As part of its long-term sustainability plan, Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) will transform the resort island into a carbon-neutral destination by 2030.
To do so, SDC will identify and work with technology partners to testbed sustainable technologies and concepts on Sentosa, while also bringing on board some 200 businesses within Sentosa to work towards the aspiration of island carbon neutrality.
Key priorities include working with businesses in Sentosa to establish an islandwide baseline carbon profile; decarbonising energy systems in Sentosa; closing the waste loop, such as reducing food waste; greening travel options in Sentosa; enhancing Sentosa’s digital architecture to optimise and control resources; as well as increasing awareness on sustainability and sustainable practices among Sentosa’s visitors.
As part of SDC’s collaboration with various partners, SDC and Temasek have signed an MoU to harness Temasek’s expertise and network of companies in studying and test-bedding sustainability solutions.
SDC and Temasek will identify opportunities for sustainability testbeds in Sentosa to lower the resort island’s carbon footprint. These solutions will leverage smart infrastructure to first detect and analyse energy usage, before using the data to engage users and influence consumption patterns, with the goal of reducing wastage.
The partnership will also explore new ways to deploy cooling solutions on Sentosa island and minimise waste going into Singapore’s incineration plants. To achieve these outcomes, SDC and Temasek will jointly engage various island stakeholders, including businesses in Sentosa and guests to seek participation and support to achieve these outcomes.
SDC CEO Thien Kwee Eng said: “Sustainability is a key priority and integral design principle in SDC’s journey to create great guest experiences and safeguard Sentosa’s value proposition for generations to come. Thus, even as we refresh our offerings amid changing guest preferences and needs, we will remain firmly committed to environmental sustainability and protecting our island charm, and ensure that our offerings are sensitive to our rich biodiversity and heritage.”
As part of the initial steps towards Sentosa’s carbon-neutrality goal, SDC is also engaging the island’s businesses, including hotels, dining establishments, attractions, and other offerings such as its marina club and golf club, on a whole-of-Sentosa carbon profiling initiative. The insights on carbon emissions will set the islandwide carbon profile baseline and guide future carbon mitigation and abatement efforts by various stakeholders on Sentosa.
Accor and Expedia Group have joined forces to expand the UNESCO Sustainable Tourism Pledge into 96 countries.
The agreement, in collaboration with the UNESCO, sees 3,358 global Accor hotels sign on to the initiative to champion sustainable practices.
The UNESCO Sustainable Tourism Pledge promotes responsible practices, community resilience and heritage conservation, with the ultimate goal of changing the nature and impact of global tourism. Under The Pledge, parties commit to supporting the reduction and elimination of single-use plastics and promoting local economy and culture.
The Pledge was launched in October 2019 with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, UNESCO and Expedia Group. Accor’s hotels join over 500 hotels in Thailand that have signed The Pledge since the Thai microsite was established in 2020.
The expansion of The Pledge comes amid rising demand for tourism sustainability practices among travellers, led by millennials and Gen-Zers, Expedia said in a press statement.
Markus Keller, senior vice president, sales & distribution, Accor, said that joining the initiative is “a continuation of our group’s sustainable development programme Planet 21 – Acting Here which sets concrete and quantitative objectives relating to local sourcing, diversity and water, energy and waste management”.
“The UNESCO Sustainable Tourism Pledge aims to turn words into action and is a testimony of our growing commitment to collaborating closely with the hospitality sector in order to enhance environmental and sustainable tourism consciousness and practices across the world,” said Zuhairah Washington, senior vice president, strategic accounts, Expedia Group.
“Everyone needs to play their part in promoting sustainable tourism and helping preserve travel destinations. This partnership with Accor is about taking needed steps at a global scale to minimise waste in the tourism sector.”