Climate change
Find out more about Singapore’s view on climate change and our contributions to global efforts on climate action.
Last updated 8 March 2026
Overview
Climate change is a global challenge that requires a global response.
As a small, low-lying city-state with one of the world’s most open economies, Singapore is particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change. We are committed to a multilateral, rules-based solution to address this challenge, and actively support and participate in international negotiations on this front.
Singapore ratified the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1997, acceded to the Kyoto Protocol in 2006, and also ratified the amendments on the second commitment period (from 2012 to 2020) of the Kyoto Protocol in 2014. At the 21st Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP-21) in Paris on 12 December 2015, countries adopted the Paris Agreement, a universal and legally binding agreement for post-2020 climate action. Singapore ratified the Paris Agreement on 21 September 2016 in New York, becoming one of the first few countries to do so, alongside 30 other countries. The Paris Agreement entered into force on 4 November 2016, 30 days after it crossed the double threshold of 55 Parties ratifying and the total emissions of ratifying Parties exceeding 55% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Although Singapore accounts for around 0.11 percent of global carbon emissions, we have made significant efforts to reduce emissions domestically. About 95 percent of our electricity is generated from natural gas – the cleanest fossil fuel – and we have implemented policies to cap vehicle growth and manage vehicular emissions. Our small size and high population density, however, limits our ability to draw on alternative energy such as solar, wind, or nuclear. Nonetheless, we firmly believe that it is important for all countries to contribute to global efforts to combat climate change, with each doing its best based on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, respective capabilities, and national circumstances.
Singapore also strongly believes in contributing to global efforts through providing capacity-building to fellow developing countries to help them meet their climate pledges and take effective action on climate change. Notably, we launched the Sustainability Action Package (SAP) under the Singapore Cooperation Programme in 2022. The SAP, which builds on the concluded Climate Action Package (CAP), aims to support the capacity-building needs of developing countries on sustainability and climate change, and comprises capacity-building programmes which cover a wide range of sustainability themes such as adaptation and resilience-building strategies, green project management and financing, low carbon development, and carbon markets. We continue to undertake initiatives with fellow ASEAN Member States on capacity-building to effectively implement the Paris Agreement. Our technical assistance programmes have been undertaken bilaterally, with other countries, or in partnership with relevant international organisations.
Singapore's Climate Action Plan
Singapore launched our Climate Action Plan in July 2016 which details our strategies to adapt to the impact of climate change, such as implementing coastal and infrastructure protection measures. The Plan also explains our approach to reduce carbon emissions up to 2030, which includes: (i) improving energy efficiency; (ii) reducing carbon emissions from power generation; (iii) developing cutting-edge low-carbon technologies; and (iv) responding through the collective action of government agencies, individuals, businesses and the community.
To galvanise a whole-of-nation movement and advance our national agenda on sustainable development, Singapore also launched the Singapore Green Plan 2030 in February 2021. The Green Plan charts ambitious and concrete targets for the rest of this decade, complementing our broader climate action efforts. Together, these aims have been reflected in Singapore’s climate pledge (i.e., our Nationally Determined Contribution or NDC) under the UNFCCC. In July 2015, we announced our target of reducing emissions intensity by 36 percent from 2005 levels by 2030, and stabilising emissions with the aim of peaking around 2030. In November 2022, Singapore submitted a second update to our 2030 NDC and an Addendum to Singapore’s Long-Term Low-Emissions Development Strategy (LEDS) to the UNFCCC. As part of the revised 2030 NDC, Singapore pledged to reduce emissions to around 60 MtCO2e in 2030 after peaking emissions earlier.
Most recently, Singapore submitted our 2035 NDC to the UNFCCC in February 2025, where we committed to reduce emissions to between 45 and 50 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in 2035. Our latest 2035 NDC builds on our 2030 iteration and paves the way to achieve our target of net zero emissions by 2050.
More information on Singapore’s Whole-of-Government efforts on climate change can be found on the National Climate Change Secretariat, Strategy Group, Prime Minister’s Office (NCCS) website.
Recent highlights
2025
Minister (Sustainability and the Environment) Grace Fu headed the Singapore delegation at the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP-30) held in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025.
Singapore published a Voluntary Carbon Market (VCM) guidance at Singapore International Energy Week in October 2025 to guide Singapore-based companies in their usage of carbon credits as part of a credible decarbonisation plan. EnterpriseSG is in discussions with major corporations in Asia to establish a buyers' coalition that will collectively procure high-quality carbon credits across the region and beyond.
Minister (Sustainability and the Environment) Grace Fu attended the Petersberg Climate Dialogue (PCD) 2025, in Berlin, Germany, from 25 to 26 April 2025. With 2025 marking 10 years of the Paris Agreement, the Dialogue centred around the importance of boosting climate ambition, accelerating action towards the Paris Agreement goals, and setting ambitious NDCs, with the intention to facilitate a successful COP-30.
2024
Minister (Sustainability and the Environment) Grace Fu headed the Singapore delegation at the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP-29) held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024.
Senior Minister of State (Sustainability and the Environment) Dr Koh Poh Koon attended the 8th Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action (MoCA) in Wuhan, China from 22 to 23 July 2024.
Minister (Sustainability and the Environment) Grace Fu attended the Petersberg Climate Dialogue (PCD) 2024, in Berlin, Germany, from 25 to 26 April 2024. The Dialogue discussed the actions needed to raise climate ambition in order to keep the 1.5°C global warming limit within reach, and were aimed at facilitating a successful COP-29.