PUB commences coastal protection study at City-East Coast First site-specific study key to developing a flood resilient master plan to protect Singapore’s south-eastern coastlines from sea-level rise Singapore, 18 May 2021 – National Water Agency PUB will commence a site-specific study along Singapore’s City-East Coast, looking into possible solutions to protect it from the threat of rising seas caused by climate change. This is the first of a series of planned studies for different parts of Singapore’s coastline to be progressively carried out over the next few years, and are a key plank in Singapore’s long-term coastal protection plans. 2 The study covers 57.8 km of the coastline, across three areas (see Annex A for detailed infographic showing the scope of study) – Changi, the East Coast-Marina stretch and part of the Greater Southern Waterfront district. This section of the coastline had been identified to be more vulnerable and critical based on factors such as the potential impact of a flood event, criticality of assets (e.g. airports, economic and industrial districts) and opportunities to dovetail with upcoming developments. 3 The study will take around four years to complete, and will include work such as literature review to glean international best practices, collecting site data to support design works, formulating adaptation measures and pathways and developing the designs of solutions to mitigate flood risks. 4 Ms Hazel Khoo, Director of PUB’s Coastal Protection Department, said, “When PUB was appointed national coastal protection agency in April 2020, this study was earmarked as a significant milestone in our mission to prepare Singapore for the impacts of sea-level rise. But this is just the beginning – the real challenge is to develop solutions that are flexible and adaptive to climate change uncertainties, to safeguard our island and people from flooding risks while ensuring our coastlines remain liveable. 5 “This is also an opportunity for us to explore a combination of both engineering and nature- based solutions with innovative designs to better integrate with local development and land-use plans. This will allow us to potentially enhance the living environment and create new recreational spaces with multi-functional uses for the community like what was done at Marina Reservoir.” 6 Having divided Singapore's coastline into different segments, PUB will adopt a phased approach to progressively roll out studies and develop protection measures for the respective segments of the coastline. Studies to protect Jurong Island and the North-West coast, comprising Sungei Kadut and Lim Chu Kang, will commence later this year and in 2022 respectively. 7 The City-East Coast study will be undertaken by CPG Consultants Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Singapore-based consultancy services, infrastructure and building management firm CPG Corporation. CPG was appointed following an open tender exercise in 2020. 8 CPG possesses extensive knowledge in drainage design and master planning, and successfully executed projects such as the development of drainage masterplans with flood mitigation measures for a number of waterways in Singapore, and engineering consultancy services for the Stamford Diversion Canal, which – in tandem with the Stamford Detention Tank – enhances flood protection in the Orchard Road area. To augment its knowledge and capabilities in coastal protection and computer modelling, CPG will be partnering with Royal HaskoningDHV, a consultancy firm headquartered in the Netherlands that specialises in coastal engineering, as well as water management solutions provider Hydroinformatics Institute (H2i). Building local expertise and engaging with stakeholders 9 To enhance PUB’s knowledge and expertise in coastal engineering, the agency has formed a Coastal Protection Expert Panel, comprising both local and international experts (refer to Annex B for detailed information on the panel members) in the relevant fields. The panel will share international best practices and planning considerations, and will provide advice that will allow PUB to build new capabilities and aid in its overall planning efforts. 10 The panel is chaired by Professor Chan Eng Soon, Chief Executive Officer of the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS). Panel members include coastal engineering experts such as Professor Marcel Stive, a Dutch engineer internationally recognised for his work in coastal solutions; Professor Robert Nicholls from the United Kingdom (UK), an expert in climate change and sea-level rise who was involved in the Building and Construction Authority’s Coastal Adaptation Study (2013-2019); and Professor Robert Dalrymple from the US, who specialises in coastal processes. Professor David Balmforth, who is based in the UK and an expert on urban flood risk assessment, rounds out the five-member panel. 11 Said Prof Chan: “I am glad to have the opportunity to work with a team of eminent colleagues in this field – especially in guiding PUB as it embarks on the monumental task of protecting Singapore from flooding due to intense rainfall and rising sea levels. Our aim is to function as an independent advisory body to PUB’s coastal protection efforts.” 12 Coastal protection is a complex and long-term undertaking. Besides consulting experts, PUB also intends to adopt a collaborative approach as we develop the strategies and solutions to protect Singapore's coastlines. The agency will work closely with the community and relevant stakeholders, including nature groups and businesses, to seek their feedback on the proposed coastal protection measures and explore opportunities to create a vibrant living environment in harmony with nature. *** Annex A: Infographic on scope of site-specific studies at Singapore’s City-East Coast Annex B: Profiles of PUB’s Coastal Protection Expert Panel Professor Chan Eng Soon (chair) Prof Chan is currently Chief Executive Officer of the Technology Centre for Offshore and Marine, Singapore (TCOMS), Professor at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Faculty of Engineering and chairman of the Scientific Advisory Panel for the National Sea Level Programme, under the Centre for Climate Research Singapore (CCRS). His research interests lie in marine processes, including marine hydrodynamics, wave-structure interactions, sediment transport and coastal protection. He has held several key appointments in NUS, including being Vice Provost (Special Duties) in the Provost Office, Keppel Chair Professor at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Dean of Engineering, Director of the Tropical Marine Science Institute and Executive Director of the Centre for Offshore Research and Engineering. Professor Marcel J.F. Stive Prof Stive is currently Professor Emeritus of Coastal Engineering in Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, with over 40 years of worldwide experience in research and consultancy projects in the fields of hydraulic engineering, coastal morphodynamics, coastal bio- geomorphology and coastal and estuarine management. He was a member of the Delta Committee for the Netherlands and Scientific Advisory Council of Deltares, and a contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) on Coastal Zone Vulnerability. He has advised national governments in Belgium, Monaco, China, Vietnam and Myanmar on coastal and littoral matters. He is also the inventor of the "Sand Engine", an innovative and cost-effective solution of creating a sand peninsula which protects the Netherlands' western coastline. Professor Robert Nicholls Prof Nicholls is currently Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, based at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK. He was previously Professor of Coastal Engineering at the University of Southampton. Much of his work has focused on sea- level rise and climate change, as well as analysing long-term coastal engineering problems and their solutions. He was a lead author to five reports of the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) assessment process, a review editor to the fifth IPCC assessment and a contributing author to the recent IPCC Special Report on the Oceans and Cryosphere (2019). He has advised national governments in the UK, Netherlands, Bangladesh and the Maldives on climate change and coastal issues, and was involved in the Building and Construction Authority's Coastal Adaptation Study. Professor Robert A. Dalrymple Prof Dalrymple is currently Willard & Lillian Hackerman Professor Emeritus of Civil Engineering in John Hopkins University, as well as Distinguished Professor of Coastal Engineering in Northwestern University, both in the US. A member of the US National Academy of Engineering, his research has been in the field of coastal engineering, including water waves and their impact on shorelines, structures, the ocean bottom and natural hazards such as rip currents and tsunamis. He was a long-serving chair of the American Society of Civil Engineers' Coastal Engineering Research Council until 2014, and also previously chaired the Water Institute of the Gulf Science and Engineering Advisory Council and the National Research Committee on Sea Level Rise in California. Professor David Balmforth Prof Balmforth is currently Visiting Professor at Imperial College London, where he specialises in climate change adaptation, urban flood risk management and urban pollution control. He was previously Executive Technical Director of global water engineering firm MWH (now part of international engineering