Threat from rising seas

OVERVIEW OF STUDIES Scope: >300km of coastline in eight sections Purpose: To determine the most suitable shields for each stretch

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sea level risks faced by each corner of the coastline. "Coastal protection works require careful planning and are a significant undertaking," said Ms Hazel Khoo, director of the coastal protection department at national water agency PUB.

"We need to take into consideration several factors, such as the effectiveness of measures, existing and potential land uses, environmental impact and cost. Trade-offs are therefore inevitable," she said.

Reclaiming land offshore to protect the East Coast area, for example, can impact the marine environment.

A COSTLY ENDEAVOUR In August, the small island nation of Nauru in the Pacific Ocean sold its first passports as part of a programme to fund climate action, including retreating from rising sea levels.

Each applicant has to contribute US$105,000 (S$135,500) to the fund to be eligible for Nauru citizenship.

Coastal protection efforts can be costly.

Singapore has estimated that coastal protection efforts could cost $100 billion over the next 100 years, due to significant construction works.

To protect the East Coast, it is looking to reclaim around 800ha of land offshore - about twice the size of Marina Bay - with a new reservoir in between.

PUB has also since 2023 been studying the feasibility of installing large barriers to protect the south-western coastline — including Jurong Island, Pasir Panjang Terminal and Tuas shipyards from extreme events like storm surges.