Loss of coastal and marine habitats in Singapore has slowed: Study

Seagrass areas have made a steady recovery and corals had grown extensively along some seawalls between 1993 and 2018. PHOTO: NATHANIEL SOON
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SINGAPORE - The loss of coastal and marine habitats in Singapore to urban development has slowed over the past three decades, and some ecosystems have even bounced back, a recent study has found.

Mangrove forests – crucial for combating climate change with their ability to absorb vast quantities of carbon and reduce the impact of storm surges – have almost doubled in size since 1993, according to the study, which has created the most comprehensive maps of coastal and marine ecosystems in Singapore to date.

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