Best of our wild blogs: 8 Nov 08

Echinoderm Excesses
at the first nature guides' workshop on the ashira blog (live blogging!) and wild shores of singapore blog

Phallic flower on a lazy stroll at Pulau Ubin
on the wild shores of singapore blog

Young Seagrassers at Clean and Green Singapore
on the labrador blog

Mark of the Oriental Pied Hornbill on the papaya fruit
on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog

Collared Kingfisher handling a crab
on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog

Velvet-fronted Nuthatch
on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog

Read more!

Indonesia and Malaysia cut palm oil production

Mustaqim Adamrah, The Jakarta Post 8 Nov 08;

Indonesian and Malaysia, which produce some 85 percent of the world's crude palm oil (CPO), will cut production in the short-term to help limit supply and prevent further falls in prices.

The production cut will be made starting next year through a replanting program covering a total of 300,000 hectares of oil palm trees from both countries, Agriculture Ministry's director general for plantations, Achmad Mangga Barani, said Friday.

The replanting means felling still-productive but old trees to be replaced later by new seedlings. The program will then freeze production in replanted areas until the new trees start producing crude palm oil in the fourth year.

Achmad said the agreement between the two nations has been signed by Minister Anton Apriyantono and Malaysian counterpart Peter Chin, with the aim of anticipating oversupply amid falling demand.

"Demand is projected to slow down in every sector next year as a result of global recession. We're preventing a possible oversupply of palm oil that may occur next year by replanting trees," he said.

"This hopefully will help boost the palm oil price to a normal level -- at around US$700 to $800 per metric ton," he added.

Palm oil prices in Malaysia touched a three-year low of 1,331 ringgit (around $376) a ton on Oct. 28, Bloomberg reported.

The two countries together produce around 85 percent of the world's CPO and account for 88 percent of global CPO exports.

Indonesia alone produces 18.5 million tons of CPO per annum on a total of over 6 million hectares of plantations, according to Indonesian Oil Palm Association (Gapki) chairman Akmaluddin Hasibuan.

This agreement, is the country's second move to anticipate oversupply of a commodity next year, after Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand jointly agreed last Wednesday to cut rubber production by 210,000 tons next year, also by felling trees.

The three counties make up 70 percent of global rubber output.

On the CPO, according to Achmad, Indonesia will replant 50,000 hectares of oil palm trees owned by local farmers and Malaysia 250,000 hectares.

"Indonesian farmers will receive interest subsidies if they want to replant their trees," he said.

He said Indonesia and Malaysia expected to cut palm oil output by 75,000 tons and around 500,000 to 600,000 tons, respectively, next year.

Over a longer period until 2011, Achmad said, the country planned to replant a total of 125,000 hectares of oil palm trees.

He emphasized that the government's replanting program was a short-term solution because "CPO demand will be high in the next few years as European Union countries mandate the use of 20-percent CPO in fuel and our country mandates 10 percent".

Akmaluddin of Gaoki said he was encouraged by the move, but warned that replanting was "costly", saying that replanting oil palm trees needed around Rp 25 million ($2,253) to Rp 27 million per hectare.

"The liquidity in banks is drying up now. Replanting may not be a problem for big companies, but it may be for local farmers. There should be an agreement between local farmers and the government to make it easier for them to get loans."

Read more!

Early Preparation in Malaysia For Eventuality Of Floods

Bernama 6 Nov 08;

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 6 (Bernama) -- The government has set up 4,595 flood evacuation centres and other facilities to face the eventuality of floods in view of the higher than usual rainfall expected next month and in January.

Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the forecast of usually heavy rain for the two months was made based on calculations by the Meteorology Department.

"So, we cannot discount the possibility of floods occurring during the period," he told reporters after chairing a meeting of the federal Disaster Relief and Management Committee here.

He said early notice was given so that residents in flood-prone areas would be better prepared. For rescue work, 1,775 boats, 20 helicopters and 13 Bailey bridges had been provided.

A total of 450 forward bases to store foodstuff and other necessities and 1,182 health and medical teams had also been set up.

