December 1, 2023

On June 19, 2023, National Development Minister Desmond Lee announced that two marine climate research projects have been awarded grants, supported by the Marine Climate Change Science (MCCS) Programme, launched by the National Parks Board (NParks) and the National Research Foundation (NRF) in 2021. The programme supports projects that aim to protect critical marine habitats and explore new strategies for adapting to climate change. The announcement took place at the fifth Asia-Pacific Coral Reef Symposium, as reported in ‘Two new marine climate projects awarded grants under $25m research programme’ (The Straits Times, June 2023).

One study evaluates the carbon dioxide stored in Singapore’s coastal and marine ecosystems, otherwise known as ‘blue carbon’, and creates a database of Singapore’s blue carbon ecosystems. The project is led by Assistant Professor Tang Hao (NUS Geography and NUS Biological Sciences), who will use the data collected to demonstrate the importance and usefulness of blue carbon sinks in Singapore’s understanding of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Dr Tang also mentions that Singapore has the potential for developing a carbon economy, given effective collaboration with government agencies and industry partners.

The other study focuses on bolstering coral reef resilience, spearheaded by Associate Professor Huang Danwei (NUS Biological Sciences). The study looks into improving the survival capabilities of coral through coral-culturing, to increase their tolerance to varying environments. More resilient coral will not only improve the condition of Singapore’s waters, but also help the various species of coral recover, the research contributing to NParks’ Species Recovery Programme.

Read the article here: https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/two-new-marine-climate-projects-awarded-grants-under-25m-research-programme