Responding to MP Lily Neo (Jalan Besar GRC) who had asked for the preliminary findings of a two-year government study on the impact of climate change, Dr Yaacob told Parliament on Monday that sea-levels in Singapore were projected to rise by a little over 50cms at most.

The preliminary findings on the rising sea level for Singapore indicate an additional 4cm to 5cm per century sea level increase over the global mean sea level projection of 21cm to 48 cm. Early figures were reassuring, as existing measures were already more than enough to deal with the threat.

First, all new reclaimed projects since 1991 had to be built at least 125cms above the highest recorded tide level. Second, the development of drainage infrastructure over the last three decades had reduced flood-prone areas from 3,200 hectares in the 1970s to just 98 hectares today. This would be further cut to less than 48 hectares by 2011 through works such as widening and deepening drains and canals. Finally, the Marina Barrage project was another buffer for Singapore against floods.