In a research paper titled "Mangrove conservation in Singapore: A physical or a psychological impossibility?" published in 2000, author Liow Lee Hsiang argues that mangrove conservation in Singapore is largely inadequate. She argues that this is due to a lack of public awareness on mangroves in Singapore. Moreover, mangroves have been undervalued in terms of their intrinsic and practical values. Liow highlights the sheer lack of scientific baseline data on mangroves, and hence a general lack of interest in this area.
14 years down the road, in 2014, can we say much has changed? A quick Google Scholar search of "mangroves in Singapore" yielded 9,630 results, and is some evidence of studies on mangroves in Singapore. Yet, has this translated into policy changes to protect mangroves?
While Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve remains a nature reserve, there is still a dismal lack of work done to conserve other mangroves in Singapore. The neighbouring Mandai mudflats may not be as well-known as Sungei Buloh, but it is home to the largest concentration of horseshoe crabs in the world, as well as two-thirds of Singapore's mangrove species (Chua, 2013). Yet, there is no legal protection for the site, and it is listed as a reserve site by the government. This means that the site could be used for future development, and we could risk losing more of our biodiversity there!
Why is it that despite the increase in studies on mangroves and the increasing clarity on the value of mangroves in Singapore, there is still so little being done to save them? Perhaps it is not a lack of awareness as Liow posits; rather it is the lack of political willpower to save mangroves, given so many competing demands for land and resources. Yet I wouldn't blame the government for all of this - after all, policies are somewhat a reflection of what the people want. I think we need to see ourselves as a part of nature and not separate from it, before people would be willing to do anything at all for the environment.
References:
Chua, G., 2013. Calls to save Mandai site that's rich in biodiversity. The Straits Times, 7 October 2013. URL: http://www.straitstimes.com/the-big-story/case-you-missed-it/story/calls-save-mandai-site-thats-rich-biodiversity-20131011 (accessed on 28 Sep 2014)
Liow L. H., 2000. Mangrove conservation in Singapore: A physical or a psychological impossibility?. Biodiversity and Conservation, 9: 309-332.
Sunday, September 28, 2014
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Singapore: What is there worth conserving?
World Rhino Day falls on 22 September, and this year, the
Singapore Zoo will launch a rhinoceros conservation awareness campaign, titled
Rhinos in Trouble: The Hornest Truth, from 20 September to 20 October 2014.
Strange, isn’t it, that Singapore is campaigning to conserve rhinoceroses, when
they can only be found in captivity in the zoo?
Indeed, Singapore is often seen as a less than ideal place for conservation efforts, with its limited land size and natural biodiversity. In fact, a commonly heard question is, “Singapore is so small, what is there to conserve?” Or, indeed, what difference would it make in the world to conserve anything in Singapore, since we are but a little red dot? Well, in my opinion, Singapore is small, but sure can do big things with regards to the environment.
For one, the rhinoceros conservation campaign in Singapore aims to raise awareness about the plight of rhinoceroses in the wild. Wildlife Reserves Singapore works closely with TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and Wildlife Conservation Society (Vietnam) to stamp out illegal trade of rhino horns. So how useful and significant are Singapore’s efforts in this area that seemingly does not concern us?
Well, Singapore is in fact a significant stakeholder in wildlife trade. With her porous ports and strategic port location, Singapore makes for an ideal transit point for wildlife trade. In fact, in January this year, eight pieces of rhinoceros horns weighing a total of about 21.5kg were confiscated at Changi Airport by the Singapore authorities. Contrary to popular belief, there is indeed much Singapore can do to support conservation efforts worldwide.
Furthermore, with Singapore serving as a regional hub for many businesses and industries, there is no doubt that she plays an important role in serving as a hub for conservation efforts in the region and in the world. For instance, the World Wildlife Fund in Singapore is active in conservation programmes in over 22 countries in the Asia Pacific region and works to deliver positive and lasting change in this region. With Singapore’s human capital and knowledge resource, there is certainly much she can contribute to global conservation efforts.
