Step onto Singapore’s shorelines by the end of the century and you might find that sea water has crept landward, eating up a significant portion of the coast.
This might be a reality for some of Singapore’s coastline if carbon emissions continue to remain high, and Singapore does not protect its low-lying areas.
According to updated projections from Singapore’s third National Climate Change Study released on Friday (Jan 5), the mean sea level around Singapore will rise even higher than previously expected.
The study is based on the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) sixth assessment report.
Previous projections forecast a mean sea level rise of up to 1m by the end of the century, but this third version of the study has revised the figure to 1.15m.
The study has also gone beyond the end of the century, projecting a mean sea level rise of up to 2m by 2150 under a high carbon emissions scenario. The projected figures are relative to the baseline period of 1995 to 2014.
“Low confidence” sea level projections up to 2300 are also included, an improvement from the second study, which provided medium-confidence sea level projections up to 2100.Low confidence here indicates a low level of probability of the event, while medium confidence corresponds to a moderate probability, based on evidence and data available.
The latest projections are due to better understanding of how melting Antarctic ice sheets contribute to global sea levels.
The average observed mean sea level rise around Singapore is currently around 0.2m across six tide gauges.
Some 30 per cent of Singapore’s land lies less than 5m above the mean sea level. With rising sea levels, extreme weather events such as high tides and storm surges are likely to cause levels to spike by a further 4m to 5m.
Faced with this threat, the authorities are already studying ways to protect Singapore’s shorelines.
CNA
