New climate exhibition to promote knowledge and action on climate issues

Interactive exhibits at SCS will show the science and effects of climate change and how we can do our part

A brand new climate change exhibition was unveiled by Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister at the Science Centre today. DPM Teo is also the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change and Patron of Science Centre. Built at a cost of S$3 million, Climate Change Climate Challenge is a joint initiative between Science Centre Singapore (SCS), the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) and the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS). Visitors to the exhibition can learn, through fun and interactive exhibits, the causes of climate change, its impact on Singapore and the region, and how everyone can play a part in reducing Singapore’s carbon footprint.

This exhibition replaces the previous climate change exhibition built in 2008. Based on a new approach, visitors will be able to explore the various aspects of climate change in eight zones.

The centrepiece of the new exhibition is the Climate Machine, which allows visitors to understand how their daily actions, such as choosing to drive a car instead of using public transport, contribute to the release of greenhouse gases that warm the atmosphere and cause climate change. The exhibit will also encourage visitors to adopt climate-friendly habits such as conserving energy through the use of energy-efficient light bulbs and setting their air-conditioner to 25 degree Celsius. Visitors can also learn more about Singapore’s strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across various sectors of the economy and enhance the nation’s resilience to the impact of climate change.

Associate Professor Lim Tit Meng, Chief Executive, Science Centre Singapore said: “The new exhibition showcases locally relevant information and interactive displays, allowing visitors to better comprehend the significance of sustainability and the role each one can play to help the larger cause of tackling climate change related issues that scientists all over the world are currently grappling with. We are also using this exhibition as a platform for the visitors to pledge on how they can make a difference.”

Through the exhibition, visitors can also learn that climate and weather are not issues for the distant future, but are fascinating natural phenomena which present everyday challenges in Singapore. Visitors will be able to role-play as meteorologists, using sophisticated tools to forecast the weather and experience first-hand how the Meteorological Service Singapore works to understand complex weather systems using cutting-edge technology. Through interactive exhibits such as the Cloud Maker and Weather Balloon Games, visitors can see the fun and unique side of weather and climate.

Miss Wong Chin Ling, Director-General, Meteorological Service Singapore added: “The exhibition will allow visitors to learn more about the science behind our local weather phenomena, such as convective thunderstorms and Sumatra squalls, as well as to better understand the far-reaching causes and effects of climate change. We also hope that through this exhibition, a new generation of budding scientists will be attracted to the exciting fields of weather and climate research.”

There are also plans to organise complementary outreach and enrichment programmes to supplement the climate change curriculum in schools. These include the Young Scientist Badge Scheme and workshops where students get to conduct experiments to learn more about our changing climate.

National Climate Change Competition 2014
Winners of the National Climate Change Competition (NCCC) 2014 were also announced at an award ceremony held in conjunction with the launch of the exhibition. Organised by NCCS as part of its outreach to raise awareness and to encourage action on climate change, the competition attracted more than 240 entries from 847 participants. Featuring short three-minute videos based on the theme #change4future, this year’s competition also included entries from members of the public in the new Open Category. The winning videos were selected based on their creativity, originality and how well they conveyed the message of climate change.

The complete list of winners and information on the competition can be found in Annex A.

“The videos reflect the growing awareness among young Singaporeans on how climate change can affect us and what we can do as individuals to reduce our impact on the climate. We hope their videos will inspire Singaporeans to make the change for a more sustainable future by adopting a greener lifestyle”, said Mr Yuen Sai Kuan, Director of 3P Network Division, National Climate Change Secretariat.

To widen the reach of the videos, NCCS will adapt the winning entries from this year’s competition for screening in local cinemas. The adapted videos will also be featured in the exhibition.

Public engagement on climate change
At the award ceremony, DPM Teo announced NCCS’ plans to engage key stakeholders and members of the public in early 2015 to solicit feedback on existing and possible measures by Singapore to reduce its carbon emissions, and promote green growth. This is part of Singapore’s preparations for a new international agreement to reduce carbon emissions beyond 2020. NCCS will release more details of the public engagement plans in the next few months.