Letter from Wong Weng Fai, Straits Times Forum 12 Apr 08;
IN 1995, I wrote a letter to this forum questioning the need for more golf courses. Today, there is no denying the reality of global warming. Yet most Singaporeans only seem to be vaguely aware of the threats it brings to Singapore.
The threat of rising sea levels on our low-lying island has been brought up before and I believe that steps are being taken to assess the situation and come up with possible solutions. However, there are other social and economic threats that have not been well discussed as yet.
In an article in the March 2008 edition of Foreign Affairs entitled 'Arctic meltdown - the economic and security implications of global warming' by Scott G. Borgerson, a former lieutenant-commander of the U.S. Coast Guard, two such interesting issues were raised.
Firstly, the Arctic is most likely the Earth's final major hydrocarbon deposit. With ill-defined borders at the poles, the author warned of potential armed conflict in the grab for resources. Any major conflicts between the world's major powers will be a political minefield for our small country.
The second, and perhaps potentially more serious, threat is that the retreating Arctic ice-cap will open up new sea routes. For example, the current 11,200 nautical miles journey from Rotterdam to Yokohama via the Suez Canal and Singapore can be cut by nearly 40 per cent to 6,500 nautical miles via a northern route via melted sea lanes in the Arctic. Even more than an economically expensive canal through the Kra Isthmus, such 'cost-free' deep sea routes may erase Singapore's natural geographical advantage.
Singapore is a small country and we have very little options. Apathy and resignation are certainly not among our options. Perhaps it is time to make discussions about environmental issues more concrete so as to prime the public consciousness so that there is better awareness and creative solutions will hopefully arise.
