Climate change seminar introduces Singapore companies to issues and opportunities
30th May 2006

Full attendance at the seminar

Hot topic climate change took centrestage yesterday at a packed seminar on the Kyoto Protocol, as well as concerns and opportunities arising from addressing the issue.

More than 150 industry professionals, government officers and environmentalists participated in the 1-day seminar, which was jointly organised by the Singapore Environment Insitute (SEI) and the Resource Conservation Department (RCD) of the National Environment Agency (NEA)

Academic, government and industry experts from the National Environment Agenecy, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, International Enterprise Singapore, Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law, Asia Carbon International, EcoSecurities Indonesia, IUT Global and Hazelberg Limited presented briefly on future predictions and potential in climate change science, politics, management and debate.

CEO (NEA) Mr Lee Yuen Hee opened the seminar.

"Prudent use of energy resources minimises emission of carbon dioxide, which is the key greenhouse gas for Singapore. This is, therefore, a key strategy for combating air pollution and mitigating the threat of global warming," said Mr Lee in his opening address. The NEA had organised the seminar as a platform for solution providers, business leaders and professionals to network and find out more about the economic opportunities of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and carbon trading under the Kyoto Protocol.

The NEA has been appointed as Singapore's Designated National Authority (DNA) in order to ensure that CDM projects to be implemented locally meet national sustainable development criteria.

Glossary on global warming and the Kyoto Protocol

Global warming, one of the major environmental challenges of our time, is caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

The Kyoto Protocol is the key international agreement that aims to slow down man-made emissions of greenhouse gases. Under the Kyoto Protocol, there are 2 categories of Parties – Annex 1 and non-Annex 1. Annex 1 Parties are those countries which have greenhouse gas emission reduction targets to meet between 2008-2012. The non-Annex 1 countries do not have such targets. Singapore is a non-Annex 1 country.

CDM, or Clean Development Mechanism, allows greenhouse gas emissions reductions from projects implemented in non-Annex I countries to be used to offset emissions of Annex I countries under the Kyoto Protocol. Such projects, if implemented in Singapore, would earn emission reduction credits known as Certified Emissions Reductions or CERs, which are tradable. Hence, any company in Singapore that is able to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions may be able to benefit from the CDM.

More information on Seminar for Climate Change

Last updated on 25 Jun 08