NTU Singapore charts its course for carbon neutrality and societal impact with 15-year manifesto for sustainability

NTU Singapore has announced its Sustainability Manifesto that will propel its wide-ranging sustainability efforts over the next 15 years and solidify the University’s position as a global leader in sustainability.

By 2035, NTU will strive to achieve carbon neutrality, along with a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions.

As part of its manifesto, NTU announced the establishment of a S$1 billion Medium Term Note programme. This programme, together with the Sustainability Framework, will give the University access to capital markets through the issuance of Sustainability Linked Bonds from time to time.

The new Sustainability Framework comes as Moody’s Investors Service today announced NTU’s credit rating of “Aaa”, the highest available, along with a baseline credit assessment of ‘aaa’. Moody’s has also issued a “stable” rating outlook for NTU.

In addition to striving for carbon neutrality, NTU’s Sustainability Framework includes plans to:

• Achieve 100% Green Mark Platinum certification for all eligible buildings on the main NTU campus;
• Reduce by 50% NTU’s net energy utilisation, water usage, and waste generation, by March 2026, compared to the baseline levels of 2011;
• Incorporate sustainability in its newly established interdisciplinary common core curriculum for all undergraduate students;
• Launch new undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education programme options on different aspects of sustainability;
• Promote sustainable food tech solutions and pathways for food production and for minimising food wastage;
• Establish a new NTU Sustainability Office to coordinate and drive sustainability efforts in education, research, as well as individual and community engagement, in a holistic and integrated way;
• Support and promote the principles of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals across the pillars of education, research, innovation and community; and
• Forge close ties with Industry Sustainability Partners that are committed to joining NTU’s Sustainability journey.
  

Seven multinational organisations – Applied Materials Inc. (USA), Continental AG (Germany), Durapower Ltd. (Singapore), HP Inc. (USA), Hyundai (South Korea), Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. (India) and the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (headquartered in Singapore) – have committed to become key partners of NTU’s Sustainability journey.

A new NTU Sustainability Office has been established to coordinate and drive NTU’s sustainability efforts in a holistic and integrated way. Prof Madhavi Srinivasan from the School of Materials Science and Engineering, will lead the office. 

More details on the NTU Sustainability Manifesto’s targets and goals are available at: www.ntu.edu.sg/sustainability.