Publishing Absolute and Percentage Change in Total Carbon Emissions for Facilities that Paid Carbon Tax to Provide Clarity on Emission Impact of Carbon Tax
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang’s inquiry into absolute and percentage emission changes for tax-paying facilities and the ministry's plan for annual data publication. Minister Masagos Zulkifli B M M stated that while verified 2019 reports are due by June 2020, facility-specific data remains confidential under the Carbon Pricing Act. He explained that the tax covers 80% of national emissions across key sectors to provide an economy-wide signal for reduction and a low-carbon transition. Aggregate greenhouse gas data is published annually in the Key Environmental Statistics, with detailed inventories provided to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The next comprehensive national report will be submitted to the international body and made available to the public by December 2020.
Transcript
4 Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (a) for 2019, what has been the absolute and percentage change in total carbon emissions for facilities that paid the carbon tax compared to 2017 and 2018; (b) when does the Ministry plan to publish this data if it is not yet available; and (c) whether the Ministry will consider publishing this data on a yearly basis to provide clarity on the emission impact of the carbon tax.
Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: The Carbon Pricing Act (CPA) came into force on 1 January 2019, giving effect to the carbon tax. The carbon tax provides an economy-wide price signal to encourage emissions reduction and the transition to a low-carbon economy. The carbon tax covers around 80% of our national emissions and applies to facilities in the manufacturing, power generation, waste and water management sectors which emit 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide-equivalent or more annually. These companies have been monitoring their emissions for the year 2019, and must submit verified 2019 emissions reports to the National Environment Agency by 30 June 2020. The Government is unable to disclose company- or facility-specific data due to data confidentiality requirements as provided for in the CPA.
The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) publishes data on Singapore's total greenhouse gases annually in the Key Environmental Statistics, which is available on the MEWR website. We also publish more detailed information on our greenhouse gas inventory in accordance with guidelines under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Our latest National Communications and Biennial Update Report was submitted to the UNFCCC in December 2018 and this report can be found on the website of the National Climate Change Secretariat. We will be submitting the next report by December 2020, and it will similarly be made available publicly.