COP29, Climate Action and How Singapore is Responding

Piers Clark: Welcome to the Exec Exchange, a 15 minute podcast in which a leader from the water sector shares a story to inspire, educate and inform other water sector leaders from across the globe. My name is Piers Clark and today my guest is Tze-Ch'in Ong, the Chief Executive of PUB in Singapore.

Tze-Ch'in, wonderful to have you with us.

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Wonderful to join you again, Piers.

Piers Clark: Well now we always start by learning a little bit about, our podcaster. So, now you've got a really interesting background. I think you are unique. I think you are the only chief executive of a water utility who has a military background.

Can you, tell us a bit about your background and how you've ended up being chief Executive PUB?

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Well, it's not entirely unique for PUB if you know the history of PUB and our chief executives. Uh, well, I served almost 25 years in the Singapore Armed Forces in the Army in particular. My final job in the Singapore Armed Forces was Director of Military Intelligence.

And I left about six and a half years ago to join the public service, the Singapore Public Service. I moved around in several jobs. This is my fourth job in the last six and a half years. And I've been the PUB's Chief Executive for the last one year. It's been an interesting ride.

Piers Clark: And, uh, the really, and forgive me if I'm not intending to blow smoke here, but, the leadership skills you've brought from your army background, your military background, are so inspiring and very obvious to see.

It's, it's incredible. So, well, thank you for that. Now, uh, I suspect everybody knows about PUB. It must be one of the most well known utilities across the world, but, give me the 60 second description of what PUB is, how many people it serves, the services it offers.

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Well, PUB is a public agency in the Singapore government and we're about 3, 500 strong.

And actually, I suspect many people don't realize that a PUB is truly a water agency. We have the full gamut of, uh, of responsibilities from supplying good water to reclaiming used water, treating wastewater, taming stormwater, flood prevention, as well as resisting rising seas, defending Singapore against sea level rise.

So I suspect there are very few other agencies with this whole spread spectrum of responsibilities that we have in PUB.

Piers Clark: Yeah, absolutely. And we're going to touch a little bit more on the on the recycling and reuse, because of course, P. U. B. has been the bellwether, the leading utility over the last 20, 30 years on water recycling.

And actually, I think it might be worth it's just pausing for a minute to talk about the fact that that's because it's a national security issue. You know, the the founder of Singapore made it made water central to what. Singapore did, uh, and that's part of the legacy, isn't it?

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Yes, indeed. I mean, I always say that as chief executive of PUB, I stand truly on the shoulders of giants.

There are so many of them before me and many of the things that we have done have been achieved over generations of PUB officers. Um, I'm just building on that, their success

Piers Clark: standing on the shoulders of giants. What a great, great way. And the beauty of this is that if you do your job properly, people in the future will refer back to you as one of the giant shoulders that they stand on.

Um, now the reason we're talking today, uh, is because, and today is the 26th of November. We're actually recording this on the morning of the day we're intending to release this broadcast. It's because you've just returned from COP29. Now, I'd like to start with you sharing a little bit about what's it like.

Describe to me what a COP is like.

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: So, as you know, COP stands for Conference of Parties. It is a meeting of various parties to an agreement, right? And in particular, COP29 is a conference of parties for the Paris Agreement. To fight climate change. So I was there. This is my second COP, by the way My first one was last year at Dubai, uh, COP 28 So what happens there is that there is this two tracks of activities going on. There is a negotiation strikes between the governments to try to come up with a new deal this year was the whole new nc Q, uh, NCQG, I think it was something like that.

Yeah, basically the new goal for developed countries to contribute to climate finance for developing countries. Um, for me, I was there primarily to support the Singapore pavilion and it's a whole series of pavilions at the COP, uh, venue itself, uh, spread across all countries and organizations. Last year was the first time I went partly because last year was the first time that COP had the water themed day.

And PUB got involved supporting Water Day at the Singapore Pavilion, as well as picking up speaking positions and opportunities at other pavilions.

Piers Clark: And you spoke at a couple of the pavilions. What was it you were talking about?

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Well, I think for Singapore, our water story is one of the most amazing stories about Singapore, and that's something that we constantly share.