Najib said he had asked for additional boats to be booked so that these and other facilities could be in place at the first sign of floods.

"From our experience, the water rises very fast in these areas. So, in such circumstances, if we don't have the assets (like boats) in place when it floods, these areas areas will be cut off from the outside world," he said.

He also wanted the Drainage and Irrigation Department to continue deepening the major rivers to facilitate water flow and prevent the rivers from bursting their banks and causing floods.

"We will also update our information communication methods through all government machinery including tv and radio," he added.

"We will determine the frequency and the web site will also contain more detailed information on the water levels at each point of time," he said.

Najib said that this was as a warning of heavy rain and rising water levels in major rivers for the public, especially residents in areas which were expected to be flooded.

Asked how many areas had been identified as flood-prone, he said: "As usual, the low-lying areas, and we know these areas. This does not include flash floods, this is for ordinary floods. Flash floods occur in the urban areas."

He said the amount of funds was not fixed but the money would be channelled according to the set procedures.

During the floods last year the government spent RM61 million on flood relief.

-- BERNAMA

Malaysia geared up for year-end floods
New Straits Times 7 Nov 08;

PUTRAJAYA: The government has started full-scale preparations to deal with the monsoon floods, said Datuk Seri Najib Razak. The deputy prime minister said a wide range of assets and facilities had been put in place, especially in low-lying areas.

A total of 1,775 boats, 20 helicopters and 13 Bailey bridges are ready for use, while 1,182 medical and health teams are on standby.

Some 4,490 evacuation centres had also been identified, he said after chairing a meeting of the committee on management and centralised aid for disaster victims at the Implementation and Coordination Unit (ICU) yesterday.

"I have asked for additional assets such as boats for fear of a cut in communications between flood victims and the authorities.

"Authorities such as the Drainage and Irrigation Department will continue to deepen the rivers to avert potential occurences of flooding."

Najib said the Meterological Services Department had predicted heavier than normal rainfall in the next few months.

"We are doing our level best to improve ways and methods to distribute or update information on floods.

"The Meteorological Services Department's website will feature more detailed information so that those residing in low-lying areas in particular will be more prepared."

Last year, he said the government had spent about RM61 million on assistance for flood victims and repairing infrastructure.

Najib said warnings should be issued frequently to those in areas expected to be hit by floods.

The Meteorological Services Department and the Drainage and Irrigation Department will be making announcements on the water levels of the main rivers with the help of Radio Televisyen Malaysia.

The committee also agreed that private broadcasting stations such as Media Prima and Astro would be airing those announcements as well.

To prevent motorists from being stranded, the Works Department will be providing online real-time information on roads or stretches which have been hit by floods.

Govt well prepared to face heavier rains in next two months, says Najib
Mazwin Nik Anis, The Star 7 Nov 08;

Najib: Be prepared in the eventuality of floods

PUTRAJAYA: The authorities are pre­­paring well in advance and on a big scale to respond effectively if the ex­­pected heavier rainfall over the next two months brings any disaster.

The logistics alone: 1,775 rescue boats, 20 helicopters and 13 units of Bailey bridges are ready for use.

A total 4,595 evacuation centres had been prepared and 1,182 health personnel were on standby, said Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.

“I would like to assure the public that the authorities are well prepared should there be floods,” he told reporters after chairing the Management and Disaster Relief Committee meeting yesterday.

Najib said the equipment needed for rescue and relief work would be sent to the flood prone and low-lying areas soon.

“Once the water level rises, the equipment will already be there instead of having people wait for it to be sent after floods have hit,” he said, adding that the public should not worry about aid such as food as there would be sufficient supply.

Other measures include ordering the Drainage and Irrigation Department to continue deepening the riverbeds as well as directing government-owned media organisations to frequently flash out weather information.

Najib said floods would be unavoidable as calculations by the Meteo­rological Department had pre­dicted a heavier-than-usual rainfall from next month until January.

Najib said the Government was alerting the public on the possibility of floods to give them time to be prepared, including for eva­cuations.

