Page 50 - HSBC NYAA Youth Environmental Award 25th Anniversary

Ho Xiang Tian

Ho Xiang Tian received the HSBC NYAA Youth
Environmental Award in 2016. He participated in
an overseas trip to study the wildlife in the ever-
changing Andorran Pyrenees, further broadening
his understanding of environmental conservation in
diverse ecosystems under the Earthwatch Scientists.
This experience deepened his knowledge of how
climate change impacts wildlife in mountainous regions,
strengthening his commitment to global biodiversity
preservation and inspiring his continued leadership in
community-driven environmental efforts.

Xiang Tian co-founded LepakInSG with two friends in
2016, initially creating an environmental events calendar
to bridge a community gap. In 2017, he launched
Shopping for Sustainability, leading supermarket tours
addressing food waste, plastic packaging, and palm oil’s
connection to haze pollution.
In 2018, Xiang Tian spearheaded PublicAction and Sea
Our Shores. PublicAction brought citizens together to Ho Xiang Tian
analyze the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint 2016, and Research Assistant, Singapore Management University
the group’s feedback culminated in a report presented to Member of the Sultree Lab at SMU
the government in 2019. In support of the International Co-founder of environmental group LepakInSG
Year of the Reef, Sea Our Shores, he organised 13 SITizen Ambassador (Centre for Professional
workshops highlighting Singapore’s marine ecosystems, Communication), Singapore Institute of Technology
reaching hundreds of participants.

To support the Ministry of the Environment and Water through informal nature walks. These efforts reinforced
Resources (MEWR) Year Towards Zero Waste, Xiang Tian the organization’s impact, with over 100 people
introduced Waste Workshops to explore systemic issues participating in the NetWalking sessions.
in Singapore’s recycling efforts. He also addressed the
SG Climate Rally 2019, calling for more robust climate In 2023, Xiang Tian established the International
mitigation strategies. Negotiations Team, tracking Singapore’s participation
in global environmental discussions. He addressed the
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic SG Climate Rally, advocating for accelerated climate
in 2020, Xiang Tian revived LepakInSG’s activities in action and also represented Singapore at the UNFCCC
2021 with the launch of the Parliamentary Team, Public COP28 in Dubai under the Climate Youth Development
Action, and Our Wild Spaces. The Parliamentary Team Programme.
continued the work of cataloguing environment-related
parliamentary questions, tracking over 800 questions in Xiang Tian leads 20 volunteers across five active teams
Singapore’s 14th Parliament. PublicAction focused on in LepakInSG. He remains a central figure in Singapore’s
the Singapore Green Plan 2030. environmental movement, attending government
consultations on land use and sustainability, fostering
By 2022, Xiang Tian expanded LepakInSG’s scope, community engagement, and sharing his expertise in
launching the Food Sustainability Team to investigate advocacy through various speaking platforms.
food consumption trends in Singapore, and NetWalking
connects environmentalists and government officials

48 The Journey of Sustainability: 25 Years and Beyond