January 9, 2026

Did you know that Singapore boasts up to 54 surrounding islands, many of which were established through land reclamation post-independence? While most of these islands remain untouched, some play crucial roles in the city-state’s development. Given their relative obscurity and historical significance to most Singaporeans, ‘Urbanising Islands: A Critical History of Singapore’s Offshore Islands’, a chapter in Turning up the Heat: Urban Political Ecology for a Climate Emergency (Manchester UP, 2023) by Dr. Creighton Connolly (The University of Hong Kong) and Associate Professor Hamzah Muzaini (NUS Southeast Asian Studies), explores the transformative nature of these islands.

The authors highlight that capitalistic governance has significantly influenced the development of Singapore’s Southern and Western Islands, shaping nature even beyond the city. Since independence, these islands have been redeveloped to support territorial organisation and key economic sectors. For example, they have been transformed into ‘spatial envelopes’ for brownfield activities like petrochemical industries and landfills. Jurong Island’s creation has positioned Singapore as a global leader in the chemical industry, contributing approximately 34% of local manufacturing output in 2014. Similarly, Pulau Semakau, consisting of 220 hectares of reclaimed land, is Southeast Asia’s largest offshore landfill. These islands play a crucial role given the land scarcity on the mainland, helping it remain clean and green while enabling economic progress.

These transformations, however, have come at a high cost. Land reclamation, involving the dredging of sand, has led to the loss of up to 60% of Singapore’s coral reefs and much of its natural shoreline. Additionally, waste incineration produces harmful air and aquatic pollution due to the toxins from the incineration ash, affecting Semakau and its surrounding areas throughout its operational lifetime. This process has irreversibly damaged the socio-ecologies of the islands. These outcomes underscore the political aspect of urban political ecology, highlighting the consequences of excessive capitalist accumulation and the socio-environmental inequalities that arise to meet economic demands.

Lastly, the authors explore the tense dialectical relationship between city and countryside, noting that many indigenous communities who once inhabited these islands were pressured to leave to make way for repurposing projects. For instance, Pulau Seking once had a population of over 300 people before it was reclaimed to become part of Pulau Semakau’s landfill.

The authors conclude by suggesting that Singapore’s offshore islands should be viewed as hybrid rural/urban areas, as they exhibit characteristics of both. These islands should not be considered in isolation; instead, they should be preserved and utilised sustainably to ensure that socio-spatial transformations are accountable to all stakeholders, not just driven by economic considerations.

Read the chapter here.