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Starting from the 2023 Financial Year (FY), the Singapore government will publish an annual GreenGov.SG report which details its efforts, progress and plans to drive environmental sustainability, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu announced during her Committee of Supply speech on Thursday (March 2).

This is part of GreenGov.SG, the government's initiative to have the public sector take the lead in the push towards sustainability.

Statutory Boards to follow from FY2024

Elaborating on the announcement, Fu shared that the government will start with reporting Scope 1 and 2 emissions, electricity, and water consumption.

These will be done "with reference to international standards and frameworks," Fu said.

While the government will begin the practice starting this year, all Statutory Boards will follow suit from FY2024, Fu announced.

Likewise, the annual reports will set out the Statutory Boards' efforts, progress and plans on sustainability, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) said in a press release.

A few Statutory Boards such as PUB, the National Environment Agency, and the Monetary Authority of Singapore, have already started the practice of publishing sustainability reports in recent years.

Through these public sector disclosures, the government aims to encourage more companies to disclose their environmental performance, MSE said.

Sustainability to be included as tender criteria

Apart from environmental sustainability disclosures, Fu pointed out that the public sector can drive the nation's transition to a green economy "by leveraging on its procurement budget".

"Starting from 2024, besides prequalifying the products on environmental standards, we will also consider the sustainability practices of the company we buy from," Fu announced.

This will start with large construction and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) tenders.

Combined, they make up 60 per cent of the value of Government procurement contracts.

Under the new practice, five per cent of tender evaluation points will be set aside for environmental sustainability.

"We will review the amount and engage industry closely as we expand the adoption of sustainability criteria to more public sector procurement sectors," Fu said.

According to MSE, industry consultations will be conducted and more details will be shared when ready.

The public sector has adopted green procurement since 2007 and sustainability requirements for selected goods and services have previously been introduced.

ICT equipment, electrical appliances, and printing paper, for example, must first meet environmental standards before they are assessed on their price and quality.

Sustainability not "costless"

Responding to questions from Member of Parliament Don Wee on whether such efforts by the public sector will entail additional costs, Fu highlighted that environmental sustainability is not "costless", and that "we will have to pay a bit more for greener goods and services".

On the topic, the Minister also pointed to MTI's initiatives to support businesses in adopting sustainability practices.

"I hope that these initiatives under GreenGov.SG will spur many in the private sector to follow suit, in publishing their own sustainability reports, and incorporating sustainability considerations in their procurement policies."

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