Climate change an urgent problem with ‘very major consequences’, says PM Lee

NEW YORK — In about half a lifetime, the impact of climate change has seen Singapore now experiencing coolest months which are hotter than its warmest months just four decades ago.  

And allowing global warming to continue for the next 40 years will result in a sharper change in temperatures and greater consequences to people, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong pointed out on Friday (Sept 27) as he stressed the urgency of dealing with climate change when asked by the Singapore media why he chose to speak on the topic in his inaugural address to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

“It is not just that everybody will need air conditioning, but that there are implications for diseases, for water sustainability, for food, for drought — these are all very major consequences where the whole ecosystem is drastically changed and all the adaptations (to climate change) which human beings have made are upended,” said Mr Lee.

Speaking to the Singapore media in New York after his speech at the UNGA — where he stressed the need for world leaders to come together to tackle climate change — Mr Lee cited a report from the Centre for Climate Research Singapore and gave an ominous look into the future if environmental problems were not addressed.

In his speech, Mr Lee also noted the climate action demonstrations that occurred around the world in the past week. 

During his interview with the Singapore media, he reiterated that the issue is “very much something in young people’s minds” and the Government is on their side.  

“This demonstration of young people around the world, and even in Singapore, there was quite a big group at Hong Lim Park, and (Minister for Social and Family Development) Desmond Lee had went down and chatted with them,” said Mr Lee. “We are on their side because this is something that is going to happen in their lives and is going to affect them.”

He pointed out that if the temperature or the sea-level rise occurs over three to five centuries, human society still has time to gradually change and adapt. 

“But if it happens within one lifetime, affecting seven to eight billion people (around the world), it is not so easy. And therefore we have to work,” he said. 

This is done either by adapting to climate change, such as protecting Singapore’s coastlines against the rising tides, or by mitigation, whereby carbon dioxide emissions are reduced.

Beyond these measures, Singapore is also contributing to the global community through training, working with international organisations or other countries, conducting environmental research and allowing the use of science facilities, said Mr Lee. 

THE ROLE OF THE US

Asked about the role of the United States as a world superpower in combating climate change, Mr Lee said it was a pity that America decided to withdraw from the Paris Agreement, a deal which came into effect in 2016 to bring nations together to work towards the common goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Shortly after US President Donald Trump came to power, the US pulled out of the agreement in 2017, citing economic reasons as well as scepticism over climate change.

But this does not mean that America is no longer participating in emissions reduction efforts, said Mr Lee. Half of the states in the US have banded together in the United States Climate Alliance in a bid to continue the work marked out by the Paris Agreement. 

“There are other strands of opinion in America, and if we look at the states within the United States, quite many of them have aggressive climate plans on emissions reduction, as well as some adaptation. And I think they will have some influence on the world,” he said.

“It's not as effective as the US wholeheartedly participating, but it's not insignificant.”

Given how the drastic US’ U-turn in environmental policy happened after a leadership change, Mr Lee was asked how Singaporeans can be assured that this will not happen at home.

Mr Lee said this is achieved by having “good people in politics” — responsible, capable people who are able to get support from the ground and can serve Singapore well.

But there is also no silver bullet to the climate change problem, he reiterated.

“What we can do is, knowing that it is not certain, is to do our best to make sure we come through okay. That is the best we can do.”