Coastal landowners can get grant to build defences against rising sea levels under new law

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SINGAPORE - All coastal landowners in Singapore will be eligible for a grant to cover some of the costs of building shields to protect their assets from rising seas, under a new coastal protection law passed in Parliament on March 6. 

This grant will cover the cost of flood risk studies, diversion of power and water lines, and the eventual construction of coastal protection measures, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said. She did not reveal the quantum of the grant.  

Under the Coastal Protection and Other Amendments Bill, government agencies and private companies that occupy land along Singapore’s shorelines are required to implement measures to shield their coastal areas from rising seas, or face a fine and jail term. 

The Government, which owns 70 per cent of coastal land, will be responsible for protecting the majority of the coastline segments.

The remaining 30 per cent of private land are non-residential and comprise mostly shipyards and ports, as well as businesses in the oil and gas and manufacturing sectors. Most are located on the south-west and northern coastline segments, including Jurong Island and the industrial estates of Tuas, Pioneer and Senoko.

Occupiers of coastal land will be given about 10 years’ notice to take coastal protection measures, which could include building seawalls, raising land or putting up deployable barriers at jetties.