Singaporeans to lead greener lives with Green Plan 2030

Singaporeans look set to lead much greener lives by 2030, with new sustainability initiatives launched to change the way they work, study and play.

The Singapore Green Plan 2030, released by five ministries yesterday, will chart the country's way towards a more sustainable future, "building back better" as it recovers from the fallout of Covid-19.

The plan seeks to inform all aspects of development here - from infrastructure, to research and innovation, to training programmes.

"The comprehensive plan will strengthen Singapore's economic, climate and resource resilience, improve the living environment of Singaporeans, and bring new business and job opportunities," said the ministries in a joint statement.

The Ministries of Education, National Development, Sustainability and the Environment, Trade and Industry and Transport are driving the initiative.

BRIGHT GREEN SPARK

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said in a Facebook post that the Green Plan will build upon Singapore's past sustainability efforts.

"We need to ensure a Singapore for our future generations. All of us have to work together, and make Singapore a bright green spark for the world," said Mr Lee.

Under the Green Plan, at least 20 per cent of schools here will be carbon-neutral by 2030.

Adults, too, will work in greener buildings, since there are plans to raise the sustainability standards of building.

People will be encouraged to commute in a less carbon-intensive way - cycling paths will triple in length by then, and the rail network will be expanded to 360km, up from the 230km today. This infrastructure will be built within a city cloaked in green, with more initiatives to help nature seep into the heartlands.

For instance, more nature parks will sprout up over the years. By 2030, there will be an over 50 per cent increase in nature park land where people can go hiking or bird watching.

Even the fossil fuel haven of Jurong Island will be transformed into a "sustainable energy and chemicals park".

Behind the scenes, research and innovation in low-carbon alternatives will continue, even as programmes such as the new Enterprise Sustainability Programme is rolled out to help companies develop capabilities in this area.

More details on these initiatives will be given during the Budget next week and in the subsequent Budget debates.

The Green Plan follows a robust debate in the House earlier this month on the need for Singapore to speed up efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Singapore Youth for Climate Action co-founder Nor Lastrina Hamid said that while many initiatives in the plan have been announced before, she was heartened that multiple ministries were involved in the Green Plan.

Ms Lastrina added that she hopes to see more regular engagement between the Government and civil society and the public to help the plans materialise.

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Highlights

CITY IN NATURE

Creating a green, liveable and sustainable home for Singaporeans

BY 2030

• One million more trees, by doubling annual tree planting rate
• Increase nature parks' land area by 50 per cent from last year
• Every household will be within a 10-minute walk from a park

BY 2035

• Add 1,000ha of green spaces

SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Making green living a way of life

WASTE LESS

• By 2026, reduce waste sent to landfill per capita a day by 20 per cent

DRIVE LESS

• By 2030, triple cycling paths to 1,320km from 460km last year

USE LESS

• By 2030, at least 20 per cent of schools to be carbon-neutral

ENERGY RESET

Using cleaner energy and increasing Singapore's energy efficiency

BY THIS YEAR

• Generate sufficient solar energy from PUB's floating solar panels to power 100 per cent of Singapore's waterworks

BY 2025

• Reduce energy consumption of desalination
• Tuas Nexus integrated waste and used water treatment facility to be 100 per cent energy self-sufficient

BY 2030

• Increase solar energy deployment five-fold
• Diversify electricity supply with clean electricity imports
• Green 80 per cent of buildings
• Reduce energy consumption in HDB towns by 15 per cent
• All new car registrations to be cleaner energy models
• More than double electric vehicle charging-points, from 28,000 to 60,000

GREEN ECONOMY

Seeking green business and growth opportunities to create jobs and transform industries

BY 2030

• Jurong Island to be a sustainable energy and chemicals park
• Singapore to be a sustainable tourism destination
• Singapore to be a carbon services hub and a leading centre for green finance and services in Asia
• Singapore to be a regional centre for developing new sustainability solutions
• Groom local enterprises to capture sustainability opportunities

RESILIENT FUTURE

Building up Singapore's climate resilience and enhancing food security

BY 2030

• Complete formulation of engineering design and implementation plans for coastal adaptation measures at City-East Coast, North-western Coast (Lim Chu Kang and Sungei Kadut) and Jurong Island
• Study urban heat island effect and determine mitigation targets
• Meet 30 per cent of Singapore's nutritional needs through locally produced food