Committee of Supply – Head L (Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment)

Greener and More Sustainable Singapore

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Mr Chairman, I beg to move, "That the total sum to be allocated for Head L of the Estimates be reduced by $100".

Sustainability is at the heart of everything MSE does.

The MSE GPC is heartened to hear that Singapore will commit to achieve net-zero emissions sooner and will also raise the carbon tax significantly. It is code red for humanity and this race to zero is crucial. Climate change is an existential threat that we cannot ignore and simply adapt to. A recent UN IPCC report warned that if countries do not do more to fight climate change, the climate will change faster than we can adapt to it. So, we absolutely have to do more. Sir, I am glad we are doing more and responding positively to both calls in this House and outside for us to take concrete steps to tackle this climate emergency.

We are especially heartened with this whole-of-Government and whole-of-society approach. I hope we will continue to work with businesses and citizens to co-create solutions to tackle climate change together.

I hope we can share more about how we are increasing our climate ambition and action, how the revised carbon tax will support our inclusive green transition, how we will soften its impact on households and businesses, and how we are protecting our coastlines as well.

As we chart the way forward, I hope we always remember that there is no Plan B because there is no Planet B.

Beyond climate change, my GPC colleagues and I will be speaking on a broad range of issues. We look forward to updates on the Green Plan 2030, our Zero Waste Masterplan, the disposable carrier bag charge, GreenGov.SG and the lifespan of the Semakau Landfill.

We hope to strengthen our defences against public health threats, advance water and food resilience and security, make progress on our 30 by 30 plan and do more to support our hawkers, who have not had an easy two years during this pandemic.

And we will of course debate my pet topic of second-hand smoke. I am sure Senior Minister of State Amy Khor is looking forward to it and I promise her, no more stealth mode.

Let me be upfront. Second-hand smoke is another threat that we cannot ignore. I have been flooded with appeals for help, people fearing for their health and begging for fresh air. In the past two months, 2,475 people in Singapore have approached me for help as they are suffering from second-hand smoke in their own homes. What scares me is that almost 50% of them have been affected by second-hand smoke in their own homes for more than three years already. I hate to imagine what impact this has had on their health and the health of their loved ones. It is a race towards tackling this public health crisis, and like climate change, it is a race we should not and cannot lose.

There are lots more questions and issues to raise and it is an incredibly diverse range of issues that we will be debating over the next six and a half hours. Sir, I look forward to a robust debate. Next cut.

Extend Disposable Carrier Bag Charge

Four years ago, in an Adjournment Motion, I urged the Government to implement a charge for single-use carrier bags of all materials. The call is not to eliminate the use of disposable bags but to reduce it.

As Prime Minister Lee said: “It is a sensible approach: to make people conscious of the plastic bags they use, but not to ban plastic bags altogether. Using fewer plastic bags alone will not solve climate change or save the earth, but every bit counts. And making us conscious of our habits, and consider better alternatives, has value in itself.”

I am glad the Government announced that it will proceed with this charge but why only for supermarkets? I understand we want to start small but this problem is urgent and massive.

I hope we can extend this charge to smaller convenience stores. I am glad Cheers has already done this and I saw firsthand how this works.

We usually make smaller purchases at convenience stores as compared to at supermarkets. This means the disposable bag charge is a relatively larger amount and people feel the pinch more. When cashiers say, “Do you want a plastic bag? It is now chargeable”, I have seen so many people reply, “In that case, I don’t want it.” Purchases at convenience stores are also usually of a smaller quantity. Many can simply hold or put the purchases in their own bags. Lastly, many of the disposable bags used at convenience stores are smaller and can’t be used to line our rubbish bins. They are usually wasted.

Extending this charge beyond supermarkets can have a huge impact for this planet. I hope MSE will consider this positively.

Question proposed.

Packaging and Plastic Waste

Dr Lim Wee Kiak (Sembawang): Chairman, when it comes to using plastic bags, Singapore is among the top. We are using 2.5 billion plastic bags a year, according to NEA. This can be translated to be about 450 plastic bags per person each year. And in 2019 and 2020, NEA pointed out households and trade premises in Singapore threw away 200,000 tonnes of disposables per year, two-thirds of which are disposable bags. In 2018, in a Singapore Environment Council study, it found shoppers take 820 million disposable carrier bags from supermarkets a year, or an average of 146 bags per person.

If we look back at our past, we can understand why Singaporeans have such a voracious appetite for plastic bags. Many of us grew up with them from around the 1970s. Admittedly, they come in very useful when you are at the wet market when buying fish, vegetables and many other uses. Many of us justify taking plastic bags from the supermarket because plastic bags can be reused for disposal of household rubbish. Thus, these plastic bags become an omnipresent product, which can be found in the remotest of places from the seabed to the summit of Mount Everest. This poses major environmental challenges.

MSE has announced that it would implement a disposable carrier bag charge at supermarkets, which was one of the recommendations submitted by the Citizens Workgroup on Reducing the Excessive Consumption of Disposables. Implementing a plastic bag charge will certainly reduce excessive plastic bags consumption but such implementation will also add to the increased cost of living, especially for lower socio-economic group.

Can the Minister share details on the model of this impending bag charge? How has the Ministry consulted stakeholders to develop the model for the disposable carrier bag charge? How will this affect the cost of living, especially the lower socio-economic group? What can be done to mitigate the cost for this group?

Apart from plastic bags, in fact, the current COVID-19 pandemic has brought about another set of problems with the use of plastics, that is, millions of discarded single-use plastic food containers. How are we dealing with the disposal of all these plastics in the current pandemic?

The Chairman: Ms Yeo Wan Ling. You can take your two cuts together.

Chargeable Carrier Bags at Supermarkets

Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol): The announcement to implement a charge on disposable carrier bags at supermarkets as per the recommendations submitted by the Citizens Workgroup after consultation with the NEA and members of the public, is a move that is highly anticipated, and to some, viewed with some hesitation. Such a solution has already been implemented in various countries and generally attains success in reducing the usage of plastic bags. We likewise hope to see a positive outcome in early 2023 when charges for disposable carriers bags in large supermarkets are made a legal requirement.

In Singapore, supermarket retailers such as NTUC Fairprice and Don Don Donki have already taken the initiative and begun to implement charges for their disposable bags. While such measures look to disincentivise shoppers from using disposable plastic carrier bags offered in stores, there are some who have brought up that Singaporeans have always been recycling supermarket bags, using them as trash bags and such a model might create a situation where consumers take more bags than needed after paying the fee for them. It is of these concerns that we would like to seek clarification concerning the proposed charging model when implementing the mandatory charge for carrier bags at supermarkets. My second cut.

Electronic Waste – Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme

As a smart nation of digital natives, we have become increasingly reliant on electronic devices to allow a society to function. Incorporating more of such devices into our lives naturally means that we generate more of such e-waste, waste that contain hazardous materials and poses a health and environmental risk if not managed.

With the implementation of the nationwide Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme for e-waste in July 2021, we have taken steps to regulate the disposal of such waste by placing greater responsibility on the producers and retailers of such products to ensure that the items ranging from our handphones to our light bulbs will be handled when they reach end of life.

With the current e-waste collection and disposal scheme having been in place for half a year, we would like to seek clarification on whether the scheme has contributed to the increase in e-waste collection. Furthermore, we also seek assurance of the effects of the present scheme has on the ability to recycle the e-waste that we have generated.

Progress of Zero Waste Masterplan

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin (Ang Mo Kio): Chairman, the Zero Waste Masterplan was introduced in 2019. It is an important blueprint for us to move forward towards being a sustainable city and it is essential we continuously move towards the targets we set for a greener Singapore.

I would like to ask: While we have already embraced the circular economy approach in several areas through our successes in closing a number of resource loops such as water, what are the plans to better incorporate circularity efforts as part of our national strategy for other resource loops? How will the Government support the proper management of the three priority waste streams – namely food, e-waste, and packaging – to promote resource sustainability?

In addition, what is the progress of the Zero Waste Masterplan and are we on track to reduce waste to landfills by 20% by 2026?

Encouraging Domestic Recycling Efforts

Ms Ng Ling Ling (Ang Mo Kio): Mr Chairman, also on the Zero Waste Masterplan launched in 2019, our target for Domestic Recycling Rate in 2030 is 30%. This is on the back of our domestic recycling rate declining from 19% in 2015 to 17% in 2019 and 13% in 2020. How can we encourage and support Singaporeans towards achieving our zero-waste target?

I would like to mention Slovenia as a case study in Europe, with a domestic recycling rate of 59.2% for some learning points. Their domestic recycling rate increased by almost 37% over just one decade. Its capital city, Ljubljana, attributed part of its success to strong communications strategies, campaigns and educational programmes to shift its citizens towards an eco-conscious culture. They adopted a bottom-up approach, with communities’ involvement, cooperation from different stakeholders and implementation of nationwide programmes.

Considering our aspirations towards reaching the zero-waste target and Singapore’s strength in whole-of-community approach, I will like to ask how MSE plans to enable families and communities to achieve our targets.

Waste-to-landfill Enhancement

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling (East Coast): Sir, Semakau Landfill is projected to be full by 2035. There is an overall decline in waste generation for the past four years, this is a good sign but is this sustainable when our domestic consumption has not significantly reduced, and recycling rates are not increasing proportionately within the industries and general public? I wish to know what more are we doing to extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill?

Here, I highlight two areas for improving waste management in Singapore.

First, food waste. Discounting the effects of pandemic, the inherent problem lies with the long supply chains for food and losses during the handling and storage. To better manage the supply, we need more focus on technology applications and begin upstream in our food industry.

For example, (a) to use technology like blockchains to assist the wholesalers, large importers and large users to provide key sourcing countries with more accurate information on supply demand patterns in variety and volume of food needs through the year. This will help improve harvesting supply at right timing, production volume with less wastage and better understand the impact of increasing unseasonable weather; (b) to provide specific funding and more opportunities to connect the teams in ecosystem working on similar problem statements, for example, the food preservation with fresh producers using new techniques; and (c) conduct a comprehensive study to understand which part of the supply can be transformed locally or at source in order to mandate partially or in full the adoption of the Food Waste Minimisation Guidebook.

Second, on ferrous metal scraps, waste from construction and demolition, paper and card boxes. All this waste will go into our landfill if not recycled or handled properly. Can NEA provide an update on the sustainable resource recovery solutions piloted thus far? For high volume generated waste materials, what has the Government’s effort been in reducing them jointly with the industry?

I suggest a greater focus on waste reduction in immediate term, from more direct partnerships with business associations and corporations with large waste disposal to find ways to reduce and to reduce the packaging for local food delivery and introduce more environmentally friendly disposable packaging.

Floods and Coastal Protection

Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang): Mr Chairman, with climate change, we can expect to experience more unpredictable and intense rainfall. Over the years, we have been working on a number of projects to improve drainage and surface run-off and enhance storm water management. Would the Ministry share an update on these projects and future ones?

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Maintenance and protection of drainage pathways are important, as we learnt from recent incidents where flash floods were caused by blockages and violations from engineering works in the vicinity. What are PUB’s plans to mitigate inland floods?

In the face of rising sea levels, we need to start on coastal protection. To defend our coastal areas from erosion, we have erected walls and stone embankments covering 70% to 80% of Singapore's coastline. Eventually, some of them will have to be built higher. What are the plans for these, including new seawalls, going forward? When do we expect the construction of sea walls to commence? And would the Ministry share updates on the progress of reclamation works as well?

The rest of our coastline are natural areas such as beaches and mangroves. How does the Government ensure that coastal adaptation measures are cost-effective and adequately resourced; and how can the marine ecosystem be protected while these measures are being carried out?

Lastly, what progress has been made on coastal protection efforts since last year?

Shoring up Climate Resilience

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Chairman, last month I watched an interesting CNA documentary titled "Lost Waterfronts" which relate the history of Singapore’s former coastlines and waterfronts, which is now replaced by man-made landscapes such as Marine Parade, Changi Airport and MBS. I was amazed by the tremendous transformation that our little island has undergone. What was formerly our coastlines and beaches have all disappeared and replaced with land and development.

I wonder in 50 or 100 years from now, will our descendants be watching a different version of a similar documentary titled "The Lost Land", featuring the sea and describing what used to be a huge Changi airport and HDB Marine Parade estates is now replaced by sea. If we do not do anything to protect our low-lying areas against the rising sea level, that may become reality.

I still remember the graphic presentation during Prime Minister's National Day Rally in 2019, on Singapore's map showing all the low-lying areas which will be reclaimed by a rising sea level if nothing is done. And what Prime Minister said, that our descendants may ask: "why did we not do anything when we had a chance?" I, and many, are impressed by the ambitious plans shown during the presentation on building polders and a sea wall, not only to protect the low-lying areas but also to create new land and new possibilities.

Can the Minister give an update on our progress to safeguard Singapore's low-lying areas against the threat of rising sea level? Can the studies on the protection measures be speed up, so that it could mitigate the work needed to protect our shorelines? What interim measures can be done now? And how does the Government ensure that the coastal adaptation measures are cost-effective and adequately resourced?

Flood Mitigation and Coastal Adaptation

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: Chairman, during last year's Budget, as part of our climate adaptation measures, it was announced that Public Utilities Board (PUB) and JTC Corporation (JTC) will embark on site specific studies at the coastlines of City-East Coast and Jurong Island for coastal protection. To enhance flood resilience, PUB has spent almost $2 billion in the last decade and plans to spend $1.4 billion more in the next five years for drainage work. I understand that future studies for the northwest coast have also been planned.

I would also like to add to the questions raised by the previous Members before me, to ask how will the Government ensure that these measures are cost-effective? How will the Government plan to take into account existing ecosystems such as mangroves or intertidal zones as nature-based solutions, both in terms of conservation as well as potential solutions.

Protecting our Coastlines

Mr Sharael Taha (Pasir Ris-Punggol): Chairman, the rising sea levels is a global challenge for many coastal cities and Singapore is especially vulnerable, as we are a low-lying island with only 30% of our land residing five metres above sea level. Unlike other countries, we do not have abundant high grounds. With climate change, we can expect to experience more unpredictable and intense rainfall with sea levels rising faster.

What progress has been made on coastal protection efforts since last year and how can we protect our coastlines from rising sea levels, as well as erosion by waves and storms and reduce the land take for such measures to protect our coastlines? How does the Government ensure that the coastal adaptation measures are cost-effective and well resourced?

NEA Enforcement against Foreign Vehicles

Mr Murali Pillai (Bukit Batok): Sir, currently NEA is not able to conduct investigation against drivers of foreign vehicles for infringement of vehicle emission regulations if they are merely reported by members of public, unless NEA officers personally confirm the cases at the scene. This is because unlike local vehicles, NEA does not have the information on ownership of foreign registered vehicles. This gives rise to an unhappy situation as NEA officers have to catch the offenders red-handed.

