National Statement of Singapore Delivered by Min Grace Fu at the UNFCCC COP30 High Level Segment

NATIONAL STATEMENT OF SINGAPORE DELIVERED BY MS GRACE FU, MINISTER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT, AT THE UNFCCC COP30 HIGH-LEVEL SEGMENT ON 17 NOVEMBER 2025 BELÉM, BRAZIL

Mr President,

Congratulations on your election as President of this Conference. I thank the Brazil Government, the City of Belem, and the UNFCCC Secretariat for organising COP30 this year. I also thank your team, Mr President, and the Brazilian Presidency, for your leadership in advancing discussions, and placing the focus of COP30 on the implementation of our global climate agenda.

Climate change continues to outpace the collective response of the global community. 2024 was the warmest year on record, and the first year to be more than 1.5°C above the pre-industrial era. Ocean temperatures have soared to historic heights, and the biggest and most intense coral bleaching episode ever witnessed has spread to more than 80% of the world’s reefs, leading scientists to conclude that the world’s tropical coral reefs have almost certainly crossed a point of no return. This means that Earth has likely reached its first so-called “tipping point”. Storms, floods, heatwaves, and droughts are also becoming more frequent and more intense.

Overlaying this is a backdrop of intensifying geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. Multilateral cooperation is being put to the test, and the Brazilian Presidency has responded  with a call to collective action – the Global Mutirão. This call captures the spirit we need: many actors, working together, focused on real outcomes. Today, Singapore reaffirms our commitment to working with the global community to make collective progress towards our shared climate goals.

Mitigation Efforts

As a small low-lying island state, climate change is an existential challenge for Singapore. This is why we were one of thirteen countries who submitted our 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by the 10 February 2025 deadline. Our 2035 NDC pledged to reduce our emissions to between 45 to 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035.  The 45 million tonnes target puts us on a linear trajectory to net zero in 2050.

Our 2035 NDC reflects our commitment to climate action. Given our circumstance as an alternative-energy disadvantaged island state, our ability to meet these goals depends on the maturity of mitigation technologies, and effective international collaboration.

Despite our limited land area, we have been pushing hard on solar, which remains our most viable domestic source of renewable energy. We have deployed more than 1.7 gigawatt-peak (GWp) of solar to date, quadrupling our solar deployment from 2020. We are on track to meet our target of at least 2GWp of solar deployment by 2030.

To further diversify our low-carbon energy mix, we are establishing a regulatory sandbox to explore biomethane as a low-carbon fuel. In September 2025, the Singapore Economic Development Board issued a closed call for proposals to demonstrate biomethane’s potential for power generation and industrial applications.  We are also exploring the potential deployment of nuclear energy.

Singapore is also actively looking to import low-carbon electricity from our region. Last month, Singapore granted conditional approval to import 1GW of low-carbon electricity generated from hydropower from Sarawak, Malaysia. This brings us to about 8GW of potential cross-border electricity trading projects from our region, including from Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia and Australia.

Beyond power imports, Singapore is advancing the use of low-carbon fuels in the maritime and aviation – sectors central to our role as a global hub. Singapore is exploring methanol and ammonia as low-carbon fuels for the maritime sector. Our Energy Market Authority and Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) appointed a consortium led by Keppel Ltd to work on an end-to-end low-carbon ammonia solution on Jurong Island. If successful, Singapore will be one of the first countries in the world to directly combust ammonia for power generation and deploy ammonia bunkering for international shipping.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has set up a new entity to centrally procure sustainable aviation fuel and secure a more affordable, stable supply for Singapore and the region. From 1 Jan 2026, flights departing from Singapore will be required to use at least 1% of sustainable aviation fuel.  Last month, CAAS announced that the Singapore Sustainable Aviation Fuel Company (SAFCo) has been formed to support the implementation of Singapore’s national sustainable aviation fuel policy.

Adaptation and Resilience Efforts

While we continue to advance mitigation and decarbonisation, Singapore is equally focused on stepping up our adaptation and resilience efforts. Over the next five years, we will develop Singapore’s inaugural National Adaptation Plan to address the physical risks and other impacts of climate change.

