Author: Ng Keng Gene

Tapping mangroves a focus of study on protecting Singapore's north-western coast against sea-level rise

Source(s): Straits Times, the

[...]

A 2019 scientific paper by Singapore-based researchers found that pockets of mangroves line the stretch, especially the coastline near Murai and Sarimbun reservoirs.

The upcoming study comes amid heightened alert about how human-caused climate change could worsen the impacts of sea-level rise.

[...]

Mangroves, which trap sediment from tides in their root systems, are often considered a nature-based solution to counter coastal flooding as they can, to an extent, keep pace with sea-level rise.

National University of Singapore (NUS) mangrove expert Dan Friess said: "Mangroves in Singapore are able to reduce storm wave heights by more than 75 per cent, and mangroves can potentially increase their surface elevations and keep pace with some rates of sea-level rise if there is adequate sediment supply in surrounding waters."

[...]

"There will be situations where a mangrove alone will not be able to fully reduce the coastal hazard risk to landward assets, in which case mangroves could be incorporated into hybrid engineering solutions," said Prof Friess, who is also the deputy director of the NUS Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions.

[...]

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