Best of our wild blogs: 23 Jun 08

Video of otter at Sungei Buloh
on the wonderful creations blog

Landfill-on-sea
about our rubbish on the Pulau Hantu blog

Wet and Naked on Sentosa
a quick look at our natural shores despite the weather on the adventures of the naked hermit crabs blog

A quick view of the Sentosa Integrated Resort worksite
on the wildfilms blog

Red feather star at labrador
a video clip on the sgbeachbum blog

White-throated Kingfisher: Non-iridescent colours
on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog

Young birds: to handle or not?
on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog

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Singapore's neglected heritage: Cyrene Reef as an example

Liana Tang, Straits Times 23 Jun 08;

WHAT makes Singapore unique? Is it our quaint shophouses, old buildings from colonial times, antique monuments or lush rainforests?

Singapore's heritage is a hotchpotch of cultural relics and natural beauty, and efforts towards their preservation made by the authorities are laudable.

However, I must speak for our more elusive natural heritage sites that are being neglected.

Reefs, seen only underwater or at low tides, are a marine heritage unknown to many Singaporeans.

If you have ever marvelled at the panoramic spreads in National Geographic and curious animals detailed in Sir David Attenborough's travels, know that you can view the same for yourself without even leaving our shores.

One such place is Cyrene reef, a 10-minute boat ride from the mainland.

Located west of Labrador Beach, between Pulau Bukom and Jurong Island, the reef is situated in the middle of a busy shipping lane.

It remains rich in marine diversity despite its proximity to offshore refineries and other developments.

Flaunting a long sand bar flanked by lush sea-grass meadows and lagoons of coral rubble, Cyrene is home to many beautiful marine animals such as the knobbly sea star and colourful nudibranchs.

It is revealed only at low tide. So it is no wonder that the reef remains an enigma to many.

In spite of Singapore's humble size, new creatures are being discovered all the time.

In April, marine biologist David Lane discovered a species of sea star, Pentaceraster mammillatus, on Cyrene reef. It was an intriguing find as it had previously been found only in the Red Sea and western Indian Ocean.

This may be the tip of the iceberg; there could be many more marine creatures waiting to be discovered.

Unfortunately, Cyrene - and other reefs in the Southern Islands - are in danger of being smothered by sediment and pollutants from new developments nearby. This could mean the end of marine life on these reefs.

We painstakingly saved Bukit Timah nature reserve, a tiny patch of rainforest. We preserved a short, 300m stretch of beach along Labrador Park, our last remaining natural rocky shore on the mainland. We saved these areas so that our children may enjoy our natural heritage.

Yes, heritage buildings and national parks are important, but so are our natural reefs and rich marine life. Just because we cannot see them does not mean we can neglect them.

The writer, 24, graduated with honours in biology from the National University of Singapore.

Links to more about Cyrene Reef

• Cyrene Reef on the wildsingapore website
• I want to go Cyrene Reef facebook group
• Blogging contest to go to Cyrene Reef and see it for yourself.

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Singapore scores high on land use and water

Next target: Cut energy use
Minister Mah suggests reduction of 20%-30%; people will need to rethink how they use electricity
Li Xueying, Straits Times 23 Jun 08;

SINGAPORE has to work harder at cutting down energy usage - perhaps by 20 per cent to 30 per cent, as countries around the world increasingly emphasise sustainable development.

National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan, who said this, noted that Singapore has scored relatively well on the water and land usage fronts.

'But I think (on) energy, we've not done enough. I think we need to do more,' he said in an interview with The Straits Times.

There would have to be a multifaceted approach taken, he noted.

On the Government's part, it can examine policies such as using new materials to construct HDB blocks, examining new ways of designing and maintaining lifts which currently 'use up a lot of energy', and installing energy-saving lights in public carparks.

Singaporeans, as consumers, also have to play their part in understanding the amount of energy that their various appliances use up, and going for energy-saving versions, he added.

'So I think we need to go into the details of each and every one of these items, and see how we can cut down energy usage 20 per cent, 30 per cent,' said Mr Mah.

His remarks come as the inaugural three-day World Cities Summit - co-organised by his ministry - kicks off today.

More than 700 policymakers, governors, urban planners and environmentalists from various countries are gathering at the Suntec Convention Centre, where the concept of 'sustainable development' will be in the limelight.

It is 'one of those terms that people use without knowing the meaning', noted Mr Mah, who defined it as such: 'It's how do we continue to grow in a way that doesn't adversely affect our living environment.'

Certainly, there are challenges as Singapore seeks to cut down on its energy usage, he conceded.

'Upfront costs may be a bit higher, but we have to (do it), if it makes practical sense. And (whether) the payback period is two, three, five, seven years, whatever, if this makes sense, then we have to do it,' he said.

'How many taxes, how many incentives are there, what are the things we need? I think these are things that we need to sit down and discuss.'

These are details that an inter-ministerial committee - co-chaired by Mr Mah and Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim - is thrashing out.

It will be rolling out a 10-year roadmap next year on how Singapore can adopt green solutions in transport, housing and industry.

While Singapore has done 'fairly well over the last 40, 50 years', it faces new challenges in terms of resource constraints - energy, water, and land - as it tries to maintain growth, said Mr Mah.

To grow, he added: 'I submit that we need to continue to attract talent.

'More talent, more people means more strain on resources. More strain on resources means growth may be at the expense of the environment. So how do we reconcile that? It can be a vicious circle or we make it into a virtuous circle.'

This comes in tandem with record energy prices.

In an assessment of Singapore's efforts to date, the minister said: '(With respect to) water we have done very well: How do we save water? How do we make sure that water is reused and recycled?

'On land, I think we've been very conscious about how we make use of land: Better utilisation of land; we've already done intensification, higher plot ratios and so on.'

So what is lacking are efforts on the energy front.

