Proceedings W113 - Special Track 18th CIB World ... - Test Input

these two mechanisms are also ineffective as the former does not monitor fair distribution of CDMprojects among the developing countries and the later not specifically quantitative fundingcommitments by the countries.Despite the lack of effective multilateral consensus on the responsibility of each state to deal withclimate change at present, since the Earth Summit of 1992, many nations have been working towardsreducing the emission of GHGs at the national level. Some of these initiatives take the form ofspecific legislation aimed at imposing penalties and taxation to force people and industries to adaptclimate friendly behavioral patterns and to promote sustainable development. There are alsovoluntary industrial standards that have been introduced.As far as the construction industry is concerned, the recent initiatives to deal with climate changehave focused attention on the environmental performance of buildings and construction activity,particularly emissions from buildings. Thus, the focus of these initiatives is on mitigation. Given thatthere is no scientific evidence which claims that climate change could be completely reversed, thereis a need to anticipate and deal with the consequences of a changing climate, while at the same timeworking to achieve long term reductions in GHG emissions. In the circumstances, we need is a twoprongedsystem of initiatives, namely:1. Initiatives to mitigate climate change by reduction of GHG emissions;2. Initiatives at adaptation to climate change impacts.The initiatives that fall under the first category above are clearly visible in most countries. However,as far as the second is concerned, very little has been done. Lack of knowledge on the measures to betaken and lack of coordination and support among nations, could be identified as the key reasons, asnot every country in the world has the technical and financial capacity to deal with adaptation toclimate change. Thus, developed countries should take the lead in the efforts to promote initiativesaimed at adaptation to climate change and help the countries that are most vulnerable to changingclimate conditions by providing them with financial, technical and management support to puteffective adaptation mechanisms in place.3. Adaptation initiatives in Singapore3.1 National strategy on climate changeHaving ratified the Kyoto Protocol in April 2006, Singapore has made a voluntary commitment toreduce its carbon intensity by 25% from 1990 levels by the year 2012. According to the SingaporeMinistry of Environment and Water Resources (MEWR), in fact, the country had achieved a 22%reduction in 2004 (MEWR, 2008). Further, according to figures from the National EnvironmentAgency (NEA, 2006/2007), Singapore‟s carbon intensity was at 0.28 kilotonnes per SGD million in4