Read more!

Seahorses in Johor under threat

Ahmad Fairuz, The New Straits Times 8 Nov 08;

JOHOR BARU: Seahorses here are swimming in troubled waters. The latest survey carried out at the Sungai Pulai estuary near Gelang Patah indicates a bleak future for the seahorse colony already on the brink of destruction.

The Johor Malaysia Nature Society said researchers spotted less than five seahorses in a seagrass area near an island at the mouth of the estuary, during their survey.

The estuary of Sungai Pulai is a 9,000ha area of mangroves and riverines, with 24 different species of trees.

But the area is slowly being destroyed, largely due to the development taking place on the banks of the Tebrau Straits, thus endangering the seahorses' marine habitat.

Society vice-chairman Dr Lum Wei Wah said the data provided by the Save Our Seahorses (SOS), a non-governmental organisation showed that the number of seahorses were on the decline.

"While there were between eight and 10 seahorses spotted off Pulau Merambong, near the estuary, in March and April, only five were spotted last month."

Pulau Merambong is a 0.3ha island situated 3km from Tanjung Kupang in Gelang Patah.

The Johor branch of the Malaysia Nature Society will present an environmental research report on the Sungai Pulai estuary and its colony of seahorses.

The report is an accumulation of a year-long study on the estuary and its environment.

Dr Lum said it would be presented to the state government and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas authority.

"It will detail suggestions on dealing with the pollutants that are evident in the waters and mangrove.

"So far, we have identified nitrogenous effluent as one of the pollutants and this may affect the population of seahorses downstream. The nitrogen is believed to be from the waste of oil palm estates which border the estuary."

The RM60,000 study was commissioned by the port authority, which has allocated funds to have the area gazetted as protected.

SOS head and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu marine biology lecturer Choo Chee Kuang said that development around the estuary had destroyed large tracts of seagrass beds, which were home to the seahorses.

More about Save our Seahorses on their website: http://www.sosmalaysia.org/

Read more!

Ubin, the clean-energy island

Island to become model 'green island' powered by clean and renewable energy
Tania Tan & Amresh Gunasingham, Straits Times 8 Nov 08;

ONE of Singapore's last rural enclaves could soon be transformed into a high-tech test site for renewable energies.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) yesterday announced plans to embark on a project to turn Pulau Ubin into a model 'green island' powered entirely by clean and renewable energy.

'We want to use technologies that will best integrate into the island's natural environment,' said Mr David Tan, deputy chief executive of EMA's energy policy and planning division.


Aside from solar panels and using waste as fuel for energy generation, electricity could also be produced from a hydrogen fuel cell plant, biofuels or turbines powered by wind or waves.

'The key is finding the right fit,' said Mr Tan.

A tender for a consultancy study has been called, and the project will be awarded later this month.

The six-month study, slated for completion in May, will look at how much energy is needed by residents on the 10 sq km island, and the most cost-effective combination of renewable energy technologies that can be used.

Apart from the fact that the project will be situated near the Ubin jetty, details are still sketchy, said Mr Tan.

Pulau Ubin, situated to the north-east of Singapore, does not draw electricity from the country's main power grid, because it has been too expensive to lay transmission cables for such low demand.

Instead, about 100 villagers use diesel generators, which are not environmentally friendly.

The Nature Society of Singapore welcomed the project on principle but said it had to be done right, from the start.

'Given the number of stakeholders involved, it would be wise to accommodate the concerns of the island's inhabitants as early as possible in the decision-making process, not so much to seek their permission, but to foster community involvement,' said Dr Shawn Lum, its president.

The non-profit organisation conducts regular visits to nature park Chek Jawa, located on the eastern coast of the island.

But islanders are open to the prospect of reliable, non-polluting power.

A shopkeeper in Ubin, who wanted to be known as Ms Tan, said that because the island was run on generators which were prone to breakdowns, any help to boost power supply would be welcome.

The Ubin project is the latest in a slew of programmes to transform Singapore into a global centre for clean R&D.