Said Mr Mah: 'Now we've got to look at energy. How do we save energy? How do we make better use of energy? How can we, can we recycle energy?'

Read more!

Stunning Copenhagen, or sunny Singapore?

The best cities to live in are those with a diverse and vibrant outlook
Simon Tay, Today Online 23 Jun 08;

COPENHAGEN basks in sunshine, all mid-summer revelry, with songs and lots of drinking. The city also celebrates being first among “The World’s 25 Top Cities for Quality of life”, a list compiled by Monocle, the magazine edited by trend-setter Tyler Brule, founder of design magazine Wallpaper.

Even a short visit shows the city’s strengths. Architecture, design and gourmet food combine with good public transportation and a bicycling culture that allows for easy, non-polluting transport. For recreation, there are green public spaces and trendy cafes, such as K Bar. On a warm day, you can jump into the harbour at Islands Brygge, a bathing spot in the middle of the city.

Monocle says: “There are many reasons why Copenhagen trumped the other cities ... seamless urban planning, paving the way for the mobility and, ultimately, the happiness of its residents.”

Copenhagen is not very big, with a population of about 2 million people and a compact centre that mixes cobblestone streets with new buildings in the famous, modern, Danish minimalist style. Like so many of the residents, I decided to get around by bicycle. Traffic here, unlike that in too many mega-cities, respects cyclists.

I zipped :safely from the sleek, modern Black diamond building along the waterfront to the famous old Tivoli gardens and castle, then on to designer furniture shops and art galleries. I visited the Christiani area, a colourful, graffiti-decorated “free town”, where people squat in old buildings without paying rent and sell hash pipes.

I looked out over the low city skyline, punctured by church spires and the giant turbines that harness the wind for power.

By the end of the morning, I had agreed: Copenhagen is a great city.


CLOSED SOCIETY AND MINDS

Yet, when I met Pia, a young Danish management consultant who has lived in Singapore, she says she wants to return. Why?

Singapore is the only city in Asia, outside Japan, to make the Monocle listings. But it is ranked at 22, slipping from 17 last year.

Pia told me that one thing Singapore has for her taste, is that it is in Asia. Our hinterland fascinates her — both the societies and the future possibilities for economic growth. In comparison, she finds Copenhagen a bit cut off, even from Europe.

Another factor she pointed to is that Danish society is relatively closed. A graduate of the Copenhagen School of Business, Pia thinks not more than 10 per cent of her class has gone abroad to work. Foreign professionals visit Copenhagen, but few stay. Her city, she says as we sit in a French-style cafe, is quite sophisticated and European, but not really cosmopolitan and global.

A Pakistani taxi driver I talked to made much the same point, from a very different standpoint. He had been here for more than 30 years. But he complained that, for years, there has been no mosque built in the country. This will change with plans to build a large Grand Mosque in the near future.

But still, he went on, most people do not understand Islam. To him, the notorious Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed showed the gap in cross-cultural understanding.

The native Danish professional and the Pakistani emigre taxi driver lead me to a question about so-called “liveable” cities. What makes a city liveable? Who is it who lives there? And why?

A LITTLE DIRT AND DIVERSITY

Many cities lack the basics of clean air and water. In a world under stress from climate change, such environmental goods are becoming scarce resources. Many cities also lack well-planned and maintained infrastructure, or struggle to contain crime.

Yet, as Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew once remarked, those basics are not enough to make a great city. He called for life and vibrancy, colour and — metaphorically — a bit of dirt.

But colour, life and even dirt cannot be organised, or set up as easily as a wireless hot spot. And we should not think the liveliness of a city can be counted in terms of the number of designer bars and clubs.

Monocle, for example, sets one criteria that you can easily get a drink of beer after midnight. You can in Copenhagen — some bars stay open all night. But that may not mean much if you are a Pakistani Muslim in the city.

The life of a city cannot be measured by narrow indicators. And a city cannot be built only for the ultra-rich or the stylish jet-set. It should be liveable for the vast majority of those who live there and accommodate their diversity.

So, there can be stylish spots and boutiques but there should also be humble places, like Singapore’s hawker centres and public housing heartlands. The best cities should have places that buzz with fast-paced life, as well as green spaces in which to commune with nature.

There should be a sense of international style, as well as :unique and indigenous elements. There must be citizens and also those who have come from elsewhere, to inject something new.

The best cities are diverse — in economic standing, ethnicity, taste and outlook.

I reached the Kastrup airport, one of he best in Europe and the world, efficient and well-designed but relatively small. I had enjoyed visiting Copenhagen, but I looked forward to returning home.

Simon Tay is chairman of theSingapore Institute of International Affairs.He was in Copenhagen last week and will chair a panel at the World Cities summit on Liveable Cities this week in Singapore.

More than meets the eye:
Some aspects of a citycannot be appreciated :unless you have livedthere for a long time
Letter from Chia Chengzi, Today Online 25 Jun 08;

I REFER to “Stunning Copenhagen, or sunny S’pore?” (June 23). I am a Singaporean living in Copenhagen and have seen the faces of Copenhagen described.

However, it is not fair to make a comparison based on a few interviews and a week in Copenhagen. Although I have been living in Copenhagen for a few months, I do not feel I know the city enough to make a comparison. There are many aspects of a city that are not superficial and cannot be seen or felt unless you have lived there for a long time and really embraced the culture and history.

I completely agree that the Danish society is a very closed one. Many Danes spend a lot of time with their family and close friends. A foreigner might take this to mean that it is hard to break into Danish society but it also reflects the extent of its regard for family and upbringing which is essentially the base of Danish culture.

The crime rates are low, the education level high and the unemployment rates are very low — results of a very high value for family. This is something that is noteworthy.

Also, because of this regard for family, working in Denmark is very different. Work is intense during office hours, therefore most Danes work very hard, take very short lunch breaks (30 minutes at the maximum) and try to leave office as early as 4pm.