This gap in enforcement policy must be closed, as NEA officers cannot be everywhere. Those who violate our emission laws must face the same consequences, regardless of whether they are local or foreign drivers. I recommend that NEA work out an arrangement with ICA that will allow for measures; such as not allowing the foreign vehicles to be driven into or out of Singapore until such time the drivers' particulars are provided or the composition fine imposed for the commission of the offence is paid.

Environmental Sanitation Regime

Ms Hany Soh (Marsiling-Yew Tee): In May last year, I have filed a Parliamentary Question to MSC, subsequent to several cases of gastroenteritis in preschools, to enquire on what actions will be taken to manage such incidents and prevent them from recurring in future.

I am delighted that Minister Grace Fu has in response, announced the intention to implement the Environmental Sanitation (ES) regime. Since then, I note that the ES regime has been implemented progressively to premises such as social service facilities, schools and preschools, as well as food centres, coffee shops and markets.

Can the Ministry share the current progress on the regime's roll out and share more as to which other sectors or premises will it be expanded to, in order to prevent further gastroenteritis outbreaks from happening in the community. Would places that offer food items to patrons, such as cinemas and spa facilities, be included as well?

The Chairman: Mr Mohd Fahmi Bin Aliman. He is not here. Mr Louis Ng.

Designate more No Smoking Zones

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Sir, there is no risk-free level of exposure to second-hand smoke. Breathing in small amounts can be dangerous. I have spoken up a lot about protecting people from second-hand smoke in their own homes. It is equally important to protect everyone in public areas. I am glad Orchard Road was designated as Singapore’s first No Smoking Zone (NSZ). Our surveys show that there is strong support for this.

Last year, I asked if the Government will designate other areas as NSZ. It has been a year, and I hope MSE has monitored this space closely and will roll out more NSZ and prohibit smoking in more places.

Expand No Smoking Zone

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: Sir, the ability to have fresh air and not take in second-hand smoke is an option that everyone should have if they are given a choice. Despite knowing the harms of smoking and increasing prices of tobacco products in Singapore, the smoking rate in Singapore remains at about 10% in 2020.

After the introduction of NSZ at Orchard Road, many are eagerly hoping that NSZ can be expanded especially nearing housing estates and provide permanent digital enforcement at the playgrounds, parks and common corridors of HDB blocks. Can the Ministry provide an update if there is any intent to expand NSZ in other areas of Singapore following the early pilots?

Extension of Smoking Prohibition

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Chairman, the COVID-19 pandemic has rightly raised our concerns because of the toll it takes on innocent lives and the suffering of those who were inflicted with the disease. Globally, since the outbreak of the pandemic, there were some 5.9 million deaths, and it is still rising.

There is another pandemic that is also claiming lives, but it is somewhat given a back seat. This is the scourge of smoking. According to WHO, the tobacco epidemic is one of the biggest public health threats the world has ever faced, killing more than 8 million people a year around the world. More than 7 million of those deaths are as a result of direct tobacco use while 1.2 million are the result of non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. The economic costs of tobacco use are substantial, for example, costs for treating the diseases caused by tobacco use as well as the loss of human capital that is a result from tobacco-attributed morbidity and mortality.

There are studies that shows that smoking is highly likely to worsen the severity of COVID-19 and the risk of dying from infection, according to a UK Biobank study published online in the respiratory journal of Thorax. Despite all the health risks, cigarette smoking is one of the most common forms of tobacco use and it is one of the leading preventable risk factors for premature deaths, including non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke.

We have been taking various steps to control cigarette smoking. But some countries, like New Zealand, are taking bolder steps to ban smoking. New Zealand plans to raise the legal smoking age by one year every year, effectively banning the sales of tobacco products to people born after 2008. Malaysia intends to introduce a new law to ban smoking and the possession of tobacco products, including electronic vaporisers, for people who are born after 2005, as a "Generational End Game" for smoking in the country.

In 2019, the smoking prohibition was introduced and Orchard Road was designated Singapore’s first NSZ. Does the Ministry intend to roll out more NSZs and prohibit smoking in more places to protect the public from the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke? Do we have plans to introduce "end game" laws to snuff out cigarette smoking completely for our young Singaporeans? What is the results and lessons learnt from the 2014 Nee Soon South pilot project to ban smoking in public?

I urge the Government to take bold steps to extend more NSZs and finally also to consider smoking completely banned in all HDB estates.

Smoking Prohibition

Ms Poh Li San: The Chairman, the last extension of the smoking prohibition was in 2019, when Orchard Road was designated as Singapore’s first NSZ. Does the Ministry intend to roll out more NSZs or prohibit smoking in more places to protect the public from the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke, such as smoking corners at food retail establishments?

Many residents have been bothered by their neighbours’ second-hand smoke emitted from their windows and balconies. Would the Ministry please do more to curb second-hand smoke in residences, especially when complaints are from families with young children or residents with health problems and the neighbours are consistent and heavy smokers?

Smoking Prohibition

Mr Gan Thiam Poh (Ang Mo Kio): Chairman, will the Ministry consider setting out a designated eco-friendly smoking zone at each HDB block for smokers to visit, instead of smoking at home and common corridors? What other plans does the Ministry have to encourage residents who smoke at home to reduce the spread of their second-hand smoke in their homes and to surrounding units? Next cut.

Wastewater Surveillance for COVID-19

How effective has the wastewater testing surveillance strategy been for COVID-19? Can the Ministry share if NEA intends to make this method of testing regular and routine in all areas for the long-term in order to monitor the spread of the pandemic? Next cut.

Improvement to Toilets

Public toilets’ cleanliness and hygiene must meet NEA standards. How does NEA ensure that these standards are maintained? What are the progress and improvement requirements for all toilets in hawker centres, markets and coffeeshops? Next cut.

New Hawker Centres

Hawker centres provide a wide range of delicious and affordable food to our residents in the heartlands. Will there be new hawker centres in the next two years, especially in some of the newer estates?

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Mr Don Wee (Chua Chu Kang): Chairman, hawker centres are an important part of our heartland estates, providing a variety of affordable food to our multicultural population. They are also gathering points which serve to help with community bonding.

COVID-19 has disrupted our everyday lives significantly, including slowing down the progress of work in our construction sector. I would like to ask the Government how has COVID-19 impacted the progress of the construction of new hawker centres and will there be new centres that will open in 2022? Will we have enough hawkers to man the stalls at the new hawker centres? There is no point having new and nice hawker centres with low utilisation rate. How is the Ministry ensuring that we are training a pipeline of new hawkers to take over from the older cohort, many of whom will be retiring?

Hawker Centres Transformation Programme

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: Chairman, as we transition to endemic living, our hawker scene has also undergone significant challenges. Our hawkers are an important part of our heritage, and have seen some tough times during COVID-19. However, some issues are evergreen, for example, urban bird management and ensuring clean hawker centres. I also hope that in due course, we will be able to reduce food, produce and packaging wastage in hawker centres, where everyone can play a part in food rescue efforts with the relevant overarching structures and support put in place.

Can the Government share more details about how the Hawker Centres Transformation Programme is enabling hawker centres to be more efficient and sustainable, and how many hawker centres will benefit from this?

How has hawker centre cleanliness improved over the past year, and does the Government have any preliminary findings on the effectiveness of the Clean Tables Campaign?

The Chairman: Ms Joan Pereira.

Ms Joan Pereira (Tanjong Pagar): Chairman, can I take my two cuts together?

The Chairman: Yes, please.

Hawker Transformation

Ms Joan Pereira: Like any other UNESCO cultural heritage, our hawker culture needs to be preserved and passed down for future generations. However, it needs to transform with the times, in order to remain relevant for our people and for the livelihoods of our hawkers.

In the face of manpower shortage, especially in the hiring of hawker assistants and the shortage of young Singaporeans willing to pick up the hawker trade, I hope that we, as a nation, can consider this as a matter of urgency; we need to look into ways to support and transform this sector, which includes hawker centres, coffeeshops, canteens and food courts. It has not been easy, but our hawkers have been trying very hard to keep their prices affordable.

Can we, therefore, help them reduce their costs with raw materials or improve productivity? I have already seen some of our hawkers adopting machines to automate their cooking or other processes. We have seen how most of our hawkers have adopted digital payments and online ordering and delivery, through the support of efforts such as the Hawker Productivity Grant and the Alliance for Action. Can more be done to bring down costs, such as by working with industry players to consolidate ingredient purchases by hawkers to achieve better economies of scale and lower prices for all?

We have to review all aspects of the nature of the industry and businesses, involve our hawkers in providing their feedback and inputs on how we can help them. I also hope that as we embark on the transformation and rejuvenation of our neighbourhood town centres, through initiatives by other agencies such as Enterprise Singapore’s Heartland Enterprise Centre, the relevant agencies can work together and take a holistic view, to ensure that our heartland enterprises and hawkers are all part of the overall rejuvenation efforts. After all, our hawkers are heartland enterprises too.

I hope to hear more from the Ministry on its plans to transform the hawker trade.

Safeguard Hawker Trade

Sir, our hawker trade plays a very important role in our economy. In a nation where many couples work full-time, many of our families depend on hawker centres to provide ready-cooked food.

Our hawkers are specialists in their niche areas, and this is how we can enjoy so many different versions of our favourite meals from across different ethnic cuisine groups.

Singapore will not be the same without our hawkers. How can we improve the job prospects and working conditions, so as to attract more young hawkers? Do we need restructure this occupation, so that they get covered for leave days, sick leave, medical care and insurance? Presently, most hawkers work as independents and some do quite well. However, for many, they really need to work many hours with very few rest days to earn a living, and falling sick becomes an extremely unthinkable costly problem. We must safeguard our hawker trade which is at the risk of vanishing when our older hawkers retire.

The work is tough and not many young people want to take over. However, our ageing hawkers want to pass their recipes and techniques for future generations. Will the Ministry share and update on the progress of the Hawkers Succession Scheme, which facilitates the pairing up of a retiring veteran hawker with an apprentice, so as to pass down his or her culinary skills, recipes and hawker stall to the aspiring successor?

I would also like to reiterate my suggestion for NEA to facilitate the transition and help the veteran hawkers be paid an appropriate compensation amount, while the skills are being taught to the apprentice. The compensation sum should reflect the value of the heritage recipe and technique. In turn, the apprentice would have to serve out the bond at the stall for a period of, say, three years, for example. I hope this will help to safeguard our hawker trade.

The Hawkers Succession Scheme

Mr Raj Joshua Thomas (Nominated Member): Sir, in Malay, please.

(In Malay): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Singaporeans enjoy hawker food. Our hawker trade is a key part of Singapore's history and identity. We have strong public support for hawker culture, and many of us celebrated when our Hawker Culture was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2020.

Therefore, we must ensure that our hawker culture and food continue to thrive for future generations. I am heartened to know that NEA has announced last year it will be rolling out the Hawkers Succession Scheme. This scheme aims to facilitate retiring veteran hawkers pass down their stalls, culinary skills, practices and recipes to aspiring successors through an apprenticeship and mentorship programme.

I would like to ask what is the progress of the scheme, and are there more details available on how the scheme will be implemented?

Food for Sustainable Future

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Chairman, plant-based meat is increasingly taking its place on our supermarket shelves, and I generally believe there is a gradual acceptance of this alternative meat substitute for real animal meat. Food security is important for Singapore. We are reliant on many countries to supply many essential items including meat. And if we are able to develop such alternative meat products locally, this would address some of our concerns in this area. Besides, meat substitutes which are produced in laboratory by cell culture would contribute to our efforts to address climate change issue as well.

According to the Good Food Institute, an international US-based non-profit re-imagining meat production, animal agriculture takes up 77% of all agricultural land on Earth despite supplying only 17% of humanity’s food supply. This inefficiency drives the need for agricultural expansion, which is the single largest driver for ecosystem damage on land. They reported that plant-based meat emits 30% to 90% less greenhouse gases than conventional meat production and animal agriculture contributes to more climate change than exhaust emissions from the entire transport sector.

Thus, to meet the nutritional needs of a growing population and, at the same time, protect earth's fauna and flora, and fight against climate change, we need to consider and promote food products like meat substitute that are manufactured using plant-based products and meat produced in the laboratory by cell culture, instead of from animals in farms. This can form part of our 30 by 30 plan. What is Singapore's role in this new emerging sector? How can we promote and grow this sector to benefit from this sector?

Progress of Singapore 30 by 30 Plan

Prof Koh Lian Pin (Nominated Member): Safeguarding our food security is among the most important priorities for Singapore in our sustainability journey. One of the Government's efforts to address this goal is to produce 30% of our nutritional needs locally and sustainably by 2030. How does the Government plan to help the local food production industry build up capabilities and capacity to achieve our 30 by 30 goal and enhance the resilience of Singapore's food supply?

As we achieve success in increasing our local food production, is the Government looking to calibrate food imports to avoid wastage?

Unlocking Singapore's sea space for sustainable aquaculture can help boost our local food production in the long term. However, as with our land resource, there will be diverse and competing needs for the use of our sea space. Does the Government plan to provide the local food production industry with greater certainty on the use of both land and sea space to optimise the supply of local produce?

The Chairman: Ms Nadia Samdin.

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: Chairman, may I take my two cuts together, please?

The Chairman: Yes, please.

Sustainable Aquaculture

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: I am heartened that much progress has been made in the last year towards the 30 by 30 plan, to reduce our reliance on food imports. According to a survey done by SFA, 98% of Singaporeans agree that this is an important effort. However, concerns of space and sustainability, including that of sea spaces, are always a concern.

What are the Government’s plans to optimise sea spaces for food production? And given the heavy investment required, does the Government have plans to provide the industry with greater certainty on the use of land or sea space? Will measures be put in place to ensure a more sustainable aquaculture industry?

Efforts to Tackle Marine Litter

Last year, it was announced that the Government is working on a framework to shore up defences against marine litter to protect our coastline and surrounding waters.

Some of my youth volunteers and I had the opportunity to join environmental activists, students and clean-up crews at a Kayak and Clean event, where we found discarded nets, plastics and other types of marine litter floating around our island. I have also had the opportunity to do dive clean-ups off our Southern Islands with marine scientists and volunteers from Our Singapore Reefs.

From youths to seniors, expats to Singaporeans, I am grateful for active and caring citizens who run efforts such as the East Coast Beach Plan, Green Nudge, One Planet and even our own Young PAP who have played a part in keeping our shores clean.

I would like to ask whether the Ministry has further plans to tackle marine litter as a concerted effort and how the Government can better consult and co-create solutions with ground-up groups and businesses to optimise efforts and resources in tackling issues, such as marine litter and climate change, beyond dialogues and panels. Can the Ministry consider a citizen committee, for example?

Ensuring Food Security

Mr Raj Joshua Thomas: Food security is an existential issue for Singapore. The global food system faces many challenges, from short-term disruptions, such as disease outbreaks in a source country and the pandemic, to long-term issues such as climate change, global population growth and dwindling resources.