Uh at all these occasions I must say that a lot of people of course are interested in how we have done water Recycling the whole story about NEWater how we've made this one of our national taps one of our four national taps in Singapore But I went on to share something else. I think perhaps less well

Piers Clark: Sorry to interrupt but but NEWater.

I think for many of our listeners. We need to just explain What NEWater is and you know, you can arrive in Singapore and you can buy something called NEWater It's bottled water. It's got the word new and water all presented as one word, but what is NEWater?

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Well NEWater is the high grade recycled water that PUB produces from well, we call it used water by most countries.

They call it waste water. We treat waste water We treat it and we process it and we make it in the high grade Water that we actually do not sell in bottles in the supermarkets most of it actually gets sold directly via pipelines to our industrial customers a Small quantity of it gets piped into our reservoirs in what we call indirect potable use And then treat it again before it converts into potable water that we don't sell on to individual household customers.

Piers Clark: That's my error. It's because when I've been in Singapore, uh, Singapore Water Week or something like that, you get given a bottle of NEWater and I assumed it was, it was viable. So it's direct potable reuse and it's something that, that Singapore

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Indirect.

Piers Clark: Sorry, indirect potable reuse. And it's, um, it's something that Singapore absolutely led the way.

Now, let's get back to you. I interrupted your storytelling. So you were talking around, uh, what you've been doing on NEWater. And in particular, I think we've got. You have NEWater, you now also have new brew.

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Well, I think for people who come to Singapore for Singapore Industrial Water Week, new brew is not something that is new to you, right?

We've been doing it since 2018, and I think as I share with the New York Times, a bit of a marketing gimmick, it's there to show you how pure NEWater can be and how accessible it can be and I think uh, it is something that we're quite proud of It's been something also that we have been showcasing at the Singapore pavilion at COP since the pavilion started I think three years ago and this year it was a subject of great interest amongst the visitors to the Singapore Pavilion.

Piers Clark: Yeah, well, I can imagine everyone likes to get a little bit of free beer. And to make it, just to be absolutely clear, New Brew is a beer that is made from the indirect, uh, potable reuse, uh, water.

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: To be, to be exact though, in this case, it comes direct potable use, right? So what we did, We have our port, our rewater.

This is not the one that's pouring into the, the reservoirs. This one was a whole batch of fresh NEWater from the factory sent over to our partner, a microbrewery, who then mixed it to make New Brew, which is a, which is a beer, right? And we sell, we put it out in cans. We don't really sell it. It's a bit of a marketing, marketing gimmick to showcase how pure the water can be and how drinkable it can be.

Piers Clark: Everything that raises the profile is, is good. Raises the profile of water shortage and water use. How much of that water did you have to take? How much of the new brew did you take to, uh, Baku?

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Uh, I can't quite remember. Just, I think maybe a few thousand cans. Well, we just have to have enough to give out.

Every day

Piers Clark: to make an impact to make it.

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: That's right. That's right. And it has and yes, I think there's several nicknames that business came by I think sewage beer was one piss beer is the other But I think it's important for us to realize that you know, what is recycling is here to stay, and I would say that you know, one of the things that people don't realize about pb We think of ourselves as a utility, but we are a climate adaptation agency We are in the business of climate adaptation whether it's drought whether it's floods You Whether the sea level rise, PUB is going to settle all of that, right?

And uh, and we are in the business of climate adaptation and which is why COP 29, COP in general, the whole issue of climate change is something that's very relevant for PUB.

Piers Clark: Well, um, that leads me to asking a question about the relevance of COP. We've had 29 of them. Why do we do them? And should we continue doing them?

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Well, for anyone who has been, who has done international relations, COP just stands for a conference of parties, right? It's a meeting of the parties to an agreement. In this case, the Paris Agreement which is basically the agreement across countries to fight climate change. Whether it's, well, you sort of have to have it, right?

Parties have to come together to discuss what's the next step for the agreement, how do you take this forward, so that's the negotiating track. But what's slightly different, of course, is this whole growth of this pavilion track, discussion track.

Piers Clark: The circus that comes with it.

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: That's right.

Piers Clark: Conference of parties, but you've got thousands of people coming for the circus.

