Date of Graduation
Spring 5-23-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts in International Studies (MAIS)
College/School
College of Arts and Sciences
Department/Program
International Studies
First Advisor
John Zarobell
Second Advisor
Sam Mickey
Abstract
Cities are at the forefront of global sustainability efforts and as urbanization increases, the environmental governance approaches will not only shape environmental outcomes, but the citizens who live within them as well. This thesis explores how Singapore’s “green city” identity shapes young adults’ lived experiences of environmental connection and action. Through 20 semi-structured interviews with young adults aged 26 to 30 living in Singapore, this qualitative study aims to understand how participants define sustainability, how infrastructure enables and constrains pro-environmental behaviour, and how they relate to the natural world. All of these elements impact their own understanding of their environmental agency and responsibility. The findings show that participants demonstrate strong environmental literacy and trust in the government, engaging actively with pro-environmental behaviours when enabled by infrastructure and incentives. However, sustainability is predominantly understood as an institutional responsibility rather than a civic one, and most participants did not see themselves as active parts of shaping Singapore's sustainability direction. This research identifies this pattern as a more compliance based environmental citizenship, where widespread participation is driven by infrastructure, convenience, and enforcement over internalized environmental motivations. This thesis proposes a framework distinguishing between compliance-based and an ownership-based environmental citizenship, arguing that long-term urban sustainability resilience may require using a combination of the two citizenship types. Implications of the findings for Singapore are discussed, including suggestions for improvements to improving core consumption issues, as well as transforming citizen waste management systems, intergenerational environmental education, and for low barrier pathways for youth participation. The findings contribute to the broad discussion on how governance approaches to sustainability shape th environmental citizens they produce, and how this may be just as important as measurable metric based outcomes.
Recommended Citation
Thibault, Nathalie E., "Green City, Green People? How Young Adults Experience Sustainability in Singapore" (2026). Master's Theses. 1640.
https://repository.usfca.edu/thes/1640
