As part of the EU Green Week, the EU Delegation to Singapore organised a Cycling for Sustainability rally on Saturday, 10 June. Nearly 200 cyclists joined the rally held in the island of Pulau Ubin. This was presented in partnership with National Parks Board or NParks under their umbrella event Pesta Ubin 2023 that attracted 800 visitors to the island.

This year’s rally presented an immersive green event allowing us to experience the raw beauty of nature and ‘Kampung’ (Village) life. While cycling through the island, we celebrated Pulau Ubin’s past and heritage while embracing nature and all things green. We pedalled not just for fun or fitness, but for our planet: for a sustainable future, contributing in our own way to reducing carbon emission and pollution.

Flagging off the rally, EU Ambassador to Singapore H.E. Ms Iwona Piórko said ‘The EU is leading climate action globally and we are happy to have Singapore as an important partner in this process. Our event is part of EU Green Week, the largest environmental event in Europe and beyond. Focusing on skills for sustainable, resilient and socially fair communities, the EU Green Week aims to raise awareness and contribute to public debate on the environment as we marked World Environment Day on 5 June and World Oceans Day on 8 June.

‘Climate change and environmental degradation are a threat to the world. The EU recognises this and has set ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030, compared to 1990 levels. We are committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Therefore, we are putting in place and implementing various policies and initiatives, such as the European Green Deal.’

The pit stops included Chek Jawa Wetlands, one of Singapore’s richest eco-systems. The area is the convergence point of six natural habitats that is home to diverse wildlife. This was followed by a stop at Teck Seng’s House that offers a glimpse into village life, a water stop at Ah Ma’s Drink Store – the last running drink store operated by a local islander and a final stop at Ubin’s Living Lab – an integrated facility dedicated to support research and field studies, environmental education and community outreach.

The many activities curated for Cycling for Sustainability celebrated island life, while presenting various aspects of our natural habitat. Cycling through Pulau Ubin, we showed how each one of us can make a difference for nature and for our environment.

#ForOurPlanet #EUGreenWeek