June 24, 2019

What steps can Singapore take to manage and reduce the risk of floods?

On 16 June 2010, Orchard Road experienced severe floods that affected Singapore’s retail and tourism industry. With sea levels projected to rise between 0.25 to 0.76 meters by the end of the 21st century, steps have already been taken to minimise the likelihood of flooding in the country. For instance, in 2011 the minimum land reclamation level was raised from 3 to 4 meters. Additionally, the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) has ensured that over 70% of Singapore’s coastline is protected with hard engineering structures to prevent flooding from sea level rise.

Professor Alan Ziegler (NUS Geography) was part of a team of researchers who examined Singapore and Hong Kong and their flood management strategies. The study, ‘Towards resilient flood risk management for Asian coastal cities: Lessons learned from Hong Kong and Singapore’ (Journal of Cleaner Production, 2018), highlighted the various flood management practices and progress in both city-states. Looking towards the future, the project proposed that governments adopt a holistic flood management strategy. Apart from traditional engineering-based flood-control practices, spatial planning policies that integrate flood risk management and climate adaptation approaches can be implemented.

Read the article here.