A model green city? : the history of conservation discourse in Singapore 1965 to the present

Abstract

With perfectly manicured parks, dense rainforest, and tall skyscrapers, Singapore’s environment could be looked at in two ways; a natural wonder; or a man-made marvel. Promoting herself as the “City in a Garden”, it’s difficult to ascertain the boundaries between humans and nature. Along these lines of thought, is the problem of conservation. The preservation of the natural world sits uncomfortably throughout Singapore’s history of rigorous nation building since its independence. But is Singapore really the government-dominated city-state it is made out to be? In a place where everything has been meticulously planned and constructed, how do we reconcile our man-made development with its encroachment on what little natural environments we have left? This paper will explore the changing discourse on conservation that has been increasingly co-produced and contested amongst the state and various other conservation actors.