Students to learn about threat of rising sea levels

More than 600,000 students will learn about the threat of rising sea levels to Singapore and participate in climate action projects in a two-year programme launched yesterday.

The outreach effort, called R.I.S.E. to the Challenge II, is believed to be the largest school programme covering sea level rise and is an expansion of the first phase that ended in April this year.

Both editions are run by property developer Keppel Land. Phase one, which started in 2020, reached out to more than 50,000 people comprising students, building tenants and the public.

The new edition will continue with physical exhibitions and workshops highlighting the causes and impacts of rising sea levels, as well as ways to mitigate the destructive phenomenon and adapt to the rising seas.

Information from the exhibitions is documented in a newly released eight-chapter e-book which will be given to all primary and secondary schools and junior colleges. The contents are aligned with primary schools' social studies and science syllabus and secondary schools' geography syllabus.

The programme, which will end in 2024, is expected to reach about 340 schools and potentially more than 680,000 students and school leaders, said Keppel Land.

Competitions will also be organised for students to showcase their climate action projects.

The programme and the e-book were launched yesterday at Xingnan Primary School in Jurong West.

Low-lying Singapore has about 30 per cent of its land less than 5m above sea level, making the country vulnerable to the rising seas caused by a warming planet.

Scientists from the Republic, Ireland and the United States have projected that Singapore's sea level could rise by between 0.37m and 0.78m by 2100, at rates of 4mm to 13mm a year.

Minister for National Development Desmond Lee attended the launch and explained the effects of climate change on Singapore and its 2030 Green Plan to the pupils.

"Whatever our challenges may be... including the impact of climate change, we will feel all these impacts differently, but the important thing is to be stewards, to work together as Singaporeans, differences aside, so that we (have) a better, brighter and more sustainable future," he said.

Primary 4 pupil Ray Goh, an eco-leader at Xingnan Primary, has helped to lead recycling efforts, encouraging schoolmates to deposit uneaten food in a food waste bin after recess. The school runs a programme that turns food waste into compost.

"I also want to take part in beach cleanups and pick up items that can be recycled," said the 10-year-old.