Blog Response 2
Article
Feb 26, 2007 Getting ready for rising sea levels Measures are in place to deal with the effects of climate change By Arti Mulchand
THE little red dot has no wish to be red-hot or submerged.
The good news is that measures, including those long in place like minimum heights for reclaimed land, are helping to protect Singapore from some of the effects of climate change like rising sea levels.
In 1991, the Public Utilities Board had set the minimum platform levels for new reclamation projects at 125cm above the highest recorded tide, to 'ensure proper drainage of the reclaimed land', said a PUB spokesman.
This means that areas such as Changi East and the Tuas View Extension will be able to cope with even the highest sea level rise of 59cm, as projected by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier this month.
Other measures have also been put into place to deal with some of the anticipated consequences at five key points of vulnerability.
These range from land loss and flooding, to the impact on Singapore's water resources (see other story), said the National Climate Change Strategy, developed by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the National Environment Agency (NEA).
The strategy paper points out that for Singapore - a tropical island city-state - issues like warming temperatures and rising sea levels are real concerns requiring anticipatory measures.
It was launched last April, along with Singapore's signing of the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to curb pollution by reducing gas emissions from various sources, including air-conditioners, cars and large coal-fired power plants.
Thus, in anticipation of seawater being able to get into reservoirs here, there are plans for more steel plates in tidal gates.
An ongoing two-year study by the NEA - the first of its kind here - is looking at the possible impact of climate change, including changes in rainfall patterns, sea levels and possible extreme weather conditions, and to identify strategies to help deal with the problems, said the NEA.
The world's vulnerability to potential climate change made headlines in the weeks following the release of the report summary of the IPCC report, which said that signs of global warming are 'unequivocal' and that human activity is the main cause.
The report is a 'screaming siren' compared to just a wake-up call from the last report, released in 2001, Greenpeace's spokesman said.
Among other findings, the report states that global average temperatures could rise between 1.1 and 6.4 deg C, and that sea levels are likely to rise by 18cm to 59cm.
Heatwaves and heavy rains are 'very likely' to become more frequent.
Authorities here are awaiting the full IPCC report, expected to be released in May. It is expected to make regional projections of climate change effects that can feed into Singapore's study.
NEA's spokesman has also said that inter-agency task forces, like those previously formed in response to dengue and the haze, will be formed to deal with 'likely scenarios arising out of climate change'.
Also watching matters closely are environmentalists and agencies like the Climate Change Organisation, Singapore, and the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA).
Last month, SIIA and oil company Shell Singapore released a special report outlining the key environmental challenges for Singapore and the region, with information culled from an experts' roundtable discussion in September last year, one of which was to build awareness along different avenues and target specific stakeholders.
Another major challenge: translating climate change findings for the layman, so he understands how such issues are directly relevant to his life.
Roundtable participants also pointed to the need for more Asia-centric research on climate change, since most current research is being done in the West.
They also highlighted the need for 'regional political will to effect change in Asia', such as through Asean.
Response
Singapore is setting up measures to deal with the effects of climate change. Finally?
Global warming is one of the major problems the world faced currently, and although this problem had surfaced decades ago, humans have yet to decisively place a foot down upon this matter.
For a small little red dot like Singapore, global warming can have drastic impact on the island. Should the sea level rise drastically, we face the problem of total annihilation as Singapore will easily be submerged beneath the waters with the highest peak only a little above 163m tall. The question now is, will raising the minimum platform levels for new reclamation projects prevent flooding? Will proper drainage system reduce the impact global warming will have on Singapore?
I would say no.
There can never be a foolproof and never fail way to guard ourselves against the powers of nature. I believe that the methods placed forward in the article will not be able to help eradicate the problem of flooding if global warming decides to strike. It is a good sign to see us Singaporeans paying attention to what is happening to our surrounding and environment; it is in fact great that we are carrying out precautions and measures to minimize the impact global warming would have on Singapore. But would this effort be enough? Instead of focusing our resources on heightening the platform levels after land reclamation, wouldn’t a more effective way be to remove the land reclamation projects completely and plant perhaps more trees? Tree roots hold the soil together and if under the attack of floods or waves, trees would definitely fare better against the elements than slabs of concrete would. So why not revive the greener Singapore instead of building great walls of Singapore around our borders?
Another point I want to bring up is the rapid deterioration of the environment. From the article, we see that sea levels are likely to rise from 18 cm to 59cm, that’s an increase by over three times. Also, heat waves and heavy rains would also be more frequent. Now the question is this, do we not know that our earth is in this current plight? And many of us would reply yes if asked that question. Yes, we do know, ad we do understand that if we continue using earth harming products and machineries, we are securing ourselves a one way ticket to complete annihilation of not just the human race, but every single life form on earth. Macdonald’s know that their cows are contributing a significantly to the amount of green house gases in the air. Drivers who drive SUVs know how much harm it can do to the ozone layer and the earth’s atmosphere. They know, but they do not do anything to change it. And that is why through all these years, the same unsolved problem remains.
I know my words would not carry much weight in the world out there, but for those who happen to drop by and read this reflection, I want to show you how much I care about our world, I want to tell you that it is not too late to do something about it. We may merely be individuals in this society but many individuals make the majority. This is our home, it is only right that we play a part and lend those who care a hand in saving the earth.
