Accelerate and Deepen Efforts Against Climate Change (Motion)

(26 min) Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Mr Speaker, on behalf of the Government Parliamentary Committee for Sustainability and the Environment, I beg to move*,

"That this House calls on the Government, in partnership with the private sector and the people of Singapore, to deepen and accelerate efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and to embrace sustainability in the development of Singapore".

*The Motion also stood in the names of Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling, Mr Gan Thiam Poh, Ms Poh Li San, Ms Hany Soh and Mr Don Wee.

Sir, it is too hot! And I am sure everyone has also realised it is too wet! The past January was the wettest January in the past 100 years. Floods submerged our pathways and toppled our trees. Many of our deliverymen got stranded in shelters because it became too dangerous to ride. The past two decades were also the hottest decades on record. But if you think you are sweaty now, get ready to sweat more: Singapore is becoming hotter twice as quickly as the rest of the world.

Our climate is changing for the extreme. Our science and our senses tell us so. As Minister Grace Fu shared last month, “With climate change, we can expect more of such erratic weather in future.”

Sir, I remember learning about climate change when I was still a little boy. In fact, I was 10 years old when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change was set up in 1988. It saddens me that my daughters Ella, Katie and Poppy will grow up facing the same environmental issues I learnt about when I was in school so many decades ago. Sir, we must do more – a lot more and a lot more urgently.

Today, my fellow Members of Parliament and I will present recommendations on 10 topics. The GPC for Sustainability and the Environment as well as the Young PAP have worked hard and worked together – in partnership with climate activists, business leaders and members of the public – to come up with these recommendations.

We are pushing hard for changes but, at the same time, we are mindful not to push people and businesses away. We are mindful of the trade-offs, particularly for our economy and jobs, and we have sought to find the right balance. All of us believe that a healthy economy and a healthy planet can go hand-in-hand and should go hand-in-hand.

Sir, let me start by sharing why my fellow Members and I have brought this Motion to the House today.

Our first point of departure is the common understanding that climate change is a global crisis that strikes at the very foundations of how Singaporeans live. In his 2019 National Day Rally speech, Prime Minister Lee called climate change “one of the gravest challenges facing humankind.” He outlined how Singapore will be hit. Rising sea levels may put coastal areas underwater. Floods may become more frequent. Developers will have to build at higher levels than before. Tens of billions of taxpayer dollars will have to be spent on massive projects, such as building polders.

Singapore has always managed to build our way around problems. We built upwards, touching the sky with skyscrapers and HDB blocks. We built outwards, reclaiming land from the sea. We built our NEWater plants, turning waste into water. But climate change is not an ecological threat that our engineers can just build around. It is an economic and political threat. 

Near and far from our borders, cities and villages will face the test of climate change. Some will sink into the ocean. Others will be consumed by wildfires. Farms and fisheries will be reshaped, disrupting supply chains. The polar ice caps will melt, opening new shipping routes that bypass Singapore’s port. There may be price instability. Businesses and consumers will both be affected. There may even be geopolitical conflicts over water resources. 

In other words, we cannot hope to escape climate change through superior engineering and high-quality design. Globalisation means climate change will find a way to hit our livelihoods, our breadbaskets and our peace.

This brings me to the second reason we have brought the Motion to this House: it upholds Singapore's reputation of fulfilling our international commitments.

As Minister Vivian will tell you, we are a little red dot, but there is nothing little about our voice. We have led negotiations in the most significant multilateral agreements of our time. We have hosted peace summits, had UN conventions named after us and had our people elected to lead UN agencies.

All this is made possible because our diplomats at MFA and our Public Service work so hard. But it is also made possible because Singapore has a reputation for responding when the international community calls.

So, our Motion today responds to what is perhaps the most critical call of our century – former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon's call that every country must take urgent, immediate action to combat climate change. More than anyone else, Singapore understands the significance of going together, not going alone. On these rough tides, every pair of hands counts.

We have signed the Paris Climate Agreement, but we must do more. Our recommendations today provide specific proposals on what we can do.

