Inter-Ministerial Committee for Sustainable Development Unveils Sustainable Singapore Blueprint

The Inter-Ministerial Committee for Sustainable Development (IMCSD) has just unveiled the blueprint for Sustainable Singapore, which outlines Singapore’s key goals and initiatives for sustainable development in the next 10 to 20 years to 2030. It involves a four-pronged strategy:

1. Boosting Our Resource Efficiency

• We will improve the way we use key resources such as energy and water, even as we seek to expand our use of renewable resources, so that we can achieve growth with fewer resources and make Singapore more competitive in the long run.
• We aim to achieve a 35% improvement in energy efficiency from 2005 levels by 2030.
• We will make optimum use of land.
• We aim to attain a recycling rate of 70% by 2030.
• We will ensure adequate supplies of water for future generations, and we aim to reduce domestic water consumption to 140L per person per day by 2030.

2. Enhancing Our Urban Environment

• Our aim is to become a top city in Asia in terms of quality of life. Singapore will develop as a sustainable, high-density city that is clean and green, with excellent connectivity and a sense of space.
• We aim to reduce the level of fine particles in the air (PM 2.5) to 12µg/m3 and cap Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) levels at 15µg/m3 by 2020, and maintain the same levels up to 2030.
• We aim to have 0.8ha of green space for every 1000 persons and increase greenery in high-rise buildings to 50ha by 2030.
• We aim to open up 900 ha of reservoirs and 100km of waterways for recreational activities by 2030.
• We aim to improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists and have 70% of all journeys made via public transport.

3. Building Our Capabilities

• We will invest in building new capabilities and testing new technologies to help us overcome our resource limitations, improve environmental performance and spur economic growth.
• As we build up our knowledge in how to grow in a more environmentally-friendly way, Singapore can work with others to promote and build sustainable cities around the world.

4. Fostering Community Action

• We will encourage community ownership and participation in building a clean, green and resource-efficient Singapore.
• Our goal is to make environmental responsibility part of our people and business culture, in the way we live, work, play and commute.

Visit the Sustainable Singapore website for more details or download the full report. We will share our thoughts on the report in a later post.

Source: Sustainable Singapore.

• Singapore’s Vision for Sustainable Development by the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development
• China’s Ecocities
• Sustainability Seminar – How Companies Can Gain From Sustainable Development
• 3 Responses to the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint
• ESC Sub-Committee on Energy Resilience and Sustainable Growth