Coastal Resilience

30% of Singapore’s land is less than 5m above mean sea level. We are vulnerable to the impact of sea level rise, and have made plans to implement various coastal protection measures progressively over the coming decades. Our national water agency, PUB, completed the first coastal protection site study for the eastern coast of the City. The recommendations from the study, together with the reclamation of ‘Long Island’ – an offshore new island entirely reclaimed from the sea that will protect the entire East Coast area – will form a continuous line of defence to protect City-East Coast against rising sea levels.

 The Government will also introduce a Coastal Protection Bill next year, to spell out the responsibilities of stakeholders involved in Coastal Protection, and to provide powers for enforcement and compliance with coastal protection standards. PUB will also launch a code of practice for coastal protection by the first half of 2026 to set standards for the design, construction and operation of coastal protection structures in Singapore. 

Heat Resilience

Singapore’s Third National Climate Change Study projects that in the worst case scenario, by the end of this century annual average temperatures in Singapore could rise by up to 5°C, with a sharp increase in days experiencing high heat stress. As such, we are taking proactive steps to strengthen our resilience to heat.

Last year, the Government implemented a revised framework to protect outdoor workers from heat stress, aligning workplace safety measures with the three-tier national Heat Stress Advisory. This framework requires practical safeguards such as regular hydration, rest breaks in shaded areas, and heat acclimatisation, with enforcement through workplace inspections.

This year, Singapore launched a National Heatwave Response Plan, which sets out a coordinated, whole-of-government approach to manage extreme heat events and protect residents, particularly vulnerable groups. While Singapore has not yet experienced heatwaves of the intensity seen in other parts of the world, we are preparing early to manage these risks. Measures like these will ensure that Singapore remains ready to manage the impacts of a warming climate while safeguarding health and livelihoods.

Regional Cooperation

While we continue to push the limits of our domestic efforts, we recognise that our climate goals cannot be achieved in isolation. Southeast Asia is warming faster than the global average, with coastal cities and delta communities facing increasing flood and heat risks. Building regional resilience is therefore critical.

To this end, Singapore is working closely with our neighbours to deepen regional climate science and improve adaptation planning. Researchers from the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Tropical Marine Science Institute are working with other ASEAN countries to study the impact of climate change on the region’s agriculture sector. The study will analyse data on the projected physical impacts of climate change on five agriculture crops: maize, rice, cassava, sugar cane and soya bean, and propose mitigating measures that ASEAN nations can take to address the impact of climate change on the five crops.

In January this year, The Heat Resilience & Performance Centre at the Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore was officially designated as the Global Heat Health Information Network Southeast Asia Hub, a recognition that underscores its leading role in advancing heat resilience. This designation highlights the Centre’s expertise in addressing the growing challenges of heat-related health risks in the region. With this appointment, the Centre will play a pivotal role in working with the region to shape strategies, research, and policies aimed at mitigating the impact of extreme heat on public health, demonstrating its commitment to building resilience in the face of climate change.

Singapore is also working closely with our partners to realise the ASEAN Power Grid (APG). By interconnecting national grids, the APG will enable low-carbon electricity to flow across borders, balance supply and demand, improve energy security, and advance a shared pathway toward net zero for Southeast Asia.

Last month, ASEAN Energy Ministers endorsed the ASEAN Submarine Power Cables Development Framework Terms of Reference (TOR). When finalised, the framework will support the conduct of subsea route surveys as well as the laying, maintenance, and protection of submarine power cables in Southeast Asia, all of which are crucial to realise the APG. We also welcome initiatives, such as the APG Financing Initiative co-developed by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, to lower financing hurdles and enhance the bankability of cross-border electricity trading projects in the region.

To complement these efforts, the International Energy Agency (IEA) Regional Cooperation Centre in Singapore, which celebrated its first anniversary this October, was established to deepen the IEA’s engagement in the region. Within its first year, the Centre has published numerous reports on clean energy technologies and strengthened its regional partnerships to advance energy transitions. Singapore and the IEA also co-hosted the 9th edition of the Singapore–IEA Regional Training Programme, which brought together more than 200 policymakers and industry leaders from the region to deepen exchanges on cross-border power trading and subsea interconnections.

