ground-Up Initiative Farm our Heart

Disconnect from technology and be involved in helping to sustain this nature-inspired community campus! Through down-to-earth tasks, such as building planter beds, preparing soil mix, composting, enzyme harvesting, and pallet dismantling, you will be involved in the everyday maintenance of the farm at Ground-Up Initiative.

You will gain new knowledge about sustainable practices in our kampung and have a better insight into the agriculture scene in Singapore.

Location: 91 Lor Chencharu, Singapore 769201
Assembly Point: Khatib MRT Exit A
Assembly time: 8.30am
Dismissal: 1pm, On-Site

Activity 2: Tree Planting @NUS Science by University Campus Infrastructure

NUS launched the ‘Planting 10,000 Trees’ Initiative as part of its campus greening efforts to plant up to 100,000 new trees by 2023. You will learn the proper methods to plant a tree that will remain healthy. An array of outdoors sensors has been installed to record outdoor temperatures and various methods have been taken to identify ideal planting locations to enhance campus liveability and biodiversity. Be a part of and learn more about NUS campus reforestation efforts.

Read more about NUS Planting Greener Campus here

Location: Behind NUS S2 (Science 2)
Assembly Point: NUS Biological Sciences 16 Science Drive 4, Singapore 117558 (Drop Off Point) Assembly time: 8.45am
Dismissal: 1pm, On-Site

Activity 3: Tree Planting @Rail Corridor South by NUS Toddycats!

Singapore’s 24km-long Rail Corridor serves as a green passage for wildlife movement between major green spaces, as well as a recreational space for members of the public. Sightings of many forest bird and butterfly species, such as the greater racket-tailed drongo, straw-headed bulbil, the common birdwing and the archduke are common, with these species being just some examples of the biodiversity that thrives in this area. As a participant, you can learn more about restoring this belt of native forest, including more about choice of planted species and how trees are maintained after planting to upkeep the forest network. Join us and learn tree planting methods, as well as about Rail Corridor’s Environmental History.

Location: Rail Corridor South
Assembly Point: Buona Vista MRT Station Exit D
Assembly Time: 8.45am
Dismissal: 1pm, On-Site

Contact Us

Should you have any questions regarding this programme, please email to programmes.greenus@u.nus.edu

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Join our Telegram channel https://t.me/greenusummit

Organised by

Student organisers from GreeNUSummit

Supported by

NUS Office of Student Affairs

NUS Sustainability CONNECT

NUS Toddycats!

This event is held in support of NUS Sustainability CONNECT, a five-week showcase of NUS’ sustainability efforts in research, education, campus operations and student engagement. For the full programme, please visit their website (link above).

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GreeNUSummit 2023

One Summit, Endless Opportunities

Join as a participant

1. PROGRAMME SCHEDULE

2.PANELISTS

3. ACTIVITIES

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