Singapore's public sector cut carbon emissions by 0.2% in FY2023 and aims to hit net zero by 2045, five years ahead of the national target.
KEY POINTS
IN SIMPLE TERMS
The Singapore government released a report showing how much energy, water, and waste its offices and facilities used over the past year. They cut their carbon emissions slightly and want to reach net zero emissions by 2045. The report now tracks waste for the first time.
WHY IT MATTERS
WHERE DO YOU STAND?
Do you think the government should set even more ambitious emissions reduction targets to accelerate Singapore's sustainability journey?
👍 👎 Vote ↓Singapore’s government is making strides in sustainability, as revealed in the latest GreenGov.SG report for FY2023.
According to MSE, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) has shared the GreenGov.SG report for FY2023.
This report shows how green Singapore’s public sector was from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
For the first time, the report includes data on waste.
The report covers different types of government buildings to show how they use resources.
The public sector released about 3.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in FY2023.
This is 0.2% less than in FY2022.
The government used 5,449 GWh of electricity in FY2023.
This is 1.5% more than in FY2022.
| Resource | FY2023 Usage | Change from FY2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 33.4 billion litres | 0.4% decrease |
| Waste | 218.7 million kilograms | 1.3% increase |
The public sector wants to reach net zero emissions by around 2045.
This is five years earlier than Singapore’s national target of 2050.
The government also aims to cut energy and water use by 10% by 2030.
It wants to reduce waste by 30% in the same period.
Mr Lim Tuang Liang, the Government Chief Sustainability Officer, said, “We are appreciative of those who have provided us with feedback following the publication of our inaugural GreenGov.SG report last year.”
The report shows that as Singapore’s economy grows, it’s harder to reduce emissions.
New train lines and healthcare facilities have increased energy use.
The government is working on ways to use less single-use items.
They are also trying to reuse materials and recycle more.
Mr Lim also stated, “We will continue to learn from others and refine our reporting, as sustainability reporting is a continuous journey of improvement.”
This shows the government’s commitment to getting better at reporting on sustainability.
The full FY2023 GreenGovSG report is available online for the public to read.
Starting from FY2024, Statutory Boards will also share their sustainability disclosures every year.
The government’s green push aligns with other sustainability initiatives in Singapore.
For instance, CapitaLand has secured S$600 million in sustainability loans to support its green projects.
Additionally, SingPost is helping local SMEs go green through its Quest programme.
Mr Lim highlighted, “Through the features of various sustainability initiatives in our report, we have also shared some of our learning points and hope these are useful for businesses and organisations on their sustainability journey.”
This sharing of experiences can help other organisations in Singapore improve their own sustainability efforts.
Do you think the Singapore government’s green efforts will inspire more businesses to adopt sustainable practices?
Do you think the government should set even more ambitious emissions reduction targets to accelerate Singapore's sustainability journey?
Be the first to weigh in.
