Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee aims to plant more than 100,000 new trees in the West Coast area for the benefit of the environment.

Speaking to the media during a walkabout opposite Boon Lay Place Market and Food Village, Lee said:

"West Coast is a long stretch, and it covers the industrial belt of Singapore. And I'm excited to be able to bring the one million trees movement to West Coast."

100,000 trees for industrial areas

Lee, as Second Minister for National Development, himself announced the million trees movement during the Committee of Supply debate.

It aims to plant a million trees in Singapore over the next 10 years.

The trees will be planted in Jurong Island, Tuas and other industrial areas at West Coast.

Families and enterprises will be invited plant the trees and green up the industrial belt, which will help cool down some of the warmest areas of Singapore.

Climate change is a long-term challenge

Lee said that aside from Covid-19, problems like climate change will also hit Singapore hard.

The importance of investing in long-term solutions to mitigate the effects of climate change was mentioned by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in his National Day Rally speech in 2019.

He said:

"No doubt Singapore's emissions pale in comparison to bigger countries, but we all must play our part, and start by taking small steps, in the local community, industry, all parts of Singapore."

Lee, who previously represented Jurong GRC, will be standing in West Coast GRC for the upcoming election.

He was joined by Minister for Communications and Information S Iswaran, Foo Mee Har, Ang Wei Neng and newcomer Rachel Ong.

Lee said that he would like to bring his skillsets from MSF and the Ministry of National Development to the team, and help to strengthen the social safety nets in West Coast.

Top image by Fasiha Nazren.