The current carbon tax level was set at S$5/tCO2e for the first five years from 2019 to 2023 to provide a transitional period for emitters to adjust.
Singapore's carbon tax has no exemptions for covered facilities, to maintain a transparent, fair, and consistent price signal across the economy. The carbon tax revenue collected will be channelled to support households and businesses with the green transition.
The carbon tax mechanism is also supported by a robust measurement, reporting and verification framework.
Singapore implemented a carbon tax, the first carbon pricing scheme in Southeast Asia, through the Carbon Pricing Act (CPA) on 1 Jan 2019. The carbon tax level was set at S$5/tCO2e for the first five years from 2019 to 2023 to provide a transitional period for emitters to adjust. The carbon tax will be raised to S$25/tCO2e in 2024 and 2025, and S$45/tCO2e in 2026 and 2027, with a view to reaching S$50-80/tCO2e by 2030. The carbon tax currently covers 80% of Singapore's total GHG emissions.
Companies may use high quality international carbon credits to offset up to 5% of their taxable emissions from 2024. All carbon credits used under the carbon tax regime will need to adhere to a set of eligibility criteria to ensure that they are of high environmental integrity and compliant with Article 6 of the Paris Agreement.
From 2024, a transition framework will also be introduced by the Economic Development Board (EDB) to give existing emissions-intensive trade-exposed companies more time to adjust to a low-carbon economy and to avoid carbon leakage.
Primary objective: Right pricing the externality of carbon
Strengthen the price signal and impetus for business and individuals to reduce their carbon footprint in line with national climate goals. This will incentivise emissions reductions in all sectors and support the transition to a low-carbon economy.
[In-depth analysis has not been done yet for lock-in effects]