Emphasising Singapore’s unwavering commitment to combating climate change, the minister increased the goal of reaching net zero emission by 2050, sooner than previously promised. Given Singapore’s inherent limitations on carbon reduction, this is made possible by the government’s close monitoring of scientific and technological developments, as well as the worldwide shift in public opinion toward ensuring a sustainable future.
However, how do these high goals affect our day-to-day activities? The four pillars that support Singapore’s path to net zero emissions are designed to hasten the shift to low carbon across the economy, society, and business sectors.
Transformation of businesses catalysed on the way to zero
Through business transformation, all companies may contribute. By utilizing programs like the Resource Conservation and Efficiency Grant for Emissions and the Energy Efficiency Grant, businesses can accelerate their transformation. By reducing expenses, these initiatives will assist companies in staying relevant in a world with fewer greenhouse gases.
Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in the food production, food services, and retail sectors can purchase more resource-efficient equipment with the aid of the Resource Efficiency Grant for Emissions and the Energy Efficiency Grant, which both support the transition of manufacturing facilities and data centres toward increased resource efficiency and competitiveness.
Utilizing Techniques with Low Carbon
Singapore’s small land area and dense population make it difficult to utilize alternative energy sources like solar, nuclear, and wind power. Consequently, a major component of the transition to a lower-carbon energy system is continuing to invest in low-carbon technologies, including carbon capture, use, and storage (CCUS), solar and battery storage, and low-carbon hydrogen.
CCUs help reduce emissions by taking up the CO2 emissions of hard-to-abate industries or those whose ability to transition to low-carbon practices is impeded by expensive or developing technology. CO2 can be stored in subterranean geological formations using CCUS, or it can be converted into items that are useful, such as chemicals, construction materials, aggregates, and synthetic fuels.
Seeking international collaborations
Singapore is partnering with regional power grids to establish the distribution networks and infrastructure required for green energy, as well as participating in global carbon exchanges with high-quality carbon credits, to overcome its limitations, which include its small size and limited possibilities for renewable energy.
Having a Greener Lifestyle
The last pillar is adopting low-carbon behaviours in daily life, which practically any Singaporean can accomplish by modifying their daily schedule. By adhering to the reduce, reuse, and recycle principles, individuals can also have an impact. To advance its goals of being a zero-waste nation and encourage low-carbon activities, Singapore is also building infrastructure for the circular economy.
The Singapore Green Plan 2030 is leading the nation’s sustainability journey. Establishing challenging environmental and sustainability goals for 2030 aims to further Singapore’s sustainable development ambitions. Reaching these targets will put Singapore well on its way to becoming a net zero-emission country by 2050.
How Singapore is developing a Green future?
The carbon tax is one of Singapore’s main tools for cutting emissions; it encourages companies and major polluters to put money into low-carbon machinery and technology, prioritize sustainability, and match their investments, operations, and output with the country’s climate goals.
The money raised by Singapore’s carbon tax will be used to mitigate the effects of the low-carbon transition on people and businesses, as well as to assist decarbonization initiatives and the transition to a greener economy.
There are job prospects in the green economy as well. With funding from the Low-Carbon Energy Research Funding Initiative, academic institutions can collaborate with industry players to explore safe and sustainable ways to import, handle, and use low-carbon hydrogen on a wide scale. Additionally, they can create more efficient carbon capture methods that can be used locally and turn the CO2 they capture into useful products.
