Climate change poses challenges for Singapore due to its low-lying terrain and role as a global shipping hub. Rising sea levels threaten Singapore's land area and coastal infrastructure. More frequent flash floods also impact the city-state. Additionally, the opening of Arctic shipping routes could reduce Singapore's importance as a port by providing a shorter route between Asia and Europe. Singapore will need to implement measures to adapt to rising seas and increased rainfall while working to maintain its position as a key global trading center in the face of new Arctic shipping lanes.

1. Singapore
&
The
Warming
Climate
An Island Surrounded by Change
01 June 2013
A Brief Backgrounder by Parivartin

2. Singapore
&
The
Warming
Climate
Climate Change is one global trend that is guaranteed to impact every
person on the planet. While most analysis focus on the environmental
issues, there must be more focus on how countries must handle new
challenges as well as opportunities brought on by Climate Change.
This Backgrounder on Climate Change in Singapore is but a miniscule
exploration on the policy issues that will face countries all over the world as
Climate Change impacts infrastructure, agriculture, and economic
concerns throughout the world over.

3. Parivartin explores the impact of major global trends on organizations
from nation-states and political parties to multi-national corporations and
communities.
Global trends that we explore include Demographic Transition, Energy,
Raise of the Rest, Climate Change, Science and Technology Studies (STS),
and more.
Learn more at http://Parivartin.com
The principal of Parivartin, Daniel Riveong, is the lead analyst for
Parivartin. He is based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

4. Singapore:
The
“Monaco
of
the
East”
5.1 Million People, Highest Millionaires Per Capita, Highest GDP Per Capita

5. City-­‐State’s
Achievements
(Highlights)
• Trade: Despite being a City-State, it is the 15th largest trading partner with the US
• Energy: Top three export refining centers worldwide
• Financial Services: Financial center of South East Asia, with USD 1.1 trillion in assets
under management in Singapore
• Biotechnology: GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer, Merck and others have set-up offices and
plants in Singapore.
• Education: Top universities in the region, and also a host to INSEAD Asia Campus,
University of Chicago, Yale, New York University Tisch School of the Arts

6. Singapore
&
The
Warming
Climate
Change is coming to Singapore with…
1. Rain, Floods, and Raising Sea Levels
2. Threat as Global Shipping Hub

7. Part
1.
Rains,
Floods
&
Raising
Sea
Level

8. Singapore’s
Relationship
with
its
Coastline
At Risk with Climate Change:
• Land Reclamation…Goes Underwater?
• Areas like the Business District at Risk
• Salt Water into Water Reservoirs

9. Singapore’s
Increased
its
size
by
~20%
using
Land
Reclamation
As of 2011, there are 4 more reclamation underway with 2 more planned.

10. But,
Key
Parts
of
Singapore
are
only
2m
Above
Sea
Level…
Major Economics assets just 2m above sea level: Changi
International Airport, Business District, Petrochemical Plants,
Ports, & Shipyards.

11. Salt
Water
Intruding
to
Water
Reservoirs?
• Due to their proximity to the ocean, Rising seas threaten
Singapore's coastal reservoirs, such as Kranji, Sarimbun and
Seletar (above).
• Salt water entering these reservoirs will make the water
undrinkable

12. Flash
Floods
2010-­‐2012
In the past three years,
Singapore has suffered a
higher incidence of flash
flooding (over 20 flash
floods).
The floods have even hit
the retail and
entertainment hub of
Singapore, Orchard Road
(pictured right).
These series of flash
floods point to what
increased rain fall due to
Climate Change could
look like for Singapore.

13. Arctic
Challenge
to
Singapore
Part
2.
Less
Icy
Arctic:
Threat
to
Singapore’s
Economy?

14. Shipping’s
Role
in
the
Singaporean
Economy
“Singapore’s strategic location at the entrance to the
Strait of Malacca, through which roughly one-third of
global sea commerce passes each year, has helped it
become one of the most important shipping centers
in Asia. “
• Second busiest port in the world after Shanghai
• 14th Largest exporter worldwide
• 15th Largest importer worldwide

15. Climate’s
Change
on
Shipping
Routes
• Amount of Arctic sea ice is
shrinking each year
• Arctic sea ice will soon
disappear all together
during the summer months
• Climate change will likely
open up two new routes
over Russia and another
over Canada through the
Arctic Ocean
Current extent of Arctic sea ice. The line
shows the average minimum extent from
1979 to 2010. (NASA Goddard Flight Center)

16. Northern
Sea
Route
(NSR)
v.
Singapore

17. Dramatic
Routes
Opening
in
the
Arctic
by
Mid-­‐Century
“Common
open-­‐water
ships
will
be
able
to
transit
the
Northern
Sea
Route
(NSR)
during
September
by
mid-­‐century
(2040-­‐2059)”
• Each photo shows Canada on the left and Russia on the right

18. NSR
v.
Singapore
Route
• US National Intelligence Council predicts that as soon as this
year (2013), seasonally ice-free Arctic could open up and
allow for shipping
• These ice-free season would lead to decrease in volume of
shipping for four months in a year for Singapore
• For Asia, ports would shift from Singapore to closer to the
Arctic: Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tokyo.
“When the Northern Sear Route opens up, transiting from the
NSR above Russia between North Atlantic and the North Pacific
would trim about 5000 nautical miles and a week’s sailing time
from the use of the Suez Canal and the Malacca Straits.”

