Grace Fu Hai Yien
Singapore
“The Government takes a multi-pronged approach to address the disamenities from second-hand tobacco smoke. The National Environment Agency (NEA) works with Government agencies, Town Councils and community leaders to promote considerate behaviour and strengthen social norms.”
“The Government recently announced land-use changes in Lim Chu Kang to optimise our scarce land to meet our growing and evolving needs. We are at the initial planning stage and agencies are still working out the detailed development proposals.”
“Public Waste Collectors and Town Councils have trialled the collection and treatment of segregated food waste from households. However, participation rates are poor despite regular engagement and reminders.”
“The quality of incense offerings and the practice of burning incense are not regulated by law. Instead, the National Environment Agency (NEA) works with stakeholders, such as Town Councils, agencies and religious organisations, to encourage responsible burning of joss paper and incense.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) monitors public cleaning contractors through regular physical audits and remote monitoring, complemented by video analytics. NEA also regularly assesses the cleaning quality and outcomes of public cleaning contractors.”
“This question has been addressed in the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment’s combined answer to Question Nos 15 to 18 on the Order Paper for 7 July 2026. [Please refer to "National Recycling Rates, Plans and Targets", Official Report, 7 July 2026, Vol 96, Issue 32, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
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“By pioneering the deployment of low-carbon energy in support of our net zero ambitions, we lay the foundations for building a green economy in a carbon-constrained world. By deepening our understanding of climate science and its regional impacts, we discover new opportunities for international collaboration. By collectively changing our consumption and living habits, we reduce our footprint on the environment and support sustainable businesses. We recognise that we are caretakers and stewards of a country that will endure beyond us. Even as we live in an increasingly uncertain and disrupted world, characterised by resource constraints and climate change, we are not helpless bystanders. Our forefathers showed what could be done in our early years of independence. It required grit and determination, and a belief that we needed to place environmental stewardship alongside socioeconomic growth and development. It required investment in infrastructure and capabilities that only the future generation can draw benefit from. It required making difficult trade-offs like setting aside financial resources, or transforming our industry, so that our limited resources work better for us in the long run. Just like our water story, through long-term planning and careful deliberations, not only do we overcome our resource constraints, we turn our challenges into our strengths. As we face the new challenges ahead, let us continue to translate our convictions into actions. When we work together, as we have in the past, we can create a sustainable Singapore in the decades to come. [Applause.]”
“They have constructed Southeast Asia's largest hydroponics glass greenhouse, which uses high-tech automation to grow vegetables efficiently and productively without the use of pesticides. The farm has started production since July 2022 and I have already seen some of their produce on our retail shelves. As our local food supply ramps up, consumers and industry buyers also step forward to provide the demand that our farms need to be commercially viable. When we buy local, we are supporting our local farms and F&B businesses that use local produce. We are co-investing in our food resilience for the future. It is a symbiotic relationship – the local farmers give our F&B industry and consumers certainty in supply and quality; and reduce the vagaries caused by extreme weather events. The supermarkets and F&B buyers in turn give our local farmers certainty in demand, thus reducing their business and financial risks. Local produce may cost more but they are more reliable and fresh, attributes that are valuable to consumers and businesses. By building up our local food production today, we are gaining food security for tomorrow. Building a resilient future requires investment today. Our current generation must make the long-term investments in capability-building. Through research and development, we sow the seeds for a broad spectrum of innovation and technological solutions that will allow us to thrive in a more uncertain world. By pursuing innovations in sustainable novel foods, or planning and building long-term for coastal protection, or investing in energy-efficient water treatment technologies, we ensure that Singapore can remain resilient to climate change into the future.”
“However, if we look beyond the immediate term, we see the mega trends of climate change and extreme weather events, geopolitical tensions and disease outbreaks that will cause volatility to food production and place increasing pressure on our food sources. This is why we have set our "30 by 30" goal – to have the capability and capacity to produce 30% of our nutritional needs locally by 2030. This is about buying insurance against systemic food supply disruption, so that future generations are in a better place with food security. This initiative, at its core, is a commitment to future generations. Our journey will take years. It will require sustained contributions from the private, people and public sectors and for all parties to stay the course. The Government will do our part to support and enable our farms. We will set the stage through infrastructure developments like the Lim Chu Kang Masterplan (LCKMP), which will transform the area into a high-tech, highly productive and resource-efficient agri-food cluster. We will invest, now, in infrastructure works such as land preparation, coastal protection, power and water supply and waste management facilities. Farmers take bold steps to increase the productivity of the farms through investing in technology. They are not starting from scratch; several are second or third generation farmers who inherit the experience and wisdom of their forefathers. Green Harvest is one such farm that has combined farming expertise with technology. As a joint venture between Kok Fah Technology Farm and Teambuild Construction Group, Green Harvest brings together their collective expertise in agriculture and construction to break new grounds.”
“These investments will need to start today and from today's generation if we are to successfully meet this long-term future challenge. At the 2019 National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee said that around $100 billion or more may be required to protect Singapore against rising sea levels. Most of this will be spent on coastal barriers, both nature-based and man-made, and drainage infrastructure to protect Singapore against sea level rise. We have yet to determine the specific solutions that we will put in place, for each segment of our coastlines. We have started the site-specific studies, starting with the stretch from the city to the East Coast. What we know is that this requires steady investments over the years. The solutions will take time to put in place and we need to put the pieces together in good time, ahead of the rising tides. Even as we work out and implement our adaptation solutions, we will need the capabilities and knowledge to do so. We have a $125 million Coastal Protection and Flood Management Research Programme (CFRP) to support the development of innovative coastal protection and flood management solutions, and we established the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS) earlier in 2013, 10 years ago, to understand the science of climate change and to model its effects, as the basis of our climate adaptation efforts. These are the ways we see the inter-generational social compact, in how the current generation does it part for future generations. Another example is our food security. We currently import more than 90% of our food needs. We have ample supply and we have access to a rich variety of foods from all over the world.”
