Ahead of COP30, Singapore’s Environment Minister Warns Global Climate Action Losing Momentum Amid Geopolitical Tensions

As the world prepares for the COP30 Climate Summit, Singapore’s Environment Minister Grace Fu has cautioned that the pace of global climate action is slowing down, largely due to mounting geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainties affecting both governments and businesses.

Speaking to journalists during a group interview on Thursday, Fu said that rising energy and food prices have created “political headwinds,” making it increasingly difficult for countries to take the bold, necessary steps required for meaningful climate action.

She added, “The United States’ withdrawal from the Paris Agreement was a significant setback — and there are many political factors at play.”

The upcoming COP30 Summit, scheduled from November 10 to 21, is expected to draw around 50,000 delegates from 190 countries to Belém, a rainforest city in Brazil.

Despite the slowdown, Fu stressed that nations have a responsibility to collaborate with like-minded partners to advance climate goals. Singapore, she said, is already working with “about a dozen” countries to sign Implementation Agreements under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, enabling the exchange of carbon credits through verified emission reduction projects.

In October, Singapore inked its tenth agreement, this one with Mongolia, establishing a legally binding framework for generating and transferring carbon credits from emission mitigation initiatives.

Fu expressed optimism that further progress can be made toward harmonizing rules and disclosure standards, which would help broaden and deepen the global carbon market.

However, logistical challenges loom over this year’s summit, as Belém faces accommodation shortages and rising hotel rates. Fu noted that Singapore has halved the size of its delegation compared to last year’s COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, when the country sent 262 delegates.

“The decision reflects both the need to manage costs and to minimize pressure on Belém’s infrastructure,” Fu said, adding that Singapore aims to maintain its sustainability standards — even in how its delegates travel to and from the conference venues.