Feb 26, 2007 Getting ready for rising sea levels Measures are in place to deal with the effects of climate change By Arti Mulchand
THE little red dot has no wish to be red-hot or submerged.
The good news is that measures, including those long in place like minimum heights for reclaimed land, are helping to protect Singapore from some of the effects of climate change like rising sea levels.
In 1991, the Public Utilities Board had set the minimum platform levels for new reclamation projects at 125cm above the highest recorded tide, to 'ensure proper drainage of the reclaimed land', said a PUB spokesman.
This means that areas such as Changi East and the Tuas View Extension will be able to cope with even the highest sea level rise of 59cm, as projected by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) earlier this month.
Other measures have also been put into place to deal with some of the anticipated consequences at five key points of vulnerability.
These range from land loss and flooding, to the impact on Singapore's water resources (see other story), said the National Climate Change Strategy, developed by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and the National Environment Agency (NEA).
The strategy paper points out that for Singapore - a tropical island city-state - issues like warming temperatures and rising sea levels are real concerns requiring anticipatory measures.
It was launched last April, along with Singapore's signing of the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement to curb pollution by reducing gas emissions from various sources, including air-conditioners, cars and large coal-fired power plants.
Thus, in anticipation of seawater being able to get into reservoirs here, there are plans for more steel plates in tidal gates.
An ongoing two-year study by the NEA - the first of its kind here - is looking at the possible impact of climate change, including changes in rainfall patterns, sea levels and possible extreme weather conditions, and to identify strategies to help deal with the problems, said the NEA.
The world's vulnerability to potential climate change made headlines in the weeks following the release of the report summary of the IPCC report, which said that signs of global warming are 'unequivocal' and that human activity is the main cause.
The report is a 'screaming siren' compared to just a wake-up call from the last report, released in 2001, Greenpeace's spokesman said.
Among other findings, the report states that global average temperatures could rise between 1.1 and 6.4 deg C, and that sea levels are likely to rise by 18cm to 59cm.
Heatwaves and heavy rains are 'very likely' to become more frequent.
Authorities here are awaiting the full IPCC report, expected to be released in May. It is expected to make regional projections of climate change effects that can feed into Singapore's study.
NEA's spokesman has also said that inter-agency task forces, like those previously formed in response to dengue and the haze, will be formed to deal with 'likely scenarios arising out of climate change'.
Also watching matters closely are environmentalists and agencies like the Climate Change Organisation, Singapore, and the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA).
Last month, SIIA and oil company Shell Singapore released a special report outlining the key environmental challenges for Singapore and the region, with information culled from an experts' roundtable discussion in September last year, one of which was to build awareness along different avenues and target specific stakeholders.
Another major challenge: translating climate change findings for the layman, so he understands how such issues are directly relevant to his life.
Roundtable participants also pointed to the need for more Asia-centric research on climate change, since most current research is being done in the West.
They also highlighted the need for 'regional political will to effect change in Asia', such as through Asean.
Response
Singapore is setting up measures to deal with the effects of climate change. Finally?
Global warming is one of the major problems the world faced currently, and although this problem had surfaced decades ago, humans have yet to decisively place a foot down upon this matter.
For a small little red dot like Singapore, global warming can have drastic impact on the island. Should the sea level rise drastically, we face the problem of total annihilation as Singapore will easily be submerged beneath the waters with the highest peak only a little above 163m tall. The question now is, will raising the minimum platform levels for new reclamation projects prevent flooding? Will proper drainage system reduce the impact global warming will have on Singapore?
I would say no.
There can never be a foolproof and never fail way to guard ourselves against the powers of nature. I believe that the methods placed forward in the article will not be able to help eradicate the problem of flooding if global warming decides to strike. It is a good sign to see us Singaporeans paying attention to what is happening to our surrounding and environment; it is in fact great that we are carrying out precautions and measures to minimize the impact global warming would have on Singapore. But would this effort be enough? Instead of focusing our resources on heightening the platform levels after land reclamation, wouldn’t a more effective way be to remove the land reclamation projects completely and plant perhaps more trees? Tree roots hold the soil together and if under the attack of floods or waves, trees would definitely fare better against the elements than slabs of concrete would. So why not revive the greener Singapore instead of building great walls of Singapore around our borders?
Another point I want to bring up is the rapid deterioration of the environment. From the article, we see that sea levels are likely to rise from 18 cm to 59cm, that’s an increase by over three times. Also, heat waves and heavy rains would also be more frequent. Now the question is this, do we not know that our earth is in this current plight? And many of us would reply yes if asked that question. Yes, we do know, ad we do understand that if we continue using earth harming products and machineries, we are securing ourselves a one way ticket to complete annihilation of not just the human race, but every single life form on earth. Macdonald’s know that their cows are contributing a significantly to the amount of green house gases in the air. Drivers who drive SUVs know how much harm it can do to the ozone layer and the earth’s atmosphere. They know, but they do not do anything to change it. And that is why through all these years, the same unsolved problem remains.
I know my words would not carry much weight in the world out there, but for those who happen to drop by and read this reflection, I want to show you how much I care about our world, I want to tell you that it is not too late to do something about it. We may merely be individuals in this society but many individuals make the majority. This is our home, it is only right that we play a part and lend those who care a hand in saving the earth.
Labels: Environmental
posted by Bennie @ 7:24 AM
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