One of the Government’s efforts is the 30 by 30 goal, to transform our agri-food sector, and build capabilities and capacity to sustainably grow in a highly productive, climate-resilient and resource-efficient way. It is important for the Government to work towards the 30 by 30 goal in a sustainable manner. I would like to ask how does the Government plan to help the local food production industry to build up capabilities and capacity to achieve the 30 by 30 goal, to enhance the resilience of Singapore’s food supply.

Further to this, unlocking sea space for sustainable fish farming can help boost our local production in the long term. However, as with land, there will be diverse and competing needs for the use of our sea space. I would like to ask what are the Government’s plans to provide the local food production industry with greater certainty on the use of land or sea space to optimise the supply of local produce.

Lim Chu Kang Masterplan

Mr Don Wee: Chairman, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the global supply chain crisis highlight how important it is for Singapore to become more self-sufficient for our food supply. I am glad that the Government is embarking on a holistic exercise to master plan the Lim Chu Kang area into a high-tech agri-food zone. This bodes well for our future food security. What is the status of the Lim Chu Kang Master Plan exercise?

What is the progress of the discussion with the current cohort of farmers? Is the Ministry involving them and inviting them to participate in the new plan? They should be given assistance, to start off, and incentives to upgrade their operations. What other plans does the Government have to help our agri-food industry build up capabilities and capacity to achieve the 30 by 30 goal?

Water Treatment

Ms Poh Li San: Mr Chairman, we have water supply from the Four National Taps: water from local catchment, imported water, NEWater and desalinated water. Desalinated water and NEWater meet up to 70% of today's water demand and is projected to go up to 80% in 2030 and 85% by 2060.

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While desalination and NEWater are weather resilient and free from the vagaries tied to imported water, they are energy intensive. In view of the current global energy challenges and Singapore’s commitment to transit to greener energy sources, how will PUB leverage on R&D and technology to enhance water efficiency and treatment? And what is the progress of our research projects in this field and are we collaborating with any foreign partners on this endeavour?

The Chairman: Mr Gan Thiam Poh.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: Chairman, may I have your permission to take two cuts?

The Chairman: Yes, please.

Water Sustainability

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: Desalination and NEWater are two of our four sources of water supply, in addition to imported water and water catchment. The challenge with these two sources is that they require a lot of energy to process and treat the water. How would PUB improve on the energy efficiency of our water treatment to ensure its sustainability?

Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Projects.

PUB launched the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters (ABC Waters) Programme to harness the full potential of our waterbodies – a network of 8,000 kilometres of waterways and 17 reservoirs. Would the Ministry share if there will be any new ABC projects in the next two years?

Water and Waste Capabilities

Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong (Jurong): I applaud the efforts of the Ministry in undertaking long-term infrastructure projects. Joint efforts that use science, technology and our strong engineering capabilities to deliver highly accretive outcomes for sustainability mission.

In addition, much effort was also taken to use an ecosystem approach to leverage on the strengths of each project to further enhance outcomes.

The Tuas Water Reclamation Plant, an integrated waste management facility are prime examples.

In September 2020, PUB and NEA announced the construction of Singapore's first integrated water and solid waste management plant – the Tuas Nexus – consisting of the Tuas Water Reclamation Plant and the Integrated Management Facility. It was mentioned that the Tuas Nexus will tap on the synergies between water, waste treatment and energy – to use water sludge from Tuas when co-digested with food waste will improve bio-gas generation.

I support these efforts by SME and the beyond horizon thinking and bold execution of these officers. To follow up, can I ask the Ministry on the progress of the Tuas Nexus and Tuas Water Reclamation Plant.

Deep Tunnel Sewerage System

Mr Sitoh Yih Pin (Potong Pasir): Mr Chairman, I start by congratulating the PUB for being successful in closing the "water loop" through integrated water management, by collecting as much water as we can and reusing water where possible.

PUB had previously announced that the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System Phase Two is to be extended by 2025 to serve the western part of Singapore. This is an important project that will go towards safeguarding Singapore’s strategic interest in water.

As a result of the pandemic situation, we know that many infrastructural projects have been affected due to manpower shortage and supply chain disruptions. I, therefore, invite the Minister to share with this House, whether the PUB is on track to complete the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System Phase Two and an update on the progress of the project in the light of the present circumstances.

Water Technologies and Conservation

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: Sir, to many, Singapore has a successful water story. From water conservation to building our own water taps. But is this sufficient?

PUB has placed emphasis on driving home the awareness on water conservation and set a target to achieve 130 litres usage per person per day by 2030 from the current 141 litres in 2019. In the 2018/2019 household study conducted by PUB, it showed that shower, flushing, kitchen and laundry constituted 77% of its total water usage and the consumption increased by 20% for households with domestic helpers.

Since the pandemic started, our hygiene alertness has significantly heightened. There is more extensive washing and higher frequency of cleaning in households, public areas and workplaces. While we hope these good hygiene habits continue to prevent the next potential spread of disease, I would like to ask whether the Ministry observed more water usage for maintaining such hygiene standards? Does the work-from-home setting change the consumption usage by the households and what are the other initiatives the Government plan to introduce to improve water conservation?

While raising awareness and changing consumption habits are important, we need to complement efforts beyond these. For example, HDB to consider changing to purpose-built waterless urinal design for new flats, or using other methods to remove dirt from void decks and common corridors instead of high pressure water jets.

I am glad we have over the years built alternate water taps like desalination and NEWater. They are weather resilient technologies, but equally energy intensive. As Singapore is currently unable to harness all of the rainfall for usage, I would like to know how PUB is planning to maximise capacity of the underground water storage systems? At the same time, are more energy efficient technologies being explored for water treatment?

Water Conservation

Ms Hany Soh: Household water consumption has increased as a result of COVID-19 due to people spending more time working from home. With hybrid work arrangements expected to continue as COVID-19 becomes endemic, what are some of the initiatives that PUB or the Government will be taking to encourage more water conservation among households?

The Chairman: Minister Grace Fu.

The Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien): Mr Chairman, I thank the Members for their questions. May I have your permission for MSE to address these cuts and take clarifications from Members after Senior Minister of State Amy Khor, Minister of State Desmond Tan and I deliver our speeches.

And thereafter we will have Members deliver their cuts on the joint segment on the Singapore Green Plan 2030 which will be addressed by Senior Minister Teo and several Green Plan Ministries, including clarifications that may arise.

The Chairman: Please proceed.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Thank you. COVID-19, climate change and income inequality. These are among the biggest threats confronting the world today.

The pandemic has laid bare the fragilities of global supply chains, the vulnerabilities of healthcare systems and the cost of being underprepared.

The effects of climate change could be far worse. The latest IPCC report underlines how climate change has resulted in increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events, especially heat waves, droughts, and floods. Climate change will adversely impact economies and livelihoods, as well as security of essential resources such as water, food and energy.

COVID-19 has taught us the importance of resilience and this has relevance in the way we deal with climate change. Whether a disruption is brought about by extreme weather events, or a global pandemic, we must take action today to assess our risk exposure, prepare our people and put in measures that will enable us to bounce back from disruption.

In this COS, Senior Minister of State Amy Koh, Minister of State Desmond and I will share how MSE is strengthening our resilience across three areas: resource resilience; climate resilience; and public health resilience.

First, resource resilience. As a globally connected economy with no natural resources, we are vulnerable to external shocks and supply disruptions. This has been made abundantly clear by the COVID-19 pandemic. As our demand for resources continues to grow, so will our exposure to such fluctuations. Excessive consumption of resources also generates waste and emissions, worsening the climate crisis.

We must reduce waste and maximise resource efficiency. We also need to diversify our supply sources and promote circularity to reuse and recycle resources.

This is no mean feat, but we have shown that it can be done. We have closed the water loop by reclaiming used water to become NEWater, allowing us to reuse every drop of water endlessly. Minister of State Desmond will share how we are strengthening the resilience of our food and water supply.

Ms Nadia Samdin and Miss Cheryl Chan have asked for an update on our waste reduction efforts. Our Zero Waste Masterplan was driven by the need to reduce carbon emissions, boost resource resilience and conserve landfill space. We set a target to reduce waste-to-landfill per capita by 30% by 2030. Under the Singapore Green Plan, we will frontload efforts to achieve a 20% reduction by 2026. In an increasingly resource-constrained world, we need to shift to a circular economy, where trash is turned into treasure and reused endlessly.

As we strive to become a Zero Waste Nation, we need to: encourage sustainable production, build capabilities to maximise resource recovery and collectively adopt sustainability as a way of life.

Let me elaborate.

One key upstream measure to encourage sustainable production is the Extended Producer Responsibility, or EPR scheme. EPR requires producers, such as manufacturers and importers, to be responsible for the collection and proper treatment of their products at end-of-life.

We implemented the e-waste EPR last year to ensure the proper handling and treatment of e-waste. This reduces our waste to landfill and allows us to recover valuable resources like gold and copper from e-waste, for use in manufacturing new products.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling asked for a progress update. Since the scheme started in July last year, ALBA, the appointed scheme operator, has collected around 3,500 tonnes of consumer e-waste, which is three times the amount collected annually under NEA’s previous National Voluntary Partnership programme. This accounts for approximately 8.5% of the consumer electronic and electrical equipment supplied in 2020. The e-waste collected includes large home appliances like refrigerators and air-conditioners, and ICT equipment like mobile phones and laptops.

Members of the public can drop off e-waste at more than 500 e-waste recycling bins nationwide, at convenient locations such as community centres, supermarkets and electronics stores. ALBA also works with Town Councils to organise quarterly collection drives at housing estates and collection of bulky e-waste. For a fee, members of the public may contact ALBA to arrange for doorstep collection of e-waste.

Efforts are also ongoing to develop an EPR for packaging waste, starting with a return scheme for beverage containers. Under such a scheme, a deposit is included in the price of the pre-packaged beverages. Consumers will receive a refund upon returning the used beverage container.

To facilitate development of this scheme, NEA formed a stakeholder group comprising key industry, academia and civil society representatives in December last year.

Over the past two years, NEA has engaged more than 100 large and small producers, which make up about 80% of the pre-packaged beverage market. This included industry briefings, surveys and one-on-one engagements with individual companies and trade associations. Other stakeholders consulted included retailers, waste management companies and members of the public. NEA will continue to broaden engagement with the public and industry in the coming months, to co-design a cost-effective and suitable Beverage Container Return Scheme for Singapore.

As we strive towards a Zero Waste Nation, we need to continue to ensure the sustainability of essential waste disposal services, while encouraging waste reduction to conserve Semakau Landfill.

Over the years, the operational costs of waste disposal have increased.

To keep pace with rising costs, we will revise the refuse disposal fee for incinerable waste from $77 to $88 per tonne. This fee is paid by public waste collectors and general waste collectors to dispose of incinerable waste at the waste-to-energy plants.

We will also revise the refuse disposal fee for non-incinerable waste from $97 to $124 per tonne. This fee is paid by general waste collectors and toxic industrial waste collectors to dispose of non-incinerable waste at Semakau Landfill, such as treated toxic industrial waste and sludge.

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The revised fees will take effect on 1 January 2024, two years from now. NEA will issue notification letters to the industry to allow the industry sufficient lead time to adjust. We encourage all businesses to adopt sustainable practices to generate less waste and recycle more and play their part in the shift towards a greener and zero-waste Singapore.

As we put in place a comprehensive regulatory framework to encourage recycling, we also need to build capabilities in our local industry. A thriving local recycling industry can generate economic value, job opportunities and exportable solutions for the global green demand.

EWR2 is a local e-waste recycling company that recycles large household appliances and ICT equipment and was set up in response to the increasing demand for e-waste recycling services driven by the EPR scheme. It operates a highly automated recycling facility that can recover up to 95% of materials used to make the appliances, of which about 80% is being recycled.

We are also pursuing chemical recycling of plastics that converts plastic waste into pyrolysis oil, which can be used as feedstock for the manufacturing of chemicals and plastics.

NEA commissioned a feasibility study on the development of a plastic recovery facility last year to extract plastics from our waste for chemical recycling. The facility will harness advanced plastic waste sorting capabilities and improve our plastic recycling rates. We are finding other new innovative ways to turn waste into resource.

[Deputy Speaker (Mr Christopher de Souza) in the Chair]

Semakau Landfill, for example, can potentially be mined for its landfilled materials. NEA and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore are carrying out a feasibility study to use such materials in its reclamation for Tuas Port. If feasible, this will prolong the lifespan of Semakau and at the same time, reduce the amount of reclamation materials to be imported.

Our transition to a Zero Waste Nation will require everyone to play their part. To be a nation known for sustainable development, care for the environment must be reflected through our daily practices. Our personal and societal values drive the actions and choices we make daily.

The use of disposables is an issue that many Singaporeans care about. While disposables have become an everyday convenience, they create large amounts of waste and use up finite resources.

We convened a Citizens' Workgroup in September 2020 to co-create solutions with the public in the spirit of Singapore Together. The workgroup came up with recommendations on how we can reduce the use of disposables such as carrier bags, food containers, cutlery and packaging.

Implementing a charge for disposable carrier bags at supermarkets was one of the recommendations of the workgroup. After careful deliberation, we announced last year that we would work on an appropriate model for a disposable carrier bag charge at supermarkets.

We did not decide on this lightly. Our earlier considerations for not implementing a disposable carrier bag charge in Singapore are still valid. Plastic bags are used by many households to bag our garbage before throwing it down our rubbish chutes. Unlike many other countries, we do not directly landfill our disposables but incinerate them. Hence, we do not face the land and water pollution issues that plague those countries.

Climate action and environmental protection are gaining pace internationally and locally and we cannot continue with business as usual. A bag charge is becoming commonplace in jurisdictions around the world and closer to home such as in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia.

There is broad recognition that we can reduce wastage of plastic bags.

In Singapore, an increasing number of retailers have voluntarily implemented a charge on disposable carrier bags, which has shown to be effective in encouraging the use of reusables. For example, FairPrice's "No Plastic Bag" initiative has saved more than 30 million plastic bags over two years, with seven out of 10 customers willing to bring their own bags.

More importantly, we want Singaporeans to be a part of the shift towards a green Singapore. We should show our care for the environment in the choices we make every day. By making the cost of the bag visible to consumers, the intent of the bag charge is to nudge people to consider what they really need instead of taking bags freely.

The charge is not a ban. It will not remove the public's access to disposable bags. It is a nudge to every one of us to develop the habit of bringing a reusable bag when shopping for groceries and more and to reduce the use of disposables, an essential feature of sustainable living.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked about our consultations in developing the bag charge framework.

We have conducted extensive consultations over the past year, including with supermarkets and members of the public. Close to 6,000 stakeholders were consulted through focus group discussions, industry and public consultation sessions and surveys. We have heard diverse views in our consultations and have considered these views carefully.

Ms Yeo Wan Ling and Dr Lim also asked for details on the bag charge. Let me share with Members about the framework.

