Abstract

Sustainability has long been part of Singapore’s DNA. Even before the term became widely used, Singapore has pursued sustainable development by balancing economic growth with protecting the environment. Yet, as a dense and small island-city state with no natural resources and limited land area, Singapore is keenly aware of its challenges and constraints. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, these challenges were particularly salient, as supply chains were disrupted, travel restricted, and the way we work and play fundamentally altered. Despite these challenges, Singapore maintains the belief that sustainable development is about future-proofing itself, and building resilience against crises and shocks.

The launch of the Singapore Green Plan 2030 earlier this year amidst the pandemic was a testament to its commitment to sustainable development and building resilience. The Green Plan outlines Singapore’s whole-of-nation approach to sustainable development and charts ambitious concrete targets over the next 10 years. Among others, Singapore will plant one million more trees, quadruple solar energy deployments, and produce 30% of our nutritional needs locally, from less than 10% today.

As part of global efforts to build collective resilience, Singapore has also co-facilitated Ministerial negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on carbon markets, and is committed to working with other countries in new areas such as green finance and clean energy solutions. To find out more about Singapore’s sustainable development journey, join Yong Kai SAW, First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nations, who will share more about the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and Singapore’s efforts to build resilience

Collaborating Organizations for Green Cities 2021

Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization, UN-Habitat, UN-Habitat, AIA New York, AIANY Planning & Design, the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY, Habitat Professionals Forum for Sustainable Cities, Perkins-Eastman, Creative Exchange Lab, Columbia Center for Buildings, Infrastructure & Public Space and Global Urban Development (GUD).

Speaker + Moderator

Speaker

Yong Kai Saw

First Secretary, Sustainable Development of the Permanent Mission of Singapore

Mr. Yong Kai Saw is a First Secretary (Sustainable Development) of the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the United Nations in New York. He oversees environment and sustainable development issues for Singapore at the UN. Prior to this posting, Mr. Yong Kai served in the International Policy Division of the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, Singapore. He has also worked in community relations and waste management during his time with the National Environment Agency, Singapore. Mr. Yong Kai has a background in Environmental Engineering.

Moderator

Lance Jay Brown

FAIA, DPACSA, NOMA, President of CSU

Lance Jay Brown is the President and founding Board Member of CSU. He is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects(FAIA) and former Chair and Director of the Spitzer School of Architecture, City University. He was the 2014 President of the AIA New York Chapter, holds the title of Distinguished Professor for Life Emeritus from the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA), and received the coveted AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion for Excellence in Architectural Education. He presented at the UN World Habitat Forums 5, 7, 9, and 10, and consults, teaches, and lectures nationally and internationally.

Learning Objectives

• Learn about Singapore’s sustainable development journey and the Singapore Green Plan 2030.
  
  
• Discuss how Singapore develops and implements integrated sustainable policies.
  
  
• Illustrate how Singapore will quadruple solar energy deployments.
  
  
• Identify how Singapore will increase its capacity to produce 30% of its nutritional needs locally from less than 10% today.