Navigating Policy Developments and Trends in Carbon Markets
As tackling climate change becomes a priority, the world must transit towards a low-carbon future. Governments and corporates will need to build knowledge internally and may have to tap onto carbon services firms to lower their carbon footprint. Singapore is keen to support global and regional climate goals by serving as a go-to location for climate-related services.
CNCS is developing training courses to upskill professionals across a spectrum of carbon management activities, including development of climate targets and strategies, measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of carbon emissions, carbon offset project development and financing, and trading of carbon offsets. The first of such courses, titled “Navigating Policy Developments and Trends in Carbon Markets”, will introduce participants to environmental policy and how they can operate effectively in today’s carbon market.
Course date: 17 – 18 September 2024
Key topics will include:
- Paris Agreement Article 6
- Carbon Markets Pricing and Investors
- Quality and Integrity of Carbon Credits
- Co-benefits of Carbon Projects
- Outlook of Carbon Markets
For Singaporeans and permanent residents, this course is eligible for SkillsFuture Funding.
For more information, please refer to the course brochure here.
To register, contact CNCS at CNCS.CET@nus.edu.sg.
Registration deadline: 16 August 2024
Sustainability 101 Course for Policy Officers
CNCS launched its inaugural Sustainability 101 Course for Policy Officers in 2022 in collaboration with the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS), Prime Minister’s Office Strategy Group, and NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education (SCALE) Global. Sustainability 101 is symbolic of a “whole-of-nation” sustainability movement to create a robust green talent pipeline as enshrined in the Singapore Green Plan 2030.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between NUS and NCCS, for several runs of the course. Four runs of the course will be organised in 2024:
- Run 1: 22 – 25 April 2024
- Run 2: 15 – 18 July 2024
- Run 3: 7 – 10 October 2024
- Run 4: 25 – 28 November 2024
Course Highlights:
- Upskilling policy officers on crucial sustainability and circularity concepts to better inform their respective policy domains and decision-making processes
- Unique modalities such as lectures, moderated dialogues and discussions, and panels
- Preparation of case studies presented to senior government officials
Read the press release here.
View the 2024 brochure here.
Email CNCS.CET@nus.edu.sg to register interest if you are a government officer.
More info
Navigating the Legal and Regulatory Landscape of Getting to Net-Zero
In 2021, Singapore’s Parliament declared climate change to be a global emergency. This was a milestone in Singapore’s rapid law and policymaking towards the goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. This goal is enshrined in international law and Singapore has committed in its Paris Agreement Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to achieve it. At the same time, Singapore has identified growth opportunities in the transition towards a low-carbon economy. It aspires to be a regional carbon trading and services hub.
Singapore’s growing body of climate change law features climate change disclosure requirements for major corporations and a Carbon Pricing Act which is accompanied by an International Carbon Credit (ICC) framework. Company directors are being advised to consider climate impacts carefully in their decision-making at the risk of failing to fulfill their legal duties. Regulators are also stepping up against greenwashing to protect consumers and businesses.
This course is designed by the Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law and the Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions to provide a comprehensive overview of this rapidly developing regulatory landscape that lawyers and their clients have to navigate.
For more information, please refer to the course brochure here.
To register click here. Please register before 13 May 2024.
Note: Public CPD Points – 13
Sustainability Course for Defence Leadership
From September 5 to 7 September, 2023, the National University of Singapore conducted a Sustainability 101 Course for personnel from the leadership of the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) and the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). This course was helmed by the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions and supported by the NUS School of Continuing and Lifelong Education .
This leadership course builds on the Sustainability 101 Course for Policy Officers, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Climate Change Secretariat, Strategy Group, Prime Minister’s Office in November 2022 to build the capacity of the Singapore Government to combat climate change.
The participants expressed gratitude for the insights on the trends and landscape of climate change and its solutions.
Course Highlights:
- Tailored for leadership.
- Topics were curated to be relevant to MINDEF and the SAF – Issues such as adaptation to rising temperatures in the context of human performance, technological options for net zero in terms of fuels and energy use, and sustainability reporting.
- Modalities such as closed door dialogues, fireside chats and presentations.
Climate Change and Sustainability: Leveraging Carbon Market Initiatives for Business
CNCS partnered with the NUS Business School and Climate Impact X to develop a programme to help participants understand how to leverage carbon markets for their businesses.
Participants will learn the basics of climate change, policies and different frameworks, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and other climate policy instruments; corporate decarbonization strategies such as net-zero fundamentals, the role of verified carbon credits (VCCs), and the importance of high-quality carbon credits in the path to net-zero. In the first run from 8-10 June 2022, 32 participants attended the course. For the second run from 5-7 December 2022, 47 participants had attended.
Course Highlights:
- Opportunity for attendees to connect the dots on operationalizing net-zero
- Deep dive into the role of carbon credits in a company’s decarbonization strategy
- Addressing the quality of verified carbon credits
For more information: Leveraging Carbon Market Initiatives for Business (Quote CNCS-REF-LCMIFB-20)
CET on Nature-based Solutions for Teachers
The course introduced Geography and Biology teachers to nature-based climate solutions, climate change impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity, international developments, climate change law, introductory spatial mapping tools and technology application as well as a panel on citizen science. A total of 21 MOE educators attended the course in 2022.
Course Highlights:
- A gallery tour of Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum
- Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum card game
- A field trip to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve for marine debris sampling