Singapore welcomes partnerships to test-bed urban solutions: Khaw

SINGAPORE — The Republic welcomes partnerships to test-bed urban solutions here while it is, in parallel, active in foreign cities, planning technology parks, building townships and developing entire eco-cities, said National Development Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday.

“Like any city, Singapore is a work-in-progress and the Singapore story continues to be written. And we continue to learn from other cities, to foster urban innovations,” said Mr Khaw, speaking at the 4th Binhai Forum and Expo in Tianjin, China.

Citing the Suzhou Industrial Park, Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city (TEC) and Sino-Singapore Guangzhou Knowledge City as prime examples of partnerships, he said: “They help chart a practical development path towards improving people’s welfare.”

Mr Khaw also shared what Singapore is doing in seven areas to build on its strong foundation after 48 years of development.

Using examples of rooftop gardens, vertical greenery and park connectors, he said the Government emphasises “greenery in our developments” as part of its efforts to make the country a “City in a Garden”.

Mr Khaw added: “We never cease to try to create more spaces. We reclaim from the sea. We intensify land use. We have begun to tap underground spaces beyond the traditional uses of transport and storage.

“We intend to go deeper, push the boundaries and expand the underground uses.”

Singapore is also doing more to conserve its rich biodiversity in the urban environment, the minister said, citing the example of a successful conservation programme for the Oriental Pied Hornbill which was once thought to be extinct in Singapore. Now, there are more than 100 hornbills here.

The Government is also working on getting smooth otters to flourish again in some of the rivers and wetlands in Singapore, said Mr Khaw.

As for the built environment, Mr Khaw said all new buildings are required to achieve the Green Mark. The target is to have 80 per cent of all buildings here achieve Green Mark certification by 2030.

Also, all land reclamation projects are required to be built at least 2.25m above the highest recorded tide level to protect against long-term sea level rise.

In public transport, Mr Khaw said heavy investments are being made so that commuters can progressively leave their cars at home.

Improvements are also being made to the cycling infrastructure in the city to create more car-free zones.

“I believe that cities should be made safe for pedestrians and cyclists. We are not yet quite like Copenhagen, but I hope we can close the gap with the Danes in due course,” he said.

Mr Khaw shared how Singapore takes care to preserve the link to its past, heritage and memories as the country develops.

Even though the Government had to exhume the graves at Bidadari Cemetery for housing development, he said, the heritage of the cemetery and pioneers will be commemorated through a Memorial Garden.

Lastly, the minister said that Singapore is committed to long-term and comprehensive planning, up to 50 years ahead.

“Even today, we are planning ahead, beyond 2030, for our airport and sea port. This is to ensure the continuing relevance of Singapore as a global hub for international trade,” said Mr Khaw.

CHANNEL NEWSASIA