The socio-ecological practice of building blue-green infrastructure in high-density cities: what does the ABC Waters Program in Singapore tell us?

Abstract

Blue-green infrastructure (BGI) is the network of green spaces that provides multiple water-related ecosystem services. This article explores the Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters Program as a socio-ecological practice that builds BGI for the high-density city-state of Singapore. Launched in 2006, the ABC Waters Program aims to simultaneously improve the recreational value, physical appearance, and water quality of all waters in Singapore through 2030. Driven by the quest for water security and the pursuit of a higher quality of life, the program involves sustainable stormwater management and waterway enhancement to enrich the functions of the existing aquatic and terrestrial green spaces. The ABC Waters Program provides valuable lessons for other high-density cities to overcome land scarcity as a constraint on BGI. With a shortage of green spaces, high-density cities should strive to optimize the existing green spaces in the provision of ecosystem services and to leverage cultural ecosystem services to engage citizens and gain public support. The case study on the ABC Waters Program also reveals a research gap in the socio-ecological practice research on BGI planning and design. The fundamental question of what qualifies as BGI has yet to be answered, and it is rarely discussed to what degree urban waterways can be considered BGI.