“This cuts down the resources needed for disposal: reducing the number of trips made by waste collectors from four to one per day; decreasing the amount of waste sent to the incinerators by 400 kilogrammes every day; and saving the carbon emission from waste treatment. They also generate compost to replenish and nurture the community garden and landscape. These initiatives show how our social compact is shifting in the right direction. Groups pool together resources and expertise to collectively address complex issues. We are encouraged by such efforts and will continue to find ways and means to further catalyse such partnerships. The inter-generational social compact — the social compact between "my generation" and other generations. I started my speech by paying tribute to the work of our forefathers and stressed that we must do the same and pay it forward. While the full impact of climate change may not hit us now, it is clear that we need to make the investments now to secure a brighter future for our next generation. The inter-generational social compact is clearly illustrated in our approach to coastal protection. Sea level rise emerging from climate change is an existential threat to Singapore. About 30% of our land area is less than five metres above mean sea level. Without effective adaptation measures, rising sea levels, storm surges and extreme high tides could result in transient sea levels rising up to five metres. This will pose great risks to our community, our infrastructure and our livelihoods. The work to strengthen Singapore's flood resilience against sea level rise is a multi-generational one. It will take many decades. It will take long-term investments in adaptation solutions and the capabilities needed to bring these solutions to fruition.”
“For example, to reduce packaging waste, businesses use the right materials to increase the rate of recycling, use the right design to make recycling easier and reduce the amount of packaging materials used. The Government introduce policies such as the Extended Producer Responsibility framework and measures like the disposable carrier bag charge and Beverage Container Return Scheme. Industry organises the collection and treatment of recyclables and help shape consumer behaviour by making environmental costs more visible. Closing our waste loop is challenging but achievable. There are costs involved and it requires change of habit across all parties. But as we reduce our draw on earth's resources, we use this common mission to form new partnerships and discover creative solutions. I would like to give two examples of how businesses, community groups and the Government collaborate to co-create and co-deliver sustainability solutions. CRUST Group is a food tech start-up that works with other companies to turn surplus food ingredients, like bread and fruit peels, into beers and sodas. CRUST group has partnered bakeries, hotels and supermarkets to upcycle their surplus ingredients and create new unique products, which can bring in additional revenue while reducing their own food waste. Another example, the community in Tampines, with funding support from the National Environment Agency (NEA), installed a food waste digestor that converts food waste into compost and nutrients for vegetable farming and landscaping. Food retailers in the neighbourhood, such as wet market merchants and supermarkets, segregate food waste for the digestor.”
“This helps to keep our hawker heritage alive and encourages the next generation of hawkers to join the trade. Simply said, our individual choices and actions matter. Not only do they directly impact those around us, but collectively, they shape our norms, our cultures and determine the collective tone of our society. We must normalise good habits and exhibit sustainable behaviour. We owe it not just to our environment, but also to one another to keep our shared home clean, green and safe. The social impact between my group and others. Our efforts are not only confined to what we do as individuals, but also when we contribute in our capacities as members of groups and organisations. I have touched on dining in hawker centres and let me move along the food chain and look at the retail of foods. At the heart of a sustainable Singapore is all of us being more resource efficient. We need to move away from our use-and-throw culture. The buy-use-throw consumption model is a convenient one. However, it also puts a tremendous amount of stress on our resources, both in having to produce more and having to throw away more. The shift to a more sustainable consumption model requires all groups in the society to play a part. Consumers bring reusable bags when grocery shopping and recycle the packaging of goods where possible. Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and schools help spread the message and educate the public in using alternative packaging for bagging garbage in the households. Businesses redesign their processes to reduce the resources we use to produce and the waste that we dispose.”
“How should we come together to address the complex challenges of today and advance our common interests? Third, the social compact between "my generation" and other generations. What should my generation do and more importantly, set aside for the future ones? What should the current generation invest in? What can we afford to let our future generations do and decide for themselves? What are the common values that thread and weave across multiple generations of Singaporeans, binding us together and making us stronger as One People? The social compact between "me" and others. We live in a dense, urban environment. Our choices and actions impact not just ourselves, but others around us. Take our hawker centres, our community dining rooms where people from all walks of life go for their daily favourite local fare. Our hawker centres are microcosms of our everyday relationships. They reflect the societal norms and accepted behaviour across all segments of society. As diners, when we return our crockery and clear our tables after our meals, we are being considerate to other diners who use those tables after us. When we bin our used tissue after a meal properly, we reduce the risk of infecting our fellow patrons, our cleaners and our stall holders. This reduces the risk of disease transmission. As diners, we cherish and support our hawkers who serve up delicious, yet affordable food tirelessly. We want our hawkers to have a better living, to have a standard of living that progresses with the rests of us and we are prepared to pay more for their hard work over time. We must also be prepared to pay more for cleaning services over time so that our cleaners can also enjoy higher wages and a better living.”
