Media Releases
Singapore International Water Week and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore 2022 Successfully Enabled Partnerships for Climate Action
Singapore, 21 April 2022 – Wide-ranging strategic partnerships, initiatives and MOUs were announced at the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESG) 2022. The two events are organised by PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency and the National Environment Agency, respectively. These announcements are expected to contribute significantly to the region’s climate resilience, underscoring the strategic role key platforms play in facilitating industry collaboration to address the challenges of climate change.
2 Held between 17 to 21 April, the co-located events hosted over 11,000 physical attendees comprising leaders in government, industry, and academia from around the world, who came together to advance international collaboration to accelerate climate action.
3 Against the backdrop of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) and recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report urging immediate action to tackle climate change, the programmes at SIWW and CESG were designed to spur synergistic exchange and the co-creation of mitigation and adaptation solutions.
4 To this end, SIWW and CESG 2022 paved the way for a wide range of key initiatives and public-private partnerships that would strengthen climate resilience in Singapore and beyond, push new sustainability frontiers, and open the door to potential environmental business opportunities. These include:
- Discussions of business opportunities worth approximately S$45 billion in the areas of waste management, cleaning robotics, and climate risk mitigation.
5 The Environment & Water Leaders Forum (EWLF), a combined SIWW-CESG high-level forum, shone the spotlight on how cities and organisations can transform sustainability challenges into opportunities as we work towards a climate resilient future. Speakers included Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, UAE; Ms Michèle Blom, Vice Minister for Water Management, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands; Ms Els van Doesburg, Vice Mayor, City of Antwerp, Belgium; Mr Patrick Blethon, CEO, Saur Group; Dr Andrew Benedek, Chairman and CEO, Anaergia; Mr Axel Schweitzer, CEO, ALBA Group plc & Co. KG; Ms Dechen Tsering, Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Environment Programme; and His Excellency Li Guoying, Minister of Water Resources, Ministry of Water Resources, People’s Republic of China.
6 The overarching message from leaders who spoke during the week is clear – that urgent action is required to mitigate and adapt to climate change. Platforms like SIWW and CESG remain integral in bringing the industry together to drive the sharing of expertise and accelerate action against climate change.
7 “We don’t have decades for something that is put into a legally binding instrument to roll down to society,” said Ms Dechen Tsering, Regional Director and Representative for Asia and the Pacific, United Nations Environment Programme. “These amazing innovations, these amazing technologies, this amazing finance — it’s not happening fast enough and we don’t have enough time.”
8 Mr Patrick Blethon, CEO, Saur Group, said on a positive note, “I couldn’t imagine such a meeting 15 years ago talking about water and environment. This is a big change we are seeing today in the world, and especially the past five years; everyone is talking and acting. The world is changing.”
9 The Water Expo and Environment Expo featured more than 300 local and international exhibitors, showcasing the latest innovations in water and environmental management, with digital solutions emerging as powerful levers for change. About 30 per cent of the exhibitors at the Environment Expo featured digital solutions, with robotics solutions commonplace. The Water Expo also featured a dedicated Digital Pavilion for the first time. In addition, the Imagine H2O and Ripple2Wave Pavilions also provided opportunities for some 27 water start-ups to connect with investors, partners and buyers to advance commercialisation of exciting and new water technologies.
10 “SIWW2022 is proud to have returned as Asia’s first large-scale water show since the pandemic, bringing together the world’s brightest minds to conduct meaningful conversations and developments to galvanise the international water community into accelerating climate mitigation and adaptation efforts,” said Mr Ryan Yuen, Managing Director of Singapore International Water Week. “The active participation of international businesses at the Water Expo further underscores the importance of SIWW as a platform for the co-creation of innovative and scalable solutions for urban water challenges.”
11 “Ahead of the 27th United Nations Climate Change conference or more commonly referred to as COP27, CESG2022 has provided opportunities for public and private sector leaders to come together and address climate risks and urban waste issues,” said Mr Dalson Chung, Managing Director of CleanEnviro Summit Singapore. “The past few days have shown that we have the collective technologies and solutions needed to build a more climate-resilient future. It is now time for participants to act on the insights they have gained from attending this event.”
12 While both events have officially concluded in-person, all session recordings will be available via the On-Demand Pass to maximise knowledge sharing with the international water and environment community.