Singapore has also been engaging our regional partners on technologies that will enable deep decarbonisation. One example is our efforts on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS). Earlier this year, Singapore signed MoUs with Malaysia and Indonesia on CCS. We are now working towards legally binding bilateral agreements to enable the cross-border transport and storage of carbon dioxide between our countries. Advancing the safe, scalable deployment of CCS solutions will serve as a key pathway for Singapore's hard-to-abate sectors.

Additionally, this year, CAAS launched the Asia-Pacific Sustainable Aviation Centre, to conduct sustainable aviation in the Asia-Pacific region in a pragmatic way that would achieve both development and sustainability goals. It will do so through policy research in areas such as cleaner aviation fuels, carbon accounting, and carbon market development, as well as facilitate collaboration across governments, industry and academia for joint studies and projects to advance sustainable aviation policies and plans for the Asia-Pacific region. The Centre will also support regional capability-building through technical assistance and training in areas of sustainable aviation policy development and implementation.

International Contributions

These regional partnerships demonstrate what multilateral collaboration can achieve. To bring them to scale and deliver real impact, Singapore places great emphasis on the next enabler of implementation – finance. The Baku-to-Belem Roadmap to 1.3 trillion recognises the urgent need to close the global climate finance gap. However, current finance flows fall far short of what is required to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement.

As a trusted global financial hub, Singapore is doing its part voluntarily to help fill this gap.  Our contributions focus on three pillars: capacity building, mobilising blended finance, and strengthening carbon markets.

Capacity Building

Strengthening institutional and technical capabilities is essential to achieving our global climate goals. That is why Singapore supports efforts to build institutional and technical capabilities, including through our contribution to the UNFCCC non-core budget to be earmarked towards the UNFCCC’s proposal for “Supporting Developing Countries in Implementing the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF)”.  By strengthening the implementation of the ETF across countries, we help to ensure accountability as developing countries strive to deliver positive climate outcomes. Only when all countries have the systems and capacity to act can global climate finance deliver, and keep the goals of the Paris Agreement within reach.

Blended Finance

Two years ago, at COP28, Singapore Government announced Financing Asia’s Transition Partnership (FAST-P). FAST-P is a blended finance initiative which brings together international public, private and philanthropic partners to support Asia’s green and transition financing needs, and aims to raise US$5 billion. Last year, at COP29, the Singapore Government pledged up to US$500 million concessional capital to match dollar-for-dollar, concessional capital from other partners.

This year, Singapore has made further progress with FAST-P. The Green Investments Partnership has achieved its first closure of projects with US$510 million of committed capital. The capital will be deployed to support green and sustainable infrastructure projects in Southeast and South Asia across a strong pipeline of transactions. The pipeline of projects includes renewable energy and storage, electric vehicles, and water and waste management.

Carbon Markets

Another way in which Singapore aims to direct financing towards climate action is through carbon markets. Carbon markets are a potentially transformational pathway to mobilise private capital to unlock additional emissions reductions while simultaneously funding host countries’ economic development and decarbonisation efforts, as well as unlocking other sustainable development benefits. Singapore takes an ecosystem approach to carbon markets. We are working to boost demand-side confidence, unlock high-integrity supply, and develop the enablers for a high-quality carbon market.

To bolster demand, Singapore is exploring the development of energy transition credits as a novel carbon credit type and financing instrument for the phasing out of coal as a fuel source in Asia. These credits are generated from the emissions reductions attributed to the early retirement of coal plants and their replacement with cleaner energy sources. At COP 28, we convened the Transition Credits Coalition, or TRACTION, comprising over 30 global ecosystem players to identify system-wide barriers and solutions for energy transition credits to be utilised as a credible financing instrument to support the managed and equitable early retirement of coal plants. TRACTION has just released its final report at COP30, outlining practical solutions and identifying key areas for further action to help the industry operationalise and scale the use of energy transition credits.

