Declining ability to absorb more carbon not unexpected: Experts

Given Singapore's small land size and highly urbanised landscape, emissions from agriculture, forestry and land use are negligible in comparison with other economic sectors, said the report.

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growth or new planting is added and grows, this will be taken into account in subsequent reporting," he added.

Experts told ST that the declining ability of Singapore's land to absorb more carbon than is released is not unexpected, given developments that entail the felling of forests for other purposes, such as housing.

For example, ST reported in early December that two forested areas in Sembawang and Woodlands will be cleared for housing projects.

The 53ha Sembawang site is about one-third of the area of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, and adjacent to the Sembawang site is a larger plot of forest that is also zoned for residential use. As for the Woodlands site, it is 7.27ha, roughly the size of 13 football fields.

Nature experts pointed out that the vegetation that is often cleared for development are secondary forests - vegetation that grew on land that was cleared before.