REACH 310 - What are your views on how Singapore can achieve an inclusive transition toward a low-carbon society? (SK)
17 Jan 2022 (10am - 7pm)
REACH
[9:46 am, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
Welcome back! 😊
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Megan 😊
[10:00 am, 17/01/2022] +REACH: 📢 Topic 📢
Helping Singapore businesses and workers grasp opportunities in the green economy was a key issue discussed in Parliament on 12 Jan (Wed), with MPs discussing ways to create more jobs in the sustainability sector and further the nation's ambitions to become a major green financial hub.
💬 What are your views on how Singapore can achieve an inclusive transition toward a low-carbon society?
Key points raised during the debate are as follows:
Capitalising on the green economy
Singapore aims to equip its workers with relevant skills so they can benefit from the green economy, said Mr Gan on 12 Jan. He noted that Workforce Singapore (WSG) is currently exploring a Career Conversion Programme (CCP) for sustainability professionals, while the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) is also setting up centres of excellence for training and research in green financing.
"We are investing research and development resources into these areas, which we will need for our own living and livelihoods. In the process, we hope to build new economic engines out of them," added Mr Gan.
Other suggestions from MPs included setting up a new academy to train local industry talents and enhancing sustainability education in IHLs.
Increased carbon tax
Increasing Singapore’s carbon tax - a price paid by firms for greenhouse gas emissions - will incentivise companies to decarbonise, but adjustments to the tax must be done carefully to give households and firms time to adapt and stay competitive, said Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong during the debate.
Singapore's current carbon tax rate, which will be in place until 2023, is $5 per tonne of emissions. The revised rate for 2024 will be announced during next month's Budget.
👉🏼 https://str.sg/wMDH
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👉🏼 https://str.sg/wYFH
👉🏼 https://str.sg/3TtC
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[10:09 am, 17/01/2022] +BL: Good to see tax on carbon emissions. Step by step this will help bring fossil fuel energy prices in line with renewable energy prices. The fact is that we have been polluting the planet in the name of cheap energy and that has to stop.
[10:10 am, 17/01/2022] +BL: I see Singapore as a leader in making sustainable energy economically viable. Particularly in the food manufacturing industry, which will in turn help us become more independent on food supplies.
[10:21 am, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you on today's topic 😊
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[10:28 am, 17/01/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.ourfoodfuture.gov.sg/30by30
[10:29 am, 17/01/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.mti.gov.sg/Newsroom/Speeches/2019/06/Speech-by-Minister-Chan-Chun-Sing-at-the-Singapore-Food-Expo
[10:37 am, 17/01/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2021
[10:42 am, 17/01/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/nz-pledges-to-cut-greenhouse-gas-emissions-by-50-by-2030
[10:43 am, 17/01/2022] +Smiley face: https://youtu.be/7OpM_zKGE4o
[10:47 am, 17/01/2022] +JC: I hope the govt succeeds in leveraging this macro trend and create more good jobs for Singapore. 👍 All e best!
[11:25 am, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you on today's topic 😊
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[11:54 am, 17/01/2022] +Smiley face: Important to factor intangible assets and sustainability into a business' value: Indranee Rajah
https://www.straitstimes.com/business/economy/important-to-factor-intangible-assets-and-sustainability-into-a-business-value
[11:54 am, 17/01/2022] +Smiley face: Singapore Green Plan 2030 to change the way people live, work, study and play
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/singapore-green-plan-2030-to-change-the-way-people-live-work-study-and-play
[11:56 am, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you on today's topic 😊
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[0:49 pm, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you on today's topic 😊
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[0:51 pm, 17/01/2022] +Caleb: Hopefully can diagnose with COVID via telemedicine soon too, no need to flood the GP clinics
https://str.sg/wQeo
[0:57 pm, 17/01/2022] +Sugeng Shi: I think we can promote the carbon offset more actively. It doesn't seem to be embraced by the media. Personally I only see the SP Group promoting it in the app, but also very minimal. Somehow there is not enough awareness in the public, let alone the local communities. We can even see this group is pretty quiet. Must probably, people are not really familiar with the topic as compared to other more popular topics with many comments.
