Paris pact will push Singapore to cut greenhouse gas emissions: Masagos

Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli says the historic agreement to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius by 2030 can be achieved through the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.
Channel NewsAsia 16 Dec 15;

SINGAPORE: The Paris climate agreement will push Singapore to carry out efforts to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, said Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli.

Singapore had already pledged to reduce emissions intensity by 36 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030 prior to the climate talks. Mr Masagos, who had attended the recent Paris climate talks, said that both the country and its citizens will have to make changes in their consumption habits, as well as reduce the amount of waste produced.

The Paris climate talks ended with nearly 200 countries adopting a historic agreement to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius by 2030.

Mr Masagos noted that this can be achieved through what is known as the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs), which are commitments made by the countries involved to reduce emissions.

“The INDC will require each country to put up all the initiative they can within the country to contribute towards this reduction of global temperatures below 27 degrees Celsius that we're trying to achieve together,” he said. “Which means that every five years there will be a review of what they have done, whether they have achieved what they set out to achieve and indeed whether these commitments can be further increased.”

- CNA/ek