Long-term planning, political will needed to tackle climate change here: Zaqy

In dealing with climate change, Singapore’s approach is rooted in long-term planning and political will, said Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment Zaqy Mohamad.

- Chin Hui Shan

“Singapore's future and our survival are at the front and centre of everything we do. Our adaptation strategy is not piecemeal,” he said, calling climate change “the defining challenge of our generation”.

“We are looking 30, 50, even 100 years ahead,” Mr Zaqy added, speaking during the debate on the President’s Address in Parliament on Sept 22.

This approach applies to everything from dealing with increasingly inclement weather to making sure that the nation will have enough food and water.

A case in point is the Republic’s commitment of about $100 billion over the next century for coastal protection.

“We're just four, five months out into the new term, but it is a serious financial commitment, one that we planned prudently and that we will fund sustainably through our fiscal policies and reserves,” Mr Zaqy said.

Singapore’s adaptation strategy is coordinated, ambitious and backed by long-term thinking across generations of leaders, he stressed.

One success story he pointed to is the Marina Barrage, a dam built across the 350m-wide Marina Channel to keep out seawater, creating the 15th reservoir in downtown Singapore.

When the barrage was first proposed, there were doubts on its feasibility and value.

“Today, it is one of Singapore’s most iconic landmarks — a reservoir, a flood barrier, and a place where families gather for recreation... While it was built for flood control and water supply, it is now a place where families picnic, students learn and communities gather,” he said.