Global environmental non-profit The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has officially expanded into Singapore. Its new premises at The Great Room in the Afro-Asia Building, unveiled on July 17, adds to its Asia-Pacific network, which spans Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, Mongolia and Myanmar.
Supported by the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB), TNC says its new office will serve as a strategic global centre for partnerships, innovation and scientific research, focused on addressing the “interconnected crises” of climate change and biodiversity loss.
TNC says in a June 18 statement that it plans to hire at least 20 new staff members over the next five years.
Singapore plays “a crucial piece of the ecological puzzle” in Asia-Pacific, says Jennifer Morris, TNC’s chief executive officer. “We are excited to build on The Nature Conservancy’s seven decades of experience with our expansion into Singapore… We understand the pressing challenges faced by this rapidly growing region, and we look forward to our work with partners in Singapore to further strengthen the deployment of nature-based solutions that deliver triple benefits for climate, nature and people.”
Thomas Brzostowski, TNC’s interim Singapore country director, tells The Edge Singapore that the non-profit will recruit a permanent country director “in the coming months”.
Brzostowski, who has been with TNC since 2016, moved from New Zealand to set up the Singapore office.
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TNC was among the inaugural cohort of 15 companies included in the Monetary Authority of Singapore’s ESG Impact Hub. Launched in October 2022, the Hub aims to facilitate collaboration among sustainability-focused fintechs, financial institutions and other stakeholders by housing them in co-working space The Great Room.
Here, TNC aims to drive sustainable solutions by supporting the growth of a high-integrity market for nature-based solutions (NBS) like carbon credits.
Through the Southeast Asia Climate and Nature-based Solutions Coalition (SCeNe Coalition), TNC and seven other environmental and conservation non-profits across Southeast Asia are accelerating the adoption of NBS in the region.
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TNC also aims to match growing interest from private sector investors with increased demand for climate and conservation funding in the region.
By partnering with trading companies and the finance sector, TNC says it will help address “commodity-driven land conversion”, such as the clearing of forests, peatlands, mangroves and other natural areas for agriculture.
Finally, TNC hopes to collaborate with leading academic and research institutions “to deepen the understanding of nature's role in addressing climate change”. This partnership will aid in the acceleration of the deployment of NBS across the region, adds the non-profit.
Singapore hopes to play a role in accelerating the low-carbon transition in Southeast Asia by leveraging its strengths in innovation, financing and professional services, says Damian Chan, executive vice-president at EDB. “As we grow as a hub for the region in carbon management, we welcome the addition of TNC, bringing with it global conservation experience and research and project development capabilities… We look forward to TNC’s contributions in driving sustainable solutions and creating new partnerships, both here and in the region.”