“What does it take to prepare ourselves to be a more environmentally sustainable and resilient country, so that we can have a better Singapore for tomorrow? I would like to echo the many Members who spoke on sustainability during this week's debate. Many Members, such as Mr Saktiandi Supaat, Mr Sharael Taha, Mr Murali Pillai, Mr Louis Ng and Mr Shawn Huang have reminded this House that sustainability remains one of the integral issues during our time. Mr Don Wee spoke about positioning small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to capture green economy opportunities. Mr Leon Perera spoke about renewable energy and the investment opportunities it brings to the region. And Ms Nadia Samdin called for collective action to support the sustainability agenda. Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong spoke about how we have to adjust our social compact, not just among ourselves, but between this generation and future generations to come. In charting our model of sustainable development going forward, our social compact is our guiding light as we navigate the colossal change that climate action entails. We need to re-examine and reaffirm our social compact at three levels. First, the social compact between "me" and others. How do I, as an individual, relate to other individuals? What is my obligation and responsibility towards others around me? Second, the social compact between "my group" and other groups. Every one of us is part of a group or several groups in the society. We may be part of a for-profit business, a public sector agency, an organisation in the people sector or a special interest group. In our social compact, what are the respective roles of our group vis-à-vis others?”
“As we respond to a changing world and its new demands, we will need to find ways to steward Singapore towards a new and more sustainable future. There is a growing awareness that mankind's current reliance on fossil fuels is no longer sustainable. Humanity needs a fundamental change in the way we power our economy, our way of life. The Paris Agreement signalled a global commitment to cap global warming to 1.5°C and there is a clear need for the world to act fast to reduce emission quickly. Even so, the cumulative greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have already created deep and lasting impacts on our ecosystems, raising temperatures and sea levels, increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, disrupting food production and exacerbating the risk of infectious diseases. There is a need for us to adapt and prepare for a future that is warmer, with more unpredictable weather and their full consequences. We have also realised that our pursuit for convenience through the linear "use and throw" consumption model will have to change. It depletes our planet's scarce resources and burdens our environment with the waste that it generates, often degrading the surroundings that we share with other living creatures. And as we consume more and dispose more in Singapore, we exhaust the finite space left in our one and only Semakau landfill. To keep Singapore going and sustainable for future generations, we must adjust how we live as a society and how we grow our economy. How can we achieve economic and social development, while protecting the environment that gives us life? How can we account and be accountable for our environmental externalities? How do we change our societal norms and behaviours to live more sustainably?”
“Mr Speaker, what has clearly emerged from our debate in this House this week is our common desire to build a better Singapore for Singaporeans, not just for today, but also for the future. This has been a clear theme throughout our development as a nation. Since Independence, we have looked beyond our immediate needs, taken a long-term perspective to plan for Singapore's growth, and incorporated environmental stewardship in our development. Take tree planting, for example. As the Chinese saying goes, 前人种树，后人乘凉. When our forefathers planted trees, it was to create shade for the future generations. The trees our forefathers planted continue to provide us shade today, creating lush green spaces where we can rest and recharge. Another example is our efforts to clean up our waterways. When our forefathers cleaned up the Singapore river, it did not just solve the immediate problems of public hygiene and public health, but also transformed the Singapore river over decades. Today, the river channels into the Marina Reservoir, providing clean water for our daily needs. It is now a distinctive icon of our bustling city. Like tree planting and waterway clean-ups, our efforts in environmental stewardship are made possible through the dedication of many generations of Singaporeans. As President Halimah Yacob said in her Opening Address last week, and I quote, "We are here today only because of what previous generations of Singaporeans did." Times may have changed, but we need to preserve our forefathers' values of putting before self, the interests of the family, the community and the country; of self-sacrifice; and of hard work and determination in the face of adversity.”
“We will also continue to support community-led environmental sustainability projects through the SG Eco Fund. Building a sustainable, resilient, and future-ready Singapore requires everyone to play a part. Our convictions must translate to tangible action. We must change our mindsets, lifestyles and habits to build a more resilient and sustainable Singapore.”
“This includes increasing the adoption of productive technologies and sustainable farming practices, making better use of land and sea spaces for agriculture and aquaculture, and encouraging demand for local produce. Climate change will also raise the risk of vector-borne diseases like dengue and pose challenges to public health. We will continue to safeguard Singapore’s public health through vector control and risk surveillance. We will continue to pilot, evaluate and scale new innovative solutions, such as Project Wolbachia. We will invest in new capabilities to realise our sustainability ambitions and raise our national resilience. We have introduced or stepped-up research and development programmes in areas such as decarbonisation, agri-food production, urban heat mitigation, coastal protection, and vector control, in partnership with both local and foreign companies and Institutes of Higher Learning. We will test-bed and implement innovative technologies, such as solar panels on reservoirs, and synergistic waste-to-energy at the Tuas Nexus. These efforts will be supported and sustained by a pipeline of local talent. The Singapore Green Plan is supported by a growing movement of individuals, community groups and businesses wishing to build a more sustainable and resilient Singapore. Through Forward Singapore, the community, public, and private sectors have discussed how we can, as a society, foster a more sustainable way of life, and steward our environmental resources responsibly for future generations. For example, the Green Action for Communities movement brings together community leaders and residents to co-create and co-implement sustainability initiatives that impact their communities directly.”
“SG, MSE will drive public sector efforts to achieve net-zero emissions around 2045, five years ahead of our national target. The Government will publish an annual GreenGov.SG report and Statutory Boards will disclose their environmental sustainability efforts, progress, and plans. The public sector will reduce its electricity and water consumption and waste generation, and further enhance its green procurement policies. Environmental stewardship means shifting away from a make-use-throw mindset, and embracing a circular economy and zero-waste culture. The Extended Producer Responsibility framework is an important enabler to encourage sustainable production upstream by requiring producers to be responsible for the collection and proper treatment of their products at end-of-life. Manufacturers and importers will need to reframe their thinking, redesign their business processes and products, and consider environmental externalities throughout the life cycle of their products. As a low-lying and densely built island nation, Singapore is vulnerable to rising sea levels and rising temperatures. To adapt to increased flood risk, we will continue to enhance the effectiveness of our drainage network, and put in place multi-functional adaptation infrastructure for Singapore’s coastlines. To preserve liveability amidst rising temperatures, the Government will expand our urban heat mitigation measures by increasing greenery and using cool paints. We will develop solutions collaboratively through public consultations and dialogue sessions. We will increase our food resilience by diversifying our food import sources and continuing to ramp up local food production capabilities and capacity to produce 30% of our nutritional needs by 2030.”
