It’s always good to see another rational mind in our midst speaking out
This story was printed from TODAYonline
Tuesday • January 23, 2007
Maryanne Maes
TWO years ago, it would have seemed insane to have environmental disasters hog the headlines of major newspapers around the world. Now, it’s a common sight. “Dawn of the Hot Age?” (Jan 22) sums up the impending dangers the world is facing, now more than ever.
Two years ago, Singapore was alerted to the warning signs of climate change, especially with the threat of being overwhelmed by rising sea levels.
Two years on, Singaporeans remain nonchalant to how this would impact on their daily activities.
Plastic bags are still being wasted, air-conditioning temperatures in shopping malls and offices are still reaching North Pole standards, and both the rich and pseudo-rich continue to buy more than two fuel-guzzling cars per household to uphold their social status.
As the article mentions, the recent signs of climate change couldn’t get any starker. And I wonder when developing nations will pause to think if their doctrine of “business as usual”, in their relentless pursuit of economic growth, will truly serve their interests — or is it simply a case of the blind leading the blind?
Singapore has developed its expertise in maximising its water resources, and recently has introduced the Euro IV vehicle emission standards. But what of the need for other pressing shake-ups?
Since the Republic ratified the Kyoto Protocol last year, I have not seen any major effective national programs being spun off, nor any initiatives to rattle the current unsustainable business mindsets of our local companies in promoting corporate environmental responsibility.
Other countries are surging ahead with green funds and investment, while our local bankers respond wide-eyed when asked about it.
The freeze over the American Plains in the past two weeks has cost the citrus industry more than US$2 billion ($3.07 billion). Australia’s wine and agricultural crops have withered in the drought, while the floods in Malaysia have caused vegetable prices to skyrocket.
Singaporeans depend on such imports for their daily needs. Sir Nicholas Stern was kind and conservative in predicting that the world economy will shrink by 20 per cent by 2050. Looking at the chaos around us, the figure could increase manifold.
Many sceptics say doomsayers are overplaying the effects of climate change, but this is one global hot potato that every nation and individual must bravely deal with as best they can.
Climate change is not something that will only happen in the next generation. The change has already affected us now, one way or the other — and we must act, or there will be no place to call home in the very near future.
So Singaporeans, do recognise that you don’t really need your air-conditioned room to be 5°C colder; that taking an extra plastic bag will cause a cascade of indirect adverse impacts; and that driving an SUV into which you dump gallons of fossil fuel will create environmental problems that you, and your children, will have to endure.
This is contributed by a reader.
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