In September, the National Environment Agency announced plans to convert the Semakau landfill into a renewable energy test site cum eco-park.

The Government has also pumped some $170 million into boosting the clean technology sector, with plans to build a business park devoted to companies specialising in clean technologies and products. The first building on the 55ha site at Jalan Bahar is expected to be completed in 2010.

Ubin to host testing site for 'green' energy
Alternative sources that will be test-bedded include solar, wind and biodiesel
Ronnie Lim, Business Times 8 Nov 08;

PULAU Ubin, a well-known adventure getaway for nature lovers, is going to be used as a test-bed for clean and renewable energy, including alternatives like solar, wind or biomass, to produce electricity for a cluster of homes and businesses there.

To kick off the project, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) has just called a tender for a consultancy study on this.

And depending on the study's outcome, it could be followed by development of actual infrastructure to create a micro-grid system - or small scale power supply network - on the island.

EMA's chief executive Khoo Chin Hean said: 'This project will create an oasis where clean and renewable energy technologies can be tested in an actual live environment.'

'At the same time, it can benefit the consumers in Pulau Ubin who currently rely on diesel generators by providing alternative sources of energy that are not only cleaner but are also cost competitive to diesel generators.'

EMA sees the project to transform part of Pulau Ubin into a model 'green' island as boosting Singapore's ambition to be a global test-bedding site for new energy technologies.

Currently, Ubin - off the north-east coast of Singapore - does not draw electricity supply from the main power grid, as it is not economical to lay power transmission cables from mainland Singapore due to Ubin's modest energy demand. There is also no centralised electricity supply system on the island.

All the 100 inhabitants on the 110 sq km island, including small businesses, run their own diesel- powered generators to generate electricity.

Giving more details about the study, EMA said that it will look into 'both the technical and commercial viability of the options proposed, while giving due consideration to economic, environmental and social costs and benefits'.

It listed a long list of potential technologies to be test-bedded, including solar, wind, marine, biomass (such as solid waste and algae), biodiesel and bioethanol, hydrogen and fuel cells, microturbine, the energy management system for the micro-grid, and substations.

EMA expects to award the tender for the consultancy this month, with the study to be completed by May next year.

The EMA tender comes as Singapore Energy Week drew to a close, with Deputy Prime Minister S Jayakumar earlier promoting the idea of how cities like Singapore can serve as clean technology and R&D hubs, by leveraging on their concentrations of technological and scientific talent as well as access to capital markets and funding.

The Republic has already attracted mega investors in solar cell manufacturing, new generation biodiesel production and also R&D in wind power.

Pulau Ubin could be model "green" island powered by clean energy
Cheryl Lim, Channel NewsAsia 8 Nov 08;

SINGAPORE : Pulau Ubin could become a model island powered entirely by clean and renewable energy.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has called a tender for a consultancy study to develop and implement clean and renewable energy solutions for homes and businesses on the island.

It said this could lead to the development of small-scale power supply networks running on solar, wind or biomass sources to supply electricity.

Pulau Ubin currently does not receive electricity from the main power grid as it is not economical to lay transmission cables to meet the island's small power demands.

Residents depend on diesel generators for power.

EMA hopes the project will enable it to test clean and renewable energy technologies in an actual environment.

It plans to award the consultancy tender this month and expects the study to be completed by May 2009. - CNA /ls

Pulau Ubin, the model ‘green’ island?
Today Online 8 Nov 08;

LONG known as a getaway for nature lovers, Pulau Ubin may soon acquire a new reputation — as a model “green” island.

The plan calls for the island to be powered entirely by clean and renewable energy. The island’s residents currently run their own diesel-powered generators.

The Energy Market Authority (EMA) has called a tender for a study to develop and implement clean energy solutions for both residents and small businesses on Ubin.

“This project will create an oasis where clean and renewable energy technologies can be tested in an actual live environment,” said Mr Khoo Chin Hean, the EMA’s chief executive. It will also benefit Ubin’s residents by providing them with “alternative sources of energy that are not only cleaner but are also cost competitive to diesel generators”.