13 The next editions of SIWW and CESG will return from 18 to 22 June 2024.
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Singapore International Water Week and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore 2022 Advances International Collaboration and Innovation to Accelerate Climate Actions
Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore delivered the opening address of the
Singapore International Water Week and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore 2022
Singapore, 18 April 2022 – Guest-of-Honour Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore delivered the joint opening keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESG) held at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre today.
2 In her address, Ms Fu emphasised the importance of global partnerships and innovation in tackling climate change and highlighted the actions that Singapore is taking towards its climate ambition and sustainability agenda through the Singapore Green Plan.
3 “Singapore’s efforts to advance our sustainability agenda and grow our environment and water sectors are underpinned by partnerships with the rest of the world,” said Ms Fu.
4 Ms Fu also added that “international events such as CESG and SIWW can play an important role in bringing together thought leaders, experts and practitioners from governments, academia, and industry to exchange ideas and co-create solutions”.
5 The opening day saw Ms Fu officiate at the launch of RSK Centre for Sustainability Excellence at SIWW’s Water Expo and witness the launch of Hyperscale, Asia’s inaugural waste-tech accelerator programme by StartupX at CESG.
From (L-R) Mr Robert Charnock, Director, RSK Research Institute on Climate Strategy and RSK Centre for Sustainability Excellence (CfSE); Her Excellency Kara Owen, British High Commissioner; Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore; Mr Alan Ryder, CEO, RSK Group; Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore; Ms Lucy Thomas, RSK Group Chief Scientist and Managing Director of the RSK Centre for Sustainability Excellence; Mr Desmond Tan, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore; and Mr William Yong, Managing Director, Binnies Singapore at the official launch of the RSK Centre for Sustainability Excellence
6 A Tuas Nexus Time Capsule ceremony was also held at CESG’s Environment Expo to commemorate the construction of the Tuas Nexus – the world’s first integrated waste and water treatment facility planned from the ground-up. The time capsule will be opened in 2032 after the Nexus, which consists of the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) Integrated Waste Management Facility and PUB’s Tuas Water Reclamation Plant, becomes fully operational.
(From L-R) Ms Nunthinee Sundaramurthi, Principal Engineer, PUB; Mr Desmond Tan, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs & Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore; Mr Ng Joo Hee, Chief Executive, PUB; Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore; Mr Luke Goh, Chief Executive Officer, NEA; Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State, Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore; Mr Stanley Loh, Permanent Secretary (Sustainability and the Environment), Singapore; and Mr Albert Chieng, Executive Engineer, NEA at the Tuas Nexus Time Capsule ceremony
7 The Water Expo and Environment Expo are featuring a total of more than 300 local and international exhibitors to provide a one-stop marketplace for innovative environment and water solutions. Trade visitors may register onsite from 18 – 20 April 2022 from 8.00am – 4.30pm to receive complimentary pass to both expos and selected Thematic and Business Forums.
8 Prominent government, international organisations and industry leaders also shared insights on cross-disciplinary environmental and water policies and governance at the Joint Environment & Water Leaders Forum (EWLF) that focused on how cities and organisations can transform sustainability challenges into opportunities as we work towards a climate resilient future.
9 Over 80 content tracks across SIWW2022 and CESG2022 will offer deep dives into key topics with the aim to actualise actionable insights, reach business opportunities and scale real-world solutions across cities.
10 The 9th Singapore International Water Week and the 5th CleanEnviro Summit Singapore are being held at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, from 17 – 21 April 2022.
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Innovative and Scalable Urban Solutions to Strengthen Resilience Against Climate Change and Public Health Threats
Physical return of Singapore International Water Week and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore will bring together over 15,000 international and local attendees and leaders in the public and private sectors to spur innovation and share sustainable solutions and best practices
Synergistic exchange to accelerate action against climate change
2 Against the backdrop of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) and recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports calling for urgent action to be taken to mitigate and adapt to climate change, the programmes for SIWW and CESG are designed to drive synergistic exchange and accelerate action against climate change.
3 Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore, will deliver the keynote address at the joint opening ceremony on 18 April and speak about the Singapore Green Plan 2030. Launched last year, the national movement outlines concrete and ambitious plans towards sustainable development and net zero emissions by or around mid-century, against targets to reduce waste-to-landfill per capita by 30 percent by 2030 and measures to close our waste loops. Singapore’s 2021 Waste and Recycling Statistics will also be shared during her speech.
