NCCS conducts public consultation on Singapore’s decarbonisation journey

29 October 2024

On 8 October 2024, the National Climate Change Secretariat in the Strategy Group, Prime Minister’s Office (“NCCS”) announced that it is seeking feedback on Singapore’s decarbonisation journey, including Singapore’s ambition to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, the transition towards a low-carbon economy, and the decarbonisation measures Singapore will undertake. The consultation closes on 5 November 2024. 

In 2020, Singapore submitted its enhanced 2030 Nationally Determined Contribution (“NDC”) and Long-Term Low Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS). Thereafter, following a public consultation in 2022, Singapore raised its ambition to reduce emissions to around 60 MtCO2e in 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2050. 

Singapore will be submitting its next NDC in early-2025. To achieve its climate targets, Singapore needs to progress concurrently on (i) a carbon transition to reduce emissions across all sectors, (ii) an energy transition to achieve a resilient net zero electricity grid, and (iii) an economic transition to remain competitive in a low-carbon future and to capture new green growth opportunities. 

These transitions will bring both opportunities and trade-offs. Despite being a small country with limited alternative energy sources, land, and manpower which will result in much starker trade-offs than what most other countries face, Singapore is taking decisive action to achieve the triple transitions towards a low-carbon future, in line with the recommendations of the Global Stocktake. The Global Stocktake set out clear pathways and next steps that the world needs to take to limit global warming to 1.5°C. 

The Government would like feedback on some of the key decarbonisation measures such as plans to raise the carbon tax further to S$45/tCO2e in 2026/2027 (with a view to reaching S$50 - S$80/tCO2e by 2030), ambitious solar deployment plans to achieve the target of at least two gigawatt-peak (GWp) by 2030, importing low-carbon electricity and exploring carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), low-carbon hydrogen, and advanced geothermal systems. For more on the decarbonisation measures, please click on the following: 

Despite the challenging geographical constraints, Singapore will continue to find innovative ways to accelerate the low-carbon transition for industry, economy, and society through four key thrusts which are supported by carbon tax as a key enabler of the transition:

  • Catalysing business transformation;
  • Investing in low-carbon technologies;
  • Pursuing effective international cooperation; and
  • Adopting low-carbon practices.

The public’s views will be taken into consideration as Singapore plans the upcoming NDC submission in early-2025 and develops the next bound of climate targets, measures, and policies. 

Reference materials 

The following reference materials are available on the NCCS website www.nccs.gov.sg and REACH website www.reach.gov.sg: