Climate Change and Singapore
Air conditioning, covered sidewalks, MRT…etc.
All those luxuries distract us from the fact that climate change is as real on our island as it is in the rest of the world.
As a low-lying land, Singapore is affected by the rising sea levels and excessive rain which intensifies yearly. Both human settlements and the biodiversity are in danger of the moving coastline, while the complete melting of polar caps could leave the island underwater. Even though the heat waves were not as severe in Singapore as elsewhere before, studies suggest that the urban island effect might change this in near future, with Singapore heating up twice as fast as the rest of the world.
Migrants work on construction sites regardless of weather - building our city. Hawkers, in already hot and humid kitchens - feeding the nation. Outdoor workers, enduring heat while keeping the island clean. Elderly and small children, with their lower heath loss capacity - at rising risk of heat injuries. Them, and many others, can already feel the damage climate change does to their lives. Change might be nearly invisible, but people it affects should not be!
Temperature rise combined with the high humidity endangers the island’s rich biodiversity, and prolonged periods of drought affect the reliability of our water resources, creating a suitable climate for vector-borne diseases, such as denga, that are already frequent locally and have a negative impact on the quality of life of those living with many chronic illnesses. The island’s food supply is vulnerable to the droughts threatening the supplier countries’ agriculture. Singapore imports nearly 90% of the food consumed because it doesn’t have much agricultural land and is therefore strongly impacted by the changes in the supplier country.
Most Singaporeans have the privilege to remain ignorant to those concerns, but the battle with the changing climates our neighbors are fighting every day is not a battle one can win alone.
Be the change for our future.
Written by Tijana Trivunovic
Works Cited
“Climate Change.” MSE, www.mse.gov.sg/policies/climate-change.
“Impact Of Climate Change In Singapore.” NCCS, www.nccs.gov.sg/singapores-climate-action/impact-of-climate-change-in-singapore/.
Tan, Audrey. “IPCC Report Indicates Singapore Could Take Bigger Hits from Climate Change.” The Straits Times, 10 Aug. 2021, www.straitstimes.com/singapore/environment/ipcc-report-indicates-singapore-could-take-bigger-hits-from-climate-change.
Vanessa Lim
@VanessaLimCNA, et al. “As Temperatures Rise, Outdoor Workers, Elderly and Children Are Most at Risk: Experts.” CNA, www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/temperature-heat-illnesses-climate-change-elderly-children-workers-2105706.
