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Lim Tiam Seng Lecture Series

Water as an Enabler of Sustainable Development

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of Agenda 2030 and climate actions are vital for sustainable development and resilience. Yet, as we reach the midpoint of 'Agenda 2030', the reality is stark: all nations are falling short of their Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets. Progress on most SDGs is either too slow or regressing below the 2015 baseline. With only seven years remaining to achieve these transformative goals, urgent action is necessary to accelerate progress. After the 2023 SDG Summit, the UN General Assembly emphasized that mitigating and adapting to climate change are immediate and urgent priorities. In 2023 and 2024, unprecedented climate impacts, exacerbated by record-breaking global temperatures, highlighted the urgency of climate action.

Despite the ambition to accelerate climate actions and pursue Agenda 2030's SDGs, significant barriers remain. Effective action often hinges on locally tailored initiatives that respond to the specific social, institutional, and biophysical contexts of communities. An inclusive climate action framework is needed to inspire local actions that align with these settings and priorities. 

Water is a powerful enabler of climate and Agenda2030 actions and water practitioners need to assume the leadership in delivering innovative integrated urban water management. The speaker will explore what operationalising climate actions and Agenda2030 through water management entails. 

Urbanization and associated investments present opportunities to redesign urban infrastructure for greater resilience and sustainability. Our responses must be multi-faceted and cross-cutting, particularly in urban areas where challenges and their impacts converge. Integrating water management with urban planning is essential for creating climate-resilient cities.

Find out more about the Festival of Ideas by clicking here and for enquiries, please contact LKYSPP Events Team via email: decb64_bGt5c3BwLWZvaUBudXMuZWR1LnNn_decb64

This event is in conjunction with the NUS Sustainability CONNECT Highlight 2024
Lobby,
Oei Tiong Ham Building, 
Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy,
469C Bukit Timah Road
Singapore 259772 
Thu 19 September 2024
12:15 PM - 01:45 PM

Prof Tony Wong

Prof Tony Wong

Professor, Sustainable Development, Monash University

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Prof Cecilia Tortajada

Prof Cecilia Tortajada

Professor in Practice - Environmental Innovation, School of Social & Environmental Sustainability, University of Glasgow

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