Climate Change Policy Evaluation and Its Impact on Island Nations: Case Of Singapore And Sri Lanka

Authors

  • Osada Vishvajith Peiris Department of Town & Country Planning, Faculty of Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Katubedda, Sri Lanka.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11113/ijbes.v6.n2.345

Keywords:

Climate Change, Island Nations, Policy Evaluation, Mitigation, Adaptation.

Abstract

Climate Change (CC) is universally recognized as a major global threat due to its nature of impacts. Island nations are known to be the most vulnerable to CC impacts where many countries have initiated mitigation and adaptation actions through sector-based policy measures. Singapore and Sri Lanka are two Asian island nations with CC induced threats. Two countries are different in terms of economic development, but similar developing countries in the CC agenda. In this context, both the countries have initiated mitigation and adaptation actions through policy measures. This study compares the key climate driven performance indicators with historical data to evaluate the performance of climate change policy of each country. Generally, policy evaluation has been conducted by adopting scientific and non-scientific tools, but it is seldom see that the relation of climate driven indicators along with CC policy. Also the policy research was mostly based on European case studies and Asian island nations were not easy to find in this context. The comparison of two countries in terms of CC policy is to determine the key vulnerable sectors where intervention is necessary for island nations. Mitigation policies are evaluated in Singapore and Sri Lanka using GHG emission pathways under twelve (12) indicators and adaptation policies are measured under the national expenditure of key sectors of the economy under seven (07) indicators. The analysis further elaborated by comparing both countries with key economic sectors that has positive and negative influence on CC impacts. Finally, the analysis outcome is used for lessons to learn from each other in improving the CC policy of Singapore and Sri Lanka. As every country has a unique set of strategies to minimize contributions to CC impacts, unique features that are common to both countries are chosen as variables for the comparison. Policy recommendations are provided to implement solid action plan for post 2020. The study expects to assist island countries to strengthen the CC policy as a national priority to manage unforeseen impacts posed by CC phenomena

Author Biography

Osada Vishvajith Peiris, Department of Town & Country Planning, Faculty of Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Katubedda, Sri Lanka.

Lecturer,

Department of Town & Country Planning,

University of Moratuwa,

Katubedda, Sri Lanka.

References

Abeysinghe, T., & Choy, K. (2007). The Singapore Economy: An Econometric Perspective. 70. Singapore: Routledge.

Bartelmus, P. (2015, January 05). How bad is climate change? Environmental Development. 1-17.

Bradshaw, C., Giam, X., & Sodhi, N. (2010). Evaluating the Relative Environmental Impact of Countries. Plos One. 1-16.

Carr, M., & Krukowska, E. (2009, December 21). Carbon Prices Tumble After ‘Modest’ Climate Deal (Update2). Retrieved January 12, 2015, from Bloomberg: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a8TD.WeBNprk

Chang, A., & Kleyn, G. (2010). Singapore Secures China as Future Food Source. West Perth: Future Directions International.

Climate Change Secretariat. (2010). National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for Sri Lanka: 2011 to 2016. Colombo: Ministry of Environment.

Climate Change Secretariat. (2014). Sri Lanka Climate Profile. Retrieved January 10, 2014, from Climate Change Secretariat Sri Lanka: http://www.climatechange.lk/Climate_Profile.html

Climate Change Secretariat Sri Lanka. (2012, December). The National Climate Change Policy Of Sri Lanka. Retrieved December 01, 2014, from Climate Change Secretariat of Sri Lanka: http://www.climatechange.lk/policy.html

Condon, B., & Sinha, T. (2013). The Role of Climate Change in Global Economic Governance. New York: Oxford University Press.

Cust, J. (2011). Using Intermediate Indicators: Lessons For Climate Policy. Climate Policy. 450-463.

Davison, G. (2007). Urban Forest Rehabilitation – A Case Study from Singapore . Keep Asia Green.

De Silva, C., Weatherhead, E.K., Knox, J., & Rodriguez-Diaz, J. (2007). Predicting the impacts of climate change—A Case Study Of Paddy Irrigation Water Requirements In Sri Lanka. Agricultural Water Management. 93(1): 19-29.