Our third and last reason for bringing this Motion here today is that it responds to voices Members of this House must all have heard. These voices come from Singaporeans, young and old. In the past few years we have seen them build, organise, research, educate and advocate to move the needle on climate change.

Let me start with a voice from the private sector.

Esther has been City Developments Limited's Chief Sustainability Officer for over 25 years. It really is not common to see a business leader advocate about climate change like she does. In one breath, she is talking about Sustainable Cities Index; in another, she is casually dropping data about Canada's climate change policy. Let me quote her interview with Eco-Business: "We should ask ourselves what sort of solutions can really tackle the climate emergency and how we can take action. There is no point in just talking if you do not take action."

Good thing, she also walks the talk. She has worked with her company to cut emissions, secure green loans, fund green start-ups and create awareness campaigns. She has won the SDG Pioneer award, given by the UN to business leaders who have done an outstanding job advancing their Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs.

Despite all her time working with titans of industry, her inspiration comes from youths. To quote her again, from interview with The Edge: "Given their energy and desire for a bright future, youths play a vital role in helping our planet to recover from the harm humans have inflicted. We need to engage, encourage and empower youths to drive the green agenda and impart them with the necessary skillsets and tools to drive sustainability for decades to come."

I could not agree with her more about youths being the future. I have spoken with many of them in the past few years and decades. Let me share a few of the personal stories they shared with me.

Xiang Tian is a young man studying at the Singapore Institute of Technology. You may have seen him holding a microphone and giving a heartfelt speech at the Singapore Climate Rally in 2019. But his passion for the environment goes much further back. It started in kindergarten, when NEA gave out a Green Package to his class. His memory is vivid: it was three books and one music CD, instructing him on how Singapore will pile up with trash if he did not reduce, reuse and recycle.

And so he did. But that was not enough. He learned, as we all do, that big problems require big solutions. So, he started studying engineering, with an eye on finding solutions. He connected with other passionate people. He founded LepakSG, which consolidates environmental events in a single calendar.

"Lepak" means relax, but he is nothing but hard work. In fact, what he finds energising is that the climate change community are the kind of people who, like him, are happy to volunteer their Friday nights and weekends discussing problems, researching solutions, gathering feedback, reaching out to public agencies.

"No one is Superman," he told me. "We cannot save the world by ourselves. But we can move others and we can change systems." And that is exactly what he is doing and, as many of us know, he is doing this while infamously always wearing his slippers.

Like Xiang Tian, Lastrina found a connection with the environment at a young age. Her dad came from Pulau Sakijang Pelepah, or what some of you may know as Lazarus Island.

Growing up around sea captains and divers, she gained a natural appreciation for the environment. But almost 10 years ago, she heard what the experts were saying about climate change. "Something worrying was happening," she said. It was time to graduate from appreciating the environment to helping it.

And so, in 2015, she started the Singapore Youth for Climate Action with some friends. She understands instinctively how powerless other youths feel in today's world.

The solution, she says, is to shine the light on what they can do. Speak up. Organise. Collaborate. Build a movement. Talk to decision makers. Everyone has a role to play. Her message is one of empowerment, and Singapore is lucky to have her.

Sir, I am happy to share that our People's Action Party's youth wing also has its own activists passionate about sustainability and climate change.

For Wei-Shan from our Young PAP, or YP, sustainability has a lot to do with changing people's mindsets. She has first-hand experience with this. Running a business that designs gifts, she found that clients would almost always opt for plastic packaging even when she recommended greener alternatives. Hard to change people's minds, she says.

It is a challenge, but it is one we cannot shy away from. That is why the many public consultations organised by Wei-Shan and her passionate team mates at YP brought industry experts and climate activists to the same table. Each party gets the chance to persuade and be persuaded. Good policy, she says, must balance the viewpoints of different groups.

Wei-Shan is also a mother of two young children. We are used to seeing their faces during our many Zoom calls. These little ones fuel her passion for sustainability. "I want the world to be better for them in 10, 20 years’; not worse," she says.

Like Wei-Shan, Cynthia's passion is informed by her work. Having worked for over 10 years in the maritime sector, an industry at the heart of global business, she recalls that MNCs were working on sustainability, even before it became a buzzword in Singapore.

