Environment & climate

• Starting from 2025, carbon tax-liable companies can purchase international carbon credits to offset up to 5% of their 2024 taxable emissions.
• Singapore has signed implementation agreements with Ghana and Papua New Guinea, with the Ghana partnership actively assessing projects and the Papua New Guinea agreement pending parliamentary approval.
• The government is pursuing similar carbon market partnerships with over 20 other countries and supporting private sector participation through initiatives like business missions and the Singapore Carbon Market Alliance.

• The selection of sponsors and keynote speakers for the Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW) is based on inviting leaders to focus on the annual theme, and the organizer does not vet their speeches for content or factual accuracy to maintain an open platform for diverse perspectives.
• The Ministry of Trade and Industry declined to disclose specific details, such as the amount paid by Aramco as a top sponsor, citing commercial confidentiality, though Aramco was among the listed sponsors for the event.
• The government assesses that the chief executive of Aramco’s keynote remarks reflect one perspective in the global energy transition and do not alter Singapore’s commitment to its own decarbonisation goals, emphasizing that SIEW’s credibility relies on accommodating differing views without endorsing them.

• The Bill introduces stricter penalties, including mandatory minimum fines of $40,000 for first-time offenders and $80,000 for repeat offenders, to deter illegal trade effluent discharge into Singapore’s sewerage system.
• It expands PUB’s powers to enter premises without notice during emergencies, recover costs for rectification works, and enforce maintenance responsibilities for private drainage systems, with safeguards like internal approvals and post-entry notifications.
• Amendments incorporate technical standards by reference, allow for flexibility in flood protection requirements, and clarify cost-sharing mechanisms for shared private drainage facilities.

• The Bill seeks to strengthen Singapore's sewerage and drainage systems through technology like GPS trackers to prevent illegal discharges and damage, alongside raising maximum penalties and introducing mandatory minimum fines for offences such as unauthorised discharge of harmful substances.
• It introduces measures to enhance flood resilience, including expanding regulatory powers over non-construction activities causing silt discharge and requiring property owners to maintain drainage systems, with PUB empowered to set standards like minimum platform levels.
• Amendments also update PUB's operational powers, such as allowing emergency entry for urgent repairs, enabling cost recovery for rectification works, and incorporating external codes of practice, while clarifying terms and removing certain appeal rights.
• Concerns were raised about the financial burden on homeowners for maintenance, the need for cost-sharing mechanisms, and safeguards for privacy and transparency under expanded emergency powers, with calls for phased implementation and impact assessments.
• The debate highlights the importance of balancing public safety and infrastructure resilience with fair implementation, urging collaboration between government, residents, and stakeholders to secure Singapore's water future.

• The Energy Conservation (Amendment) Bill introduces minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) for existing industrial energy systems, starting with chilled water systems, to reduce energy consumption and support Singapore's net-zero goals.
• The Bill requires energy-intensive facilities to comply with MEES by December 2025, with less energy-intensive facilities having until December 2029, and provides government funding support like the Energy Efficiency Grant (EEG) to help businesses, especially SMEs, afford upgrades.
• Amendments also expand energy efficiency opportunities assessments to more development works and aim to improve report quality by requiring certified energy managers to endorse submissions, while maintaining flexibility for companies facing genuine constraints.

• The Senior Minister of State confirmed that the recent oil spill from a Shell pipeline at Pulau Bukom has been cleaned up with no residual oil sightings, and investigations by NEA and MPA are ongoing to determine any enforcement actions under environmental laws.
• NEA has directed Shell to conduct a comprehensive pipeline integrity check across its Bukom plant as an interim measure, and the agency regularly inspects facilities with oil pipelines to ensure compliance with pollution control standards, though the frequency of checks depends on risk assessments.
• The government will review the incident's findings to share learning points with other industrial facilities and strengthen their measures, while NParks continues to monitor the environmental impact of oil spills, with no immediate damage observed from the October incident.

• The Minister of State for Transport outlined that three recent oil spill incidents in Singapore waters were unrelated and varied in scale and cause, with agencies responding in a coordinated and swift manner through measures such as dispersant spraying, boom deployment, and the use of drones and satellite imagery for monitoring.
• No immediate environmental impacts on marine ecosystems, fisheries, or seawater quality were observed from the October incidents, and no oil reached recreational beaches; investigations are ongoing, with enforcement actions to be taken if lapses are found, as seen in the June incident where crew members were charged.
• The government maintains a robust oil spill response system involving multiple agencies and industry partners, conducts regular exercises to refine contingency plans, and enhances safety measures for bunkering and industrial facilities, while acknowledging that complete elimination of spill risks is not possible in a major hub port like Singapore.

