Opening Address By SMS Tan Kiat How For SCS Sustainable Tech Forum 2026

Ms Lim Bee Kwan, President, Singapore Computer Society,

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

Introduction

1. Good morning. It is my pleasure to join you at the Sustainable Tech Forum.

2. The pace of digital innovation and transformation continues to be unrelenting, especially with recent developments in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

3. Businesses are trying to keep up, investing in cloud computing and AI to raise productivity, unlock value, and remain competitive. These trends significantly increase the world’s carbon footprint through energy-intensive data centres (DCs), significant electronic waste, and the constant demand for newer and more powerful software and devices.

4. Countries around the world, especially energy-scarce and open economies like Singapore are coming up against tighter and more binding constraints.

5. But we are not without agency or options. Digitalisation offers tremendous opportunities to optimise resource usage and create more energy efficient systems.

   1. I am glad that the theme of today’s forum is not about choosing between technological advancement or environmental responsibility.

   2. We are here to reimagine how we can harness the power of digital transformation to accelerate our journey towards a more sustainable future.

   3. As we build the digital economy of tomorrow, we must do so in a responsible way that protects the environment for future generations.

6. I am encouraged that many enterprises don’t take the view that technology adoption and environmental sustainability are binary choices, one or the other.

7. Technology companies that prioritise sustainability find that environmental responsibility translates into competitive advantages across multiple dimensions, for example through cost reduction, fulfilling consumer preferences, and gaining access to ESG-focused investment capital.

   1. For example, Microsoft's commitment to be carbon negative by 2030, coupled with their $1 billion climate innovation fund, has not only attracted environmentally conscious enterprise clients but also positioned them as a preferred partner for organisations with their own sustainability mandates.

   2. Similarly, Apple's closed-loop manufacturing approach and transition to 100% renewable energy across their facilities have strengthened customer loyalty, particularly amongst younger demographics, and helped the company reduce operational costs through lower energy use.

8. These companies demonstrate that sustainability initiatives create competitive moats and are mutually reinforcing with business success.

9. Singapore has been encouraging the adoption of green technology over the years. In 2024, we launched the Green Data Centre Roadmap.

   1. We have made steady progress.

   2. For example, the Government introduced the Energy Efficiency Grant to support the adoption of greener IT equipment.

   3. The second Call for Application exercise for Data Centres launched last month aims to anchor facilities that are best-in-class in sustainability.

10. Last year, in partnership with the Green Software Foundation, we developed a methodology to calculate the carbon intensity for software systems, helping end user enterprises make more informed procurement decisions.

11. Digital technologies are becoming powerful enablers for businesses to achieve their own sustainability objectives.

    1. For example, digital sustainability solutions such as carbon accounting software can leverage data analytics and AI to enable more real-time monitoring and sensemaking of a company’s carbon footprint. They also allow companies to undertake more targeted and dynamic carbon reduction initiatives.

12. Based on a survey carried out by IMDA in 2025, 1 in 3 SMEs and 4 in 5 larger firms have adopted at least one digital sustainability solution. For these firms, 4 in 5 reported that they have benefitted, especially through improved operational efficiency and manpower productivity.

13. For others who have not adopted such solutions yet, IMDA found that slightly over one third of them identified "limited knowledge about sustainability practices" as a key impediment.

14. To help more enterprises jumpstart their digital sustainability efforts, IMDA will be introducing three new resources today.

15. First, IMDA has developed a Practical Green Software Guide for Enterprises to encourage green software adoption within organisations.

    1. The guide illustrates the environmental and cost savings of going green and offers practical steps such as right-sizing AI models, designing leaner software, and tracking and monitoring energy usage and costs. This provides organisations, be it technology developers or end-user enterprises, to begin their green software journey.

    2. Based on IMDA’s Green Software Trials, businesses can reduce their carbon emissions, energy usage, and operating costs by 20% by adopting these best practices.

16. Second, IMDA has developed ICT Emission Factors and a Carbon Calculator for Cloud Services.

    1. To help enterprises track emissions from their cloud usage, IMDA and the National University of Singapore Energy Studies Institute (NUS ESI) have developed Singapore-specific emission factors for Cloud services.

    2. These emission factors form the basis for a carbon calculator that enables enterprises in Singapore to track emissions by service type, configurations of the Cloud service, and service duration.

    3. With this information, businesses can identify opportunities for decarbonisation and more energy-efficient digital infrastructure, for example choosing between on-premise and cloud deployment, or comparing emissions across different vendors and service types.

17. Third, IMDA has designed a Digital Technologies for Sustainability Playbook, which provides businesses with practical guidance on how they can reduce operating costs and become greener.

    1. The guidance includes leveraging automation, Internet of Things, data analytics, and AI.

    2. The playbook goes beyond conceptual ideas and includes case studies from local companies across various industries.

    3. These real-world applications demonstrate how digital technologies are being used for energy optimisation through smart monitoring systems, waste reduction via virtual prototyping and design tools, and even AI-powered solutions for facilities management such as customised irrigation systems.

18. I would also like to thank industry stakeholders who have contributed to the Playbook.

19. In conclusion, let me summarise my key messages:

    1. First, technology adoption and environment sustainability are not binary, mutually exclusive choices.

    2. Second, in fact, adopting smart sustainability practices can reduce cost and help companies be more competitive.

    3. Third, I encourage businesses to make full use of these new practical resources and incorporate sustainability in their future digital plans.

20. Thank you and I wish you all a fruitful day ahead.