Urban environmental policy — The use of regulatory and economic instruments in Singapore

Abstract

In urban environmental policy-making, regulatory and economic instruments are two main types of tools used to achieve policy goals. The paper initially reviews Singapore's efforts to achieve and sustain a high-quality urban environment. It looks at the country's various urban environmental policies in the spheres of population, natural resources, technology, consumption, and transportation. It then discusses the role of Singapore's regulatory and economic instruments such as its strict emission standards in the environmental sectors of air, water, solid waste and noise quality, its tight land-use planning controls, and its innovative traffic congestion tax scheme. It is suggested that the main factors which contributed to the country's success in using these instruments are its political leadership and technical expertise, economic prosperity, an efficient administration and a supportive law-abiding populace.