Biodiversity In Singapore Essay

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Conserving Biodiversity In Singapore: "Given the limited land available in Singapore, is it wise to set aside some areas as nature reserves?"

Singapore is a small island nation lying close to the equator. It is a country with limited land and resources with a population estimate of 5443835 people and land area: 241 sq. mi (624 sq. km); total area: 267 sq. mi (692.7 sq. km).Rapid urbanisation and ever growing population in Singapore has had a massive negative effect on the natural environment which has led to the loss of biodiversity and natural ecosystems. According to a report published by the National University of Singapore, which ranked the country as the "worst environmental offender among 179 countries". Singapore has largest …show more content…

Global warming i.e the increase in the temperature of the global surfaces is the main challenge of 21st century. From around 1980 to 2010, Singapore lost approximately 90 percent of its natural forests as a result of urbanisation and it has lost up to 73 percent of its animals and plants over the last two centuries.” World Conservation Union (IUCN) figures estimate that 77 percent of the island 's remaining butterflies, fish, birds, mammals, and other species are threatened”. Many of these endangered species will be at increased risks of extinction due to Global Warming. which will add on to the already extreme pressures from development and environmental pollution in Singapore. The demands of ever growing population has a profound impact on the environment and human conditions .Human activity in Singapore has generated many economic gains but at the cost of huge impact on the environment, including loss of biodiversity and ecosystems , which in turn has resulted in many social, economic and cultural losses. . Slowing down the rate of global warming is the main agenda of the nation today .This can be done by conserving …show more content…

The densely populated Singapore requires land use for residential purposes,schools,transportation ,industrial activities,transport system ,for recreational purposes and for activities which are typically located outside the city have to be accommodated within Singapore 's limited land area. These include setting of land aside for military training and military base , international ports and airports, land for water catchment and storage and major utilities such as power stations and water treatment plants . Some Singaporeans have an opinion that it is not a wise choice to set aside land for nature reserves .According to some Singaporeans retention of nature reserves reduces land available for development and does not gives it people good living environment . But preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems is essential for the survival of human population.““Biodiversity is essential for ecosystem services and hence for human well-being. Biodiversity goes beyond the provisioning for material welfare and livelihoods to include security, resiliency, social relations, health, and freedoms and choices. Some people have benefited over the last century from the conversion of natural ecosystems to human-dominated ecosystems and from the exploitation of biodiversity. At the same time, however, these losses in biodiversity and associated changes in

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