Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's Meeting with United States Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, 16 June 2023

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan met US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken on 16 June 2023.

Minister Balakrishnan and Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the excellent, long-standing and close partnership between Singapore and the US across the economic, defence and security spheres, and the shared commitment to a stable, rules-based multilateral order. Both sides welcomed new frontiers of bilateral cooperation in cybersecurity, climate change, and space. Minister Balakrishnan expressed appreciation for the US' commitment to engage the region and ASEAN. Both sides welcomed the substantive progress made in the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. They had a free-flowing exchange of views on international and regional developments. Minister Balakrishnan commended the US' efforts to maintain open lines of communication with China and expressed the hope for a constructive visit by Secretary Blinken to China.

At the Joint Press Availability (JPA), Minister Balakrishnan and Secretary Blinken announced the Updated US-Singapore Climate Partnership (USCP) that was launched during Vice President Kamala Harris' visit to Singapore in August 2021. The Updated USCP will intensify efforts in five areas: Regional Energy Transition; Low- and Zero-Emission Technologies and Solutions; Nature-Based Solutions and Carbon Markets; Urban Decarbonisation and Resilience; and Capacity Building. It demonstrates both countries' continued commitment towards climate action. The Joint Factsheet on the Updated USCP is appended.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
17 JUNE 2023

Joint Factsheet on the Updated US-Singapore Climate Partnership

STRENGTHENING THE

UNITED STATES-SINGAPORE CLIMATE PARTNERSHIP

The United States and Singapore are enduring strategic partners that enjoy close and multifaceted cooperation across a range of traditional areas and new frontier issues, including climate change.

The United States and Singapore are both committed to combating the climate crisis and accelerating the clean energy transition at home and across the Indo-Pacific. The window for climate action needed to keep a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius within reach is narrowing rapidly. Recognizing this, we are committed to making the 2020s the decisive decade for climate action, and to implementing our respective 2030 nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement and meeting our 2050 net-zero emission goals.

As part of these efforts to raise climate ambition and advance bold action, both sides launched the US-Singapore Climate Partnership in August 2021 during US Vice President Kamala Harris’ visit to Singapore. The Partnership advances and strengthens both countries’ collaboration on climate action, environmental governance and standards, sustainable development, R&D, and low- and zero-emission solutions.

Following the August 2021 launch, implementing agencies from the US and Singapore have worked to update the Climate Partnership, and chart out its medium to longer-term direction and goals, in support of shared interests and priorities in the Indo-Pacific.

As we seek to further cooperate and accelerate respective action under the US-Singapore Climate Partnership, the two sides are intensifying efforts in the following five focal areas: 

• Regional Energy Transition: Exploring cooperation to support the transition from fossil to clean energy in the ASEAN region, including through the development of regional power grid interconnections as part of a joint feasibility study on regional energy connectivity, and the mobilisation of public and private sector finance for renewable energy and infrastructure development, including through increased direct government support and for electrification of end uses, including zero-emission vehicles.

• Low- and Zero-Emission Technologies and Solutions: Working to scale demand and supply of  innovative, near-zero emissions technologies and solutions in key sectors and markets, including in hard-to-abate sectors like shipping and aviation through efforts such as the development and implementation of aviation green lanes; engaging industry and promoting sustainability and the adoption of high-quality climate standards in Southeast Asia, including through the US-Singapore Partnership for Growth and Innovation; and leading by example to achieve net zero emissions from government operations through the Net-Zero Government Initiative.

• Nature-Based Solutions and Carbon Markets: Reducing emissions through nature-based solutions, such as blue carbon, forests, and sustainable land-use, and supporting the development of high-quality and high-integrity carbon markets.

• Urban Decarbonization and Resilience: Collaborating through R&D, pilots, and technology development mechanisms in sectors of mutual interest and advancing city-level climate ambition, implementation, and innovation bilaterally and globally, with a focus on key sectors including buildings, transport, and circular waste management, including through the Subnational Climate Action Leaders’ Exchange (SCALE) and the US-ASEAN Smart Cities Partnership (USASCP). 

• Capacity Building: Cooperating on third-party capacity building for countries in the region to meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement, such as joint regional workshops to build reporting capacity, and providing bespoke follow-up reporting-related activities for individual countries. 

Under the Climate Partnership, the two sides plan to meet annually to take stock of progress and identify new areas of collaboration on climate action, environment and sustainability, and energy transition, that advance shared national interests.

Photos caption: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan’s Meeting with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 16 June 2023

Photos credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore

Photos caption: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan’s Joint Press Availability with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, 16 June 2023

Photos credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Singapore