April 27, 2009
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Singapore’s Sustainable Development Blueprint for the next 20 years

Singapore’s Sustainable Development (SD) Blueprint was unveiled on 27 April 2009 by the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Sustainable Development (IMCSD).

The SD Blueprint contains strategies and initiatives developed towards achieving both economic growth and a good living environment for Singapore over the next two decades.

It details new targets and initiatives to improve resource efficiency and enhance Singapore’s urban environment. Being more efficient in the use of resources such as energy, water and land will contribute to enhancing the city-state’s competitiveness in the long run. Under the blueprint, efforts will be made to improve air quality, expand and open up green and blue spaces, conserve biodiversity and enhance public cleanliness. These efforts will contribute to making the city even more liveable and attractive, even as Singapore continues to grow and develop. Targets have been set to measure the progress in these areas.

The blueprint focuses on a whole-of-nation effort and elaborates on plans to build new capabilities in sustainable development as well as foster greater community ownership and participation. This effort also contributes to global movement towards environmental sustainability. The government is playing a catalytic role through setting aside $1bil to implement the IMCSD’s recommendations.

Prior to the blueprint’s launch, focus group discussions, public forums and dialogue sessions were conducted over a span of one year. Members of the public, leaders of non-governmental organisations and businesses, members from academia, media editors, Mayors, and grassroots leaders contributed actively to the blueprint’s development.

The SD Blueprint is available for download at www.sustainablesingapore.gov.sg.

TEN GOALS BY 2030

Improving our resource efficiency

1. Achieve 35% reduction in energy intensity (consumption per dollar GDP) from 2005 levels.

2. Achieve domestic water consumption of 140L per person per day, down from 156L per person per day.

3. Raise overall recycling rate to 70%.

4. Increase public transport modal share to 70% through doubling our rail network and developing a more integrated and seamless public transport system.

Enhancing our urban environment

5. Improve air quality by reducing ambient PM 2.5 (fine particles) levels to an annual mean of 12 µg/m3 and capping ambient SO2 (sulphur dioxide) levels at an annual mean of 15 µg/m3.

6. Reach a park provision of 0.8ha per 1000 persons and increase skyrise greenery by 50ha. Park connectors will be lengthened from 100km to 360km.

7. Increase blue spaces by opening up 900ha of reservoirs and 100km of waterways for recreational activities.

8. Increase accessibility and convenience for pedestrians and cyclists by expanding our covered linkways and cycling networks.

Building capability and expertise

9. Build Singapore into an international knowledge hub in sustainable development solutions.

Building an environmentally responsible community

10. Achieve a community in Singapore where environmental responsibility is a part of our people and business culture.

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