In parallel, Singapore continues to prioritise nature-based solutions as a vital mitigation and finance pathway. In September this year, we committed to procuring 2.175 million tonnes of Article 6-aligned nature-based carbon credits from four projects in Ghana, Paraguay and Peru at an approximate value of S$76 million or US$58 million. These projects aim to reduce carbon emissions from deforestation, increase carbon sequestration of soil organic carbon stock in grasslands through sustainable management practices, and remove carbon emissions through the reforestation of degraded pastureland.

A well-functioning global carbon market requires more than just compliance credits. Therefore, Singapore is also working to strengthen demand in the Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM). In June this year, the Governments of Kenya, Singapore, and the United Kingdom announced the creation of The Coalition to Grow Carbon Markets, a government-led initiative to strengthen voluntary demand for carbon credits. The Coalition comprises ten governments committed to advancing climate action through making clear how businesses can credibly use high-integrity carbon credits in addition to their corporate decarbonisation plans.¹ Earlier this month, in São Paulo, the Coalition launched a set of Shared Principles on the voluntary use of high-integrity carbon credits by corporates, responding to calls from businesses for more cohesion and transparency, and stronger, clearer incentives to engage with carbon markets. The Shared Principles will give businesses the confidence they need to invest in carbon markets to support projects relating to sustainable agriculture, clean energy, as well as nature conservation and restoration.

At Singapore International Energy Week in October this year, we also published a VCM guidance to guide Singapore-based companies in their usage of carbon credits as part of a credible decarbonisation plan. This set of guidelines for Singapore-based companies go hand in hand with the Shared Principles. To demonstrate application of the key principles outlined within the VCM guidance, our government agency EnterpriseSG is in discussions with leading corporates in Asia to establish an industry-led buyers’ coalition to align and channel demand towards high-integrity carbon credits in the region and beyond.

To unlock high-integrity supply, Singapore has made international cooperation on Article 6 carbon credits a key focal point. This year, we signed Implementation Agreements (IAs) with eight additional countries – namely, Bhutan, Peru, Chile, Rwanda, Paraguay, Thailand, Vietnam and Mongolia. This brings the total number of IAs Singapore has signed to 10. We continue to work with the host countries to operationalise the IAs, with our latest call for applications being for the Singapore-Peru IA.   We look forward to deepening collaboration with these partner countries to mobilise investment in high-quality, high-integrity carbon projects.

In addition to growing demand and supply, Singapore invests in enablers that will underpin a well-functioning carbon market. We are growing a carbon services and trading ecosystem to service and support global carbon markets. To-date, over 150 carbon services and trading firms have established a presence in Singapore. Most recently, the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) expanded its global presence through the launch of its Asia Pacific Hub in Singapore, signalling confidence in our growing position as a trusted carbon services hub. As a global meta standard, ICVCM plays a vital role in strengthening integrity in carbon credits through their Core Carbon Principles, and helping scale the supply of high-quality carbon credits globally.

To strengthen the capacity of financial institutions to play a key enabling role in the carbon market value chain the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has introduced a Financial Sector Carbon Market Development Grant, amounting to S$15 million or US$11.5 million over three years till 2028. This will help support financial institutions to build capabilities for carbon-project financing, trading, insurance and related services; and help defray upfront costs associated with transaction structuring, financing, risk management, and trading of carbon credits.

Conclusion

To conclude, Singapore reaffirms our full support for the COP30 Presidency and the UNFCCC. A decade has passed since the global community adopted the Paris Agreement in 2015. Its vision remains as relevant as ever, but its promises can only be kept if we commit to collaborate and make collective progress towards our climate goals. As an ‘Implementation COP’, COP 30 must enable Parties to turn their commitments into concrete results. Singapore stands ready to work with all Parties to ensure that our collective efforts keep global climate targets within reach. 

¹The members of the Coalition are Canada, France, Kenya, Panama, Peru, Singapore, Switzerland, the UK, New Zealand, and Zambia.