By MP for Aljunied GRC, Chen Show Mao
[Delivered in Committee of Supply on 11 March 2015]
Madam Chairman,
The call to make Environmental impact Assessments or EIAs an integral part of any major development project in Singapore is not a new one. Many Singaporeans have in the past made such appeals, including inside this house.
The Government has acknowledged the importance of EIAs in general terms, and also stated that we should not have EIA for every single development, that “EIAs do take up time and resources. As such, we should apply them selectively to projects that may most adversely impact our environment”.
Could the Government provide more specific guidelines relating to when EIAs would be required for development projects? Perhaps for projects of a certain type? Above a certain size? In certain zones? Also how the assessments, and public consultation will be carried out. Could these be specified and formalized in a published Framework or in legislation?
If we take reference from the EIA legislations of some other countries, we can find that the scope of projects that require EIAs is often defined in the law. So if we have an EIA law, it does not mean that all projects must have EIAs, but that when EIAs would be required would be defined and known to the public. Along with guidance on how they would be conducted, etc.
To be balanced against the time and resources of conducting EIAs, of course, would be the costs, both present and future, tangible and intangible, of potentially damaging or losing vital components of our natural and other heritage.
If an EIA finds a development project to be potentially harmful to our environment, it does not mean that the project has to be stopped altogether. It does mean that, if the project was to proceed, we would have to take concrete measures to mitigate or avoid the negative impact to the environment.
While EIAs have the potential to slow down plans for development, Madam, they would be an important safeguard for our environment.