Straits Times : Green plan for more haze-free skies

AUG 25, 2002

Green plan for more haze-free skies

S'pore's blueprint for the environment pledges to give the nation 310 days of clear skies every year in 10 years' time

THE sky may be grey with the haze now, but Singapore's blueprint for the environment promises to deliver to the nation at least 310 days of clear skies every year in 10 years' time.

The promise is enshrined in the Singapore Green Plan 2012, which was made public yesterday by Environment Minister Lim Swee Say who later told reporters that he expects Singapore to be hit by a haze this year

	The Big Clean-Up
	MORE than 25,000 people took to the streets and waters of Singapore this weekend to pick up rubbish. Since yesterday, they have been cleaning up national parks, the rivers, coastal marshes, hotel grounds,beaches, residential neighbourhoods, and even the waters around the Southern Islands. The two-day event is part of the national effort to mark the 10th Clean Up The World project under the United Nations. The project ropes in millions of volunteers from over 120 countries to highlight the importance of people taking responsibility for preserving the world's environment. It is being held here for the first time, spearheaded by the Singapore Environment Council.

'Hopefully, it will not be as serious as in 1997,' he said, recalling the year when Singapore's air quality was unhealthy for 14 days.

Earlier, he told an audience of more than 100 people that the Singapore Green Plan 2012 is not a prescriptive plan.

Instead, it lays out the direction and targets Singapore wants to achieve in eight main areas domestically, such as waste management, public health and water supply.

It also states how Singapore, as a nation, will do its part in the 'common responsibility' towards preserving the regional and global arena.

Mr Lim will present the plan at the United Nations' World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa this week, when more than 20,000 people from over 100 countries will discuss ways to develop their countries without hurting the environment.

One of the most notable targets in the plan is to keep the air within the 'good' range on the Pollutants Standards Index (PSI) 85 per cent of the time or 310 days in a year.

At the moment, the index, which measures air quality, is at the 'good' range 80 per cent of the year or 292 days a year.

The Environment Ministry is confident of hitting the target even when there is a slight haze from forest fires in the region.

In the meantime, Singapore will continue to work with regional countries to keep a lid on the problem.


	Pasir Ris Park gets a clean-up at the hands of Greenview Secondary students, on Clean Up The World day. -- HOW HWEE YOUNG

He said: 'Hopefully the day will come when regional haze can be contained.'

Another aim of the plan is to raise the recycling rate to 60 per cent by 2012, from the current 44 per cent.

Recycling is a top priority with Mr Lim who believes that without it, land-scarce Singapore will have to set aside more land for rubbish.

He expects the 3P sector - people, public and private sectors - to lead the push.

He said: 'In the future, don't be surprised if you see more programmes being initiated by the people than ENV.'

The green plan was drawn up over 12 months and up to six working groups will be formed soon to implement the plan.

During its formulation, contributions came from three focus groups with more than 50 people plus 77 submissions of ideas from the public.

Still, some feel it can be better.

One of them is Dr Ho Hua Chew, who heads conservation at the Nature Society.

He told The Straits Times that more details should have been included like what areas will be conserved in the long term and more nature areas should be gazetted.

But a balance has to be struck between the three aims of economic development, social progress and environmental protection, said Mr Lim.

He added: 'Instead of keeping on saying I want to have more in this area or more in that area, why not come out with a proposal, with ideas?'