Intervention at the G20 Climate and Energy Joint Ministerial Meeting by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment

23 July 2021

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Intervention by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment, at the G20 Climate and Energy Joint Ministerial Meeting on 23 July 2021

1 I would like to thank Italy for inviting Singapore to participate in the first-ever G20 Climate-Energy Joint Ministerial Meeting.

2 Climate change is an existential threat, particularly for small island states. We therefore look to the G20 to show leadership, including by submitting ambitious climate pledges and long-term strategies. We are pleased that Italy is working to galvanise a strong response from the G20.

3 Singapore welcomes the focus on cities. Indeed, we need to redesign cities for greater sustainability and resilience, and with lower carbon and resource footprints.

4 Earlier this year, Singapore launched the Singapore Green Plan 2030, our ambitious roadmap towards sustainable development, net-zero emissions, and a green economy.

5 We will transform Singapore into a 'City in Nature' by planting one million more trees by 2030, expanding our carbon sinks, and employing nature-based solutions to buttress our city against sea-level rise.

6 We have adopted a long-term approach to building climate resilience, rooted in robust climate science. This includes coastal adaptation plans, keeping Singapore cool, and strengthening Singapore's food and water security in a resource-efficient way.

7 Our plans for building smart and sustainable societies include investing in environmentally-friendly technologies, decarbonising the energy sector, rolling out cleaner forms of transport, and leveraging digitalisation and AI. We are collaborating with G20 partners, including Australia and the UK, to explore low-emission technologies.

8 We welcome the opportunity to share best practices and are pleased that the Presidency Report on "Resilient, Smart and Sustainable Cities" featured useful case studies, including from Singapore.

9 The G20, with its heft and scale, is best placed to lead the decarbonisation drive by pooling resources and research capabilities, particularly on needle-moving low-carbon solutions such as hydrogen.

10 We look forward to working with Indonesia and the G20 Troika to take forward our work next year.