Global Leaders Gather at Ecosperity Week 2019 to Discuss and Drive Action on Sustainable Development

Singapore, 28 May 2019 – The inaugural Ecosperity Week will bring together 2,000 global business leaders, policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs and academia to drive action on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Taking place from 4 to 7 June 2019 at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre at Marina Bay Sands, the week-long programme will feature an innovation showcase, conferences, roundtable discussions, pitch sessions, sites visits and networking opportunities across events.

“Ecosperity twins ‘ecology’ with ‘prosperity’ to portray our belief with conviction that doing good and doing well can and must go together”, says Robin Hu, Head, Sustainability & Stewardship Group, Temasek. “This year, Ecosperity Week brings together over 10 carefully curated partner events from the World Bank Group, European Union, international and Singapore agencies.”

“These events serve one common message, that is, achieving the SDGs by 2030 will require immediate and collective action by governments, businesses, civil societies and individuals to translate the SDG ideals into reality – an ABC World made possible by an Active Economy, Beautiful Society and a Clean Earth.”

Ecosperity Week 2019 is presented by Temasek, and the joint opening plenary will take place on 6 June 2019. Ecosperity Week is organised in collaboration with strategic partner events including:

• CleanEnviro Summit Singapore (CESS) Catalyst, by National Environment Agency (NEA)
• Ecosperity Conference, by Temasek
• FutureChina Global Forum (FCGF), by Business China
• GCNS CEO Roundtable*, by Global Compact Network Singapore (GCNS)
• Innovate4Climate, by the World Bank Group 
• Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) Spotlight, by PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency
• Stewardship Asia Roundtable* and Stewardship Commons, by Stewardship Asia Centre
• The Liveability Challenge, by Temasek Foundation 
• Youth Ecosperity Dialogue*, by Temasek Foundation and National University of Singapore (NUS) SCALE                                                   

*Note that all events are held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands except for GCNS CEO Roundtable and Stewardship Asia Roundtable (held at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore); and Youth Ecosperity Dialogue (held at NUS).

More details on each partner event can be found in the Annex.

Taking place on 6 June 2019 is the 6th Ecosperity Conference, themed “Tomorrow Starts Today: From Ambition to Action”. As the increasingly severe effects of climate change cannot be ignored, the conference will focus on businesses approaches and successful collaboration models along the thematic tracks of Circular Economy, Energy Transition and Water Management. Discussion topics include:

• Science-based approach to guide businesses and policy makers in their climate ambitions
• The business case for a circular economy
• Pathways to decarbonise our energy systems
• Innovative approaches to bridge the water supply gap

Watch conference livestream on 6 June at www.ecosperity.sg, starting at 830AM SGT.

Also taking place during Ecosperity Week from 5-7 June, the Ecosperity Showcase will feature innovations to address challenges in sustainable food production, building a circular economy and optimising our energy demand. Companies showcasing their innovations include Apollo Aquaculture, Sustenir Agriculture, IMPOSSIBLE Foods, Shiok Meats, SP Group, Miniwiz, PUB, NEA, ST Engineering’s Innosparks and Temasek Polytechnic.

The Showcase will also feature the top eight designs from the first-ever Trash to Fash: An Upcycling Competition, a three-month competition that challenged participants to design clothing using recycled PET fabric and other upcycled materials; as well as the top 20 photos from the Shoot for Sustainability photo competition, which challenged shutterbugs from across the region to share what “Our Clean Earth” means to them.

Other activities taking place during the week include:

• Ecosperity Film Fest, a two-day film festival on 5 June 2019, World Environment Day and 7 June 2019, featuring four nature films: a pre-release screening of Disneynature’s Dolphin Reef, Disneynature’s Penguins, Netflix’s Our Planet and BBC’s Climate Change – The Facts. There will also be talks by filmmakers about the issues explored in the films, and a workshop for local aspiring filmmakers on 7 June.

• Ecosperity Conversations Special Edition, a special edition of the ongoing series of discussions to explore the business case for sustainable development. Targeted at youths, the two sessions will cover the topics of “Global Warming, Polar Ice Caps and Rising Sea Levels: Impact on Singapore and the Region”, and “Towards a Clean Earth: From Oceans to Cities”. The sessions’ speakers are Robert Swan, polar explorer, and Associate Professor Adam Switzer at the Earth Observatory Singapore, NTU; and Dr Beatrice Crona, Deputy Science Director, Stockholm Resilience Centre, Laurel Chor, National Geographic Explorer, and Professor Alex Rogers, Science Director, REV Ocean, respectively.

During Ecosperity Week, Ecosperity will also publish a knowledge report on the state of Southeast Asia’s energy transition. Drawing upon analyses and data from the International Energy Agency (IEA), the report outlines global and regional efforts, the key levers needed for Southeast Asia to transit towards a sustainable energy future, and the opportunities for decision-makers in government and industry to enhance and accelerate progress towards the energy-related SDGs.

To find out more about Ecosperity and to stay up to date on the latest, visit www.ecosperity.sg or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ecosperity/).

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About Ecosperity

The term ‘Ecosperity’ twins ecology with prosperity, reflecting our belief that doing good and doing well can – and must – go together. It is the idea that growth and development go hand in hand with an abiding respect and commitment for a clean and sustainable environment, and that governments, businesses, civil societies and individuals must work together to achieve a “ABC world” of Active and robust economies, Beautiful and inclusive societies and a Clean and cool Earth.

Presented by Temasek, the annual Ecosperity conference pushes the frontiers of sustainable growth by exploring the latest megatrends shaping our future. The 2019 Ecosperity Conference is held in partnership with Ecosperity Week. Together with key partners, the week-long programme from 4 to 7 June 2019 will bring global business leaders, policy-makers, investors, entrepreneurs and academia together to drive action on sustainable development. Key highlights include an innovation showcase, conferences, roundtable discussions, pitch sessions, site visits and networking opportunities across events.

For more information, visit www.ecosperity.sg or follow us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ecosperity/).

For media queries, please contact:

Celine Koh
Communications Manager (Ecosperity), Temasek
Tel: 6828 2299 / 9753 0547
Email: celinekoh@partners.temasek.com.sg

Joshua Phua
Edelman for Temasek
Tel: 6494 1565 / 9682 5824
Email: joshua.phua@edelman.com