One of the most famous Indian-origin people in Singapore, former Monetary Authority of Singapore chief Ravi Menon, has been named the island nation’s first Ambassador for Climate Action. The appointment comes into effect from April 1, 2024.
In this capacity, he will represent Singapore at international climate action forums and lead the efforts undertaken by Singapore to mitigate the impact of climate change.
“[Ravi Menon] will also drive public-private partnerships with local stakeholders, in particular the business community, to help them seize opportunities to succeed in a low-carbon future,” said the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) in a statement yesterday.
In addition to being Singapore’s Ambassador for Climate Action, Menon will be a senior adviser at the NCCS, which operates within the purview of the Prime Minister’s Office.
Like most other nations, Singapore is pursuing the goal of Net Zero, with the goalpost set at the year 2050. As defined by the World Economic Forum: “Reaching Net Zero emissions means removing an equal amount of CO2 from the atmosphere as we release into it.”
In other words, measures to enhance sustainable practices, transition to green energy, and cut in emissions are required to offset the ever-increasing human population and industrial activities.
“Singapore will play an active role in fostering international collaboration to catalyse global climate action, and will leverage our strengths as a global hub to do so,” said the NCCS.
Before this new role, Menon served at the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) as its managing director for about 13 years — from 2011 to January 1, 2024 — until his retirement.
His appointment as climate ambassador is apt, since Menon contributed significantly to Singapore’s green finance ecosystem. Within this area of work, he led MAS efforts to support green projects in Asia. “Mr Menon has a strong international network in climate finance,” said the NCCS.