The technologies to be considered in the study include those using solar, wind, marine and biomass sources. The study will also take into account the economic, environmental and social cost and benefits. The tender will be awarded this month and the study is expected to be completed by next May.

Read more!

So sad to see herb garden uprooted after 21 years

Town council removes garden after complaints about rats
Teh Jen Lee, The New Paper 8 Nov 08;

THESE days Mr Lim Ah Shuan is, in his own words, 'a little bored'.

The resident of Block 819, Yishun Street 81 used to spend his free time tending a herb garden that's roughly one-third the size of a badminton court.

Mr Lim, who is in his 80s, lives on the second storey and the garden is directly below his living room window.

But the garden, which he started 21 years ago, was removed by the Ang Mo Kio-Yio Chu Kang Town Council on 20 Oct because of complaints about rats in the area. He is not the first to face the loss of a neighbourhood garden.

In April, The New Paper carried a similar report about a garden in Toh Yi Drive which was removed because the elderly residents who set up the plot did not get approval to plant there.

Mr Lim, a retiree who has seven children and 14 grandchildren, said in Mandarin: 'I used to live in a kampung at Jalan Ulu Sembawang. We grew many different plants there. When I moved here about 20 years ago, I brought the plants over.'

He would water them every day and fertilise them with chicken droppings that he bought from the market.

There were over 20 types of plants, including pandan and medicinal herbs that Mr Lim and his wife, Madam Toh Ah Poo, 78, would dry and store for use.

Mr Lim said one plant had leaves that could be steeped to make tea to soothe sore throats. Another plant could be used to make tincture to treat snake bites.

Mr Lim's neighbours could take whatever they wanted from his garden for free, he said. Some of them would consult him if they felt unwell, and he would prescribe some herbal medicine.

Not any more. All that's left are a few pots with scraggly plants.

Madam Toh said in Hokkien: 'After 20 years, of course I feel pain. So sayang ('What a pity' in Malay).'

Mr Lim said: 'I didn't think of appealing. All taken away and dead, how to start again?'

Mr Lim's grandson, Clement Lim, 16, said: 'My grandfather was sad. He had heard from other residents that the garden was going to be taken away and soon after that, it happened.

'I think it was maintained well, it should have just been left alone. It wasn't unhygienic.'

But that's not the impression that the Town Council got when they inspected the garden with the National Environment Agency early last month.

The council's general manager, Mr Goh Juak Kin, said it had received at least seven complaints from residents in the last three months.

'We have been working closely with our qualified pest control officers to bring the problem in this area under control. At the small plot of land, which was in an unkempt condition, six burrows were detected during our joint inspection.

'We also noticed that sweet potatoes were planted at the plot, which was a very likely food source for the rodents.'

The council's property officer then conducted surveys of the residents of Block 819. Out of the 10 households spoken with, only two residents, one of which was Mr Lim, claimed ownership of the plants.

Mr Goh said: 'After our property officer explained to them about the rodent problem and the need to upkeep and maintain the plants as responsible owners, both residents decided that they did not wish to keep the plants.

'However, they requested for some time to transplant some of the plants into pots, after which the Town Council could remove the rest.'

The residents were also told that if they wanted to take up gardening again, they could join the Community-In-Bloom garden a few blocks away at Block 830.

Community-In-Bloom gardens are a joint project between the Town Council and Residents' Committees to foster camaraderie among community gardeners while ensuring proper management and central control.

However, Mr Lim and the other resident declined to take up the suggestion, citing old age, said Mr Goh.

One neighbour, Mr Rafiz Hapipi, 33, who has lived in the area for over seven years, said he complained to the Town Council about the garden's removal.

He said: 'I've never seen rats in the garden. But when I went to see the MP for the area about this issue, at the Meet-the-People office, I saw rats there.'

Read more!

