Dr Tan Eng Han, Founder of OSG Youth Alliance,
Your Excellencies,
Participants of the 1st ASEAN-China-India Youth Leadership Summit,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
1. A very good evening to you.
2. Let us first congratulate the organisers on a successful ASEAN-China-India Youth Leadership Summit, and also the winning teams of the Sustainability Startathon.
3. We all know the world faces unprecedented challenges stemming from climate change and environment degradation.
- Global temperatures are rising, which have a knock-on effect on rising sea levels and disruption in ecosystems. According to NASA, the summer of 2023 was Earth's hottest since global records began in 1880.
- As a small island like Singapore, we are not spared either. Singapore has been planning 20, 30, 40 years ahead, to look at how we can prepare ourselves for rising sea levels and rising temperatures.
- In the longer term, climate change also threatens food security, water resources and human health.
4. The solution to these pressing environmental issues lies at the intersection of innovation in sustainability, global collaboration, and of course youths as agents of change.
Innovation in Sustainability
5. First, innovation in sustainability allows us to find ways to meet the needs of the current generation without compromising the needs of future generations. Let me give you some examples.
- Innovations in material science can boost waste reduction in areas such as packaging. For example, students from the National University of Singapore (NUS)'s School of Materials Science & Engineering developed a biodegradable alginate bioplastic. I hear that it is a sustainable and potentially viable alternative for single-use plastic.
- The transition to renewable energy is another area where innovation is needed to bring together different technologies and create new solutions. Ngee Ann Polytechnic (NP) and Yinson Greentech launched green infrastructure on campus comprising an IoT-enabled smart energy management technology centre, a solar farm and electric charging facilities powered by renewable energy.
- Third, sustainable architecture is gearing up with green building designs and construction methods which will reduce energy consumption. The Nanyang Technological University (NTU) launched Gaia, the largest wooden building in Asia this year. It is also the eighth zero energy building on the campus grounds out of 16 certified zero energy buildings in Singapore.
6. There have been many other innovations in green transportation, sustainable agriculture and the circular economy. But sustainability innovation is not without challenges. It requires collaboration, investment, and a willingness to embrace change. This collaboration also needs to go across global boundaries, bringing the best talents and ideas together to solve sustainability problems.
Global Collaboration for a More Sustainable Future
7. Singapore, as a small country, is doing its part in making a sustainable living in an urban environment a reality.
- Under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, we hope to have a green citizenry that consumes and wastes less, greener commutes and are also strengthening green efforts in our schools.
8. However, Singapore cannot work on a sustainable future alone, as many of our environmental challenges cut across national borders.
- Pollution in one country, for example, can affect countries thousands of kilometers away.
- Effective solutions will require the collective will and knowledge of nations.
- And collaboration with peers from difference countries bring diverse perspectives and ideas to create better solutions.
9. This is why each team for the grand finals of the Sustainability Starthaton comprised members from different countries including China, India, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
10. I hope that this Summit has enabled you to forge a better understanding and closer ties with your counterparts from ASEAN, China and India. And I hope that you will find this friendship and understanding across borders, to be a vital asset as you negotiate the complex strategic relations between nations in the future and as you enter the working world yourselves.
Youths as Agents of Change
11. Being part of this Summit, your physical and virtual presence shows that you are deeply invested in the health of our planet. You have a long-term stake in our future.
12. Your generation is well positioned to drive change.
- For the youths, I hope you look at problems with new eyes, bringing fresh perspectives to solve problems not just today, but for the future.
- Having grown up in the digital era, you are well-placed to harness the powers of technology in coming up with sustainable solutions.
13. Beyond this Summit, continue to advance your sustainability endeavours in your respective countries. There are various ways you can do so:
- First, just like the Sustainability Forum you attended this Summit, speak to more industry experts and thought leaders on how they craft liveable sustainable solutions.
- Second, continue to seek out local and international sustainability-related programmes. For our Singaporean youth, I invite you to join the Youth for Environmental Sustainability (YES) Leaders Programme that was recently launched by the National Environment Agency (NEA), to champion sustainability on-campus in Singapore. If you have good ideas for projects that can involve the community to advance environmental sustainability, you can also apply for the SG Eco Fund by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE).
- Last but not least, put the tools and knowledge that you have picked up from this Summit to good use, such as starting a sustainability initiative or building a career in sustainability. You can be the amplifier and spread the cause amongst your community.
Conclusion
14. Finally to the youths, I hope you will always remember: your actions today matter and can make a difference in the future.
15. With the energy, idealism and collaborative spirit of our youth, the solution to our pressing environmental challenges lies with you as our agents of change.
16. All the best to our youth. Thank you.