Green Plan aims to make Singapore model environment city by 2000
THE Green Plan, with its comprehensive map of policy directions Singapore will take, is an ambitious scheme by the Government to make Singapore a model environment city by the year 2000.
A draft of the plan, which will be finalised by the end of this year following input from the private sector and members of the public, was unveiled by the Environment Ministry yesterday.
It outlines proposals to preserve, protect and enhance the environment for the future. It also envisions Singapore as the regional centre for environmental technology by the year 2000.
The emphasis of the draft plan, drawn up in consultation with other ministries, is education — both at school level and for industries and the general public.
Mr Khoo Chin Hean, the ministry’s director (Environment Policy & Management Division), said that most of the infrastructure was already in place. The initiative must now come from the people.
He said this was why feedback was vital for the final draft, which the ministry hopes to have ready for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, better known as the "Earth Summit", next June.
He said: "I want it to be a plan for Singapore by Singaporeans. The next part of the race that we run, we have to run with the public."
The draft proposes six strategic directions, of which the key is environmental consciousness among Singaporeans.
It aims to cultivate a high level of public awareness and green consumerism by reaching out to schools, the grassroots and corporations. The green labelling scheme will be set up before 1993 to help consumers identify environmentally-friendly products.
The ministry also hopes to reduce the amount of domestic waste from the present 1.1 kg per person per day to 0.9 kg by 2000. Less waste not only means immediate savings in waste disposal, but also extends the life of landfill sites.
Other aspects of the plan include:
• Upgrading canals and rivers and improving the quality of water in them to encourage aquatic life and recreational activities.
• Improving the quality of air by controlling the emission of noxious and odorous gases.
• Increasing natural reserves in the country from 3 to 5 per cent of total land area.
• Controlling the level of noise — be it from cars, construction sites or public entertainment.
• Improving health standards by controlling indigenous diseases like dengue hemorrhagic fever. It will also be setting up indoor air quality standards to measure sick buildings.
To encourage feedback, the ministry will hold two forums, one for professional bodies and the business community on Dec 6 and the other, on Dec 11, for the public.
Both will be chaired by the Environment Minister, Dr Ah mad Mattar.
Once the Green Plan is out the ministry will begin on the Action Plan detailing the ways in which the environ-. mental goals will be achieved. This should be ready by next year.
NOTE: The public can send’ their comments to the Head, Strategic Planning & Research Department, Ministry of the Environment, 40, Scotts Road, #11-00, Singapore 0922.
They can also fax their feedback to 731-9922 or ring 731-9619 or 731-9623.
The draft Green Plan, at $2.50, is sold at leading bookshops, Singapore National Printers and the Environment Ministry’s Resource Centre, Environment Building.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE GREEN PLAN STRATEGY
I Educate people to be environmentally conscious:
- Promote environmentalism and green consumerism.
- Continue annual Clean and Green Week.
- Have structured environmental topics in schools up to tertiary levels.
- Establish Green labelling scheme.
- Encourage private sector participation.
II Promote clean technology:
- Upgrade sewage treatment works.
- Develop infrastructure for environmentally friendly transport, 111cc bicycles and electric cars.
- Promote energy efficient systems.
III Conserve resources:
- Reduce domestic per capita waste from 1.1 to 0.9 kg a day.
- Gear food processing towards waste minimisation.
- Set aside 5 per cent of land for nature conservation.
- Conserve some swamps and marine environments of ecological merit.
IV Protect the local environment:
- Modify and upgrade larger streams Into "aesthetic" water bodies with high quality water.
- Clean air, with a Pollutant Standard Index of less than 50 at all times. Now, air is this good 80-90 per cent of the time.
- Set standards to identify sick buildings.
- Integrated noise control.
V Protect the global environment:
- Incentives for using renewable energy like solar power.
- Phase out chiorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons.
- Work with international organisations to protect world environment.
VI Promote environmental technology:
- Automated air monitoring system to give the quality of air at any time.
- Develop Singapore into a regional centre for environmental management and technology, and an epidemiological training centre by 2000.
- Establish an Institute of Environmental Technology by 1994.
Source : The Straits Times, 15th November 1991
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