Singapore can help global sustainable development as financial hub: PM

Source: Xinhua| 2021-04-24 15:45:22|Editor: huaxia

Buildings and structures are lit up to mark the World Water Day in Singapore's Marina Reservoir area on March 22, 2021. (Photo by Then Chih Wey/Xinhua)

Singapore plans to quadruple solar energy production by 2025. It is opening one of the world's largest floating solar energy systems, which will offset 33,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

SINGAPORE, April 24 (Xinhua) -- Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Friday that the city-state, as a financial hub, can help the global push for sustainability through green finance, fintech and capability building.

At the Virtual Leaders Summit on Climate, he said that Singapore has launched a 2 billion U.S. dollars Green Investments Programme, which will support the development of carbon trading and services, sustainability consultancies and environmental risk management.

"One promising area is emissions verification, including using new technology to measure the carbon footprints and monitor abatement commitments of businesses," Lee said. "Singapore is happy to share our experience in all these areas."

The prime minister also said that the city-state launched the Singapore Green Plan 2030 this year, which is the country's roadmap towards sustainable development and net-zero emissions.

"Our strategy goes beyond meeting emission caps or implementing our carbon tax," he said.

Lee said that Singapore must also innovate and use technology extensively, so as to overcome the disadvantages such as its small size and lack of resources, and achieve its emission reduction goals.

It plans to quadruple solar energy production by 2025. It is opening one of the world's largest floating solar energy systems, which will offset 33,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.

And to moderate the rising urban temperatures, Singapore is using computer modeling for more climate-responsive urban design, experimenting with special cooling paint on buildings, and planting 1 million more trees.

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