Public awareness as a complement to research by Cooling Singapore
A Straits Times opinion article describes the Cooling Singapore project and discusses the importance of being environmentally responsible citizens to complement the scientific research being done.
Singapore has been warmer in the recent years due to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, which explains how urbanisation and human behaviour contribute to higher temperatures in a city. In hot and humid Singapore, increased temperatures due to the UHI effect impact outdoor thermal comfort and liveability across the Island.
Cooling Singapore 2.0, which is funded by the National Research Foundation has begun with the aim of assessing and measuring cooling strategies, develop a decision support system, and design climate-responsive guidelines. The Cooling Singapore team is building a Digital Urban Climate Twin (DUCT) being, which will allow researchers and policymakers to find out the various factors that affect outdoor temperatures.
The opinion article in the Straits Times highlights that "Exciting as these scientific explorations of reality are, they need to be complemented by public awareness of the fragility of ecological life." The author of the article postulates that Singaporeans need to be "be better environmental citizen." and take personal and organisational responsibility seriously.