SEAPAW and the Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) co-organised a two-day workshop on “The Future of Water: Stewarding Water Resources through Innovative Finance Tools” at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy (LKYSPP), National University of Singapore.

The workshop brought together policymakers, academics and industry practitioners for discussions focused on water governance and innovative finance. Conversations explored the feasibility of water credits and the institutional, policy, and measurement conditions required to make the approach credible and equitable.

Mr Tharman Shanmugaratnam, President of the Republic of Singapore and patron of Singapore International Foundation, attended part of the workshop and observed several discussions, underscoring the importance of water resilience in the wider context of climate adaptation.

In opening remarks delivered on behalf of SEAPAW Chairperson Professor Khoo Teng Chye, it was emphasised that water is not only an environmental issue but a systemic economic and governance challenge, requiring approaches that treat it as both a public good and an economic asset.

SEAPAW members anchored panels across the two days and contributed regionally grounded insights and case studies, reinforcing that any water finance instrument must be designed with careful attention to institutional context and equity.

Read the full workshop proceedings report here.