# Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment

The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE; Malay: Kementerian Kemampanan dan Sekitaran; Chinese: 永续发展与环境部; Tamil: நீடித்த நிலைத்தன்மை, சுற்றுப்புற அமைச்சு) is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies related to the environment, water and food of Singapore.

## History

The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) was established in 1972 as the Ministry of the Environment (ENV). It was later renamed the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) in 2004. On 25 July 2020, the Ministry was renamed to Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.

## Responsibilities

The Ministry is responsible for providing a quality living environment and a high standard of public health, protected against the spread of communicable diseases. It also has to ensure a clean and hygienic living environment, as well as managing the complete water cycle – from sourcing, collection, purification, and supply of drinking water; to the treatment of used water and recycling into NEWater; desalination; as well as storm water drainage. Since 1 April 2019, it also handles food issues through the Singapore Food Agency.

## Organisational structure

The Ministry oversees three statutory boards – the National Environment Agency (NEA), Public Utilities Board (PUB), and the Singapore Food Agency (SFA).

### Statutory Boards

* National Environment Agency
* Public Utilities Board
* Singapore Food Agency

## Ministers

The Ministry is headed by the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, who is appointed as part of the Cabinet of Singapore.
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) | Took office | Left office | Party | Cabinet |
| Minister for the Environment (1972–2004) |||||||
| | Lim Kim San MP for Jurong GRC (1916–2006) | 16 September 1972 | 1 June 1975 | PAP | Lee K. IV |
| | E. W. Barker MP for Tanglin (1920–2001) | 2 June 1975 | 31 January 1979 | PAP | Lee K. IV |
| | E. W. Barker MP for Tanglin (1920–2001) | 2 June 1975 | 31 January 1979 | PAP | Lee K. V |
| | Lim Kim San MP for Jurong GRC (1916–2006) | 1 February 1979 | 6 January 1981 | PAP | Lee K. V |
| | Ong Pang Boon MP for Telok Ayer (born 1929) | 6 January 1981 | 1 January 1985 | PAP | Lee K. VI |
| | Ahmad Mattar MP for Brickworks & Brickworks GRC (from 1988) (born 1940) | 2 January 1985 | 30 June 1993 | PAP | Lee K. VII |
| | Ahmad Mattar MP for Brickworks & Brickworks GRC (from 1988) (born 1940) | 2 January 1985 | 30 June 1993 | PAP | Lee K. VIII |
| | Ahmad Mattar MP for Brickworks & Brickworks GRC (from 1988) (born 1940) | 2 January 1985 | 30 June 1993 | PAP | Goh I |
| | Ahmad Mattar MP for Brickworks & Brickworks GRC (from 1988) (born 1940) | 2 January 1985 | 30 June 1993 | PAP | Goh II |
| | Mah Bow Tan MP for Tampines GRC (born 1948) | 1 July 1993 | 16 April 1995 | PAP | Goh II |
| | Teo Chee Hean MP for Marine Parade GRC (born 1954) Interim until 14 January 1996 | 17 April 1995 | 24 January 1997 | PAP | Goh II |
| | Yeo Cheow Tong MP for Hong Kah GRC (born 1947) | 25 January 1997 | 2 June 1999 | PAP | Goh III |
| | Lee Yock Suan MP for Cheng San GRC (born 1946) | 3 June 1999 | 30 September 2000 | PAP | Goh III |
| | Lim Swee Say MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC & Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC (from 2001) (born 1954) Interim until 22 November 2001 | 1 October 2000 | 11 August 2004 | PAP | Goh III |
| | Lim Swee Say MP for Tanjong Pagar GRC & Holland–Bukit Panjang GRC (from 2001) (born 1954) Interim until 22 November 2001 | 1 October 2000 | 11 August 2004 | PAP | Goh IV |
| Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (2004–2020) |||||||
| | Yaacob Ibrahim MP for Jalan Besar GRC (born 1955) | 12 August 2004 | 20 May 2011 | PAP | Lee H. I |
| | Yaacob Ibrahim MP for Jalan Besar GRC (born 1955) | 12 August 2004 | 20 May 2011 | PAP | Lee H. II |
| | Vivian Balakrishnan MP for Holland–Bukit Timah GRC (born 1961) | 21 May 2011 | 30 September 2015 | PAP | Lee H. III |
| | Masagos Zulkifli MP for Tampines GRC (born 1963) | 1 October 2015 | 26 July 2020 | PAP | Lee H. IV |
| Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (from 2020) |||||||
| | Grace Fu MP for Yuhua SMC (born 1964) | 27 July 2020 | Incumbent | PAP | Lee H. V |
| | Grace Fu MP for Yuhua SMC (born 1964) | 27 July 2020 | Incumbent | PAP | Wong I |