Rising sea levels are becoming one of the biggest problems of our generation.
Small island nations face the harshest risks — and even well-resourced countries like Singapore have not been spared.
What’s happening?
Singapore’s sea levels are expected to rise by up to 1.15 meters by the year 2100, The Straits Times reported.
“These are life and death matters. Everything else must bend at the knee to safeguard the existence of our island nation,” Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said.
When compounded with weather events such as storm surges and high tides, sea levels could rise as much as 5 meters.
Extreme weather has always existed, but scientists agree that human-caused activities supercharge these events, making floods, storm surges, and hurricanes more destructive than before.
The National Climate Change Secretariat shared that 30% of Singapore is less than 5 meters above mean sea level, which means that even a moderate rise could put homes and infrastructure at risk.
In other parts of the world, the European Environment Agency noted that just a 10-centimeter increase in sea level can make once-in-a-century coastal floods occur more frequently.
Without stronger coastal protections, these extreme events are projected to become annual occurrences in many regions before 2050.
Why is this important?
NASA data has shown that sea levels are rising faster than expected.
In 2024, they climbed 30% more than previously projected. If this trend continues, coastal cities could face a rise of 1.4 to 6.6 feet by 2100.
The burning of dirty energy sources like coal, oil, and gas creates heat-trapping pollution that warms the planet. As oceans absorb that heat and ice sheets melt, seas rise.
Unlike larger nations, Singapore cannot retreat to “high ground” — its coasts host airports, power plants, reservoirs, and military facilities.
Left unchecked, rising seas exacerbated by an overheating planet could upend homes, roads, and food and water supplies.
What’s being done about it?
While island nations like Tuvalu and Vanuatu are already planning relocation agreements, Singapore is instead investing billions to defend its coasts.
The projects will include land reclamation, seawalls, barriers, and tidal gates.
On the technology side, MIT is testing an AI tool that can predict floods before storms strike, while UC Berkeley is developing a material to trap carbon pollution from factories, which was once thought to be too hot to capture.
Globally, communities are adopting clean energy initiatives, restoring wetlands, and modernizing infrastructure to make coastlines more resilient — steps that reduce the pollution causing sea levels to rise in the first place.
On an individual level, exploring affordable, greener energy sources like solar and encouraging discussions on environmental issues with your friends and family all make a difference.
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