Singapore’s Sweet 16% “pledge” to COP15

It’s always good to bring a gift to a party, and it’s heartening to hear that we’re bringing a pledge of 16% cut from “business-as-usual” emission levels by 2020, especially after statements in the preceding two months, and of course, the Straits Times’ Andy Ho’s alarming call for the government not to commit to emission cuts.

The same newspaper says 16% is equivalent to 12 million tonnes (per year, I assume), which is equivalent to “taking a return trip to the moon by plane 6,000 times, or wiping out the equivalent to the annual carbon footprint of Kenya”.

You read it, time to cut down on unnecessary lunar trips. Don’t give in to catchy sales slogans like “Honey, how about a honeymoon on the Moon?” and boycott the Lunar Kiosk at the next NATAS Fair!

However:

Singapore will only commit to this if there is a legally binding global deal that obliges all countries to cut emissions, and if other countries offer significant pledges, said Professor Jayakumar.

Oh well. It really shouldn’t have come as a surprise, since we are a nation that said that it’s own Pledge was not a pledge but an aspiration. Punters pushing for a binding agreement dubbed COP15 “Hopenhagen”, but I guess Singapore’s made it uniquely CHOPE-nhagen.

Also, I would’ve thought a better challenge would’ve been to match the annual carbon footprint of Kenya by 2020.