mitigation measures Flashcards
Singapore green plan 2012
the Singapore Green Plan 2012 reduces greenhouse gas emissions through the use pf natural gas as an energy source. The plan was launched by the Ministry of the Environment and aimed to switch to cleaner burning energy. This initiative aims to switch fuel oil to natural gas and to have 60% of Singapore’s energy needs generated from natural gases. Natural gases are more sustainable and clean as they do not produce smoke when burned. this strategy was quite successful as by 2010, 79% of Singapore’s electrical energy usage was powered by natural gas. this exceeded the ministry’s expectations and was ahead of schedule. However, some limitations of this plan is that natural gas requires complex treatment plants and pipelines for transportation. these pipelines have a high maintenance cost as they have to be laid underground and require frequent checks for leaking. in conclusion, the Singapore Green plan 2012 can help to reduce harmful gas emissions which reduces pollution. however it may be costly or out of budget for some countries and plans may go awry if they are unable to manage the costs. while the strategy can reduce harmful gas emissions, it may not be financially sustainable for some countries.
green mark scheme 2005
The Green Mark scheme 2005: constructing green buildings, is one national strategy against climate change. It was launched in 2005 by the Building Construction Authority (BCA). This green mark certification scheme allows buildings to be evaluated based on their environmental impact and performance. It has a comprehensive framework for the assessing of a building’s overall environmental performance, which promotes sustainable design and better practices of a building’s construction and operation. This scheme encourages more buildings to become green buildings as it evaluates and certifies buildings based on how environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient they are. Green buildings use less energy to provide the same service. for example, a green building could run on solar power. Some successful examples of this Green Mark scheme are buildings such as the Plaza by the Park, Standard Chartered @ Changi and the National Library Building. These buildings have recorded an energy saving of 15% to 35% compared to conventional buildings. However some limitations of green buildings are that some developers and construction companies are conservative about adopting new ideas to create green buildings. Furthermore, it would be more expensive to build these buildings as green materials such as bamboo and recycled metals which are non-toxic, renewable, reusable and recyclable cost more. Hence, one national strategy against climate change is the Green Mark Scheme 2005.
plant a tree programme
The Plant-A-Tree Programme, started in 1971 as Tree Planting Day. The programme is implemented by the Garden City Fund and Singapore Environmental Council. The Plant-A-Tree Programme is a platform for organisations and individuals to actively participate in the greening of our City in Nature by planting trees. The programme aims to maintain Singapore’s status as a Garden City by planting trees. Residents are encouraged to donate money to buy a tree or take part in tree planting events that take place monthly throughout Singapore. The programme has contributed to an estimated 60 000 trees planted yearly throughout Singapore by NParks. Trees are the green lungs of the environment as they remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Hence more trees can help reduce carbon dioxide levels caused by climate change. Although the programme has achieved success in turning Singapore into a “Garden City”, one limitation is that it is a non-profitable organisation. This organisation requires constant donations from members of the public in order to afford the saplings. Should the stream of donations decrease, the organiser may have to invest some of their own money in order to keep it alive. Trees also take many years to mature, so the positive effects of tree planting will take time to materialise. The Plant-a-tree Programme has been successful in encouraging members of the public to plant tree to turn Singapore into a Garden City.
paris agreement
the Paris agreement is a legally binding treaty on climate change. it was implemented on 4 november 2016 by 192 country parties and the United Nation. it was implemented to reflect the equity and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in light of each country’s national differences. it aims to recognise the need for effective and progressive change on the urgent threat of climate change and developing countries susceptible to the impacts of climate change. its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2 degrees celsius, preferably at 1.5, to reduce the impacts of climate change. to reach this long term temperature goal, countries are aiming to reach global peaking of greenhouse gases as soon as possible to achieve a climate neutral world by mid century. many low carbon solutions and new markets have been established, with an increasing number of countries aiming for climate neutrality. however the paris agreement limit cannot protect all countries and regions. for vulnerable countries near deserts, like sahel region in africa, climate targets are unable to protect the people living there. furthermore, developed countries may not provide enough funding for mitigation and adaptation activities for a climate-resilient development. this poses as a challenge as it does not allow the implementation of mitigation and adaptation measures against the adverse impacts of climate change.