The working culture has evolved to a result-based environment with a “it does not matter how, where and when you do your work, as long as the work is completed to the best effort and is on time”.

Yes, you do not see mosques in Copenhagen or Chinese temples for that matter, but Denmark is not an immigrant country like Singapore.

Most Danes say they are descendants of the Vikings and they are very proud of their heritage and country.

A common scene at the arrival hall of the airport is that of families holding mini Danish flags as they welcome friends or relatives.

Yet, a very different feeling I get in Denmark :— compared to other European countries :— is that I do not get stared at on the streets of Copenhagen.

The Danes respect diversity and they also understand that for their country to compete globally, there is a need for foreigners.

Salaries are high and the quality of life is good, but a foreigner working here would need to give up the comfort and conveniences he or she would enjoy back home.

You cannot expect everywhere in the world to offer the same convenience, be it religious or otherwise.

Civility makes a city truly liveable
Letter from Subana Jason, Today Online 25 Jun 08;

I REFER to “Stunning Copenhagen, or sunny S’pore?” (June 23). Having just returned to Singapore after living in Europe for almost 10 years, this is a topic close to my heart as I often wonder if Singapore is a place to settle in permanently.

Singapore has an ever-improving infrastructure, a stable economy, a high standard of living, and an excellent transport system. The vast majority of its population believe in hard work and do not expect freebies from the Government.

However, there is one more criterion that ranks highly in deciding where I would eventually settle down: Public behaviour. In any city I have been to, I cringe at the sight of inconsiderate people.

The bottom-line is, even if a city is rich and colourful, the values and the day-to-day manners of its people matter a great deal. Civility, in addition to infrastructure and economy, is what makes a city truly liveable.

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There’s enough water for Singapore for now, but ...

Climate change, population increase likely challenges to Singapore’s water supply: WHO
Nazry Bahrawi, Today Online 23 Jun 08;

EVEN AS they commended Singapore’s exceptional water management system, international water quality experts — part of a high-level World Health Organisation (WHO) panel — yesterday cautioned against the dangers of complacency.

In particular, red flags were raised over two issues that could possibly threaten our water supply, namely, climate change and population increase.

This, despite the fact that water-scarce Singapore has a “four tap” strategy to diversify its water source as a means of weaning its dependence on Malaysia as its primary water supplier.

The four taps: On top ofimporting water from Malaysia, the other measures includerecycling sewage water to produce NEWater, rainwater collected in local catchment areas and desalination of seawater.

According to one professional estimate, Malaysia supplies about 40 per cent of Singapore’s water.

“The biggest challenge for Singapore is the uncertainty surrounding climate change,” said Mr John Fawell, a British independent consultant on water quality and one of about 25 panellists on the WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality team.

He added: “It is difficult to predict even a little way in advance exactly what is going to happen to the weather. It is okay today, but it may not be okay tomorrow.”

Global warming — a phenomenon, which most scientists agree is man-made — can greatly reduce the supply of water for human use.

Singapore’s representative on the WHO panel, Professor Ong Choon Nam, director of :the National University of Singapore’s Life Sciences Institute, said: “When global warming become more serious, you have to prepare and take some precaution in terms of changes that could happen.”

At a high-powered international security meeting in Singapore :in June last year, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong highlighted climate change as a potential security threat :for the first time.

On climate change, Mr Lee had said: “Between countries, competition for scarce resources and displacement of populations across borders can deepen tensions, and provoke conflict and wars.”

But another WHO panel expert, Dr Joseph A Cotruvo from the United States, believes that more than climate change, Singapore needs to manage its population increase well.

“Unless it stops raining here– and I think it is not likely to – I don’t think climate change is as much of an issue as :population increase, and water demand increase that goes with it,” he told reporters yesterday.

Singapore, which has opened its doors to foreign talents to help boost economic development -- envisages a future scenario in which the population could be increased by about another two million to 6.5 million.

But the experts also agree that despite the perceived threats, Singapore is “ahead of the game”.

“You have plans to anticipate the future. That is the best situation to be in,” said Dr Cotruvo.

It is this very ability of planning ahead that has led the WHO to embrace Singapore as its partner in helping other nations in terms of water management.

Last August in Stockholm, Sweden, the WHO and Singapore’s Ministry of Environment and Water Resources signed a cooperation agreement to jointly promote the safe management of drinking water globally.

The panel discussion is part of the Singapore International Water Week, which kicks off today, that will see the Republic playing host to more than 20 international high-level meetings, forums, award ceremonies and workshops.

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Think water, think Singapore

Singapore International Water Week will put the Republic on the global radar screen, reports
Chuang Peck Ming, Business Times 23 Jun 08;

THIS week will see more than 5,000 policy makers, industry leaders and experts descended upon Singapore to share - and celebrate - success stories in tackling one of the biggest problems urban cities face: not having enough safe drinking water.

The Singapore International Water Week is 'a global platform for water solutions' and the gathering of luminaries in the world of water will 'address challenges, showcase technologies, discover opportunities and celebrate their achievements', according to PUB, Singapore's national water agency and organiser of the mega event.

The theme for the Singapore International Water Week - Sustainable Water Solutions for Cities - reflects Singapore's wish 'that other cities also join us in developing and sustain water solutions for themselves', says Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources.

It's an apt and timely theme. Michael Toh, general manager of the Singapore International Week, notes the United Nations Population funds has estimated that more than 3.3 billion people will be urbanised by next year, rising to five billion in 2030. Asia's urban population alone will double to 2.6 billion between 2000 and 2030. Almost 700 million Asians have no access to safe drinking water; 1.5 billion of them have no access to basic sanitation.

'With growing globalisation and urbanisation, good urban leadership is critical,' Mr Toh says. 'Governments, corporations and industries need to address the water woes facing cities together through sustainable and effective implementation of water infrastructure and continued research and innovation.'