[0:58 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Electricity prices already increased and this will inflate cost of goods prices as well. People won't be able to take it esp when increase in gst as well. I suggest lower the cost of renewable energies.
[0:58 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: That would be even better, yes!
[0:59 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: Wouldn't higher prices discourage wastage / encourage more conscious consumption?
[1:01 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: With singapore being a smart city and moving towards AI and robotics, there is little that can be done to conserve electricity and energy. Unless you want to switch all to manual labour again? Hence, electricity should be made even more affordable. Otherwise you cannot have to be a smart and digitalised society and yet reduce electricity and energy consumption.
[1:03 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: So moving towards greener energy - yes, but the cost of greener energy should be about 10% to 15% lower than current normal electricity rate. With our electricity powerhouses in the open market, more will likely convert to use green energy if the cost is cheaper.
[1:03 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: Bicycle lanes, more MRT lines/stations and 2 examples where energy can be moved from cars into more efficient transport. There is a lot we can do!
[1:04 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: Yes agreed, certainly not more expensive as it currently is
[1:04 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: More mrt lines will consume more energy too. Ebikes consume more energy too.
[1:04 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: With smart homes every where and robotics involved in cleaning offices and homes, these depend on electricity too
[1:04 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: Not in the long term. Ebikes use less energy than a car.
[1:05 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: But they still consume electricity and it goes back to consumer who pays for electricity
[1:05 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: Smart homes need tiny amount of energy and its offset by better energy management, eg air con.
[1:05 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: Yes everything consume energy, even people! But some things consume less than others, that's the point.
[1:05 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Still as compared to manual switch, it eats electricity on 24/7 as well.
[1:06 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: The least consumption of energy goes back to the days in the 80s and 90s.
[1:06 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: But it can regulate so uses less air-con energy, which is less efficient than the switch
[1:07 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: So u saying go back to that time where no ebikes, no air con, no smart lights, no smart homes, no vacuum cleaners, no robotic vacuums, no robotic cleaners. Then yes ppl then can save electricity
[1:07 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: Would you buy more diamonds (assuming you like diamonds) if a 1 carat D, Flawless costs only $1000 compared to what it costs now? How about property prices? If a 1000 sqft condo in CCR costs $1 million "only", would you be more inclined to buy/consume?
I am not saying price is the only consideration, but it is an important consideration in consumption patterns. Subsidies create artificial demand when in this case, what we need is to adjust consumption downwards.
[1:07 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: But once the electricity price goes up, does not matter how much is consumed, it is still money
[1:08 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: And the common people are the ones paying for this high electricity tariff.
[1:08 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: its a bit like how low-fat food does not result in a less obese society because most would consume more of the low-fat alternative which negates the lower calories compared to regular food.
[1:09 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: And smart homes eat the most electricity because the devices need to standby 24/7 so this electricity consumption accumulates
[1:09 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: but less money than an inefficent air-con
[1:09 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Still it does not save much.
[1:10 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: sure- best to focus on the bigger picture! Transport, Manufacturing, etc
[1:12 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: More Mass Transit Options - trains, buses and at some stage dedicated routes for autonomous mass transit vehicles. I don't quite agree with more bicycles if its on the same roads as other vehicles because although bicycles by itself is zero-emission, but the congestion (slower speed/cyclists' refusal to conform to road traffic rules/norms) it causes, increases emissions and reduces energy/fuel efficiency of the other vehicles.
[1:12 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: If manufacturing goes into automation, it eats more electricity. Why? You need to get robotic machines to do the work, those eat electricity. If you have centralised management and monitoring tools, you probably will need to get IT infrastructure stuff like servers. And servers run 24/7 and these eat electricity. U need to have cooling agents to run to make sure servers don't heat up, and also keep that area cold by having 16 degree aircon operating 24/7, all these consume a lot of electricity.
[1:13 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: It is not simple that 2 - 1 = 1 to reduce electricity simply by using more energy efficient devices.
[1:13 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Sometimes the consumption end up more.
[1:14 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Autonomous vehicles eat up electricity. U dun need to charge those vehicles?
[1:15 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Having just an escooter and charging it daily at about 3 hours can choke up additional $20 of electricity bill per month.
[1:15 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Same applies to ebikes too.
