Strengthening climate resilience at Changi Airport

Changi Airport, one of the world's foremost transportation hubs, serves as a vital gateway to Asia and beyond. Our consultancy support gave Changi Airport Group valuable insights into the risks and associated measures they can implement to adapt and increase their climate resilience.

Aerial view Changi Airport Singapore with airplanes on apron

Project facts

Client: Changi Airport Group
Location: Changi, Singapore
Period: November 2020 – March 2022
Challenge: How can Changi Airport maintain business continuity in the context of climate change?
Solution: Climate stressors & scenario analysis, assessment of climate risks on assets & operations and development of measures.

Navigating Changi Airport's climate resilience journey - a pathway to 2050

Changi Airport is a vital part of Singapore’s transport system and one of the biggest airports in Asia. To ensure Changi Airport’s world-class operation can continue to run safely and efficiently, climate resilience is crucial. In light of escalating climate impacts, Changi Airport Group entrusted NACO with the task of providing expert guidance to determine the potential risks to their airport infrastructure and operations, and recommendations on how to keep Changi Airport operating smoothly even as the climate changes.

Climate adaptation and resilience planning and collaborating for success

First, we carried out climate scenario modelling to explore how the climate might change in the area where the airport is located. We combined operational data with weather information received from Meteorological Service Singapore and the Centre for Climate Research Singapore to get a clear picture of potential operational problems the airport might face in the future due to climate change.

Next, we engaged stakeholders in Changi Airport's climate resilience journey through workshops to map climate risks. Together with airport stakeholders, we mapped the potential impact of a disruptive event and drew connections on how a single disruption can impact multiple assets and operations. We used our digital tool STAIN, to visualise these cascading effects and highlight the interconnected nature of airport operations.

Following the identification of key risks and again working closely with the airport’s stakeholders, we developed measures to reduce these risks and increase airport resilience, covering everything from infrastructure to procedures and guidelines.

Circle and STAIN workshop to map climate risks — This image is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent actual data

NACO demonstrated their expertise in the wide range of disciplines needed in building an airport’s resilience to climate change. Their strategic and collaborative approach empowered our stakeholders to take ownership of the decision-making with practical measures for the near and long-term.

Hoi Wen Au Yong Environment & Sustainability Manager at Changi Airport Group

A clear path forward for Changi Airport's climate resilience journey

The result of this process was a Climate Adaptation Pathway, detailing how Changi Airport can become more resilient to climate change and potential risks in terms of sea level rise, erratic wind patterns and rainfall events, lighting strikes, extreme heat stress, reduced visibility and wildlife. The pathway lays out what steps the airport can take today, in 2030 – and what can be achieved by 2050. By implementing the recommendations in this plan, Changi Airport can continue to be a safe, efficient, and world-class transportation hub and gateway to Asia for years to come.

Moreover, our collaborative approach, actively engaging Changi Airport’s stakeholders, increased the understanding of interrelations of different parts and departments of airports and fostered a stronger sense of collaboration within the airport community.

This project contributed to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals.

This project contributed to these 4 UN Sustainable Development Goals

We’re delighted to put Changi Airport on the path to greater climate resilience. Our extensive adaptation roadmap enables the airport to continue its climate resilience journey as Singapore’s first-in-class aviation hub.

Asmeeta Das SharmaClimate Resilience Lead, Aviation

AsmeetaDas Sharma

Climate Resilience Lead, Aviation