Singapore, Nature and a World Reimagine
Singapore is widely admired for being clean, verdant and maintained with purposefulness and precision. The verdure is not accidental — Singapore as a “Garden City” was a bold and strategic vision that went far beyond the greening of our city.
Singapore developing into a “City In Nature”, however, was not preordained; its evolution was decades in the making, requiring a combination of coordinated urban planning, horticultural wizardry, ecological understanding, landscape design expertise, raising capacity, hard work and more. Most of all, becoming a City in Nature required a change in outlook, of how we view nature and its role in society.
The three-part IPS-Nathan Lectures on “Singapore, Nature and a World Reimagined” makes a case for the value of biodiversity for our City in Nature and beyond. The lectures will also suggest ways in which Singapore can better protect and value biodiversity, how we can make nature an integral and indispensable part of our lives, and how we can contribute to improving prospects for vibrant ecosystems far beyond our shores.
Shawn Lum, the 18th S R Nathan Fellow, is a scientist, a teacher and an active participant in civil society. His experiences in the study and conservation of nature and biodiversity are distilled into his three lectures, offering insights and inspiration for Singapore’s continued journey as a City In Nature.
Singapore, Nature and Singaporeans
The second lecture in the three-part series looks at the social dimension of nature and the conservation of biodiversity. Scientists and the nature conservation community have long endeavoured to speak to policy makers and others with the power over the fate of nature in a way they can relate to (or so we think). “Ecosystems services” describe the many important things that nature does for us, whether in providing shelter, sustenance, stress relief or wealth creation. In this lecture, nature will be seen from a slightly different perspective, as a force for social good. Is there something about nature that makes it indispensable to Singapore society? If nature is indeed vital for a healthy and stable Singapore, what can we do to establish a meaningful and transformative relationship with the natural world?