That is why she believes good climate policy must be pragmatic. Of course, it must reduce emissions, and of course, it must ensure the welfare of Singaporeans. But the path to that outcome should involve working with the private sector. Acknowledge their concerns. Help them find alternatives. They have the capacity to change, and we all benefit if we help them to do so.

That is why Cynthia and her passionate team of activists at the YP climate change policy team envision such an important role for businesses in their position papers.

But business aside, climate change is, for Cynthia, about responsibility. "We have treated the Earth badly," she says. It is time we do what is right for the future generations.

I hope Members of this House do not make the mistake of thinking any of these people work alone. Xiang Tian, Lastrina, Wei-Shan and Cynthia were all at pains to emphasise the work of others. They are just four names amongst thousands in Singapore who are waging the battle against climate change in their own ways.

We may not agree with everything climate activists say or do. But let us pause and remember: these are Singaporeans who care deeply about helping and protecting something other than themselves. Is that not something we should cherish?

Just as importantly, they speak up because they believe in the capacity of this Government to listen. Is that not something we should respond to?

And so we should. This Motion today responds to their call.

Today, my fellow MPs and I will discuss 10 topics. Let me kickstart the discussion with the first topic: stepping up sustainability standards in the Public Service.  

Government is big business. In 2016, our 35,000 Government contracts were worth a whopping $22.6 billion. As the largest employer and one of the biggest business clients in Singapore, the Government can move the standard business practices of entire industries, just by enhancing its sustainability standards.

It is good that we have the Public Service Taking The Lead in Environmental Sustainability initiative. It is also good news that Minister Grace Fu said last year that the Government is already looking at a sustainable framework for Government procurement. We should ensure that these higher standards are robust.

First, life-cycle costing should be expanded to more categories of products. Life-cycle costing is simple. It means when we buy something, we look not just at the price tag, but also at how much it will cost us to maintain, use and dispose. This practice helps us spend less and waste less. The Government currently requires its agencies to do it only for electrical appliances. We should do it also for vehicles, furniture and other products.

Second, Government contracts should measure and set standards for carbon footprints. It is already a common practice in Europe. We should mandate it, especially, for high-emissions infrastructure projects. In addition, we can increase standards on accredited efficiency. For example, public procurement standards currently require air-conditioners to have only three ticks of efficiency. We can raise the standard to four or five ticks, which will save us money in the long run while cutting emissions.

Third, every Ministry should be required to publish a yearly Sustainability Report. This can just be an adapted version of the confidential Resource Management Plans that they already must prepare. It will tell the public how each Ministry is greening its operations.

To sum up, we can do a lot by enhancing our Government's sustainability standards. I will also note that many of our Government's contractors also service other clients. When we tighten our sustainability requirements, it can spark process improvements across the supply chain, creating a multiplied effect.

But Sir, the Government's work does not stop at its procurement or its operations. It sets policies, and this means there are a lot more things it can do.

My colleagues will focus on nine other topics and propose changes in policies. Again, these proposals were formulated from over a year of public consultations with business leaders, researchers, activists and fellow Singaporeans.

Some of the ideas were sparked by YP's Climate Change policy team. The Members' various legislative assistants also contributed to making this happen. My thanks to my own climate change team, led by Elliot. They have done extraordinary work.

Sir, the first topic is carbon tax. The carbon tax is perhaps Singapore's most important policy tool against climate change. I agree that we needed to start low to avoid spooking investors and I agree that our economy needs to emerge from COVID-19 first.

But our 2030 target of $10 to $15 per tonne increase is far too low. Some feel that it simply will not work as a way to slash emissions. IMF, which has one of the most conservative models out there, says our rate needs to be no lower than S$99 in 2030 to keep climate change at safe levels.

Even if we decide that $99 is too high, $15 is not anywhere near enough. We need to be honest with ourselves: without a high enough carbon tax, even with all the other things we do, our emission level might remain high – far too high.