4 This will be followed by a joint Environment & Water Leaders Forum (EWLF) that focuses on how cities and organisations can transform sustainability challenges into opportunities as we work towards a climate resilient future. EWLF will feature prominent government, international organisations and industry leaders sharing insights on cross-disciplinary environmental and water policies and governance, and includes:
- Ms Michele Blom, Vice Minister, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Netherlands
- Ms Els van Doesburg, Vice-Mayor, City of Antwerp, Belgium
- Mr Patrick Blethon, CEO, Saur Group
- Dr Andrew Benedek, Chairman and CEO, Anaergia Inc
- Dr Axel Schweitzer, CEO, ALBA Group plc & Co. KG
5 EWLF will be moderated by Ambassador Ong Keng Yong, Executive Deputy Chairman of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS).
Water and environment leaders will also continue high level discussion around policies and strategic approach at SIWW’s and CESG’s flagship Water Leaders Summit (WLS) and the Clean Environment Leaders Summit (CELS) respectively (refer to Annex A for a summary of programmes and speakers highlights) .
Environment & water issues in focus
6 Climate change compounded with population growth, finite resources and the need for clean water, sanitation and public hygiene continues to place pressure on the sustainability and liveability of cities. The two summits will address pertinent and emerging topics such as resource circularity, sustainable financing, decarbonisation, pollution control and digital transformation of the environment and water sectors accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic in the last two years.
7 SIWW2022 will also feature coastal protection as a new theme following PUB taking on the role of coastal protection agency in Singapore. At the same time, the pandemic has also raised the importance of building resilience against public health threats. CESG will continue to drive discussion around enhancing hygiene standards and effective pest management in safeguarding public health standards.
8 All in all, over 80 content tracks across SIWW2022 and CESG2022 will offer deep dives into these topics with the aim to actualise actionable insights, reach business opportunities and scale real-world solutions across cities. This includes SIWW2022 Water Convention’s 47 technical sessions and over 300 papers spanning six themes, Thematic & Business Forums , and CESG2022’s Clean Environment Convention (CEC) of four plenary sessions over two days (refer to Annex A for a summary of programmes and speakers highlights) . Partner events such as the Ecosperity Conversations , Asia Climate Forum , and the ABC Waters Seminar will also feature climate risks & opportunities, climate change, and urban water landscape design topics, respectively.
Best of sustainable environment and water solutions
9 Showcasing innovative environment and water technologies will continue to be at the forefront of SIWW and CESG. The Water Expo will feature close to 250 exhibitors, including 12 pavilions, showcasing their products and services across 21 different product categories . Casting the spotlight on water start-ups are the Imagine H2O and Ripple2Wave pavilions , and for the first time, a Digital Solutions Pavilion that focuses on smart technologies and digital solutions for water utilities will make its debut. (refer to Annex B for Water Expo Guide and list of exhibitors) .
10 In leveraging partnerships and innovations to advance Singapore’s sustainability agenda, SIWW2022 will play host to TechXchange on 17 April 2022, a forum that connects innovators with investors, partners, and buyers to advance commercialisation of exciting, new water technologies. 12 water start-ups will partake in exciting business pitches, interactive debates, and lively discussion with who’s who of the industry as they discuss emerging technologies that could shape global water sustainability.
11 In addition, the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2020 Laureate , Professor Kazuo Yamamoto, will deliver a keynote lecture of his pioneering work in inventing and operationalising the submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) that fundamentally transformed wastewater treatment worldwide on 18 April 2022. In the same evening, he will receive the Prize Medallion and Certificate from Mdm Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore, at the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize Award Ceremony & Banquet .
12 Day 1 of SIWW2022 will also culminate in the official opening of the Jurong Island Desalination Plant , Singapore’s fifth desalination plant on 17 April 2022. The completion of JIDP marks another important milestone in our journey for water sustainability. Besides enhancing Singapore’s water security, the plant is more energy efficient as it is co-located with the Tembusu Multi-Utilities Complex to derive resource synergies such as seawater intake and outfall structures, and power from the in-plant generation facilities.