“Sustainability has always been part of Singapore’s development journey as we set out to create a clean, green, and liveable environment amid Singapore’s urban transformation. Through the Singapore Green Plan 2030, we renewed our commitment to put sustainability and resilience at the heart of our plans, to build a future-ready Singapore that continues to thrive in a world characterised by climate change, resource constraints, and growing uncertainties. The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) will continue working with Singaporeans to steward a sustainable and resilient Singapore for future generations, in line with aspirations conveyed through the Forward Singapore exercise. The Singapore Green Plan charts out concrete policies and actions for Singapore to decarbonise and achieve our net-zero ambition, and how the Government, businesses, community, and individuals can work together towards a greener future. The Government will enable this green transition by working with all segments of society to change our mindsets, habits, and behaviours, and supporting the creation of new sustainable business models and green jobs. To accelerate our low-carbon transition, the carbon tax will be raised progressively from $5 per tonne now to $50 – $80 per tonne by 2030. To ensure an inclusive transition, we will continue supporting enterprises and households to become more energy-efficient and reduce their carbon footprint, through schemes like the Energy Efficiency Fund and Climate Friendly Households Programme. We will continue to advance effective international collaboration to support our decarbonisation efforts, such as in carbon markets, carbon capture usage and storage, a regional power grid, and renewable energy. Through GreenGov.”
“In 2018, the National Environment Agency released the key findings of a lifecycle assessment study on carrier bags and food packaging used in Singapore. The study estimated that using a reusable bag for one year could replace 125 single-use plastic bags, or 52 single-use paper bags. The study found that single-use plastic bags had the highest global warming potential and energy consumption. On the other hand, single-use paper bags and single-use biodegradable plastic bags contributed significantly to deforestation and had high water consumption among the carrier bags studied. Hence, substituting single-use bags of a certain material type, for example, plastic bags, with single-use bags of another material type, for example, paper or biodegradable plastics, would not necessarily result in a better environmental outcome. The most environmentally-friendly option is to minimise use of disposables, where possible, by reusing our carrier bags. There is no paper composting or recycling facility in Singapore. Paper recyclables collected are aggregated and sent to overseas facilities for recycling. Ahead of the implementation of the disposable carrier bag charge from 3 July 2023, we encourage everyone to do their part for the environment by using reusable bags.”
“We have not detected any food supply disruptions arising from the recent floods in Malaysia.”
“This question has been addressed in the reply to Question Nos 8 to 10 for Oral Answer on the Order Paper for 20 March 2023. [Please refer to "Steps Taken to Ensure Recyclables Collected in Government Campaigns are Completed and Not Misused", Official Report, 20 March 2023, Vol 95, Issue 93, Oral Answers to Questions section.]”
“Based on the National Environment Agency’s (NEA) surveys on the sale of regulated household appliances under the Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme, about 570,000 units of air-conditioners, 340,000 units of refrigerators, 56,000 units of clothes dryers, 600,000 units of television sets and 18 million units of lamps were sold between 2019 and 2021.”
“In 2022, there were 342 cooked food stall tenancy terminations in hawker centres managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) or NEA-appointed operators. This works out to an average of 29 terminations a month, which is comparable to the monthly average of 30 terminations between 2017 and 2019, prior to the COVID-19 years. Vacancy rates at hawker centres managed by NEA or NEA-appointed operators have continued to remain low and stable.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) regularly reviews the list of household appliances under the Mandatory Energy Labelling Scheme, taking into consideration factors, such as the energy consumption of an appliance, how widely it is used and the availability of energy-efficient models. The scheme has recently been expanded to include portable air-conditioners and more types of lamps and we will continue to assess the feasibility of including other household appliances.”
“The National Environment Agency (NEA) adopts an integrated surveillance and control approach to keep the rat population in check. This involves island-wide surveillance of public areas to detect signs of potential rat infestation and conducting inspections of areas with rat infestations. All premises owners, including land management agencies, are responsible for ensuring their premises do not create conditions favourable for vector propagation. Where necessary, they should engage the services of licensed vector control operators to put in place a sustained programme to prevent rat infestation. NEA shares surveillance information, best practices and know-how with land management agencies to support them in their rat control efforts. Where an area with rat infestation involves several stakeholders, NEA will bring them together to implement coordinated rat control measures. Premises owners who fail to practise proper refuse management or who create conditions favourable to the harbouring or propagating of rats are subject to enforcement by NEA under the Environmental Public Health Act and the Control of Vectors and Pesticides Act (CVPA) respectively. The maximum penalty under CVPA is a fine of up to $20,000 or imprisonment for up to three months, or both, for a first offence. For a first offence under the Environmental Public Health (Public Cleansing) Regulations, premises owners can be fined up to a maximum of $1,000 and to a further fine not exceeding $100 for every day or part thereof during which the offence continues after conviction.”
“The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and National Parks Board monitor High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak incidents globally and suspend import sources with outbreaks of HPAI. SFA has not recalled any poultry products due to HPAI. Incidences of HPAI have had a significant impact in their source countries, affecting both poultry and egg production. As Singapore imports more than 90% of our food, we cannot insulate ourselves completely from the impact of disease outbreaks, such as HPAI. We mitigate the potential impact through source diversification. Consumers, too, can play their part by being flexible with food options in the event of supply disruptions.”