The pavilions, are they worthwhile?

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: I have to say I'm a bit divided on that. Uh, I thought for PUB for Singapore is a great opportunity to share our story, showcase what we're doing to address some of the impacts of climate change, at least for the water side of business, right? And how we are ready. I mean, we are preparing for an era of water scarcity simply because Singapore by ourselves is already one of the most water scarce countries in the world So we are preparing ourselves for it.

A world that is even more water scarce, but in many ways, I think, compared to other countries, a bit ahead, because we've been thinking about this problem for such a long time. Uh, people talk about how, you know, NEWater, how we brought in recycled water into our mix of, uh, water supply. But people, I think, also don't, don't realize that in, before that, in Singapore, we took several steps to, and I quote, make Every raindrop count.

We really collect every raindrop we can in Singapore so that we can store it so that we have a maximized amount of water we can collect for our water supply.

Piers Clark: Yes. Um, so we've got a couple of minutes. I'd like to just delve a little deeper into the things that Singapore, the PUB is doing to mitigate against , the climate crisis.

You've obviously building, some desalination units. You've got the water recycling. What are the other, big elements that you see as being key to your strategy for addressing climate crisis?

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Well, I think in terms of water supply, I mean, the biggest concern, of course, is with scarcity of water, right?

And how do you make sure that your water supply continues to be there? I don't think we are going to expand significantly from our four national TAPs strategy, right? For those who don't know Singapore's four national TAPs, it's a combination of local catchment of rainwater. Imported water from Malaysia, NEWater, which is recycled water and desalination from the sea.

I would say that we are really doubling down on recycled water. I'm sure for those who know, we are in the midst of, building an expansion to our Changi NEWater, production facility. There will be a new NEWater factory that comes out with my new Tuas water reclamation plant in the West.

So we are significantly and almost, I think, doubling our capacity to produce NEWater. And I would say that we are only limited by the amount of water that we Wastewater we generate as the source and feedstock for that NEWater to be produced.

Piers Clark: Yeah, of course, it can go around the loop a number of times.

If you're if you're clever, you can use the same drop cycled around

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: several times.

Piers Clark: Singapore has, uh, has been the pioneer. I joined the water sector in the early 1990s and the work that was being done. I think it was called Water Factory 21 back then was the pioneer of of everything that was going on in membranes, which were this terribly new technology.

And it's wonderful to see that sort of three, four decades on Singapore remains a sort of guiding light, a lighthouse for for the industry in terms of new technology and new ways of moving things forward. And long may that last. And I do think it comes down to the fact that the government of Singapore has recognized that water is a national security issue, and we won't find that same level of focus in other countries until we do.

Other politicians recognized the importance of water there. Um, in our last couple of minutes, we always like to finish with a sort of slightly cheeky question of asking you to go back 20 years and share with me any advice you now, with the benefit of the wisdom that you've gathered over the last 20 years, what wisdom, what advice would you give a young Tze-Ch'in, if you could speak to him now.

Mr. Ong Tze-Ch'in: Actually, um, I would just tell him, you know, enjoy the journey. Don't forget, don't, don't worry about, uh, how it all turns out. Somehow you end up in all kinds of places. Because 20 years ago, I think I was still very much, I was a young officer in the army. Very much starting out in Korea. Uh, dead set on, you know, climbing the ranks, doing well in the army.

And I don't think I would have imagined that leaving the army, I would go through all the pathways that I have and all the journeys I've had and worked with all these wonderful people on very important issues, ranging from, of course, water now. At one point was lifelong learning and skills future in Singapore.

And I think it's been a really meaningful journey and career. And I, and actually in the army career too. When I left and retired. 2018. I told all my friends and comrades, I have no regrets. It was a great career and I had great fun. So I would tell the younger Tze-Ch'in, enjoy the journey. Enjoy the ride.

You'll love it.

Piers Clark: Say yes to everything. That feels like the answer. Thank you, Tze-Ch'in. You have been listening to The Exec Exchange with Piers Clark. Today, I've been talking to the Chief Executive of PUB, Tze-Ch'in, what he's been doing, in Singapore and what he's been talking about at the recent COP29.

Please join us next time. Goodbye.