13 “Despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic, SIWW is pleased to return as an in-person event, bringing together global water leaders and experts to share and co-create innovative solutions on emerging urban water challenges.” said Mr Ryan Yuen, Managing Director of Singapore International Water Week . “We are heartened by the support of the international water community as evident by the strong turnout and are pleased to present a rich line-up of curated content with our partners across the water value chain. Through this event, we seek to inspire the global water community to take positive steps to mitigate and adapt against climate impacts and build a sustainable water future for all.”
14 The Environment Expo will feature close to 60 exhibitors from 11 countries showcasing the latest in environmental technologies and solutions. It also has a dedicated Innovation Pavilion featuring 12 exhibits showcasing a wide variety of innovative technologies and solutions including autonomous cleaning vehicles and robots , public health applications such as wastewater surveillance for COVID-19, low-cost sensors for air quality monitoring, smart toilet systems and Project Wolbachia-Singapore , as well as novel ways to turn waste streams into useful resources (refer to Annex C for list of exhibitors) .
15 “Growing urbanisation and the impact of climate change has created complex risks which affect people’s health, lives and livelihoods. Cities are at the forefront of innovating and implementing high-impact solutions to address climate risks and urban waste issues,” said Mr Dalson Chung, Managing Director of CleanEnviro Summit Singapore . “At CESG, key stakeholders from the public and private sectors come together to showcase capabilities, form partnerships, and put into action tangible solutions to transform and innovate the ways we can advance resource management and circularity, sustainable energy, pest management, and environmental hygiene sectors.”
Virtual on-demand access offered for the first time
16 Following strong interest in SIWW and CESG virtual events last year from the international community, both events will offer an On-Demand Pass for the first time. This pass allows participants to watch all session recordings of the rich content delivered during the event week on-demand. There will also be virtual opportunities to connect with all participating CESG exhibitors and attendees.
17 In addition, SIWW will launch its very own digital content hub, SIWW+ . Besides hosting SIWW2022 on-demand content, participants and delegates alike can browse free sections of SIWW+ containing articles, publications, and videos of past SIWW editions, including last year’s fully virtual SIWW2021.
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Japanese researcher awarded prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2020 for pioneering solutions in advanced used water treatment
Japanese Professor Kazuo Yamamoto’s pioneering invention of the world’s first operationally and
commercially viable submerged membrane bioreactor (MBR) benefitted millions worldwide
From left: Mr Ryan Yuen, Managing Director, Singapore International Water Week, Mr Ng Joo Hee, Chief Executive, PUB,
Professor Kazuo Yamamoto, Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2020 Laureate, Mr Harry Seah, Deputy Chief Executive (Operations), PUB,
and Dr Pang Chee Meng, Chief Engineering & Technology Officer, PUB
Singapore, 17 March 2022 – When Professor Kazuo Yamamoto first shared his idea of submerging membranes in used water to improve the efficiency and quality of used water treatment in the mid-1980s, it was met with much scepticism from the membrane community as it went against the conventional scientific thinking of the time. Many regarded the concept as ridiculous and dismissed it as a “crazy idea”.
2 Not one to concede defeat easily, Professor Yamamoto held fast to his convictions and persevered in his research to successfully develop the world’s first operationally viable submerged Membrane Bioreactor (MBR) prototype in 1988. For his pioneering invention that has since benefitted millions worldwide with enhanced public health and water security, 67-year-old Professor Kazuo Yamamoto was awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2020. The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, sponsored by Temasek Foundation, awards the winning recipient with a S$300,000 cash prize, a certificate and a gold medallion.
3 “It is a great privilege to be bestowed the distinguished Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize. This award nurtures the spearheading soul and innovative outlook needed to inspire future generations of water leaders to persevere and continue our objective of benefitting communities around the world in the areas of sanitation and water reuse,” said Professor Yamamoto, who is also the 9th recipient of this award. He is currently Emeritus Professor at the University of Tokyo, and an Audit & Supervisory Board Member of IDEA Consultants, Inc., an environmental and infrastructure consultancy firm based in Tokyo, Japan.
