The Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN) Southeast Asia Hub, based at the Heat Resilience & Performance Centre (HRPC) at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS Medicine), in collaboration with the National Environment Agency (NEA), Ministry of Manpower (MOM), and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE), today launched “ A Multi-Stakeholder Approach for Urban Heat Resilience: Singapore's Experience” at the World Cities Summit 2026 CLC-IPCC Senior Leaders Roundtable on the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.
The report documents Singapore's journey and approach toward urban heat resilience, examining how sustained, multi-stakeholder action across government, research institutions, industry, and communities can effectively protect populations from rising temperatures in a tropical urban environment.
Addressing a Growing Urban Health Challenge
As cities across Southeast Asia and beyond experience intensifying heat, the report arrives at a critical moment. Urban heat poses significant and growing risks to public health, worker productivity, and community wellbeing — risks that are disproportionately borne by older adults, outdoor and indoor workers, and communities without access to cooling.
Singapore's approach demonstrates that effective heat resilience requires more than isolated interventions. The report identifies six key dimensions of a sustained, coordinated response: high-level political commitment; multi-stakeholder engagement; whole-of-government coordination; science and research partnerships; industry and employer collaboration; and community empowerment.
Key Findings
“Climate change affects our economies, livelihoods, and everyday lives. We have designated 2026 as the Year of Climate Adaptation and will be developing our first National Adaptation Plan (NAP) to galvanise collective action and co-create solutions with public, private, and people stakeholders,” Mr Melvyn Ong, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said. “Notably, heat resilience is an emerging and salient issue for Singapore. The report showcases Singapore’s Whole-of-Government approach to heat resilience, which we look forward to further developing with stakeholders as part of our upcoming NAP.”
“As temperatures rise, cities must think carefully about how to keep people safe, healthy, and able to live and work well,” Associate Professor Jason Lee, Director, HRPC, NUS Medicine, said. “Singapore’s journey shows that heat resilience is not built through one measure alone, but through many groups working together — from policymakers and researchers to businesses and communities. We hope this report offers useful insights for other cities, while encouraging more exchange and collaboration across the region.”
A Resource for the Region
While recognising that there is no one-size-fits-all pathway to heat resilience, the authors present Singapore's experience as one approach shaped by its own unique context. The report is intended as a contribution to a broader regional conversation — opening space for dialogue, exchange, and collaboration across diverse cities, communities, and contexts in Southeast Asia and beyond.
About the Report
A Multi-Stakeholder Approach for Urban Heat Resilience: Singapore's Experience was co-authored by:
Read the full report: https://heathealth.info/resources/a-multi-stakeholder-approach-for-urban-heat-resilience-singapores-experience/