Debated in Parliament on 2 Aug 2023.
Mr Louis Ng Kok Kwang asked the Minister for National Development (a) what are the objective criteria and standards that NParks uses in deciding whether an Environmental Impact Assessment is necessary; and (b) when have these objective criteria and standards been last reviewed and updated.
Today, as part of the planning process, development projects that are in or near sensitive areas, such as nature reserves, nature areas, other areas of significant biodiversity and marine and coastal areas or have potential transboundary impact, are required to undergo an in-depth consultation process with the relevant technical agencies, such as the National Parks Board (NParks), National Environment Agency, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore and Singapore Food Agency, to discuss the scope of works, potential environmental impact and corresponding mitigating measures.
If the potential environmental impact of a project is assessed to be significant, an environmental study will be required to assess in greater detail the nature and magnitude of the impact and the mitigation measures and monitoring plans to address them. The assessment on whether to require an environmental study takes into account considerations, such as the development details, including construction methods, as well as ecological factors, such as the habitat types, floral and faunal diversity and ecological connectivity that could potentially be impacted.
We continually review and update our approach based on evolving scientific knowledge and information on the environment. For example, through NParks’ island-wide Ecological Profiling Exercise, we have gained a better understanding of Singapore’s ecosystem and ecological connectivity, which we consider when assessing whether an environmental study is required for development projects.
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