Sustainable Singapore Blueprint

Sustainability has always been integral to the Singapore story. Our founding Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, said, “I have always believed that a blighted urban jungle of concrete destroys the human spirit. We need the greenery of nature to lift up our spirits.” In our early years, even as we provided basic necessities for our people, such as affordable housing; public infrastructure such as clean water, sewers and roads, education and jobs, we did so with “sustainable development” in mind, long before the expression became popular. Just two years after independence in 1967, we launched the Garden City programme, with a vision to make Singapore a highly liveable city f illed with greenery. We planted trees around public housing estates, cleaned up streets, cleaned up the heavily polluted Singapore River in the heart of the city, regulated and shifted pollutive industries, and enacted new laws against pollution. We conserved our Nature Reserves and built community parks that are spread throughout the country. We expanded local catchments to capture as much rainwater as we could, and developed new technologies like water reclamation and desalination. Year by year, we overcame the challenges of urban development and became a clean and green city, thanks to the foresight and the hard work of our pioneers. However, every generation has challenges of its own. All of us now face new risks, such as climate change and rising sea levels, or the threat of dangerous new pathogens like bird flu or the Zika virus. A growing global population and increasing urbanisation will also place greater pressures on resources such as water and energy. The Sustainable Singapore Blueprint is our response to these challenges and a framework to guide our sustainability efforts until 2030. This latest 2015 edition outlines our national vision, and plans for our home, environment and future — an even more liveable and sustainable Singapore. It is our contribution to sustainable development at the global level. To actively reduce our carbon footprint, and make better use of limited water, land, and energy resources, we will build “eco-smart” towns and public transit infrastructure, so that people can travel seamlessly around a “car-lite” urban environment. We will strive to become a zero waste nation, consuming less materials and giving them a second lease of life. We will build a green economy, nudging our businesses into doing good while also doing well. We also encourage civic participation for an active and gracious community. The Blueprint takes in the views of more than 130,000 people via consultations on land transport and urban development master plans, public dialogues and surveys. In turn, it seeks to inspire Singaporeans to play a part in building a liveable and sustainable Singapore.

source :

https://www.clc.gov.sg/docs/default-source/books/ssbcombined-cover-text.pdf?sfvrsn=28464e4_6