PUB Launches S$125 Million Coastal Protection and Flood Management Research Programme
PUB, Singapore’s national water agency, which manages Singapore’s water supply, water catchment, and used water, has launched the country’s first research programme dedicated to strengthening coastal protection and inland flood management capabilities.
The S$125 million Coastal Protection and Flood Management Research Programme (CFRP) will advance knowledge in coastal and flood resilience, as well as spur the growth of a research and development ecosystem for coastal and flood resilience in Singapore.
With climate change, sea levels around Singapore are projected to rise by up to 1 metre by 2100. More extreme storms with higher rainfall intensities could become more frequent, resulting in increased flood risks.
As a low-lying island surrounded by the sea, PUB says enhancing Singapore’s overall coastal and flood resilience is a critical long-term endeavour that will require new capabilities and technologies.
The CFRP consists of four research verticals to develop innovative, sustainable, and smart solutions tailored for Singapore’s urban and land-squeezed environment – a challenge which many other coastal cities also face. The verticals will be supported by three cross-cutting research horizontals:
Advance coastal science research to deepen understanding of extremities and changes in coastal processes affected by climate change;
Enhance capabilities in monitoring, prediction, and digitalisation of Singapore’s coastal environment;
Develop an effective framework to support integrated and adaptive planning, to strengthen risk management and decision-making processes when prioritising investments made in coastal and flood protection infrastructure.
Hazel Khoo, Director of PUB’s Coastal Protection Department said: “Coastal protection is a long-term challenge. The CFRP will catalyse coastal science and technological advancement that will support Singapore’s multi-decadal agenda to enhance flood resilience in the face of climate change. The CFRP will form a key platform for expert knowledge development and exchange, through driving multi-disciplinary research and forging strong partnerships.”
In addition, a new multi-institutional Centre of Excellence (CoE) will also be set up to conduct research in the above areas.
The CoE will be hosted at the National University of Singapore, with The Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) as partner institutes. With collaboration at the core of the CoE, the research community will grow to include international institutions as well as industry partners.
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