Sustainability is the key

Sustainability has become the new byword for leading-edge utilities. 'Current challenges expand from energy use membrane-based desalination and wastewater processes to the management of trace organics and micronutrients,' says David Garman, president of the International Waster Association.

'Further development in nanotechnology and biotechnology will lead to improved controls in water wastewater treatment, changes to operations and potentially better management of materials,' he adds.

The Singapore International Water Week will put Singapore on the global radar screen and help realise its dream to be a hydrohub. 'We want the world to automatically think 'Singapore' when they think water,' says PUB chairman Tan Gee Paw.

The event will offer Singapore an opportunity to showcase its success in water management. 'As a small island surrounded by water, Singapore's main water challenges are its lack of natural aquifers or groundwater, and an abundance of land to collect rainfall,' Mr Toh says. 'Despite these constraints, everyone in Singapore today has access to good clean, drinking water.'

Adds Cecilia Tortajada, an international water expert: 'By ensuring efficient use of its limited water resources through economic instruments, adopting the latest technological development to produce 'new' sources of water, enhancing storage capacities by proper catchment management, practising water conservation measures and ensuring concurrent consideration of social, economic and environmental factors, Singapore has reached a level of holistic water management that urban centres will do well to emulate.'

PUB attributes the success to its 'four national taps strategy', which has worked well. 'The result is a water supply that is not only diversified and robust, but also sustainable for generations to come,' it says.

Singapore is doing more than to ensure it has secured safe drinking water for the long haul. 'We have also rolled out a long-term programme called Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters - ABC Waters - which will transform Singapore into a city of gardens and water,' Mr Toh says. 'This programme is part of PUB's larger strategic objective to bring people closer to water so that they can better appreciate and cherish this precious water resource.'

Waters vision

The ABC Waters vision is to transform Singapore's 'well-engineered but utilatrian drains, canals and reservoirs into vibrant, beautiful and clean streams, rivers and lakes, making them a feature of Singapore's urban landscape and improving the quality of life'.

Integrated water management and investment in water technology has not only helped Singapore to beat its limitations and produce a sustainable water solution. They have also helped to grow a water industry that's adding to Singapore's vibrant water scene and its ambition to develop into a hub for water technology.

'Water has been identified as a key growth area and the government is investing $330 million in water R&D over the next five years, with the aim of tripling the value-added contribution from the water sector to $1.7 billion by 2015,' Mr Toh says.

'The goal is to groom Singapore as a hydrohub and, in that vein, major industry players such as GE Water, Siemens Water Technologies and Delft Hydraulics have been wooed to set up R&D centres on the island,' he says.

Homegrown water companies like Keppel Corporation and Hyflux, as well as universities, are also setting up water R&D centres.

The Singapore International Water Week will be a coming-out party of sorts for Singapore in its move to become a hydrohub.

Making Singapore a hydrohub
Singapore launches a multi-faceted exercise to anchor the growth of the water industry worldwide, reports
Chuang Peck Ming, Business Times 23 Jun 08;

STRATEGICALLY located, Singapore is within easy reach of several key cities in the Asia-Pacific. This makes it a good base for many activities in the region. And the government is encouraging this 'hub' role - because it brings jobs, money, know-how and reputation - by making Singapore efficient, business-friendly, safe as well as fun and comfortable to live in so that the key players are drawn here.

Singapore has become a hub not just for for multinational corporations, but also for activities such as education and healthcare. Now, it wants to be a 'hydrohub' as well - a centre for the water industry, water-related research and development and as a meeting point for the exchange of ideas, solutions and technologies relating to water. 'In short, we want the world to automatically think 'Singapore' when they think of 'water',' says Tan Gee Paw, chairman of the national water agency PUB.

Making Singapore a hydrohub helps to ensure it always has 'a sustainable, affordable and safe supply' of this strategic resource, he says. 'This means being on the lookout constantly for better technology and methods to manage our water. In the process, we can help the world with its water challenges too.'

Supply and management

The water industry is expanding worldwide - water supply and management is an issue for many countries - and Singapore wants to anchor some of that growth here. It is expected to provide a big boost to the local economy. 'We aim to double the jobs in the environment and water industry to 11,000 by 2015,' Mr Tan says in an interview for PUB's latest annual report. 'A large part of this growth will be in the professional and skilled categories. At the same time, we are targeting to triple the value-added from this sector, that is from a base of $0.5 billion (0.3% of gross domestic product) in 2003 to $1.7 billion (0.6% of GDP) by 2015.'

The local E&W industry is already going places. According to a recent survey of the industry - first of its kind commissioned by the E&W Industry Development Council (EWI), International Enterprise Singapore and the Economic Development Board - has been expanding faster than the business worldwide. Total revenues grew at a compound annual growth rate of 24% from 2004 to 2006 to a new high of $2.3 billion, against the global CAGR of 5%. And two-thirds of the revenues came from overseas.

'Singapore environmental companies' expertise in areas such as design, R&D and systems integration and their ability to customise solutions to meet clients' needs are key elements of their success both locally and overseas,' IE Singapore said in a media release.

The splash Singapore's E&W companies made abroad inevitably draws global money and talent to the local industry, helping to boost Singapore's aspiration to be a hydrohub. 'Singapore's unique situation has spawned a world-class water industry in a small country,' says Stephen Huen, managing director of Dayen.

Singapore is serious in its ambition to become a hydrohub. 'The litmus test lies in how much resources, attention and effort are being paid to developing Singapore as a hydrohub,' Mr Tan says. 'In terms of resources, we are not just talking about money and manpower from PUB or our parent, the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.

In January 2006, the government established the National Research Foundation which will provide funding of $5 billion over the next five years for strategic R&D initiatives. Of this, $330 million will go to water and environment technologies.'

