WWF-Singapore marks 20 years with new initiatives to advance conservation in Singapore and across Southeast Asia

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam graced WWF-Singapore’s 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner, reflecting on Singapore’s biodiversity journey and how its strengths in technology, finance and partnerships can advance conservation locally and across Southeast Asia.

• WWF Earth Labs, a new conservation, science and engagement space designed to connect communities and partners with WWF’s work and inspire action for nature.
• WWF-NSAS Space for Nature Challenge, a partnership with the National Space Agency of Singapore (NSAS) to strengthen ecosystem conservation through satellite-based monitoring, supporting WWF’s Roadmap 2030 regional strategy across eight priority landscapes and seascapes in Southeast Asia.
• An insurance programme developed in collaboration with Great Eastern to de-risk nature-based solutions projects, supported under the Financial Sector Carbon Market Development Grant, administered by the Monetary Authority of Singapore
  

SINGAPORE, 27 OCTOBER 2026 – World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Singapore yesterday unveiled a series of initiatives to strengthen conservation efforts in Singapore and across Southeast Asia at its 20th Anniversary Gala Dinner. The event was graced by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, who was accompanied by Ms Jane Ittogi. The initiatives reflect WWF-Singapore’s focus for its third decade: driving meaningful action for nature in Singapore, accelerating conservation across priority landscapes and seascapes in Southeast Asia, and mobilising innovation, partnerships and investment to deliver lasting impact for nature and people.

The announcements include:

• WWF Earth Labs, a new conservation, science and engagement space designed to connect communities and partners with WWF’s work and inspire action for nature.
  
• The WWF-NSAS Space for Nature Challenge, will bring together Singapore’s space technology ecosystem to develop and pilot solutions for WWF-Singapore’s priority landscapes in Southeast Asia, including biodiversity monitoring, detecting potential encroachment and forest clearing, and identifying fire and flood risks.
  
• An insurance programme developed in collaboration with Great Eastern to de-risk nature-based solutions projects, improve their bankability, and unlock financing for nature conservation across Southeast Asia. This programme is supported under the Financial Sector Carbon Market Development Grant, administered by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

Further details on each initiative are available in Annex A.

These efforts are ultimately aimed at supporting healthier forests, rivers, wetlands and marine ecosystems across Southeast Asia, helping to protect biodiversity and the communities that depend on nature. The priority landscapes and seascapes identified under WWF’s Roadmap 2030 are home to some of the region’s most iconic and threatened wildlife, including whale sharks, Irrawaddy dolphins, tigers and Asian elephants.

During a fireside conversation with Rueban Manokara, WWF-Singapore’s Director of Carbon Finance, President Tharman reflected on Singapore’s biodiversity journey and its experience in balancing urban development with nature. He also emphasised the need for greater regional collaboration to address climate change, water security and biodiversity loss, including protecting Southeast Asia’s vital carbon sinks.

“WWF’s newly released Living Planet Report 2026 is a reminder that nature is declining faster than our response. Reversing that trend will require us to scale what works. Over the past 20 years, WWF-Singapore has brought together government, business and communities to drive meaningful climate action for nature in Singapore. As we look ahead, our role is to harness Singapore’s strengths in innovation, science, finance and partnerships to accelerate conservation and climate solutions across Southeast Asia,” said Chew Sutat, Chief Executive Officer of WWF-Singapore. 

Building on 20 years of conservation action

Since its establishment in Singapore in 2006, WWF-Singapore has worked with governments, businesses, communities and partners to protect nature and address the drivers of nature loss.

Over the past two decades, WWF-Singapore’s work has expanded beyond individual conservation programmes to address wider factors shaping outcomes for nature, including finance, technology, policy and public participation.

Key milestones include:

• Conservation:  Mobilising resources to safeguard over 4.4 million hectares of critical habitats across priority landscape and seascapes, spanning 6 countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam), including the protection of 50+ threatened species, and strengthening capacity of Indigenous People and Local Communities (IP&LC) to steward conservation efforts and sustainably manage their natural resources.
  
• Community Engagement: More than 1,200 citizen-science volunteers engaged in biodiversity monitoring efforts in Singapore, and over 400 participants from six social service organisations reached through WWF-Singapore’s Rooted in Nature programme.
  
• Partnerships: Over 200 corporate, philanthropic and public sector partners have supported WWF-Singapore’s conservation efforts, helping to protect and restore nature, conserve wildlife and strengthen communities in Singapore and across Southeast Asia.

WWF-Singapore’s 20th Anniversary Gala brought together leaders from government, business, philanthropy, academia and conservation to mark two decades of collective action and explore the opportunities ahead. The evening also recognised longstanding partners whose contributions have helped advance conservation and sustainability efforts.

Beyond conservation programmes, WWF-Singapore is broadening the ways it engages people through art, storytelling and public conversations on nature conservation. This includes its role as Sustainability Partner for Singlife’s New Life, a multi-year stewardship initiative that raises awareness of overconsumption, waste and their impact on nature. At its centre is a sculpture of a critically endangered orangutan mother and her young, created from discarded materials by renowned Portuguese artist Bordalo II. The sculpture was unveiled at Gardens by the Bay on 22 October. 

As it enters its third decade, WWF-Singapore will continue harnessing innovation, science, technology, finance and partnerships to accelerate conservation impact in Singapore and across Southeast Asia.

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Acknowledgements

WWF-Singapore’s 20th Anniversary Gala was made possible with the generous support of our
sponsors:

Gold Sponsors
• City Developments Limited (CDL)
• Fuji Oil Asia Pte Ltd
• NTUC FairPrice Co-operative Limited
• Royal Ocean Advisory Pte. Ltd.
• Vulcan BioEnergy Pte. Ltd.

Venue Partner
• IMBA

F&B Partner
• Foura

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About WWF-Singapore
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the world’s largest independent conservation
organisations, working to stop environmental degradation and build a future where people live in
harmony with nature.
As one of WWF’s international hubs, WWF-Singapore supports a global network across more
than 100 countries. In Singapore and across the region, we work with partners to address key
drivers of nature loss, including deforestation, illegal wildlife trade, ocean health and food
systems, while advancing carbon finance to scale high-integrity climate and nature solutions.
For more information, please visit wwf.sg.