[1:16 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: How much will it cost to charge autonomous vehicle daily for a month then?
[1:16 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Erm I think we are getting a bit ahead of ourselves here. Govt is going green not cos SG can really do anything to move the needle on climate change (we can't, we are tiny country and nothing we do will really matter in the bigger scheme of things) - govt is going green to create more jobs cos it's a business opportunity.
[1:16 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Esp vehicles are larger than escooter and ebikes
[1:16 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: A subsidy is supposed to temporary, not permanent. Too high a subsidy, and it might discourage innovation/progress, too low, and it will not attract sufficient R&D .. its a fine balance. On the consumption side, an artificially low price for too long may result in habits/usage patterns that will be difficult to reverse. Consumers will always gravitate towards the cheaper alternative ie. if when subsidies are eventually removed, and green energy becomes more expensive than fossil fuel generated ones, the consumer will switch back.
[1:17 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Actually the truth is everyone wants to save e environment but most people don't want to change their lifestyle enough to make a real difference. So we just pay lip service.
[1:17 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: True, and to lead by example
[1:17 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: What i am saying is not to focus on reducing consumption because consumption will never be reduced. It will be increased when the country is going smart and digital. What i suggest is to lower the cost of renewable energies so that the energy cost is more affordable to support the smarter and digitalised nation
[1:18 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: I am referring to permanently lower the cost of green energy
[1:18 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: Also true, mostly. I do pay more to use 100% solar electricity
[1:18 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: MRTs/Buses ie. Mass Transit Systems are multiple times more energy efficient and produces less emissions per pax than private transit.. no matter how you slice and dice the data.
[1:19 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: First the sun is free. Yes the devices may cost more, but as comparing to continuing costs incurred for fossil fuels, sun is free. So why can't reduce the cost of using solar energy?
[1:21 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: https://www.carbonbrief.org/solar-is-now-cheapest-electricity-in-history-confirms-iea
[1:21 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: Because converting solar energy to electricity and then sending it to houses is not free. In time as it scales the cost will come down.
[1:21 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: Yay!
[1:21 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: It didn't take long then 😁
[1:22 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Cos solar energy generation is not efficient. It cos more per watt to generate electricity via solar vs burning fuel. If solar is really cheaper everyone already adopted it.
[1:22 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: If IEA says solar is the cheapest electricity, it shows that singapore solar electricity price can be further reduced.
[1:22 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: The work-done/productivity output from an ebike hjas to be compared like for like. Of course if we compare a single ebike rider to a single pax in a car, then ebike is more green in every way. But, the moment you start comparing with a household's needs, which may include transportation of heavier items/equipment, over distances, and time taken - which effects emissons level - then the advantages are not so clear. Go a bit further and compare it with Mass Transit, and the advantage completely disappears
[1:22 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: If in a country with less sunlight, probably. Singapore is on equator line
[1:23 pm, 17/01/2022] +Boon: 👍
[1:23 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: and with AI tech improving, and eveything getting more connected, the efficiency levels will improve further, I believe
[1:24 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Ya. U know how much land you need to generate the equivalent of e fossil fuel power plant? SG land very cheap meh?
[1:24 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: If govt allows singapore homes to use solar energy, why not?
[1:24 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Imagine solar panels on the front corridors on every hdb level.
[1:24 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: .... You try running ur home using solar panel.
[1:25 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Possible if govt allows
[1:25 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Maybe enough to charge ur smartphone
[1:25 pm, 17/01/2022] +65 9661 0607: 👌👍👏
[1:25 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: 😅
[1:25 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: I used solar power banks before. 1 powerbank 5000mah charge takes about 6 hours to charge.
[1:26 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Yes, but what if govt installs on corridors? That will be a bigger solar panel that can store more electricity.
[1:28 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: SG is a small country and a price taker when it comes to energy. We don't have oil under our land, we don't have enough land for solar (plus it's not nearly enough for our energy needs even if we convert out entire city to a giant solar panel), we don't have thermal, don't have wind, don't have hydro. So we better make enough $$ from the services and products we generate with the energy that we BUY FROM OTHER PEOPLE so that we don't go broke.