“The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) accredited Indonesia as a new source of chilled, frozen and processed chicken meat in June 2022. It will take time for the industry to grow the amount of chicken imports from Indonesia. SFA's regulatory processes for meat imports serve to ensure our food remains safe. There are, currently, no plans to change these processes even as we work with foreign counterparts and the industry to diversify the sources of our protein imports.”
“Mr Chairman, we expected Mr Louis Ng to ask "what's next?", even as and when we announce the first step. I would just like to assure Members that we would definitely want to go as fast as possible. Focusing on our target of 2030 and realising that green procurement has its impact of expanding the introduction of new, more environmentally friendly products and services; and also, hopefully, as a pathfinder, introduce more technologies and introducing scale, so that we can help to bring down the costs of such products and services. So, we are very mindful about the impact that we can play. But at the same time, I think several Members in the House, Mr Chairman, have also asked that we do it in a way that is inclusive, so that all our companies, our SMEs are also brought along this journey. Balancing the pace is a bit like the Goldilocks problem – not too hot, not too cold, just right. We should not go too slowly, but neither should we go too quickly, but we should do it just right. We will take the lessons learned from the first tranche that we will be implementing. Members can be assured that we will want to go as quickly as we can.”
“It is going to be a multi-billion-dollar and multi-decade undertaking, just as we have done for the water security story, the coastal protection part of it is going to be a new area where we expect international collaboration, foreign ideas and innovations that we should be open to accept, while at the same time, finding our own local applications that is relevant and cost-effective to us. I would also like to just refer Members to what has been announced under the MTI COS debate, that a Green Skills Committee will be set up to look at creating greater capabilities and developing more expertise in the areas of sustainability and green economy. This is a very exciting area. It cuts across many sectors. It is both vertical, like coastal protection; and horizontal, cutting across sustainability, verification and management reporting of carbon emissions. So, there are many opportunities and lots of work ahead of us, and we want to see how we can bring greater coordination between the public, private and people sectors.”
“Chairman, I thank Prof Koh Lian Pin for a very thoughtful question. I totally agree with him about the need to create excellence in Singapore but at the same time have a strong local anchor so that Singaporeans will find exciting career and also will be able to create value as we move towards sustainability. I think the example that Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon has mentioned earlier about the climate protection and flood management centre that we have just announced is a very clear illustration of how we intend to do that. It is a centre that is located in NUS, with strong anchors – not just in NUS but in various IHLs that have capabilities in related issues. It also intends to pull in disciplines from other centres that are related to coastal protection and flood management. For example, if we consider nature-based solutions, then expertise in this area will have to be incorporated. At the same time, we talked about a living lab where interesting solutions that have worked elsewhere, we need to refine, we need to test and we need to pilot it, to ensure that they are effective in the Singapore context. This is where overseas expertise and local companies can jointly work on such projects, and therefore, anchoring, transferring and absorbing some of these foreign expertise into the local talent pool. Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon has also talked about how we intend to engage students in PhD projects and also in the Masters project to ensure that we have sufficient people in the pipeline to enable us to undertake this project that is going to be massive, that is going to be huge, that is going to be significant and at the same time, it is going to take many decades.”
“Chairman, I would like to thank Ms Poh for her clarifications. On Pandan Reservoir, I would like to assure Members that before we embark on the project, we will do the appropriate environmental study, just as we have done for Tengeh, and also for Bedok. It is important for us to take a holistic evaluation on the impact on the environment, and Members, as well as members of the public, can rest assured that PUB will do the right thing of studying before we embark on it. We had taken care of it when we did Tengeh, situating the solar panels where we are limiting the size, where we think that it is appropriate for the animals and the birds in the area. We will similarly do the same for Pandan Reservoir.”
“I invite businesses to partner us in being catalytic agents to the transition, by moving ahead of the curve to bring about the next bound of sustainability. I invite the community to partner us in building a social compact that will make us the greenest generation so far. I invite everyone to partner us in building a green nation together. [Applause.]”
“Through this exercise, large water users are made aware of water intensive parts of their operations and identify opportunities to increase efficiency. To further improve water efficiency in the non-domestic sector, PUB will introduce mandatory recycling requirements on new and expansion projects in industries that have high water consumption. These are namely the wafer fabrication, electronics and biomedical industries. They are water intensive and have high potential for water recycling. PUB will also enhance the incentive schemes to encourage companies to go beyond the mandatory recycling rate. This will come into effect on 1 January 2024. More details will be released later. Households can play a part through sustainable living practices and being mindful of our consumption. It is easy to take for granted that clean water is available in every household today. It is unfathomable that 60 years ago, water rationing was imposed in Singapore. The water supply had to be cut off for 12 hours, three times a week, for about eight months. We must, therefore, continue to promote water conservation among our population. A resilient water supply is critical in safeguarding our water needs from external shocks arising from climate and environmental impacts. The Singapore Water Story is one that must carry through to future generations. And that is the goal of a green nation: to steward a green, liveable and climate-resilient home. A home that is sustainable and will last for generations. The Government will lay the foundations for a green Singapore that is climate-friendly and climate-ready, but we will only make headway if this is a shared vision and if we all take collective steps along this journey.”
