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SINGAPORE: To address climate change and promote sustainability, Singapore will soon launch a Green Plan that will be a major political priority for the Government, Sustainability and Environment Minister Grace Fu said in Parliament on Monday (February 1).
The Singapore 2030 Green Plan is an effort by various ministries, he said, adding that the agencies will set “ambitious and concrete targets on a sectoral basis”, building on what has been achieved so far.
“We want to come together and work with our 3P partners articulating our priorities and goals, and we will consciously create a space for the community to come together and do more together,” he said, referring to individuals, the public and private sectors.
“Ministers and political office holders will actively participate in the development of comprehensive programs, as part of this process of national participation,” he added.
“It’s not just about getting feedback on government policy, but about working together to co-create solutions. Every sector and every action will count. Through this process, we hope to catalyze bold, balanced and collective action.
“Bold – we push the boundaries on all fronts, challenging ourselves to do more, despite our national circumstances and limitations. Balanced, because we know that with every action and goal, there are considerations and trade-offs that must be made, and every Singaporeans must have a voice and a stake in our journey towards sustainability. And collectively, because we need all parties, all 3Ps, all segments of society to work with us to make the Green Plan a reality ”.
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Ms Fu was responding to a motion on climate change tabled by a group of members of Parliament and said the government has been making preparations for the past few months to launch a “nationwide movement” to advance the sustainability agenda. in Singapore.
More details will be announced in the coming weeks, he said, and Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat is scheduled to speak about the government’s sustainability agenda during budget debates this year.
Heng, who is also finance minister, will deliver Singapore’s 2021 Budget statement on February 16.
READ: Singapore aims to halve peak emissions by 2050, achieve net zero emissions ‘as soon as practicable’ in second half century
On Monday, Ms Fu said that the Green Plan would be a “living document” and that the Government would adapt its plans, ambitions and policies over time.
“Circumstances will change, new opportunities will arise, and new ideas and initiatives will be presented as we work with our citizens, businesses and communities,” he explained.
Singapore must also act with the same sense of solidarity that it had when it came together to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms Fu added.
“We must build the social pact to face the challenges of climate change and sustainability,” he said.
“This will involve frank discussions about the costs and tradeoffs involved, which we will have to bear either as consumers, as businesses or as government.
“These costs can manifest themselves in the change in the price of a good or service that we enjoy today, the cost of producing a product, the need to allocate scarce resources to a new solution, investment in new infrastructure, or some inconveniences to change our habits and the way we do things. “
DEAL WITH RESTRICTIONS
Ms Fu said Singapore has always pursued sustainable development, and with climate change “imminent”, this should continue to be the case.
But even as Singapore seeks to strengthen its national approach to climate change, there are some “key immutable realities,” he said, such as physical limitations, limited alternative energy options and the lack of an interior and natural resources.
With its “City in nature” vision, the country has protected and enhanced ecologically important sites such as green spaces and carbon sinks over the years, Ms Fu said.
The ministry will seek to improve ecological connectivity and provide more green spaces for Singaporeans, he added.
As there are limited options for alternative energy, Singapore is taking a “holistic approach,” the minister said.
“We are tapping Four Power Supply ‘Switches’: In addition to solar power, we rely on natural gas, which is the cleanest burning fuel, regional power grids, and low-carbon alternatives. Energy conservation is a key priority. “
Without a hinterland or natural resources, Singapore needs a “vibrant” and “diversified” economy, which includes maintaining capabilities and manufacturing capacity.
However, he noted investor and consumer concern for sustainability, adding that Singapore aspires to be a “responsible supplier” of products to the Energy and Chemicals (E&C) sector. The Government will help industries to shift towards lower carbon products and be “best in class” in energy and carbon efficiency globally.
“The E&C sector will play a key role in the global transition to a low-carbon future,” he said.
STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE
In her speech, Ms Fu reaffirmed plans to revise Singapore’s carbon price by 2023, with the intention of increasing the carbon tax rate by 2030.
The carbon tax is “central” to the country’s climate mitigation strategy, he said, adding that it is one of the “most comprehensive in the world” with 80 percent of total emissions. No exemptions have been granted to any covered facility.
“Our carbon tax framework has been adapted to our context, putting in place a fair, uniform and transparent price signal to incentivize emission reductions,” he said.
Although Singapore has raised its building sustainability standards and improved efforts to encourage the adoption of green technology and sustainable practices, the government will continue to push for the adoption of very low-energy buildings, the minister said.
It will also support the development of energy efficient and profitable green technologies.
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A long-term focus on adaptation is crucial to building climate resilience, Ms Fu said. “From coastal adaptation to mitigating the effects of urban heat islands and improving the resilience of our food supply, we will plan ahead, invest in science and technology, and develop innovative solutions.”
In the meantime, the Government will create an ecosystem to encourage companies to seize opportunities for sustainability, including building Singapore’s capacity on green finance and making Singapore a leading hub for carbon trading and services.
In addition, the government is looking into “closing the plastic loop,” Ms Fu said. This includes chemical recycling that can make plastics unsuitable for traditional mechanical recycling at NewOil.
It is also studying the implementation of regulations to collect, separate and add plastic waste.
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Another priority is educating students about environmental sustainability and climate change, Ms. Fu said.
“While we built on many of our previous policies and programs, we can do more to bring these different aspects and efforts together, culminating in a common and united vision,” he said.