Dessler, A. (2012). Introduction to Modern Climate Change. New Delhi: Cambridge University Press.

DMC. (2010). Vulnerability Profile of Sri Lanka. Colombo: Disaster Management Centre (DMC).

Ecofys & Climate Analytics. (2011, December 21). CLIMATE ACTION TRACKER: Country Assessment Methodology. Retrieved from Climate Action Tracker: http://climateactiontracker.org/methodology

Energy Market Authority. (2013). Singapore Energy Statistics. Singapore: Energy Market Authority of Singapore.

Frankland, R., Hardwick, L., & Watkin, S. (2012). Climate Change Adaptation In A Small Pacific Island Nation. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 46-51. ICE Publishing.

Giddens, A. (2008, September). The Politics Of Climate change: National Response To The Challenge Of Global Warming. London, United Kingdom.

Hamilton-Hart, N. (2012). Singapore's Climate Change Policy: The Limits of Learning. Contemporary Southeast Asia. 28(3): 363-384.

Harris, P. (2007). Collective Action On Climate Change: The Logic Of Regime Failure. Natural Resources Journal. 47(1): 195-224.

Harris, P. (2013). What's Wrong with Climate Politics and How to Fix It. Cambridge: Polity Press.

Heiskanen, E., Kivisaari, S., Lovio, R., & Mickwitz, P. (2009). Designed to Travel? Transition Management Encounters Environmental And Innovation Policy Histories in Finland. Policy Sci. 1-19.

Helbron, H., Schmidt, M., Glasson, J., & Downes, N. (2011). Indicators for Strategic Environmental Assessment In Regional Land Use Planning To Assess Conflicts With Adaptation To Global Climate Change. Ecological Indicators. 90-95.

Hood, C. (2002). The Risk Game And The Blame Game. Government And Opposition. 37(1): 15-37.

Hoods, C., & Margetts, H. (2007). The Tools of Government in the Digital Age. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

Howlett, M. (2011). Designing Public Policies: Principles and Instruments. Oxon: Taylor & Francis Group, Routledge.

Howlett, M. (2014). Why are Policy Innovations Rare And So Often Negative? Blame Avoidance And Problem Denial In Climate Change Policy-Making. Global Environmental Change. 29: 395-403.

Huhne, C. (2011, December 6). Durban Climate Change Talks: Developing Countries Must Take On More Responsibility, says Chris Huhne. Retrieved from The Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/

IPCC. (2013). "Climate change 2013: The physical science basis." Summary for Policy Makers. New York: Cambridge Univ Press.

IPCC. (2014). Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change, United Nations Environmental Programme.

IPS. (2014). Sri Lanka: State of the Economy 2013. Colombo: Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka.

Jayatunge, R. (2014, August 27). Climate Change related Initiatives in Sri Lanka. Retrieved March 2, 2015, from Climate Action Network South Asia: http://www.slideshare.net/CANSA2014/sri-lanka-initiatives-on-climate-change?next_slideshow=1

Kildow, J. (2011). The Utility of Economic Indicators to Promote Policy-Relevant Science for Climate Change Decisions. In Ommer, Perry, Cochrane, & Cury, World Fisheries: A Social-Ecological Analysis. 139-150. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Kjosavik, D., & Vedeld, P. (2012). The Political Economy of Environment and Development in aGlobalized World. Colombo 5: Tapir Academic Press.

Klein, N. (2014). This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. Climate. London: Penguin Books Limited.

Lai, R. (2011, January 22). Lower CO2 emissions anyone? Retrieved January 21, 2015, from ONESHIFT.COM: http://www.oneshift.com/features/826/lower-co2-emissions-anyone

Latin, H. (2012). Climate Change Policy Failures: Why Conventional Mitigation Approaches Cannot Succeed. Hackensack: World Scientific Pub. Co.

LePoer, B. (1991). Singapore: A Country Study. Washington: Library of Congress: Federal Research Division.

