Sea Level Rise - Singapore's possible response

[First drafted in May 2022 in response to a simplistic comment online about cancelling the Cross Island line, reducing our population, not cutting trees to prevent climate change and sea level rise, instead of coming up with measures and means to mitigate sea level rise.]

The truth is, even if Singapore does NOTHING to add to the carbon in the atmosphere, the sea levels WILL rise. For the simple reason that ALL the carbon in the atmosphere that was added in the last 100 years (or since the start of the Industrial revolution) is already melting glaciers and polar ice caps, and permafrost, and these are reducing albedo effects, and releasing methane (in the permafrost) and earth is already in a runaway cascade of heating up. EVEN if Singapore completely shuts down our carbon emission TODAY, it will not matter to the world. 

Singapore is less than 0.01% of the population of the world, and our land area is less than 0.001% of the world's land area. Our environmental impact on the WORLD will have less than negligible impact on sea level rise. Heck, if somehow a virulent and deadly pandemic wipes out the entire population of Singapore today, so we do not produce and pollute one MORE atom of carbon from today onwards, the sea levels WILL STILL RISE.

The simple FACT is Singapore will FACE sea level rise. The only question is HOW MUCH will sea levels rise, and NOT can we stop it.

Table 1: Projections for Sea level rise in 2050 and 2100

Year	2050			2100
Range of projection for sea-level rise	Lower	Median	Upper	Lower	Median	Upper
Controlled emission scenario	0.14	0.22	0.30	0.30	0.53	0.74
High emission scenario	0.17	0.25	0.32	0.45	0.73	1.02

So this is the problem: Singapore (like the rest of the world) will face climate change and because we are an island, we will face sea level rise. And climate change/melting polar ice caps/and rising sea levels will NOT be stopped or prevented simply by insignificant actions like NOT building the Cross island line! Or having FEWER (or NO) people in Singapore? Or if we cut down a few less tress? Or even if EVERYONE in Singapore give up their cars? Or change to electric cars?

That's just juvenile, wishful thinking.

The SG govt does not deal with wishful thinking or idealism. In economics, we are price takers not price setters. In climate and environment, we get the environment we get. 

We can do our part for the environment, but if the US continues to live like there's no tomorrow, we get the environment tomorrow that they are building (or destroying). If China with its 1.4 billion people are trying to get out of poverty, by heating their homes, driving their cars, working in factories, and working towards a better tomorrow, what can less than 6 million Singaporeans do against 1.4 billion Chinese building their better tomorrows (at the cost of the world)?

So the seas will rise. And we will do what we can to protect our land (literally).

We can expect sea levels to rise about 1 metre by 2100. But even the "high emission" is probably too optimistic, and assumes some countries will reduced their emissions. Planning for the worse than worse case scenario means we should plan for a 2 or 3 m rise in sea level. Or you can call me pessimistic and try (hope) for just 50 cm sea level rise.

A 50 cm sea level rise would be almost imperceptible, and quite easily manageable

A 1 m - 3 m rise in sea level would require a more deliberate response. Polders, sea walls, raised coastlines, and other measures will have to be seriously considered and implemented well in advance of sea level rise.