Singapore has acceded to the Kyoto Protocol of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

2        Singapore deposited its instruments of accession with the Secretary-General of the United Nations in New York on 12 April 2006 (morning of 13 April,  Singapore time).  The Protocol will enter into force for Singapore on the 90th day after the date of deposit of the instruments.

3         Under the Kyoto Protocol, non-Annex I countries such as Singapore can participate in Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects.  The National Environment Agency (NEA) will serve as the Designated National Authority for the approval and registration of CDM projects in Singapore.  In the coming months, NEA will hold meetings and workshops with industries, which have an interest in CDM projects (Companies who are interested in participating in CDM projects can contact Mr K Suresh of NEA at DID: 6731 9199 or email: suresh_k@nea.gov.sg).

4         Singapore continues to take actions domestically to address climate change.  The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources is spearheading the development of a holistic climate change strategy that actively engages the people and private sectors in climate change action.  A public consultation on the climate change strategy will be carried out in the coming months.  A public awareness programme on climate change will also be launched later this month.

MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES
13 April 2006

OVERVIEW OF THE KYOTO PROTOCOL

Background

          Climate change is caused by the production of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane from human activities, largely the burning of fossil fuels for energy.  The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has projected that the rise in greenhouse gas concentrations will lead to global temperature increases of 1.4 - 5.8 degrees Celsius and sea level rises of 9 - 88 cm by 2100, among other impacts.

          In response to the need for global action on climate change, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) entered into force in 1994.  The Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC was negotiated in Kyoto in December 1997, and came into force on 16 February 2005.  Together, the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol provide an international framework for combating the global environmental challenge of climate change.  Singapore has been a signatory to the UNFCCC since 1997.

Objectives of the Convention

          The Kyoto Protocol aims to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous interference with the earth’s climate system caused by human activity.

          Countries listed under Annex I of the Kyoto Protocol are required to reduce the emissions of six greenhouse gases on average by 5.2% below 1990 levels during the first commitment period from 2008 to 2012.  There are no emission-reduction targets for non-Annex I countries such as Singapore.  However, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol allows industrialised countries to achieve part of their emission reduction commitments by conducting emission-reduction projects in non-Annex I countries.