Research studies from Ireland, Scotland and British Columbia find that a revenue-neutral carbon tax, where the money collected is poured back into the economy, could slash emissions while boosting the economy. That is the path we need to take. Mr Don Wee will share more of his thoughts on this topic. Mr Henry Kwek will also share his views about cutting our emissions.

The second topic is professionalisation of the carbon documentation industry to heed the UN's call for global harmonisation of carbon documentation standards.

The third topic is embedding sustainability into our industry transformation maps (ITM) or having an ITM for the sustainability sector.

Both of these topics flow from the reality that climate change is terrible, but the fight against it can create good jobs for Singaporeans and grow our economy. Miss Cheryl Chan will share her take on these two topics.

The fourth topic is the Green Mark scheme. Green Mark sets standards and certifies sustainable construction. It is a good idea, but its standards need to be improved. A Green Mark Silver or Green Mark Gold building, today, may not be very green at all. The scheme needs to be tightened. Ms Poh Li San will speak on this topic.

The fifth topic is climate education and the sixth topic is increasing public access to emissions data of top-emitting entities. Both of these topics are about empowering our citizens. How can we teach our young ones about climate change? What can we do for them outside the classroom? And can we release more data on carbon emissions to the public?

Sustainability is an increasingly integral part of people's lives. We must provide the education and the data needed for people to act in line with their moral compass. This will also help Singapore cut emissions. Ms Nadia Samdin will share more on the topic and Ms Hany Soh will also speak about community involvement.

The seventh topic is charging points for electrical vehicles or EVs. EVs are the future of motor vehicles. Singapore aims to phase out cars with internal combustion engines by 2040. But this shift will be hard if we do not have enough charging points for them. The Government needs the private sector to build more charging points. We need to find new ways to help them do so. Mr Gan Thiam Poh will speak on this topic.

Mr Gan will also speak on the eighth topic, data-sharing mechanisms. The world of business competition is a treacherous place, but robust data-sharing frameworks can help provide the trust needed for industry players to share data, become more efficient and reduce emissions.

The ninth topic is climate defence. Total Defence has six pillars. It is time to add climate defence as the seventh pillar to reflect how climate change is an existential threat for Singapore. Mr. Seah Kian Peng is passionate about this topic and will discuss this in his speech.

Beyond the 10 topics, we are all also concerned about our forests in Singapore. Recently, the Government shared an environmental baseline study carried out by HDB to guide future plans to the Dover, or I should correct it now, Ulu Pandan Forest. I thank HDB for consulting nature groups on the findings and also publishing the study online to seek further public views. I thank Minister for his comprehensive reply during Question Time earlier. 

Many Singaporeans have spoken up. I share their concerns and I too hope that the Ulu Pandan Forest and other forests like the Clementi Forest will be protected. I believe we can work together to find a middle ground and embrace sustainability in the development of Singapore.

Sir, our forests are carbon sinks. They are our vanguard in our fight against climate change. In fact, because we have cut down so much forest in recent years, Singapore's land now emits more carbon than it absorbs. It is needless to say that forests are also sites of great, irreplaceable biodiversity.

The importance of biodiversity in forests is why when I amended the Wild Animals and Birds Act through a Private Member's Bill last year. We included a new section 10 that empowers the Director-General, Wildlife Management to "issue directions to developers to carry out wildlife-related measures to safeguard wildlife, public health or safety, or the health of the eco-system." This was meant to give our Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports more teeth. It also allows wildlife-related conditions in our EIA reports to be formally issued as directions. Developers must comply, or they may be punished by $50,000 fines or six months' imprisonment.

Sir, I am glad that there is good news in that we are protecting more green spaces that were previously not protected. Indeed, we are setting up the new Khatib Bongsu Nature Park and the Sungei Buloh Nature Park Network. I have brought many people, young and old to explore Khatib Bongsu in the past few months and they are all in awe of the amazing biodiversity we have in Singapore and the need to conserve the precious green spaces we have left.

 Just last Saturday, my GRC colleague, Mr Derrick Goh and I kayaked with students from Secondary schools in Nee Soon to explore Khatib Bongsu. The kids are now brainstorming and coming up with ideas on how to build this new nature park. They are excited. There is more we can do to protect our flora and fauna. It starts by not destroying the natural habitat.

