S'pore issues 1st authorisation for carbon credit project in Rwanda

Singapore has issued its first Letter of Authorisation (LOA) for a carbon credit project under the Singapore-Rwanda Implementation Agreement (IA), according a Nov. 14 press release from the National Environmental Agency.

The authorisation, for a safe drinking water project in Rwanda, is the first of its kind among Singapore’s six operationalised IAs, which are with Ghana, Bhutan, Peru, Thailand, Mongolia, and Rwanda.

Reduced emissions by boiling

The Safe Water Supply Project will see 300,000 ceramic water filters distributed to households and early childhood development centres (ECDs) across Rwanda and is expected to benefit about 1.8 million people.

The filters will enable these households and ECDs to access safe drinking water without needing to boil it, reducing the use of firewood and charcoal.

This will reduce emissions generated by burning, as well as reduce indoor air pollution.

This will also reduce the need to collect firewood, which is expected to free up time for education, income-generating activities, and community participation.

Distribution of an initial 10,000 water filters began in June 2026, with the rest to be distributed in 2027.

Between 2026 and 2030, the Safe Water Supply Project is expected to mitigate around 780,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.

Singapore-Rwanda climate cooperation

The issuance of the project’s LOA comes after a call for applications under the Singapore-Rwanda IA in January 2026.

The IA was signed in May 2025, during a visit by Rwanda’s Environment Minister, Valentine Uwamariya, who signed the IA with Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu.

At the time, Uwamariya said the agreement aimed to “promote high-integrity carbon markets, achieve tangible emissions reductions, and support sustainable development for our communities.”

More than 20 projects are currently undergoing assessment under the Singapore-Rwanda IA.

The Safe Water Supply Project will receive two LOAs, one each from Singapore and Rwanda, in the second part of a three-part process.

The LOA signifies that the project has been approved by both countries under the IA to generate carbon credits aligned with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which enables international cooperation to tackle climate change and to unlock financial support for developing countries.

The NEA said that the project authorisation puts the Singapore-Rwanda IA into action and mobilises carbon finance to support emissions reductions and sustainable development in Rwanda.