Singapore’s plan to merge several islands could wipe out coral reefs

Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong announced plans to merge several southern islands into a roughly 590-hectare western island for manufacturing, energy, and defense, modeled on the 1980s creation of Jurong Island. The targeted area contains about 60% of Singapore's remaining coral reefs, 22% of its seagrass, and 5% of its mangroves, along with landmarks like the Pulau Semakau landfill and Pulau Bukom refinery.

No timeline was given beyond 'coming decades,' and the government says comprehensive environmental and feasibility studies must happen first. Marine scientists note the reefs contain breeding-age coral colonies too large and structurally complex to relocate, meaning reclamation would not move them but destroy them outright.

The Indigenous Orang Laut community says it was not consulted despite generational ties to the waters in question, and is asking for equal standing with scientists in any future environmental review. Conservationists, meanwhile, say the announcement has undercut years of donor confidence in the government's own coral restoration programs.

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