E-Post #2 - How Singapore take an active role in global warming

Global warming had always been a frequent issues raised by environmentalist worldwide. While countries are concentrating in their own growth, the environmental aspect is always neglected, as it was not an immediate threat. However the potential hazard due to the accumulative neglect has now make environmental friendly polices a consideration in economical growth.

Likewise in Singapore, she too has adopted a National Clean Energy Policy as a holistic approach to address several areas such as transportation, industrialization, R & D and other fields that would affect individual living lifestyle.

In Singapore, ownership of car is highly undermined by several government road tax policies through controlled high sales price of car and costly maintenance & traveling expenditure. The lifespan of cars in Singapore is limited to only 10 years with a mandatory requirement that all cars be fitted with catalytic converter. Leaded petrol is also illegal in Singapore, thus only the more expensive fuel are available. With all these means to discourage ownership of cars, government indirectly promote the more vastly use of public transport.
Alternatively, generous tax rebate and incentives are given to car owners of green car, which uses natural gases

Singapore government has also dedicated its fund in search of alternate energy sources beside fossil fuel in the coming future. They had placed much emphasis in area such as solar energy, fuel cells, bio cells and fuels, which are generally much cleaner and renewable, compared to the burning of fossil fuel. Better technology such as gas turbine and usage of natural gas has replaced the older pure burning fuel engines for better efficiency and greener emission of gas. Biomass, which was thrown to landfill initially, was also being used as alternative sources of burning energy, reducing the demand for fossil fuels.

Beside the government policy that directly affect the ground decision, some of the government groups here had also taken action to aid in Singapore pledge to reduce global warming.
The Building and Construction Authority Green Mark Scheme was launched in January 2005 as an initiative to move Singapore's construction industry towards more environment-friendly buildings.
The National Environment Agency has launched several nation wide campaigns to aid in a greener Singapore. In April 2008, a save energy campaign was launched to challenge household to cut energy consumption by 10%, and in April 2007, “Bring Your Own Plastic Bag” (BYOPD) campaign was launch to encourage the public to bring their own carriers while shopping, thus reducing the use of excessive plastic bag, one of the largely used un-biodegradable material.

While Singapore has been vastly promoting the recycling of material and waste, in my opinion, I felt that it was a failure so far. To promote a greener and cleaner Singapore, rubbish bins could be seen almost anywhere. Although this move has helped to keep Singapore clean so far, the trade off is that most Singaporeans are so pampered now to even take the slightest effort to separate recyclable item from non-recyclable item. Recycling bins are also abused to an extent that it was treated like a normal rubbish bin. Unlike recycling culture in other countries such as Taiwan, which fined household for not separating the waste and limiting the rubbish bin found, I felt that Singapore has a long way to go in this area.
Overall, the action of the Singapore Government had steered towards a culture of greener future, but it will still be some time before individual Singaporeans to take up an active role in these plans.

Sources:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/11329434/Singapores-National-Energy-Policy-Report-2008