Ley, T. (2013, January 5). Climate Change Impacts Pacific Islands. Majuro, Republic of Marshall Islands.

Lim, L. (2008). Singapore’s Economic Growth Model – Too Much or Too Little? Singapore Economic Policy Conference, (pp. 1-11). Singapore.

Low, M. (2015). Compliance for Intended Nationally Determined Contributions in the 2015 Climate Change Agreement. Singapore: Energy Studies Institute.

Lye, L. (2008). A Fine City in a Garden: Environmental Law & Governance in Singapore. Singapore Journal of Legal Studies. 68-117.

Mahanama, P., Abeynayake, C., Jayasinghe, A., & Bandara, P. (2014). Climate Response of Local Authorities: A Case of Sri Lankan Coastal Urban Areas. International Journal of Research in Social Sciences. 59-66.

McCarney, P. (2012). City Indicators on Climate Change: Implications for Governance. Environment and Urbanization ASIA. 3(1): 1-39.

MEWR, & MND. (2015). Sustainable Singapore Blueprint. Singapore: Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and Ministry of National Development.

Ministry of Power & Energy. (2015, April 30). Generation Plants. Retrieved from Ministry of Power & Energy: http://powermin.gov.lk/english/?page_id=1507

NCCS. (2011). About NCCS, Singapore. Retrieved January 10, 2015, from National Climate Change Secretariat: Prime Minister's Office: https://www.nccs.gov.sg/about-nccs

NCCS. (2015). Climate Change and Singapore. Singapore: National Climate Change Secretariat.

Never, B., & Betz, J. (2014). Comparing the Climate Policy Performance of Emerging Economies. World Development. 1-15.

Ng, W., & Mendelsohn, R. (2005). The Impact Of Sea Level Rise on Singapore. Environment and Development Economics. 10: 201–215.

Nordhaus, W. D. (2013). The Climate Casino: Risk, Uncertainty, And Economics For A Warming World. Yale University Press.

NPTD. (2013). Population White Paper 2013. Singapore: National Population and Talent Division.

OECD. (2009). Governing Regional Development Policy: Use of Performance Indicators. Paris: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

OECD. (2009). Green Growth: Overcoming the Crisis & Beyond. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Peake, S., & Smith, J. (2010). Climate Change: From Science to Sustainability. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Raleigh, C., & Urdal, H. (2007). Climate Change, Demography, Environmental Degradation and Armed Conflict. Political Geography On Climate Change & Conflict. 27-33.

Sanderatne, N. (2012, December 9). Economy Vulnerable To Climate Change. Retrieved from The Sunday Times: http://www.sundaytimes.lk/121209/columns/economy-vulnerable-to-climate-change-23972.html

Scrieciu, S., & Chalabi, Z. (2014). Climate Policy Planning and Development Impact Assessment. Mitigation & Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. 255-260.

Scrieciu, S., Belton, V., Chalabi, Z., Mechler, R., & Puig, D. (2014). Advancing Methodological Thinking And Practice For Development-Compatible Climate Policy Planning. Mitigation & Adaptation Strategies for Global Change. 261-288.

Senaratne, A. (2014, April 01). Policy Challenges In Climate Adaptation In Sri Lanka: Identifying Major Gaps. Retrieved January 05, 2015, from IPS CLIMATEnet Blog: Climate change policy network of Sri Lanka: http://climatenet.blogspot.sg/2014/04/policy-challenges-in-climate-adaptation.html

Seo, S., Mendelsohn, R., & Munasinghe, M. (2005). Climate Change And Agriculture In Sri Lanka: A Ricardian Valuation. Environment and Development Economics. 10(5): 581-596.

Shove, E. (2010). Beyond the ABC: climate Change Policy And Theories Of Social Change. Environment and Planning A. 1273-1285.

SIDS. (2014, November 28). Towards Actions for Small Island Developing Nations. Retrieved from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Division for Sustainable Development: http://www.sids2014.org

Sinclair, M. (2011). Let them Eat Carbon. London: Biteback Publishers Ltd.

