Our International Policy in a Nutshell

Partnering the World for Sustainability

Singapore is a strong advocate of a multilateral, rules-based approach to addressing global and regional environmental challenges. We participate actively and constructively at various platforms, and work with all countries to push for strong, balanced, and credible outcomes at negotiations that strengthen global environmental action. We also share our experiences with and learn from other countries to ensure that as an international community, we can make progress on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Our Key Issues

The scope of international environmental policy is wide ranging. It includes addressing climate change, promoting circular economy, enhancing food and water security, tackling transboundary air and water pollution, and safeguarding our environment from marine litter and microplastics. We work with governments and stakeholders to further progress in these areas at international and regional platforms as well as through bilateral engagements and technical exchanges.

Our Key Platforms

Singapore supports the global response to current and emerging environmental issues at both regional and international platforms. For MSE, these platforms include ASEAN, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), UN General Assembly (UNGA), UN Development Programme (UNDP), and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Singapore is an active participant at these platforms and supports many of their outcomes, activities, and initiatives. This includes the adoption of the Paris Agreement at the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) at the UNGA both in 2015, and the establishment of the ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC), which advances meteorological science, technology and monitoring in the region.

Our Key Partners

Singapore‘s engagement with the international community extends beyond multilateral platforms. We also advance the global sustainability agenda by working constructively with key countries, such as through regular high-level policy forums, facilitating business missions as well as joint research and development efforts, and exchanging knowledge and best practices. We also ensure that provisions in our trade agreements protect the environment and strengthen supply chain resilience. Singapore believes that we can solve many environmental issues when we constructively work together.

Sharing Our Experiences

Global challenges, such as climate change, need global solutions. We can facilitate the delivery of these solutions by sharing best practices and working in close partnership with the international community.

Singapore has been sharing our experience and providing capacity-building support on sustainable development and climate action to other developing countries through technical assistance programmes. Under the Singapore Cooperation Programme (SCP), which is Singapore’s flagship technical assistance platform established in 1992, we have run capacity building programmes for more than 132,000 officials from over 180 countries, territories and intergovernmental organisations, in areas such as water and sanitation and sustainable cities. Our programmes are linked to the SDGs. In 2018, we launched a Climate Action Package (CAP) to provide capacity-building assistance in areas such as climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, clean energy and emissions reduction, climate science, and green finance, to support countries’ implementation of the Paris Agreement.

In addition, Singapore organises the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) and Clean Enviro-Summit Singapore (CESG) biennially. These are part of a series of sustainability events which brings global environmental leaders, experts, and practitioners together to tap business opportunities and to advance innovative solutions in water and environment management.