We will introduce a charge of at least five cents per bag for purchases made at the supermarket outlets. This will be applicable to all disposable carrier bags. We have kept the minimum charge low to moderate the cost impact on shoppers, including on low-income households.

Charging per bag is equitable and effective. The more bags we take, the higher the amount we pay. Charging from the first bag would also encourage shoppers to bring their own bags from the outset.

The charge will take effect in mid-2023. It will apply to operators of SFA-licensed supermarkets with an annual turnover of more than $100 million, which will cover about two thirds of all supermarket outlets.

We are starting with the larger supermarket operators who have extensive market coverage. We will not extend the charge to smaller convenience stores for now, as suggested by Mr Louis Ng.

During our consultation, concerns have been expressed about supermarket operators potentially profiteering from the charge. We strongly encourage supermarket operators to channel the proceeds obtained from the bag charge to environmental or social causes and consider initiatives to support lower-income families.

To ensure accountability, we will require supermarket operators to publish information on the number of bags issued, amount of proceeds collected from the bag charge and how these proceeds would be used. The public will then be able to see how the supermarket operators are using their proceeds.

Over time, we hope that the charge will encourage Singaporeans to adopt sustainable habits and bring our own bags when shopping at supermarkets and other stores.

At this point, I would like to quote Ms Liu Yining who eloquently expressed on the need to reduce the use of plastic disposables in a recent commentary in Lianhe Zaobao. In Mandarin, please, Mr Chairman.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] On 4 March, Ms Liu Yining wrote a commentary in Lianhe Zaobao titled "Charging for disposable carrier bags sows a seed for de-plasticisation", She wrote that "the moment people take an extra plastic bag, they will have to think about whether they really need it or not, and at that point in time, a seed of happiness and kindness is sowed in the heart, and it is a seed of hope for themselves, the country and the world."

(In English): The larger purpose of the bag charge is to make all of us pause and think if we really need the next bag before we reach for the bag. It is a seed of hope for a better world – the first step on a journey towards sustainability and the beginning of a change in how we treat the environment.

Ms Ng Ling Ling asked how we can encourage and support families and communities to recycle more. Applying an idea from the Recycle Right Citizens' Workgroup to encourage right recycling behaviour, we recently piloted the use of transparent recycling bins in Hong Kah North and East Coast Group Representation Constituency (GRC). The residents' response was positive.

To encourage recycling at every home, NEA is collaborating with the Singapore Institute of Technology to design a compact recycling container to better sort out and collect recyclables at home. These containers will be made available to households later this year. To minimise wastage, NEA will only distribute to households that want them.

Our individual actions will determine the collective outcome of Singapore. Together, our zero-waste efforts will bring us closer to achieving our waste-to-landfill targets and extend the lifespan of Semakau for as long as possible beyond 2035.

Next, I will touch on climate resilience. Ms Poh Li San, Ms Nadia Samdin, Dr Lim Wee Kiak and Mr Sharael Taha asked about our progress in shoring up our coastal and flood defences.

Sea level rise poses an existential threat for a low-lying island nation like Singapore. The Centre for Climate Research Singapore has projected that climate change could cause mean sea level rise of up to one metre by 2100. If there should be a confluence of extreme high tides and storm surges, some projections suggest that sea levels could be as high as four to five metres. This is high enough to potentially flood one third of Singapore.

Coastal protection is a long-term endeavour and we have started planning ahead.

In May last year, PUB, the national coastal protection agency, embarked on a site-specific study at the coastline of City-East Coast. We are starting site-specific studies at other parts of our coastline. This year, JTC and PUB will commence studies at Jurong Island and the North West coast respectively.

Singapore has a varied coastline of over 300 kilometres. Hence, our site-specific studies allow us to understand the characteristics of these different segments and develop coastal protection solutions accordingly.

Take the northwest coast as an example. First, there are four coastal reservoirs – Tengeh, Poyan, Murai and Sarimbun. We will study how to reinforce the dykes and dams for these important water sources to protect them from seawater intrusion. Next, we will study how best to dovetail coastal protection solutions with upcoming developments such as the future Sungei Kadut Eco-District and Lim Chu Kang high-tech agri-food cluster.

There are also sections of mangrove habitats at the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and the Mandai Mangrove and Mudflat Nature Park. We must take care to minimise environmental impact in these biodiversity-rich areas. PUB will explore hybrid coastal protection solutions that combine nature-based elements with hard engineering measures and will also work closely with NParks and stakeholders to conduct environmental studies, minimise impact and enhance existing ecosystems. These studies are expected to take a few years.

To ensure that coastal and flood protection measures are adequately resourced, we established the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund in 2020 with an initial injection of five billion dollars.

In May last year, the Government passed the Significant Infrastructure Government Loan Act (SINGA) to allow the raising of loans to finance major long-term infrastructure such as coastal and drainage infrastructure.

Even as we plan long term for the challenges of sea level rise, we are already seeing more extreme weather patterns today. We see more flash floods from more intense rains. Ms Poh Li San and Ms Nadia Samdin asked what PUB's plans are to mitigate inland floods.

The Government has invested significantly with almost $2 billion spent on drainage improvement works since 2011. This includes the Stamford Diversion Canal, Stamford Detention Tank and the Bukit Timah First Diversion Canal. We have set aside another $1.4 billion to carry out further improvements to the drainage system till 2025.

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While we systematically improve our drainage system across the island, it is not possible to expand our drains to cater to every extreme rainfall event as it will mean less space for housing, parks or roads in land-scarce Singapore. Hence, it is important to strengthen community resilience and our collective response to flooding incidents.

PUB has been enhancing its early warning systems to provide more timely updates to the public, including launching a dedicated Telegram channel last November. PUB has also expanded its fleet to 13 flood response vehicles that are able to stream real-time flood conditions and drive through higher floodwaters. This allows PUB to provide timely assistance during any heavy rain event.

PUB cannot do it alone. We urge Singaporeans to be on alert for weather events, by subscribing to PUB’s flood alerts for timely updates on heavy rains and potential flood risk locations. Building owners must do their part in protecting their properties by installing effective flood protection measures.

In July last year, PUB trialled the automated flood barrier at the entrance of Fortune Park Condominium leading to the basement carpark. The automated barrier uses approaching floodwaters to buoy itself up and block floodwaters from entering the premises, without the need for any human or mechanical intervention. It is a viable and cost-effective solution for flood protection, and we encourage building owners in low-lying areas to implement these automated barriers.

Mr Chairman, as a small island city-state with no natural resources, we have weathered many crises together as a people and as a nation. We have overcome these crises and seized the opportunities to develop into a clean, green and liveable city that we see today. Climate change is the defining crisis of our generation. Together, let us build a resilient Singapore, for a sustainable future. [Applause.]

The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Dr Amy Khor.

The Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment (Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan): COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of good personal hygiene and clean public spaces. These have always been our priorities and will better prepare us beyond COVID-19 for Disease X, which is not a matter of “if” but “when”.

Over the past two years, we have improved the cleanliness of public spaces – from working with premises managers to uphold high cleanliness standards, to ensuring individuals practise personal responsibility by returning trays and binning litter.

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin would be pleased to know that since the Clean Tables Campaign and mandatory clean tables regime were implemented, the national average Tray and Crockery Return Rate (TCRR) in hawker centres has improved significantly, from 33% to 85%.

We have also achieved a national average TCRR of above 85% in coffeeshops and food courts. Many have shared that the dining environment is now cleaner, with faster turnover of tables and fewer incidences of pests and bird nuisance.

We will build on this progress to ensure a clean and safe Singapore.

We commenced the progressive roll-out of the Environmental Sanitation (ES) Regime last July, which specifies mandatory baseline ES standards for high-risk premises and places greater accountability on premises managers to meet these standards.

We introduced the ES regime in more than 3,000 premises under the inaugural phase, including preschools, MOE schools, food centres, markets and coffee shops, and the first tranche of eldercare, youth and social service facilities.

Together with the sector leads, we developed sector-specific ES standards and trained more than 3,600 Environmental Control Coordinators (ECCs). The ECCs will assist premises managers to develop and oversee the implementation of an ES programme, which specifies cleaning frequencies and disinfection protocols. To Ms Hany Soh’s query, the regime was rolled out to preschools in November 2021 and all have appointed personnel to be ECCs.

The ES regime ensures that premises are properly cleaned and disinfected regularly. For example, from March this year, coffeeshops are required to carry out thorough cleaning every quarter on top of routine cleaning. This is a marked difference from just ad hoc cleaning before. High-touch surfaces would also be cleaned and disinfected more frequently.

Premises managers are also sensitised to their responsibility to prevent outbreaks of infectious diseases like gastroenteritis within their premises. For instance, preschools have found the regime useful in providing clear guidance on minimum cleaning and disinfection frequencies, and scope of cleaning and disinfection works, neither of which were clearly defined before.

Ms Hany Soh would be glad to hear that we will implement the regime at another 2,700 premises this year. These would include publicly accessible premises with high footfall such as large shopping malls, as well as private education institutions.

We have worked with these sectors to develop sector-specific ES standards. All premises will minimally require an ECC. For large premises with multiple tenants like shopping malls, Environmental Control Officers (Specified Premises) will be introduced to oversee more wide-ranging public health issues and management of stakeholders. We aim to train 2,700 more ECCs and ECO(SP)s this year.

Another important aspect of a clean and safe environment is protecting Singaporeans against the harmful effects of second-hand tobacco smoke. Today, smoking is prohibited in more than 49,000 premises, including covered walkways and common areas of residential buildings. We have prioritised places where second-hand tobacco smoke affects more people, such as community spaces.

Miss Cheryl Chan, Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Mr Louis Ng and Ms Poh Li San would be glad to hear that, together with PUB, NParks and the Sentosa Development Corporation, NEA will extend the smoking prohibition to more places including all remaining public parks and gardens, Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Sites and 10 beaches from 1 July 2022.

In addition to neighbourhood parks in public and private housing estates where smoking is already prohibited, smoking will be prohibited at Regional and City Parks like East Coast Park and Fort Canning Park, and all Park Connectors. Smoking will also be prohibited at 10 recreational beaches, including three beaches in Sentosa.

With this extension, Singaporeans can enjoy these shared recreational sites without exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. There will be a three-month advisory period before enforcement commences on 1 October 2022.

We currently have no plans to set up additional No Smoking Zones. We will review the need for further extensions of the smoking prohibition from time to time. Setting up No Smoking Zones requires significant stakeholder buy-in and operational resources to implement. We will need to plan extensively, assess the suitability of the precinct and availability of sites for designated smoking areas.

On smoking in homes, which Dr Lim Wee Kiak, Ms Poh Li San and Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about, legislation is no panacea to curbing second-hand tobacco smoke in homes. There are privacy concerns and technological limitations to gathering evidence required for enforcement.

The Designated Smoking Points (DSPs) in Nee Soon South have thus far not resulted in a sustained reduction in feedback received on smoking in homes in the division since its implementation. Nevertheless, we will continue to monitor the effectiveness of DSPs as localised solutions, even as we work with MOH and HPB to discourage smoking at home.

On "end game" laws for smoking, MOH remains open and will study how New Zealand implements the ban, its effectiveness and how their experience could be applicable to Singapore.

Besides adopting preventive measures to minimise the spread of infectious diseases, we are building up capabilities to deal with public health threats.

Singapore is an early adopter of wastewater surveillance for COVID-19, which is being explored in various countries. In response to Mr Gan Thiam Poh's question, when transmission first occurred at workers’ dormitories, NEA brought in wastewater testing to assess the situation, including the viral loads collected from each dormitory. Our findings were used to complement individual testing, guide infection control measures and facilitate the progressive clearance of dormitories by the Inter-Agency Task Force.

Monitoring has since been expanded to student hostels, nursing homes, and residential sites. From a modest eight sites in May 2020, we gradually expanded surveillance coverage to 200 sites in July 2021. Since February 2022, we have achieved surveillance coverage of 440 sites, including 150 sites distributed across residential areas and town centres. We have also expanded our laboratory testing capacity to 4,000 samples being tested per week, up from 2,500 in July last year.

As Singapore transits to COVID-19-endemicity, the focus of wastewater testing has shifted from early case detection to providing situational awareness. The data collected alerts Government agencies and premises owners or operators of the situation, which allows them to calibrate public health measures.

It provides objective information on whether infections among the population are increasing or decreasing, independent of the population’s health-seeking behaviour and prevailing clinical test protocols. This will therefore be an important surveillance tool even as we transit to an endemic state. Further research and development will allow the wastewater surveillance system to be used for monitoring other infectious disease threats in the future.

Mr Gan Thiam Poh asked about improvements to toilets. We launched the Toilet Improvement Programme in October 2020 to raise the cleanliness of toilets in hawker centres and coffeeshops. The programme supported premises in improving toilet design and choice of sanitary fittings for easier cleaning and coffeeshop operators' initial adoption of fortnightly deep cleaning on top of daily cleaning. NEA has received applications from 62 eligible coffeeshops and 28 hawker centres. Twenty-four coffeeshops and one hawker centre have completed their toilet enhancement works.

I will now speak about our hawker culture, my favourite topic! Our hawkers are frontline heroes, providing us affordable hawker food during this pandemic. NEA has provided relief measures to hawkers over the last two years, including 10 months’ rental waivers and six months’ subsidies for table-cleaning and centralised dishwashing services.

Eligible hawkers also received up to $9,000 via the Self-employed Person Income Relief Scheme (SIRS) in 2020 and a one-off cash payout of $500 under the Market and Hawker Centre Relief Fund (MHCRF) last year.

We will continue to support our hawkers. Minister for Finance announced that small F&B businesses, one of the sectors most affected by COVID-19, will receive the Small Business Recovery Grant.

SFA-licensed operators and stallholders in markets, hawker centres, coffee shops, food courts and canteens will receive this grant. They will receive $1,000 for each local employee receiving mandatory CPF contributions, capped at $10,000. Those without local employees will receive a flat $1,000 if they are Singapore Citizens or Permanent Residents.

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Our efforts have helped hawkers during these tough times. On average, 17 cooked food stallholders or 0.3% terminated their leases each month between 2020 and 2021. This is lower than the monthly average of 28 terminations between 2017 to 2019.

Ms Joan Pereira asked if more can be done to help hawkers reduce ingredient cost. We will review her suggestion of bulk purchasing carefully and also consider the interest from our hawkers, where many may already have established relationships and specific arrangements with their suppliers for their preferred ingredients.

To prepare hawkers for the digital economy and expand their reach to potential patrons, hawkers, community groups, food delivery platforms, together with NEA and IMDA came together to form the SGTogether Alliance for Action (AfA) for Online Ordering for Hawkers last June and developed pilot initiatives to help hawkers utilise online services.

About one in every four cooked food stallholders have been supported via NEA’s Food Delivery Support Scheme. Currently, about half of our 6,000 plus cooked food stallholders are on board these services, and almost 70% of them have adopted e-payment.