Overcoming Challenges to Strengthen Water Sustainability
4 Although MBRs for used water treatment had existed prior to Professor Yamamoto’s prototype, earlier designs could not be adopted on a large scale due to their massive energy requirement and propensity for membranes to foul easily. Professor Yamamoto then engineered a design that operated submerged hollow fibre membranes intermittently into the biological treatment tank – a process called intermittent filtration – thereby circumventing both the energy-intensive recirculation loop and membrane fouling issues found in earlier MBR designs. This was a breakthrough in the field of used water treatment and water reuse.
5 Although he was the first to present the submerged MBR concept at the then-International Association on Water Quality1 conference in 1988, Professor Yamamoto chose not to claim patent rights to his invention. His decision allowed for extensive research and development, and commercialisation efforts to be carried out, which accelerated the adoption of submerged MBR technology for used water treatment and thus benefitting the water sector and humanity at large. Professor Yamamoto also continued to contribute to the advancement of the technology through further research and close partnerships with membrane companies in Japan and abroad, that facilitated the commercialisation and implementation of the technology globally.
6 Today, submerged MBR technology is widely recognised by experts as an effective technology to achieve effluent quality standards beneficial for water reuse, which also reduces environmental impact of used water discharge. The technology has paved the way for governments and water solutions providers across the world to develop higher standards of public health. It has reduced the impact of used water discharges to the environment and enabled savings on infrastructural cost, facilitated by shorter outfall pipelines, thanks to the high-quality effluent suited for potable reuse. It is also a sustainable treatment option for fast growing communities due to the speed and ability of it being retrofitted into existing plants.
Widespread Application for Greater Impact
7 Over the last decades, there has been an exponential increase in the number and scale of MBR plants for municipal used water treatment based on Professor Yamamoto’s design. Since 2010, the total capacity of the MBR system has more than doubled from around 4.1 million m3/d to over 8.3million m3/d by 2014. Since the early 2000s, MBR has become almost on par with tertiary treatment systems, with approximately 45% of large-scale used water installations globally being MBR systems. A sign that there is a shift from the technology’s application historically in niche areas at smaller installations to larger projects, particularly in the municipal sector2.
8 Singapore adopted MBR technology in our used water treatment processes since 2006, currently implemented in three water reclamation plants (WRP) - Changi, Ulu Pandan and Jurong. MBR technology, with a smaller footprint, has reaped significant benefits for land-scarce Singapore. The higher quality effluent produced greatly facilitated water reuse and NEWater production, which is a key pillar of Singapore’s water sustainability strategy. Tuas WRP, currently undergoing construction, will similarly adopt MBR technology to treat used water.
9 “We in Singapore have benefitted tremendously from Yamamoto’s work. His creation lets us build very compact water reclamation plants, freeing up land for other uses. Tuas WRP — currently under construction and the world’s largest MBR plant when it becomes operational in 2026 — occupies only half the usual footprint because of his discovery. The high quality of effluent that will come out of Tuas, again because submerged MBRs first invented by Yamamoto, will enhance NEWater production and further advance the circularity of Singapore’s water economy,” said Mr Ng Joo Hee, Chief Executive, PUB.
10 Beyond his invention, Professor Yamamoto has also advised on national used water treatment projects around the world since 2007, such as a low-energy demo used water treatment plant (WWTP) for industrial used water reuse in Saudi Arabia and Myanmar’s first MBR-based WWTP. In 2011, he chaired the Sewage Technical Meeting on Membrane Technology to develop guidelines for introducing membrane technology in sewage works3.
11 “The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize recognises outstanding individuals or organisations towards solving the world’s water challenges, whose work will benefit millions or even billions globally. We are proud to have Professor Yamamoto join our distinguished list of laureates. We look forward to welcoming global water leaders, like Professor Yamamoto, in-person, to share and exchange innovative solutions to solve emerging urban water challenges at Singapore International Water Week 2022 in April,” said Mr Ryan Yuen, Managing Director, Singapore International Water Week (SIWW).
12 Professor Yamamoto will receive the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2020 medallion at an award ceremony from Mdm Halimah Yacob, the President of the Republic of Singapore on Monday, 18 April 2022 during the 9th edition of SIWW. This event, which will be held from 17 – 21 April 2022, will feature a range of flagship programmes, such as the Water Leaders Summit, the Water Convention and the Water Expo, for thought leaders and stakeholders from the global water industry to share best practices and solutions, harness business opportunities and co-create innovative water solutions.
1 Known as International Water Association (IWA) today
2 Global Water Intelligence, 2014
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