Thoughts on the Dialogue Session on Building a Sustainable Community

During the Sustainable Singapore dialogue forum, the suggestions came fast and furious with more than 20 participants voicing out their concerns and ideas on recycling, energy conservation and efficiency, cycling, CNG vehicles, green corporate culture, using the media to promote environmental awareness, etc. The participation and suggestions was welcoming, although we felt slight disappointment and a sense of something missing in the dialogue.

There were no serious discussions on what it really means to be sustainable. To be sustainable, we need to change the way we generate and use our energy. We need to eliminate waste and create a closed material loop. We need to rethink how we source and grow our food. And we need to consider whether continuous economic growth is possible and desirable in the long run.

There were no inspiring vision and goals, and the desire to take the initiative. We need to be inspired so that we are motivated to take action ourselves and not only rely on the government. We don’t wish to see another feedback exercise where we give ideas to the government and after that, wash our hands and let the government do their job. We need to realise that sometimes we can take the initiative and not have to wait for the government to take action.

Despite the disappointment, there was a few glimpse of hope. One was from Lai Hock of the Ground-Up Initiative, who spoke about rethinking economic growth, being efficient but not effective, and learning to accept inconveniences. The other was from the guy who cycled to the venue using his foldable bicycle, truly walking the talk.

Does Singapore need a Ministry of Energy?

The New Paper ponders recently on whether Singapore needs a new Ministry of Energy to tackle energy issues more holistically and ensure our future energy security. The article says that “energy security lies in a muddy middle zone” and “there’s no one body fully in charge”. It also suggests some ideas on what a Ministry of Energy can do, such as:

• Buy our own oil field
• Buy overseas farms to grow food
• A law to set a minimum temperature in Singapore offices
• Forge closer relations with oil-producing countries

The government’s energy policies on energy conservation, energy efficiency, energy market regulation and energy industry are pursued by the different relevant ministries and agencies. This is understandable as energy issues are often complex and cut across different sectors and industries.

Nevertheless, the government recognises the need to have an integrated approach to dealing with energy and has outlined six strategies in the National Energy Policy Report. One of the strategies is to develop whole-of-government approach to energy policy which is led by the Energy Policy Group (EPG). The EPG consists of representatives from the:

• Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI);
• Ministry of Finance (MOF);
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA);
• Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR);
• Ministry of Transport (MOT);
• Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR);
• Building and Construction Authority (BCA);
• Economic Development Board (EDB);
• Energy Market Authority (EMA);
• Land Transport Authority (LTA); and
• National Environment Agency (NEA)

The EPG has four working groups on Economic Competitiveness, Energy Security, Climate Change and the Environment, and Energy Industry Development, headed by the different agencies shown in the diagram below:

So, do we need a Ministry of Energy? On paper, it seems that there is no need for one as the energy policies are managed and coordinated by the EPG. But on the ground, the administrative difficulties and layers of bureaucratic red tape accumulated across 11 ministries and agencies in the EPG might pose a problem to the effectiveness and timeliness of the energy policies. We think that it might be better to have a Ministry of Energy which is accountable and focused, to ensure energy security and tackle the threat of climate change.

Source: The New Paper; National Energy Policy Report. Image: National Energy Policy Report.

The “S” Word and more questions

Minister of State S. Iswaran spoke about keeping our energy prices competitive, ensuring energy security, and developing the clean energy sector at Monday’s Committee of Supply Debate by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI). The “S” word – Solar and Subsidies, was mentioned in his speech and covered in several newspaper reports. The full speech is available at the MTI website.

In Mr Iswaran’s speech, he explains why the government does not provide subsidies for clean energy and measures such as Feed-in-Tariffs suggested by some NMPs:

Our basic policy tenet is that energy costs should be borne in full by end users. Individuals and industries should adjust their consumption of energy according to its true cost as reflected in its price. We do not subsidise the cost of energy because it will dampen price signals, and create the incentive to over-consume… Our best course of action is to encourage competition and ensure that the market works. Competition will exert downward pressure on prices, and serve to benefit consumers.

As it stands, renewable energies such as solar are still as some members have noted, much more expensive than traditional fossil fuel-based energy. To be consistent with our basic principles, we should not adopt measures which subsidise specific renewable energy types.

… so what we have effectively saying is that we have to subsidise the producers of these renewable energy, for example; solar. This subsidy will in turn be passed on to all consumers of energy so that we can have a solar powered generation. That is not an optimal strategy because what we are effectively doing is that encouraging solar.

