The Purposes of State of Environmental Reporting (SOE) for Singapore and Australia

The difference in Singapore and Australia’s purpose for State of Environment Reporting is due to the perspective and expertise of the publisher. I have taken an objectified viewpoint and have analyzed the report in terms of the purpose, audience, what it reports, writing style, and the authors. (These categories can be seen in further details in the appendix)

Singapore’s SOE report places emphasis on achieving social-economic growth through investing in environmental sustainability. It is organized by the minister of environment and water resources leading to a more political viewpoint in the report. Though it was written in collaboration with the National Environmental Agency and PUB, the members are mainly composed of political and industrial leaders from both public and private sector. As a result, the report takes on a strong political agenda and economic interest by the industry leader. The report outlines environmental achievements and is conveyed through a narrative in the hopes of marketing Singapore to the international market.

Australia’s SOE report is more pragmatic and educational than Singapore’s SOE report. The committee director himself is from a researcher background.  Thus, the direction of the report is research-focused. As well the majority of the committee is composed of researchers, professors, statisticians, and ecologist. By having an external committee to produce the report, it reduces the amount of bias from political leaders. The report is filled with empirical facts and figures that place a stance on current conditions and trends in the Australian environment. This form of data is useful for decision- makers to support their policies.  The Australia report is more resourceful in providing information and evaluation methods to achieve environmental sustainability in contrast to Singapore’s report which is more like a marketing tool to attract foreign investor to support their socio-economic growth.

Though there are key difference in the reporting style of Singapore and Australia’s State of Environment reporting, they both aim to enhance the well-being of individuals living in these places whether through a political or environmental viewpoint. Sustainability is a prevalent issue that is currently being addressed by both the Singapore and Australian government, in sustaining and managing resources for future generations. Singapore’s method is through promoting socio-economic growth by luring international investors. Australia’s method is through educating their public and assisting their decision-makers to create policies that improve environmental outcomes. 

References:
app.mewr.gov.sg/web/Contents/Contents.aspx?ContId=1233

www.environment.gov.au/soe/2011/report/index.html

Appendix.

Singapore SOE Report

Purpose: place emphasis on environmental sustainability to support social-economic growth

“Through years of careful environmental management, we have built a clean, green and healthy living environment that has garnered international recognition and is an important factor in attracting investors, tourists and talents to Singapore.”- Dr Yaacob Ibrahim

Audience: International market- investors, tourists, and talents/experts

Reporting: Achievements in environmental sustainability

Writing Style: Narrative

Authors: Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, National Environment Agency (NEA), and PUB

Australia SOE Report

Purpose: educate the public and assist decision-makers with credible environmental data to improve Australian environmental outcome and manage cultural systems for the survival and well-being of Australians

“It is our hope that this report will increase community awareness and understanding of Australia’s environmental issues and assist decision-makers to determine priorities and make national and regional policy and management decisions that improve Australian environmental outcomes.”- Dr Tom Hatton

Audience: public/individual, decision/policy makers

Reporting: information products- empirical environmental data: facts, figures, graphs, illustrations, report-card style grading to assess conditions & trends

Writing Style: report & expository writing

Author: 2011 Australian State of the Environment Committee

The Learning Process

To start of this week, we were asked about the learning process. For me, learning is like Curious George, adopting his enthusiasm, curiosity, and inquisitiveness. He learns through being observant and testing out what he has seen in his own unique way. What we can learn from Curious George is that the learning process involves not only observing the world around us, but also being able to apply what we have learnt. This process then helps us transforms our observations into working knowledge. It helps us reach a higher state of learning, mentioned in class, where we are able to comprehend the world by reinterpreting knowledge. By applying our observations and knowledge, we are able to negotiate our own understanding of the world. 

Similarly, another student mentioned that learning is like being a child. It is being open, curious, and excited. Children also learn by observing and mimicking others. However, unlike Curious George, children have the ability to ask questions on just about everything. I believe asking questions is also fundamental in learning. Asking questions can help us receive different perspective and insights into an issue. Warren Berger, an acclaimed journalist focusing on design and advertising says, by asking questions we can “challenge assumptions about the way things have been done in the past,” and break out of old patterns and thinking behaviours. This mindset is one that I believe we would need to adopt in tackling issues of environmental sustainability. We need to be critical in the way we see the current world, in order understand what can be done to promote environmental sustainability.

            Going forth with this module, I hope to learn about current behaviours that are negatively impacting the world in order to change my own patterns to be a more environmentally conscious.