Barrage of endless fun

From picnicking to dining, there is plenty to do for everyone at the Marina Barrage
Cheryl Tan, Straits Times 8 Nov 08;

There has never been a better time to soak up Singapore's waterfront experience - and the latest attraction there, the Marina Barrage, takes this to a whole new level.

Sure, a ride in a glass-fronted capsule on the nearby Singapore Flyer will give you a quick high, but the panoramic views at the $226-million barrage are something you can take in at your leisure, with nothing between you and the seabreeze cooling your face and it is free.

The barrage, located at Marina Channel where the Singapore and Kallang rivers meet before flowing into the sea, opened to the public last week. It separates sea water from fresh water, boosts Singapore's water supply by 10 per cent and controls floods in low-lying areas such as Chinatown by keeping out tidal waves.

But aside from those practical benefits, it is also set to be a lifestyle hot spot in the heart of the city.

Whether you want a day out with the family, a fun evening with friends or a lunch break away from the office, there is something for everyone at the barrage's dam, promenade bridge and its distinctive, building housing pumps, galleries and eateries.

For example, you can picnic on top of the spiralling building on its eye-catching 'Green Roof', which has grassy lawns to act as an insulation layer to reduce the need for air-conditioning.

The rooftop spot - the size of four football fields - offers 360-degree unblocked views of the central business district, Singapore Flyer, Benjamin Sheares Bridge and the South China Sea.

It slopes downwards in two interlocking spirals to a courtyard, which has fountains, a water play area for children and water-related art pieces.

In time, visitors can expect to attend concerts or organise private parties up on the roof, said Mr Yap Kheng Guan, director of the Public Utilities Board's 3P (people, public and private sectors) network.

Or you can dine alfresco at the building's Gallery Cafe, facing the South China Sea.

From the middle of next month, you can also enjoy a steamboat meal by the sea at the 7th Storey restaurant, which is actually on the ground floor.

Spot the past and future

Inside the building is the Sustainable Singapore Gallery, which has free guided tours through six interactive multimedia galleries with information on water and environmental issues.

Visitors can also stroll along the 350m-long barrage bridge spanning the dam. Take in the skyline or sit and rest at one of its eight pavilions.

This project of damming the mouth of the Marina Channel to build a freshwater lake was started by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew almost 20 years ago when he was prime minister.

The barrage building's 'number nine' shape is deliberate: 'Nine' is traditionally associated by the Chinese with longevity.

One of its designers, Mr Joseph M. Fermanes, says the design is also meant to 'resemble the sails of the ship and a seashell', linking the building with its coastal location.

For retiree Victor Samuel, it is the scenery from the barrage he likes the most because he gets to see the old parts of Singapore - near Golden Mile Complex- and the newer side - the city skyline and the upcoming integrated resort.

But the 68-year-old hopes to see more potted plants around the pavilions along the bridge: 'It will be cooler and I can meditate better.'

Sales executive Tan Kok Ann, 27, was impressed by the innovative displays in the galleries and the use of electronic displays of newspaper clippings that take him back in time.

However, he suggested making the barrage more accessible to those who do not drive.

Accessible or not, 60-year-old retiree Buang Marjubi is already planning a picnic for his family of 15 up on the Green Roof at the end of the year.

He says: 'I want to take my family to relax and enjoy the best view in Singapore.'

tcheryl@sph.com.sg

Cross the bridge when you reach it

The 350m-long bridge across the mouth of the Marina Channel provides a scenic lookout point with its several shady spots.

It is dotted with eight pavilions which look out to the reservoir and which also face the city skyline - perfect for enjoying the seabreeze.

Nine steel, crest gates are embedded in the bridge's concrete walls and are a spectacular sight when they open and close during days with heavy rainfall to regulate water levels in the freshwater reservoir.

They are lowered when heavy rains coincide with low tides to allow excess stormwater to flow out.

The pavilions, with their shelter and proximity to the gates, are a good spot to watch this in action.

But note, the gates do not open if heavy rains coincide with a high tide. This is to prevent sea water from gushing into the reservoir.

During these times, seven drainage pumps in the Marina Barrage pump house drain the excess water from the reservoir to prevent flooding.

