Singapore spending billions to adapt to climate change, but deforestation continues

Singapore is allocating substantial funds to adapt to the effects of climate change, yet deforestation persists. At a rare public protest against a state development plan, 22-year-old environmental studies student Saw Yun Ya challenged the government to revise the environmental impact assessment (EIA) for Maju Forest. Maju, a 23-hectare patch of regenerating secondary forest, was slated for development in central Singapore, a city grappling with a housing shortage.

The EIA for Maju was announced in July, sparking a fervent public response. Maju is among several secondary forests slated for development as Singapore seeks a solution to its housing crisis. Secondary forests occupy approximately 16% of Singapore's land area, having regrown in the wake of British colonial-era urban expansion. EIAs evaluate pollution, waste, and biodiversity impacts of land development, identifying endangered species at affected sites.

However, residents and environmental groups argue that EIAs do not sufficiently consider the climate and health advantages provided by forests. At a protest on August 16, a banner read, "Know your enemy," emphasizing the need to scrutinize potential alternatives to forest conservation.