Protecting Singapore from coastal flooding

In response to the increasing risk of coastal flooding, PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, has appointed Royal HaskoningDHV to conduct a flood risk assessment for the country’s coastline. Our study will evaluate the likelihood of economic and social risks and explore the benefits of various adaptation measures to an optimal protection standard. We will use our Global Flood Risk Tool, to provide a comprehensive flood risk assessment.

Singapore strengthens coastal defenses: addressing rising sea levels

Following the third National Climate Change study by the Centre of Climate Research Singapore (CCRS), projections suggest that Singapore’s mean sea levels could rise by up to 1.15m by 2100. In extreme scenarios, this rise could reach 4 to 5 meters due to transient events such as high tides and storm surges. This poses a significant threat to Singapore, a low-lying island city-state with limited land. Approximately 30 percent of the island is less than 5 meters above sea level, making it highly vulnerable to rising sea levels.

In the coming decades, the country’s government plans to invest substantially in protecting its coastlines from the effects of climate change and rising sea levels. But knowing where to direct that money is the first part of the puzzle – and a question that takes expertise to answer.

To this end, PUB, which was appointed as National Coastal Protection Agency in 2020, has commissioned a study to gain a better understanding of global flood protection standards and their relevance to Singapore’s current flood protection standards.

The objective is to determine the optimal protection methods for the country’s entire coastline, establishing risk and identifying protection standards that will inform future development policies. We will conduct a flood risk and economic optimization assessment to recommend the protection standard for each section of Singapore’s coastline. The results of the consultancy study will be useful for the government to set the protection standard, e.g. with minimum height requirements of coastal protection measures.

Our team includes Professor Bas Jonkman and the global consultancy firm Jacobs. Professor Jonkman brings a wealth of experience in establishing these frameworks and has made significant contributions to the field over the past two decades. Jacobs, with over 30 years of consultancy engineering experience in Singapore, is actively involved in ongoing climate adaptation studies.

Upon completion of the project, the protection standards that we recommend under the study will ensure that Singapore’s living environments and economy remain adequately safeguarded against rising sea levels. This assessment will establish the basis for Singapore to set the standard for its coastal protection system against projected sea level rise and increased storm surges, ensuring a safe living environment for all Singaporeans for generations to come.

Royal HaskoningDHV in Singapore

Royal HaskoningDHV has a long-standing relation with PUB and a deep understanding of its operations. We are currently collaborating with Jacobs on two other projects for PUB: the Coastal Barrier Feasibility Study and the Coastal Protection Code of Practice.

With extensive past project experience in Singapore and the region, we bring a highly experienced and specialized team to these projects. This team includes flood risk and resilience specialists, hydraulic engineers, economists, and coastal design experts.

Each of these elements will contribute to our goal of Enhancing Society Together. By providing a protection standard, we aim to contribute to the development of coastal protection measures.