The question is why solar when it can be bioenergy, biodiseal and so on. It can be many sources and does not have to be just one, then the question is, why just the energy industry and why do we not subsidise others as well. So, I think we have to be very clear about this and to stick to our principles. When we are allocating our resources, we have our R&D and Test-bedding and this is an area that would largely resonate because this is the key to developing technologies that will bring down the cost of generating alternative energies. We also believe that this approach will give better returns in the long run.

The speech has given us answers and also more questions. 

Although the government is not for subsidies, it is providing $20 million for a Solar Capability Scheme. This fund is to “spur more innovative approaches and capability development, in the architecture, design and system integration of solar panels as part of green buildings. The fund will go towards offsetting part of the installation cost of solar panels for new buildings which attain a certain level of Green Mark standard.” How is this funding different from subsidies?

Is renewable energy expensive or is oil cheap? Is oil cheaper than solar because the oil price does not factor in “contribution to global warming” and other “externalities”? On the issue of subsidies for renewable energy, Authors Ron Pernick and Clint Wilder of the book, The Clean Tech Revolution, think that: “… there is no such thing as subsidy-free energy, and there never has been in the modern world. The history of coal, oil, natural gas, large-scale hydroelectric, and especially nuclear power … makes it clear that all these industries’ growth occurred partly with the direct and indirect financial support of governments that wanted to encourage them. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but don’t ask other energy sources to compete on the same playing field without comparable support.”

Why support solar and not other renewable energy? Because Singapore is a sunny island with sufficient sunlight so solar energy is the most viable here? Because we have the research capabilities, supporting industries and infrastructure?

Why support the energy industry and not others? Because of increasing energy prices, ensuring energy security, and growing concerns about global warming?

The government has been putting in efforts to enhance the clean energy sector in Singapore, including attracting clean energy companies to invest and set up facilities, funding research on clean energy and technologies, promoting the use of cleaner natural gas, etc. But if Singapore aspires to be a clean energy hub, we need to do more. Singapore is highly regarded as a clean water hub because of our Four National Taps strategy and the local adoption of NEWater and desalination technology. If we do not have a Four National Switches strategy or local adoption of solar energy or other renewable energy, how can we claim to be a clean energy hub?

These are all questions we are asking and we hope they can be addressed in the government’s roadmap on sustainable development.

“The Government simply cannot make up their minds … So they go on in strange paradox, decided only to be undecided, resolved to be irresolute, adamant for drift, solid for fluidity, all-powerful to be impotent … The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences.” – Winston Churchill

Source: MTI. Image credit: Chance Agrella from freerangestock.com.

Updates on Singapore’s environmental efforts in the Committee of Supply Debate

Last Friday, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, and Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Environment and Water Resources, delivered the speeches at the Committee of Supply Debate in Parliament. They gave an update of what the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) has done over the past year for the environment in Singapore and what they will be doing in the coming year. The speeches are available in four parts at the MEWR website and includes the following content:

Part One

(i) Towards Environmental Sustainability

• Our Firm Foundations
• Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development
• Opportunities from Environmental Sustainability
• Everyone Has a Part to Play

(ii) Addressing Climate Change & Achieving Energy Efficiency

• Addressing Climate Change
• Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation measures
• Becoming more energy efficient
• Sustainable Energy Fund
• Improving Energy Efficiency of Industries
• Efficiency of the Power Generation Sector
• Improving Energy Efficiency of Buildings
• Improving Energy Efficiency on the Road
• Improving Energy Efficiency for Our Consumers

(iii) National Campaign on Energy Saving & Clean Energies

• National Campaign on Energy Saving
• Clean Energy
• ASEAN Declaration on Environmental Sustainability and Singapore Declaration on Climate Change, Energy and the Environment

Part Two

(i) Clean Air

• Air Pollution
• Green Vehicle Rebate
• CNG Refuelling Stations
• Transboundary Haze

(ii) Smoking Ban

(iii) Creating a sustainable waste management system

• Voluntary Packaging Agreement
• Recycling
• School Recycling Programme

Part Three

(i) Keeping our Neighbourhoods Dengue Free

(ii) Litter-Free Singapore

(iii) Hawker Centres

Part Four

(i) Water Conservation

• Water Conservation in the Domestic Sector
• Update on 10L Water Conservation Challenge
• Update on Voluntary Water Efficiency Labelling Scheme
• Water Conservation for the Non-Domestic Sector
• 10% Challenge

(ii) Water Supply, EWI and ABC Waters

• Water Supply
• Developing Localised Water Supply on Jurong Island
• Water Pricing
• Developing the Water Industry
• Marina Barrage
• ABC Waters Programme
• Some upcoming ABC Waters projects
• Community Participation

Source: MEWR.