CLIMATE change is a global issue that is seeing no signs of backing down. Each year, millions of people are affected by disasters caused by extreme weather and climate change. Notably, with rapid urbanisation expected to drive almost two-thirds of the global population to live in cities by 2050, cities are inevitably on the frontlines of climate change's growing risks and challenges. Recognising this, this year's World Cities Day (Oct 31) reflects on its theme of Adapting Cities for Climate Resilience.

As a city-state, Singapore has already begun to feel the effects of climate change. Beyond the regular reports of exceedingly high rainfall over the past few months, Singapore is also experiencing warming higher than the global average, due to the urban heat island effect - a phenomenon of urban structures trapping heat in the day and releasing it at night.

It is tough to consciously consider our cities' current defences against climate change as a priority, especially given the ongoing challenges with Covid-19, which has seen our resources redirected to pandemic efforts. However, climate action cannot afford to be at a standstill, and our cities need to continue adapting to prepare for existing and future climate impacts. What we can do at this point is to identify the biggest risks for our cities and start from there.