WhyQ, Deliveroo, FoodPanda and Grab have stepped up to pilot a Common Acquirer Model for online food delivery in 15 hawker centres at zero commission to hawkers. Hawkers can receive online orders from any of these platforms through a single ordering device. Alternatively, they can choose to transact offline through WhyQ hawker captains.

To date, 18 hawker centres have set up Digital Support for Hawkers groups, which provide peer support to help less digitally savvy hawkers embrace digital opportunities. This includes creating Facebook pages for each centre, facilitating online community group buys, and organising bulk meal orders.

I am pleased to share that many of my fellow Members of Parliament have adopted AfA’s recommendations on group buys from hawkers for our lunches during Parliament sittings! For today’s lunch, many of us enjoyed wanton noodles, chicken rice and burgers from Commonwealth Crescent, Bukit Merah and Golden Mile! More enticing and mouth-watering hawker dishes to come!

Ms Nadia asked for an update on the Hawker Centres Transformation Programme (HTP). Last year, I shared plans about the HTP to future-proof hawker centre infrastructure.

While HTP will be applied to new and redeveloped centres, we are also piloting it at two existing centres even as they face constraints with limited floor space.

I am pleased to announce that we will consult stakeholders, including Hawkers’ Associations, Town Councils and Advisers in 2022 to jointly develop the HTP pilot at Geylang Serai Market and Cheng San Market and Food Centre.

The proposed scope of works may include High-Volume Low-Speed fans to improve ventilation, provisions to support flexible implementation of Safe Management Measures, such as quick deployment and removal of temporary access control, reconfiguration of tables and chairs to reduce crowding, and additional handwashing facilities to raise hygiene levels.

Finally, our hawker culture would not exist without our hawkers.

On Mr Don Wee’s query, there has been healthy demand for hawker stalls, with high occupancy rates averaging consistently at about 97% at existing and new hawker centres. NEA has also been receiving enquiries from individuals who are keen to take up stalls at the new centres, and the monthly tender for vacant stalls at existing centres have continued to attract a good number of bids.

Ms Pereira asked about efforts to attract new hawkers, including improving job prospects and working conditions. Our hawkers today are mostly self-employed individuals, with the flexibility and autonomy to decide their operating hours based on what they sell. They are covered by Medishield Life and can also top up their medical insurance individually, or even explore purchasing together as a group through their Hawkers’ Associations (HAs).

We have been helping our aspiring hawkers prepare for the trade, through the Incubation Stall Programme and Hawkers’ Development Programme, and similar programmes by Socially-conscious Enterprise Hawker Centre operators. Over 40 new hawkers have joined the trade through these programmes. Their median age is 33, significantly lower than the overall median age of hawkers of 60.

Eleven aspiring hawkers are currently operating incubation stalls, with another six awaiting allocation of incubation stalls.

Some of our new hawkers include Ms Priscilla Huang, aged 31, of Authentic Hong Kong Delights, and Mr Lim Wei Keat, aged 27, of Ah Keat Chicken Rice, who joined the hawker trade over the past year after completing HDP.

In addition to Wei Keat’s chicken rice which we had for lunch just now, I have ordered mochi and water chestnut cakes from Priscilla for Parliament’s tea break today.

A few others like Ms Amber Pong, aged 32, of The Headless Baker at Ghim Moh Market, who converted to a full-fledged hawker after completing her Incubation Stall Programme, even opened a second outlet in July last year.

To ensure that veteran hawkers’ recipes and skills are not lost, the Hawkers Succession Scheme (HSS), which was shared last year, will link retiring hawkers without succession plans but wish to pass on their businesses, skills and recipes, with aspiring hawkers.

To Ms Pereira and Mr Raj Joshua Thomas’s question about the HSS, a 10-member independent advisory panel has been set up to work with NEA to support and review the HSS pilot. Among the 10 panellists, six are established hawkers. The rest include culinary chefs, hawker centre operators and culinary training partners.

The panellists will help identify suitable veteran hawkers, assess aspiring successors’ readiness, and provide feedback to improve the programme.

Under the pilot, aspiring hawkers will be assessed on culinary skills and capacity to learn, before pairing up with veteran hawkers. They will undergo a three-month apprenticeship under the veteran hawkers. Aspiring successors will be evaluated on their ability to execute the veterans’ signature dishes. Where needed, veteran hawkers may continue to mentor the successor for two additional months. In recognition of their time and effort spent, veteran hawkers will receive a nominal stipend of up to $5,500.

This is but a token of appreciation and is not a measure of the effort that veterans have invested into establishing their clientele and refining their recipes. The HSS is not intended to be a commercial arrangement but is an option to help retiring veteran hawkers find suitable successors and preserve their culinary legacy for future patrons.

We will also introduce safeguards to protect the interest of the veteran hawkers such as requiring successors to serve the veteran hawkers’ signature dishes and retain the stall names for three years.

Mr Gan and Mr Wee asked about the construction progress of new hawker centres.

While COVID-19 has caused some delay, four new centres – namely Bukit Canberra, Fernvale, One Punggol and Senja Hawker Centres, will begin operations by the third quarter of this year. In addition, five more centres in the construction stage will progressively be completed in the next few years, and two more are in the planning and design stage.

Residents in Tampines Town can also look forward to another new hawker centre. More details of this new centre will be shared in due course.

Ms Nadia will be glad to hear that upcoming centres will incorporate sustainability features. All new centres will have food waste digesters. Some will also have solar panels.

Two redeveloped centres will also be starting operations this year. Market Street Hawker Centre that used to be at Golden Shoe Carpark will open for business from 1 April, at levels two and three of the integrated development CapitaSpring on Market Street and continue to provide affordable food options for those working in the CBD.

We also expect Margaret Drive Hawker Centre, which replaces the hawker centre at Block 1A, 2A, 3A Commonwealth Drive, to commence operations from fourth quarter of 2022. Chairman, in Mandarin please.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] NEA will be expanding the smoking prohibition. From 1 Jul 2022, we will ban smoking at Regional and City Parks like East Coast Park and Fort Canning Park, as well as the park connector system linking various parks. The smoking prohibition will also cover recreation sites under ABC Waters projects, as well as 10 recreational beaches, including three at Sentosa.

In the past two years, the Government has been supporting our hawkers through various ways and schemes. This includes waiving a total of 10 months of rent and subsidising six months of table-cleaning and centralised dishwashing fees. Eligible hawkers received up to $9,000 of income relief in 2020 and $500 in cash assistance last year.

To continue our support for hawkers, we will provide all SFA-licensed market, hawker centre, coffeeshop, food court and canteen operators and stallholders with a one-time cash assistance, under the recently announced Small Business Recovery Grant.

For every employee that operators and stallholders pay CPF for, they will receive $1,000, capped at a maximum of $10,000. Those who do not hire local employees will also receive a $1,000 payout.

Over the past four years, we have also been attracting new hawkers to join the trade through various training programmes and over 40 new hawkers have joined the trade through these programmes. We will continue to support aspiring hawkers to enter the trade, including matching them with retiring hawkers via the Hawkers' Succession Scheme.

In addition, we will be opening four hawker centres this year. They are at Bukit Panjang, Sembawang, Sengkang and Punggol respectively, and will provide residents in these towns with food choices and convenience. We will also be building a new hawker centre in Tampines. Details will be announced later.

Lastly, from 1 Apr, Market Street Hawker Centre will return to its original site, and reopen on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the newly developed, large integrated development CapitaSpring. All the original stallholders from "Golden Shoe" centre will return to the reopened Market Street Hawker Centre.

(In English): Chairman, despite the challenges of the pandemic, everyone – be it the cleaning industry, premises managers or hawkers – have demonstrated resilience, seized opportunities to improve cleanliness, and embrace new business opportunities online.

Let us continue to work together to build a truly SG Clean Singapore and safeguard our hawker culture for future generations. Indeed, let us support SG hawkers!

The Chairman: Minister of State Desmond Tan.

6.15 pm

The Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment (Mr Desmond Tan): Mr Chairman, I will be speaking about how MSE has taken steps and will continue to secure our food sources and water supply and how we intend to do this with the support of our industry as well as with every Singaporean.

First, on food security. Minister Grace Fu mentioned earlier that climate change and pandemics, such as COVID-19, are some of the biggest threats we face today. Coupled with the war in Ukraine, the confluence of factors is causing global supply and price volatility and we can expect to feel the impact in the coming months. MSE plans to ensure food supply resilience through our three food baskets – diversify import sources, grow local and grow overseas. Our "grow local" basket is supported by our 30-by-30 goal – an ambition to expand our capability to grow more food locally in a sustainable and resource-efficient manner.

Last year, I shared about how our intention to masterplan Lim Chu Kang and turn it into a high-tech agri-food zone that can significantly raise food production and thereby also providing new and exciting job opportunities for Singaporeans.

I am glad to update Mr Don Wee and Prof Koh Lian Pin that in 2021, we completed a six-month-long series of engagements on how the Government, industry, including our farmers, nature groups and public can co-create the future Lim Chu Kang region. Many industry players and other stakeholders are keen to embrace high-tech farming, with also other ideas like shared processing and distribution facilities and centralised waste management systems for complementary uses which will enhance the entire farming ecosystem. The feedback and ideas that we received from the engagements will now be folded into our actual planning phase of Lim Chu Kang this year.

We have also been driving research innovation and plugging existing technological gaps. Under the Singapore Food Story R&D Programme, we set aside up to $144 million for R&D for sustainable urban food production, future foods, such as advanced biotech-based protein production, as well as food safety science and innovation. To date, around $75 million has been committed to over 30 projects.

I echo Dr Lim Wee Kiak’s point that alternative proteins, such as cell-based and plant-based meats, can contribute to our nutritional needs. As some alternative proteins do not have a history of use as food, it is important to ensure the safe introduction of such novel food products into Singapore's market.

This is why SFA developed the Novel Food Regulatory Framework in 2019 which requires companies to undertake pre-market food safety assessments as part of the process of seeking approval from SFA. I encourage novel food companies to engage SFA early through platforms, such as SFA's Novel Food Virtual Clinics, to better understand SFA’s requirements, so that they can prioritise their research efforts.

Now, let me move on to our aquaculture industry.

Mr Chairman, fish is a commonly consumed source of protein that can be grown locally to contribute to our food security. To Ms Nadia Samdin’s question, SFA has been working closely with the industry over the past year to understand their needs and introduce best practices that can help them uplift their production and the sector. I have joined them in some of these engagements and visited many of the farms in the Johor Straits as well as in the Southern Waters.

The sea-based fish farms in Singapore are, indeed, quite varied, each with a unique approach to farming. Some, like Rong-Yao Fisheries, culture their fish in traditional open-net cage systems. With good farm management practices in place, Rong-Yao Fisheries has obtained the Good Aquaculture Practice (GAP) Fish Farming certification. We have also seen the emergence of high-tech farms which have the potential to transform fish farming by culturing fish intensively. The Eco-Ark by Aquaculture Centre of Excellence (ACE) is one of the world’s first purpose-built floating closed containment aquaculture production structure that combines Offshore & Marine Technology with a closed containment system, using water treatment technology to provide good quality seawater to culture the fish and, at the same time, reduce the vulnerability to external conditions.

Farms like Rong-Yao and ACE's Eco-Ark have found farming methods that work for them, but they also shared their hopes of getting greater certainty on their use of sea space so that they can continue to invest in their future.

Today, sea-based farms do not have a lease mechanism and this creates some uncertainty for our farms. So, we will offer leases to all sea-based farms in the longer term. Incumbent farms will be eased into this arrangement by starting with yearly-renewable temporary occupation licences (TOL) from 1 January 2023. The charges will be progressively stepped up to market rate from 2023 to 2026. This will give farms sufficient lead time to consider their longer-term investment decisions.

I also mentioned in my speech last year that SFA plans to launch new sea space tenders on lease. I am glad to share that this will happen from the end of 2022.

Sea-based farms will see a reduction in their annual licence fee from 1 January 2023. SFA has reviewed the fish farm licence fees to ensure that it remains relevant and that compliance costs for the industry are minimised. Only new farm applications and farms with major changes to their farming activities, such as a change in food type that they want to produce, will be subject to a separate one-off assessment fee due to higher manpower and equipment costs incurred during the course of the assessment. More details will be announced in the coming months.

To address Ms Nadia Samdin, Prof Koh Lian Pin and Mr Raj Joshua Thomas' queries, we want to provide greater certainty for our farmers so that they will invest more into their farms. I am happy to announce that new land and sea parcels will benefit from longer term leases of 20 plus 10 years. This means that future tenders will offer farmers the option of extending their lease beyond the initial 20-year period for an additional 10 years, subject to the farms meeting SFA’s production output conditions.

This will apply to new land parcels in Sungei Tengah as well as in Lim Chu Kang after the master planning exercise, as well as sea spaces that I mentioned earlier from end-2022 onwards. More details will again be announced by SFA when the tenders are launched.

Mr Don Wee and Mr Raj Joshua Thomas asked how we are helping farmers to upgrade their operations and reach our 30-by-30 goal. Last year, I shared that SFA launched a $60 million Agri-Food Cluster Transformation (ACT) Fund. This ACT fund supports farmers’ needs in different aspects at different phases, for example, from capability upgrade, innovation and test-bedding, as well as tech upscaling. SFA has received a total of 32 applications as of end of last year and eight applications have already been approved, while the rest are being processed and evaluated.

Going forward, we will also expand the scope of the ACT fund to allow more food types that are commonly consumed in Singapore to also benefit from higher co-funding quantum. This includes fruited vegetables, mushrooms and shrimp. More farms can now benefit from the higher co-funding support to invest in their farming solutions.

Prof Koh Lian Pin asked if the Government plans to calibrate our food imports as we increase local food production in order to minimise waste. Even as we aim to produce more food locally, Singapore will continue to need to import most of our food. We remain committed to facilitating free, open and competitive trade, and any substitution between imports and local production will be a result of market forces.

While local farms ramp up production to contribute to our 30-by-30 goal, it is critical that Singaporeans continue to play their part by supporting local produce. Strengthening Singapore’s food security is a whole-of-nation effort and, without strong local demand, our farmers would find it hard to sustain a high level of production.

With your permission, Mr Chairman, may I display a slide on the LCD screens?

The Chairman: Please proceed. [A slide was shown to hon Members.]

Mr Desmond Tan: To help Singaporeans better identify local produce, SFA launched a set of three logos to integrate branding for local produce in February 2022. These are the updated SG Fresh Produce logos you see on the screen to identify, first of all, local farmers – you see the first one on the left with one star; and logos to differentiate farms certified under the Good Agricultural Practice scheme for quality assurance – and they get two stars at the bottom; and Clean & Green scheme for sustainable production, which is the three-star logo.

