Date Published: 11 Mar 2014 Dr Vivian Balaskrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, had announced in his Committee of Supply (COS) speech today that the Government of Singapore has decided to appoint an International Advisory Panel on Transboundary Pollution (IAP). 2. The Terms of Reference of the IAP are to study and advise the Government of Singapore on the trends and developments in international law relating to transboundary pollution and on the issues arising under international law from the impact of transboundary pollution as well as on the related solutions and practical steps which Singapore can adopt in light of the foregoing. Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Mr Teo Chee Hean, who is also Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change and Co-ordinating Minister for National Security, has appointed Professor S. Jayakumar and Professor Tommy Koh to co-chair the IAP, which will comprise legal experts from Singapore and abroad (their bios are attached at Annex A and Annex B respectively). 3. In making the appointment, DPM Teo said that: "The severe haze that enveloped Singapore in 2013 was a grim reminder that countries, especially small ones, are vulnerable to pollution that originates from outside their borders. In order to protect the health of our people, we need to explore all available avenues to tackle such transboundary environmental challenges. The Government has thus decided to set up an International Advisory Panel to study and advise the Government on trends and developments in international law relating to transboundary pollution and the options available to Singapore under international law. I have appointed Prof Jayakumar and Prof Tommy Koh as co-chairmen of this Panel. They have agreed to take on this responsibility and will recommend distinguished international law experts in this field for appointment as panel members." 4. Co-chairs of the IAP, Professor Jayakumar and Professor Koh have the following comments: "We are honored to co-chair this important IAP. International environmental law is an area which has become increasingly important for all countries. The recent International Conference on Transboundary Pollution organised by the Centre for International Law, which we co-chaired, showed there is a need for all countries to understand the principles and rules under international law on the responsibility of states with regards to transboundary environmental harm arising from activities within their territory. We have invited some outstanding international law experts to join this IAP. Once they have confirmed acceptance, we look forward to working with them to prepare a comprehensive report for the Singapore Government." 5. The composition of the IAP will be finalized and made known in due course. MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES 11 MARCH 2014 ANNEX A BIO OF PROFESSOR S. JAYAKUMAR Professor S Jayakumar was former Deputy Prime Minister and Senior Minister. He joined politics 1980 and held various portfolios like Minister for Home Affairs, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister for Labour, and longest Ministership was Minister for Law. He was also co-ordinating Minister for National Security and also for climate change. He oversaw the Pedra Branca case before the ICJ as well as the land reclamation case before ITLOS. Professor S Jayakumar has written several books, the most recent being a book on the Pedra Branca case with Professor Tommy Koh: “PEDRA BRANCA – The Road to the World Court” and the other the book on “DIPLOMACY- A Singapore Experience.” Prior to entering Politics, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Law. After retiring from politics in 2011, he returned to the University. He is currently Chairman of the Law Faculty’s Advisory Council, National University of Singapore Chairman of the International Advisory Panel of the Center for International Law Member of Panel of Conciliators of International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes Consultant at Drew & Napier LLC Prof S. Jayakumar and Prof Tommy Koh jointly host the CIL’s series of Fireside Chats on International Law. **** ANNEX B BIO OF PROFESSOR TOMMY KOH Prof Tommy Koh is Ambassador-At-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chairman of the Governing Board of the Centre for International Law and Rector of Tembusu College at the National University of Singapore. He is the Co-Chairman of the China- Singapore Forum, the India-Singapore Strategic Dialogue and the Japan-Singapore Symposium. He was Singapore’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York for 13 years. He was Ambassador to the United States of America for 6 years. He was the Dean of the Faculty of Law of NUS. He was also the President of the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea. He chaired the Preparatory Committee for and the Main Committee at the Earth Summit. He had served as the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy to Russia, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. He was also Singapore’s Chief Negotiator for the USA-Singapore Free Trade Agreement. He has chaired two dispute panels for the WTO. Prof Koh received the Elizabeth Haub Prize for Environmental Law in 1996 and was made a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2006..