SINGAPORE – Erecting more sheltered walkways and drop-off points, developing microforests, and increasing outreach to seniors and lower-income households are among the plans that some MPs here have to help their constituents cope with rising temperatures. Sembawang West MP Poh Li San said more sheltered walkways and drop-off points are in the works for her constituency, since older estates like hers are more exposed to the elements compared with newer developments. She added that her constituency was also exploring the idea of microforests, which are small dense patches of greenery planted in urban areas. These can help to lower ambient temperatures. “Over time, as we have experienced (the effects of climate change) in the last 10 years, I think we have to intensify some of these efforts to create a more protective environment for our residents,” Ms Poh said. She was among six MPs responding to queries from The Straits Times on grassroots efforts to protect people here from rising temperatures. Climate change is nudging up global temperatures, with eight of the 10 hottest years in Singapore happening since 2002. In 2025, the yearly average temperature was 28.1 deg C, making it the eighth-hottest year on record. Moreover, Singapore has over the past week been grappling with drier than usual weather, which has resulted in higher temperatures. The Meteorological Service Singapore had earlier forecast that the daily maximum temperatures during the second half of March were likely to range between 34 deg C and 35 deg C on most days. Meteorologist Koh Tieh Yong, who is also a member of the Working Group for Asian-Australian Monsoons at the World Climate Research Programme, told ST on March 24 that equatorial South-east Asia was experiencing the dry phase of the Madden-Julian oscillation – a natural cycle in the equatorial region that switches between cloudy, rainy weather and clear, dry sky. “When the sky has less clouds, sunlight reaches the ground directly and heats up the surface; moreover, there is less cooling relief from rainfall,” he said. Warmer weather could be on the cards. Scientists have forecast an impending El Nino to hit Singapore in the second half of 2026. The climate phenomenon also causes drier, hotter weather here. For other MPs, reaching out to vulnerable members of their constituencies, such as the elderly or lower-income groups living in rental flats, is a priority. Sengkang GRC MP He Ting Ru said her constituency is considering procuring electric fans for vulnerable households, and developing ideas to raise awareness about extreme heat events. Sengkang Town Council has started using heat-reflective paint for its residential blocks, she added. Ms He pointed to an initiative to promote community heat resilience awareness that was held during the inaugural Sengkang Sustainability Bazaar in December 2025, and added that she hoped to have more collaborations with the community in the future. Mr Shawn Huang, an MP for West Coast-Jurong West GRC, said his team would be ramping up house visits to rental blocks to ensure that the units there have sufficient cooling measures such as fans. “Most rental homes do not have air-conditioning, so those are the most vulnerable groups we really need to look after,” he added, noting that Taman Jurong has around 800 rental flats. He added that for residents who are not mobile enough to visit cooling spaces such as active ageing centres, his team would donate fans to low-income families or explore how to implement portable air-conditioning and air filters in their homes. The impending El Nino event could also raise the risks of a heatwave being declared in Singapore. A heatwave is declared in Singapore when maximum temperatures reach 35 deg C on three consecutive days, with the mean temperature each day being at least 29 deg C. In March 2025, a national heatwave response plan was rolled out to help Singapore prepare for extreme heat. Under this plan, various measures will kick in when a heatwave is forecast. These include activating cooling spaces across the island in places such as community centres, residents’ committee rooms and indoor sports halls. Pre-schools will also be asked not to conduct outdoor activities between 11am and 4pm – usually a period of high heat stress – as the children enrolled are younger. Bukit Panjang MP Liang Eng Hwa said that in the event of a heatwave, the community centres and residents’ committee rooms will be activated for residents to take shelter. “We have to be prepared for this kind of environment where the temperature can get very hot for a longer period of time,” he added. Besides opening community spaces, Jurong East-Bukit Batok GRC MP David Hoe said he intends to raise awareness among his residents about the effects of heat, and how they can protect themselves, through his regular house visits and attendance at community events. Mr Hoe said he would, for instance, distribute water bottles during house visits to remind residents to hydrate and share lifestyle tips such as being mindful of their choice of clothing. “I think we need to ramp up efforts in educating our seniors,” said Mr Hoe, noting Clementi’s sizeable population of seniors. He said he was concerned that national heatwave advisories, such as those disseminated through the National Environment Agency’s myENV mobile application, were issued only in English. Beyond households, some MPs shared their concerns about how heat affects the welfare and performance of students. Aljunied GRC MP Kenneth Tiong said more classrooms in Singapore should be air-conditioned, especially since warm environments were found to affect students’ performance. Schools could potentially adopt a mixed-mode air-con, he suggested. This refers to a thermostat-triggered system that runs only when temperatures exceed a set threshold. At the national level, to better understand how heat affects people, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment announced the launch of a heat resilience office on March 3 during the debate on its budget in Parliament. The Heat Resilience Policy Office will oversee heat management efforts across the country by coordinating action, overseeing research and representing Singapore internationally. In an interview with ST on March 18, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said the office will also identify areas and gaps in heat that require more understanding. “For example, how do we understand the impact of heat and humidity on our own people, by age group or by activities?” she said. “If we don’t know, I think we need to study so that we have the answer to at least help us adapt better.” Associate Professor Jason Lee, who heads the Heat Resilience and Performance Centre at the National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, said that the policy office can help to prevent duplicate research and ensure research is translated into policy. He added that it will also need to strike a balance between coordination and ensuring that each agency can still engage in its own heat research and have its own contextualised heat advisories. The policy office could also provide the opportunity to “lift the human potential of the nation” by using heat to improve people’s health and daily lives, such as how exercising safely outdoors in the heat can reap the same benefits while reducing the time spent exercising indoors, said Prof Lee. He said: “The potential roles for the heat resilience office will not just be policy and research, but also creating awareness among Singaporeans on how to better use heat to their advantage.” “I think the Government will also glue the key players in heat resilience from research, from businesses, from the community together. We will be the beacon and the top leader for heat resilience for the world, I think that is our aspiration.”

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