Marine Civil Society Organisations in Singapore

Written by Tham Hui Hui

This project traces the contributions and motivations of community-based civil society groups in Singapore’s marine conservation. Eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted with leaders of the civil society groups, and deductive thematic analysis was used to identify patterns among interview responses. It was observed that the number of groups rose rapidly in the last 15 years and many of the groups were founded by youths below the age of 35. In addition, many groups have a diverse range of contributions, with advocacy being an important role for many of them. Having personal experiences in nature and knowledge on environmental issues were key factors that motivate interviewees to step up and lead the civil society groups.

“I got to learn how environmental psychology and social science research may play a role in environmental conservation. Moreover, I am inspired by each individual as they chose to act upon the seemingly daunting challenge, with hopes that more people will come to see the beauty and importance of marine habitats in Singapore.”