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Each PAP town council to have sustainability committee with dedicated sustainability officer as part of efforts to go green

Each PAP town council to have sustainability committee with dedicated sustainability officer as part of efforts to go green

People's Action Party Members of Parliament at a virtual media conference announcing the new initiative on Saturday. (Photo: PAP)

SINGAPORE: Each People's Action Party (PAP) town council will have a sustainability committee with a dedicated sustainability officer to "drive implementation" of green efforts, the party announced on Saturday (May 15).

This will be part of the Action for Green Towns initiative, which will see all of the PAP's 15 town councils collaborate in order to improve sustainability practices within their communities, the party said in a press release.

The initiative aims to galvanise various stakeholders to work towards making every PAP-managed town "zero waste, energy efficient and greener" by 2025, added PAP.

As part of the initiative, each PAP town council will also have a Member of Parliament (MP) as a "sustainability champion".

These 15 individuals, together with Young PAP representatives, will form the Action for Green Towns task force led by chairperson of Jalan Besar Town Council Dr Wan Rizal.

The task force will also draw on the expertise of sustainability experts and advocates in the industry, non-governmental organisations and civil society to "advise and help generate ideas" to maximise participation and inclusion, said the PAP.

"We will study what is being done locally and abroad and formulate a sustainability roadmap for all PAP Town Councils to apply in their town management. There will be many ways for everyone to come on board and get involved meaningfully," said Dr Wan Rizal.

"We believe our residents do not just want to be proud of the estates they live in, but also of their contributions to making Singapore a bright green spark in the world."

To begin with, the task force will review all existing sustainability projects across the different town councils and share best practices, said the PAP.

Some of these initiatives include sustainable energy initiatives, water-saving initiatives, sustainable transport initiatives and food composting.

READ: HDB launches roadmap for designing towns, with focus on healthy living, green spaces and smart technology

The task force will unveil more details of its plans by the end of the year.

Each sustainability committee will lead and facilitate efforts with all stakeholders in the respective town, said the PAP.

Residents will play a "key role" in shaping this green journey for their towns and they will be involved in the entire process from feedback and ideation to implementation, the party noted.

Speaking at a virtual press conference on Saturday, Mr Lim Biow Chuan, the coordinating chairperson for the PAP town councils, noted that MPs have been asked to be sustainability champions as the party wants to "stress" the importance and significance of sustainability efforts.

"Having (an) MP champion the efforts of sustainability is really our signal that we take this sustainability movement very seriously," he added.

These MPs will also be involved in their town council's sustainability committee, added Dr Rizal.

When it comes to potential costs that these green initiatives may incur, Mr Lim said that this was something that will be considered.

"Town councils are funded largely by service and conservancy fees, and also (the) Government does give funding to all town councils. So we would explore the various recommendations that would come from (Dr) Wan Rizal's committee, before deciding how to fund these initiatives."

READ: Here's what life could look like when the new Green Plan is realised in 2030

The PAP noted that all of its town councils are enhancing their sustainability plans and efforts in support of the Singapore Green Plan 2030, and aim to "transform" housing estates into better living environments for every resident.

"This builds on the Party's recent sustainability motion in Parliament, put together by the Government Parliamentary Committee for Sustainability and the Environment and Young PAP," said the party.

"The impact of climate change cannot be ignored and we need to take action to ensure that we are creating a better and more sustainable living environment for all our residents.

"This is important to address a global emergency and that is why sustainability must be a cornerstone of our town management practices," said Mr Lim.

"I believe that we can truly make a positive difference in our estates, as we walk the talk to embrace a greener way of life with everyone."

Source: CNA/mt(dv)

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