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Lim Min Zhang Straits Times 7 Sep 19; SINGAPORE - A 1.8km stretch along Kallang River has received a facelift, to make it not only more attractive, but also a better defence against the onslaught of rain. The four-year, $86-million project called ABC Waters @ Kallang River is meant to boost flood protection for residents in the area, as well as to strengthen the canal's structural integrity. With the canal wider and deeper, drainage capacity has been increased by 80 per cent. The drainage improvement works by national water agency PUB at Singapore's longest river was completed recently and unveiled on Saturday (Sept 7), at an event attended by Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC MPs Ng Eng Hen and Chong Kee Hiong. Dr Ng is also Defence Minister. Previously, this part of the canal, between Bishan and Braddell roads, was plain concrete and did not have such water features. Features to beautify the area include a naturalised slope, small islands with plants, and water cascades which help the wa...

VENESA DEVI The Star 7 Sep 19; What went wrong?: Some of the dead fish found along Pantai Lido. JOHOR BARU: Land reclamation along Pantai Lido could potentially be the main cause of mass fish deaths in the area. State Local Government, Urban Wellbeing and Environment Committee chairman Tan Chen Choon said the Department of Environment (DoE), along with the Fisheries Department, were still investigating the matter and not ruling out land reclamation as the contributing factor. �The DoE visited the location on Thursday upon receiving complaints about the occurrence and found that the dissolved oxygen level of the water was very low at 1.2mg/l,� he said. �The hot weather and disturbance of the water flow here due to land reclamation are believed to be contributing factors, but we are still investigating the matter.� In a statement, Tan said he had instructed the DoE to look into the Environment Impact Assessment for the reclamation project to avoid a recurrence of such incidents. Dozens ...

NG JUN SEN Today Online 3 Sep 19; SINGAPORE � To finance the fight against climate change, smaller-scale infrastructure such as flood barriers can be funded from the Government�s Budget each year, while �long-lived major� infrastructure � including sea walls � could involve borrowing, said Second Finance Minister Lawrence Wong in Parliament on Tuesday (Sept 3). When land reclamation is involved, the costs will come from Singapore�s past reserves and the value of the reclaimed land after it is sold in the future will be fully returned to the reserves, said Mr Wong, who is also the National Development Minister. �The reclamation of land is in essence a conversion of past reserves � from financial assets to state land. This use is not a draw on past reserves,� said Mr Wong, adding that this arrangement is part of the Reserves Protection Framework agreed between the Government and the President, whose constitutional role is to safeguard the national reserves. Mr Wong was answering a parli...

KENNETH CHENG Today Online 2 Sep 19; SINGAPORE � The authorities are inviting public feedback on two proposed construction choices for the future Cross Island Line. This is after the second stage of a report assessing the environmental impact of building Singapore�s eighth MRT line was gazetted on Monday (Sept 2). Gazetting allows public inspection of the report and feedback on its findings. The Cross Island Line � which is set to run from Changi to Jurong and is expected to be opened in 2029 with 12 stations first � can either run directly under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve or go around it. It would take a longer route and be more costly to build if it skirts around the reserve. However, both are feasible options when done with comprehensive mitigating measures and monitoring plans, the latest environmental-impact assessment found. How will it affect the nature reserve or residents living around the train line? Here is a rundown of the key points to note. OPTION 1: CUTTING BE...

Vanessa Lim Channel NewsAsia 31 Aug 19; SINGAPORE: A sky park is set to be built above the Bukit Timah canal, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong announced on Saturday (Aug 31). Construction works for the first phase of the new park, a 1.4km elevated stretch that runs from the Rail Corridor to Elm Avenue, will start in 2021 and is expected to be completed within two to three years. The sky park is part of the National Parks Board (NParks) plan to develop the Bukit Timah-Rochor Green Corridor, a linear park that lies between Bukit Timah Road and Dunearn Road. In future, this green corridor may be extended all the way to Kallang Riverside, totalling 11km. Mr Wong said the new green corridor will serve as a crucial green link connecting the three national gardens � Jurong Lake Gardens, Singapore Botanic Gardens and Gardens by the Bay � and help to optimise space. "This space is part of our drainage reserves, which we usually don't touch, but now we're developing a li...

