PAP climate action group kicks off community push with 800 at Tiong Bahru event

SINGAPORE – About 800 Tiong Bahru residents turned up at a street fair held by the PAP Climate Action Group on April 26 to learn how to weave sustainable practices into their daily lives, whether by buying second-hand textiles or clothes or growing edible crops at home.

The inaugural Climate Action Day, held on Eng Hoon Street, featured nine vendors, including household products start-up Ecoworks, community farm Edible Garden City and green beauty brand The Powder Shampoo.

Ms Poh Li San, co-chair of the PAP Climate Action Group, said the event was aimed at bringing communities together and engaging them on sustainable practices. 

“Today’s effort is a good example of how we can work closely with our partners and businesses in the local community and help people gain awareness of how we can better recycle clothing,” she said, adding that people can also play their part in reducing plastic waste by bringing their own bag or bottle.

Ms Poh said that with the ongoing energy crisis brought about by the Middle East conflict, Singaporeans also need to do their part in reducing consumption, as well as energy and water usage. 

She also noted that the eight backbencher MPs in the PAP Climate Action Group have raised questions in Parliament about what the Government is doing to sustain Singapore’s energy and food supplies and keep a lid on prices amid the oil crisis. 

Events such as this are also useful for gathering feedback from people, she added. 

The event was held in the ward of Tanjong Pagar GRC MP Foo Cexiang, who is also a member of the PAP Climate Action Group.

Speaking to reporters at the event, Mr Foo gave an update on a separate initiative in Tiong Bahru where residents in Seng Poh estate temporarily removed nearly 30 blue recycling bins around the neighbourhood to address the contamination of recyclables.

During the pilot from April 11 to June 20, residents can deposit their recyclables during community drives held twice a month at Tiong Bahru Community Centre.

Mr Foo said 100 households contributed 600kg of recyclables during the second drive on April 25, up from 50 households depositing 200kg of recyclables during the first run on April 11.

He added that he had checked all the recycling bin locations in the estate to see if they had become littering spots, and only saw some cardboard left at two sites.

“The other locations were all clean and good. So I think we have achieved something. It’s a good start. Our volunteers and our residents are very encouraged, and we will press on,” said Mr Foo.

Ms Poh said she hopes future editions of Climate Action Day can be rotated across constituencies, allowing other MPs in the group to take turns hosting and engaging a wider range of businesses and communities.

The PAP Climate Action Group was set up in 2025 and is chaired by Dr Koh Poh Koon, who was then Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment and is now Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Health. 

The group was formed to tackle the key challenges of climate change, which cut across traditional demographic lines, and to consult more broadly with stakeholders such as environmental groups, community organisations and individuals. 

It advocates for policy reforms to fight climate change and further move the needle on the Singapore Green Plan 2030.

Five committees were formed under the group to align with the five Green Plan pillars of City in Nature, energy transition, green economy, resilient future and sustainable living.

“Against the backdrop of global disruptions, we must accelerate action through both policy and community-led movements. Climate Action Day sets the foundation for our heartland to be climate action hubs where residents can take the lead in fostering a culture of sustainability,” Dr Koh said in a statement. 

“With each yearly celebration, we hope to form a lasting relationship between the climate action group, our partners and residents and build a self-sustaining support network to drive sustainability in every neighbourhood.”