Written Reply to Parliamentary Question on Greenhouse Gas Accounting for Land Reclamation

Question:

Dr Charlene Chen: To ask the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether Singapore's greenhouse gas accounting captures the full carbon impact of land reclamation, including (i) emissions from dredging, material transport and fill placement (ii) loss of coastal and marine carbon sinks and (iii) carbon released through disturbance of carbon-rich marine sediments; and (b) if not, whether these impacts will be progressively incorporated.

Answer:

Singapore reports its national greenhouse gas inventory in accordance with guidelines from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change under the Paris Agreement’s Enhanced Transparency Framework.

Singapore’s national greenhouse gas inventory accounts for emissions from dredging, material transport and fill placement, as well as emissions and removals by mangroves.

Emissions from other marine habitats such as seagrass meadows, and disturbed marine sediments are not included because there are currently no clear internationally agreed reporting methodologies for them. Singapore will consider incorporating emissions from these when the necessary scientific evidence has been established and clearer internationally agreed methodologies become available. Internationally agreed methodologies are important to ensure that inventories are robust and comparable across countries.