As previously discussed, the three fundamental factors in Singapore are important in sustainability of the natural environment within Singapore, but I believe that we can do much more as a nation. We are far more competent given our capabilities in becoming a leading nation of technology and finance. Thus, I believe we can also become a leading nation in environmentalism. Perhaps, one of the steps that could be taken could be to support more international organizations such as Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD).
REDD caters to governments and advise them on how to deal with deforestation and global warming. It is now clear that in order to constrain the impacts of climate change within the limits that society can tolerate, a global change needs to be done. This is the vision of REDD, to reduce carbon emissions within two degrees Celsius. And this will be impossible to achieve without reducing emissions from the forest sector, in addition to other mitigation actions. One of the main method is to make the corporate world a part of the solution by providing the mechanisms and incentives to encourage investments that manage and conserve trees, instead of using them for income.
Countries with the REDD Program
Many of the surrounding regions have recently joined this campaign as well, including Malaysia because of it’s palm oil industry. Although Singapore does not have a vast amount of deforestation compared to other countries like Malaysia and Indonesia, I believe creating such international programs can help bridge the gap between governments and produce incremental change. It is time for Singapore to step up and pioneer these programs.