For a sense of just how passionate the next generation is about making a difference in sustainability and the environment, look no further than Ms Rica Teo. The 22-year-old undergraduate from the National University of Singapore is penning a 10,000-word thesis to propose ways of legislating net zero carbon action by developers. It’s a Herculean task but one that Ms Teo is committed to completing for her final-year project. “It’s funny, I didn’t care much about sustainability before I entered university. But since I’ve learnt about net zero and the impact that today’s actions can have on tomorrow, I’m fired up and ready to go.”

That passion to be a changemaker is not unique to Ms Teo. We met her at the second National Youth Dialogue session on 21 September 2022, co-organised by the National Youth Council (NYC) and the Global Shapers Community (Singapore Hub). Set against the backdrop of a panel discussion on transitioning towards a net zero future, the dialogue was a show of youthful energy and action. “I work in a carbon capture company,” said one participant, introducing himself to a fellow youth who had started a non-profit to tackle plastic waste in our oceans.

For these youths, apathy and inaction are clearly not options. Instead, they are determined to drive conversations about how we can build a greener future. Around the world, youths are naturally concerned about the state of the planet; after all, they will be the most affected by a future marred by unmitigated climate change. But they aren’t prepared to give up the idea that the future doesn’t have to be this way and are doing whatever they can to champion that cause.

PIECES OF A PUZZLE

As Ms Yien Li Yap puts it, there’s no need to wait for tomorrow to start making that difference. “There’s a lot of talk about how youth will be future leaders, but they don’t need to wait to make changes in their communities wherever they are right now,” says the 35-year-old, who works as a country lead at OLIO, an app that champions the circular economy.

To some, it might be difficult to draw a direct link between Ms Yap’s passion, the circular economy, with Ms Teo’s, a net zero future. After all, one deals with zero waste while the other champions decarbonisation. And that observation is rooted in some truth: the term “sustainability” does neatly sum up disparate causes like waste, carbon and even pollution. But at its core, its proponents are concerned about one thing: the impact they make on the world around them. That impact deals with everything from the trash that ends up in the ocean to the levels of water in that same ocean and even the marine life that lives within it.

A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Our youths’ passion for the environment doesn’t just bode well for the planet; it’s also a positive sign for the economy. Singapore, and the region at large, is poised for a green jobs boom, driven by initiatives like the SG Green Plan and other ambitious sustainability targets set by policymakers. A study by Accenture estimated that nearly 33 million new green jobs will be created by 2030 in major economies like Australia, China, India, Indonesia and Japan. These jobs will count on more than just passion though: for youths to succeed in them, they will also need to adapt their existing skills and knowledge and apply them through a sustainability lens.

These green jobs and skills make up the green economy, which took centrestage at the fifth Conversation on Green Plan 2030, themed “Towards A Sustainable Future”. Panellists included Ms Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State (MOS), Ministry of Education and Manpower and Ms Leow Lay May, Director, Energy Division, Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI); Ms Cassandra Yip, President of Student Energy, National University of Singapore (NUS) and People’s Association Youth Movement Council Member; and Ms Ondrea Wong, Deputy Chairman of Project Committee, Student Council, Institute of Technological Education (ITE) College Central.

Together, they summed up the importance of preparing for the green market. MOS Gan, for example, pointed out that to address the demand for green skills, Institutes of Higher Learning have introduced new courses and programmes in sustainability-related fields. Ms Leow added that the green economy is developing quickly, and what youths learn in school will have to be supplemented with on-the-job training. She encouraged youths who were already working to explore courses that provided on-the-job training to develop relevant skills in climate finance via the Singapore Green Finance Centre.

It’s a sentiment echoed by Ms Yip, who is currently interning in a sustainability role. “I would strongly encourage working/volunteering for a sustainability start-up that champions a cause that you are interested in,” she explained. “The start-up environment allows you to learn a lot, especially about the challenges that hinder sustainable development. It is also a good way to get plugged into the environmental community where you can be introduced to more opportunities in the space.”