“We capture our used water through our Deep Tunnel Sewerage System (DTSS) – a network of deep tunnels that form a superhighway for our used water. The used water travels through the DTSS by gravity to Water Reclamation Plants (WRPs) and NEWater factories. They are then collected, treated and reclaimed to produce NEWater. When completed, the DTSS will reduce by 50% the amount of land that would otherwise have been needed for used water infrastructure. This is significant in land-scarce Singapore and will make room for more spaces for Singaporeans to live, work and play. 11.15 am We are making good progress on DTSS Phase 2 and expect tunnelling works to be completed by the second half of this year. This will connect the existing Changi WRP on the eastern side and the upcoming Tuas WRP in the west. The Tuas WRP will be completed by 2026, alongside the new Tuas NEWater Factory. We will be redeveloping the Kranji Water Reclamation Plant and NEWater Factory in the north as the new piece of our three-node DTSS. Preliminary design will commence this year. Together, these developments will strengthen Singapore's water reclamation system, increase the treatment capacity of used water and bolster our NEWater production. Efforts to secure our water supply must be accompanied by efforts to manage our water demand. Mr Gan asked about our efforts in improving water efficiency in the non-domestic sector. The non-domestic sector currently accounts for more than half of our total water demand and can play a big part in water conservation. We have required large water users to establish water management systems and submit annual plans for water efficiency to PUB, under the Mandatory Water Efficiency Management Practices.”
“Mr Chairman, the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report found that the Southeast Asia region is one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Rising sea levels pose an existential threat to us. We are especially at risk as a low-lying island state. We also expect significant increases in temperature and extreme weather patterns by the end of the century. The impacts of climate change are far-reaching and have downstream implications on food security when harvests are affected and on water security when sources of water dry up during heatwaves. My Ministry is laying the foundation for Singapore to be a climate-ready nation. I will elaborate on how we will bolster our water security and Senior Minister of State Koh Poh Koon will share how we are shoring up our coastal defences, inland flood protection and food resilience. Singapore has four national taps – water from local catchments, imported water, NEWater and desalinated water. NEWater and desalinated water are weather-resilient sources. In addressing the threats of climate change, we will invest further in these weather-resilient taps. Ms Poh has asked for an update on our water infrastructure. We will increase the capacity and efficiency of desalination capabilities. Last year, we opened our fifth desalination plant – the Jurong Island Desalination Plant (JIDP). It is co-located with the Tembusu Multi-Utilities Complex (TMUC). This enables the plant to be about 5% more energy efficient compared to earlier desalination plants. We will strengthen our systems for managing used water and recycling it into NEWater. Used water is a precious resource that can be recycled endlessly to fortify our water resilience.”
“He will be heartened to hear that many Singaporeans share our ambitions and hopes for a greener Singapore and have great ideas to help us get there. To date, over 1,400 Singaporeans ranging from the youth to the elderly have attended close to 20 engagement sessions under the Forward Singapore Steward Pillar. The engagements focused on the challenges and trade-offs in fiscal and environmental sustainability topics, such as our net-zero ambition, resource circularity, coastal and flood resilience and food security. In a dialogue with seniors at Toa Payoh, I was particularly inspired by their ideas and enthusiasm towards recycling and reducing their carbon footprint. I remember Mr Wang, who sold his car and switched to cycling after the completion of a MRT station in his neighbourhood. He is also a handyman, repairing discarded electrical appliances regularly for his neighbours to reuse. We can certainly take a leaf out of the book of these residents in embodying the spirit of stewardship. In a bid to turn more of these ideas into action, we have launched the Green Nation Pledge. We are calling on individuals and organisations to pledge as a contributor, advocate or champion. More than 350 educational institutions and organisations representing 200,000 employees and students and more than 10,000 individuals have made Green Nation Pledges thus far. My Ministry will continue to facilitate ground-up sustainability initiatives and partner the community in building a green nation. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey will share more on our efforts in his speech and also about our efforts on public health resilience.”
“We have been working with community partners to increase awareness of the Programme, through outreach activities to residents, posters at community clubs, and digital display panels at HDB blocks. We have also worked with retailers to display CFH Programme collaterals on eligible appliances for easy identification and reminder. I urge eligible households to tap on the climate vouchers to switch to more efficient appliances and fittings. We will be extending and expanding the eligibility criteria of the Climate Friendly Households Programme. This will enable more households to be eligible for the scheme, to tap on the vouchers and to benefit from bigger savings in their utility bills. More details on the programme's extension, as well as the list of eligible appliances, will be released later this year, likely to be effective in the following financial year. (In English): Aside from increasing efficiency, circularity is another avenue of being climate-friendly. Senior Minister of State Amy Khor will elaborate further on our efforts towards a zero waste nation, in particular, to reduce packaging waste and boost our recycling rate. She will also share about continued efforts to partner hawkers in ensuring Singapore's treasured hawker culture is safeguarded for years to come. Grants and policies are but tools and enablers. To unlock the next bound of the green transition, we must change our collective mindsets and behaviours. Individually, our actions may feel insignificant, but collectively, we can build a new social compact necessary for a green Singapore. The Government has been facilitating the green transition through our engagements and partnerships with the community under our Forward Singapore Steward Pillar. Prof Koh asked for an update.”
“With rising number of households, more working from home and usage of appliances, increasing energy efficiency in our homes is more important than ever. Our energy labels, with the number of ticks, have enabled consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing appliances. I am heartened that more consumers are choosing appliances with higher energy efficiency. Suppliers have noticed this and are responding by expanding their offering of energy efficient appliances. We will enhance these efforts. We will add energy labels to portable air-conditioners and more types of lamps next year. The standards of air-conditioners, refrigerators, lamps and televisions will also be raised over the next two years to lock in efficiency gains and remove less efficient appliances from the market. These will help to further reduce energy consumption in our households and help consumers reduce their utility bills by choosing more energy efficient appliances. Mr Chairman, in Mandarin, please. (In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] We recognise that purchasing energy efficient appliances may involve some additional costs upfront, in order to benefit from lower utility bills in the long run. Some families may have difficulty making the payment. We introduced the Climate Friendly Households (CFH) Programme in 2020 to help households in 1- to 3-room HDB flats offset the higher cost of energy- and water-efficient household appliances. For example, last year, a family bought a 3-tick refrigerator that cost about $800. A comparable 2-tick model would cost about $200 less. With the $150 climate voucher, they could offset most of the higher cost of the 3-tick model, on top of further savings in their monthly electricity bill.”