SingStat. (2012). Yearbook of Statistics Singapore 2012. Singapore: Department of Statistics Singapore.

Stern, D., Common, M., & Barbier, E. (1996). Economic Growth And Environmental Degradation: The Environmental Kuznets Curve And Sustainable Development. World Development. 24(7): 1151-1160.

Stern, N. (2007). The Economics Of Climate Change: The Stern Review. Cambridge University Press.

Sundaresan, J., Sreekesh, S., Ramanathan, A., Sonnenschein, L., & Boojh, R. (2013). Climate Change Impacts Pacific Islands and Coastal Vulnerability. New Delhi: Capital Publishing Company, Springer.

Tan, S. (2013). Framework for Formulating Environmental And Climate Change Policies: Perspective From Environmental Macroeconomics. 42nd Australian Conference of Economists. 1-35. Perth.

Tan, S. (2013). Long-Term Land Use Planning in Singapore. Singapore: Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

Thampapillai, D. (2014). The Need for a Serious Rethink on Economics. Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy Research Paper. 14-27.

Tompkins, E. L. (2005). Defining Response Capacity To Enhance Climate Change Policy. Environmental Science & Policy. 562-571.

UNFCCC. (1998). Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Kyoto: United Nations.

UNFCCC. (2007). Bali Action Plan - CP 13:1. Bali: Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC).

UNFCCC. (2007). Investment & Financial Flows to Address Climate Change Impacts. Bonn: Climate Change Secretariat.

UNFCCC. (2014, November 28). Parties & Observers. Retrieved from United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: http://unfccc.int/parties_and_observers/items/2704.php

UN-HABITAT. (2008). State of the World Cities. Geneva: United Nations Human Settlement Programme.

UNHabitat. (2011). Climate resilient action plans for Coastal urban areas in Sri Lanka (CCSL). Colombo: United Nations Human Settlements Development Program.

UN-HABITAT. (2012). State of the World's Cities 2012/2013. New York: Routledge Press.

Vasa, A., & Michaelowa, A. (2011). Uncertainty in Climate Policy – Impacts on Market Mechanisms. In G. Gramelsberger, & J. Feichter, Climate Change and Policy: The Calculability of Climate Change and the Challenge of Uncertainty. 127-144. Berlin: Springer.

Voß, J., Smith, A., & Grin, J. (2009). Designing Long-Term Policy: Rethinking Transition Management. Policy Science. 42: 275-302.

Wang, Q., & Chen, X. (2013). Rethinking and Reshaping The Climate Policy: Literature Review And Proposed Guidelines. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 469-477.

Withanachchi, S., Köpke, S., Withanachchi, C., Pathiranage, R., & Ploeger, A. (2014). Water Resource Management in Dry Zonal Paddy Cultivation in Mahaweli River Basin, Sri Lanka: An Analysis of Spatial and Temporal Climate Change Impacts and Traditional Knowledge. Climate. 2(4): 329-354.

Withgott, J., & Laposata, M. (2014). Essential Environment: The Science behind Stories. London: Pearson Education Inc.

WMO. (2013, November 13). Provisional Statement on Status of Climate in 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2014, from World Meteorological Organization: http://www.wmo.int/pages/mediacentre/press_releases/pr_981_en.html

World Bank. (2009). Climate Resilient Cities. World Bank.

World Bank. (2011). From Growth to Green Growth: A Framework. Washington DC: Office of the Chief Economist, Sustainable Development Network.

World Bank. (2014). Data by Country and Lending Groups. Retrieved January 29, 2015, from The World Bank: http://data.worldbank.org/about/country-and-lending-groups

WWF. (2014). Living Planet Report 2014. Gland: World Wide Fund for Nature.

Downloads

Published

2019-04-30

How to Cite

Peiris, O. V. (2019). Climate Change Policy Evaluation and Its Impact on Island Nations: Case Of Singapore And Sri Lanka. International Journal of Built Environment and Sustainability, 6(2), 23–37. https://doi.org/10.11113/ijbes.v6.n2.345