Many of these species have inhabited this land long before us. They bring life to our island. They remind Singaporeans that a world exists beyond the containers of steel, glass and concrete that we live in. They provide enriching spaces for scientific research. We call it nature, but it is also identity and it is also heritage. Buildings can be rebuilt. Art can be preserved. But it will take hundreds, if not thousands, of years before a living, breathing eco-system like a forest regrows itself.

Sir, we have committed to planting a million trees in Singapore over the next 10 years. Let us also commit to protecting a million existing trees in our existing forests. Ms Rachel Ong will share more of her thoughts on this topic. Mr. Christopher de Souza will also discuss this in his speech in his Adjournment Motion.

Sir, let me end with a quote as always. This, by the former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, "We are the last generation that can take steps to avoid the worst impacts of climate change. Future generations will judge us harshly if we fail to uphold our moral and historical responsibilities."

Sir, way back in 1956, the New York Times published an article, titled "Warmer climate on the earth may be due to more carbon dioxide in the air". It was a warning about climate change and how human actions will contribute to it. I live this moment in sadness and optimism. Sadness because we are somehow fighting the same battle that our forefathers fought decades ago. But, also optimism – because we are now much clearer about what we can do. Optimism because Singaporeans, more than ever before, are speaking up and taking action.

The Government is listening and has done a great deal. We are spending more than $1 billion in carbon tax revenue for the next five years to help our industries become more efficient. We are building solar panels on our flats, reservoirs, ports and even airbases to increase our use of renewable energy. We are making aggressive plans to replace conventional vehicles with EVs and hybrids to cut transport emissions. We are facilitating green loans and green bonds to help green businesses grow. We are making big bets on carbon capture, hydrogen and other aspects of climate science as part of a massive $25 billion research blueprint.

We are doing a lot. But still, we need to do more. Let us deepen and accelerate our climate change efforts. Let us slash our emissions while building new industries and creating new jobs. Let us commit to 2050 as a target year for net zero emissions so we catch up to the many countries we often compare ourselves to, such as Korea and Japan.

Sir, three years ago, I was in London for a conference. I listened to His Royal Highness Prince William as he delivered a passionate speech that has stuck with me all these years. He shared about how he had just returned from a visit to Namibia, Tanzania and Kenya, and how some of the rhinos he saw were under such threat that they had more bodyguards than he had. He said, "It is heart-breaking to think that by the time my children George, Charlotte and Louis are in their 20s, elephants, rhinos and tigers might well be extinct in the wild. I, for one, am not willing to look my children in the eye and say that we were the generation that let this happen on our watch."

In the same vein, Sir, let us not also in our twilight years, have to look our children in the eye and tell them we saw climate change coming and did not do all that we could to avert this climate crisis. There is more work to be done. I hope our Government will continue working with the private sector, with our activists, and with all Singaporeans to do it. I am confident that by working together, we will win this battle against climate change. Sir, I beg to move.

Source: Hansard

(17 min) Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang (Nee Soon): Sir, I grew up watching Captain Planet and the Planeteers. Some of the younger Members in this House will have no idea what I am talking about. It was a cartoon series about protecting our planet. I loved it. This is how the opening went, "Our world is in peril. Gaia, the spirit of the Earth, can no longer stand the terrible destruction plaguing our planet. She sends five magic rings to five special young people: Kwame, from Africa, with the power of Earth; from North America, Wheeler, with the power of Fire, from the Soviet Union – yes that is how old this cartoon is – Linka, with the power of Wind; from Asia, Gi, with the power of Water; and from South America, Ma-Ti, with the power of Heart. When the five powers combine, they summon Earth's greatest champion, Captain Planet."

I also remember the show's catchy theme song, but I remember Speaker's Facebook post about not getting any ideas about singing in Parliament, so I shall not sing it. Plus, it is getting pretty late.

I also remember one sentence, something Captain Planet said over and over again: "The power is yours."

