Koh Lian Pin

Professor, National University of Singapore

Prof. Koh Lian Pin has 16 years of international research experience in the field of sustainability and environmental science, having worked in institutions across Switzerland, Australia and the United States. He was formerly a Swiss National Science Foundation Professor at ETH Zurich, the Chair of Applied Ecology and Conservation at the University of Adelaide, and Vice President of Science Partnerships and Innovation at Conservation International Foundation. In 2020, Prof. Koh returned to Singapore under the National Research Foundation’s Returning Singaporean Scientists scheme to join the Department of Biological Sciences at the National University of Singapore. He is also Director of the University’s Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions. Prof. Koh is one of the most highly cited conservation scientists in Asia, a TED-Global speaker, founding director of ConservationDrones.org and a World Economic Forum young global leader.

A woman wearing a protective mask looks at blossoms in a park in Beijing on 21 March 2020. (Thomas Peter/File Photo/Reuters)
Society

The world has become greener because of Covid-19, but will it last?

By Koh Lian Pin 26 May 2020
The world has become greener and cleaner because of a drastic drop in human activity brought about by the pandemic. Professor Koh Lian Pin opines that these effects may be only temporary but the fact remains that the world needs to direct more attention to climate change. He sees China playing a bigger role in implementing nature-based solutions for climate and sustainable development. With its experience and immense investments in scientific research and development, it could even lend a hand to countries in the Asian region.