Opening address at GHHIN Southeast Asia Heat Health Forum - SMS Koh Poh Koon

Dr Joy Shumake-Guillemot, Head of the WHO-WMO Joint Office for Climate and Health, and Co-Chair of the Global Heat Health Information Network

International representatives 

Distinguished guests

1. Good morning, and a Happy New Year to you all. I am delighted to join you today at the First GHHIN Southeast Asia Heat Health Forum. 
   

2. GHHIN, or Global Heat Health Information Network, is a joint initiative by the World Health Organisation and World Meteorological Organisation to examine the health risks arising from extreme heat worldwide. I would like to congratulate the National University of Singapore for hosting the regional Southeast Asia hub of this global network and organising this inaugural forum.
   

3. This forum will enhance Southeast Asia’s regional capacity to manage extreme heat risks effectively, by fostering partnerships and promoting the exchange of evidence-based policies. The theme of this forum, “Toward a heat resilient Southeast Asia: Enhancing livelihoods and wellbeing”, reflects our shared commitment as a region to tackle heat management and its effects on our people.

Introduction

4. This forum convenes at a critical and timely juncture. With climate change, we are all feeling the heat more as a global community. According to the World Meteorological Organisation, 2024 was the warmest year since global temperature records began, outstripping the temperature of 2023, which was previously the warmest year. 

5. In 2024, Southeast Asia experienced a series of extreme heat events and record-breaking temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius. This has resulted in greater heat stress for people, many of whom are already living and working in hot and humid tropical conditions close to their physiological limits. Rapid urbanisation exacerbates these risks through the Urban Heat Island effect, as buildings trap heat and urban activities generate heat of their own. Such elevated temperatures can also disrupt water cycles and crop yields, and affect sectors such as agriculture. 

6. Extreme heat poses growing risks for human health. Studies show that approximately 489,000 heat-related deaths occur each year on average over the past two decades, with an estimated 45% of these in Asia.  Furthermore, heat stress can be economically costly. In the extreme heatwaves earlier this year across several Southeast Asian countries, outdoor sectors such as construction and agriculture had to stop work or reduce working hours, and many schools had to close. 

7. Closer to home, Singapore experienced the record highest maximum daily temperature of 37^oC at Ang Mo Kio on 13 May 2023, making it not only the warmest day in May on record, but also tying with 17 April 1983 as the highest ever temperature recorded in Singapore. Last year, the Centre for Climate Research Singapore launched Singapore’s Third Climate Change Study, or V3. Based on V3 climate projections, the annual average daily mean temperature for Singapore could increase by up to 5.0℃ by 2100. Very hot days and warm nights will be the new normal by end-century.
   

Singapore’s heat resilience strategy

8. To prepare for rising temperatures, Singapore has adopted a science-based and proactive heat resilience strategy.  

9. First, Singapore has stepped up the implementation of cooling strategies to reduce urban heat. These include leveraging climate-sensitive urban planning and design, intensifying greenery within our urban environment and reducing heat emissions. For example, we have begun incorporating environmental modelling upstream in the design and planning of new towns and estates, such as the Lentor district, to assess the most optimal configuration to improve wind flow and enhance thermal comfort. 

10. Second, we are leveraging science and innovation to design more effective heat resilience strategies. For example, the Cooling Singapore 2.0 project has developed a digital model to simulate Singapore’s urban climate and assess the effectiveness of various cooling strategies. The team at NUS Heat Resilience & Performance Centre, or HRPC, and the School of Medicine is also investigating the impact of warmer and more humid nights on sleep quality, to develop novel cooling solutions such as smart systems that can adjust fan wind speed and air-con temperature. This will ensure that rising temperatures do not disrupt people’s rest while we remain energy efficient. 

11. Third, complementing infrastructure interventions and leveraging the latest science and technology, we are working to increase community resilience. In 2023, we launched the Heat Stress Advisory to guide the public on ways to minimise the risk of heat stress. The public can check the prevailing heat stress levels on the myENV app before embarking on outdoor activities, and take simple steps to protect themselves. The Heat Stress Advisory is supported by sector-specific guidelines, such as the Ministry of Manpower’s enhanced measures, introduced in September last year, to reduce the risk of heat stress for outdoor workers. This framework includes measures for both workers, such as heat acclimatisation and regular hydration, and employers, such as monitoring heat stress levels and providing adequate rest breaks under shade.

12. The Cooling Singapore 2.0 project also investigates the impact of heat on different segments of our population, such as the elderly and the very young. Through the Climate Impact Science Research Programme, we are examining the effects of rising temperatures on our physical and mental health, as well as second-order effects such as increased prevalence of vector-borne diseases.
    

Singapore’s contributions towards regional and international heat resilience research

13. As climate change is a global challenge that transcends national boundaries, international cooperation and knowledge-sharing are crucial. One key area of cooperation is in advancing climate science to give us a better glimpse into the future.  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC, plays a crucial role through its regular assessments of the science related to climate change. Singapore contributes significantly to this effort, notably through our support for the IPCC Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability. Working Group II is co-chaired by Professor Winston Chow, who will be present here later today. 

14. We build on the IPCC’s work to understand the impact of climate change on our region. Our V3 projections were obtained by downscaling the IPCC’s global climate projections from its 6^th Assessment Report. V3 is currently the highest resolution set of climate change projections covering Southeast Asia, and we are working with international and regional stakeholders to share this dataset for further studies and use. We hope that these climate data will allow our regional partners to formulate and adjust their own climate adaptation strategies.

15. However, enhancing our scientific knowledge alone is not enough. The true power of science lies in its translation into real-world solutions that protect lives and livelihoods. For example, the World Meteorological Organisation’s efforts in advancing global climate and weather science capabilities underpin its role in co-leading the ‘Early Warnings for All’ initiative, including for extreme heat and forest fires. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres shared that such early warning systems coupled with standard occupational safety measures against extreme heat could yield tenfold returns and annual savings of more than $360 billion.  

16. The GHHIN also plays an important role in strengthening the heat-health nexus by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. It equips stakeholders with resources and best practices to create effective heat policies. The GHHIN Southeast Asia Hub, anchored at the HRPC, supports the GHHIN by customising heat-health strategies to Southeast Asia’s unique context. 

Launch of the GHHIN Southeast Asia Hub

17. Today, I am happy to officially launch the GHHIN Southeast Asia Hub, a critical milestone in our collective effort to combat the pressing challenges of heat and health in our region. 
    

18. I commend the HRPC and the NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine for their leadership in establishing the Hub. The Hub will facilitate collaboration, knowledge sharing, and capacity building among stakeholders. It will empower our region to develop and implement effective heat health strategies. These efforts are strengthening our regional collaboration on heat resilience, which is crucial for our shared future.
    

19. At this inaugural forum, I urge each of you to actively participate in the discussions and collaborations ahead. Addressing heat health challenges is not the responsibility of one person or one sector – it is a collective duty that falls on all our shoulders. This will be an important opportunity for us to reach across disciplines and sectors, fostering collaboration that will help us to develop comprehensive strategies for heat health resilience.

20. I wish to stress that our work does not end when this forum closes. Make friends, continue to build networks and carry this research and dialogue back to your home countries and institutions. Transform these conversations into actionable policies and initiatives that will benefit not just our individual nations, but our entire region.

21. Together, we have the power to shape a more resilient Southeast Asia, better equipped to face the heat-related challenges of tomorrow. I wish the GHHIN Southeast Asia Hub and all of you a fruitful and meaningful forum ahead.
    

22. Thank you.