Singapore plans to plant 1 million trees by 2030, in a bid to boost biodiversity. It is predicted that around 90% of the mangroves in Singapore have been lost. As a small city-state, the nation has been in a long predicament torn between urban development and protecting nature. The expansion of the nation has led to a reduction in the number of mangroves. Singapore is looking to reverse this loss by an ambitious reforestation campaign. The Government has also announced the launch of the new Sungei Buloh Park Network in the northern portion of the nation. This 990-acre park is home to many flora and fauna, including migratory species.
In a Facebook post, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that “we need to ensure a Singapore for our future generations. All of us have to work together, and make Singapore a bright green spark for the world.” Launched on March 4, 2020, the One Million Trees project involves the restoration of both inland and mangrove forests. To date through the One Million Trees project a total of 217,597 trees have been planted across Singapore!
It is estimated that nearly 13,000 trees could be removed in the next 15 years due to transport and housing projects; however, the Government has stated that for every tree removed they will replant another. By the time One Million Trees officially wraps up in 2030, a goal is for all Singaporean households to be just a 10-minute walk from a park.
The greening of the nation could also hopefully mitigate the “heat island” effect created by the nations’ numerous pavement and skyscrapers that absorb and radiate solar radiation and increase the temperature of the nation. The increase in the number of trees can lead up to a considerable decrease in temperature. NParks Conservation Group director Adrian Loo said that “they [trees] serve as natural air filters, they reflect radiant heat and cool surfaces and [provide] ambient temperatures through shade and evapotranspiration; and help to mitigate the urban heat island effect and climate change.“
The community is the key to the success of this movement by the One Million Trees project. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said that “I hope the Green Plan will catalyze a broader national movement to take action to secure a sustainable future for Singapore. With each of us playing our part, I have every confidence that we will be able to build a more vibrant and greener home for future generations.”
Harsh Mahaseth is an Assistant Lecturer at Jindal Global Law School, and a Research Analyst at the Nehginpao Kipgen Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Jindal School of International Affairs, O.P. Jindal Global University. He is currently a Fellow at Kathmandu Tribune.
