Three S'pore youth go in search of green solutions at forum in New Zealand

Finding a solution to environmental changes that threaten to derail decades of progress, and securing energy supplies.

That's what 25 envoys from nine countries will be discussing during a biennial environmental youth programme in New Zealand next week.

Among the students taking part will be three from Singapore.

Ahead of their departure, Jeremy Koh spoke with two of them to find out what they plan to achieve at the forum.

These are exciting but perhaps frightening times.

On the one hand, new technologies are opening up worlds of opportunities for a growing number of people across the globe.

But on the flip side, global warming and other environmental changes threaten to derail decades of progress.

And while politicians haven't been very successful in addressing these challenges, perhaps fresh minds can.

And that's why German pharmaceutical company Bayer has teamed up with the United Nations Environment Programme to organise the biennial Eco-Minds forum in New Zealand for students from the Asia Pacific region.

19-year-old Tan Hui Ling who just completed her A levels will be one of the three Singapore representatives.

"I've been doing environmental work in my own community, which is Aljunied Hougang constituency, but it's more of a Singapore-based thing so I'll like to explore further and go for this forum to see what other country delegates are doing in their own countries."

Prior to taking part in the forum, Hui Ling had to submit an environmental proposal for selection.

So what does she hope to achieve in New Zealand?

"Probably the other Bayer delegates will have done some environment work in their communities, so hearing from their experience and how they carry out their projects, probably getting some new ideas from there and trying out in my own community."

Another Singapore representative at the forum will be Republic Polytechnic student Jackeline Tay.

She hopes to bring a fresh perspective to environmental challenges.

Students have a lot of imagination, and from imagination we bring into reality.