|
Green Plans in Action: Singapore: Milestones
Beyond Environmental Maintenance
Singapore has already accomplished a number of its environmental goals, and others are within their timeframe of expectations. (More#1) The challenge Singapore faces today and into the future is their effort to go beyond maintenance of environmental performance to achieve environmental sustainability. One example is the area of clean air, where Singapore will move beyond pollution control to develop a strategy to mitigate the effects of climate change, with reduction of carbon dioxide and energy efficiency being key components. (More, see Beyond the Borders - Global Climate Change)
Protected Nature Reserves and Forests
Singapore nurtures its "garden city" image. As a small country with relatively high population, Singapore has succeeded in protecting its environmental inheritance through Nature Reserves. The four Nature Reserves, 3347 ha (13 sq.mi), have been accorded legal protection through Singapore's National Parks Act, and serve multiple functions, ranging from maintenance of ecological life processes and scientific research to education and recreation. The Nature Reserves and other forests cover 23% of Singapore's land area, although some of these areas have secondary growth, species poor forests and planted trees. Primary rainforests include The Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore Botanic Gardens Rainforest, and portions of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve. The Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve is an internationally important site for the conservation of migratory shorebirds, one of the sites of the East Asian Australiasian Shorebird Network since 2002 and Singapore's ASEAN Heritage Park.
Diversified Water Supply
Singapore has managed to cope with a grim situation of water scarcity through innovative diversification of its water supply. The Public Utilities Board (PUB) is the water agency that manages Singapore's water supply. (More#1) It has ensured a diversified and sustainable supply of water through its 'Four National Taps' strategy. All Singaporeans play a part in the first Tap through water conservation and by assisting in maintaining clean catchments and waterways. The other three Taps include importing water through pipes from Johor Bahru in Malaysia, using recycled water through the use of membrane-based technology (NEWater) (More#2), and using reverse-osmosis technology to provide drinking water through desalination of seawater. Managing the demand for water is one-half the equation; the other half is consumption conservation. Domestic consumption fell from 165 litres/day in 1999 to 160 litres/day in 2005, with a new taraget set in 2005 of 155 llitres/day by 2012. (More#3) In addition, the Public Utilities Board's (PUB) "Conserve, Value and Enjoy" message educates the public about the importance of clean waterways. through their ABC and Our Waters Programmes. (More#4)
Education
Singapore has a rigorous compulsory public education system, resulting in one of the highest literacy rates in Asia, at 95%. The International Assoc. for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study ranked Singapore 1 out of 46 economies in all four criteria. Since 1998 the National Institute of Education/Nanyang Tecnlogical University has required environmental studies be a compulsory module for all arts and science undergraduate degree courses. The aim is for environmental consciousness to mature into personal responsibility and civic participation through positive action and community partnerships. The Ministry of the Environment supports fostering closer relationships by participating as a network facilitator with employers, employees, civic groups, educators and the media to strengthen and deepen the message of environmental sustainability.
Home Ownership
A feature that separates Singapore from virtually the rest of the developed world in urban planning is its housing policies. 86% of all Singaporeans live in apartments (flats) built by the Ministry of National Development. Over 90% of Singapore residents own their own homes/flats, a rate unmatched anywhere else. Such extensive home ownership creates social cohesion and encourages involvement in the city's civic affairs and attention to quality-of-life issues.
Congestion Free Transportation
Unlike other gridlocked urban centers around the world, Singapore is rarely congested. Public transportation, including rail, buses (More...) and taxis, is the most important means of travel for Singaporeans, a result of great emphasis by the Government to promote its use over private transport. Only 1 citizen in 10 owns a private vehicle due to high taxes placed on private vehicles. A successful congestion-charge system is in place (More...), and about half the population, or 5M trips are made on public transportation daily. The public transport system provides an incentive to reside away from the Central district, as well as reduce air pollution. The Port of Singapore is ranked as the world's busiest port once again, surpassing Hong Kong and Shanghai, and also ranked the Best Seaport in Asia. Singapore is ranked second globally in terms of containerized traffic, with 21.3 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent Units (TEUs) handled in 2004, and is the world's busiest hub for transshipment traffic.
Tourism
Tourism is a major industry in Singapore and has been one of the leading reasons for its strong economic growth. 2006 was a record-breaking year in the tourism sector, growing 14.5% beyond 2005, exceeding 9 million visitors and generating about US $8.1B. Total visitor days grew 9% to reach 32.9 million days in 2006. Strategies to promote tourism have concentrated on developing garden attractions, modern hotels, and the marketing of Singapore as 'Instant Asia', and the 'melting pot', a place where various Asian cultures are found. Cuisine of Singapore is a significantly rich and cultural attraction in itself - it has been heavily promoted as an attraction for tourists, and is one of Singapore's best attractions alongside shopping. Public transportation increases convenience for tourists in Singapore as well, covering most public venues. In addition, Singapore is environmentally friendly, maintaining natural and heritage conservation programs for citizens and tourists.
Food Capital of Asia
In the 1950-60s, food hawkers were considered to be a venue for the less affluent, with a reputation for unhygienic food due to the frequent appearance of stray domestic pets and pests, and often lacking running water and proper cleaning facilities. With pressure from local authorities, an upgrading and reconstruction of hawker centers was initiated with high standards of food safety and hygiene adopted for hawker centers and restaurants. (More...#1) Now Singapore has become the food capital of Asia, with cuisine viewed as a prime example of the ethnic diversity of the culture of Singapore. Some dishes introduce elements of all three cultures (Chinese, Malay, and Indian), while others incorporate influences from the rest of Asia and the West. The multiculturalism of local food, availability day and night of international cuisine, and wide price range has helped create Singapore as a 'food paradise.' (More...#2)
Public Toilets
Public Hygiene
Green Vehicle Rebate
The Green Vehicle Rebate was enhanced in 2006 from 20% to a 40% discount on the Open Market Value for the purpose of reducing emissions and promoting more energy efficient vehicles such as hybrid cars. Since then, the number of green vehicles has increased from about 200 in 2005 to about 1,000 in 2007. In addition to increasing the rebate on the purchase of green vehicles, Singapore requires car dealers to post "fuel economy labels" affixed to vehicles at the point of sale to provide users with information on the vehicle's fuel economy.
|
