SINGAPORE �S SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The international environmental discourse and economic downturn over the past year have raised global awareness of the negative impacts of climate change brought about by continued emission of greenhouse gasses from fossil fuels. These international developments have provided the opportunity to assess how they have affected Singapore’s sustainable development. By analyzing Singapore’s model of sustainable development in the light of international trends and making comparisons against other sustainable models such as the Masdar project in Abu Dhabi, it enables us to understand the unique circumstances and challenges that Singapore is facing in the attempt to develop an integrated paradigm of economic, social and environmental sustainability. This study will also allow us to form a critique towards Singapore’s approach towards mitigating climate change and understand the pressing need for the government to take more serious measures to cut back on greenhouse gases and ensure greater energy efficiency. It would require commitment by the government, as well as public involvement before the nation can take a major step towards creating a truly sustainable development for the future of Singapore.