11 recommendations to tackle climate change [News]

By Esther Ng, Today, 14 Oct 2011.

Free public transport during certain hours, quarterly food, electricity and water rationing, and farmers’ markets in housing estates are some recommendations the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has made to NCCS 2012, the National Climate Change Secretariat’s public consultation exercise.

Top on the list of its 11 recommendations is a call for a more holistic transport strategy which encourages “behavioural change as a longer-term solution”.

For instance, schools could increase “bicycle parking areas” and get students living nearby to ride to school instead of having their parents drop them off.

Bicycle racks can be installed on public buses, so that people who wish to cycle to work, but live too far from their workplace, can split their commute between bicycle and bus routes. Read more

National Climate Change Secretariat – Addendum to the President’s Address [Press Releases]

Challenge of Climate Change

1. Climate change is a major challenge for all countries, including Singapore. As an island state, we must stand ready to deal with the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels. As a responsible member of the global community, we will also play our part to lower carbon emissions. We must work to achieve these goals while safeguarding our standard of living and our economic competitiveness.

Rising to the Challenge

2. We will enhance our understanding and expertise in climate science, and build up Singapore’s resilience and adaptability to climate change in key areas such as coastal protection, water resources and drainage, biodiversity, public health as well as urban infrastructure.

3. We will reduce our carbon emissions in two main ways. First, greater use of less carbon intensive fuels. Second, improved energy conservation and efficiency. This will require us to promote energy efficient design, equipment and processes in industries, transport, buildings and homes. Read more

Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources – Addendum to the President’s Address [Press Releases]

A sustainable and clean Singapore

1 Our careful environmental stewardship over the years has enabled us to build a high quality environment in Singapore for people to live, work and play in. It has been a source of competitive advantage.

2 Looking ahead, to improve our resilience and responsiveness to a changing landscape, we will enhance resource efficiency, improve infrastructure, strengthen capabilities, elevate standards and empower the community.

(I) Enhancing resource efficiency

3 It is a strategic imperative that we use energy, water and materials more efficiently to both reduce pollution and bolster Singapore’s economic resilience.

4 Energy efficiency is one of our key strategies to achieve environmental sustainability, energy security and economic competitiveness. For the industry sector, the Ministry will implement the Energy Conservation Act in 2013. Large energy users will be required to formulate energy efficiency improvement plans, appoint energy managers and to submit energy consumption data. Read more

Expertise in climate science to be beefed up [News]

By Grace Chua, The Straits Times, 13 Oct 2011.

SINGAPORE will need to raise the minimum levels for land reclamation by at least a metre to cope with a potential rise in sea levels arising from climate change.

In addition, the Government will develop capabilities to better understand this global phenomenon and its other effects on the island.

These were some of the key thrusts put forward yesterday by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) in their respective addenda to the President’s Address.

‘We will enhance our understanding and expertise in climate science, and build up Singapore’s resilience and adaptability to climate change in key areas such as coastal protection, water resources and drainage, biodiversity, public health as well as urban infrastructure,’ said the NCCS, which is part of the Prime Minister’s Office. Read more

MEWR to raise minimum level for land reclamation [News]

By Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia, 12 Oct 2011.

The Environment and Water Resources Ministry (MEWR) will raise the minimum levels for land reclamation by at least one metre, as an adequate buffer against a potential rise in sea levels.

This is one of the steps the MEWR will take to enhance Singapore’s resilience against the potential impact of climate change, the ministry said in its addendum to the President’s Address.

As a low-lying and densely populated island, Singapore is vulnerable to climate change. Experts said a rise in sea level can result in some coastal erosion and land loss.

Chairperson of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Environment and National Development, Lee Bee Wah, said: “The minister is looking long-term – the rise of the sea level perhaps in (the next) 100 or 200 years. We want to address it now and the cheaper way of doing it is to do it (during) the land reclamation by building up the additional one metre.” Read more

Govt to invest in low carbon technologies [News]

By Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia, 12 Oct 2011.

The National Climate Change Secretariat (NCSS) said the government will invest in infrastructure as well as in research and development of low carbon technologies for deployment in Singapore.

In its addendum to the President’s Address, NCSS stressed that climate change is a major challenge and as a responsible member of the global community, Singapore will also play its part to lower carbon emissions.

The secretariat, which is under the Prime Minister’s Office, highlighted that businesses and households will also have to change their practices and lifestyles to be more environmentally sustainable. Read more

S’pore to enhance resilience against climate change [News]

By Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia, 12 Oct 2011.

The Ministry for the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) is taking steps to enhance Singapore’s resilience against the potential impact of climate change.

It’ll raise the minimum levels for land reclamation by at least one metre to create an adequate buffer against a potential rise in sea level.

This is one of several priorities spelt out in its addendum to the President’s Address released on Wednesday.

MEWR will also develop capabilities in climate science to improve its understanding of future localised climatic conditions.

It’ll form networks with relevant experts and institutions at the forefront of climate research. Read more

12 Ideas for the National Climate Change Strategy 2012

The National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) is currently preparing the National Climate Change Strategy 2012 (NCCS-2012) publication, and is seeking public feedback and ideas.

The NCCS-2012 will provide a framework and overall strategy for Singapore to tackle climate change, and will outline policies and measures to reduce emissions, cope with the impact of climate change and build our capabilities.

The public consultation by NCCS involves conducting an online consultation exercise, focus group sessions and community forums. You can give your feedback and ideas via the NCCS website from now till 14 Oct.

Here are 12 ideas for the National Climate Change Strategy 2012, which was submitted by Green Future Solutions to NCCS: Read more

Govt seeks views on climate change issues [News]

By S Ramesh, Channel NewsAsia, 7 Sep 2011.

The government is embarking on a series of public consultations to get feedback on climate change related issues.

Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who kicked off the process on Wednesday, said the results of the feedback will go towards developing the national climate change strategy 2012.

This document is targeted for release by the middle of next year and will elaborate on Singapore’s sustainable development strategy, and how the country intends to meet the target to reduce emissions by seven to 11 per cent, below the business-as-usual level in 2020. Read more

IEA Chief Economist offers a look at our energy future

The era of cheap oil is over, and policies fall short of what is needed for a secure and sustainable energy future, says Dr Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency, in his lecture titled “A Glimpse into the Energy Fututre” at today’s EMA Distinguished Speaker Programme. This lecture is jointly organised by the Energy Market Authority and the Energy Studies Institute.

Era of cheap oil is over

Dr Birol shares that the era of cheap oil is over because of structural changes, and there is growing risk that the upturn in oil prices could undermine economic recovery.

On the demand side, strong growth from the transportation sector due to booming demand for mobility in emerging economies drives up oil use. The global car fleet continue to surge as more people in China and other emerging economies buy a car. Read more

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