The Heart of Carbon Services and Trading in Asia

US$300B

annual green economy opportunity in Southeast Asia by 2030¹.

25%

of the world's nature-based solution supply².

150+

carbon services companies across the value chain in Singapore³.

Strategic advantages in Singapore

Optimal business conditions
Catalysing innovation
Green talent pipeline

Market access

Singapore's strategic location places businesses at the heart of Southeast Asia, a region where eight of 10 countries have announced net-zero targets.

We are also home to about 50 per cent of Asia’s corporate headquarters, with many setting ambitious decarbonisation and net-zero commitments. More than 70 per cent of large-capitalisation companies listed on the Singapore Exchange have committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 or earlier, including leading Singapore-listed corporates such as DBS Group, Singapore Airlines, Singtel, and Sembcorp Industries⁴.

This combination of geographic advantage and climate-ambitious corporates, provides carbon service firms with close proximity to buyers, making Singapore a powerful launchpad for regional operations and carbon services opportunities.

Hand with digital growth icons, symbolizing policy framework.

Progressive climate policies

Our clear and forward-looking climate policies offer local demand opportunities for carbon services.

We were the first in Southeast Asia to introduce a carbon tax. And as part of that, carbon-tax liable companies can purchase high-quality international carbon credits to offset up to five per cent of their taxable carbon emissions from 2024.

On sustainability reporting, from FY2025, all listed companies must report climate-related disclosures aligned with global standards.

Singapore also has published guidelines on Voluntary Carbon Markets to guide companies in their use of carbon credits as part of a credible decarbonisation plan.

These measures are creating sustained demand for low carbon advisory, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) and carbon market services.

Business environment

Singapore is one of the world's leading financial centres, supported by strong rule of law, reliable institutions, and a pro-business regulatory regime.

Our ecosystem is already home to more than 150 carbon services companies, ranging from project developers to traders and advisors. Singapore hosts established carbon services companies with regional or global mandates, including ERM’s Asia sustainability hub, South Pole’s Asia Centre of Carbon Excellence, Climate Action Data Trust (CAD Trust), and ICVCM's Asia Pacific Hub. This density and diversity of active players in carbon services facilitates collaboration across the carbon value chain.

International firms benefit from efficient corporate structures, robust IP protection, and easy regional connectivity.

Research excellence

Our universities and research institutions are global leaders in sustainability and nature-based climate solutions. Programmes such as National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Carbon Integrity SG are advancing scientific research and methodologies for Southeast Asia’s natural ecosystems.

Besides universities, organisations such as Conservation International is advancing science and innovation research through their International Blue Carbon Institute (IBCI) in Singapore.

Multiple hands holding a green moss ball together, symbolizing a strong partner network.

Innovation opportunities

Innovation is necessary to catalyse solutions to solve the world’s climate crisis. Singapore’s ecosystem of innovation platforms and partners across climate funds, accelerator programmes, and startups has been growing rapidly. Examples include:

Blue Catalyst, organised by WWF Singapore and Hatch Blue, is the first-of-its-kind innovation challenge convened for the solutioning of blue carbon credits. Supported by EDB, this challenge is designed to unlock technologies to scale high-quality blue carbon ecosystems across Asia and beyond.
Blue Carbon Plus (BC+), launched in 2024 by Conservation International and The Nature Conservancy, accelerates business models that incentivise blue carbon conservation, improve local economies, and attract additional finance for scaling impact.
Temasek Liveability Challenge - A global platform for innovators to facilitate urban challenges in cities in the tropics, particularly low-carbon development solutions. Participants get to receive mentoring and funding support to launch their sustainability solutions.

Specialised university programmes

Our universities offer comprehensive carbon-related programmes, ensuring a steady supply of new carbon services talent.

Nanyang Technological University (NTU) provides industry-relevant training through their Carbon Markets Academy of Singapore, while the National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Sustainability Academy offers a professional certificate for Carbon Services and Trading.

Three professionals having a discussion around a laptop and documents in a modern office setting.

Mid-career reskilling initiatives

For mid-career professionals, Singapore provides a range of government-backed upskilling initiatives, such as Capability Transfer Programmes and Sustainability Career Conversion Programmes.

These initiatives are designed to help reskill and support the training of experienced individuals for new roles within the green economy.

Employment Pass

Singapore has also made it easier for foreign carbon experts, such as project developers and carbon traders, to join companies here.

This integration is facilitated under the Singapore employment pass framework, COMPASS, ensuring access to global talent.

Opportunities your business can capitalise on

Singapore welcomes partners to offer high-quality Article 6 credits. High-integrity carbon credits are central to our decarbonisation journey and play a key role in scaling climate action.

Person in a suit holding a green moss-covered globe with digital sustainability and carbon-related icons floating around it.

Need for high-integrity Article 6 credits
Singapore’s carbon tax regime allows firms to offset up to five per cent of carbon tax liabilities using high-quality Article 6 carbon credits, creating strong demand.

In addition, the Singapore government is actively procuring carbon credits through Requests for Proposals. In September 2024, it launched an RFP for high-quality, nature-based Article 6 carbon credits and has since contracted ~2.175 million tonnes of credits at a total value of around S$76 million from four projects. A second RFP was launched in October 2025 to source both nature-based and technology-based Article 6 credits from partner countries.
International collaboration
As of 2025, Singapore has concluded at least 10 Implementation Agreements with countries across South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia to cooperate on international carbon credits. Singapore also has memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with several other countries.

Quality of credits
Singapore has set clear quality benchmarks through our International Carbon Credit (ICC) framework that requires credits to meet a set of principles to demonstrate high environmental integrity. We have also whitelisted methodologies which align to these principles and take reference from reputable international standards across the market.

Early-stage financing
EDB’s Carbon Project Development Grant funds Singapore-based project developers with an established track record in carbon markets to conduct early-stage feasibility work for high-quality Article 6 projects.

To augment EDB’s grant, EDB is partnering with Temasek Trust Foundation Advisors (TTFA) which has established a donor-advised fund of S$20 million to finance projects alongside EDB.

Singapore Carbon Market Alliance (SCMA)
In partnership with IETA, EDB launched the SCMA for international credit suppliers and Singapore-based buyers of Article 6 carbon credits to connect, share and collaborate on carbon credits.

Learn about the success of these businesses in Singapore

Integrity Council launches Asia Pacific Hub

The Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) launched its first overseas office in Singapore to build on existing work in the region related to ICVCM's Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) with governments, corporates, financial institutions and market actors.

3Degrees expands carbon asset development team in Singapore

3Degrees is expanding its carbon project development capabilities in Singapore to build a pipeline of high-integrity Article 6 carbon projects across Southeast Asia and beyond.

ERM expands SEA hub to deliver cutting-edge climate solutions and services to clients across Asia

The Southeast Asia (SEA) hub deepens its expertise in new energy, ESG due diligence, Monitoring, Reporting & Verification (MRV) and sustainable asset retirement.

South Pole, GenZero launch Asia Centre of Carbon Excellence (ACCE) in Singapore

ACCE focuses on innovative carbon methodology development, carbon policy and capacity-building.

The Nature Conservancy advance a nature-positive future from Singapore

The office serves as a strategic global centre for partnerships, innovation, and scientific research in nature-based solutions.

Carbon Project Development Grant

Administered by EDB, this grant supports established Singapore-based companies carrying out early-stage carbon project development and financing activities for Article 6 carbon projects.