“We recognise that upfront capital investment can be challenging for our businesses, particularly SMEs. To support an inclusive transition, we will help SMEs make the switch. Enterprise Singapore introduced the Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG) for food services, food manufacturing and retail sectors last year. NEA also enhanced the Energy Efficiency Fund (E2F) for manufacturing companies to invest in energy efficient equipment. One SME that benefited from the enhanced E2F is ACP Metal Finishing Private Limited (ACP), which specialises in metal surface treatments and finishes. ACP tapped on the enhanced E2F to replace over a thousand fluorescent lightings in its facilities with more energy efficient LED lightings. The E2F funded 70% of the $60,000 project cost. With these retrofits, the company improved the energy efficiency of its operations. They enjoyed annual energy savings of about $30,000 which represents a payback period of less than a year with support from the E2F. I am happy to announce that we will further enhance the Energy Efficiency Fund to provide manufacturing companies with certainty of the grant amount, upfront, when they invest in energy efficient equipment. We will also further simplify the grant application process by streamlining the measurement and verification requirements. I encourage eligible companies, particularly our SMEs to tap the enhanced scheme to defray the cost of switching to more energy efficient equipment. This will enhance their competitiveness, as they participate in the greening of our economy. Mr Gan and Dr Lim Wee Kiak also called for support for households to be more energy efficient.”
“I hope that these initiatives under GreenGov.SG will spur many in the private sector to follow suit, in publishing their own sustainability reports and incorporating sustainability considerations in their procurement policies. Together as a nation, we can transform our economy. This leads me to talk about enabling the transformation through partnering businesses and the community. Building a green nation requires the participation of all – businesses, communities and persons. The Government cannot do it alone and all of us must work closely alongside each other, as partners, to deliver on the Green Plan. We will be raising our carbon tax progressively over the next few years to further incentivise carbon and energy efficiency throughout the economy and society. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) had addressed queries on allowances under the transition framework that Miss Cheryl Chan asked about. As raised by Prof Koh, we will allow companies to use high-quality international carbon credits or ICCs, to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions. We will publish a whitelist of acceptable ICCs later this year, which will include eligible host countries, carbon crediting programmes and methodologies. Businesses should do more with less. Creating more products and services with less resources and less waste will raise their competitiveness in the long run, particularly against higher carbon and energy prices. Businesses must invest in energy efficient equipment or manufacturing processes. Some upfront costs may be incurred. However, over the long run, lower energy and resource use will lead to lower costs over the equipment's lifecycle. Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about the support provided for businesses, including SMEs, in making this upfront investment.”
“Starting from 2024, besides pre-qualifying the products on environmental standards, we will also consider the sustainability practices of the company we buy from. As announced by Senior Minister of State for Finance, Mr Chee Hong Tat, we will start with large construction and ICT tenders. These make up more than 60% of the value of Government procurement contracts. Such projects include public infrastructure, industrial buildings and office ICT equipment contracts. 11.00 am Using ICT as an example, in addition to the requirement of matching the best-in-class in energy efficiency, we may evaluate the efforts of the tenderers in reducing packaging and carbon footprint of their operations, when we evaluate the tender bids. As this is a new concept, we will start with setting aside up to 5% of the evaluation points for environmental sustainability. We will review the amount and engage industry closely as we expand the adoption of sustainability criteria to more public sector procurement sectors. Mr Don Wee asked if such efforts to green the public sector will entail additional costs. Environmental sustainability is not costless and we will have to pay a bit more for greener goods and services. But as the world decarbonises, the demand for green products and services will grow. And green procurement in the public sector will encourage suppliers to adopt sustainability practices and develop green products and services. Thereby, enhancing the growth of the green economy in Singapore and the competitiveness of our companies globally. The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) had outlined initiatives that support businesses in adopting sustainability practices, such as measuring carbon emissions sustainability reporting and seizing opportunities in the green economy.”
“In partnership with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), PUB is test-bedding the use of novel electrolysis technology to capture carbon dioxide in seawater as part of the desalination process. This will produce hydrogen and pre-treated seawater so that it can be desalinated at lower energy. Mr Don Wee and Miss Cheryl Chan will be pleased to hear that from this financial year onwards, the Government will publish an annual GreenGov.SG report, the report will show our efforts, progress and plans. We will start with reporting Scope 1 and 2 emissions, electricity and water consumption with reference to international standards and frameworks. From FY2024, all Statutory Boards will also make their annual environmental sustainability disclosures. Several statutory boards have started making sustainability disclosures. They have been systematically incorporating sustainability in their decision-making and risk management frameworks to achieve concrete sustainability outcomes. As Mr Don Wee, Mr Louis Ng and Prof Koh pointed out, the public sector can drive the nation's transition to a green economy by leveraging on its procurement budget. Let me elaborate on our plans for green procurement in the public sector. The public sector has adopted green procurement since 2007. Thus far, we have introduced sustainability requirements for selected goods and services. For example, Information and Communications Technology (ICT) equipment, electrical appliances and printing paper must first meet environmental standards before they are assessed on price and quality attributes. Building on this foundation, we intend to raise the bar.”