[1:28 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: How about we put a hydro electric dam in every toilet bowl? Maybe that can help...
[1:29 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: In china, they have solar powered fans that can be used in homes. Isn't such ideas possible in singapore too?
[1:30 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Of cos possible. U can buy it urself and save ur electricity bill. Don't need govt to help u.
[1:30 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Possible. If able to research a way to collect that energy whenever toilet flushes, that can contribute to greener energy too.
[1:30 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: not everything needs to only balck or white. We don't need to choose either extremes. Technological progress has enabled us to use the similar appliances performing the same tasks with far less energy than it used to require... however, there is also a limit to technological advancements and incremental progress in tech will bring about decreasing efficiency returns. So, ultimately, we will need to CONSUME LESS.
[1:30 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: It was meant to b sarcastic.. 😅
[1:31 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Right now we cannot install solar panels at homes due to regulations.
[1:31 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Yes i know u mean sarcastic. I see as opportunity for research
[1:31 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: I'm sure e scientists didn't think of this before... 😁
[1:32 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Agree, let's remove those regulations. I don't think it'll save u too much $ tho
[1:32 pm, 17/01/2022] +RH: Hv solar panel shields for windows in HDB flats?
But still keep cost of housing affordable despite this?
--- just expanding on the idea. 😁
[1:33 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Last time during physics we learnt of hydro electricity where electricity is generated when water flows from high to low point and turns the turbine wheel. I don't see why it cannot become a real case if there is research done in it.
[1:34 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: If i pay a small lump sum for the solar panels outside that can save part or all electricity in next 10 to 20 years, why not?
[1:34 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: And so it should rise until such level that it hurts and people would rather choose to consume less.
The Govt should be able to (or maybe they already did) make a study of the average household (depending on number of people) Energy consumption and also set a benchmark of what the ideal level should be, then simply apply a higher/penalty tariff on Energy consumed above that level to discourage over-consumption.
Carrot and stick.. we can't be digging into our National coffers to hand out carrots every time we want to correct a behavior, especially when it is time sensitive.
[1:35 pm, 17/01/2022] +REACH: 👉🏼 MOH conducting pilot for virtually supervised Covid-19 antigen rapid tests
https://str.sg/wQsF
👉🏼 Integrated Shield Plan extends coverage for Covid-19 vaccine complications till Dec 31
https://str.sg/wQsD
[1:35 pm, 17/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Err solar panel one person very little impact..
If everyone use.. then will affect the power plant supply. Then you see they need to regulate.
See Germany for reference, why they stop subsidise solar panel
[1:35 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Don't agree coz those who have smart homes definitely consume more energy. Currently still not many people are having smart homes.
[1:36 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Not everything is efficient even when u can do it. Most renewables have major limitations and costs. Otherwise why SG still buy water from Msia when we can desalinate?
[1:36 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: +1
[1:36 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: Then solar panels owned by govt to generate electricity back to the nation power grid. Then can reduce the solar electricity price.
[1:36 pm, 17/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Unless you have a full system that can regluate and store power. Smart to sell back when the system need more power then might work.
[1:37 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: This way can control liao
[1:37 pm, 17/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Battery is the main cost of solar panel… setting up cost is extremely high.. and you still need the power plant for stable power supply.
[1:37 pm, 17/01/2022] +RH: Aside from controlling our consumption & making cost of using green energy cheaper,
Ther is also the factor of stakeholding...
Not everyone in SG is in with the Green Plan.
Many non-English speaking citizens + foreign residents of our country r either unaware / or not bothered / or dun even know what the fuss is abt.
That is cause for concern when ther is no 100% buy-in to participate in the Green Plan.
[1:38 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: Autonomous vehicles communicating with other autonomous vehicles ensures a smoother drive - compared to start-stop driving when human drivers are constantly reacting to each others' "erratic" driving patterns. And I am talking about MASS TRANSIT ie. Trains, buses, delivery vehicles especially
[1:38 pm, 17/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Solar is for supplement not replacement. Atleast technology have not reach the stage
[1:38 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Actually u want lowest electric price, just use fossil fuel la. Simple. Ez. Why go through all this trouble to save a few dollars... 😅
[1:38 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: People don't buy in is because the greener energy costs more than normal electricity.
