Green Trails Podcast

Visit to East Coast: How reclamation will shape up against rising sea levels

(From left) Mr Thoo Jung Chee, representative from National Water Agency PUB and Mr Lee Wai Kin representing the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA).

PHOTO: EDEN SOH

Shabana Begum

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Synopsis (headphones recommended): By end-century, Singapore’s mean sea level is expected to rise by up to 1.15m. Now a top attraction in the area, East Coast Park would be a place to avoid if nothing is done.

Frequent floods are likely to put the beach underwater in the future, as climate change continues to exacerbate rising sea levels. And if exceptionally high tides or storm surges were to hit, seawater levels could rise up to 5m, breaking through the coast. The entire park, East Coast Parkway, vehicles and void decks at housing estates like Marine Parade in the vicinity could be submerged in water.

A substantial portion of the East Coast, shaded in blue on this map, can be flooded if sea levels rise up to 5m during extreme events.
PHOTO: PUB

To prevent this reality, there are plans to have a defence offshore. That is Long Island, twice the size of Marina Bay reclaimed off the east coast, with a reservoir in between.

But such a mega project raises many uncertainties and questions. How would reclamation for Long Island change the East Coast landscape? What are the implications for nature and marine life nearby? What do young people - who will live to see the project taking shape - have to say?

As the June 14 oil spill has shown, human activity - if not managed properly - can threaten coastal and marine habitats, including the biodiversity-rich Southern Islands.

In this second episode of Green Trails, our team heads to East Coast Park and a lesser known habitat near Marina Barrage - important to threatened species and likely to be threatened by reclamation - to find answers.

A juvenile Malaysian Plover - a locally critically endangered shorebird - spotted at the Marina East Drive habitat in 2023.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF LESTER TAN

At the heart of East Coast Park, ST journalist Shabana Begum meets with representatives from the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) and National Water Agency PUB - Mr Lee Wai Kin and Mr Thoo Jung Chee. Both agencies are spearheading the Long Island project.

(From left) Mr Thoo Jung Chee, representative from National Water Agency PUB, Mr Lee Wai Kin, who’s representing the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) on the ground with Shabana Begum from ST.
ST PHOTO: EDEN SOH

At the little-known Marina East Drive habitat, Shabana uncovers the wildlife there when she takes a walk with Mr Lester Tan who chairs Nature Society (Singapore)’s Marine Conservation Group.

The ST Podcast team along with host Shabana and Mr Lester Tan walking a path new to Marina East Dr.
ST PHOTO: TEO TONG KAI

In the evening, Shabana returns to East Coast Park to speak with Mr Maximus Tan, 22 and Mr Crispus Tan, 27. These youths - who will live to see Long Island taking shape in the next few decades - voice their aspirations for Long Island.