The former central bank chief will drive international collaboration and public-private partnerships to tackle climate change.
On March 26, 2024, Ravi Menon was named Singapore’s first ambassador for climate action and a senior adviser to the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS), effective April 1. In this role, he will represent Singapore on international climate action platforms, contributing to global discussions and initiatives aimed at combating climate change.
Menon, who previously served as the managing director of the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), will focus on fostering public-private partnerships, particularly engaging the business community to explore opportunities in a low-carbon economy. He will also provide advice on government-wide climate policies and actions as part of his advisory role with the NCCS.
Focus on Climate Finance and Sustainability
NCCS, established in July 2010 under the Prime Minister’s Office, aims to formulate and implement Singapore’s strategies to address climate change. The agency underscored Menon’s extensive international network in climate finance and his experience in creating a regional green financing ecosystem during his tenure at MAS.
Notably, Menon led efforts to develop a taxonomy for transition financing, establish an international coalition for transition credits, and create the Financing Asia’s Transition Partnership—a blended finance platform to tackle climate finance gaps in the region. His past leadership roles include chairing the Network of Central Banks and Supervisors for Greening the Financial System and serving on the Asia-Pacific Advisory Board of the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero.
Commitment to Global Climate Action
The NCCS stated, “Singapore will play an active role in fostering international collaboration to catalyze global climate action and will leverage our strengths as a global hub to do so.” This commitment reflects the growing recognition of climate change as an “existential threat to the world,” and the agency aims to capture new economic opportunities while addressing environmental challenges.
Menon’s appointment marks a significant step in Singapore’s efforts to enhance its role in global climate discussions and strengthen its domestic initiatives to combat climate change.
