Experts said that Singapore can pave the way for a green economy and share its know-how with other countries, local media reported on Thursday.

Singapore has pledged to cut emissions growth by 16 percent below the projected 2020 level, as it moves towards a low-carbon economy, local TV broadcaster Channel News Asia reported.

Singapore's success as a garden city did not come by naturally and the city state made a conscious effort to maintain a green environment. A small country with no natural resources, Singapore has also turned to reclaiming water to meet its water needs. And experts believe Singapore can do more to combat climate change.

Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs, said: "The new rules that come out of Copenhagen or afterwards will, I think, create a new industry that there'll be much more emphasis and impetus to push forward with green business. Now some countries, some companies will be well-positioned to deal with this."

"Singapore is short of space, so we've become a model as a green city and of course, we have Eco-city Tianjin - we're working with the Chinese to build a model green city that's practical," he said.

Experts said that the world is now moving towards achieving a green economy. And those who emerge as leaders will be those who create new technologies, new models and sell them to the rest of the world. So the experts called on Singapore to build on its competitive advantage and pave the way for a green economy. To multiply results, Singapore and its neighbors of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should also work together and address common climate change challenges.