Singapore’s recent announcement of a large-scale land reclamation project to create a new "western island" in the southern waters has raised concerns among marine conservation experts about the potential loss of important marine habitats. The project will involve transforming a significant portion of the sea in the Singapore Strait into land, resulting in the destruction of small islands and critical ecosystems such as coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds.
Chou Loke Ming, a marine biologist, highlighted that while reclamation projects were once carried out with little environmental scrutiny, there have been growing efforts since the late 1990s to assess and mitigate ecological impacts. Agencies have since adopted measures aimed at minimizing habitat degradation, and the National Parks Board has been empowered to safeguard marine biodiversity more proactively. Past projects, such as the development of the Semakau landfill, illustrated that infrastructure development and environmental conservation can coexist. For example, Semakau’s western reef was protected during construction using sediment screens, and losses to mature mangrove forests were offset by restoration efforts at nearby sites, where saplings have since flourished. The establishment of the Sisters’ Islands Marine Park in 2014 further signaled Singapore’s commitment to marine protection.
Despite this history, Chou expressed concerns about whether the destruction of marine habitats in the new western island project is unavoidable and urged for a balanced approach. He emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that not only catalogs present species and habitats but also evaluates the broader ecosystem services and heritage values at stake. He noted that measuring impact solely based on the land area reclaimed underestimates the loss of space critical to marine life, which occupies various levels of the water column.
Chou suggested exploring alternative reclamation designs that might reduce habitat loss, such as shaping the island to avoid key ecosystems or creating irregular shorelines that mimic natural conditions. If habitat destruction cannot be avoided, restoration should be prioritized. This would require innovative approaches, including rethinking seawall construction. Instead of a traditional single seawall, multiple layers of marine defenses, including hard outer structures to mitigate wave energy, could create sheltered environments conducive to the regeneration of seagrass and mangrove habitats.
For sustainable long-term marine management, Chou advocated for a strategic marine spatial plan that integrates biodiversity distribution data to guide future developments away from ecologically sensitive areas. He recommended consolidating information from various project-based EIAs and existing research, including the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey, to build a robust database supporting such strategic planning.
As Singapore advances its reclamation initiatives, balancing developmental needs with marine conservation remains a critical challenge, underscoring the importance of science-based planning and habitat restoration efforts.