SMRT’s Sustainability Strategy is Aligned with Singapore Green Plan

 Life in Singapore will get much greener by 2030, with new sustainability initiatives by the government and transport operators to change the way people work, travel, study, and play. The Singapore Green Plan 2030 aims to get the whole nation together as it seeks to transition into a more sustainable future. In order to make Singapore a green city, the government will provide incentives to promote the development and deployment of technologies in solar power, EVs, and specific aspects of green finance. 

SMRT Corporation, a leading multi-modal transport operator in Singapore, provides accessible and inclusive train and bus services to cater to the needs of all commuters. Given that the Green Plan is a whole-of-nation effort, SMRT Corp has created sustainable plans to help the government materialise the plan. Here is how the transport operator is aligning its business goals with the Singapore Green Plan 2030:

 

1. SMRT has set up the SMRT Group Sustainability Bond Framework to support new and existing projects and businesses that reap environmental, social, and governance (ESG) benefits. The Framework aims to adopt eco-friendly resources, alternative energy, and environmental solutions, create environmental awareness and drive positive actions amongst staff and stakeholders, improve processes with the implementation of the Environmental Management System, and benchmark and measure the environmental performance of the company.

2. The operator has set targets. To track the effectiveness of its sustainability efforts, SMRT’s in-house energy managers track the energy consumption and Greenhouse Gas(GHG) emission levels based on the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.

3. SMRT has already launched its first batch of 300 electric taxis in August 2021. SMRT is the first point-to-point public transport operator committed to deploying electric taxis on a large scale.

4. SMRT signed a Memorandum of Understanding with electric motorcycle manufacturer EuroSports Technologies to develop, market, and supply smart electric motorcycles in Singapore and the APAC region.

5. SMRT has now 6 electric buses in its fleet, which is in line with LTA’s initiative to have public buses run on cleaner energy by 2040.

6. The transport operator is using3Rs of reducing, reusing, and recycling for water conservation. It aims to achieve a year-on-year reduction of 10 percent in waterconsumption.

7. SMRT is also using solar photovoltaic systems to convert sunlight to electricity in train depots. Efficient waste management has resulted in about 1,600 tonnes of scrap metal sent for recycling.

 

Commenting on the company’s sustainability efforts, Seah Moon Ming, SMRT Chairman, said: “Our environmental sustainability initiatives are led by our Energy, Water, Green and Waste Committees. We will increase solar energy generation capacities at our main depots by more than 30 percent by the end of 2022. We also aim to reduce water usage across our premises by 10 percent every year till 2025.”

 

Sean Moon Ming further added: “SMRT Roads is contributing to the adoption of EVs and migration to green transport modes in Singapore. We have tied up with China’s biggest commercial EV digital platform, DST Electric Vehicle Rental (Shenzhen) to provide EV services in Singapore and the region. We aim to make a complete switch to EV taxis in the next five years.”

 

Conclusion

Singapore Green Plan 2030 cuts across all sectors of society, ranging from infrastructural development, research and innovation, and transportation to training programmes. SMRT Corp, being the premier transport operator in Singapore, is committed to sustainable development and corporate social responsibility. All the aforementioned initiatives by SMRT will help the operator contribute to the success of the Green Plan 2030.