Collective action needed for Paris Agreement goals to be realised, says Grace Fu at COP30

SINGAPORE: The vision of the landmark Paris Agreement remains as relevant as ever a decade after it was inked, but "its promises can only be kept" if there is a global commitment to collective progress, Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Monday (Nov 17).

To this end, Singapore has made significant contributions – it was one of 13 nations that submitted a carbon-reducing pledge before a Feb 10 deadline, is rolling out a national adaptation plan over the next five years to mitigate climate change risks, and is also donating to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Ms Fu was delivering Singapore's national statement at the high-level segment of the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP30), which was held this year in Belém, Brazil.

"Climate change continues to outpace the collective response of the global community ... Overlaying this is a backdrop of intensifying geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty," said Ms Fu, adding that multilateral cooperation is being put to the test.

Global leaders have gathered at the annual climate summit to drive progress towards limiting the effects of global warming.

However this year's conference has a glaring absence - the United States under president Donald Trump's administration has not sent an official delegation for the first time.

Instead, according to media reports, representatives from local and state governments, as well as non-profit organisations, attended. The US also formally withdrew from the Paris Agreement at the start of this year.

Adopted at COP21 in 2015, the Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was signed by 195 parties that committed to accelerate action and investments towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.

Recognising that institutional and technical capabilities are key to achieving global climate goals, Ms Fu reaffirmed Singapore’s support for international efforts in this area.

She cited Singapore’s contribution to the UNFCCC’s non-core budget, which is to be earmarked for the UNFCCC proposal to support developing countries in implementing the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).

The ETF under the Paris Agreement ensures accurate measurement, reporting and verification of progress towards climate goals.

"By strengthening the implementation of the ETF across countries, we help to ensure accountability as developing countries strive to deliver positive climate outcomes," Ms Fu said.

"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."

The UNFCCC's budget made headlines earlier this year after the US withdrew its contributions to the climate body, though the US' deficit was made up for by donations from former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's philanthropy arm.

Ms Fu also highlighted other ways Singapore is contributing to global climate action. 

The country was among the 13 out of 195 parties to the Paris Agreement that submitted its 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by a Feb 10, 2025 deadline.

Singapore's latest NDC pledged to reduce emissions to between 45 to 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035, placing it on a linear trajectory to achieve net zero emissions in 2050.

Singapore has also been advancing decarbonisation by exploring low-carbon energy sources, such as biomethane, and by promoting the use of sustainable fuels in the maritime and aviation sectors.

The country will also develop its inaugural national adaptation plan over the next five years to address the physical risks and other impacts of climate change. Ms Fu pointed to measures against rising sea levels and extreme heat as part of the strategy.

About 30 per cent of Singapore’s land lies less than 5 metres above mean sea level, making the country vulnerable to the impact of sea level rise. 

Singapore will also be introducing a Coastal Protection Bill next year to define responsibilities and enforcement powers, while a code of practice for coastal protection standards will be launched by mid-2026 to set standards for the design, construction and operation of coastal protection structures.

Amid projections that annual average temperatures could rise by up to 5 degrees Celsius by 2100, Singapore is also stepping up measures to tackle extreme heat, such as methods to protect outdoor workers from heat stress. 

A new National Heatwave Response Plan was also launched this year as a coordinated approach to manage extreme heat events and protect residents from its effects, she said. 

Besides domestic efforts, Singapore continues to work closely with regional neighbours across the areas of climate science, adaptation planning and the ASEAN Power Grid, an initiative that would enable cross-border trade in low-carbon electricity, Ms Fu said.

Internationally, Singapore is helping to mobilise blended finance and strengthen carbon markets to support climate action.

Singapore is focusing on boosting demand-side confidence in carbon markets, ensuring high-integrity carbon credit supply, and developing the "enablers for a high-quality carbon market", Ms Fu said.

CONNECTED CARBON MARKET

In a separate speech, Ms Fu announced updates in this front, in particular to an implementation agreement with Thailand that would facilitate the transfer of carbon credits.

Singapore has signed 10 such agreements, but the one with Thailand – signed in August 2025 – is the first between ASEAN countries.

At a carbon markets networking event at the COP30 Singapore Pavilion, Ms Fu and Thailand’s Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister for Political Affairs Patranant Thongprapan, announced the publication of an eligibility list outlining the programmes and methodologies both countries will accept under the agreement.

Enterprise Singapore will lead a business mission to Thailand early next year and efforts are being made to launch project applications in the first quarter of 2026.

According to a press release issued by Singapore, carbon credits authorised under the agreement may be used to offset up to 5 per cent of a company’s taxable emissions under Singapore’s International Carbon Credits framework, subject to eligibility.

The carbon credits can also be used to comply with binding mandates such as NDCs and other international mitigation purposes.