Protecting Marine Ecosystems

Programme Partner: National Parks Board and National University of Singapore

Region: SEA

The Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey I (CMBS I) was launched in 2010 and concluded successfully in 2015. During that time, two major expeditions to study the northern and southern shores of Singapore, involving global and local experts and 478 volunteers to intertidal mudflats, soft-bottom areas, and coral reefs were completed. CMBS I led to the discovery of 37 species new to science and more than 300 species new to Singapore.

To further the good work done in CMBS I, a second five-year survey of Singapore's marine biodiversity is needed and CMBS II will commence in mid-2023 with the objective to plug knowledge gaps identified from CMBS I that are crucial for the future of our national development and nature conservation thrusts.

CMBS II aims to establish a biodiversity baseline of local key marine areas that may be impacted by future developments such as land reclamation and coastal protection against sea-level rise. This information will enable planners and policymakers to make better informed decisions and identify critical areas to safeguard and develop necessary mitigative measures where future development is inevitable.

The knowledge to be gained is also critical to understanding the future impacts of key problems associated with climate change, like sea-level rise and increasing sea surface temperatures, which threaten to upset the ecology of our seas and coastlines. This will have long term impact to humans in many areas such as tourism, food supplies, transportation and many more.