As I shared in my opening speech, Singaporeans, more than ever, believe in Captain Planet's message. They believe the power to protect the planet is theirs. So, they speak up and take action. This makes me optimistic.

But our optimism must not take us away from our urgency. Greenhouse gas emissions reached a new high in 2019.

The Paris Agreement aimed to cap this century’s temperature increase at 1.5-degree Celsius. But instead we are on track for three-degree Celsius change. We are hurtling towards extreme climate change and we must urgently change course.

The Government must help by deepening and accelerating our efforts against climate change. Sir, in summary, the GPC for Sustainability and the Environment is calling for:

One, post-COVID, increase the carbon tax quantum and regularise future reviews.

Two, professionalise the carbon accounting and reporting industry.

Three, incorporate sustainability into the Industry Transformation Map scheme or have an ITM for the sustainability sector.

Four, enhance the Public Sector Taking the Lead in Environmental Sustainability initiative with higher and expanded standards.

Five, introduce rules and incentives to promote the building of publicly accessible charging points by private developers.

Six, revise the Green Mark scheme to increase standards on carbon intensiveness.

Seven, expand climate education in school curricula.

Eight, introduce data-sharing mechanisms on clean energy technologies and energy efficiency.

Nine, increase public access to emissions data of top-emitting private companies and public entities.

Ten, and lastly, add Climate Defence as a seventh pillar of Total Defence in Singapore.

These 10 recommendations will help us meet and, I believe, exceed our commitment under the Paris Climate Agreement.

Sir, many Members have stepped forward today. All of them delivered passionate speeches. I will not be able to do justice to everyone's speeches but let me summarise some themes of their proposals.

The first theme is nature. Members stressed the importance of protecting our natural carbon sinks. Miss Rachel Ong shared the science about trees and alerted us that keeping existing trees is far more effective than planting new ones, though both are important steps.

Mr Dennis Tan asked for additional legal protection for secondary forests. Ms Nadia Samdin, Prof Koh Lian Pin and Miss Rachel Ong rightly noted that our corals, our mangroves, and indeed, our forests powerfully trap carbon and help us fight climate change.

The three Members also stressed the importance of helping Singaporeans learn and become more in touch with nature.

This brings me to the second theme: education. Our youths are our future. For them, Ms Nadia Samdin discussed installing sustainability as a core pillar of our education system.

Education should also involve vocational training. Miss Cheryl Chan suggested preparing young adults so they have the interest, skills, knowledge and connections needed for the green sector.

But education is not just for the young. Mr Christopher de Souza discussed this, his exciting vision for Ulu Pandan as a nature surplus neighbourhood, with nature trails, community gardens and food composting sites. Ms Hany Soh painted a colourful portrait of her Woodgrove community and discussed how all Singaporeans could learn about sustainability through hands-on experience and convenient technologies.

The third theme for today is incentives and regulations – in other words, carrots and sticks. All Members proposed solutions that would limit carbon intensive activities but they also made sure to suggest ways to soften the impact and spark the economy.

Mr Don Wee discussed using carbon tax revenues to grow our industries and protect our households. Assoc Prof Jamus Lim similarly asked to give out a green dividend from our carbon tax revenues. Mr Gan Thiam Poh suggested sharing Government data to help the private sector figure out where to build electric vehicle charging points. Mr Gerald Giam asked to extend subsidies and support for petrochemical workers as the industry shrinks its global workforce.

Mr Leon Perera proposed growing our green industry, particularly those dealing in professional services, like environmental impact consulting and carbon trading verification. Ms Poh Li San suggested a circular financing system to help the construction industry adapt to tougher Green Mark standards. Miss Cheryl Chan asked for increased support and a more generous timeline for SMEs to file ESG reports. Mr Louis Chua asked for greater reliance on solar energy and cited statistics to show how the clean energy sector can create good jobs for Singapore. Mr Henry Kwek pitched solutions like investments in geothermal solutions and carbon offsets to help the economy adjust to decarbonisation.

Together, these balanced recommendations show that Members want Singapore to be both green and prosperous, not just one or the other.

