Sustainable development and Penang South Reclamation (PSR)

-

I read with surprise the statement by Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) that the implementation of the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project is akin to destroying the earth:

"In Penang, rather than preserving the Earth, we destroy it, said an environmentalist in conjunction with the Earth Day celebration today. Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) president Meenakshi Ramen said proof of this can be seen in the biggest environmental hazard in the state – the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) project."
(The Vibes, 22 April 2021, https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/24792/call-off-psr-as-earth-day-gift-to-penangites-environmentalist).

The statement is so alarmist, misleading, and unscientific that it sounds like coming from a doomsday cult rather than a credible NGO.

When discussing sea reclamation with reference to the PSR, it all boils down to what one is advocating and the assumption behind the advocacy?

Is it motivated merely by environmental preservation or sustainable development as climate action?

Both are completely different things. Just as Ottmar Edenhofer, lead author of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) assessment reports, remarked that climate policy is not environmental policy.[1]

Reclamation as sustainable development is not new to the earth, with history going back in centuries around the world.

Reclamation in the Netherlands can be traced back as far back as 800 years ago. It is estimated that the country has reclaimed more than 650,000 hectares.[2]

The Netherlands has recently expanded the Port of Rottendam by 2,000 hectares through reclamation.[3] The country is ranked the 13th in the Global Sustainability Index.[4] The Netherlands is not destroyed and continues to lead in sustainability practices.

Denmark has launched the Holmene project to reclaim nine islands (3.1 million square meter) to attract international investment and to boost the economy.[5] The country had previously initiated massive development on reclaimed land at Ørestad. Not only that Denmark is not destroyed, it is ranked 2nd in the Global Sustainability Index.[6]

Singapore has reclaimed more than 13,800 hectares since 1965. The city-state has planned for another 5,600 hectares of land expansion by 2030. Until today, Singapore still stands and continues to advance as the most sustainable city in Asia.[7]

Penang itself has benefited from various reclamation projects in the past. The state has reclaimed some 1,120 acres of land stretching from the Penang Bridge to Batu Maung for various development and the expansion of the Free Industrial Zone, providing thousands of jobs for Penangites. Karpal Singh Drive, Straits Quay, and Weld Quay are all built on reclaimed land.

The Tun Dr Lim Chong Eu expressway used by thousands of Penangites everyday is built on reclaimed land. The main piers of the Penang Bridge, the main connecting link between the island and the mainland, are built on four artificial islands.

Many reclamation projects around the world and in Penang itself have brought more benefits than negative impact. Reclamation when done right does not destroy the earth. In fact, reclamation is reported as a “mature and effective technology and can provide predictable levels of safety” by the world's top scientific authority on climate change, the UN's IPCC. (The Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate: A Special Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2019)

References

[1]https://www.forbes.com/sites/larrybell/2013/02/05/in-their-own-words-climate-alarmists-debunk-their-science/?sh=7c232e6168a3 and https://www.dailysignal.com/2010/11/19/climate-talks-or-wealth-redistribution-talks/

[2]de Glopper RJ, Smits H. Reclamation of land from the sea and lakes in the Netherlands. Outlook on Agriculture. 1974;8(3):148-155.

[3]https://www.joc.com/port-news/european-ports/port-rotterdam/rotterdam-opens-first-phase-giant-maasvlakte-2-container-hub_20130522.html and https://www.portofrotterdam.com/en/news-and-press-releases/maasvlakte-2

[4]https://earth.org/global_sustain/netherlands-ranked-13th-in-the-global-sustainability-index/

[5]https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/01/denmark-plans-silicon-valley-on-9-artificial-islands-off-copenhagen/

[6]https://earth.org/global_sustain/denmark-ranked-190th-in-the-global-sustainability-index/

[7]https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/singapore-ranks-top-in-sustainability-among-asian-cities-second-globally

Popular posts from this blog

BRT expert sweet-talking Penang to install bus system?

-
Image
It was reported that Yoga Adiwinarto, country director of the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) in Jakarta had recommended the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system for Penang in a presentation organised by Think City yesterday. The ITDP specialises in BRT and their institutional mission is to promote the bus system around the world in that their “specific area of expertise is the bus rapid transit (BRT) and we work to spread knowledge about BRT and provide high-level technical assistance to cities pursuing BRT projects in the US and abroad.” Urban planning expert, Diego Silva Ardila has observed that think-tanks like ITDP “have focused on BRT systems as the only plausible solution for urban transport in the developing world, and have not seriously and rigorously analysed the possibilities that rail-based systems have [...]” Ardila further noted that “the think-tanks and their claims have been deemed biased by the fact that they represented the interests of
Read more

Jobs don't drop from the sky #7

-
Image
Our youth unemployment rate has been rising every year in the past 5 years, from 11% in 2016 to 11.72% last year. Are jobs being produced as fast as our youths grow up? Without jobs, what's our youths' future? Without jobs, how to start a family? Without jobs, how to care for aging parents? These are the questions that Hafiz discussed with me. Hafiz is a graduate with a degree in finance. Most of his cohorts have left Penang to work in KL. "Kawan-kawan struggle cari kerja di Penang, dan memang banyak yang pi KL," he said. Although Hafiz wanted to join them, he as the eldest among his siblings had stay back to care for the family. Unable to get a suitable permanent job, Hafiz ended up as a contract worker for several years. When the Penang South Reclamation (PSR) had job openings, Hafiz applied and got his first stable permanent job. After working for 10 months, Hafiz has saved enough to get married. He and his wife are expecting their first child now. Just before Raya
Read more

Jobs don't drop from the sky #5

-
Image
I will continue to write about real Penangites whose life has been changed for the better because of Penang South Reclamation (PSR). These Penangites are not big-name politicians, their story seldom gets highlighted. Nonetheless, they are Penangites who can now earn a decent living for their family due to the project. Therefore, I think their story deserved to be told. Pak Idris and his grandson, Adam are such Penangites. Idris, 66 years old, has worked as a fisherman for over five decades. Adam, now 23, had been helping his grandpa since his teens. Adam shared about an incident when he was 18 years old working in the sea with his grandpa. That day they met with a thunderstorm. Huge waves were hitting their boat. Idris used all his strength to steer the boat to safety, against the strong currents until the vessel almost broke into two. “Tok perlu lawan sampai bot terangkat tinggi, hampir patah dua." Adam said. “Masa tu, kalau hanyut di laut, pun hanyut lah,” Idris added. Fortunate
Read more