Canada-in-Asia 2024 Gala Dinner - Ms Grace Fu

Speech by Ms Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, at the Canada-in-Asia 2024 Gala Dinner on 27 February 2024

Distinguished guests

A very good evening

1 I am delighted to join you at this evening’s Gala Dinner, which is held in conjunction with the Canada-in-Asia Conferences (or CIAC).

2 The CIAC was made possible by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and Universities Canada. Thank you for choosing to hold the CIAC in Singapore again. The inaugural CIAC last year sparked interesting dialogues on many topics of importance, such as trade and multilateralism, climate change, agri-food, health, and higher education. The CIAC exemplifies our shared vision to drive action to tackle the challenges facing our generation and future generations. It offers an opportunity for our business leaders, academia and government officials to deepen collaboration to address these challenges.

Climate Change and Food Systems: Two Inter-Connected Issues

3 This year, the CIAC is shining a spotlight on two complex and inter-connected challenges – climate change and agri-food security. Both issues are at the heart of much of my Ministry’s work.

4 Climate change no longer exists in future projections. It is a reality that we are now experiencing firsthand. 2023 was Earth’s warmest year on record. Canada and many regions in Asia experienced record-breaking heatwaves. Numerous cases of heat-related illnesses were reported across Asia. High temperatures and dry conditions contributed to unprecedented wildfires across Canada, leading to deaths, poor air quality, displacement of residents, and property damage.

5 Both our regions will suffer long-term negative consequences of climate change if we do not take urgent action. The latest climate change study from the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (or CCRS) projected that by the end of the century, Southeast Asia will experience annual mean temperature increases of 0.5 to 5.4 degrees Celsius. Canada is also expected to warm. In “Canada’s Changing Climate Report” 1 , it was estimated that Canada will warm at a rate double that of the global rate, with projected increases of 0.8 to 6.3 degrees Celsius by the end of the century. Rising temperatures and other changes in weather patterns will trigger many negative effects, such as food insecurity.

6 Canada and Asia are major food producing regions – Canada is known for producing grains, red meats and dairy, while Asia is considered the “rice bowl” for the world. The production of these foods is highly sensitive to the climate. One immense concern is the loss of arable land, which reduces capacity for food production. A warmer climate brings new pests and diseases that threaten crop yield and livestock health. Extreme weather events, which are projected to increase in occurrence and intensity, exacerbate crop losses and disrupt food supply chains. One immense concern is the loss of arable land, which reduces capacity for food production. A warmer climate brings new pests and diseases that threaten crop yield and livestock health. Extreme weather events, which are projected to increase in occurrence and intensity, exacerbate crop losses and disrupt food supply chains. Our food systems need to undergo significant transformation to remain functional amidst climate change.

7 Food systems, however, are not mere victims of climate change. They also contribute to climate change. Currently, about a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions result from food and agriculture. Much of these emissions arise from deforestation to avail land for farming, as well as unsustainable farming practices. Production of livestock and rice – key produce from Canada and Asia – generate high levels of methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas. Downstream of food production, food loss and waste contributes about half of the total emissions We could do more to reduce these emissions, by adopting climate-friendly farming practices, addressing inefficiencies in thefood chain through better matching of supply to demand, and reducing unnecessary food waste.

Singapore’s Experiences in Climate Action and Food Security

8 Like Canada and many ASEAN member states, Singapore is committed to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. We are taking active steps to transit to a low-carbon and more sustainable future.

9 In 2021, we launched our Singapore Green Plan 2030, a whole-of- nation sustainability roadmap to rally bold efforts and collective action to tackle climate change. We are the first country in the region to introduce a carbon tax, to strengthen the impetus for businesses to invest in decarbonisation. This year, we raised our carbon tax to $25 per tonne and will progressively raise it further to $50 to $80 by 2030. We are undertaking a comprehensive suite of climate mitigation measures. These include greening our energy mix, by increasing solar deployment and preparing ourselves to utilise low-carbon alternative fuels such as hydrogen. We are also actively decarbonising our aviation and maritime activities. We are venturing beyond our shores and seeking out opportunities for international collaboration on renewable energy imports, green technologies and carbon credits.

10 We have implemented measures to protect Singapore’s population from rising temperatures and sea levels. To strengthen our food security in the face of climate change, we have set a goal to increase local food production. We are pursuing efforts such as urban agriculture and novel proteins, demonstrating our dedication to a greener future.

Leveraging Complementary Strengths for Global Impact

11 Platforms like the CIAC bring value in galvanising collective action across national borders.

12 Climate change and agri-food security are global challenges that we cannot solve alone. We will need to work together and leverage on each other’s strengths to deliver solutions with greater global impact. In September last year, ASEAN member states and Canada established the ASEAN-Canada Strategic Partnership to closely collaborate in strategic areas such as climate adaptation and mitigation, agricultural trade and capacity building in agri-food research. In particular, we noted Canada is well-positioned to be a reliable supplier of clean energy and agricultural fertilisers for Asia. Singapore and Canada are like-minded countries in climate action. We are part of the Canada-led Powering Past Coal Alliance (or PPCA), which is working to advance the transition from unabated coal power generation to clean energy. We are also members of the Forest and Climate Leaders’ Partnership (or FCLP), which aims to reduce forest loss, increase forest restoration, and support sustainable agriculture. Singapore and Canada are part of the initial group of partners to support the Ghana Country Package under the FCLP, which will pull together financial resources from public, private and philanthropic sources to fund Ghana’s plans in forest and biodiversity conservation, through innovative solutions such as blended finance and high integrity nature-based carbon credits. Products and services from Canadian climate and agri-food companies have rapid scaling potential in Asia, with its burgeoning markets and increasingly climate-conscious population. In the area of agri-food, investments have been increasing between Canada and the Asia-Pacific in both directions over the past two decades. Asia’s producers are eager to transform and adapt to modern climate challenges, and will greatly benefit from Canadian investments. Additionally, there are many learning points that we can draw from Canada’s culture of sustainability and responsible resource management.

13 Amongst participants today, we have a good mix of leaders from the climate and agri-food sectors. I encourage you to make full use of CIAC to exchange knowledge, strengthen old connections and forge new networks and partnerships.

14 I wish you a good Conference ahead. Thank you.