"We've reached the limits because it is too large a source of greenhouse gas emissions. We can't keep encroaching into natural forests and other natural ecosystems, and also because soil health has deteriorated very significantly," he says, highlighting that there has been a marked decrease in the moisture in the soil over the last 20 years.
One area charities may want to pay greater attention to is food systems and nutrition, an issue President Tharman Shanmugaratnam describes as a "looming crisis" that has yet to receive adequate focus.
Speaking at the Philanthropy Asia Summit (PAS) on May 5, Tharman, who is also the patron of the Philanthropy Asia Alliance (PAA), highlighted the urgent need to rethink food production and sustainability. He was speaking on a panel alongside Bill Gates, the chair and trustee of the Gates Foundation. The panel was moderated by Jennifer Lewis, strategic partnerships lead and co-head of collaboration and partnerships at Temasek Trust.
