STATEMENT BY MR JASON TAN, FIRST SECRETARY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, PERMANENT MISSION OF SINGAPORE, AT THE UN SUSTAINABILITY WEEK, GLOBAL STOCKTAKING MARKING THE COMPLETION OF THE UN DECADE OF SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FOR ALL TO FURTHER ACCELERATE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SDG 7 OF THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, 19 APRIL 2024
19 Apr 2024
1 Thank you Chair. I also thank the President of the General Assembly for convening this meeting, as well as UN-Energy, DESA, UNEP, and IEA for the very meaningful insights. Let me share three points to build on what has been said.
2 First, renewable energy. To transform our energy systems and meet our energy goals, increasing the use of renewable energy in our power grids are essential. To facilitate this, Singapore has promoted sustainable energy in different ways, by pricing energy right, by introducing appropriate regulations, by improving demand for renewables, and by supporting research and development. These not only facilitate deployment of renewable energy on a wider scale, but also pushes us towards a low-carbon future. Today, we are home to one of the world’s biggest floating solar farms, tapping also on the synergies between energy and other sustainable development goals.
3 Second, energy efficiency. Enhancing energy efficiency across various sectors, from households to industry, is critical to manage energy consumption as countries develop and grow. It doesn’t even necessarily require drastic changes in lifestyle; we just need to use energy in a smarter way. For example, we are facilitating the switching to more resource-efficient appliances in households, and retrofitting buildings across our country to meet the latest standards. By adopting a whole-of-society approach, we can massively reduce energy use across the board.
4 Third, international cooperation. Noting the global nature of the energy challenge, collaboration and partnerships remain key to addressing this issue more holistically. More coordinated efforts can accelerate progress towards implementation of energy solutions. Singapore is working closely with our regional partners to develop the ASEAN Power Grid, which can help in decarbonising the energy sector and providing resilience and stability for our
region’s power systems. Singapore remains committed to advancing international cooperation with all our partners to overcome the global energy challenge.
5 I thank you.
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