[1:39 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: That is why no one buys in greener energy at the moment.
[1:39 pm, 17/01/2022] +Ken Loh: Cheapest and stable is nuclear lol… but storage of waste and the risk is high
[1:39 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Don't get too caught up with the hype... Govt just want to create more jobs, not for everyone to b super eco friendly and use inefficient sources of energy...
[1:40 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Or at least that's what I hope they r thinking
[1:40 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: 😅
[1:43 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: See e initial message from Reach... Govt wants us to be "major green FINANCIAL hub"... Not greenest city in e world.
[1:44 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: Cost of a full charge for a Tesla X is $15.29. A full charge has a (reported) range of 470km.. that covers my family's weekly driving requirements - school runs, outings, etc, which costs $150 on average at the petrol kiosk.
The charging cost, is probably subsidised by Tesla in order to sell their cars, which will probably expire in the near future.
But the point is, due to the distortion from price subsidies, we should not be focusing on COSTS/PRICE, but rather, actual consumption of the amount of energy and the related emissions.
[1:44 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Maybe to replace the business lost from e troubled oil and gas sector.
[1:46 pm, 17/01/2022] +RH: Gov needs to educate popn & generate more awareness abt reducing consumption.
Not just thru having marathon runs through parks & forests (appeal to younger gen) but to other parts of the popn... Such as the children (in schools ... make it a part of social studies or sth) ,
the foreign workers - reduce waste, use materials more sensibly, etc.,
older gen... educate on sorting / what is recyclable & non-recyclables ... In daily use.
Wat I'm saying is diff ppl understand things differently.
Ther is no one size fits all.
Gov wud really need to do more in diff ways to reach out to diff stakeholders if they wan us to adopt the Green Plan....
[1:50 pm, 17/01/2022] +Stella Yip: Hope G offer citizens to invest in solar panels which can be mounted on the exterior walls of hdb flats. Installed by town council/G approved organizations.
Hope G offer citizens to invest in water filtration systems which can be located on balcony of hdb flats. Water to be clean enough for household cleaning / shower / toilet use.
Instalment payments from CPF.
[1:51 pm, 17/01/2022] +Smiley face: Carbon emission per person every 30 minutes
[1:53 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: That is so true .. about SG not moving the needle ...
But I think other than creating jobs, SG Govt is also hoping to be an example for other Nations. A test bed and hopefully a successful model than can help influence the narrative elsewhere.
We are vulnerable to rising sea levels and melting arctic polar caps.
We can mitigate rising sea levels partially (and with a lot of difficulty and costs), but the threat to commerce and our economy from the melting Polar ice caps is out of our hands unless we can influence other Nations to do something to slowdown/halt Global Warming.
As it stands today, the melting of the Arctic ice has enabled the opening of new shipping routes (at certain times of the year) that bypass Singapore as a port completely, further eroding SG's significance/importance to the rest of the world/global commerce.
[1:56 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: Its statements like these that add to my worry for the next generation. Many people still do not understand what is at stake. Its the higher consumption that is leading to ruin, and yet, the shouts for subsidies and cost controls so that they can consume more 🤦♂️
[1:57 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: Actually what I have never understood, is why Singapore is not more reliant on solar energy
[1:58 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: Green energy production is not emissions free
[2:03 pm, 17/01/2022] +RH: Gd idea... 👍🏻
[2:10 pm, 17/01/2022] +RH: As part of 'green' education,
Teach the next gen
How to consume less energy, wat energy efficient means etc., and
conservation of green spaces on our planet.
Not just pointing them to the trees & forests in our parks!
[2:15 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: not realiable enough at the moemnt...unfortunately
[2:15 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: but maybe we could try a hybrid model
[2:16 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: Solar power supplementing traditional Natgas powered electricity... and slowly transitioning to Solar Power supplemented by traditional energy sources
[2:22 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: actually .. talking about SG has no oil wells... i have been thinking ... we must be quite unlucky seeing how all the countries surrounding us had struck oil 😂😂😂
[3:00 pm, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you on today's topic 😊
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[3:17 pm, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Don't access accounts via SMS links, OCBC says to customers; what else you need to know to avoid scams
A couple in their 20s lost about $120,000 in a fake text message scam targeting OCBC Bank customers. They were among at least 469 people who reportedly fell victim to phishing scams involving the bank in the last two weeks of December in 2021.
