Assoc Prof Simon Tay wins President’s Award for the Environment

Associate Professor Simon Tay is the recipient of the prestigious President’s Award for the Environment (PAE) this year. This award recognises his exemplary and sustained contributions, demonstrated through his leadership in driving Singapore’s sustainable development and our green transition. As the current Chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and founding Chairman of the National Environment Agency (NEA), his dedication to addressing the transboundary haze pollution and instrumental role in building regional collaborations have created significant impact at both national and international levels.

The prestigious ceremony was held at Gardens by the Bay on 2 October 2025, with President Tharman Shanmugaratnam presenting the awards.

On his win, Associate Professor Tay said, “I’m honoured and I share the award with those who have supported my work. At NUS, I’m thankful for academic colleagues who appreciate that our knowledge can be shared and used.”

Making an Impact

Associate Professor Tay graduated from National University of Singapore, Faculty of Law in 1986 and joined the Faculty in 1995. A passionate educator, he pioneered the course on International Environmental Law and has taught it since the start till today, while writing extensively on the haze problem in academic publications, in tandem with his policy work on climate change.

He said, “I believe in the importance of praxis linking practice and theory, academic knowledge to how things are and could be. The practicality of trying to address the haze and other issues also broadens my understanding of how law interacts with politics, economic policy, markets and society. I hope I have brought those experiences and perspectives into the classroom for my students and gone beyond textbook answers.”

In his role as Chairman of NEA from 2002-2008, he represented the country at major international negotiations for the environment, sustainable development and trade. Today, Associate Professor Tay is also Senior Consultant at WongPartnership.

About the President’s Award for the Environment  

The award is the highest environmental accolade conferred biennially upon individuals, organisations and education institutions that have made outstanding contributions to Singapore’s efforts in environmental sustainability.

Organised by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, the award recognises and honours the sustained contributions by environmental champions from the People, Public and Private (3P) sectors.

Previous winners include Emeritus Professor Tommy Koh ’61, a fellow alumnus of NUS Law, who initiated meaningful programmes for a sustainable future, including educating the youth and the community in showing responsibility towards the environment.