What is the Mercury Taskforce and how will it help with rising temperatures?

Singapore is preparing to beat the heat with a national plan that will kick in before a heatwave is officially declared.

- Chin Hui Shan

The plan, announced on March 19, includes measures such as opening cooling centres to the public when a heatwave is forecast. If the need arises, schools could also go on either partial or full home-based learning so as not to disrupt learning.

The plan was formulated by an inter-agency task force, called the Mercury Taskforce, which was specially created to help Singapore prepare for extreme heat.

WHAT IS THE MERCURY TASKFORCE?

The Mercury Taskforce was set up in 2023, although it was revealed to the media only during the launch of the national heatwave response plan.

Led by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment and National Environment Agency (NEA), it is made up of 37 public agencies.

They include the health, social and family development, education, defence and manpower ministries, as well as People's Association and Sport Singapore.

The aim of the task force is to develop and implement action plans to minimise and manage the impact of a heatwave.

The task force will also coordinate responses across the agencies.

When the weather forecast by the Meteorological Service Singapore indicates a high likelihood of a heatwave in Singapore, a joint media advisory warning of impending high temperatures will be issued, said the task force.

WHY DO WE NEED A MERCURY TASKFORCE?

The task force said the warming trends highlighted in Singapore's Third National Climate Change Study (V3) underscore the critical need to increase public awareness and preparedness for heat.