綠色經濟合作新模式？評估《新加坡—澳洲綠色經濟協議》

2022年10月，新加坡和澳洲正式簽署《新加坡－－澳洲綠色經濟協議（Singapore - Australia Green Economy Agreement, SAGEA）》。SAGEA規劃推動星澳雙方在貿易、投資、低碳能源轉型與氣候變遷因應等多元目標。
根據SAGEA，雙方於以下七個優先領域積極拓展合作：一、貿易及投資；二、標準制定及遵守；三、綠色及轉型金融；四、碳市場；五、潔淨能源、脫碳及科技；六、達成綠色成長的技能及能力建構；七、建立商業合作及夥伴關係。而SAGEA的實施，也從制定一份關稅優惠待遇的環境商品和服務清單開始。
鑑於國際媒體高度關注此一綠色協議與後續成果，本文擬就其內容進行評估，並聚焦探討：SAGEA之特色、執行動態、訂立背後之政治經濟思考（political economy）、綠色經濟協議（Green Economy Agreement）與其他國際氣候變遷與能源規範之連動，以及SAGEA對於臺灣綠色經貿與淨零轉型政策之可能啟發。
在分析架構上，澳洲國立大學（Australian National University）的亞太零碳能源倡議小組（Zero Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific Initiative）於2023年2月發表了一篇名為International Green Economy Collaborations: Helping the Energy Transition Go Global?的研究報告。該報告蒐集全球70多國，共計108項綠色經濟合作協議，以探討綠色經濟合作與全球能源轉型間之關聯。本文於分析過程中，以該報告所提示之觀察重點出發，評估SAGEA之內容與特點。
本文發現，SAGEA是國際減碳與淨零趨勢下的產物，並奠基於星澳雙方既有之雙邊合作、歷史與地緣政治因素。SAGEA之內容，也已超越傳統的國際綠色經濟合作模式，追求體制上之深度整合（例如碳稅、碳市場與綠色融資等安排）。另外SAGEA也涉及綠色數位航道、永續航空、跨境電力貿易等創新領域之策略合作。SAGEA確具宏觀與前瞻性，然其締結迄今僅未滿一年的時間，部分機制內容尚在發展中。近期可持續追蹤其執行動態，以判斷SAGEA之落實情況。

In October 2022, Singapore and Australia officially signed the ''Singapore-Australia Green Economy Agreement (SAGEA)'' with the aim of promoting diverse objectives between the two countries in regimes such as trade, investment, low-carbon energy transition, and climate change adaptation.
According to SAGEA, the two countries actively expand cooperation in seven priority areas: trade and investment, standards and conformance, green and transition finance, carbon markets, clean energy, decarbonization, and technology, skills and capacities for green growth, and engagements and partnerships. The implementation of SAGEA begins with the development of the lists for environmental goods and services.
Given the high international media attention on this green economy agreement and its subsequent outcomes, this paper intends to assess its content and focus on exploring the features of SAGEA, its execution dynamics, the political economy considerations behind its establishment, the interplay between the Green Economy Agreement and other international climate and energy norms, and the potential inspiration SAGEA might offer for Taiwan's green economy and zero-carbon transition policies.
In terms of analytical framework, a research report titled ''International Green Economy Collaborations: Helping the Energy Transition Go Global?'' was published by the Zero Carbon Energy for the Asia-Pacific Initiative at the Australian National University (ANU) in February 2023. This report gathered information from over 70 countries, comprising a total of 108 green economy collaboration agreements, to investigate the relationship between green economy collaborations and global energy transition. In the process of analysis, this paper will utilize the focal points indicated by the ANU report to evaluate the content and characteristics of SAGEA.
The paper finds that SAGEA is a product of the international trend towards decarbonization and achieving net-zero emissions, firmly grounded in the existing bilateral cooperation, historical ties, and geopolitical factors between Singapore and Australia. The content of SAGEA surpasses traditional models of international green economy cooperation (IGEC), pursuing a deeper integration at the systemic level (such as carbon taxes, carbon markets, and green financing arrangements). Additionally, SAGEA encompasses strategic collaborations in innovative fields like Green Shipping Cooperation, sustainable aviation, cross-border electricity trade, among others.
SAGEA embodies a macro and forward-looking perspective; however, as its signing has occurred less than a year ago, certain mechanisms are still in development.
It is recommended to closely monitor its implementation progress to assess the actual realization of SAGEA in the near future.