200 years of green ties between Denmark and Singapore

In 2022, Denmark and Singapore celebrate the 200th anniversary of green collaboration, which began in 1822 with the establishment of the forerunner to Singapore Botanic Gardens.

Singapore and Denmark share a collaborative history with green ties that span 200 years. In 1822, Sir Stamford Raffles enlisted the help of Danish surgeon and botanist Nathaniel Wallich to encourage the establishment of Singapore’s first botanic garden, the forerunner to Singapore Botanic Gardens. This botanic garden was set up at Fort Canning Hill, known as Government Hill at that time, and marked the beginning of the green ties between Singapore and Denmark.
Today, Singapore and Denmark are similar in many ways. Singapore and Denmark are small nations with open economies, have populations of a similar size and they are both surrounded by the sea. Both countries have set out concrete plans to build a greener future by reducing carbon emission and aiming to transition to green energy.

Ambitious goals for 2030

The Singapore Green Plan 2030 includes targets to increase the adoption of cleaner energy vehicles, greener infrastructure and an energy reset. Over the last 50 years, Singapore has moved from oil to natural gas and is continually exploring new options for a greener energy supply, including regional power grids, solar systems, low-carbon alternatives and carbon cap-ture, utilisation and storage.

Meanwhile, Denmark aims to reduce 70% of its CO2 emissions by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2050. Green energy has been a top priority in Denmark and a new climate action plan with two giant “Wind Energy Islands” paves the way to transition to green energy from the use of fossil fuels. This project is the world’s most ambitious offshore wind project, and Denmark’s biggest infrastructure investments ever.

In order for both countries to achieve our ambitious goals, Singapore and Denmark have come together to collaborate on this present and future sustainability journey.

Environmental cooperation between Singapore and Denmark
In February 2020, the Danish Ministry for the Environment, Ms Lea Wermelin, and the Singapo-rean Ministry for Sustainability and the Environment, Ms Grace Fu, signed an agreement on en-vironmental cooperation between Singapore and Denmark.

The agreement sets the scene for green collaboration, and aims to build partnerships between Singaporean and Danish companies, research institutions and government agencies. This involves exchanging information, promoting ties between government bodies, conducting study visits, building public-private partnerships and pilot projects, and much more.

“Singapore and Denmark might be small countries with limited natural resources, but we are rich in innovation. By sharing our knowledge, promoting partnerships and helping each other develop new technologies, we are able to drive positive change in our own countries, but also in the world surrounding us,” says the Danish Minister for the Environment, Lea Wermelin.