By choosing local produce, everyone can contribute to our food security. Whether you are buying groceries for your family or for your restaurant, choosing local produce will support our local farmers, helping them not just to survive but to flourish by becoming more productive and sustainable. So, let me remind everybody to try and support our local produce. Mr Chairman, in Mandarin, please.

(In Mandarin): [Please refer to Vernacular Speech.] Mr Chairman, to ensure Singapore's food security, SFA announced the 30-by-30 goal in 2019. We hope that by 2030, we can satisfy 30% of Singaporeans' nutritional needs through local production.

Today, sea-based farms need to renew their sea space lease very year. This has made it hard to attract aquaculture businesses that require large upfront investments. After the reviewing the policy on the lease of sea space, I am glad to announce that we will offer long-term leases to all sea-based farms to help attract investors to develop the local aquaculture industry.

To help existing farms ease into this arrangement, we will start with yearly renewable temporary occupation licences from 1 January 2023. This will give farms sufficient lead time to consider longer-term investment decisions. From the end of 2022, SFA will launch new sea space tenders on lease. From next January onwards, SFA will also reduce the licence fee for sea-based farms to ensure that the fees are more appropriate. We will share more details in the coming months.

To achieve our 3-by-30 goal, besides Government support and funding, we hope that Singaporeans can also play a part by supporting local produce.

SFA launched a set of three logos in February this year to help Singaporeans better identify local produce. I hope Singaporeans can buy and support fresh local produce more and achieve a more secure future together.

(In English): Mr Chairman, I would now like to speak about our other basic need, which is water.

We will continue to strengthen water security by developing weather-resilient sources like NEWater and desalinated water and I am happy to announce that Singapore’s latest plant, Jurong Island Desalination Plant, will be operational in Apr 2022. This plant is co-located with Tuas Power’s existing Tembusu Multi-Utilities Complex (TMUC). It taps on the cost and operational synergies in the water-energy nexus by sharing infrastructure, such as the seawater intake and the substation, with the TMUC.

As pointed out by Miss Cheryl Chan, Mr Gan Thiam Poh and Ms Poh Li San, weather-resilient sources are energy-intensive. Since 2002, PUB and stakeholders have committed more than $800 million in R&D into technologies, such as biomimetic membranes and blue energy, to improve energy efficiency of NEWater and desalination processes. The energy to produce one cubic metre of desalinated water could, potentially, be reduced from 3.5 kilowatt hours to less than two kilowatt hours by 2025.

In 2020, we announced that work had already begun on Tuas Nexus, Singapore’s first integrated solid waste and used water treatment facility, comprising NEA’s Integrated Waste Management Facility (IWMF) and PUB’s Tuas Water Reclamation Plant (TWRP). Mr Shawn Huang asked about the Tuas Nexus project and an update. To date, more than $4 billion worth of contract works have already been awarded by NEA and PUB. The Tuas Nexus is set to complete in phases from 2025.

The electricity generated by IWMF will be sufficient to sustain the operations of Tuas Nexus, and excess electricity will be exported to the national grid. When fully operational, the excess electricity exported to the grid by IWMF will be able to power up to 300,000 four-room HDB flats.

This is just the beginning. We will continue to explore such synergies across various infrastructure facilities across the Government.

Mr Chairman, the Deep Tunnel Sewerage system will transform the way Singapore transports our used water. This is essential in land-scarce Singapore and, when completed, will result in a 50% reduction in the land take for used water infrastructure.

This is a multi-year $6.5 billion project that showcases our commitment towards forward planning. I am glad to update Mr Sitoh Yih Pin that for the Phase 2 tunnel contracts which began in 2017, more than 80% of the tunneling works have already been completed. The overall project, including Tuas Water Reclamation Plant, is scheduled to be ready by 2026.

6.30 pm

Mr Chairman, Singapore's water story has been a success not just because of our infrastructural achievements, but through fostering community stewardship among Singaporeans towards our water resources. For example, we have transformed our waterbodies into recreational sites for all to enjoy and protect under the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters, or ABC Waters programme. I am pleased to update Mr Gan Thiam Poh that 50 ABC Waters projects have been completed since it was launched in 2006 and seven more will be completed over the next two years.

Beyond our local waterways, we are also inspiring collective action to safeguard our marine environment from the threats posed by marine litter. I am pleased to update Ms Nadia Samdin that the Government is on track to publish Singapore's first National Action Strategy on Marine Litter in June 2022. The Strategy will describe Singapore's comprehensive approach to address the sources of marine litter. Ahead of the launch of the Strategy, we organised a public engagement session to seek feedback on measures to address marine litter and to galvanise 3P efforts to improve the situation in Singapore.

Miss Cheryl Chan and Ms Hany Soh asked how we can improve water conservation. The COVID-19 pandemic saw water consumption shift from the non-domestic sector to the domestic sector. In 2021, non-domestic water consumption fell by 6% while domestic water consumption increased by 6% compared to the pre-COVID-19 period.

In per capita terms, household water consumption increased from 141 litres per day in 2019, to 158 litres per day in 2021. This was largely due to more time spent at home because of work-from-home and home-based learning arrangements, as well as more frequent hand washing, showering and cleaning by households to maintain higher hygiene standards as what Ms Chan and Ms Soh have pointed out.

PUB will support households to make informed choices and raise awareness on water consumption at home, for example, through the Smart Water Meter Programme. PUB has commenced the roll-out of the first phase of the programme in Tampines Central in January 2022 and will be installing some 300,000 smart water meters in new and existing residential, commercial and industrial premises, target to complete by 2023.

Water conservation starts with every Singaporean. I hope every individual can play their part to save water to ensure our water supply continues to be sustainable.

I also want to thank Mr Murali for his suggestion to plug the existing gaps with enforcing foreign vehicles that have idling engines. There are practical challenges, but I want to assure Mr Murali that we will be studying this proposal.

Mr Chairman, I thank Members for their support of the work done by MSE, PUB and SFA to ensure food security and water sustainability, and ask that you continue to help us build a sustainable, resilient, liveable and vibrant Singapore.

The Chairman: We have some time, about 15 minutes for clarifications and then we will press ahead with the rest of the cuts until 7.30 pm. So, can I invite Members if you have any clarifications now? Mr Louis Ng.

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Thank you, Sir. I have two clarifications. Both relating to having roadmaps, which I think has been very useful that we have published the roadmap for carbon tax so companies and people can plan and adjust in advanced.

First, for Minister Grace, I thank her for sharing details about the disposable carrier bag charge and I also thank her for not saying no to extending the disposable carrier bag charge to smaller convenience stores. I believe she said not now. So, could I ask whether we can have a roadmap in terms of expanding the disposable carrier bag charge. So again, companies and our people can plan and adjusting in advanced.

Second, I thank the Senior Minister of State Amy Khor for sharing the details of the extension of the smoking prohibited areas. The same thing, could I ask whether we can have a roadmap in terms of expanding the no-smoking zone in Singapore. I really do thank the Senior Minister of State for all the hard work in addressing all my questions with regards to second-hand smoke. I sincerely wish and hope that would become her second most favourite topic after hawker culture.

The Chairman: Minister Grace Fu.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Thank you, Chairman. I thank Member Louis Ng for his supplementary question. I would like to assure Members that we do look at his suggestions very carefully and I think that for the issue on disposable bag, this is indeed an important step that we have taken. Having thought through all the considerations and also positions that we have taken in the past about how relevant plastic bags are in our daily lives, we need to make this change, it is important for us start cultivating that habit and let us see what happens after that. We may encourage more businesses to come on board, which we have already been doing, and I would like to see a lot more businesses, individuals, taking this as part of their habit. When you have that as part of your habits, then I think we do not need to use the lever of legislation. So, I am keeping it open for now. We will see what is the response by the people and by the business community, and we will review it over time.

The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Khor.

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: I thank the Member for his question, yet again, on second-hand smoke. But let me also thank the Member for acknowledging that we have provided him with comprehensive answers for the various questions he had posed on second-hand smoke. With regard to a roadmap, as I have said before, we continue to monitor and review if we can further extend our smoking prohibition from time to time. In fact, we continuously do this, in the area of second-hand smoke in homes as well as in public areas. This is something that we will continue to do. So, the roadmap really is about driving, continuing to work on it and continuing to look at how we can actually feasibly implement any extension of smoking prohibition to other areas. Because whatever we do, it will have to be operationally feasible as well as effectively enforced in order to make a difference.

The Chairman: Ms Hany Soh.

Ms Hany Soh: Thank you Chairman. My clarifications is in relations to the ES regime. While I applaud the Ministry's determinations to implement the ES regime next to more premises to keep our community safe, I am also concerned that this will also be equate to increasing operating costs. In my earlier Parliamentary Question that I asked this morning, I have raised my concerns that places like preschools are already grappling with COVID-19 rules and shortage of manpower. So, I wish to inquire whether MSE intends to provide more support or monetary grants which these business operators can tap on to implement and continue to comply with the ES regime.

The Chairman: Senior Minister Khor.

Dr Amy Khor Lean Suan: I thank the Member for the question. Indeed, for the ES regime, what we have actually done is really to work with the specific sectors. Preschools, for instance, we work with them to come up with the standards, the baseline standards for the regime. And in that sense, what we are doing really is to go upstream to implement the baseline standards so that they know, for instance, I have shared that the preschools actually welcomed the fact that now they have clear guidelines on the cleaning and disinfection frequencies, as well as protocols, which they did not have before. Then, they will be able to implement it.

So, what we really have done, as I have said is to work with the sector and calibrate the requirements. And if you think about it, if you do it right upstream, actually it will help you to reduce or avoid costs downstream because it will avoid, say gastroenteritis cases or minimise or reduce the cases. And if you do not, when there are such incidents, there could be additional costs because you will have to do deep cleaning and so on, there will be reputational damage and then closure of the schools. So really, it is also cost avoidance and upstream, it is really about putting in place a proper system and proper measures rather than needing say, for instance, additional manpower

Regarding the ECC that they have to appoint, it can actually be an existing staff. It could be one of the supervisors or teachers for instance, or you could actually employ one to oversee a few within the neighbourhood or within that area. So, we do provide for some flexibility and we are mindful of the cost.

The Chairman: Dr Lim Wee Kiak.

Dr Lim Wee Kiak: Chairman, I have two clarifications regarding disposable plastic bag charges. I would like to ask the Minister when we implement this plastic bag charges, because plastic bag charges, the cost price, which is actually very low. It is a fraction of a cent. So, when we charge $0.05 per bag means that the profit margin is quite high. I know you are saying that it is not purely for profit, but does it mean that any other shops, including convenience store, if they decide they want to charge for plastic bags, is it legitimate do so straightaway. Is it considered profiteering?

This is something, especially in this climate of rising inflation, many of the residents are all very concerned about cost. The Minister also mentioned that the cost itself, that is the profit that is – or rather the revenue that is collected from this will be channelled towards other social causes. Is this mandatory or is this voluntary? Which means, how would we ensure that this cost is really channelled towards helping the environment and those of a lower socioeconomic group. Previously, I also asked before how do we help our lower socioeconomic cope with this increase in the cost now even though is just $0.05 per bag.

The Chairman: Minister Grace Fu.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Thank you, Mr Chairman. I would like to thank the Member for these clarifications. On the first point about possibility of profiteering, right now, even without this latest legislation proposal, some shops are already collecting a bag charge for environmental reasons. It is for good reasons. You can look at it as a motive for profit, but actually, it is really putting a cost on it.

I would like to remind Members and also all members of the public that this is a cost that can be entirely avoided, you do not have to pay the bag charge if you carry a reusable bag or you put it into your carrier bag. That is the kind of habit that we would like all Singaporeans to cultivate over time, that when you are going out, please have a collapsible, reusable bag in your bag, or carry along with you in your car, so that you can avoid having to pay the bag and do not let any companies make any profit out of this.

Second point about whether we would make it mandatory to apply their proceeds to environmental and social causes. The answer is yes, but we are not requiring them to put it into specific charities or specific causes. The supermarket operators will have the choice of how they want to apply, maybe as part of their CSR and ESG programme.

The idea is, I firmly believe, that this action for climate, action for environment, is not restricted by income segmentation. Whether it is a low-income, high-income family households, everyone has the capacity to contribute to reducing waste and to be environmentally friendly. So, I would like to encourage all households, regardless of your income level, think about how to reduce wastage. And for the supermarket operators, if we are minded about it, you can always work with your charities around you, or the social service agencies around your community to give back and help the low-income family in other forms, whether it is food vouchers or whether it is low-cost food. This is really our way to extend assistance to everyone at this time, a very difficult time.

So, short answer is yes, they are required to and I would like to really see them doing their bit for the environment and also for the social causes in the area where they operate.

6.45 pm

The Chairman: Mr Edward Chia.

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui (Holland-Bukit Timah): Thank you, Chairman. I would like to thank Minister of State Desmond Tan on his sharing that to facilitate greater safety, innovation in the plant-based protein space, they are facilitating dialogues with SFA on the requirements. Conversely, I would like to ask, is SFA also actively updating requirements along with technology, innovations in this space?

The Chairman: Minister of State Tan.

Mr Desmond Tan: I thank the Member for the question. The short answer to the Member is yes, SFA will continue to keep abreast with the latest technology and also review our regulations to keep pace with what is coming up. But I have also mentioned in my speech that because novel food does not have a history of safe consumption, we are paying a bit more attention on the safe implementation before it reaches our consumption market.

And I just also want to highlight on the stepping up on safety, companies can also collaborate with Future-ready Food Safety Hub. In short, we call it FRESH which is a partnership between SFA, A*Star and NTU to conduct their food safety assessments. And, thereafter, these food safety assessments are then rigorously reviewed by SFA's Novel Food Safety Expert Working Group.

So, we have put in place some of the structure. One is to ensure that we monitor the progress and advancements in technology for novel food and, at the same time, to ensure that these are safely assessed and before they are implemented to the Singapore consumer market.

The Chairman: Last clarification, Ms Poh Li San.

Ms Poh Li San: Thank you, Mr Chairman. This clarification is for Minister of State Desmond Tan. I thank him for giving us an update on the progress of the DTSS but I like to know a bit more about what are the PUB's plans to mitigate localised flooding in regions that are outside the capture vicinity of the DTSS? For example, last year, remember that Bukit Timah area as well as Loyang areas experienced quite severe flash floods. I would like Minister of State Desmond to share a bit with us.

The Chairman: Minister.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: Thank you, Chairman. I think this will be part of ongoing effort by PUB to reduce inland flooding.

As I mentioned in my speech, we have been spending huge investments in improving our infrastructure. We do that systematically in three ways: we look at the source, we look at the passage and we look at the receptor. So, we look how we can, for example, slow down the flow of flood water. We build detention tanks, we have built one at, for example, Stamford Canal. We have also required building owners, for example, to have detention tanks within their properties. Really, all ways to slow down the movement of water.

We have also improved drainage. We are going to invest significantly over the next few years in order to improve our drainage system, including Bukit Timah. And we will look at how we can improve our flood responses on the ground.

