1.1. Environmental MovementEnvironmental Movement

2.2. Economic Growth Vs Economic Growth Vs Environmental ConservationEnvironmental ConservationSustainable Development?Sustainable Development?

3.3. Singapore’s Environmental Singapore’s Environmental ManagementManagement

The Environmental The Environmental MovementMovement• ‘‘Silent Spring’ – a Silent Spring’ – a

controversial book controversial book published by biologist published by biologist Rachel Carson in Rachel Carson in 19621962

• Exposed destructive Exposed destructive environmental effects environmental effects of chemical of chemical pesticides e.g DDTpesticides e.g DDT

Rachel Carson

A Broad & Diverse Movement… A Broad & Diverse Movement… consisting of Environmental consisting of Environmental Pressure Groups (EPGs)Pressure Groups (EPGs)

• Conservation organisations ( RSPB -Conservation organisations ( RSPB -Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)Royal Society for the Protection of Birds)

• International NGOs (Greenpeace)International NGOs (Greenpeace)

• Radical action groups (Earth First!)Radical action groups (Earth First!)

• Local grassroots groupsLocal grassroots groups

Conventional tacticsConventional tactics

• LobbyingLobbying

• Organising petitionsOrganising petitions

• Filing lawsuitsFiling lawsuits

• Running candidates in local electionsRunning candidates in local elections

Earth First!Earth First!

• Founders were deeply committed US Founders were deeply committed US ecologists who advocated direct ecologists who advocated direct confrontational action, including confrontational action, including illegal activitiesillegal activities

• ‘‘Monkeywrenching’ – illegal activism Monkeywrenching’ – illegal activism that employed guerilla tactics like that employed guerilla tactics like ‘ecological sabotage’‘ecological sabotage’

Tree SpikingTree Spiking

Eco-te

rroris

m?

Tree spiking was declared a federal felony in the United States in 1988

GreenpeaceGreenpeace• An international environmental An international environmental

organization founded in Canada in 1971. organization founded in Canada in 1971. • Well- known for its use of campaigns to Well- known for its use of campaigns to

stop underground nuclear testing, whaling, stop underground nuclear testing, whaling, global warming, genetic engineering etc. global warming, genetic engineering etc.

• National and regional offices in 41 countries National and regional offices in 41 countries worldwideworldwide

• Financial contributions from individual Financial contributions from individual supporters and charitable foundations, supporters and charitable foundations, does not accept funding from governments does not accept funding from governments or corporations.or corporations.

StrategyStrategy

• ““Greenpeace is an independent, Greenpeace is an independent, campaigning organisation which campaigning organisation which uses uses non-violent, creative confrontationnon-violent, creative confrontation to to expose global environmental expose global environmental problems, and to force solutions for a problems, and to force solutions for a green and peaceful future…”green and peaceful future…”

““Bearing Witness” Bearing Witness”

• A tactic where Greenpeace activists A tactic where Greenpeace activists draw attention to an abuse of the draw attention to an abuse of the environment through their witness environment through their witness and presence at the scene.and presence at the scene.

• Examples:Examples:– Blocked nuclear tests near Alaska in US Blocked nuclear tests near Alaska in US

by sailing to the region (1971)by sailing to the region (1971)– Protest whaling by positioning Protest whaling by positioning

themselves between the whalers and themselves between the whalers and whales to block the ship’s harpoons whales to block the ship’s harpoons

How effective?How effective?

• The use of the media for publicityThe use of the media for publicity

• Shocking images are effective in Shocking images are effective in swaying public opinionswaying public opinion

• Through mass support generated by Through mass support generated by such publicity and ongoing such publicity and ongoing educational literature, environmental educational literature, environmental groups have been able to influence groups have been able to influence the governmental process.the governmental process.

ECONOMIC ECONOMIC GROWTHGROWTH

OROR

ENVIRONMENTALENVIRONMENTAL

CONSERVATIONCONSERVATION

Environmentalism- a luxury?Environmentalism- a luxury?

• Costs of environmental protection Costs of environmental protection – Implementation of environmental lawsImplementation of environmental laws– Protect the forests/sanctuary or clear it Protect the forests/sanctuary or clear it

for industrial development/housingfor industrial development/housing

• Developing nations?Developing nations?

Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

““Sustainable development is Sustainable development is development that meet the needs of development that meet the needs of the present without compromising the the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”their own needs.”

An attempt to resolve the conflict between economic development and environmental protection

Sustainable Development – Sustainable Development – ambiguous concept?ambiguous concept?

