Singapore

In particular, our "water story" has won numerous accolades internationally. It is remarkable how we have managed to attain self-sufficiency in water with the addition of two new sources of water: Newater and desalinated water. Such innovations have put us in the international spotlight for water management issues. We won the coveted Stockholm Industry Water Award in 2007 for being the first country to…

In a written answer to a Parliamentary question from MP Christopher de Souza, Dr. Balakrishnan cited results from Phase 1 of the Second National Climate Change Study, which concluded in early 2015. The study found that without mitigation actions, mean temperatures in Singapore could increase to 32°C, he said. “The actual extent to which these temperature increases are realized in Singapore will depend on…

The Stephen Riady Geosciences Scholars Fund will be used to aid in the education of students pursuing PhD geoscience degrees at NTU. NTU’s Earth Observatory of Singapore was founded in 2009 as a national Research Centre of Excellence to conduct fundamental research on earthquakes, volcanoes, tsunamis and climate change across Southeast Asia. The income from the endowed fund will support research proposals by EOS…

He said: “I started as an engineer in the Building Technology Department, and conducted research and development on vertical greenery systems. I worked with the project director on the construction of Treelodge at Punggol, HDB’s first Eco-Precinct. During the course of HDB’s research and development projects, engineers are able to apply what they have learnt in school, such as project management and communication skills.”…

Singapore submitted their target plans to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on Thursday, July 2, in preparation for the upcoming global talks to be held in Paris on December 2015. The said meeting aims to reach out to countries and establish commitments that can help to alleviate global warming and prevent its dangerous consequences in the future. The targets that…

Engineers design, operate and maintain the infrastructure, housing and transport networks that we all depend on daily. As cities continue to develop, new engineering solutions are needed to address constraints posed by the physical environment and the changing climate. As a small city-state that has built itself to a world-class standing in less than 40 years and gained significant know-how in sustainable urban engineering…

"Taxi drivers can now quickly recharge for the next part of their shifts during a break," say the creators TUM create -- a collaboration between Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Germany's Technische Universitat München -- on their website. According to TUM Create, taxis make up less than 3% of the vehicle population in Singapore, yet account for 15% of the total distance covered by…

“This partnership will lead to highly innovative energy efficiency solutions that will help overcome specific environmental challenges faced in tropical megacities like Singapore,” Lam said in the release, noting that NTU has historically “played an important role in (Singapore’s) clean energy landscape.” Some of these specific challenges include dealing with high levels of heat and humidity in Singapore and other cities near the equator…

One key area where we need examples of green, sustainable living is in cities. We are living in an age when the world is adding 1.4 million people a week to urban areas, where half its population already lives. This rapid global urbanization, especially in developing nations, threatens to poison the air people breathe and the water they drink. Singapore has something to teach us…

The models projected findings based on two scenarios: one assumes action is taken to control emissions and the other is based on a business-as-usual scenario where fossil fuels continue to be used with no mitigation efforts. The study projected that between 2070 and 2099, average daily temperatures across Singapore will increase by 1.4 to 2.7°C under the lower emissions scenario to between 28.8 and…

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said in its latest fortnightly weather forecast that Singapore is expected to have short-duration thundery showers in the afternoons on six to eight days over the next fortnight - with heavy showers at times. The next two weeks are also expected to have some warm days with temperatures reaching 34o C, and slightly hazy conditions. The island recorded 45mm…

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law K. Shanmugam announced this at the Third United Nations World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction yesterday as he offered Singapore's humanitarian assistance to Vanuatu, the South Pacific nation devastated by the "monster" Cyclone Pam last Friday. On the training programme to be held in Singapore, Mr Shanmugam said it was targeted at helping developing countries, particularly Small Island…

Although not as bad as last year's dry spell, it is still the second year in a row the Republic is experiencing such weather conditions, on top of other symptoms of climate change, such as heavier rain and flash flooding. But there is hope for this concrete jungle. An internationally renowned urban planner has suggested that in built-up Singapore, its buildings could do more to…

The Government will commit S$1.5 billion to support the roll out of the programmes under the blueprint. This was announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the launch of the Sustainable Singapore Blueprint 2015 on Saturday (Nov 8). The blueprint, first released in 2009, maps out strategies for Singapore's sustainable development. As part of the review, close to 6,000 people were involved in consultations…

This announcement followed President Tony Tan Keng Yam's visit to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew on Friday morning. At the gardens, Dr Tan viewed landscape and plant paintings of Singapore by the prolific English botanical artist Marianne North during her travels around the world. Kew and the Singapore Botanic Garden began collaborating from as early as 1875. In 1877, a batch of Para Rubber seedlings…

Rolled out in 2012, the Doha Amendment extends to 2020 the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty that establishes binding obligations on countries and regions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The ratification is a "further sign of Singapore's continued commitment to the multilateral system," Balakrishnan was quoted as saying in an address to the United Nations Climate Summit. The minister said that Singapore has shown its…

During the opening of the event, Singaporean Minister for National Development Khaw Boon Wan said that $52 million will go to a Green Buildings Innovation Cluster which is hoped to push breakthroughs in new green technologies with experimental buildings. As part of their third Green Building Master Plan, also announced yesterday, the minister said that $50 million will go to phase 2 of their Green…

Among the dismal results: Of the 160 companies who communicated on sustainability, only 19 of them published CSR reports that used a globally recognized standard such as the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). And of these, only eight companies sought external assurance on their reports. In comparison, in 2013 China (including Hong Kong) produced 199 GRI reports, in Korea 109 and Japan 138. This has left…