In the article "Why the climate fight needs
engineers", Vaidehi Shah (2015) emphasised the importance of having
competent engineers who are able to help in overcoming the sustainable
challenges Singapore has begun to faces and will face in the future due to
climate change. The writer also agrees with the experts who believe it is
essential for engineers to find ways to manage the rising climate changes in
Singapore. According to Edwin Khew, deputy president of IES and also chairman
of the Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore, Asian cities are already
seeing the consequences of climate change and experiencing extreme weather
events such as floods, extreme high temperatures and droughts, water shortages,
and rising sea levels made worse by increasing population growth and urban
development. He added, sustainable engineering solutions will therefore be in
strong demand, and engineers will see tremendous opportunities, both locally
and regionally to support the need to flight climate change.
In Singapore. The Engineer Progression Pathway
programme was launched to aid engineers to develop professional and technical skills
to combat global environment issues and address
future challenges posed by climate change. The new programme
for engineers will boost their long-term job prospects and provide the country
with the skilled professionals it needs to address future challenges posed by
climate change.
The article mostly highlights the positive effects
of why engineers are needed to fight climate change that affects mostly Singapore
and the Asia Pacific region. The article does not prove that world over engineers
are needed to fight the climate changes nor does the article analyse the
effects on climate changes caused by other developing cities of Asia.
Even in Singapore, sustainable engineering
solutions have to come from all sectors. Key areas where engineering has a
“frontline role to play in the fight against climate change” include clean
environment and water resources; sustainable development and infrastructure;
sustainable energy; and resilience and adaptation against climate change. But
looking at the current situation in Singapore, Singapore has one of the world’s
highest carbon emissions per capita. Until the carbon footprint problem is
reduced, engineers will continue to face challenges. While I agree that engineers
play a crucial role, I feel that over-dependence on engineers to solve the
climate changes does not always result in the best solution and there are
several other factors that the article has failed to consider.
However, in conclusion, going
forward, I agree with Mr Choi
Shing Kwok, permanent secretary in Singapore’s Ministry of the Environment and
Water Resources, engineering expertise will remain a key part of the solution in
realising Singapore’s green growth vision and the demand for competent engineers
will also stay.
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