• Empty slogan?Empty slogan?• Which needs must be fulfilled and how?Which needs must be fulfilled and how?• ‘‘Needs’ :Needs’ :

– The environmentalists that it is vital to The environmentalists that it is vital to leave future generations a healthy planetleave future generations a healthy planet

– Critics argue that it is a strong economyCritics argue that it is a strong economy

• How feasible & realistic is this concept?How feasible & realistic is this concept?• Developing nations?Developing nations?

Singapore’s Environmental Singapore’s Environmental PoliciesPolicies

• Paramount role of the state in Paramount role of the state in Singapore’s environmental change Singapore’s environmental change and managementand management

• Role of environmental groups & Role of environmental groups & business/industrybusiness/industry

Then : Environmental Then : Environmental management in management in SingaporeSingapore

• Eradicate unhygienic & Eradicate unhygienic & pollutive landscapespollutive landscapes

• Creation of clean & green cityCreation of clean & green city

“…the main mission of providing Singaporeans with a quality living environment, a high standard of public health…” – Ministry of the Environment, 1972

Eradicate unhygienic & pollutive Eradicate unhygienic & pollutive landscapeslandscapes

• Clear slums, clean up polluted rivers Clear slums, clean up polluted rivers (e.g Singapore River)(e.g Singapore River)

• Control air pollution – Clean Air Act in Control air pollution – Clean Air Act in 1971 1971 – emission levels from factoriesemission levels from factories– Vehicle examination Vehicle examination

Creation of clean & green cityCreation of clean & green city

• Garden City Concept in 1965Garden City Concept in 1965– Large scale planting of trees and shrubs Large scale planting of trees and shrubs

for aesthetic reasonsfor aesthetic reasons– Counteract harsh urban environmentCounteract harsh urban environment

Recent developmentsRecent developments• Announced on 7th July 2006 to provide

$330 million over the next five years to boost the development of the local environment and water industry by providing additional funding for R&D. 

• Who’s in charge?A new office - The Environment and Water

Industry Development Council (EWI), set up by The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR)

Now : Environmental Now : Environmental management in Singaporemanagement in Singapore

““Having performed well and achieved a Having performed well and achieved a clean and green living environment, clean and green living environment, MEWR aims to move from maintaining MEWR aims to move from maintaining good environmental performance in the good environmental performance in the short term to achieving short term to achieving environmental environmental sustainabilitysustainability in the in the long termlong term.”.”

Current vision will help drive Current vision will help drive Singapore’sSingapore’s goal to be a global hub goal to be a global hub for environment and water for for environment and water for business, investment, research and business, investment, research and technology technology

The Singapore Green Plan The Singapore Green Plan 20122012(SGP2012)(SGP2012)•Drawn up in 2002, the SGP2012 is our 10-year national blueprint towards environmental sustainability for the next decade. •It is highly focused and action oriented in approach. •include representatives of professionals, businesses and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with the government providing resource persons to assist the focus groups in their work

Environmental groupsEnvironmental groups

• Nature Society of Singapore (NSS)Nature Society of Singapore (NSS)• National Council on the Environment National Council on the Environment

(NCE)(NCE)

• Aim : increase environmental Aim : increase environmental awareness & encourage awareness & encourage environmentally friendly lifestylesenvironmentally friendly lifestyles

• How influential are they in effecting How influential are they in effecting changes?changes?

BusinessesBusinesses

• Role of business and industry influential Role of business and industry influential • Offer financial assistance to Offer financial assistance to

environmental projects, investment in environmental projects, investment in environmentally friendly plantsenvironmentally friendly plants– ““The National Weather Project” by Senoko The National Weather Project” by Senoko

$1m$1m

• Mainly marketing strategies & Mainly marketing strategies & economic concerns rather than economic concerns rather than environmental ones?environmental ones?

• Singapore’s environmental plans are Singapore’s environmental plans are chiefly driven by pragmatic economic chiefly driven by pragmatic economic concernsconcerns

• Large tracts of natural areas & Large tracts of natural areas & habitats have been destroyed in the habitats have been destroyed in the relentless drive towards economic relentless drive towards economic developmentdevelopment

EffectivenessEffectiveness

How green is Singapore?How green is Singapore?

Singapore hailed as a Clean & Green Singapore hailed as a Clean & Green City – very successfulCity – very successful

Superfical?Superfical?

How ‘green’ are you?How ‘green’ are you?

Food for thought…Food for thought…

• Have Singaporeans cultivated a culture of Have Singaporeans cultivated a culture of environmental consciousness & environmental consciousness & responsibility with all the governmental responsibility with all the governmental administrative and legal support?administrative and legal support?

• For long term environmental management For long term environmental management to work, we must understand green to work, we must understand green consciousness is a set of values , not laws consciousness is a set of values , not laws & fines – a feature of truly developed & fines – a feature of truly developed societies/ human progresssocieties/ human progress