Consideration to Create a Singapore Carbon Agreement
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns a proposal by Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang to create a Singapore Carbon Agreement for sharing emission reduction best practices across 23 economic sectors. Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli B M M responded that existing frameworks, such as the Climate Action Plan and the Energy Efficiency National Partnership, already support these objectives. He highlighted that the National Environment Agency facilitates knowledge exchange through biennial conferences and works with industry-led groups in chemicals, biopharmaceuticals, and food manufacturing. Additionally, the National Environment Agency analyzes energy performance for over 180 companies regulated under the Energy Conservation Act to provide benchmarks for improving efficiency. The Minister emphasized that the Government continues to collaborate with all stakeholders to co-create solutions for a sustainable and climate-resilient future.
Transcript
9 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the Ministry will consider creating a Singapore Carbon Agreement to facilitate the exchange of best practices for emission reductions across the 23 major sectors of Singapore's economy following the model of tripartite collaborations like the Singapore Packaging Agreement.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Singapore's Climate Action Plan outlines our climate mitigation strategies across key sectors – namely, the power, industry, transport, buildings, households, and waste and water sectors. Improving energy efficiency is a key strategy that not only contributes to emission reductions, but also enhances companies' long-term business competitiveness.
The Energy Efficiency National Partnership (EENP) launched by the National Environment Agency (NEA) in 2010, aims to support companies in their energy efficiency efforts. The EENP is a voluntary, industry-focused programme, in partnership with the NEA, the Economic Development Board and the Energy Market Authority. As of January 2020, 302 companies have joined the programme. As part of the EENP's learning network, NEA organises the biennial National Energy Efficiency Conference. Companies, organisations and individuals are also recognised for their achievements in energy management through the annual EENP Awards. These platforms allow companies to share best practices and promote the adoption of energy efficient technologies.
The Government also works closely with industry-led work groups such as the Singapore Chemical Industry Council Industry Sustainability Committee, the Biopharmaceutical Manufacturers Advisory Committee and the Food Manufacturing Energy Efficiency Committee to support companies in energy efficiency improvement.
The manufacturing sector in particular is heterogeneous, with varied manufacturing processes and bespoke equipment and systems. In addition to setting energy efficiency standards for common industrial systems and equipment, NEA analyses the energy performance of systems and equipment of more than 180 energy-intensive companies regulated under the Energy Conservation Act and shares the findings with individual companies, as benchmarked against others in their respective manufacturing sub-sectors.
Climate action requires collective action from all stakeholders. We have been working with our 3P (People, Private and Public) partners to co-create and co-deliver solutions for our environmental challenges. My Ministry will continue to work closely with all stakeholders to build a more sustainable and climate-resilient future.