Development works in Singapore to be more sensitive to wildlife

Changes to framework for environmental impact assessment include new guidelines

One of the changes to the environmental impact assessment framework will see the Urban Redevelopment Authority spelling out on its website the circumstances under which environmental studies must be done. If, for instance, the development works are l
One of the changes to the environmental impact assessment framework will see the Urban Redevelopment Authority spelling out on its website the circumstances under which environmental studies must be done. If, for instance, the development works are located close to an area of ecological significance, such as nature reserves like the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (above), an environmental study must be done. PHOTO: NATIONAL PARKS BOARD

Development in Singapore will be done in a way that is more sensitive to wildlife, under sweeping changes made to the environmental impact assessment (EIA) framework.

Three key changes will be made to the framework, which was first introduced in 2008.

One change involves the introduction of biodiversity impact assessment guidelines, which were developed by the National Parks Board (NParks) in consultation with experts here.

The guidelines, similar to those already in place for noise or pollution control at work sites, will ensure that consultants assessing sites marked for development have a set of standards to follow.

Another change will see the transparency of environmental studies enhanced, with the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) spelling out on its website the circumstances under which such studies must be done.

For example, an environmental study must be done if the development works are located close to an area of ecological significance, such as nature reserves.

And with the exception of reports that contain sensitive information, such as those with security considerations, all environmental study reports will now be published online by developers, and the links will be made available on URA's website.

The third change will see the planning process - and not just the development work itself - become more sensitive to Singapore's natural environment.

This will be done through earlier engagement with nature groups in the planning and development process, and through the introduction of a course on basic ecology and the EIA process for planners from development agencies. The course, to be conducted by NParks, will be rolled out by the end of next year.

While these changes to the framework are not officially codified in an EIA law, the framework still has regulatory teeth, the Ministry of National Development told The Straits Times last week.

The recently amended Wildlife Act, which came into force on June 1, empowers NParks to issue wildlife-related requirements as formal directions to developers and enables the board to take direct enforcement action against developers that fail to comply with the required measures.

Singapore may be densely built up, but it still has green spaces that are home to wildlife.

However, as a small nation with just 720 sq km of land, Singapore has always had to strike a balance between development and conservation, said National Development Minister Desmond Lee, who had championed the changes to the EIA framework, in an e-mail to ST.

"We must protect and enhance our natural capital. At the same time, we must house a nation, develop industry, create jobs, provide amenities and safeguard land for future generations - this is why it is critical that we consider the trade-offs we are making carefully with regard to land use, in the spirit of achieving a balance," he said last week.

"We outlined our plans for a City in Nature earlier this year, and recognise that our planning processes must be enhanced in tandem to support this vision."

Members of the nature community welcomed the changes to the EIA framework, saying that they put Singapore on the right track to achieving its City in Nature vision.

Mr Sankar Ananthanarayanan, co-founder of nature group Herpetological Society of Singapore, which studies reptiles and amphibians, said he is glad to see efforts to make EIA reports more transparent.

"Previously, getting information was very difficult and a lot of the engagement was done behind closed doors. Making the information more accessible could boost discussion on the findings. It's a big step forward," said Mr Sankar.

Access to earlier EIA reports, like the one done for the Cross Island MRT Line, was initially relatively limited as an appointment had to be made to view a physical copy of the roughly 1,000-page report. The Land Transport Authority later put the document online following complaints about the inconvenience.

For Nature Society (Singapore) president Shawn Lum, the changes to the EIA framework are significant also for what they represent - increasing awareness of native biodiversity not just for individual projects, but also at a national level.

"EIAs done for each project may be thorough, and mitigation measures could help safeguard biodiversity within the project site. But their effectiveness may be reduced if you consider the development around it," said Dr Lum.

Take, for instance, the new Tengah town, which will be built on secondary forest. The Housing Board had catered for a forest corridor to run through the development to allow animals to cross between the western catchment forests and the central nature reserves.

But last October, ST reported that part of the green highway in the plot next to Tengah was levelled for an HDB Build-To-Order project. Said Dr Lum: "Such incidents are not the fault of the developer. So raising the standards of the industry, such as having ecology lessons for the planners, could help reduce such events."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 26, 2020, with the headline Development works in Singapore to be more sensitive to wildlife. Subscribe