Sir, Mr Leong Mun Wai expressed broad support for our 10 topics. I thank him for that. He also raised some general concerns about trade-offs. As I mentioned, many Members have been proactive in raising these trade-offs in their speeches and propose specific ideas on how to overcome them. 

There is no disagreement that a healthy economy and a healthy environment need to go hand in hand and I encourage Mr Leong to continue sharing his ideas on how to manage these trade-offs. Mr Leong said that forest protection and climate adaptation were not included in the Motion's 10 topics. I think Mr Leong will find that several Members today have raised proposals on both topics, myself included. The 10 topics are not an exhaustive list.

Mr Leong also asked whether EVs would reduce emissions in Singapore's context. The answer to this is yes. The E-mobility Technology Roadmap published by the Energy Research Institute at NTU looked at the data and found that by 2050, EVs are expected to reduce emissions by up to 64% in Singapore.

Sir, I thank Mr Dennis Tan and Miss Cheryl Chan for their proposed amendments. I agree with Mr Tan on the importance of civil society. I spent more than two decades of my life as a civil society activist. We have not just recognised the role of civil society but we have actively engaged them throughout the year long consultation. They have played a crucial role in this Motion and, as I mentioned, in my opening speech, this Motion responds to their call.

The original Motion's statement focused on the three Ps that we are all familiar with – the public, private and people sector. Having said that, I support the inclusion of the word "civil society" into the Motion's statement.

Sir, the Motion's statement today is also about actions rather than what climate change is. We already know what it is. There is no debate about that.

As I have shared in my opening speech, Prime Minister Lee has already stressed that climate change is "one of the gravest challenges facing humankind." This Government already recognises that the existential threat of climate change is an issue that nations cannot ignore.

I believe all of us in this House are on the same page but, Sir, we drafted the Motion's statement that reflects actions. That is important. We have drafted it that way to focus on actions and how we can deepen and accelerate efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. That was my preference but I recognise the merits of the proposed amendments and I agree with the rationale.

I thank Miss Chan for the proposed amendments of acknowledging that climate change is a global emergency and a threat to mankind. I believe this will reflect the climate change issue more holistically and focus again on action on how we all need to work together in this global community. I hope that all of us in this House will support the proposed amendments.

Sir, I will also like to thank Minister Grace Fu for responding positively to our proposals and concerns and for her strong and continued commitment in ensuring that sustainability is at the heart of everything we do.

Indeed, sustainability has and always will be a part of Singapore’s DNA.

I thank Minister for sharing about our strong Climate Action Plan today and most importantly the good news that we have a new Singapore Green Plan 2030.

This whole-of-nation movement to advance the sustainability agenda in Singapore is an important one and I am glad that the plan is a multi-Ministry effort, and that it will be a major policy priority for this Government. That really is good news.

To conclude, I would like to refer to a point Mr Seah Kian Peng made. As part of his ask to include Climate Defence as a pillar of Total Defence, he argued that Singapore needs to take bold, unprecedented steps. There must be a new willingness, a new resolution by the Government to do things differently.

I could not agree more with him. Sustainability must become a core part of our nation’s development. It will take time, but every corner of policy-making – and indeed way of life – must transform to match our aspiration towards sustainability.

Sir, I thank all the Members who spoke up on this important issue. My heartfelt thanks also to the GPC for Sustainability and the Environment, the Young PAP's Climate Change Policy Team, my Climate Change Team, business leaders, researches, activists and fellow Singaporeans who all contributed to this Motion and the recommendations.

Sir, the Government plays an important role to co-lead, to nurture, to protect our environment and to set policies and enforce legislation in this battle against climate change.

Each one of us in this global community also plays an important role and by working together, this battle is strengthened and this fight for our planet becomes stronger.

Sir, I often push for changes in this House but there is finally one change I am not pushing for and that is climate change.

Let us make sure that climate change becomes a thing of the past, something our children learn about in this history lessons. Sir, the power is indeed ours. Let us change our mindset, our behaviours and our policies to move the needle on climate change.

Let us focus on action and deepen and accelerate efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and to embrace sustainability in the development of Singapore. Thank you. 

Source: Hansard