全民受益，全球受益
A Good deal for us, a good deal for the planet
Changing the status quo on climate change policy is possible with broad public demand, and that is possible once the public is aware that progressive climate change policy is a good deal for everyone, for Singapore, for ASEAN, for the world.
The problem - Singapore’s climate change policy is far off track
Why should I care about Singapore’s emissions when I can’t even see it on a map?
What is the Green New Deal Singapore and how will it help close the gaps?
Who are you and what do you do?
How can I help?
The problem : Singapore’s climate change policy is far off-track
The Singapore government recognises climate change as a serious risk to Singapore’s future, with warmer weather, prolonged dry spells and heavier rains already being experienced in recent years, and further adverse effects on our coastlines, water resources, biodiversity and greenery, public health, food security, and even the built environment to be expected in the long term (MEWR’s “Let’s Game Change Climate Change” campaign). Yet the policy fails to address the issue of Singapore’s commitment to meeting IPCC-recommended emission targets, and does not confront the elephant in the room - the oil refinery and petrochemical industry.
In fact, Singapore’s climate change policy is rated as “highly insufficient” with what is required to meet the Paris Agreement and IPCC targets to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C (Climate Action Tracker, 12th March 2020). The Green New Deal Singapore aims to address this insufficiency and provide as a roadmap for a just transition to a net-zero carbon Singapore.
Why should I care about Singapore’s emissions when I can’t even see it on a map?
If you care about the climate crisis, then you will know that at the heart of the problem of the crisis is the ability for the polluters - ExxonMobil, Shell to continue their operation by shifting to countries that harbor them with more favorable and lax environmental standards. You may also know that the majority of future emissions growth is projected to be in Asia, in particular China and Indonesia which Singapore could potentially play a decisive role in influencing their development pathways. Here are 4 reasons why closing Singapore’s climate policy gap is critical to achieving 1.5C worldwide.
Singapore is host to the 7th largest refinery complex and a safe carbon haven for two of the big oil majors — ExxonMobil and Shell. Cleaning up the petrochemical complex in Singapore is one more step to ending fossil fuels worldwide.
It is one of the top 5 most influential and powerful cities in the world and leads in areas of finance, technology and academics and could be an accelerator for the pace of change, particularly in Asia and especially in the lagging Southeast asia (ASEAN) region.
Its advanced modern city design and strong executive capabilities uniquely enables it to be a model city of sustainable development for tropical cities — sub-saharan Africa and ASEAN are areas of highest projected growth in emissions, so having an at-scale proof-of-concept design will be a big win in averting future emissions
Limiting financing of coal and oil and gas projects and limiting the supply of liquid transportation fuels in ASEAN region
What is Green New Deal Singapore and how will it help close the gaps?
The Green New Deal Singapore (GND) is a set of climate change policy measures that
Presents a pathway to net- zero carbon across key sectors
Fulfills Singapore’s international commitments to the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
Meets the scale and pace of the energy transition required
Grows new sectors, creating new jobs and enabling a skill shift in the process
Creates new areas of education, research and innovation
Stimulates foreign investment in sustainability
Prioritises the needs of citizens, residents and local communities first
Positions Singapore as a leader together with other forward-thinking, and sustainability-focused countries
The policy proposals are inspired by Green New Deal climate policies being proposed worldwide that are designed to address the needs for everyday Singaporeans facing rising costs of living, declining quality of life and intensifying job competition. It matches the scale and pace of the economic transformation called for within the IPCC’s Special Report SR15 (October 2018).