BENJAMIN HORTON Today Online 21 Aug 19; I watched Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong�s National Day Rally speech on Sunday (Aug 18) night. It was the single most impressive talk about the threat of sea-level rise by a political leader. In particular, Mr Lee balanced talk of urgency with hopeful and creative ideas to inspire positive change. Mr Lee made it clear that climate change is a matter of life and death for Singapore. Having studied the issue for 25 years, I am also very worried about sea-level rise and strongly believe that we must urgently act on it. I am the only scientist in Singapore to be part of the United Nation�s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) working group that produced a report on the physical science of climate change. There is a phrase �if you knew what I knew�. Mr Lee noted that the UN has projected that sea levels will rise by 1m by the end of this century but that scientists� estimates have been going up and sea levels may rise higher and faster th...

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources also shared more on the citizens� workgroup, saying one problem it will look at is how to increase the recyclability of items in neighbourhood blue bins. Kevin Kwang Channel NewsAsia 21 Aug 19; SINGAPORE: Calamity could befall Singapore if it does not start dealing with the climate change threat to its coastlines today and leaves it until it is too late, warned Minister for Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli on Wednesday (Aug 21). In an interview with CNA938, Mr Masagos reiterated the threat of rising sea levels to Singapore that Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had spoken about in his National Day Rally speech on Sunday. Mr Masagos said that scientists have concluded that sea levels will rise by 1m by the end of the century, and when faced together with high tide and heavy rain, will become a �very difficult problem to overcome�. The long-term impact will not just be on the environment, but also on Singapore�s economy a...

Matthew Mohan Channel NewsAsia 19 Aug 19; SINGAPORE: Experts on Monday (Aug 19) welcomed the possibility of implementing engineering solutions such as land reclamation to tackle rising sea levels but stressed the need for more research into the impact of climate change. This follows Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's National Day Rally speech on Sunday (Aug 18), during which he highlighted that Singapore is susceptible to the effects of climate change and vulnerable to rising sea levels. As part of strengthening the Republic's coastal defences, Mr Lee explained that one solution could be a reclamation method known as empoldering. Polders are created by first building a seawall in the water, before pumping out the water behind the seawall to create dry land. This land can be lower than the sea level, but water has to be continually pumped out. Another alternative would be to reclaim a series of islands offshore, from Marina East to Changi, said Mr Lee. In addition, there are also...

Matthew Mohan Channel NewsAsia 18 Aug 19; SINGAPORE: Tackling the �50 to 100-year problem� of rising sea levels could cost Singapore around S$100 billion or more, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Aug 18). In his English National Day Rally speech, Mr Lee highlighted that Singapore is susceptible to the effects of climate change and especially vulnerable to rising sea levels. �How much will it cost, to protect ourselves against rising sea levels? My guess is probably S$100 billion over 100 years, quite possibly more,� said Mr Lee. �If we only have 10 years to solve the problem, we won�t have have the time or resources to do it. But because this is a 50 to 100-year problem, we can implement a 50 to 100-year solution.� Climate change defences should be treated with utmost seriousness, just like the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), said Mr Lee. He said there is a need to �work steadily at it, maintain a stable budget year after year, keep your eye on the target and do it over ma...

Cindy Co Channel NewsAsia 18 Aug 19; SINGAPORE: New attractions are being planned for Pulau Brani, similar to Universal Studios Singapore on Sentosa, announced Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Sunday (Aug 18). The island, currently home to Brani Terminal, will be set aside for �fun and recreation� as part of the Government�s plans to remake Singapore�s Greater Southern Waterfront (GSW), he said in his National Day Rally speech. Mr Lee added that a resort could also be built on Pulau Brani, with land set aside for the labour movement. �When we discussed these plans in Cabinet, Ng Chee Meng put his hand up. He said: �NTUC is very grateful to the Government for Downtown East. How about a Downtown South?� �So I said: �Okay, we will do that�.� He said this gesture was to thank workers for their contribution to the nation. Other than Pulau Brani, the Government also has plans to rejuvenate Sentosa Island, and redevelop two decommissioned power stations in Pasir Panjang. �We will also revit...