An Interview with Professor Shunmugam Jayakumar, the Former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore: The Role of Government Policies in Advancing Climate Action

This summer, I had the honor of speaking to Professor Shunmugam Jayakumar, the Former Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, about the environmental policies and issues of Singapore as well as related broad international issues. Singapore, the greenest city in the world, can provide useful insights for countries around the world aiming to improve their efforts toward becoming sustainable. In this interview, Professor Jayakumar explains how clear and effective Singapore’s green policies are, and how they can serve as a model for the rest of the world regarding climate change. 

Professor Jayakumar explains how Singapore’s policies aim to make it a green country. He mentions that Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Mr. Lee Kwan Yew, purposely incorporated tree-planting policies so Singapore would not look like a “concrete jungle”. The policies are very strict: even if people want to cut a big tree on their property, they have to get permission from the government. One unique thing that makes Singapore so green is that the government encourages private sectors to also be part of the tree planting policy. A prime example is the ParkRoyal Hotel in upper Pickering Street, which planted trees on the outside of its building, making it a unique site among the other buildings. 

(ParkRoyal Hotel)

However, achieving sustainability is not easy. It requires planning, effort, and money. The government has to decide what kind of trees they want, whether the trees can withstand the strong weather, and how the trees might affect regular operations in the city. Hundreds of workers must also maintain the trees, pruning the branches to prevent them from falling off and injuring people. Singapore pays for this maintenance directly out of its government budget. Thus, as Professor Jayakumar notes, it is by no accident that Singapore is so green. 

Professor Jayakumar believes that the key to an effective climate change effort is for countries to have strong governments that consider the long-term consequences of their actions. Governments need to be resolute when it comes to passing policies to reduce emissions. After all, there are costs for climate change policies: political costs and financial costs. Political costs require governments to be strong; they have to establish policies that have a long-term benefit to the people and the countries. Financial costs require not only the government, but also households and industries, to make sacrifices. The results might not pay off for decades, but they are vital to combat climate change.  

By contrast, weak governments fail to implement such policies. Such governments only consider their short-term power. To attract votes, they might focus on policies that bring about immediate benefits for the people at the expense of long-term wellbeing. Other governments also must account for strong interest groups whose goals conflict with sustainability. Saudi Arabia, for instance, depends on fossil fuels as their main source of wealth. In the U.S., the motor industry resists strong regulations. Governments must contend with these competing interests to adopt appropriate policies to promote sustainability.  

Ultimately, the international community must work together to combat this global problem. Some countries have more at stake than others. For instance, small island countries such as the Pacific Islands, the Caribbean Maldives, and Fiji face an existential threat–they might disappear under rising sea levels. This raises questions such as whether developed countries, which are responsible for most greenhouse emissions, have an obligation to protect and support less developed countries that pay for the worst effects of climate change.  

The challenge of combating climate change is complex but vital for the future of the world. Singapore is leading the way in green policies, but it also needs the help of the international community. If we can work together, then perhaps we can reduce the predicted temperature increase of 3.3 degrees Celsius and stave off climate disaster.