The pathway laid out in the GND relies primarily on
Pricing the externalities, to balance and fund the transition
Enabling entrepreneurs to innovate on new business models
Putting in place a fair deal for the working class
Implementing a just transition for workers in sunset industries
Co-creation through active citizen engagement, reaching out across the nation and to the Singaporean diaspora worldwide
Seeking to strengthen relationships for regional cooperation
Singapore’s Green New Deal can form part of Southeast Asia’s Green New Deal. A low-carbon future for Singapore demands strengthening economic bonds with regional partners and allies on common issues of shared fates. The policies promote strong financial, technological, migrant and trade ties for multilateral solutions. International governmental and business partnerships and collaborations will be crucial in getting to our common future together. Southeast Asia needs to come together to engage with our common challenges: a more volatile and uncertain climate, collapsing ecosystems, food security, heat stress, disappearing coastlines. By working together to invest in regenerating our environments, rapidly growing the energy share of renewables, and transitioning to holistic sustainable urban development, we can make significant inroads towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals in the region.
Who is Green New Deal Singapore and what do you do?
Green New Deal Singapore is a team of grassroots citizen initiative of passionate volunteers working to publish the key policy recommendations and translate the implications for key stakeholders - households, businesses and international allies. We believe that change is possible with broad public demand, and that is possible once the public is aware that progressive climate change policy is a good deal for everyone. Our policy proposal touches on all aspects of climate change policy - petrochemicals, manufacturing, power generation, transportation, buildings, agriculture and ecosystems, finance, citizen co-creation and ASEAN regional cooperation. We are composed of three working groups - energy and economics, social issues and marketing.
How can I help?
click here to find out how you can take action with Green New Deal Singapore
Voice, Vote and Volunteer!
You can support the Green New Deal by first by learning more about climate change policy in Singapore and around the world. You can get started by browsing the materials posted on our website. Don’t stop there though! Share your views about the benefits of the Green New Deal that matter to you in your community - with your friends, family, in the workplace, at school with your religious community. Take up an active role as a citizen by talking to your MPs and elected officials, and championing institutional reforms in the workplace. You can join any of the climate action groups in Singapore such as SG Climate Rally, Speak4Climate, LepackInSG, Climate Conversations, 350 Singapore, Fossil Free Yale-NUS
You can also partner or join the Green New Deal team.
Professional peer review
Do you have qualifications in economics or sustainable technology? Do you currently have or previously worked on climate change policy in academia or in an institutional setting? We are currently seeking a professional in these fields for peer review of our policy proposal report.
Media journalist
Are you a journalist or do you work in the media industry? We are seeking media contacts who would be interested to tell the story of Singapore's climate change policy, and the Green New Deal solutions for ASEAN in media. We are not limited to only Singapore or Asia, international journalists are also welcome. If you would like to hear more please send us an email and indicate "media / journalist" in the subject header.
Partner organization
Does your organization share our values from the 7 pillars or has a specific interest in climate change policy or social issues in Singapore? Tell us about your organization and if you would like to know more about how we could partner together.
to give us more details about yourself and your organization.
Policy research content creator
Do you enjoy learning about climate change policy and sharing with others? Do you enjoy discussing the Green New Deal, steady-state economy, decarbonization solutions? Do you enjoy writing, basic research, reading about case studies and working with data? Getting started is easy and low commitment, just login, create a profile and notify us of your interest from the sign-up link.
Research team volunteer
Are you willing to take time out of your week to learn and share about Singapore’s just transition climate change policy? There are needs in a diverse range of skills in areas of engineering, economics, web development, modelling, social issues, marketing and publicity. Let us know in which areas you would like to contribute.
Let us know more about you and which role / team you would be interested in Use this sign-up link
References
Meerabelle Jesuthasan -- New Naratif - Red hot Red dot - the climate crisis and Singapore
Ministry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR), last accessed 2020 Let’s Game Change Climate Change
Climate Action Tracker — Singapore’s climate action policy gap assessment
Angel Hsu -- Channel News Asia --- “Forget bamboo straws, let’s name the elephant in the room of Singapore’s climate debate” https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/commentary/singapore-climate-change-action-un-madrid-oil-refinery-petrochem-12178838
Taylor Hickem - A Green New Deal for Singapore
https://www.moralmillennials.com/post/a-green-new-deal-for-singapore Taylor Hickem “Pragmatic climate change policy guidance for Singapore from the IMF”
Green New Deal for Europe