Environment and civil society in Singapore GEM 2906/ SSU2005 Dr Joelle Lai & A/P Reuben Wong 2013-14

Semester 1 College of alice & peter tan

Civil Society

Concepts and topics

What is Civil Society Components of civil society Roles of environmental NGOs The changing environment of Singapore Environmental CSOs

What is Civil Society

Sphere of social life that is public but excludes government activities (Meidinger, 2001) ...social interaction between the household and the state characterised by community cooperation, structures of voluntary association, and networks of public communication (Bratton, 1994) Classify persons, institutions, and organisations that have the goal of advancing or expressing a common purpose through ideas, actions, and demands on governments.

diverse units of social identity and interest... independent of the state..., not only can restrain the arbitrary actions of rulers, but can also contribute to forming better citizens who are more aware of the preferences of others, more selfcondent in their actions, and more civic-minded in their willingness to sacrice for the common good. At its best, civil society provides an intermediate layer of governance between the individual and the state that is capable of resolving conicts and controlling the behaviour of members without public coercion... A viable civil society can mitigate conicts... (Schmitter and Karl 1991) A society's coming of age where it develops the ability for contemplation, and critical and independent thought (Chong, 2005)

Examples of Civil Society organisations (CSOs)

academia activist groups charities citizens' militia civic groups clubs (sports, social, etc.) community foundations community organisations consumers/consumer organisations cooperatives churches cultural groups environmental groups foundations intermediary organisations for the voluntary and nonprot sector men's groups mosques, temples non-governmental organisations (NGOs) non-prot organisations (NPOs) policy institutions professional associations political parties private voluntary organisations (PVOs) religious organisations social enterprises support groups trade unions voluntary associations women's groups

Diverse membership
Ranging from individuals to religious and academic institutions to issue-focused groups such as not-forprot or non-governmental organisations. In the realm of environmental governance, NGOs are the most prominent actors

Groups of individuals organised for the myriad of reasons that engage human imagination and aspiration to advocate a particular cause, such as human rights, or to carry out programs on the ground, such as disaster relief. It can have memberships ranging from local to global. (Charnovitz, 1997: 186)

Roles of NGOs in global environmental governance

1. Collecting, disseminating, and analysing information. 2. Providing input to agenda-setting and policy development processes. 3. Performing operational functions. 4. Assessing environmental conditions and monitoring compliance with environmental agreements. 5. Advocating environmental justice.

Some examples of NGOs and publications

SIWI (Stockholm International Water Institute) WWF (World Wildlife Fund for Nature) IUCN (International Union for the conservation of Nature

Where government bodies and intergovernmental organisations often lack analytical capacity or are hampered by bureaucratic constraints and other obligations, NGOs (and CSOs) can focus on a dynamic research agenda and move very quickly to new issues.

Joint programme of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Works in close co-operation with the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). To ensure international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten the survival of the species in the wild, and it accords varying degrees of protection to more than 34,000 species of animals and plants http://www.cites.org/eng/app/2013/E-Appendices-2013-06-12.pdf

http://wildlifetradetracker.org/?db=lemis

Singapores changing environment: Whats gone and whats left?

Singapore, c. 1819

Population: 150

Yee et al., 2010. The present extent of mangrove forests in Singapore. Nature in Singapore 3: 139-145

Nature Map Of Singapore

Population 5.31 million (+150 K from 2011) Singapore, c. 2011

S tr a i t of
Joh
or
Su
ng

Sembawang Park
Sim pa

MALAYSIA

MALAYSIA

ei S

e m b a wa

ng

Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

Sungei Pang Sua

Woodlands

Su

ng

ei

ng

Khatib Bongsu

Pulau Seletar

Lim Chu Kang Sarimbun Reservoir Kranji Reservoir

Sungei i Ma nda

Pulau Punggol Barat Upper Seletar Reservoir Lower Seletar Reservoir

Pulau Tekong Reservoir Pulau Punggol Timor Chek Jawa Coney Island Punggol Pulau Ketam Pulau Ubin Pulau Tekong

Singapore Zoological Gardens

ng

go

MALAYSIA

Murai Reservoir

of

Se

pi

Poyan Reservoir

Jo

ait

Choa Chu Kang

Su

ra

Central Catchment Nature Reserve Upper Peirce Reservoir

Su

ho

ng

oo

Nee Soon Swamp Forest

ei

Serangoon Harbour
Changi Changi Beach
p
iA

ng

Pu

Lorong Halus
Sun

Lower Peirce Reservoir

ng

Str

gei A

ei

Loyang Creek Pasir Ris Nature Park

ne
s

m S ung ei Ta

Tengeh Reservoir Jurong Lake

Bukit Batok Nature Park

Bukit Timah Nature Reserve

MacRitchie Reservoir

Bedok Reservoir

pi
ei Be

Su ng do

e i J ur

on

Jurong Bird Park

Pandan Reservoir
Su

Singapore Botanic Gardens East Coast Park

ng

Tanah Merah

Sung

ei

West Coast Park Kent Ridge Park

Sultan Shoal Pulau Tekukor Pulau Salu Pulau Hantu Pulau Jong Pulau Sudong Pulau Semakau Sisters Islands Pulau Sebarok

a Tu s

Fort Canning Park

Singa pore River

Pa
nd

Ju

ro

ng

Str

ait

Ch an ne l

Marina East

LEGEND

an

Strait of Singapore
Marina Barrage

Lake or reservoir River Primary forest Secondary forest Scrubland Swamp forest Coastal Ecosystem Rocky shore (Labrador) Sandy shore Mangrove forest