He Ting Ru asked if the government plans to include Singapore's share of international transport emissions in its carbon budget and if there are plans for setting targets for those emissions. Grace Fu Hai Yien explained that under UNFCCC rules, emissions from international transport do not count towards the national GHG inventory but are reported separately. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) are responsible for setting decarbonization targets, aiming for net-zero GHG emissions by around 2050. Singapore actively participates in ICAO and IMO discussions and has launched the Maritime Singapore Decarbonisation Blueprint and the Singapore Sustainable Air Hub Blueprint to guide its decarbonization efforts in maritime and aviation sectors, respectively.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked about the criteria for evaluating environmental sustainability in government tenders for large constructions and ICT. Grace Fu Hai Yien explained that for large construction tenders, criteria include suppliers' climate-related disclosures, decarbonisation practices, and relevant sustainability certifications. For ICT tenders, the evaluation focuses on climate-related disclosures, sustainability certifications for products, and sustainable packaging used by the suppliers.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked about the possibility of amending the Wildlife Act 1965 to prohibit advertising wildlife for sale. Desmond Lee clarified that the current Wildlife Act already makes it an offence to sell or export wildlife without written approval from the Director-General. He stated that existing provisions have been effective in enforcing laws against illegal wildlife trade, with previous prosecutions made for advertisement-related offences.

Ong Hua Han asked for an update on the energy conservation initiative that turns off lighting at selected bus stops and covered linkways from 1:00 am to 5:00 am, and whether it will expand to all constituencies. Chee Hong Tat explained that safety is the primary concern when determining which lights can be turned off during low foot traffic hours. As of March 2024, the initiative has been applied to about 4,400 bus shelters and linkways, saving over 45,000 kilowatt-hours monthly. The Land Transport Authority plans to selectively continue this initiative while expanding the covered linkway network.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked about the number of enforcement cases under the Wildlife Act and Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act over the past five years where trained non-enforcement officers assisted enforcement officers. Desmond Lee responded that NParks requires all professionals handling animals in these cases to be certified through their Animal Management Certification Programme, ensuring they possess the necessary expertise. Details on the involvement of non-enforcement officers in these cases were provided in an accompanying table.

Gan Thiam Poh inquired about the resolution of high-rise littering cases in Fernvale under the new presumption of guilt framework implemented on July 1, 2023. Grace Fu Hai Yien reported that over 30 acts of high-rise littering from 14 flats were recorded, with enforcement actions taken against five offenders. One individual was charged but had their charges reduced due to compassionate grounds; the others admitted to their offenses. NEA has conducted over 1,500 camera deployments island-wide and will focus on areas with persistent littering issues while encouraging public submissions of video evidence.

Louis Ng Kok Kwang inquired about the feedback statistics on second-hand tobacco smoke received by the National Environment Agency (NEA) over the past three years. Grace Fu Hai Yien reported a decline in such feedback, with 900 instances in 2021, 260 in 2022, and 120 in 2023, making up 2.6%, 1.2%, and 0.6% of total feedback, respectively. The NEA's online feedback system is designed for various environmental issues, and there are no plans to create a specific category for second-hand tobacco smoke from neighbors.

• LTA has assessed the projected noise from the Jurong Region Line (JRL) and identified areas requiring noise barriers to stay within NEA limits.
• JRL trains will be equipped with noise-dampening wheels to further reduce noise levels.
• The study for Choa Chu Kang Central considered existing noise from the North-South Line and Bukit Panjang LRT.
• With planned noise barriers, projected combined noise levels at residential blocks near JRL tracks are expected to comply with NEA limits.
• No additional measures beyond noise barriers and dampening wheels were mentioned for managing combined noise.

• Joan Pereira asked for an update on planting more wind-resistant trees to cope with extreme weather, focusing on species less prone to uprooting or breakage.
• Desmond Lee outlined NParks’ comprehensive tree management regime, which includes inspections, maintenance, pruning, and crown reduction to enhance resilience against storms and heavy rains.
• NParks is actively replacing vulnerable tree species with hardier ones suited to Singapore’s conditions, such as increasing the population of Sea gutta and Shore Laurel from about 25,400 to 46,500 between 2017 and 2023.

• The government is enhancing the Meteorological Service Singapore’s forecasting capabilities to provide earlier and more accurate warnings for extreme weather events like the Sumatra squall, alongside increasing public education on these warning systems.
• Existing regulatory requirements for building designs and tree management already account for wind and rain impacts, and these will be continually updated to improve infrastructure resilience.
• The government is committed to strengthening climate adaptation policies to better prepare Singapore for more frequent and severe weather events driven by climate change.

• Ong Hua Han asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment to consider mandating F&B establishments to provide free tap water to paying customers to reduce plastic waste from bottled water.
• Grace Fu Hai Yien responded that there are currently no plans to mandate such a requirement, but she encouraged both F&B establishments and patrons to reduce excessive use of disposables.
• The debate highlighted the potential environmental benefits of free tap water while the Ministry took a non-mandatory stance, focusing on voluntary efforts to tackle plastic waste.

• Gan Thiam Poh inquired if Singapore would consider importing nuclear-generated electricity from other countries.
• Gan Kim Yong responded that it is premature to discuss such imports as regional countries are still studying nuclear energy deployment.
• The government has not made a firm decision on the matter due to the ongoing assessments in the region.

• The bill amends the Sewerage and Drainage Act to expand regulatory powers for infrastructure protection and modernization.
• It introduces consequential changes to the Public Utilities Act and State Lands Protection Act to align legal frameworks.
• The amendment aims to enhance Singapore's resilience and sustainability in water management and land use planning.