19. Onwards
Singapore!

20. Onwards
Singapore!
Climate Change is not only a real phenomenon, but one with
real economic for every country, corporation, and person on
Earth.
For Singapore, Climate Change could mean:
• Land erosion and increased flooding
• Salt Water Intrusion to their water reservoir
• Threat to Singapore as one of the major hubs for
international trade.
Singaporean Government has built a 21st Century Powerhouse
out of a small city-state in less than 40 years. It is very well
equipped to handle the impact of Climate Change.

21. Sources
1/2
Slide #4
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/acdovier/7568916474/sizes/c/in/
photostream/
Slide #5
• Wikipedia contributors, "File:Supertree Grove, Gardens by the
Bay, Singapore - 20120712-02.jpg," Wikipedia, The Free
Encyclopedia, 12 July 2012, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Supertree_Grove,_Gardens_by_the_Bay,_Singapore_-
_20120712-02.jpg.
• Monetary Authority of Ssingapore, “Wealth Management and
Insurance,” 27 February 2013, http://www.mas.gov.sg/
singapore-financial-centre/overview/wealth-management-and-
insurance.aspx.
Slide #7
• Adine Chin, “10 Ways to Love Singapore,” Penny’s Daybook,
August 2010, http://www.pennysdaybook.com/2010/08/10-
ways-to-love-singapore/.
Slide #9
• Marine Conservation Goup, Nature Society, “Singapore Water -
Unveiling Our Seas,“ November 2003, http://
singaporewaters.nss.org.sg/Gallery.htm.
Slide #10
• Ria Tan, “Rising seas and Singapore, on Blog Action Day,” Wild
Shores of Singapore, 14 October 2009, http://
wildshores.blogspot.com/2009/10/rising-seas-and-singapore-on-
blog.html.
• “Sea Level Rise Explorer,” http://www.globalwarmingart.com/
sealevel?lat=4.741&lng=127.002
Slide #11
• Arti Mulchand, “Is S'pore ready for the next big flood?,” Straits
Times, 24 June 2007, http://www.straitstimes.com/print/News/
Story/STIStory_132260.html20070506/070624-2.htm.
• Singapore Ministry of the Environment, Singapore’s Initial
National Communication: Under The United Nations Framework
Convention On Climate Change,” August 2000, http://
app2.nea.gov.sg/data/cmsresource/
20101124427576877112.pdf.
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/mystical-mii/5893808008/sizes/
o/
Slide #12
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010-12_Singapore_floods
• Loufu, “Orchard Road Flooding!”, Singapore Bikes, 16 June 2010,
http://www.singaporebikes.com/forums/showthread.php/
291932-Orchard-Road-Flooding!?
s=b615d994388336a8a63c7439978aa5ba&p=6473111#post
6473111.
Slide #13
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/7163119469/sizes/l/in/
photostream/
Slide #14
• “Singapore Economy”, Economy Watch, 18 March 2010, http://
www.economywatch.com/world_economy/singapore/?page=full.
• “Singapore’s strategic location at the entrance to the Strait of
Malacca, through which roughly one-third of global sea commerce
passes each year, has helped it become one of the most
important shipping centers in Asia”, Petro-Min Pipeline, Jan-
March 2010, http://www.pm-pipeliner.safan.com/mag/ppl0310/
cr58.pdf.

22. Source
2/2
Slide 15
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/files/
2012/08/AP081208024026.jpg
• Brad Plumer, “Arctic sea ice just hit a record low. Here’s why it
matters,” Washington Post, 28 August 2012, http://
www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/08/28/
arctic-sea-ice-just-hit-a-record-low-heres-why-it-matters/.
Slide 16
• Malte Humpert, "The Future of the Northern Sea Route - A 'Golden
Waterway' or a Niche Trade Route,” The arctic institute: Center for
Circumpolar Security Studies, 15 September 2011, http://
www.thearcticinstitute.org/2011/10/future-of-northern-sea-route-
golden_13.html
• Mia Bennett, “Study: New Trans-Arctic shipping routes navigable
by midcentury,” Foreign Policy Association, 04 March 2013,
http://foreignpolicyblogs.com/2013/03/04/study-new-trans-
arctic-shipping-routes-navigable-by-midcentury/
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/files/
2013/03/arctic-crossings.png.
Slide 18
• Ho, Joshua H, "The Arctic Meltdown and Its Implication for Ports
and Shipping in Asia,” in Arctic Security in an Age of Climate
Change, ed. James Kraska (Cambridge University Press, 2011),
33, http://books.google.com.my/books?id=b-
U1To97zqsC&pg=PA33&lpg=PA33&dq=%22The+Arctic
+Meltdown+and+Its+Implication+for+Ports+and+Shipping+in
+Asia.
%22&source=bl&ots=IKycuRuxUT&sig=71tYdazzWy_qg8qMAlwD
4DUtRbw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=OUJ1UYqGNNDjrAe7_oDABA&ved=0C
EcQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22The%20Arctic%20Meltdown
%20and%20Its%20Implication%20for%20Ports%20and
%20Shipping%20in%20Asia.%22&f=false
Slide 19
• Wikipedia contributors, "File:Glaciers and Icebergs at Cape
York.jpg," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 2 September 2005,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
File:Glaciers_and_Icebergs_at_Cape_York.jpg