Telok Blangah Hill Park Mt Faber Park Labrador Nature Reserve Pulau Keppel Pulau Brani Sentosa Mt Serapong

Jurong Island

Pandan Strait

Mt Imbiah

Pulau Busing

Pulau Bukom Pulau Seringat

Kusu Island Lazarus Island St Johns Island Pulau Ubin Pulau Tekong Johor SINGAPORE

Pedra Branca

N
Pulau Pawai Pulau Senang

Horsburgh Lighthouse

5km

Pulau Biola Pulau Satumu (Raffles Lighthouse)

Land Area: 710km2

10km

Ng, Corlett & Tan, 2011. Singapore Biodiversity: An encylopedia of the natural environment and sustainable development.

 Extensive Habitat loss > 95% of original forest cover (540 km2 in 193 years Less than 10% of remaining 24 km2 (2.8 km2) forest is primary rainforest Extensive alteration of coastline Loss of mangrove forests Loss of coral reefs (>100 km2 before land reclamation, 54 km2 after)

Brook et al. 2003. Catastrophic extinctions follow deforestation in Singapore. Nature 424: 420-423

The price of Progress

34-43% of extinct taxa were forest specialists (butteries, sh, birds and mammals) 25% of vascular plants, decapod crustaceans, phasmid species 5-7% of amphibian and reptile species Data suggests total local extinction = 73%

Singapore The price of Progress

Remaining forest reserves occupy 2.5% of Singapores land area Contains >50% of remaining forest biodiversity Bukit Timah & Nee Soon Swamp Forest Incredibly tiny forest patches and harbour endemic species Few known marine extinctions although ~60% coral reefs have been seriously impacted Waters connected to coral rich regions i.e. Indonesia, Malaysia

Picture of last tiger shot (and documented) in Singapore (1930s)

Living dead of Singapore

Andie Ang,

Ratufa afnis (Rafes, 1821) Giant Cream coloured squirrel Not seen in wild since 1995. Feared extinct. Type locality: Singapore (!)

Living dead of Singapore

Andie Ang,

Living dead of Singapore

Andie Ang,

Living dead of Singapore

Dryocopus javensis (Horseld, 1821) White bellied woodpecker (<5 individuals)

Andie Ang,

Living dead of Singapore

Dryocopus javensis (Horseld, 1821) White bellied woodpecker (<5 individuals) Prebystis femoralis (Martin, 1838) Banded leaf monkey, native to Singapore 10 (1980s), 20 (1990s) 2010 shows a larger population, but still critically endangered
Andie Ang,

http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/html/RL-2009-001/section8f11.html

Johora singaporensis - IUCN 100 most critically endangered species on earth

More depressing statistics

77% of our surviving biodiversity is considered threatened (IUCN) Protected areas ~ 0.25% of total land area, harbour ~ 50% of remaining taxa 25% of remaining sh and decapod crustacean (crabs, prawns) fauna are found in only one 5 ha patch in a single reserve

Whats left?
Terrestrial Environment 14,000 species of native vascular plants 75 species of ferns and fern allies 58 species of mammals 376 bird species 282 buttery species 102 reptile species 27 amphibian species 25 bat species Marine Environment ~200 hard coral species 111 reef sh species 11 sea grass species

NParks, NSS, NUS et al.

Fungi, algae, crustaceans, molluscs, insects

Long legged ies (Dolichopodidae) in Singapore

10 species in Singapore
mangroves (Evenhuis & Grootaert, 2002)

One years active

sampling (weekly traps)

Sungei Buloh 61 species 92 species } Pulau Ubin Chek Jawa 59

species

Whole of Singapore?

 Singapore harbours more than 50 anemone

species, more than the entire Pacic coast of North America.

We are a part of the East Australasian Flyway

Mudats and mangroves around Sungei Buloh, Kranji and Mandai are feeding grounds for migratory birds from Siberia, Russia and China every winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

http://www.environment.gov.au/ biodiversity/migratory/publications/ images/landings-map.jpg

http://wildshores.blogspot.sg/2009/09/migratory-birdssupremely-designed-for.html#.UJECLLQWjac

Threats to Biodiversity in Singapore

Development Invasive species Human encroachment (poaching, disturbance) Road kills

Photo credit: Marcus Chua

Singapore got wildlife meh?

http://youtu.be/7lQ0_fJ_Mv0 http://vimeo.com/72589917

Some Singapore environmental CSOs and NUS student groups

RMBR Toddycats

For next session (in groups of 4)

Oral presentation Investigate one local environmental CSO/student group. Explain the organisation, its background, aims and objectives, recent campaigns, activities, outreach methods and efcacy in engaging the government/university management and members of public/ student population.

Reminder

Combined session this coming Thursday. SRC, LT 50, 6-8 PM.