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Budget 2025: Additional $5 billion injected into Coastal and Flood Protection Fund
Chin Hui Shan Straits Times 19 Feb 2025
SINGAPORE – Another $5 billion will be injected into the Coastal and Flood Protection Fund, which was set up in 2020 to protect Singapore against rising sea levels and enhance flood resilience.
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced this top-up in his Budget speech on Feb 18, saying it would be prudent for Singapore to set aside funds now to ensure that it can proceed with coastal and flood protection investments in the future.
The fund was first announced in 2020 with an initial injection of $5 billion to fund both coastal protection and drainage infrastructure.
PM Wong said Singapore needs to take steps to protect itself against climate risks even as it moves to reduce its emissions.
“If the world continues on a fossil fuel-based development trajectory over the coming years, global temperatures will keep rising, and that means we can expect a mean sea level rise of over 1m by 2100,” he said.
A higher mean sea level, coupled with high tides and storm surges, would have a significant impact on Singapore, he said, adding that about one-third of Singapore will be vulnerable to coastal flooding.
Singapore will employ a range of solutions to protect its coastlines, including static structures like sea walls, to more specialised measures like barrages and tidal gates, as well as reclamation, PM Wong added.
For example, developing Long Island by reclaiming land in the south-eastern part of Singapore will not only raise the ground level above rising sea levels but also create more space for homes, as well as new waterfront parks for outdoor recreation, he said.
For Long Island, three tracts of land – collectively about twice the size of Marina Bay – could be reclaimed off East Coast Park in the coming decades, creating about 800ha of land for new homes and other amenities, as well as a new reservoir.
PM Wong said national water agency PUB will complete site-specific studies for the Greater Southern Waterfront and Changi in 2025.
Studies for Jurong Island and the north-western coast are also under way.
Singapore is conducting eight islandwide site-specific studies of its coastlines to determine the most suitable coastal protection solutions for each segment.
“And step by step, we will complete the plans for coastal protection around the entire island,” he said.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, PUB’s coastal protection department director Hazel Khoo said that the top-up will be used to fund capital and non-recurrent operational expenditures by PUB for coastal protection and drainage works.
She said that while coastal protection is a long-term endeavour, the use of the fund is expected to ramp up towards the end of the decade to fund the design and construction of coastal protection measures.
This includes measures at the Greater Southern Waterfront and Changi, which are covered under the City-East Coast site-specific study.
Meanwhile, from FY2021 to FY2023, about $200 million of the fund was largely used for drainage projects such as the Syed Alwi Pumping Station, Alkaff Lake and upgrading works at a section of Bukit Timah Canal (Rifle Range Road to Jalan Kampong Chantek).
PUB has also initiated site-specific studies to develop coastal protection solutions for the City-East Coast and the north-west coast.
More funds will be deployed for coastal protection measures as the plans are progressively firmed up, said Ms Khoo.
According to Singapore’s Third National Climate Change Study, the mean sea level around Singapore is projected to rise by 23cm in the best possible scenario, or by 1.15m in the worst-case scenario, by 2100.
If fossil fuel use accelerates, sea levels could rise by around 2m by 2150.
Storm surges could also contribute to extreme sea-level events and cause coastal flooding in low-lying areas.
The local coastline is vulnerable to storm surges at varying degrees, depending on the orientation of the coast, depth of water, wind speed and tide levels.
“Our next decade will be pivotal as we accelerate efforts to de-carbonise our economy and enhance the climate resilience of our built environment,” said PM Wong.
“... And as long as this Government is in charge, we are committed to delivering them. We will ensure that our island nation survives even as the oceans rise, and we will build a better and greener future for all.”Chin Hui Shan is a journalist covering the environment beat at The Straits Times.
