In a significant move to bolster Singapore's defenses against rising sea levels, Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced during his Budget 2025 speech that the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund will receive an additional $5 billion. Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations Grace Fu, in her Committee of Supply speech, underscored the urgency of implementing coastal protection measures progressively over the coming decades.
PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, is spearheading the government’s coastal protection efforts, ensuring that solutions are tailored to different coastal segments with the latest climate science in mind. As part of this initiative, PUB has outlined several key measures to reinforce the nation's resilience against sea-level rise:
- Two new site-specific studies (SSS) will commence by 2026 for Sentosa Island and the south-west coast.
- Coastal protection legislation will be introduced in the second half of 2025.
- A Code of Practice for coastal protection and a new Flood-Resilient Developments (FRD) guidebook will be launched in 2026.
- Detailed coastal protection plans for the Greater Southern Waterfront and Changi (part of the City-East Coast site-specific study) will be revealed in the second half of 2025.
The need for coastal protection
The Third National Climate Change Study, published in January 2024, projected that mean sea levels around Singapore could rise by up to 1.15 meters by 2100 and approximately 2 meters by 2150. Given that nearly 30% of Singapore’s land is less than 5 meters above mean sea level, the country remains highly susceptible to coastal flooding. Areas like East Coast Park have already experienced intermittent coastal flooding when high tides coincide with heavy rainfall, highlighting the urgent need for effective coastal defense strategies.
Upcoming site-specific studies
Singapore has segmented its coastline into various study areas to develop localized coastal adaptation plans. Since 2021, site-specific studies have been underway at City-East Coast, Jurong Island, and the north-west coast. Two additional studies will commence by 2026:
- Sentosa Island SSS: Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC) will lead this study, integrating coastal protection measures with future development plans. Covering approximately 16km of coastline, the study will consider Sentosa’s role as a premier leisure and tourism destination.
- South-West Coast SSS: PUB will undertake this study, incorporating insights from the ongoing Coastal Barrier Feasibility Study (CBFS) and the Jurong Island SSS. The study area spans about 116km of coastline, stretching from Tuas to Pasir Panjang. It includes waterfront industrial estates, major port facilities such as Tuas Port and Pasir Panjang terminals, as well as recreational areas like West Coast Park. Coastal protection efforts will be designed to align with the region’s development plans.
With these measures in place, Singapore is taking proactive steps to safeguard its coastal areas against the long-term threats of climate change, ensuring resilience for future generations.