Within the ministry, the government has set up the EWI, an inter-agency body, to spearhead the growth of the local E&W industry. It is headed by PUB's chief executive Khoo Teng Chye. 'The government has been providing seed money, research funds and even test-bedding facilities that a small company would otherwise find cost-prohibitive,' Mr Tan says. 'We also act as a go-between, linking the academia with the corporate world.'

Overseas markets

IE Singapore and the EDB have offered help in marketing, branding and introduction to local E&W companies when they ventured to overseas markets like the Middle East and China. 'In fact, IE Singapore is helping to form a consortium of water companies to allow local E&W companies to provide the full value chain of services in targeted markets like the Middle East,' Mr Tan points out. 'But in the end, this has to be a sector that makes business sense so that its growth and development is sustainable. So I would say that government is there more as a catalyst and to help lower barriers to entry.'

He says developing a hydrohub is a multi-faceted exercise. 'We need to court not just industry players but also the thinkers and researchers that go hand-in-hand with them. 'Obviously we will try to get overseas water technology companies to come to Singapore, build our capabilities and then internationalise those capabilities,' Mr Tan says. 'In order to do this, we have to attract major foreign E&W industry players to site their R&D, engineering, manufacturing and HQ operations in Singapore. Then we - in particular through the EWI - will create a conducive environment for start-up companies in this industry and groom local companies to go international.'

Through a scheme called Fast-Tech, the government aims to grow a large number of successful start-ups in Singapore. It provides two critical ingredients - money and mentoring - by established water technology companies. 'Over the next five years, we will invest $10 million to accelerate the growth of potential water start-ups in Singapore,' Mr Tan says.

There is also the Technology Pioneer scheme, which encourages early adoption of locally-developed new E&W technologies. It dangles financial carrots for users to try out newly-developed technologies, while offering developers a platform to test their products in real-life operating conditions. This will help technology developers to build a track record for their technologies and ease their entry into the market.

'At the same time, there has to be a coordinated effort to ensure that the right kind of skilled manpower in sufficient quantities is available to support these businesses,' Mr Tan says. 'R&D - both corporate and academic - also needs to be firmly anchored here. This means cultivating stronger links with international R&D institutions and building a firm foundation in water R&D at Singaporean institutions.'

That's why the government is setting aside $30 million in the next five years to fund and train the next generation of research and professional leaders in the E&W technologies sectors, according to him.

So far, Singapore has been pretty successful in courting E&W companies to set up shop here. The last count put the figure at more than 50 international and local players in the sector. 'Looking back just at the past one year, you can see real progress made,' Mr Tan says. 'Big global players like Delft Hydraulics, CH2M Hill, GE Water, Black & Veatch and Siemens Water Technologies have set up or expanded their operations in Singapore, and entered into various agreements with PUB for R&D and commercial projects.'

Black & Veatch picked Singapore for the location of its global design centre because its office here has the expertise to implement world-class engineering projects. 'There is excellent talent in Singapore,' says Ralph Eberts, the company's regional managing director for the Asia-Pacific region.


PUB's four-tap strategy pays off
Business Times 23 Jun 08;

It has ensured not just a diversified source of water supply, but also one that's sustainable for generations to come, reports CHUANG PECK MING

IT'S IRONIC. Despite being surrounded by water, Singapore has to import water for drinking.

Ever since becoming a newly independent nation in 1965, after it broke off from Malaysia, Singapore has been aware of the need to secure water for the long term. Which is why it extracted from Malaysia agreements to supply water at an agreed price until 2011 and 2061, as an integral part of its separation agreement with its neighbour across the Causeway.

But when Singapore hit the wall in its subsequent talks with Malaysia to extend the agreement that's due to end in 2011, it was convinced that imports alone weren't the answer to Singapore's long-term water needs; it had to be self-sufficient.

Holistic policy

A plan was mapped out to meet this goal, with increasingly more efficient water management. New water-related policies were unveiled, heavy investments were made in desalination, extensive reuse of wastewater and catchment management.

PUB, which was managing potable water, electricity and gas, was assigned the job to put the plan to work. It took on the responsibilities for sewerage and drainage. This allowed it to develop and implement a holistic policy, which included protection and expansion of water resources, desalination, demand management, and outsourcing to the private sector activities which were not core to its mission, as well as public education and awareness programmes.

As the national water agency, PUB sums up its role as collection, production, distribution and reclamation of water in Singapore.

With all the pieces of the plan in place, a study on Singapore's water management by Cecilia Tortajada, a water expert at the International Water Centre in Spain, notes: 'The country is now fully sewered to collect all wastewater, and has constructed separate drainage and sewerage systems to facilitate wastewater reuse on an extensive scale.

Through an integrated management of the water loop, PUB has developed a 'four national taps' strategy that offers not just a diversified source of water supply, but also one that's sustainable for generations to come. The four taps: water from local catchment; imported water; NEWater - a high-grade reclaimed water; and desalinated water.

At the same time, PUB continues to invest in technology and R&D to explore new ways of producing and treating water more cheaply. The result? 'No matter which performance indicators are used, PUB invariably appears at the top 5 per cent of all the urban utilities of the world in terms of its performance,' says the Tortajada study.

Among the indicators: all Singaporeans have access to drinking water and sanitation; unaccounted-for water as a percentage of total production was just 5.18 per cent in 2004; and monthly bill collection efficiency was 99 per cent in 2004.

Right balances

Says Dr Tortajada: '(Singapore's) water demand management practices are unquestionably one of the best, if not the best, from any developed or developing countries, irrespective of whether a public or private sector institution is managing the water services.'

It has successfully put in place what experts have been preaching for years - finding the right balances between water quantity and water quality considerations; water supply and water demand management; public and private sector participation; efficiency and equity considerations; strategic national interest and economic efficiency; and strengthening internal capacities and reliance on external sources.

How did it do this? By taking a total approach in dealing with the problem - and being efficient all-round.

