Sentosa to become carbon-neutral leisure destination by 2030

A sustainable travel destination.

Ashley Tan | March 05, 2021, 06:56 PM

Singapore's plans to improve sustainability in various sectors will see the resort island of Sentosa transform into a carbon-neutral leisure destination by 2030.

This will be a whole-of-Sentosa effort, involving all businesses on the island, and a partnership between the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) and Temasek.

The news was announced by Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing on Mar. 4 during the Committee of Supply Debates.

Will work with businesses on Sentosa

Chan explained during his speech that in order to achieve success, Singapore's industries must continue to transform, and to seize opportunities in the green economy.

The plan to decarbonise Sentosa comes in anticipation of more tourists looking for more sustainable travel destinations after the pandemic has passed, Chan said.

The SDC will work towards the 2030 target with the 200 businesses within Sentosa.

The island's unique environment, with SDC being a single precinct operator, will allow for it to become a testbed for new sustainable technologies and innovations.

To green Sentosa, SDC will focus on:

  • Working with businesses in Sentosa to establish an island-wide baseline carbon profile,
  • Decarbonising energy systems in Sentosa,
  • Closing the waste loop, such as reducing food waste,
  • Greening travel options in Sentosa,
  • Enhancing Sentosa’s digital architecture to optimise and control resources and,
  • Increasing awareness on sustainability and sustainable practices among visitors in Sentosa.

Testbedding green solutions in Sentosa

To establish a whole-of-Sentosa carbon profile, SDC will engage with hotels, dining establishments, attractions, and its marina clubs and golf clubs.

Insights from this study will help set the island's carbon profile baseline, and guide carbon mitigation measures in the future.

Shangri-La's Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa is one hotel establishment which has already made efforts to reduce its carbon footprint — this was done through investments in smart design to reduce energy consumption and using renewable solar energy to power its air-conditioning.

SDC and Temasek have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding to testbed solutions in Sentosa to lower its carbon footprint.

These solutions will help reduce waste and make use of smart infrastructure to monitor energy usage, and will also explore new ways to cool the island.

To achieve these goals, SDC and Temasek will engage with various island stakeholders including guests and businesses on Sentosa.

Thien Kwee Eng, Chief Executive of SDC said that they must remain firmly committed to environmental sustainability and "protecting our island charm" by ensuring that the island's offerings are sensitive to its biodiversity and heritage.

More details on Sentosa's sustainability efforts will be shared later this year.

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Top photo from Sentosa