More: https://str.sg/wQeQ
[3:29 pm, 17/01/2022] +JC: Too much natural resource is sometimes a hidden curse as it leads the economy (and politics) to over rely on extraction rather than innovation & enterprise. Look around the world, it usually just leads to corruption, concentration of wealth and a weakened people.
[3:31 pm, 17/01/2022] +Elena Woo: But as the technology advances and society progresses, it is inevitable. Unless we all go back to caveman mode, sure energy consumption very very less..
[3:34 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: like i said .. there is no need to go to extremes .. yet. Just talking about reductions to current consumption. Straw man arguments are unnecessary and unhelpful.
[3:35 pm, 17/01/2022] +Joseph: Yup. The resource curse 😅
[3:47 pm, 17/01/2022] +Poh S. Lim: Agree. When natural resources are limited, it compels people to become innovative and find ways to survive instead of just relying on those limited resources, to survive and thrive.
[4:41 pm, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you 😊
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[5:35 pm, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors
We’d love to hear more from you 😊
We have had good feedback and hope that we can keep the discussion robust and active!
Megan
[6:01 pm, 17/01/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
1. To achieve a low-carbon society, 2 stakeholders play an important part of the whole "food chain":-
a. Government
b. Business
Consumers like man in the street - play a small part of the "food chain" - because government regulate, business supply and consumers will just buy what is offered.
2. Hence, imposition of carbon tax by the Government should only be directed at incentivise business to supply low carbon products to the Society and consumers will just buy what is offered.
3. Carbon tax will be too complicated and onerous to be levy on consumers as it is the lowest denominator down the "food chain".
4. For eg. governmment can levy carbon tax on say :-
a. Car running on fossil fuel but provide cash incentive to electric car
b. Traditional lamp, TV, monitor but cash incentive for LEDs
c. Fossil fuel for electricity to household but provide cash incentives for sustainable energy like installing solar panels for household, gas etc.
d. Inefficient fridge, air-con, bath heater etc but cash incentive for efficient fridge, DCS aircon, energy efficient heater etc.
5. To conclude, a complex topic of carbon tax can be regulated by the Government and supplied by business - whereas consumers like us, will just buy what is offered that are of low-carbon products.
[6:03 pm, 17/01/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
https://www.hdb.gov.sg/about-us/news-and-publications/press-releases/12032021-HDB-Launches-Sixth-SolarNova-Tender-with-Smart-Electrical-Sub-meters-to-Optimise-Energy-Use
[6:03 pm, 17/01/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
Eg. Government can speed up the solar panels installation for more HDB flats and rely less on fossil fuels.
[6:07 pm, 17/01/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
Government incentives should also be given to incentivise private condos and landed properties to convert into green energy sources like solar panels to power their homes.
In this way, the whole nation will be on track to become a Green Nation.
[6:11 pm, 17/01/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
This will become an inclusive transition towards a low carbon society - because all carbon tax and low carbon supplied products are done at the upstream:-
1. Government level
2. Business level
And consumers will be largely shielded from the complexity of the carbon tax.
But yet achieving a low carbon inclusive society.
[6:18 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: Need to balance speed v effiiency and cost. Panels are getting better, so we don't want to fill the country with too many panels that will be old tech within 2 years.
[6:19 pm, 17/01/2022] +BL: unless we can sell off and upgrade as better models come out!
[6:25 pm, 17/01/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
Every product will have its lifecycle eg. 5 years or 10 years.
Once it reaches its lifespan, then upgrade will be required.
[6:26 pm, 17/01/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
Just like notebook supplied to civil service eg. , 3 years lifespan.
Once due, upgrade exercise begin.
[6:26 pm, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Scientific collaboration key to solving global challenges like climate change: DPM Heng
A strong spirit of collaboration will not only see the world through the Covid-19 pandemic, but will also be crucial in solving other global challenges like climate change, said Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat on Monday (Jan 17).