But the challenge is this. I would like to inform Members is that climate change is telling us – all the signs and data are telling us – that we are going to expect more intense rainfall. We are going to also expect rainfall that did not used to collect in places that we are used to. So, we are starting to see some areas that did not used to be flood-prone have now becoming more flood-prone partly because we have already worked on some areas and, therefore, the water will its way towards the lowest point now and we have to continue to improve our infrastructure. But more importantly is that we cannot prevent the possibility of a single flood event in Singapore. And for that, we will have to really get community to be aware, to have the ability to manage and the ability to be resilient towards such an event.

The Chairman: Miss Cheryl Chan, next cut, please.

Considerations for Climate Targets

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling: Sir, climate change is fast happening with tangible consequences keenly felt by many worldwide.

In the pursuit of meeting net zero emissions by 2050, several countries have adopted carbon pricing to different extent, with this mechanism likely to be a global norm in time to come. While carbon pricing could be one of the levers towards achieving net zero emissions, there are a few clarifications on Singapore’s plan that I wish to seek.

Could the Ministry outline in further details on the considerations and roadmap underpinning this net zero target? As carbon emission varies across the industries and each sector has differing operational needs and product lines that result in GHG emission, is the intent to begin with sector specific approach or to have industries across the board to provide proposals on their efforts in reducing GHG at each site over specified time period?

Further, will companies be identified in the value chain and efforts be coordinated through the Ministry to enable scale up efforts in accelerating the decarbonisation process and possibly enabling the sharing of cost in platforms or tools that can assist players within the same industry to benefit from economy of scale?

As businesses begin to internalise the cost of carbon price impact versus the implementation cost of actions to reduce emissions, how will the Government ensure that the GHG reduction impact is properly measured and accounted for with respect to the targets set at each interval? Will further review be conducted to validate if the revised carbon tax level is deemed adequate at 2026/2027 to achieve the targets set?

Without our own power sources, our reliance on natural gas means the energy supply is a large carbon source that we need to actively consider to decarbonise. Today, we are looking at different forms of renewables, solar sources locally and hydropower overseas. For the solar capacity that are announced to be available in Singapore, will the full capacity being channelled into the grids as part of the energy mix and are the power producers actively working on large scale electricity storage to harness as much of the power generated? Without which, the process to reduce energy source from low carbon to green supply will always be impeded.

I had also previously mentioned the move towards green friendly practices may be easier for the large corporations who have the resources and expertise to do so.

For our SMEs, they will have real tangible costs to them. As we emerge from the pandemic, besides financial grants, will the Ministry be looking at other options to help the SMEs embark on the sustainability topic in the decade ahead?

Finally, the rationale of a carbon tax is to shift behaviours and mindsets to nudge businesses to rethink their existing way of operations and to become more sustainable. A mechanism should be implemented to prevent the carbon tax from being fully passed on to consumers, especially if the goods being consumed is a necessity. Otherwise, it defeats the purpose of making corporates take ownership in decarbonising their footprint.

A possible mechanism that I can suggest could be on the power generation companies to tier the cost being passed down to households based on usage, for example, with the first 400 kilowatt hour having no carbon tax passed on, and a subsequent tier percentage to be determined by the Energy Market Authority of the carbon tax allowable to be passed on for every 100 kilowatt hour thereafter. This would ensure that the households that are conserving energy and using electricity within the national average level are not penalised.

Climate Change

Ms Poh Li San: Chairman, the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties, or COP26 in short, concluded with many countries committing to net-zero pledges. Due to our lack of renewable energy resources, we may only be able to meet the net-zero target by or around 2050, as we avail of new opportunities in the carbon market and technological breakthroughs.

How will Singapore respond to calls for increased climate ambition and action? In order to meet the net-zero target in a shorter time frame, what kind of changes on the part of households and industries would be required? Will the Government share some figures and scenarios to help Singaporeans understand? These details are necessary to get support from Singaporeans for climate mitigation related measures, which will entail changes in our lifestyle, business processes, social practices, just to name a few. What more can the Government do to rally businesses, civil society groups and the people to accelerate the race to zero?

Can the Government also share what are the key considerations that underpin Singapore’s approach to setting climate targets? What are the trade-offs and circumstances that the Government has to account for?

One of the chief concerns would be the impact on the cost of living, jobs and businesses. How will the Government balance the need to mitigate climate change and ensure Singapore’s survival and competitiveness? What are our revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to be submitted to UNFCC in 2022? Does Singapore intend to declare our Carbon Net Zero goal to UNFCC and if so, by when?

Net-zero by 2050

Mr Chua Kheng Wee Louis (Sengkang): Chairman, during this year's Budget, Minister Lawrence Wong announced that Singapore is targeting to reach that net-zero by or around mid-Century.

First of all, I would like to thank the Government for coming to this decision. As party to the Paris agreement, Singapore has a duty to set a clear target that aligns with the 1.5 degrees goal. This is even more so as we recently signed the Glasgow Climate Pact. A new net-zero target sends an urgent that we take climate change very seriously.

I also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the work of Civil Society members, like climate scientists, youth activists as well as fellow Members of Parliament who have been pushing for a more ambitious target for years.

However, I have several classifications about the new target that increased carbon pricing. From 2024, businesses will be able to use and I quote, "high-quality international carbon credits to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions."

What accountability measures will the Government put in place to ensure transparency and fair implementation? How much of the Government's own net- zero target will be based on such international carbon credit offsets? With the latest update to net-zero targets, what is the Government's projection of our emissions pathway from today up to mid-century? Specifically, are we still looking at rising emissions levels up to 2030?

Lastly, all this is clearly a huge step forward. Around mid-century is still quite ambiguous, to be honest, and we all know what it means to set smart goals – specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. So, will the Government consider setting a more exact deadline to achieving net-zero emissions? Can we strive firmly towards net-zero by 2050?

Net-zero Carbon Emissions by 2050

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Sir, I am glad we have announced our new target of reaching net-zero emissions by or around mid-century. Many activists in Parliament and outside, have been speaking up about this for many years. We are glad that our voices have been heard and that we have a much more ambitious target. We thank all the Ministries and agencies for their hard work.

But I hope we can have a more specific target. Reaching net-zero emissions by mid-century would be good but around mid-century would not be that good. But around mid-Century will not be that good.

Twenty-fifty is not just a random year. It is based on science; global emissions must be net-zero by 2050 if we want to have any hope of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. In Singapore, SIA, Temasek, and DBS have committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Singapore always punches above its weight on the international stage. We should also punch above our weight when it comes to climate change. Many other countries have made this very specific pledge. Can Singapore also reach net-zero emissions by 2050?

Net-zero Climate Ambition and Nationally Determined Contribution

Prof Koh Lian Pin (Nominated Member): Chairman, in line with Singapore's announcement of our revised target to achieve net-zero emissions by or around 2050 and the review of Singapore's Nationally Determined Contributions by COP27, the Finance Minister mentioned in his Budget 2022 speech that public consultations will be done as part of this revision and review. How will these public consultations be conducted and which stakeholders will be engaged in the process?

7.00 pm

Carbon Offsets that Work

Assoc Prof Jamus Jerome Lim (Sengkang): Presently, most carbon offset programmes often serve as little more than a palliative. Typically, parties interested in reducing their carbon footprint, the climate-conscious non-profit hoping to attend an environmental conference on the other side of the world, say, will purchase offsets from a vendor or exchange equivalent to the amount of carbon that they expect to generate. Unfortunately, such vendors are seldom closely regulated and depend on the goodwill and enterprise of the operators.

Too often, even among well-meaning vendors, the strategy is to simply pay off some rancher, who would otherwise cut down trees on their land, using the cash from the non-profit with a small fee paid to the vendor for the effort. The system works well, of course, for just about everyone involved. The ranchers benefit from a stream of income for not developing their land, the non-profit believes that they have done their part in reducing their carbon footprint. And the vendor has earned a transaction fee, all while believing that they are doing good. Just about everyone, except the Earth.

The typical scenario sketched out above is such that net emissions will actually have increased. So, go on, do the math quickly in your head.

Now, making carbon offsets that truly work requires that the amount paid for said offsets actually goes toward reducing the total amount of carbon emitted into the atmosphere. This is where a credible system of offsets, paired with an actual cap-and-trade exchange, comes in. Recall, carbon cap-and-trade systems are typically seeded with a fixed amount of carbon emissions distributed via permits. These permits, of course, are finite. Hence, a credible exchange would direct the funds from the carbon offset toward the purchase of permits, which are then retired from circulation.

The major difference between this approach and that of a green vendor is that there it is no longer a counterfactual of otherwise increased carbon emissions that are being funded. Rather, it is now used to fund activities that have to be backed up by actual verifiable emissions reductions. This is where trusted governments can take a lead. A private-public partnership (PPP) led by private sector initiative and efficiencies, but encompassing active public sector involvement to ensure that the programme's purported goals are being met, strikes me as the best way forward for such an endeavour. A separate agency operating under the umbrella of NEA can take the lead on the Government side.

I have previously spoken about why carbon taxes tend to trump cap-and-trade systems. I still hold to that position, which is shared by the majority of economists who have studied the merits of both systems. Still, I see little reason why, if we are going to operate a carbon emissions trading system alongside a carbon tax regime, the system should not also be operated in a manner that complements our carbon reduction efforts. Moreover, a PPP of this nature is consistent with the stated goals of the Singapore Green Plan to develop Singapore as a carbon services and trading hub. Credible carbon offsets can be a major project to help develop Singapore's trusted reputation in the region. Of course, all markets require liquidity and the best way to get the programme off to a solid start is to provide a steady stream of income.

To this end, I would like to suggest that MSE consider requiring the purchase of credible carbon offsets along the lines of what I have described for all official international travel by civil servants. These will operate in line with the Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA). Even better, if the Government takes on the proactive role of permanently retiring offsets that it purchases, then I think the world, the Earth in particular, will be much better off.

Carbon Credits and Fighting Climate Change

Mr Kwek Hian Chuan Henry (Kebun Baru): Chairman, during last year's debate, I spoke about the importance of Singapore building a world-class carbon trading ecosystem so that we can use high-quality carbon offsets to help us exceed our NDC.

I also recently spoke about the importance of promoting carbon accounting/auditing services, as well as the importance of influencing the direction of global regulations. As such, I commend Singapore's new net-zero ambitions and our efforts to shape Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.

Can MSE explain on the specifics on how these globally traded carbon credits can help us reach net-zero? I also hope that we can, if we use globally traded carbon credits, source for credits from many, rather than a few countries, because sourcing diversity also builds resilience for Singapore.

Also, I hope carbon credits will supplement, rather than replace our local efforts to improve energy efficiency, import and generate green energy, and adopt mitigation technology, such as Carbon Capture and Sequestration. So, in sum, can MSE share more about our thoughts on how to best balance Singapore-based efforts versus the purchase of overseas carbon credits?

Revised Carbon Tax

Mr Don Wee: Chairman, Singapore needs to set up an appropriate carbon price mechanism to internalise the emissions cost and incentivise reductions effectively while ensuring we do not impose unbearable burdens upon our enterprises and households. Would the Government elaborate on how the revised carbon tax level and any potential increments will support our green transition and what is the expected impact on households and businesses?

The Chairman: Mr Gan Thiam Poh. Both your cuts together, please.

Carbon Tax

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: Chairman, Singapore’s carbon tax will be progressively increased to reach S$50 to S$80 per tonne of emissions by 2030, so that we will meet our new target of reaching net-zero by or around 2050. Would the Ministry elaborate on how the revised carbon tax levels and trajectory will support our objective of becoming a green economy?

Avoid Carbon Tax Burden on Consumers

We are faced with overall rising costs due to the pressures of the pandemic and other crises. In the midst of this, we have begun to transit to use more clean and alternate energy. How would the Government help to minimise the impact of the carbon tax on consumers, especially those in the middle- and lower-income groups?

Expand the Coverage of Carbon Tax

Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang: Sir, currently, carbon tax applies only to facilities emitting at least 25 kilo-tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent a year. This covers around 50 facilities that contribute to about 80% of our total carbon emissions. We should aim for a higher coverage.

I understand that the Government sets a high threshold to limit compliance costs by smaller emitters. But smaller emitters, those emitting at least two kilo-tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, are already “reportable facilities” and have to pay the costs of monitoring and measuring their emissions.

Given that any additional compliance costs would likely be minimal, it makes sense for the carbon tax to cover all reportable facilities. This would, after all, be in the spirit of a whole-of-nation fight against climate change. Emitters, small and large, have a role to play.

Will the Government expand coverage of the carbon tax to include all reportable facilities?

The Chairman: Ms Poh Li San. Both cuts, please.

Singapore Green Plan 2030

Ms Poh Li San: Mr Chairman, the Singapore Green Plan 2030 was greatly welcomed when it was launched last year. With the national agenda on sustainability set out, it creates a clear framework to rally a whole-of-nation movement. Can the Government provide an update on our progress thus far for the Green Plan and what are the additional programmes and goals?

Considering the impact of the pandemic, are we still on track to reach the targets of the five pillars of the Green Plan – City in Nature, Energy Reset, Sustainable Living, Green Economy and Resilient Future? For example, are labour shortages delaying the development of new parks, greener buildings and the goal of producing locally 30% of our national nutritional needs by 2030?

How successful have we been in getting green investments and green jobs? Have Singaporeans managed to conserve more water and electricity in the past year?

Research and development hold the key to our green aspirations. How would the Government direct its R&D funding to achieve Singapore Green Plan outcomes? Are we attracting and nurturing enough talents in green and sustainability engineering, R&D and related technological explorations?

What impact has our R&D investments into sustainability and climate resilience projects made? How will we encourage more Singaporeans to take up deeper research in this field as a career?

Waste Management

In 2020, about 52% of the 5.88 million tonnes of solid waste generated were recycled. The rest were incinerated and sent to our only landfill – Semakau Island Landfill. At the current rate of waste incineration, it is expected to be full by 2035. We must expedite measures to reduce waste in the next few years.

Will the Ministry consider more drastic measures, such as higher fees or fines, to reduce waste generation? What are the Ministry’s plans after this date? Will it extend the lifespan of Semakau Landfill?

NEA has been administering the $45 million Closing the Resource Loop funding initiative on sustainable resource recovery solutions. Are there any updates on the progress of this initiative?

Low-carbon Future

Mr Gan Thiam Poh: Chairman, to build a low carbon future, we do need to invest in R&D projects to address our special needs and requirements. How will the Government direct its R&D funding to achieve the Singapore Green Plan outcomes? Which are the areas with the best growth and development potential and how will the Ministry support them?

