Netizens chide Minister Grace Fu's remarks about adapting to intense weather; demand Govt fix drainage issues

Singaporeans must learn to adapt to more frequent extreme weather due to climate change in their daily lives, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Tuesday (31 Aug).

Speaking during a panel discussion on the United Nations (UN) climate report and what it means for Singapore, Ms Fu noted that Singaporeans have to get used to checking weather advisories and warnings when planning their routines.

“I think for far too long, Singaporeans have grown used to our weather and we think that the weather doesn’t change very much," she remarked.

“But increasingly, we need to build that habit of checking weather forecasts, checking weather advisories, to go about our daily lives. This is part of our preparedness as a population."

The last few weeks saw Singapore hit with several flash floods after intense rain that reached a 38-year high on 24 August. A week later on 30 August, more flash floods occurred with the Public Utilities Board (PUB) issuing over 30 flood warnings for at least 10 locations around the island.

“For a low-lying island city like Singapore, these (flash floods) are sobering reminders of the existential threat of climate change,” said Ms Fu, adding that Singapore is not the only country to experience such extreme weather.

The Minister went on to say that while the Government is continuing its efforts to enhance the nation’s flood resilience, it would “not be possible to completely eliminate flash floods” as one impact of climate change is more intense downpours.

As such, she asserted that Singaporeans have to do their part in building “community resilience” by adapting to the changing weather.

The Government will strengthen the country’s weather forecasting capabilities, and improve education and outreach on the issue to support the population in building this resilience, Ms Fu added.

“For example, ahead of heavy monsoon seasons, PUB will continue to work closely with building owners and residents in low-lying areas to deploy flood protection devices to safeguard lives and properties,” she explained.

How Singapore could adapt to environmental changes triggered by climate change

During the discussion on the report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), panellists talked about how Singapore could adapt to the environmental changes triggered by climate change.

The strongly-worded report touched on the physical science behind climate change, showing how and why the climate has changed over the years, citing the link between climate change and emissions caused by human activities.

Climate scientists discussed some of the points in the report about how Singapore could adapt to the changing climate, particularly when it comes to rising sea levels. They also shared the work that is being done to better understand how climate change will affect the island nation.

The Earth Observatory of Singapore at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), led by Professor Benjamin Horton, has been collecting geological data from Pulau Ubin and Jurong Lake to examine how the corals there are responding to the changing sea levels. The research institute will also install instruments and tools in Singapore and the Southeast Asian region to observe the patterns of changing sea levels.

Another panellist, Associate Professor Winston Chow, leads the project on addressing urban heat in Singapore. The project is called 'Cooling Singapore 2.0'. He expressed his hopes that the project findings can help policymakers evaluate the risk of rising temperatures on vulnerable populations.

Another aspect of the project is also the development of a digital urban “twin” of Singapore to simulate climate scenarios and test the performance of adaptation solutions.

Netizens chide Minister Grace Fu for advising Singaporeans to adapt to more intense weather

Following Ms Fu's remarks, many netizens appeared bewildered by her advice for Singaporeans to adapt to more intense weather.

Commenting on TODAY's Facebook page, they argued that the Government should focus on improving the country's drainage system instead of asking people to "adapt" to having more flash floods.

A few netizens lamented the lack of "foresight" on the Government's part in mitigating flash floods, since climate change isn't exactly a new problem.

Some noted that the country's weather forecast is often inaccurate and "not reliable", adding that this should be fixed first before asking people to rely on it for daily routine planning.

Few others suggested that employers be asked to "adapt" instead, so that employees are allowed to be late to work or even work from home during intense weather.

Others pointed out that rapid deforestation and development by the ruling government is the main cause of flash floods in Singapore, not climate change.