"Singapore, Ghana sign carbon credit agreement enabling firms to offset part of carbon tax"

" \r\n Singapore, Ghana sign carbon credit agreement enabling firms to offset part of carbon tax \r\nCompanies from Singapore looking to offset part of their carbon tax liability could soon be able to purchase carbon credits from projects based in Ghana, following an agreement signed between both countries on May 27.\r\n\r\nThe carbon tax in 2024 has increased to $25 per tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, up from $5 per tonne previously. By 2030, the tax\u00a0 will eventually reach $50 to $80 per tonne of CO2 emissions .\r\n\r\nCompanies can purchase carbon credits to offset up to 5 per cent of their taxable emissions, provided that the carbon projects they invest in meet Singapore\u2019s eligibility criteria, which include having permanent emissions reductions, for instance.\r\n\r\nA similar carbon credit agreement was\u00a0 signed between Singapore and Papua New Guinea \u00a0on Dec 8, 2023, at the United Nations\u2019 COP28 climate conference in Dubai.\r\n\r\nIn a joint statement on May 27, Singapore\u2019s National Climate Change Secretariat, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment said the collaboration between Singapore and Ghana will advance climate ambitions for both countries and channel financing towards climate mitigation efforts.\r\n\r\nThe carbon credit projects authorised under the agreement will seek to promote sustainable development and generate benefits for the local communities, such as creation of jobs, access to clean water, improved energy security, and reduction of environmental pollution.\r\n\r\nUnder the agreement, carbon credit project developers will be required to make a contribution equivalent to 5 per cent of the share of proceeds from authorised carbon credits towards climate adaptation in Ghana, which helps Ghana to prepare and adjust to the impact of climate change.\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n\r\nThe project developers will also be required to cancel 2 per cent of authorised carbon credits at first issuance, to contribute to the mitigation of global greenhouse gas emissions.\r\n\r\nThe agreement was signed virtually between Singapore\u2019s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu and Ghana\u2019s Minister of Environment for Science, Technology and Innovation Ophelia Hayford.\r\n\r\nThe bilateral agreement comes as Temasek-backed investment platform GenZero has already been investing in a forest restoration project in the Kwahu region of Ghana.\r\n \r\nA Straits Times report published in July 2023 said\u00a0 the first phase of the project was to start in the last quarter of 2023, \u00a0with the second phase beginning in 2027.\r\n\r\nThe project, which is a collaboration with Singapore-based AJA Climate Solutions, will involve replanting degraded forest reserves, including growing cocoa trees sustainably in shaded farms to shield these plantations from potentially damaging climate impact such as floods, heat stress and pests.\r\n\r\nAJA Climate Solutions is focused on generating and managing climate mitigation projects in Africa and South-east Asia.\r\n\r\nThe project area within the Kwahu region had been a lush forest about 40 to 50 years ago, but was heavily exploited for timber over the past few decades.\r\n\r\nThe deforestation has led to Ghana losing more cocoa hectares year on year, which is damaging for the country economically as it is among the world\u2019s largest cocoa producers.\r\n\r\nIn the second phase of the forest restoration project, the focus will shift to regenerating native tree species across degraded forests. More than 20 million seedlings\u00a0of native species are to be planted over seven years.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n The project area within the Kwahu region was a lush forest about 40 to 50 years ago, but had been heavily exploited for timber over the past few decades. PHOTO: GENZERO \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n\r\nJobs in farming and agroforestry training will be created, and new income opportunities will emerge for the local indigenous communities, empowering some 22,000 families, AJA Climate Solutions\u2019 co-chief executive John Mason told reporters at a briefing in July 2023.\r\n\r\nThe verification of carbon credits from the Ghana project will then begin in 2028.\r\n\r\nChecks by ST in January revealed that companies looking to purchase carbon credits from Papua New Guinea to offset part of their carbon tax\u00a0 would have to wait longer for eligible projects that are of high quality, \u00a0as none of the available credits for sale currently meet the criteria set by the Singapore Government.\r\n\r\nSingapore has also concluded negotiations on similar carbon credit schemes with Vietnam, Paraguay and Bhutan, but agreements have not been formally inked with these countries.\r\n\r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n \r\n "

"Singapore, Ghana sign carbon credit agreement enabling firms to offset part of carbon tax"

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