Conservation work in Singapore does not take the form which we commonly perceive, simply because the nature of Singapore is indeed different from other countries. But that definitely doesn’t make conservation in Singapore any less significant, because although Singapore does not directly conserve wildlife or biodiversity, she is an important rallying force for global conservation efforts, and that should not be discounted.
Indeed, Singapore is often seen as a less than ideal place for conservation efforts, with its limited land size and natural biodiversity. In fact, a commonly heard question is, “Singapore is so small, what is there to conserve?” Or, indeed, what difference would it make in the world to conserve anything in Singapore, since we are but a little red dot? Well, in my opinion, Singapore is small, but sure can do big things with regards to the environment.
For one, the rhinoceros conservation campaign in Singapore aims to raise awareness about the plight of rhinoceroses in the wild. Wildlife Reserves Singapore works closely with TRAFFIC Southeast Asia and Wildlife Conservation Society (Vietnam) to stamp out illegal trade of rhino horns. So how useful and significant are Singapore’s efforts in this area that seemingly does not concern us?
Well, Singapore is in fact a significant stakeholder in wildlife trade. With her porous ports and strategic port location, Singapore makes for an ideal transit point for wildlife trade. In fact, in January this year, eight pieces of rhinoceros horns weighing a total of about 21.5kg were confiscated at Changi Airport by the Singapore authorities. Contrary to popular belief, there is indeed much Singapore can do to support conservation efforts worldwide.
Furthermore, with Singapore serving as a regional hub for many businesses and industries, there is no doubt that she plays an important role in serving as a hub for conservation efforts in the region and in the world. For instance, the World Wildlife Fund in Singapore is active in conservation programmes in over 22 countries in the Asia Pacific region and works to deliver positive and lasting change in this region. With Singapore’s human capital and knowledge resource, there is certainly much she can contribute to global conservation efforts.
Conservation work in Singapore does not take the form which we commonly perceive, simply because the nature of Singapore is indeed different from other countries. But that definitely doesn’t make conservation in Singapore any less significant, because although Singapore does not directly conserve wildlife or biodiversity, she is an important rallying force for global conservation efforts, and that should not be discounted.
References:
Wildlife Reserves Singapore, 2014. Rhinos in trouble: learn
the hornest truth at singapore zoo’s rhino conservation awareness campaign.
Wildlife Press, 19 September 2014. URL: http://wrscomsg.wordpress.com/2014/09/19/rhinos-in-trouble-learn-the-hornest-truth-at-singapore-zoos-rhino-conservation-awareness-campaign/
(accessed 21 Sep 2014)
World Wildlife Fund. Conservation work in Singapore. URL: http://wwf.panda.org/who_we_are/wwf_offices/singapore/
(accessed 21 Sep 2014)
Sunday, September 14, 2014
Rankings, rankings...
As I was researching for last week’s blog post, I discovered
insights about how politics and media come into play regarding environmental
issues, so I thought it’ll be good to share about it this week! I guess
environmental issues are truly multi-faceted and as BES students, what better
topic to share than about the interdisciplinary nature of these issues?
Remember how Singapore was ranked the worst environmental offender in 179 countries in a study? Well, the Singapore government sure did not take that well. In fact, the study was heavily criticised by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources for being unfair due to Singapore’s limited land size. The authors of the paper, though, stood by it, saying that data do not lie.
Here’s a screenshot of the webpage:
Environmental issues are indeed not as simple as they seem, especially when factors such as politics and the economy come into play. When the country is portrayed unfavourably in rankings, the reaction of the government to such data is markedly different from when it is the opposite. Why the huge discrepancy in reaction, to pretty much the same thing – data and rankings? Perhaps because of the increasing representation of environmental issues on the media, data can no longer be treated simply as such. Political and economic ramifications deem it necessary for various parties, particularly the government, to influence public perception so as to reduce unfavourable outcomes.
Remember how Singapore was ranked the worst environmental offender in 179 countries in a study? Well, the Singapore government sure did not take that well. In fact, the study was heavily criticised by the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources for being unfair due to Singapore’s limited land size. The authors of the paper, though, stood by it, saying that data do not lie.
