Straits Times : Singapore clean and green now, but for how long?

MAY 22, 2002

Singapore clean and green now, but for how long?

Republic's good environmental track record has been recognised by WEF, but it cannot be taken for granted, says Lim Swee Say

SINGAPORE has stayed clean and green, despite the odds against it.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) recently acknowledged this when it dropped the island state from its global Environmental Sustainability Index because it could not explain Singapore's good track record using its current model of measurement.

Environment Minister Lim Swee Say revealed this to Parliament yesterday, to make the point that Singapore's clean and green environment should not be taken for granted.

In January last year, the WEF surveyed 122 countries and ranked Singapore among the 10 most polluting in the world, lumping it together with countries such as Bangladesh and Iran.

The sustainability index tracks factors like vehicle population, the availability of freshwater resources, the extent of energy consumption and the level of industrial pollution.

After the Environment Ministry protested that the Republic had been penalised for its lack of natural resources, the rankings were adjusted and Singapore was moved up to No 65.

In this year's report, the WEF has not ranked Singapore. Instead, it has classified it a 'positive outlier' - a good but inexplicable example of environmental sustainability, said Mr Lim.

He was replying to questions from Dr Teo Ho Pin (Holland-Bukit Panjang GRC) and Mr S. Iswaran (West Coast GRC) on the Singapore Green Plan 2012, the environmental master plan for the next 10 years.

Mr Lim said that with an expanding economy and a growing population, Singapore will be able to stay clean and green only with the full support and active participation of the people, as well as the private and public sectors.

That is why the ministry has set up a $750,000 3P-partnership fund, to foster collaboration with the three sectors.

Mr Lim said he hoped the fund would promote joint ownership of recycling and various other key environmental programmes.

He also told the House that the Singapore Green Plan will be launched in August, and will be presented at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in September.

During yesterday's debate on the ministry's budget, four MPs also asked about Singapore's long-term supply of water.

Dr Teo wanted to know whether it was possible for Singapore to be completely self-sufficient one day, while Associate Professor Low Seow Chay (Chua Chu Kang), Mr Othman Haron Eusofe (Marine Parade GRC) and Mr Ahmad Mohamed Magad (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) asked about plans to introduce NEWater, or recycled water, for domestic use.

Mr Lim will respond to their questions at today's Parliament sitting.