STATEMENT BY MR TEOH WEE KEAT, DELEGATE TO THE 77TH SESSION OF THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AGENDA ITEM 18 ON SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, SECOND COMMITTEE, 10 OCTOBER 2022

Thank you, Mr Chair,

Singapore aligns with the statements made by Pakistan on behalf of the Group of 77 and China; the Philippines on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN); and Antigua & Barbuda on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

Mr Chair,

2 The world is facing a confluence of multiple crises, or a “perfect storm” as highlighted by the UN Secretary-General. Our recovery from COVID-19 remains uneven and fragile.  The climate crisis is increasingly a clear and present threat. Our global commons are deteriorating rapidly, and our ecological resources are under severe strain. To make things worse, all these threats and crises are interacting with and compounding each other in a vicious circle. These are existential issues for small island States including Singapore. We are vulnerable to extreme weather events and rising sea levels, and to food insecurity and water scarcity exacerbated by climate change. At the same time, we recognise that the only way to ride out this “perfect storm” is for all countries, large or small, to work together and row in the same direction.  

3 First, we must step up our collective ambition in tackling climate change. The more frequent extreme weather events that we are witnessing around the world, and the devastation that they have wrought, have underscored one point: We cannot afford to put climate action on the backburner. We must take action now to progressively decarbonise our economies and transition to a cleaner and more sustainable future. As a small island State, Singapore is disadvantaged by a lack of natural renewable energy sources. But although our impact on global emissions is very small, we take our climate change obligations very seriously, and we have just raised our climate ambition to achieve net zero emissions by or around mid-century. We are also committed to supporting global efforts in tackling climate change, including at the upcoming COP-27 in Sharm El Sheik.

4 Second, we must build up our resilience to better deal with crises and shocks, such as food and energy insecurity. This is an important issue for small states, as we are heavily reliant on imports, and are disproportionately affected by any disruptions in global supply chains. Singapore therefore strongly supports the Global Crisis Response Group on Food, Energy and Finance established by the UN Secretary-General as a key initiative to address these challenges.  Technology and innovation will also play a key role in our efforts to enhance our food and energy security.  In Singapore, we have a “30 by 30” goal to produce 30 per cent of our nutritional needs locally and sustainably by 2030, by leveraging innovative technologies to overcome our land and resource constraints.

5 Third, we must foster stronger international cooperation in managing the global commons, including water, biodiversity, and oceans. According to UNICEF, half of the world’s population could be living in areas facing water scarcity by 2025. The warming of oceans is also increasing the risk of marine biodiversity loss. There is a pressing need for us to work together to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of our global commons. This would require us to use our resources more efficiently, minimise waste, and shift towards more sustainable and circular economic models. In this regard, we express our full support for the UN Water Conference to be held in March 2023, and call on all delegations to expedite the conclusion of a robust and future-proof BBNJ (Marine Biodiversity of Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction) treaty.  

Mr Chair,

6 It will not be easy to address these ongoing challenges, but we must act now to ensure a sustainable future for all. The Second Committee’s theme of transforming political commitments into actions for sustainable recovery is therefore timely. By recovering from COVID-19 in ways that are resilient and sustainable, we can better secure the sustainable future that we all aim to achieve.

7 Thank you. 

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