'Water management institution in a country can only be as efficient as as its management of other development sectors,' Dr Tortajada says.

So Singapore has been able to look at its water supply sources in their totality.

'In addition to importing water from Johor, it has made a determined attempt to protect is water sources, expand its available sources by desalination and reuse of wastewater and stormwater, and use technological developments to increase water availability, improve water quality management and steadily lower production and management costs,' Dr Tortajada notes.

In managing demand, PUB stuck to the price mechanism to deter wastages and encourage conservation.

Overall, Dr Tortajada says the governance of the water supply and wastewater management systems in Singapore is exemplary in performance, transparency and accountability.

Staff at PUB are hired for their skills, not political connections, and pay is tied to performance, she points out. Corruption is absent - and PUB has the autonomy and backing to do its job.
Pioneering work in water solutions
Chuang Peck Ming, Business Times 23 Jun 08;

A MAIN event in the Singapore International Water Week - a week-long gathering of experts in the water world and celebration of their achievements hosted by Singapore - is the presentation of the first Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize.

The $300,000 award, generously sponsored by the Temasek Holdings-backed Millennium Foundation, is to be given yearly to 'an individual or an organisation for outstanding contribution towards solving the world's water problems by applying innovative technologies, or implementing policies and programmes which benefit humanity'.

From a list of 39 nominees from 15 countries vetted by two high-powered committees, one headed by former deputy prime minister Tony Tan, Andrew Benedek fit the bill best to win the inaugural award named after Singapore's first prime minister who played a key role in shaping Singapore's success story in water management and self-sufficiency.

A Canadian researcher and successful technopreneur, Dr Benedek pioneered the development of low-pressure membranes that can filter out dirt from highly polluted water to make it fit for drinking.

'Today, many developed and developing countries have benefited from Dr Benedek's ground- breaking water solution,' Singapore's national water agency PUB said when it announced the winner in March.

Added Professor Anthony Gordon Fane of the Unesco Centre for Membrane Science & Technology, University of New South Wales: 'Dr Andrew Benedek is held in high esteem by the global water industry community for his pioneering work in low-pressure membranes. For this outstanding contribution, he deserves to be the recipient of the inaugural Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize.' Dr Benedek got a chemical engineering degree from McGill University in Canada in 1966.

Working briefly in the petrochemical industry, he came to see what harm pollution can do to the enviroment. So he specialised in environmental engineering for his post-graduate study. Dr Benedek obtained a PhD in chemical engineering from the University of Washington in Seattle in the US in 1970. His focus was on wastewater treatment.

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Unclean water kills 4,000 daily worldwide

Tania Tan, Straits Times 23 Jun 08;

POLLUTED drinking water will kill around 1.6 million people this year unless governments around the world make a concerted effort to clean up their supplies, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned.

Over 4,000 people die each day from water-borne diseases and the death toll is not restricted to Third World nations, a top-ranking WHO official said yesterday.

'It's a problem plaguing all countries - developed and developing,' said Dr James Bertram, coordinator of the WHO's Water, Sanitation and Health Programme.

He spoke to reporters ahead of the Singapore International Water Week, which kicks off officially tomorrow. The event will bring together experts from around the world to discuss management policies, the impact of global warming, and the need to diversify water sources.

Dr Bertram said that governments must anticipate long-term water shortages caused by rising demand and climate change. The Asian Development Bank estimates that already 700 million people in the region lack access to safe drinking water.

Leaders have to put their money where their mouths are and make good on a myriad of promises to provide affordable, clean drinking water, he said.

On top of looking to new technologies - like desalination and special filtration systems - governments also need to invest heavily in building and maintaining water infrastructure, he said.

There has been some progress in that area during the last few years, he noted. For the first time, last year, over 50 per cent of the world's six billion people got their water through a pipe.

But most of this water is 'unreliable and unsafe', a problem that Singapore has avoided through good management and cutting-edge technology.

The WHO hopes to use Singapore as a model for other water-scarce countries. Through a seven-year agreement, inked last year, this country will provide advice and volunteer help to water-strapped countries.

Professor Ong Choon Nam from the National University of Singapore said that the Republic was fortunate to have its own water supplies, given its challenging geography. Now, Singapore has a duty to help solve the world's water problems. 'It's our chance to step up,' he said.

WHO to develop global strategy in prevention of water-borne diseases
Channel NewsAsia 22 Jun 08;

SINGAPORE: The World Health Organisation (WHO) is developing a global strategy towards preventing water-borne diseases and Singapore has a part to play, as it's been invited to sit on the panel which oversees guidelines on safe drinking water.

As water may be abundant in some countries, it may not be reliable or safe to drink. So the WHO is adding more guidelines to its current framework, which governs international standards of drinking water.

The strategy will form part of the fourth edition of the WHO's guidelines on safe drinking water which were first introduced 50 years ago. The guidelines are updated every five to 10 years.

Its strategies include pushing for technology in areas where there's no clean water.

This is because contaminated water may cause the outbreak of water-borne diseases which may lead to deaths.

For example, a resistant strain of e-coli bacteria which surfaced in the water supply of a Canadian small town in the nineties, caused thousands to develop bloody diarrhoea and seven people died.

Dr Jamie Bertram, Co-ordinator, Drinking Water Quality Committee, World Health Organisation, said: "In total about 10 per cent of all diseases would better be prevented by better managing water resources, water supply and sanitation. Part of that could be prevented by managing water quality.

“When we look at individual countries and individual communities, very often , good water quality interventions reduce diseases for example diarrhoeal diseases by 20 per cent. This is really a significant impact on global public health."

The panel is also looking into working with agencies in various countries to support treatment of drinking water at home which it said can contribute to short term disease prevention.

About 1.6 billion people worldwide die every year from diseases related to contaminated drinking water, improper sanitation and hygiene.