Look at the headlines of this newspaper article published in
The Straits Times!
 |
|
(Source: http://newshub.nus.edu.sg/news/1005/PDF/ENVIRONMENTAL-st-14may-pB1.pdf |
While I did further research, I found another article on
Google, also published in The Straits Times. This article was about Singapore
coming in 4th in the 2014 Environmental Performance Index. But the first result
that came out in Google was not the website of The Straits Times; rather, it
was that of the Embassy of the Republic of Singapore in Cairo (under the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs)!
Here’s a screenshot of the webpage:
 |
|
(Source: http://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/cairo/press_statements_speeches/embassy-news-and-press-releases/2014/201401/press_20140128.html) |
Both were research papers; both were rankings – yet they
were treated with a vast difference. Why so?
Environmental issues are indeed not as simple as they seem, especially when factors such as politics and the economy come into play. When the country is portrayed unfavourably in rankings, the reaction of the government to such data is markedly different from when it is the opposite. Why the huge discrepancy in reaction, to pretty much the same thing – data and rankings? Perhaps because of the increasing representation of environmental issues on the media, data can no longer be treated simply as such. Political and economic ramifications deem it necessary for various parties, particularly the government, to influence public perception so as to reduce unfavourable outcomes.
This leaves me wondering – why can’t we recognise and accept
these purportedly “unfavourable” data and work towards improving ourselves,
instead of remaining in denial? To me, tackling public perceptions rather than
problems in the environment itself is simply a stop-gap measure; there simply
cannot be any progress if we choose to remain in denial of the presence of
problems. Yet, I do acknowledge that it is perhaps too naïve to believe in the
simplicity of the matter when there are so many more factors at play with
regard to the environment than can be covered within a short blog post.
Issues related to the environment are never easy to tackle. Perhaps,
then, it is up to us, the future generation, to address these problems. I find
it apt to end this post with a famous quote from Mahatma Ghandi: “Be the change
you want to see in the world”. I believe we have a great role to play in the
future of our country, and even in the future of our mother Earth.Sunday, September 7, 2014
How green is green?
Green City? Garden City? City in a garden? You have probably
heard of these terms being used to describe Singapore, with the last one being
the latest vision set out by the National Parks Board. BUT, is Singapore really
that green? Well, apparently not. In a study jointly conducted by NUS and the
University of Adelaide in 2010, titled “Evaluating the Relative Environmental
Impact of Countries” (http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010440),
Singapore was actually ranked the worst environmental offender in 179
countries!
Unbelievable? Look at the table of rankings here:
The study looked at various environmental indicators such as
natural forest loss, habitat conversion, marine captures, fertilizer use, water
pollution, carbon emissions and species threat. Singapore came up tops in
proportional environmental impact, which measures the above indicators
proportional to land size.
Sadly, while we have worked so hard to green our land over the years, we have destroyed much of our natural biodiversity in the process of rapid urbanization. Undeniably, given the limited land space we have in Singapore, there is definitely a dilemma between creating spaces that we have the ability to control and preserving spaces we have little option over.
This is not to deny the efforts of our forefathers and
landscapers though; they have indeed done a great job in greening our landscape.
But this begs the question: would we rather have replaced, carefully manicured
landscapes, or appreciate them in their natural wonder? For me, I would very much
prefer natural habitats and landscapes, despite little control over what we
have, because it would allow us to seek out the unknown, and lose ourselves in the
majestic beauty of nature. Alas, what’s done cannot be undone, so what we could do is to preserve our existing landscape,
be they natural or otherwise, so that we do not lose any more of our precious living
things. |
| (Source: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010440) |
Sadly, while we have worked so hard to green our land over the years, we have destroyed much of our natural biodiversity in the process of rapid urbanization. Undeniably, given the limited land space we have in Singapore, there is definitely a dilemma between creating spaces that we have the ability to control and preserving spaces we have little option over.
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