More: https://str.sg/wQnS
[6:28 pm, 17/01/2022] +Poh S. Lim: One overlooked item is plastic food packaging. I feel we nexd need to move towards non-plastic food packaging in Singapore as the reliance on plastics in food packaging (e.g. hawker centres) require petroleum products… perhaps more sustainable material such as paper or plant-based raw materials should be encouraged.
[6:29 pm, 17/01/2022] +Dan: Moving paperless
We have to put in our best effort to move to paperless. The irony is while I have opted for electronic billing system, I received another letter confirming that I have opted it. There ought to be a better way of communicating.
[6:29 pm, 17/01/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:
Again, government regulate, business supply.
Consumer just buy.
[6:30 pm, 17/01/2022] +Timothy Low: Perhaps we should also ban crypto mining. Read that it’s taking up a lot of electricity
[6:45 pm, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
⏰ We will be closing the chat in 15 minutes ⏰
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan
[6:58 pm, 17/01/2022] +Smiley face: 17 January, 2022
To: Distinguished Ministers and All Honorable Members
The Best Of Both Worlds (Sami & Maori) - "The Green Trails Of The Extreme Pole Nation"
"At the end of the day, is about headcount..."
- - anonymous
Two Extremes:
Sweden (Sami) and New Zealand (Maori) are poles apart, North and South. The two countries though structurally each has differences from geography, demographics, climatic change, for & against nuclear energy, lifestyles, politics, and economics. Three common challenges are climate, energy and emission.
One should investigate the "stories" of these two with deeper interest that is to learn, to localise and perhaps to apply into one's situation. New Zealand is no-no for nuclear energy. Perhaps in hesitancy, recent years, its has bad experienced from a series of big earthquakes and the Fukushima nuclear disaster in 2011.
Tropical (Middle)
Singapore core competencies are banking, financial, sea-air logistics and OHQ /Regional HQ. One bright path is hyperscale computing and data centres which is the "data banking" of the future economies.
How Singapore's top five challenges (Space, Water, Food, Energy, Wasted) will impact our future international positioning as a sweet spot for human capital, coexist and compete? It is a fact that larger countries naturally come with bigger population count and mold hills of social and economics challenges plus the global backdrop of post covid era
Afterwords:
The compact single-reactor nuclear technology has been around since 1955 (USS Nautilus). How a nuclear submarine/ an aircraft carrier sustains and how it discharges the nuclear wasted? How dangerous are these "men-of-war" above sea and undersea - this case, nuclear power generators?
Metaphorically, one can view a small country/city with under 10 million population as a smart & tactical nuclear submarine (USS South Dakota). A big nation like USA as a big and intelligent nuclear powered aircraft carrier (USS Gerald R. Ford).
In combination, the aircraft carrier and the submarine are powerful men-of-war. Both navy using nuclear energy to sustain its existence and competing with many navies for relevancy across the 7 seas (4 oceans)!
Comparatives:
Sweden (Arctic Country )
https://sweden.se/climate/sustainability/sweden-and-sustainability
Sweden is by far the most sustainable country within the world. The country has the highest renewable energy usage, lowest carbon emissions, as well as this Sweden has some of the best education programs. By 2045 the country will have reduced their emissions by 85% to 100%. More than half of the energy consumption is produced by renewable sources. Sweden has also lowered their emissions through the use of electric buses, smart roads, and urban farming. Sustainability has also been achieved by the use of food banks, recycling systems, gender equality and housing for vulnerable people.
http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/country-profiles/countries-o-s/sweden.aspx#:~:text=Sweden's%20nuclear%20power%20reactors%20provide,voted%20to%20repeal%20this%20policy.
New Zealand (Antarctica Country)
https://www.nzinitiative.org.nz/research/environment/
New Zealand's parliament has passed a legislation to aim for total net zero by 2050. The country has one of the most sustainable farming systems in the world. The population of New Zealand is also committed to sustainable living, the large majority of consumers only buy sustainable products. New Zealand's public transport system has been innovated to reduce the amount of car users.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/industries/100468448/from-uranium-to-nuclear-plants-new-zealands-secret-nuclear-past
- - END - -
[7:00 pm, 17/01/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,
We will be closing the chat for today.
Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.
Goodnight!
Megan 😊
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