Symposium on Futures Sustainability 2021
On 29th May 2021, the Bachelor of Environmental Studies [BES] hosted the Symposium on Futures Sustainability (SFS) online with the Rotary Club of Suntec City. The SFS provides a forum for dialogue on sustainability issues between members of the public from different walks of life, encourages discussion about the future of Singapore with a knowledgeable base of working professionals and experts in various fields, and lastly to educate individuals on what they can do to address the problem of sustainability within their own capacities.
The theme for SFS’21 is The Future of Singapore’s Energy. This year the Singapore Green Plan 2030 was unveiled by the Singapore government with intentions to increase solar panel usage and join the global move towards carbon neutrality as part of the “Energy Reset” pillar. There were many questions surrounding the future of Singapore’s energy sector even before the announcement of the SG green plan. However, with the ever-increasing attention paid to global warming and how we should combat it, the energy sector has come under the limelight as part of both the problem and solution. Through the SFS, participants can explore what kind of role sustainability will play in Singapore’s Energy Future and how the sector is currently working towards it.
Overall, the symposium was a success in engaging the relevant stakeholders and providing an insightful discussion for participants on the topic. One participant Cassandra Yip, a third-year Environmental Studies student, comments, “The symposium for future’s sustainability was an insightful session that gave a well-rounded overview of Singapore’s progress and limitations in our clean energy development. I greatly enjoyed the opportunity to better understand the energy industry from the well-established keynote speakers and now look forward to pursuing further my interest in sustainable energy.”