EPA Collaboration with Singapore
Demonstrating Leadership in Environmental Protection
Singapore, a small nation of 700 square KM, plays a large role in environmental leadership in the region. EPA and Singapore are cooperating to enforce environmental laws, improve air quality, protect drinking water, and reduce marine litter. This cooperation helps to implement the Plan of Action under the Memorandum of Intent Between the United States of America and the Republic of Singapore on Cooperation in Environmental Matters.
Explore our work in Singapore:
- Singapore NEA and EPA MOU
- Building Strong Institutions and Legal Structures
- Expanding Access to Clean Water
- Reducing Marine Litter
Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA) and EPA Memorandum of Understanding
In July 2023 EPA Administrator Michael Regan and Singapore Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu signed a Signed US EPA-Singapore NEA MOU (pdf) formalizing a framework of cooperation and collaboration for EPA and Singapore NEA. The MOU establishes several specific areas of cooperation such as solid waste management; air quality management; decontamination/management of chemical, biological, and radiological incidents; and environmental governance.
Building Strong Institutions and Legal Structures
Singapore and EPA recognize the importance of effective enforcement of environmental law. In 2017, the Singapore National Environment Agency (NEA) participated in a regional inspections workshop hosted by EPA and EPA Taiwan. Course participants from Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam learned practical principles and skills for conducting environmental inspections.
EPA and NEA are also active in the Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN), which brings together enforcement officials from 13 countries to improve compliance with environmental laws and policies in Asia.
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Expanding Access to Clean Water
According to the United Nations, the Asia-Pacific region is home to 60% of the world’s population, but it has only 36% of its water resources. In Singapore, most of the water supply is either imported or reclaimed through methods like desalination.
Since 2013, EPA and Singapore PUB (Singapore’s National Water Agency) have been supporting clean drinking water research in the U.S. and Singapore through collaboration and information exchange on topics such as water contamination detection, water reuse, and management of algal blooms.
Photo Credit: U.S. Embassy Singapore
Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) is organized by Singapore PUB and is one of the premier water conferences in the world. EPA is an enthusiastic supporter of SIWW and collaborates with Singapore PUB by providing speakers, organizing workshops, and serving as experts for various SIWW events.
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Reducing Marine Litter
EPA and Singapore are committed to working together to protect our communities and the environment from marine litter through implementation of effective waste management systems. EPA is collaborating with Singapore to exchange information on good practices on circular economy approaches and technologies to reduce litter from entering waterways. In 2021, as part of the U.S.-Singapore Third Country Training Programme, EPA collaborated with the U.S. Department of State and Singapore NEA to develop and implement a five-part virtual training course on addressing plastic pollution through integrated waste management strategies. This collaboration aims to showcase different strategies to improve solid waste management on land to prevent marine litter while facilitating exchanges on circular economy approaches.