Singapore: From polluted 'paradise' to the world's leading clean country

In 1965 Singapore was once called a "paradise" of pollution, but today the island nation has been ranked among the top countries and greenest cities in the world.

When Singapore first split from Malaysia in 1965, the country was full of polluted canals and rampant sewage. Singapore's incredible journey, from a polluted waters to a global green country is not automatic or easy.

Director of the National Center for Biodiversity at Singapore National Park Committee, Lim Liang Jim, recently shared his vision of Singapore's future.

"From 1965, we just wanted to rise above ourselves. Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew had a plan: Keep Singapore green and clean ." Said Lee Kuan Yew, the pioneering generation of this city understood that if you turn Singapore is a nice place to live, everyone will come and invest. "

As a city nation, the Singapore government places a high priority on health care and the future of its people.Biodiversity is not only " good to have" but also "must have" for Singaporeans who want to stay in their lands and build a new country from the beginning.

The National Center for Biodiversity, recently developed a high-tech application, SGBioAtlas , which allows people to take photos of trees, birds or animals, tag locations and upload them to a central database. center. Only by smart phone, ordinary people can become citizen scientists immediately.

Trees and waterfalls in Singapore airport.(Image: Getty Images).

Walking around Singapore today you will not see the stinking, polluted rivers, but the plants that crawl into skyscrapers, gardens or parks in almost every part of the city.

Masagos Zulkifli, Singapore's Minister of Environment and Water Resources, stated in his statement on Global Environmental Prospects 6 (GEO6) that " in the 1960s, Singapore was like any developing country. Others - filthy and polluted, unhygienic and facing high unemployment These challenges are particularly acute, as our limitations are a small island nation with limited resources, we do not even have enough drinking water ".

Singapore, since its separation from Malaysia in 1965, has no choice but to become a major urban space, with a long and difficult journey towards sustainable conservation and biodiversity.

According to Minister Zulkifli, one of Singapore's changes was cleaning up the Singapore River, which was an open sewer in the 1960s and 1970s. The cleanup took 10 years, involving thousands of Singaporeans relocating from the Farms, factories and street food stalls pollute the river basin. Successful cleanup also leads to the creation of a reservoir in the city center.

"So how can we both become an advanced economy and protect the environment at the same time? As is the case in many countries, short-term thinking always prioritizes economic development over the environment. A change. A change of mind is needed, " said Minister Zulkifli.

"Our approach is to build a livable and sustainable city, through pragmatic policy-making based on sound scientific and economic principles; focus on long-term planning and implementation. efficiency, and the ability to mobilize support for the common good.The message is clear: If Singapore can turn itself from a polluted country into a global green power, so will any city. " - Mr. Zulkifli confirmed.

For 30 years, the Singaporean government has cleaned up contaminated areas, established agencies such as the National Parks Commission and determined that anyone can find greenery everywhere. A concrete forest has never been something that pioneers have in mind. From urban planning to policies, to zoning for public awareness campaigns, successful governments in Singapore have followed this central vision.

Impressive results have been recorded. The island nation of Singapore with over 5 million people on an area of ​​only 700km ² is ranked as the greenest city in Asia in 2016. Singapore ranked 5th in the top 10 cleanest cities in 2019 - according to the data of Clearwater and Mercer Global Financial list.

Singapore is also the first Southeast Asian city to participate in the #BreatheLife campaign - a campaign launched by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Environment Program and the Alliance for Climate and Clean Air (CCAC). action to encourage cities and individuals to take action against air pollution .