Speech by SMS Tan Kiat How at the SUTD "Trees for a Better World" Tree Planting Day
Apr 3, 2024
Introduction
Good afternoon. I am happy to join everyone here today at SUTD’s inaugural tree planting day, aptly titled “Trees for a Better World”.
As the name of today’s event suggests, trees play an important role in creating a liveable environment for everyone.
Trees and our City in Nature Vision
Here in Singapore, we aim to plant a million more trees by 2030, under our OneMillionTrees movement that started in 2020.
Today, I’m very pleased to share with everyone that we have planted more than 640,000 trees with the help of over 100,000 members of the community. So we are well on track to meet our target of planting a million additional trees in Singapore by 2030.
The OneMillionTrees movement supports our vision to transform Singapore into a City in Nature, which is also one of the key pillars under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, our national movement to advance sustainable development.
Through our City in Nature efforts, we aim to create a green, liveable, and sustainable home for all Singaporeans.
SUTD’s Sustainability Efforts
Singapore may be a small country, a little red dot – but we can still play our part in global efforts to fight climate change. In this regard, I am deeply encouraged by SUTD’s sustainability efforts and commitment to develop environmentally conscious leaders.
One example is through the SUTD Sustainability Plan (SSP), which was launched by the university in 2021 to build a culture of sustainability throughout the campus community.
A key aspect of the SSP is to provide hands-on sustainability education for students. Through the SSP, students apply their design thinking and technical skills in SUTD’s state-of-the-art Fabrication Lab to design and create new products from waste sources.
For example, as part of the Digital Design and Fabrication and Digital Biomimetics classes, students use waste wood chips to make artwork, coconut shells to make cycling helmets, eggshells to create 3D printed bio-mortar, and textiles to make furniture.
Through the SSP, SUTD is nurturing the next generation of sustainable design leaders and innovators.
Beyond the campus, I am heartened by SUTD’s commitment to sustainability, which is evident in its support of industry partners and the community.
For example, SUTD works closely with the North West Community Development Council (CDC) on various projects that can foster a greener culture among residents and bring about behavioural changes in the community.
One notable project is the North West Sustainability Forum, where subject experts will educate participants on issues relating to climate change and environmental sustainability, and encourage them to initiate ground up projects related to sustainability after the forum.
I would like to take this opportunity to commend Mapletree for its generous donation of 250 trees to SUTD in support of its sustainability efforts. This is Mapletree’s largest donation of trees to a Singaporean institution thus far. Thank you very much!
In addition, Mapletree has been supporting SUTD students through bursaries and other monetary donations. Your generosity is invaluable in nurturing the next generation of sustainability leaders.
Greening East Coast and NParks’ Community Programmes
SUTD is the only university located in the east of Singapore, sitting strategically along East Coast.
The trees planted on campus today provide shade and a greener environment for students, staff and residents in the Changi-Simei estate.
NParks has also recently completed the 18-kilometre Eastern Corridor that offers additional recreational connectivity between Pasir Ris Park and East Coast Park, going through Bedok Reservoir Park, and several other existing and upcoming parks in the east. Through the Eastern Corridor, residents can easily access our beautiful green spaces in the east, and develop a deeper appreciation for the environment.
Having said that, our City in Nature efforts cannot be achieved by the Government alone. Beyond today’s tree planting activity, I would like to encourage the SUTD community – faculty, students and staff, and East Coast residents to get involved in NParks’ community greening efforts.
These include our Trees for Schools programme, where NParks will provide up to 25 trees per school on a one-for-one matching basis for every tree planted within school compounds, and activities under our Community in Nature (CIN) initiative. These efforts help to conserve our natural heritage, and contribute to our OneMillionTrees target.
For the East Coast residents here today, I encourage you to join our East Coast Green Ambassadors Programme, to raise awareness on environmental issues in our community and help fellow residents adopt more sustainable practices and lifestyles.
Conclusion
To conclude, I am heartened by the SUTD community and Mapletree’s efforts to create a green and sustainable campus experience.
Tree planting is symbolic of one generation laying the foundations for the next generation. It also represents resilience and hope for a better future.
As the Chinese saying goes, “前人种树，后人乘凉”, which means that the shade we enjoy today are the fruits of labour of previous generations who planted the trees.
And another saying is that the best time to plant a tree was yesterday, and the next best time is today. Your tree planting efforts today do not just benefit our residents and our generation, but many generations to come.
It is a sense of stewardship, that I hope the many young leaders here will continue to carry into the future as you take on important roles. Do continue this sense of stewardship where we safeguard our green, liveable environment for many generations to come. And one day, the next generation of students who will also sit here can say they are benefitting from the shade and trees planted by predecessors.
So thank you very much for being here today, planting trees and creating shade for future generations.