Since independence in 1965, Singapore has pursued concurrent goals of growing the economy and protecting the environment.
1968- A statement in the second reading of the Environmental Public Health Bill:
“The improvement in the quality of our urban environment and the transformation of Singapore into a garden city – a clean and green city – is the declared objective of the Government.”
1972- The Ministry of the Environment is formed to deal with all aspects of pollution, drainage and environmental health.
1974- Waste incineration was introduced in Singapore, reducing waste volume by up to 90% and saved land required for dumping of waste. Currently, about 91% of waste in Singapore are incinerated.
1992 -The Singapore Green Plan was the country’s first formal plan to balance environmental and developmental needs
1996- ISO 14001 formally adopted as a voluntary international standard for corporate environmental management systems.
2002- National Environment Agency formed to focus on the implementation of environmental policies.
2002- World Summit on Sustainable Development held in Johannesburg, South Africa. World governments, concerned citizens, UN agencies, multilateral financial institutions, and other major groups participate and assess global change since the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in 1992. 104 world leaders and thousands of delegates agree on a limited plan to reduce poverty and protect the environment.
2002- Launch of Singapore Green Plan 2012 (SGP 2012). This is a significant plan that charts out Singapore’s sustainable development, with targets and action programs planned for the next 10 years. It is a tangible product of our 3P (Public, Private, People sectors) partnership and is also a reflection of our collective commitment to build a sustainable environment for future generations.
2009- The Sustainable Singapore Blueprint which outlines our sustainable development targets till 2030 was published.
Hence, the push towards environmental sustainability in Singapore was initiated by the government, which was also influenced by international events and happenings. The commitment to and construction of social and economic structure for sustainability practices were formalized gradually by the government. The government has since targeted higher environmental goals with increased sense of efficacy, thanks to increasingly sophisticated technologies at its disposal.