Progress of Green Plan

Miss Rachel Ong (West Coast): Chairman, the Singapore Green Plan 2030 was launched in 2020 with a slew of ambitious targets across the five pillars. More recently, in his Budget 2022 speech, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong committed to raising our goal of achieving net-zero emissions by or around mid-century and increasing our carbon tax rate with a view to reaching $50 to $80 per tonne by 2030. This is most encouraging. May I ask the Government to provide an update on the progress of the Green Plan since 2020?

In light of Singapore’s increased ambitions, as announced in Budget 2022, and also inputs from the Members from the two Motions on Sustainability this and last year, whether the Government is making any adjustments to our Green Plan targets to match this increased ambition.

The Chairman: Prof Koh Lian Pin. Please take your three cuts together.

Civil Society Engagements

Prof Koh Lian Pin: Thank you, Chairman. The Government has made commendable efforts in engaging the public on the Singapore Green Plan 2030 and Budget 2022 and has continually encouraged public participation through public consultations. Will the participating Ministries in the upcoming Green Plan conversations consider putting in place guidelines and protocols for greater accountability and transparency in the engagement process, including releasing post-engagement reports of key insights to the public? Furthermore, it is laudable that the Ministries have conducted online public consultations on issues, such as the future of Dover Forest and the proposal for retailers to charge for plastic bags. However, the length of time allocated for seeking public feedback often varies between consultations for different issues, ranging from several weeks to months. Has the Ministry canvassed feedback from the participants of these consultations and the public to better assess the most appropriate length of time for conducting public consultations? Will the Ministry consider ways of ensuring sufficient time be allocated for future public consultations for the public to be more fully aware of issues and to provide even more valuable comments?

Sustainability R&D Investment Outcomes

In December 2020, the Government announced its Research, Innovation and Enterprise 2025 Plan (RIE2025), amounting to $25 billion allocated for the period 2021 to 2025. One of RIE2025's key focus areas is urban solutions and sustainability, which will address challenges in sustainability and climate resilience. The Government also mentioned that we will allocate $5.2 billion under RIE2025 to scale up innovation and enterprise platforms, including those seeking to facilitate research and technology translation. How does the Government intend to direct its funding under the USS domain to achieve Singapore Green Plan 2030 outcomes and to scale up innovation and enterprise to unlock green growth opportunities? Does the Government have any early examples of the returns on our R&D investments into sustainability and climate resilience for Singapore? Third cut.

7.15 pm

Impact of Energy Efficiency Fund (E2F)

Given the revised carbon tax trajectory in Budget 2022, we can expect more Singapore-based companies to tap into funds, such as the Energy Efficiency Fund, to improve energy efficiency of their operations as part of their decarbonisation journey. How much of this fund has been dispersed so far and, of which, how much has been resourced from our carbon tax revenue? Additionally, does the Ministry have any early examples to share regarding the impact of the E2F since its inception?

The Chairman: Ms Hany Soh, both your cuts, please.

Involvements in Singapore Green Plan 2030

SG Eco Funds

Ms Hany Soh: How can communities and individuals continue to participate in the national movement to secure a greener future for Singapore?

The SG Eco Fund was launched in November 2020 and aims to support projects that advance environmental sustainability and involve the community. What is the progress of the SG Eco Fund so far?

The Woodgrove community is one of the beneficiaries of this wonderful initiative. Its community partner, the Singapore Institute of Building Limited (SIBL) has successfully applied for the SG Eco Fund, intending to raise awareness on environmental issues and encourage more residents to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle through community, education programmes, sustainable markets along with an app with interactive games.

Workshops will also be conducted with the support of our Woodgrove's green taskforce involving residents and volunteers to share useful tips to practise the 5Rs – refuse, reduce, repair, reuse and recycle – and to empower residents with the knowledge to conserve water and energy as well as to reduce food waste.

Looking at the list of the SG Eco Fund awardees, many of them have interesting and practical ideas. Moving forward, I would like to ask if MSE would consider remodeling the SG Eco Fund concept so that more constituencies and divisions can consider applying for the grant to adopt ideas that have proven successful in other divisions.

Apart from the finances, there is also a need to look into improving the existing infrastructures in our community so that individuals and the community are able to practise green living, such as building more community gardens and setting up more recycling bins catering to different recycling purposes.

Many of my Woodgrove residents have shared that the present design of the blue recycling bin poses many challenges to recycle effectively. Are there plans to roll out new types of recycling bins to replace the existing blue bins? Rather than providing one bulk container for people to dispose all types of their recyclables and waste, can the Ministry consider and introduce more innovative solutions to encourage single-type recyclables?

Outcomes of SG Eco Fund

Ms Nadia Ahmad Samdin: Chairman, with $50 million set aside in total, the SG Eco Fund has had two grant calls so far, awarding almost $4 million to 79 projects – no small amount to show our commitment to the environment. These funds have supported a wide range of projects from community-based scavenger hunts to a freshwater mangrove wetland development project, among many others.

As we approach nine months since the results of the first grant call, I would like to ask what is the progress of the SG Eco Fund so far?

Given the wide-ranging sizes and types of projects which it has supported, what environmental and community outcomes does the SG Eco Fund track to ensure that the projects are achieving their goals and do these contribute towards our national targets and Green Plan?

Further, how can the SG Eco Fund better reach out to the community and are there ways for the Eco Fund to collaborate with the private sector for catalytic and sustainable funding as well as capacity building?

Eco Towns

Mr Don Wee: Chairman, the Government had earmarked Choa Chu Kang, Nee Soon and Tampines as eco towns. Residents can expect transformations which will enhance their built environments so that they will be more green, sustainable and liveable for residents.

For example, hawker centres will aim for zero waste by composting food scraps. In addition, these towns will be able to track their energy consumption, water usage, carbon emissions and their progress in recycling. Can the Ministry provide an update on what has been implemented so far and what future developments can be expected?

Will new waste disposal methods, such as a pneumatic waste conveyance system (PWCS), be introduced in these towns? How about the installation of more energy-efficient light bulbs and solar panels? Will there be incentives for more rooftops to be converted to urban farming? Will the Ministry facilitate community collaborations for recycling projects and electricity and water conservation drives?

Heat Inequality

Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied): Mr Chairman, Sir, heat inequality is an issue I spoke on in last year's climate Motion in Parliament. The number of very hot days where the real feel temperature, considering humidity, exceeds 40 degrees has increased by about eight times since the 1950s to over 80 days each year now. The situation is serious.

The Government mentioned one year ago that it is working on an urban heat impact mitigation action plan. I would like to ask the Minister for an update and propose that the action plan consider lower-income groups and blue collar workers, including migrant workers.

Firstly, on prioritising low-income groups. The cheapest air conditioners cost about 60 cents per hour for electricity. So, many less well-off residents head to air conditioned spaces like malls and libraries, which are important for the hottest days in the year. There is not always space at the library though.

From what I understand, the Green Towns Programme does not prioritise vulnerable neighbourhoods. Can we quickly provide good stopgap measures for such vulnerable areas? We already know where the warmest areas in Singapore are through Landsat thermal images and these places often have high concentrations of HDB rental blocks. We could focus our OneMillionTrees project on areas where vulnerable people live.

We also have a programme providing vouchers for households to buy high-efficiency appliances like fridges but can we extend this to include fans and include more households? Moreover, can we look into including living space temperature requirements under the building control regulations?

I would also like to ask what are the Government's targets to retrofit all estates to deal with the urban heat island effect?

Next, on blue collar workers. Blue collar workers face the short end of the stick. For shift workers, it can be really hot sleeping during the day. This reduces sleep quality and quantity, which have an impact on workplace safety. Studies show that driving on low-quality sleep can be as dangerous as drink-driving.

With migrant workers, many have spoken about why they choose to sleep on the floor or on hard boards without bedding. The heat can be unbearable because, very often, you have 16 workers in a room and many dormitories have metal roofing and walls.

NEA recently released a Good Environmental Health Practices statement. However, there are no legally binding measures regarding heat management. With the MOM employers' guide for domestic workers, there is no definition for "adequate ventilation".

In 2017, one of our non-governmental organisations (NGOs) even reported that a domestic worker was made to sleep on the balcony. Of course, most employers put in effort to ensure workers have decent living conditions but let us work towards stricter binding guidelines so that no worker is left behind.

The Chairman: Ms He Ting Ru. Not here. Ms Janet Ang.

Sustainability to be in Singapore's DNA

Ms Janet Ang (Nominated Member): Mr Chairman, executing on our Singapore Green Plan (SGP) 2030 is an imperative, whether it is all of us using less plastic bags or NUS researchers finding ways to store CO² below ocean floor. Like the COVID-19 pandemic, no country is spared, no business can ignore, no individual can hide. We need the collective will of all of humanity to heal the earth for which we are all stewards of.

In this Committee of Supply, I would like to touch on the following points.

One, at the company level, our businesses need to be brought up to speed on the what and the how of sustainability and they need help to assess their gaps and develop the plans that will take them to net zero. The SGP 2030 vision is a great rallying cry. How successful has our engagement of businesses and the public been and what are the next steps being taken?

Next, at the supply chain level. The national Chambers are reiterating the importance for local companies to step up and embrace sustainability practices and standards urgently to better support their multinational companies (MNCs) partners based in Singapore. The race to create competitive green supply chains to stay relevant in the global economy and win is fast and furious.

How are we planning to create competitive green supply chains out of Singapore?

At a country level, our trusted status as a financial hub land ourselves as a potential key player in carbon trading. Besides that, Singapore is also blessed with: (a) having the world's busiest container transshipment port with a global network of more than 50 locations in 26 countries around the world; and (b) our Changi Airport, albeit pre-COVID-19, being the most internationally connected airport in Asia Pacific and among the top 10 air mega hubs in the world, according to OAG.

How can Singapore businesses leverage these two crown jewels to play the bigger game in this world of green and sustainable?

Next, financial support for green transition is critical for businesses as they map out their net zero plans. How will the Ministry ensure a robust financing ecosystem will be in place to support the industry, especially the SMEs?

More assistance schemes may be needed to catalyse the SMEs with specific actions. Switching their fleet of vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) will be a good first step but SMEs must not be mistaken that they can get to net zero without changing their processes and greening their supply chains.

Can the Government consider providing targeted tax incentives or rebates to SMEs as a measure of their progress in their sustainability adoption? In fact, if players in the supply chain collaborate through research to innovate and partner each other and the Government to achieve progressive outcomes, the Government can provide more tax incentives.

The sustainability agenda will require leadership and talent with new skills and expertise and the collective will to act.

The Chairman: If you would like to take your both cuts together, please do.

Green Economy Opportunities and Innovation

Ms Jessica Tan Soon Neo (East Coast): Thank you, Mr Chairman. Budget 2022 has outlined Singapore's ambitious plan to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 or around 2050. To achieve this goal, there will need to be an accelerated pace of transition. The green economy announced last year as Singapore's Green Plan 2030 sets out Singapore's objective of sustainability as a new engine of opportunity and growth for Singapore and investments to be carbon efficient.

What is the Government doing to enable R&D to grow the capabilities of our industries to develop low-carbon alternative such as hydrogen and to advance other low-carbon sustainable technology and solutions?

What support and investments has Singapore made and will make to support the growth of businesses in the green economy in areas such as green ICT, carbon services and trading hub and goods and services related to low-carbon project development, project financing, trading, consultancy and measurement, reporting and verification? My next cut.

Uplifting Enterprise Competitiveness

Mr Chairman, becoming more sustainable is not just about compliance for businesses. While companies will need to be able to address compliance, which often relates to regulations on emission, waste management, energy efficiency and labour practices, compliance also concerns investors' and consumers' decisions. Hence, businesses need to understand the benefits, competitive advantage and growth opportunities of being a sustainable business.

With the unpredictability and instability in energy cost and supply, there is also direct business benefits of reduced cost for businesses to be more energy efficient and in having more sustainable operations.

But we know that to become greener and more sustainable does not just happen. Businesses need funding but also much more.

Companies will have to understand and track the impact of their business on the environment. Businesses need to also review and relook at how they produce their goods and deliver services, their supply chains to reduce waste and impact on the environment. This will require new skills and know-how as well as new systems and tools to manage.

What are the Government's key efforts to support businesses to transition and to capture value in the green transition? What is the Government doing to enable businesses to adopt more sustainable operations and develop sustainability as a competitive edge?

7.30 pm

The Chairman: Ms Mariam Jaafar. Please take both your cuts together.

Supporting Transition to Green Economy

Ms Mariam Jaafar (Sembawang): Chairman, in past speeches, I have called for Singapore to have a higher ambition, leading the way to a green future in spite of our size. To do this, our local industry must innovate and invest in a green transition. But uncertainty over costs, benefits and risks will influence incentives to make the move.

Each sector has a different emissions profile, transition readiness, industry structure and willingness of the end customer to pay. The increase in carbon taxes may compel companies to move, though it must be implemented in just transition. The Government is also exploring and putting in more regulations and standards and benchmarks.

What else can the Government do to encourage local companies to invest, perhaps, ahead of the market?

One key lever is green public procurement. Globally, public sector procurement activities are directly or indirectly responsible for 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions – seven times the amount emitted by the entire aviation industry. They are also heavily concentrated in six industries: defence and security, transportation, waste management services, construction, industrial products and utilities. And often account for a large share of their suppliers' revenues.

Using this buying power, green public procurement can be a major boost for the green economy. Government can set standards for products, services and project activities, certify companies and materials for sustainability, giving extra points for suppliers that are "greener". However, public procurement is complex and highly decentralised and there are competing priorities and socioeconomic considerations.

For example, does HDB prioritise going for the fastest, cheapest way to get a lot of flats out or go for green buildings that have lower embedded emissions and reduce controllable lifecycle emissions? These are complex questions but ones which we must take a position and communicate effectively to all stakeholders as part of the green public procurement transformation.

Other levers for the Government include funding and incentives for innovation and R&D in transformative new technologies, working with industry coalitions to promote decarbonisation across the value chains, upgrading and making available climate and sustainability data and analytics systems, providing incentives for market adoption such as low interest loans and tax credits and boosting understanding expertise and capabilities through education and reskilling programs, the subject of my next cut.

We can also invest in relatable and inspiring public education campaigns to educate Singaporeans on the choices they make. For the right portfolio of measures and pace of implementation, we will need to understand trade-offs, consider cross-sector impact and socioeconomic impact.

How will the Government support local companies that innovate and invest in a green transition ahead of the market? What is the Government doing to activate the market demand and willingness to pay, including among end consumers?

Skills for Green Economy

Chairman, I filed the cut but I do not have to write my own speech here as the hon member Koh Lian Pin has very succinctly made the points in his Budget speech.

In a green economy, every worker must have basic and foundational knowledge of climate sustainability alongside functional specific skills and sector‐specific competencies to enable a successful transition of key industries towards sustainable business models and practices. Our IHLs can play a key role in building these capabilities and competencies.

I echo his views. What is the Government doing to reskill and upskill employers, employees and students for managing and capturing value in the green economy?

The Chairman: Senior Minister of State Zaqy Mohamad, would you like to report progress?