Public Consultation on Singapore’s Decarbonisation Journey

Prime Minister's Office - Strategy Group, National Climate Change Secretariat

Consultation Period: 08 Oct 2024 - 05 Nov 2024

Status: Closed

Detailed Description

Aim

1. The National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) invites members of the public to share their views on Singapore’s decarbonisation journey, including Singapore’s climate ambition, our transition towards a low-carbon economy and the decarbonisation measures we will undertake. The views will be taken into consideration as Singapore develops our next bound of climate targets, measures and policies. 

Background

2. Climate change is an urgent and existential threat, and its impacts are becoming more apparent. Around the world, we are seeing more extreme storms, floods, wildfires, and heat waves. Although Singapore contributes only 0.1% of global emissions, we are disproportionately affected by its effects as a low-lying island city state. Based on findings from Singapore’s Third National Climate Change Study (V3), Singapore is expected to become warmer, with annual mean temperatures rising between 0.6°C and 5°C by the end of this century. Extreme daily rainfall is also projected to increase across all seasons, and dry spells could become more frequent and last longer.

3. Last year, the inaugural Global Stocktake was presented at the COP28 United Nations Climate Change Conference. It emphasised the need for urgent and decisive climate action within this critical decade, to keep our goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C within reach.

Singapore’s Climate Commitments

4. Singapore is an early and committed contributor to global climate action. In 2020, Singapore submitted our enhanced 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) and Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS). We had previously held a public consultation in 2022. Subsequently, we raised our ambition to reduce emissions to around 60 MtCO₂e in 2030, and to achieve net zero by 2050. Singapore will be submitting our next NDC in early-2025.

Singapore’s Triple Transitions

5. Singapore’s decarbonisation journey comprises three transitions:

   1. A carbon transition to reduce emissions across all sectors

   2. An energy transition to achieve a resilient net-zero electricity grid

   3. An economic transition to remain competitive in a low-carbon future and to capture new green growth opportunities

6. The triple transitions will require us to fundamentally rethink the way we produce and consume. It will bring about opportunities as well as trade-offs.

Opportunities and Trade-Offs 

7. Our commitment to achieve net zero emissions ensures that we are doing our part in the global fight against climate change. In addition, it positions Singapore to be an early mover in sustainable financing and corporate net zero targets, and attracts green economic activities in industry, services, and finance. Through our three transitions, we can create good jobs for Singaporeans and enhance Singapore’s value proposition in the future low-carbon global economy.

8. At the same time, however, our decarbonisation journey comes with costs and trade-offs that must be carefully managed. For companies and workers, there will be disruptions to existing business models and jobs as the world moves collectively to a low-carbon future. Companies will need to rethink their value chains or pursue new areas of growth that are less carbon intensive, while workers will have to acquire new skills to stay relevant. Individuals will also need to change their personal habits by consuming and wasting less, reducing energy consumption at home by using energy efficient appliances and less air-conditioning, and taking cleaner forms of transport such as by embracing a walk, cycle and ride lifestyle.

Our Decarbonisation Strategy

9. The Global Stocktake set out clear pathways and next steps that the world needs to take to limit global warming to 1.5°C. It called on all countries to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems, and to triple the world’s renewable energy generation capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030. It also called for the reduction of emissions from road transport, including through the development of infrastructure and rapid deployment of zero- and low-emissions vehicles. In addition, it emphasised the need to accelerate zero- and low-emissions technologies, including renewables, nuclear, carbon capture, utilitsation and storage (CCUS), as well as low-carbon hydrogen production.

10. As a small country with limited alternative energy sources, land and manpower, our trade-offs will be much starker than what most other countries face. Many of the measures that would help us achieve net zero are contingent on effective international cooperation, as well as the maturity of decarbonisation technologies. Some examples include the import of low-carbon electricity, the availability of carbon capture and storage sites, and the sourcing of low-carbon hydrogen.

11. Nonetheless, Singapore is taking decisive action to achieve our triple transitions towards a low-carbon future, in line with the recommendations of the Global Stocktake. This section outlines some of our key decarbonisation measures (details of additional measures can be found here). The Government welcomes views on these measures as Singapore embarks on our decarbonisation journey.

12. In 2019, Singapore was the first country in Southeast Asia to introduce a carbon pricing scheme. Our carbon tax provides a broad-based price signal so that businesses and individuals will be able to internalise the costs of carbon. This year, we raised our carbon tax from $5/tCO₂e to $25/tCO₂e. We plan to raise the carbon tax further to $45/tCO₂e in 2026/2027, with a view to reaching $50-$80/tCO₂e by 2030. This will provide a strong price signal and impetus for businesses and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint in line with national climate goals.

13. Working with our industries to transform our economy is an important part of our decarbonisation journey. For example, the Sustainable Jurong Island report outlines our plans to transform Jurong Island into a sustainable energy and chemicals park that operates sustainably and exports sustainable chemicals globally. By 2030, Singapore aims to increase the output of sustainable products by 1.5 times from 2019 levels, and realise at least 2 MtCO₂e of carbon abatement per annum through carbon capture. By 2050, we aspire to increase the output of sustainable products by four times from 2019 levels, and achieve more than 6 MtCO₂e of carbon abatement per annum from low-carbon solutions. Beyond the energy & chemicals sector, you can find out more about other measures for the industry sector here. 

14. Power generation is another major source of carbon emissions. We rely heavily on imported natural gas to power our nation. To transform our energy supply, Singapore will harness four switches.

    1. First, solar remains the most promising renewable energy source for Singapore. We are pressing ahead with ambitious solar deployment plans to achieve our target of at least 2 gigawatt-peak (GWp) by 2030. This could generate enough energy to meet the annual electricity needs of 350,000 households (or around 3% of Singapore’s projected 2030 electricity demand).

    2. Second, the Energy Market Authority has granted conditional licenses to import a total of 2 gigawatts of low carbon electricity from Indonesia. In addition to these, conditional approvals have been granted to projects importing low-carbon electricity not only from Indonesia but also from Cambodia and Vietnam. Earlier this month, we announced that we will raise our ambition and seek to import 6 GW of low-carbon electricity by 2035, up from 4 GW previously.  

    3. Third, we are exploring CCUS, low-carbon hydrogen and advanced geothermal systems, to further reduce the emissions from our power sector. For example, we published our National Hydrogen Strategy in 2022. This outlines our plans to develop hydrogen as a potential decarbonisation pathway. The Energy Market Authority has also issued a Request for Proposal for a Singapore-wide non-invasive geophysical study to assess our deep geothermal resource potential for power generation.

    4. Fourth, natural gas is currently our main fuel for generating electricity, making up 95% of our electricity supply. It is the cleanest form of fossil fuel and will continue to be the main fuel source for Singapore in the foreseeable future as we scale up our other switches. The Global Stocktake recognised the role that such transitional fuels can play in facilitating the energy transition while ensuring energy security. We are working with the industry to improve the energy and carbon efficiency of natural gas generation units during this transition.

15. Finally, the journey to a net zero Singapore requires everyone to play a part. The Singapore Green Plan 2030 charts ambitious and concrete targets to advance Singapore’s agenda on sustainable development. It aims to galvanise every Singaporean to contribute because our decarbonisation journey is a whole-of-nation effort.

Invitation to Provide Feedback on Singapore’s Decarbonisation Journey

16. Members of the public are invited to share their views on the next bound of Singapore’s decarbonisation journey, as we plan for our next NDC. Please provide your feedback by 5 November 2024 via the ‘Share Your Feedback’ button below.