15 December 2001

SPEECH BY RADM TEO CHEE HEAN, MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND SECOND MINISTER FOR DEFENCE, AT THE LAUNCH OF THE "WEB OF LIFE" EXHIBITION ON SATURDAY 15 DECEMBER 2001 AT 10 AM AT THE SINGAPORE SCIENCE CENTRE

I am very happy to be here today for the launch of the Web of Life Exhibition. This permanent exhibition explores the biodiversity of life on earth, and the complex inter-relationships that exist in nature, in a fun, exciting and interactive way.

2 Biodiversity is an integral part of human existence. Although Singapore is a very small island, we are fortunate to have a remarkably rich biodiversity of plants and animals. Ecosystems as diverse as coral reefs, sandy beaches, rocky coasts, mangroves, estuaries, fresh water swamps and equatorial forest can be found in the 60 islands comprising Singapore. At the same time, Singapore and its surrounding islands lie at the centre of one of the richest concentrations of biodiversity on earth. Taken as a whole, Southeast Asia is a region second only to the Amazon, with unmatched marine biodiversity and forests that are among the oldest in the world.

3 All is not well with the natural environment today. Rapid increases in human population and increasing urbanisation around the globe, particularly in the last 50 years, have had a profound impact on the natural environment. We need not look far to see that where plants and animals once existed in their natural environment, farms, villages and towns now stand.

4 Singapore has long recognised the importance of maintaining a clean and green environment. Singapore recognises the value of biodiversity. As a very densely populated city-state with limited land, we ourselves continually face the challenge of balancing the needs of development with the need to preserve and conserve our natural environment in our little island nation. On the domestic level, we have formulated a Singapore Green Plan and established a National Parks Board to manage and conserve our natural environment and our indigenous biodiversity. On the international front, we have acceded to the Convention on Biological Diversity, as well as other multilateral environmental agreements.

5 These initiatives are but a start. Cherishing our environmental inheritance requires a caring population that is actively engaged in doing their part for the environment, even if it were something as simple as minimising the wasteful consumption of natural resources, reducing what we throw away, and conserving resources through recycling.

6 Exhibitions such as the "Web of Life" will help sensitise us and enrich our understanding of the complex living world around us, and how we can help care for it. By cultivating a deeper appreciation of the fragile ecosystems we co-exist with, we in turn will better understand the interdependence and interconnectivity of all living things.

7 I understand that the Web of Life exhibition also starts off the Singapore Science Centre's Life Sciences programme. This is a timely step, given the increasingly important role of the Life Sciences in the future. Revolutionary advances in the Life Sciences are changing the quality of life as we know it today. They are also opening up fresh economic vistas. Breakthroughs in research on the human genome present tremendous growth potential for Singapore industries in the field of biomedical sciences. These will generate opportunities for wealth creation in the research and development of pharmaceuticals, medical equipment, and health-care products and services, among others. Beyond economics, advances in the Life Sciences are also bringing to the fore attendant ethical, legal and social issues. The lively ethical debate surrounding research into human cloning technologies is just one example.

8 Therefore, I am pleased that the Science Centre is embarking on another important educational role, to make the Life Sciences accessible to the general public. Our people need to understand the significance and far-reaching impact of the Life Sciences, as well as their potential and consequences. Exhibitions such as this will help make the subject come alive for them. I am told that another Life Sciences exhibition that is in the pipeline is on the Human Body. I greatly look forward to its launch in May next year.

9 Beyond its public benefit, this exhibition also complements what is being taught in schools. I understand that many exciting activities have been planned for students in conjunction with this event, and that there will also be teaching aids and resources for teachers. To the students in the audience, I hope this and other exhibitions spark in you a deeper interest in and curiosity about nature, and that you will be encouraged and inspired to go on to pursue careers in the Life Sciences in due course. Indeed, there has never been a more exciting time to be in science than now.

10 Finally, allow me to congratulate the Science Centre on its 24th anniversary, which the Web of Life exhibition also serves to mark. The Science Centre is an integraI part of the educational and technological infrastructure of our nation, and I salute it for its commendable work in popularising science and technology among our people through the years. I wish it every success in its future endeavours.

11 It now gives me great pleasure to launch the Web of Life exhibition. Thank you.