The WHO said although it cannot pinpoint the exact number of death related to unsafe drinking water quality, it's sure this accounts for a significant proportion of deaths in many countries.

WHO said that it has managed to supply more than half the world's population with piped water but not all of it is safe.

And this is where Singapore's expertise in water technology will help.

Through an agreement which expires in 2015 with the WHO, Singapore will contribute its expertise in developing safe drinking water around the world.

Professor Ong Choon Nam, member, Drinking Water Quality Committee, World Health Organisation, said: "What we are supposed to do is to offer expertise for international communities so there are quite a number of colleagues who can offer their services to WHO. Besides sitting on the expert panel for drinking water, we are offering some of the training programmes. Some of the major areas that we are looking into is global warming and whether that will have an impact on water scarcity.”

Some countries that have been trained by Singapore include countries in the Asia Pacific region and Middle East.

WHO said that providing safe drinking water to communities around the world will remain one of its major challenges in the coming years. But it's optimistic that with technology, more people, especially those in small cities and rural areas will have access to clean water for their daily use.

The WHO panel on safe drinking water standards is in Singapore to discuss the latest guidelines in conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week.

The event is expected to generate millions of dollars worth of deals and investments for Singapore.

Michael Toh Kim Hock, GM, Singapore International Water Week, said: "We see an opportunity to serve the larger market around us and the idea is to get these companies to come to Singapore, internationalise them and operate out of Singapore. The SIWW is really a platform to bring ministers and officials and create a mind share - a platform for buyers and sellers to meet and really to showcase what Singapore can offer as a global hydro hub."

But it won't be all work for participants. There will also be water-related fringe events for everyone to enjoy. - CNA/vm

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US varsities planting 'green' roots

Environmental fervour now no longer a fad, but a mission shaping education and careers
Straits Times 23 Jun 08;

WASHINGTON - THE environmental fervour sweeping college campuses has reached beyond the push to recycle plastics and offer organic food.

It is now transforming the curriculum, permeating classrooms, academic majors and expensive new research institutes.

The University of Maryland teaches 'green' real estate strategies for landscape architects.

The University of Virginia's business graduate students recently created a way to use discarded rice husks to generate power in rural Indian villages. And at a Catholic University architecture studio last week, students displayed ideas for homes made from discarded shipping containers.

'It should be part of everything we do,' said Catholic student Ligia Johnson, whose plan for the Kenilworth neighbourhood in North-east Washington included roofs that would allow the collection of rainwater and the growth of plants and trees.

What was once a fringe interest, perhaps seemingly a fad, has become entrenched fully in academic life, university officials say, affecting not just how students live, but what they learn and, as graduates, how they will change workplaces and neighbourhoods.

At George Washington University (GWU) last month, many students pinned green ribbons on their graduation robes or their recycled-cotton caps and signed pledges to take their commitment to environmentalism into their jobs.

Concern about the environment has waxed and waned in the past few decades, said GWU president Steven Knapp.

But with fears of climate change and high petrol prices, 'the situation has become dire enough that people are focused on it', he said.

'Energy is costly enough that people are focused on it. We really think this time, it is here to stay,' he said.

For years, student activists have demanded environmentally friendly changes, prompting university officials to re-evaluate how they heat classrooms, water campus greens and buy light bulbs.

Frostburg State University in Western Maryland, for instance, has a wind-powered generating station, while Johns Hopkins University is planning to build its own heat and power generator.

Students are also driving the academic push that is infusing curriculum and research with an environmental consciousness.

For those who are sceptical about global warming and think that the current trend is often too alarmist, the changes carry risk.

'It discredits science,' said MIT meteorology professor Richard Lindzen.

'It is propaganda,' he added, saying that opposing viewpoints are rarely explored.

George Mason University economics department chairman Donald Boudreaux added: 'I think it is getting a little out of proportion, the emphasis on the environment.'

He said people increasingly looked at environmental issues almost as a religion, with unquestioning belief rather than thinking critically about scientific evidence or economic issues.

But many school officials say there is a growing consensus about climate change.

'Three or four years ago, I would hear from people that global warming is a fraud,' said Catholic University architecture dean Randall Ott.

'I don't hear that at all now,' he said, especially from students. He said that in his view, 'the evidence is overwhelming - and very troubling. We at our university feel a certain ethical mission to be operative on this issue'.

Hundreds of university presidents have signed the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment, pledging to take leadership on eliminating greenhouse gases.

In 2006, the group, now called the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, had about 35 members. Now, it has more than 500.

'Colleges are realising that achieving sustainability is one of the defining challenges of this century,' said Mr Julian Dautremont-Smith, a member of the association. 'They want to be on the right side of it.'

The biggest driver, he said, is student demand.

The Princeton Review, which started rating colleges' sustainability this year, did a survey asking prospective students what they wanted from their school. Two-

thirds said they would value a commitment to the environment, and nearly a quarter said it would strongly influence their choice.

WASHINGTON POST

Environmental curriculum

Harvard University's (top) Environmental Economics Programme is tapping students and professors from numerous subject areas for research issues such as climate change.

# The University of Maryland at Baltimore's environmental nursing programme has included a push to remove mercury thermometers from hospitals.

# At the university's College Park campus, students are taught to think about the long-term effects of growth.

# The University of Maryland also teaches 'green' real estate strategies for landscape architects.

# Catholic University students want 'greener' courses in architecture, with topics such as computer modelling programmes that calculate how much energy buildings use under different climatic conditions.

# Students at the University of Oregon push the school to add a minor in environmental studies.

# t Johns Hopkins University (above), students in a part-time master's degree programme for working engineers want more courses on alternative energy.

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North Sumatra needs hard work to restore mangrove forests

Antara 22 Jun 08;

Medan, N Sumatra (ANTARA News) - North Sumatra province needs to work hard to restore its mangrove forests most of which have been converted into shrimp ponds and oil palm plantations in the past few years, an official said.

