PM Lee unveils two institutes to help promote sustainable growth
Warren Fernandez, Straits Times 25 Jun 08;
SINGAPORE could be a 'living laboratory' for solutions to challenges that the rapidly growing number of cities around the world face, as they strive to develop economically while safeguarding the environment.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said this to more than 5,000 delegates at the first World Cities Summit and International Water Week, which he opened at Suntec City yesterday.
As part of its effort to be a global centre for practical policy ideas on sustainable economic development, he announced the setting up of two new institutes here.
The Institute of Water Policy, part of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, will undertake research on water policies, as well as advisory and consultancy projects, and act as a forum for discussion of water issues.
The Centre for Liveable Cities will bring together the expertise Singapore has built up in government, industry and academia on sustainable urban development.
It will initially be part of the National Development Ministry and focus on research on urban planning and policy, and help share Singapore's development experience with the world.
Mr Lee also called on the private sector to play its part, urging companies to experiment with new solutions to urban problems in Singapore, which could then be adapted for export.
The German firm, Siemens, for example, had set up its Global Centre of Competence for City Management here to test and launch new IT solutions in city management.
Other companies were also investing in urban research projects to test ideas for emerging markets in China, India, Vietnam and the Middle East.
'Some of Singapore's solutions may be relevant to other emerging cities in Asia and the world,' he said.
'But no single city or country will have all the answers. Instead, we need closer collaboration to share expertise and experiences, pursue joint research and develop pragmatic, workable solutions.'
He said cities faced the common challenge of delivering clean air and water, good living environments and efficient use of resources.
This called for proper pricing of energy instead of subsidising it, managing water resources well, and enforcing air standards rigorously. Underlying all this: sound urban planning and good policies.
The government officials, businessmen and academics attending the conference put Singapore's experience under the microscope at panel discussions through the day.
Of special interest were the efforts led by the PUB to turn resource adversity to advantage and strive for water self-sufficiency, by collecting water run-off in reservoirs, desalination and recycling water.
Several speakers noted how Singapore had been a trailblazer of sorts by charging motorists for using roads, leading to the electronic road pricing system in the 1990s.
Said Professor Sir Peter Hall, from University College London: 'Singapore's experience shows the importance of political leadership, of governments sometimes getting ahead of the public and saying yes, let's try this.'
A similar system of congestion charging introduced in London had helped cut traffic jams and was now 'generally recognised as a success'.
To see first-hand how Singapore put water and waste-management policies into practice, some delegates spent the afternoon visiting the Newater plants in Bedok and Ulu Pandan, the Tuas incineration plant and the Semakau landfill.
Creating liveable cities: One-stop centre set up
Straits Times 25 Jun 08;
A NEW policy institute aims to study all aspects of urban development - from 'hard' aspects like security and land use to 'soft' aspects like creating buzz.
The Centre For Liveable Cities has been established by the National Development and the Environment and Water Resources ministries.
It will be headed by Mr Andrew Tan, who is a deputy secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He will hold both positions concurrently.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the centre's formation yesterday at the opening of the inaugural World Cities Summit and International Water Week.
Mr Tan, 40, said the centre will receive initial funding of $5 million from its two parent ministries. The amount will go mainly towards hiring staff.
The centre will be housed at the URA Centre in Maxwell Road, and will be fully staffed by the year's end.
It aims to be a one-stop source of urban and environmental management expertise and will forge links with other cities and international organisations.
A 'timely initiative', the centre is a 'confluence of two factors', one of which is Singapore's experiences of urban planning over the last few decades, explained Mr Tan.
'This is one area we want to develop further and tap on best practices elsewhere, seeing how in the coming years we'll see the entire skyline of Singapore change with the Marina Sands resort, Gardens by the Bay and the new downtown (in the Marina area),' he added.
The gardens are a series of three waterfront parks currently being constructed in Marina Bay.
The other push for setting up the Centre For Liveable Cities is the need among Asian cities for ideas on how to manage growing pollution and congestion.
'I have to add a caveat: There's no one single formula for cities and the problems they face.'
Nevertheless, Mr Tan believes it is worth sharing experiences, especially with the surge in issues like climate change and transboundary pollution which require regional and even international cooperation.
CLARISSA OON
