Singapore, 9 December 2020 – Temasek and Mandai Park Holdings (“MPH”), the parent entity of Singapore’s wildlife and conservation organisation, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), today announced the establishment of Mandai Nature Fund (“Mandai Nature”) to advance efforts in nature conservation and climate change mitigation in Asia.

With a million species at risk of extinction and habitats being lost around the world, the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report 2020¹’s six top risks are all linked to nature and climate change – reinforcing the vulnerable state of economies and people, worldwide.

Mr Shaun Seow, Managing Director, Community Stewardship, Temasek, said: “Temasek’s role as a trusted steward and its commitment to advance communities remain steadfast amid these uncertain and volatile times. As climate change and the loss of biodiversity are pressing issues affecting all of our lives, we think it is timely to establish Mandai Nature, in partnership with MPH, to drive nature-based sustainability in Singapore and beyond. MPH is a natural partner, given its focus on biodiversity conservation, and together, we hope to deliver positive impact and catalyse changes so as to benefit our communities.”

Mr Mike Barclay, Group CEO of MPH, said, “Being a conservation-minded organisation, protecting wildlife is core to our mission. Over the past decade, we have funded numerous field projects and empowered hundreds of field researchers to further conservation efforts in Singapore and the region. Our commitment is always long term, as it takes many years for habitats to be restored and for threatened species to come back from the brink of extinction. Establishing Mandai Nature will allow us to scale up the scope and impact of our conservation work across Asia.”

Mandai Nature aims for people and wildlife to thrive in Singapore and in Asia with healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities. It will help protect threatened species from extinction, especially those endemic to Asia and often overlooked, by addressing issues of wildlife trade and the fragmentation of habitats. It will work with partners to drive nature-based solutions for climate change focusing on green and blue carbon including protecting and restoring tropical forests, mangroves and peatlands – which will also provide habitats for wildlife and critical ecosystem services.

Mandai Nature recognises the important role communities play in the conservation of nature and will work closely with local communities and organisations to create economic opportunities and invest in building skills and conservation capacity of individuals and organisations.

To deliver on its ambition, Mandai Nature will work closely with Temasek and WRS to build partnerships with conservation experts and organisations, zoos and zoo associations, educational institutions, regulatory bodies, companies, local communities and philanthropists.  It will build on the species conservation impact delivered by WRS over the past decade in Singapore and in Southeast Asia through the WRS Conservation Fund² (WRSCF) and its regional programmes, while expanding the mandate to include habitat protection and community engagement. It will hope to contribute towards enhancing Singapore’s efforts to support biodiversity conservation in Singapore and the region.

Mandai Nature will be led by Ms Kavita Prakash-Mani, the newly appointed CEO, who will spearhead and deliver its strategic objectives. Prior to her appointment as CEO of Mandai Nature, Ms Prakash-Mani was the Global Conservation Director for World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), guiding conservation strategies across the WWF network and developing key initiatives to achieve its conservation goals. Ms Prakash-Mani will report to the Board of Mandai Nature, which will be chaired by Mr Robin Hu, Head, Sustainability & Stewardship Group at Temasek.

“Asia is home to a third of the world population. And just Southeast Asia accounts for 15 per cent of tropical forests and 60 per cent of tropical peatlands. However, these ecosystems and the unique wildlife they support are at risk in Asia, with some of the highest loss rates globally,” said Ms Kavita Prakash-Mani.

“We have a unique opportunity to contribute to healthy ecosystems and vibrant communities in Asia. Working with local organisations and local communities, we aim to build a bottom-up approach to conservation that contributes to mitigating climate change, enables wildlife and people to thrive and co-exist, and values the ecosystem services provided by habitats such as forests, wetlands, peatlands, mangroves and more. We look forward to working with all partners to deliver on our goals,” she added.

Mandai Nature is established in Singapore as a non-profit organisation and an Institution of Public Character. Madam Halimah Yacob, President of the Republic of Singapore, who was the Patron of the WRSCF, has graciously agreed to be Patron of Mandai Nature.

Mandai Nature will be supported through an endowment from Temasek as well as funding from MPH.

Mandai Nature underscores Temasek’s focus on Advancing Science and Nature for a Sustainable World as one of three key pillars in its philanthropic efforts. The other two pillars are Strengthening Social Resilience and Uplifting Lives and Fostering International Exchange and Enhancing Regional Capabilities.

For enquires regarding Mandai Nature, please contact: enquiry@mandai.com

# END #

For media enquiries, please contact:

About Temasek

Temasek is an investment company with a net portfolio value of S$306 billion as at 31 March 2020.

Our three roles as an Investor, Institution and Steward, as defined in our Temasek Charter, shape our ethos to do well, do right and do good.

Our investment philosophy is anchored around four key themes: Transforming Economies; Growing Middle Income Populations; Deepening Comparative Advantages; and Emerging Champions.

Our investment direction in Temasek is shaped by structural trends: longer lifespans, rising affluence and sustainable living drive social progress, enabled by technological solutions for sharing economies, smarter systems and a more connected world.

We actively seek sustainable solutions to address present and future challenges, as we capture investment and other opportunities that help to bring about a better, smarter and more sustainable world.

Temasek has had overall corporate credit ratings of Aaa/AAA by rating agencies Moody’s Investors Service and S&P Global Ratings respectively, since our inaugural credit ratings in 2004.

Headquartered in Singapore, we have 11 offices around the world: Beijing, Hanoi, Mumbai, Shanghai and Singapore in Asia; and London, New York, San Francisco, Washington DC, Mexico City, and Sao Paulo outside Asia.

For more information on Temasek, please visit www.temasek.com.sg

For Temasek Review 2020, please visit www.temasekreview.com.sg

Connect with us on social media: Facebook (Temasek); LinkedIn (Temasek); Twitter (@Temasek); Instagram (@temasekseen); YouTube (TemasekDigital) and WeChat (temasek_digital).

About Mandai Park Holdings

Mandai Park Holdings (MPH) oversees the business and strategic development of Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), the operator of Singapore’s award-winning Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari, River Safari and Singapore Zoo that aim to inspire people to value and conserve biodiversity by providing meaningful and memorable wildlife experiences. A self-funded organisation, WRS focuses on protecting biodiversity in Singapore and Southeast Asia through collaborations with like-minded partners, organisations and institutions. MPH is also driving the rejuvenation of Mandai Precinct into an integrated nature and wildlife destination, through its development arm, Mandai Park Development (MPD).

______________________________

¹ World Economic Forum, The Global Risk Report 2020. http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risk_Report_2020.pdf 

² WRSCF was established in 2009. It has supported projects undertaken by local scientists, academics and national authorities and was pivotal in the launch and implementation of conservation plans for critically endangered Singaporean species like the Raffles’ Banded Langur, Singapore Freshwater Crab and Sunda Pangolin.