SG Climate Rally will hold a gathering at Hong Lim Park on 16 August, bringing together residents concerned about redevelopment plans affecting Maju Forest, Gillman Barracks, Sembawang, Tengah and Tagore forest, and land reclamation at East Coast Park. https://news.theonlinecitizen.com/2026/08/05/sg-climate-rally-to-hold-hong-lim-park-gathering-over-forest-clearance-plans   Full Details: SG Climate Rally Hong Lim Park Gathering   Event title: MAJU (progress) for The People Organiser: SG Climate Rally Date & time: 16 August 2026, 4pm – 6pm Venue: Hong Lim Park (Speakers’ Corner) Announced: 3 August 2026 via SG Climate Rally’s Instagram page       🎯 Purpose & Scope   The gathering responds to widespread public concern over redevelopment plans affecting Singapore’s natural spaces, specifically:   - Maju Forest (Sunset Way, Clementi) - Gillman Barracks - Sembawang N5 forest - Tengah forest - Tagore forest - Proposed land reclamation at East Coast Park   Organisers aim to:   - Discuss land use and public access to nature - Reflect on the loss of forests and natural habitats - Call for greater transparency and genuine public participation in land-use decisions - Question whether current decision-making processes are responsive to community concerns, noting that residents who have spoken up have not received clear answers       📅 Background to the Issue   - 10 July 2026: HDB unveiled plans to build new housing at both Gillman Barracks and Maju Forest, sparking public debate and petitions that have drawn thousands of signatures each. - Public feedback: As of 28 July, HDB received 2,712 responses for the Sunset Way study and 860 responses for Gillman Barracks. Formal consultation closes 6 August 2026. - 4 August 2026: In Parliament, Minister of State for National Development Alvin Tan confirmed redevelopment will proceed, adding that stakeholder engagement will continue after the consultation ends before final plans are set.       🎤 Programme   The event will feature speeches, poetry, and musical performances, open to all concerned residents.        

Orivia  

Removing or developing forested areas like Maju Forest (Sunset Way) and Gillman Barracks will impact Singapore's local climate, microclimate, and ecosystem. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) and urban climate studies highlight several primary climate and environmental mechanisms that are affected when secondary forests are converted to residential estates:   🌡️ 1. Local Microclimate & Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect  * Loss of Evapotranspirative Cooling: Forests act as natural air conditioners. Trees draw water from the soil and release it into the atmosphere through transpiration, lowering ambient air temperatures. Replacing dense canopy with built infrastructure (concrete, asphalt, glass) significantly reduces evapotranspiration.    * Increased Surface & Ambient Temperatures: Concrete and dark road asphalt absorb heat during the day and radiate it back at night. Research shows that urbanized areas in Singapore can experience ambient temperatures 2°C to 4°C higher (and surface temperatures up to 7°C higher) than adjacent dense secondary forests.    * Neighborhood Impact: Surrounding residential estates (such as Clementi/Sunset Way near Maju Forest or Telok Blangah/Depot Road near Gillman Barracks) lose the cooling "sink" provided by large contiguous green pockets, raising local ambient discomfort.   🌧️ 2. Urban Hydrology & Flash Flood Vulnerability    * Reduced Soil Infiltration: Vegetated land absorbs rainwater through roots and deep soil, regulating surface runoff during heavy rainstorms.    * Increased Stormwater Runoff: Replacing natural topsoil with impermeable concrete surfaces increases runoff velocity and volume. During intense monsoonal downpours, surrounding drainage networks (e.g., Sungei Ulu Pandan or Berlayar Creek catchments) experience increased hydraulic pressure, elevating localized flash flood risks if drainage infrastructure is not expanded.   💨 3. Carbon Storage & Loss of Carbon Sinks    * Release of Stored Carbon: Secondary forests hold biomass both in live tree trunks/canopies and within the organic topsoil. Clearing vegetation releases this locked carbon into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide (CO_2) during site clearance.    * Loss of Sequestration Capacity: Mature vegetation continually absorbs carbon emissions. While Singapore's forests form a minor percentage of global carbon sinks, local forest loss incrementally reduces the country's carbon sequestration capabilities under national climate action plans. 🦜 4. Ecological Corridors & Habitat Fragmentation    * Breakup of Climate-Resilient Ecological Networks:      * Maju Forest acts as a stepping-stone corridor connecting the Central Catchment / Bukit Timah Nature Reserve to Clementi Forest and Ulu Pandan.      * Gillman Barracks connects the Southern Ridges (Kent Ridge Park, Telok Blangah Hill) to Labrador Nature Reserve and Berlayar Creek.    * Edge Effects & Microclimate Stress: Fragmenting these forests increases "edge effects"—where interior forest patches become exposed to exterior sunlight, higher heat, and drier air. This microclimatic drying weakens native shade-loving plants and displaces temperature-sensitive wildlife species.   🏗️ Typical Standard Mitigation Measures Under Singapore's "Avoid, Reduce, Mitigate" policy framework, urban planning agencies (URA, HDB, NParks) deploy strategies to soften these climate impacts:    * Retaining Core Ecological Buffers: Preserving high-value native forest patches or linear green corridors to maintain wind movement and continuous wildlife pathways.    * Urban Heat Mitigation: Requiring new BTO/residential projects to integrate high Green Plot Ratios (GPR), rooftop gardens, vertical greenery, and cool-paint coatings to offset UHI gains.    * Water-Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD): Installing bioretention swales, detention basins, and rain gardens to absorb peak stormwater runoff before it ent ers municipal drains.

So what is the outcome?   All these sound like bureaucratic hogwash   Are we all into some form of language obfuscation?  

Haram?