Strengthening Heat Preparedness Measures in Light of El Niño Weather Forecast
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns how the Heat Resilience Policy Office (HRPO) will coordinate measures to strengthen heat preparedness amid El Niño forecasts for the second half of 2026, raised by Mr Alex Yeo. Minister Grace Fu Hai Yien explained that the HRPO coordinates Singapore's short-term preparedness and long-term systemic heat resilience strategies. For short-term readiness, the HRPO promotes the Heat Stress Advisory and convenes an inter-agency task force to coordinate national heatwave response plans. Complementary sector-specific measures include the Ministry of Manpower's outdoor work framework, the Ministry of Education's school guidelines, and the Ministry of Health's healthcare and eldercare response framework. In the longer term, the HRPO is developing a multi-domain Heat Resilience Action Plan supported by research through the RIE2030 Heat Resilience Research and Development Programme.
Transcript
26 Mr Alex Yeo asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment regarding forecasts of El Niño bringing warmer and drier conditions in the second half of 2026, how will the Heat Resilience Policy Office coordinate measures to strengthen heat preparedness.
Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: The Heat Resilience Policy Office (HRPO) coordinates Singapore's heat resilience strategy to address the impact of heat, spanning both shorter-term preparedness and longer-term systemic resilience.
HRPO works with agencies to increase public awareness of heat stress risks. This includes promoting awareness of the Heat Stress Advisory, which provides guidance on managing prolonged outdoor activities based on prevailing heat stress levels. This is complemented by sector-specific operational responses across agencies, such as the Ministry of Manpower's heat stress framework for outdoor work, the Ministry of Education's guidelines for schools to ensure the safety and well-being of students amidst the hot weather, and the Ministry of Health's heatwave response framework for healthcare institutions and eldercare facilities.
HRPO also works with agencies through an inter-agency task force on the national heatwave response plans that each agency would undertake for their respective sectors.
In the longer term, HRPO leads the development of a Heat Resilience Action Plan, which identifies priority areas and develops measures across the infrastructure, health, economic and social domains. This is supported by research through the RIE2030 Heat Resilience Research and Development Programme, to develop infrastructural interventions to mitigate urban heat, and improve understanding and management of the impacts of heat on different segments of society.