While Singapore will be doing its “full part” to tackle climate change, the island state will not be able to stop climate change on its own, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Speaking at the Climate Action Summit on September 23, 2019, at the United Nations, PM Lee highlighted the importance of cooperation between countries to address the threat.
“Like many Small Island States, Singapore is vulnerable, especially to the effects of global warming, and especially the rise of sea-levels. For us, climate change is existential.”
He noted that while Singapore contributes only 0.11 per cent of global emissions, the country has “played [its] part as responsible global citizens to mitigate climate change”. Measures adopted include using solar energy to the maximum extent possible, implementing a carbon tax this year, and greening the physical and transport infrastructure.
Singapore is also cooperating with other countries on this cause. “We launched the Climate Action Package to offer capacity building programmes. We have contributed SGD 5 million to the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre, based in Singapore, for a five-year regional capacity development programme for Southeast Asia. We have established the Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility, with the support of Japan and the World Bank, to provide flood risk pooling for the region.”