Indonesia’s contested land reclamation projects

Bali Plastic Pollution

Kuta beach pollution, Bali. Photo courtesy of © Claude Graves.
“Construction cranes on beaches, damaged coral and floating trash in the turquoise waters off Bali are an unfortunate sign of just how successful the Indonesian resort island has been in attracting tourists.”The Jakarta Globe

Excerpts;

There are more than 15 planned reclamation projects across Indonesia, including a $3 billion project to build artificial islands in the middle of Benoa Bay in Bali. This proposed reclamation of 700 hectares of water has spawned one of the largest environmental movements in Indonesia’s history…

Many are highly controversial on the grounds they could cause flooding, damage the maritime ecosystem and destroy the livelihood of local fishermen…

Read Full Article, The Sydney Morning Herald

$3 billion islands project for Bali’s Benoa Bay has locals up in arms, The Sydney Morning Herald (02-29-2016)
A developer is proposing a $3 billion project to create artificial islands in the middle of Benoa Bay for a massive tourist destination with luxury villas and a theme park.
This proposed reclamation of 700 hectares of water has spawned one of the largest environmental movements in Indonesia’s history…

Central Govt Halts Jakarta’s $40 Billion Reclamation Project, The Jakarta Post (04-13-2015)
Indonesia’s capital, Jakarta– home to 10 million people – is sinking into the sea at between 2.9 and 6.7 inches per year. To save the megacity from drowning: a $40 billion land reclamation and sea wall project estimated to take 30 years to complete. However, today, the central government has decided to suspend its implementation as the viability of the project is now questioned…

Could a Titanic Seawall Save This Quickly Sinking City? National Geographic (12-10-2015)
Jakarta, Indonesia’s fast-growing capital of 10 million people, is embarking on one of history’s biggest seawall projects—to be shaped like a Garuda, a mythical bird-like creature…

The Great Wall of Jakarta, Reuters (12-22-2014)

What Happens to a Coral Reef When an Island is Built on Top? the Washington Post (07-11-2015)
Seven such coral reefs are being turned into islands, with harbors and landing strips by the Chinese military, and it is destroying a rich ecological network. “It’s the worst thing that has happened to coral reefs in our lifetime…”

Preventing Ecocide in South China Sea, Guardian UK (07-20-2015)

Such Quantities of Sand, The Economist (07-27-2015)
Asia’s mania for reclaiming land from the sea spawns mounting problems…

Built on Sand: Singapore and the New State of Risk, Harvard Design Magazine (09-07-2015)
The island’s expansion has been a colossal undertaking. It is not merely a matter of coastal reclamation: Singapore is growing vertically as well as horizontally. This means that the nation’s market needs fine river sand—used for beaches and concrete—as well as coarse sea sand to create new ground…

hong-kong
Land reclamation. Photograph: © SAF – Coastal Care

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