A ‘life and death matter’: Singapore could spend US$72b on climate adaptation over next century

(Eco Business, 20 Aug 2019) The island nation is especially vulnerable to rising sea levels and climate defences are as important as the armed forces, said its prime minister.

Low-lying Singapore could spend S$100 billion (US$72 billion) or more over the next 50 to 100 years to adapt to climate change and rising sea levels, said its prime minister Lee Hsien Loong in one of his biggest political speeches of the year on Sunday.

Climate change defences are a matter of “life and death” for Singapore, which is especially vulnerable to rising sea levels, said Lee at the National Day Rally. This is due to much of the country lying no more than four metres above the mean sea level and its location in Southeast Asia, which scientists have said will bear the brunt of melting ice sheets in the Arctic and Antarctic. Sea levels are projected to rise by up to one metre by the end of this century.

“We should treat climate change defences like we treat the Singapore Armed Forces—with utmost seriousness. Work steadily at it, maintain a stable budget year after year…do it over many years and several generations,” said Lee.

“Both the Singapore Armed Forces and climate change defences are existential for Singapore. These are life and death matters. Everything else must bend at the knee to safeguard the existence of our island nation,” he said.

“We must make this effort. Otherwise one day, our children and grandchildren will be ashamed of what our generation did not do,” he added. 

The authorities have determined that Singapore’s eastern coastline and the city centre are particularly vulnerable, and will be given priority.

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Eco Business, 20 Aug 2019: A ‘life and death matter’: Singapore could spend US$72b on climate adaptation over next century