Singapore, the tropical island nation, is leading the world in a unique way in sustainable urban planning. In this city-state, sustainable development is not only part of the national strategy, but also a practical action to integrate into all aspects of society. Since 1992, Singapore has pursued a green and sustainable transition, and in 2021 it published the Singapore Green Plan 2030, which sets out detailed goals and plans for sustainable development in the next decade.
Singapore's Green Development Blueprint is co-led by five pillars, including "Cities in Nature", "Sustainable Living", "Energy Refresh", "Green Economy" and "Resilient Future". Urban greening is an important part of the plan, and Singapore plans to plant 1 million more trees and add 1,000 hectares of green space by 2030. In addition, two north-south green corridors and two east-west green corridors will be built to enhance the ecological connectivity and resilience of the entire island.
In terms of sustainable living, Singapore plans to convert 75% of its peak-hour commutes to public transport by 2030 and will increase the number of bicycle lanes to 1,320 km. At the same time, the average amount of waste to landfill per person per day will be reduced by 30%, and the school's net carbon emissions will be reduced by two-thirds.
In terms of energy reset, Singapore plans to make all newly registered vehicles fuel-efficient and build up to 60,000 electric vehicle charging points by 2030.
To encourage innovation in the green economy, the Singapore government has implemented a series of incentives, such as the launch of the Energy Efficiency Fund, which supports businesses to adopt energy-efficient models. In addition, Enterprise Singapore has invested S$180 million to launch a corporate sustainability programme to promote the development of a green economy.
In the context of global warming, Singapore also plans to implement a series of measures to mitigate the urban heat island effect, including installing climate sensors, collecting data to understand the urban heat island effect, and employing cooling or heat dissipation materials. In addition, the government is exploring the construction of seawalls and earthen embankments to protect high-risk areas from the threat of sea level rise.
These efforts in Singapore are not limited to the government level, but businesses also play an important role in the sustainability transition. For example, CDL, Singapore's most sustainable property management and development company, has achieved significant energy savings across a number of commercial building projects.
Overall, Singapore's work on sustainable urban planning has not only improved the city's environmental friendliness and liveability, but also provided valuable inspiration and model for other cities facing similar challenges.