"I don`t know the exact figure but the area of damaged mangrove forests along the eastern coast of Sumatra island accounts for 70 percent of the total area and it takes at least five to eight years to restore them," Head of the North Sumatra Provincial Environmental Impact Management Board (Bappedalda) Prof Syamsul Arifin said on Saturday.

Efforts to restore the damaged mangrove forests were badly needed to conserve the environment, stem natural disasters such as flood and increase fishermen`s income, he said.

"The damaged mangrove forests have led to a decline in fish production as fish feed does not grow as expected," he said.

The restoration of damaged mangrove forests worked slowly due to a lack of full supports from all stakeholders, he said.

"Today, only the government and certain quarters have been serious about restoring the mangrove forests while in fact all sides must take equal responsibilities as the mangrove forests serve their common interests," he said.

Earlier, the Forum of Journalists Caring About Karo (FJPK) said an estimated 2.4 million hectares of land in North Sumatra were in critical condition and 1.3 million hectares of it must be rehabilitated soon because they had the potential of causing disasters. (*)

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Starving fish killing Great Barrier Reef

The Age 23 Jun 08;

Starving fish are killing sections of the Great Barrier Reef already weakened by climate change, an Australian scientist says.

And some fish species also face extinction - with potentially serious consequences for commercial fisheries.

Morgan Pratchett, of the James Cook University-based ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in Townsville, has spent the last two months at Britain's University of Newcastle using chemical markers, such as carbon 13, to study the feeding interaction between corals and fish.

The technology of using stable isotopes like carbon 13 has previously been used to study the food chain in large marine food fisheries, but never before to analyse fish behaviour and impacts on coral reefs.

"There's a whole suite of coral-feeding fish and during normal conditions, they don't kill the reef," Dr Pratchett told AAP.

"However, during periods of stress on the reef, they do contribute to excess mortality among corals.

"The typical example is when you have coral bleaching and the coral is already experiencing reduced energy reserves and then as the fish continue to feed on them it imposes a further energetic cost."

Dr Pratchett said that butterfly fish, which are the main group of coral-feeding fish, had all but disappeared from some sections of the central Great Barrier Reef.

"We are already looking closely at one particular species, which is a really specialised butterfly fish which could face a really high extinction risk as a consequence of ongoing bleaching," Dr Pratchett said.

"It's already happened in some locations, that's for sure.

"Even in the central Great Barrier Reef during the bleaching that happened in 2001 and 2002, this one species, which is the chevron butterfly fish, disappeared entirely."

Their recovery had been so slow that only a few chevron butterfly fish had been seen in the region in the last year, he said.

It was just another indication of the effects of global warming, he said.

"It's getting more and more serious and just another one of the stories that show we need to respond to climate change.

"If this translates to other fish being affected, like commercially important fish, then there's a significant economic cost associated with it."

Dr Pratchett is in the first year of a five-year study which will examine other species.

"One of the things I'm hoping to use the stable isotopes for is to study the effect on coral trout and if they feed on butterfly fish, will they be affected as well."

"Previously, studying what coral trout required catching the trout and looking inside their guts, but the stable isotopes allow me just to take samples of fish that have been caught for commercial purposes or whatever and just analyse it that way."

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Rats causing food crisis in Myanmar

Straits Times 23 Jun 08;

LONDON - AFTER the fury of Cyclone Nargis, a new disaster is looming in Myanmar: Packs of rats that swarm through the hills once every 50 years to consume everything in their path, a British newspaper reported yesterday.

The latest human disaster is unfolding in the jungle-covered mountains of Chin state, far to the north of the Irrawaddy delta where 134,000 people died last month, the Daily Telegraph said.

The plague of rats happens twice a century, when bamboo forests produce flowers and seeds, then wither and die for five years in a phenomenon known locally as mautam, or bamboo death.

Villagers believe the bamboo seeds are a kind of aphrodisiac for the rodents, whose numbers explode until all the seeds have been eaten. Then they turn on villagers' rice stocks, stripping ripening corn and paddy in the fields.

The regime's generals will permit no food aid or humanitarian workers into affected areas in a repeat of their callous refusal last month to permit emergency aid sitting in foreign ships off Myanmar's coast to be distributed to cyclone survivors, the newspaper said on its website.

Exiled Chin leaders say villagers who are too weak to flee over the border into India have already begun to die. They fear thousands more now face a lingering death in the deep bamboo forests where most of the state's million-strong population of Christian tribal people live.

The Chin is one of Myanmar's many minority ethnic groups.

Ms Cheery Zahau, 27, from the Women's League of Chinland, met British Prime Minister Gordon Brown in London this week to ask for help.

She said: 'The reports that are trickling out to India are heartbreaking. They tell of dehydrated children dying of diarrhoea and the poorest and weakest being left behind as stronger villagers start to escape over the border to where there is food.'

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Pandas facing bamboo shortage in China's quake zone: report

Yahoo News 23 Jun 08;

China's giant pandas are facing severe food shortages after last month's magnitude-8.0 earthquake which devastated large swathes of bamboo forest in the nation's southwest, state media reported.

Breeders are having to ration bamboo for the 67 endangered bears in the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Research Base in Sichuan province, the Xinhua news agency said Sunday.

The May 12 earthquake, which has left nearly 90,000 people dead or missing, damaged bamboo forests in five areas close to the research base, sharply reducing supplies of the panda's staple food, according to the agency.

Adult giant pandas at the base now produce as little as two kilograms (4.4 pounds) of faeces per day, compared with the usual robust average of 10 kilograms.

Breeders are giving the pandas animal feed and fruits as they wait for new bamboo to grow, according to the report. The shortages come during the breeding season, when pandas need to eat more, it said.

The 1,400 wild pandas in the quake-hit regions represent about 88 percent of the country's total. Sichuan is their main home, with others living in nearby provinces.

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