“Prof Koh Lian Pin and Mr Don Wee asked for a progress update. To spearhead the effort, we have appointed Singapore's first Government Chief Sustainability Officer (GCSO). Each Ministry has also appointed a Chief Sustainability Officer to oversee sustainability matters across their Ministry family. They will work closely with the GCSO to develop and coordinate strategies to meet this ambition. Our public sector agencies are pushing ahead with decarbonising their systems and processes. For instance, the National Environment Agency (NEA) is working with Keppel Seghers on a joint feasibility study to capture carbon dioxide emitted from Waste-to-Energy plants. Ms Poh Li San asked about PUB's decarbonisation plans and solutions. PUB has also committed to achieve net-zero emissions around 2045, in line with our GreenGov.SG ambition. Their decarbonisation strategy is underpinned by 3Rs – Reduce, Replace and Remove. First, PUB will reduce carbon emissions by improving the efficiency of energy-intensive processes such as desalination and NEWater. It targets to reduce the energy consumption for desalination from 3.5 to less than 2 kilowatt-hour per cubic meter by 2025. PUB's upcoming Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (WRP) will be fully energy self-sufficient by harnessing synergies with NEA's Integrated Waste Management Facility. Next, PUB will also replace carbon-based energy sources with renewable energy, including solar. We are already home to one of the world's largest floating solar farms at Tengeh Reservoir. We are deploying the next floating solar farms at Pandan Reservoir and plan to call the tender for this later this year. PUB is also exploring innovative technologies to remove carbon.”
“Mr Chairman, before I address the cuts filed by Members, I would like to thank many Members who spoke on sustainability during the Budget debate. In particular, Prof Koh Lian Pin's call for climate change and sustainability to always be among the bread-and-butter issues we focus on. And Ms Carrie Tan's motto to Share More, Use Less, Waste Not, resonated with me. Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean also spoke about our raised climate ambition and the urgent need for climate action. He explained that a whole-of-nation effort was needed to transition to a greener future. This nationwide effort is underpinned by the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which we launched two years ago. The Green Plan charts bold and concrete policies and actions for Singapore to achieve our net-zero emissions goal. It serves as a critical compass on our path to sustainability. My colleagues from other Ministries have been or will be providing updates on their green plan initiatives over the Committee of Supply (COS) debate. We must press on with this intergenerational effort to steward a green, liveable and climate-resilient home for Singaporeans and our future generations. Today, my colleagues from the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) and I will share how we are laying the foundations for a green nation that is Climate-Resilient and Climate-Friendly. First, I will elaborate on how we are leading, enabling and facilitating Singapore's transition to a climate-friendly nation. The public sector will lead the way for Singapore's decarbonisation journey and pave the way for green efforts to take root. Under the GreenGov.SG initiative, the public sector has committed to achieving net-zero emissions around 2045, five years ahead of our national target.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, I beg to report that the Committee of Supply has made progress on the Estimates of Expenditure for FY2023/2024 and ask leave to sit again tomorrow.”
“Mr Chairman, may I seek your consent to move that progress be reported now and leave be asked to sit again tomorrow?”
“To reduce air pollution, we announced in 2018 that motorcycles registered before 1 July 2003 will have to meet tightened in-use emission standards from 6 April 2023. Since 2018, the National Environment Agency has offered owners of these motorcycles an incentive of up to $3,500 if they deregister their motorcycles before 6 April 2023. From April 2018 to January 2023, 23,328 older motorcycles were deregistered, with 4,490 still in use. Based on recent inspection data, we expect one in five of these motorcycles will not be able to meet the tightened in-use emission standards.”
“Between 1 October 2022 and 31 January 2023, about 460 enforcement actions were taken against offenders for smoking in public parks and beaches.”
“Ongoing efforts are being made to reduce the waste to be sent to Semakau Landfill, thereby extending the lifespan of the landfill well beyond 2035. Under our Zero Waste Master Plan, we have mapped out a range of initiatives to reduce waste generation and improve recycling rates, to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill by 30% per capita per day by 2030. These include research and development, regulatory measures, as well as outreach and public engagement. My Ministry and the National Environment Agency are assessing the results of these ongoing efforts, as well as future plans and will provide an update when ready.”
“The understanding is that we have not even had a chance to discuss this internationally and we have to decide whether we will contribute or we will claim from this fund. 11.55 am”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, two points. First of all, a Transitional Committee will be set up to discuss this issue. What does it include? What are the terms of the fund? Who will be contributing to it? How can developing countries draw from it? All these details have yet to be discussed. Secondly, Singapore stands on the side of, we belong to the group of developing countries and therefore stand as a potential claimant from this Loss and Damage fund. But we are already doing our own adaptation. We are coming up with resources. In fact, we are dedicating a significant part of financial resources – we estimated up to S$100 billion dollars and that is diverting a lot of financial resources away from other urgent needs. I think we should really look at what is needed for us to adapt and also, how can we prevent such loss and damage from climate change from impacting our own properties and our own institutions.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I would like to assure Mr Don Wee, at this point in time, there is no linkage between this fund and the companies in Singapore.”
“Mr Deputy Speaker, I do not want to repeat my reply but the gist of my reply is that the Loss and Damage fund, is a recognition of the plight of the developing countries, which is a group that Singapore belongs to. We emit 0.1% of global carbon emissions, but are affected by 100% of all the impacts of climate change. So, actually, it is a discussion about developed countries, which Member Leon Perera had referred to, for example, Germany, UK and so on, and a recognition of their responsibility to the developing countries and Singapore belongs to the latter group.”