The pump room is in the barrage's main building, housed in glass so visitors can view the massive 7.5m pumps. Weighing 28 tonnes, the pumps can drain an Olympic-size swimming pool in about a minute.

Hit the roof for picnics

Pack a picnic and laze around the grassy lawns of the barrage's Green Roof, which is bound to become a red-hot destination for visitors.

You are spoilt for a backdrop - take your pick of the Singapore Flyer, city skyline or open sea: The Benjamin Sheares Bridge and Kallang River are on your right, if you are facing the Flyer, and on clear days you can also see as far as Golden Mile Complex.

The rooftop lawn sits 13m above ground, giving unblocked views of Marina Bay, and is likely to be the next hot spot for people to watch the National Day Parade fireworks.

Views to your left are obscured at the moment by the heavy construction for the upcoming Marina Bay integrated resort. But come 2010, visitors to the barrage at night will be treated to the twinkling lights of the new IR and, by 2011, by the lush gardens of Gardens by the Bay.

But be sure to slap on some sunblock if you plan to go there in the afternoon - there is no shade to take cover from the sun.

Galleries galore

Six walk-through galleries on the second floor use interactive and multimedia installations to take you through Singapore's achievements in overcoming its water shortage problems.

Start at Gallery One, which has a feature wall made entirely of Newater bottles representing Singapore's successful efforts in becoming self-sufficient in water supply.

Gallery Two goes 20 years back in time. Through movable LCD screens and touchscreen e-books, visitors can see how Singapore evolved from a city with rubbish-filled rivers in the 1970s to its spruced-up state today.

Catch a glimpse of how waterways throughout Singapore will be revamped and beautified in Gallery Three.

This project is part of the Active, Beautiful, Clean Waters Programme that was launched by PUB, the national water agency, last year.

In Gallery Four, a model demonstrates how the Marina Barrage works. It even has simulated rainfall to show how the dam operates when water levels in the reservoir get too high.

The last two galleries show land and space planning efforts and encourage visitors to use water responsibly.

Take pictures of yourself at the gallery using the e-postcard kiosk in Gallery Six and send it to your own e-mail account.

The galleries flow from one showcase to another, so sign up for a tour to get a better understanding of what is going on.

Free guided tours are available from 9am to 6pm from Mondays to Fridays, but do note that the galleries are closed on Tuesdays, unless it is a public holiday. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays, the galleries are open from 11am to 7pm.

Tours can be booked at www.pub.gov.sg or call 6514-5959.

Quick bites, great view

You can enjoy a restful sea view along with a tasty bite at The Gallery Cafe on the second floor.

Those on a short visit can tuck into quick bites such as pastries and sandwiches - apple turnovers, for example, cost $2.50 - and there is regular coffee from $1.60 a cup.

As well, there are treats such as satay and waffles for those who want to linger a bit longer.

Buffet lunches at $12 will soon be available for office crowds who want a breather from the city during their midday break.

High tea will also be added to the cafe's weekend menu in two weeks to cater to leisurely sightseers.

After 5.30pm, the cafe becomes a chill-out music lounge bar serving alcohol.

Happy hour is from 5.30 to 8.30pm when a jug of Tiger draft beer goes for $18.90, 30 per cent cheaper than the usual rate. Food is similar to the day menu.

The 7th Storey restaurant on the ground floor will offer Hainan kitchen charcoal steamboat and cooked food with prices starting from $4 for an a la carte dish. Diners can enjoy either an open sea-front view or one of the city skyline.

The restaurant, originally in Rochor Road, will open in the middle of next month.

Read more!

A bright spark inspired by squids

Physicist wins defence tech prize for laser beam idea
Jermyn Chow & Shobana Kesava, Straits Times 8 Nov 08;

WHEN squids mate in the dark depths of the sea, their bodies glow.

Applied physicist Phua Poh Boon, 38, has borrowed their method of radiating light to produce laser beams powerful enough to pierce the densest fog.

On the battlefield, this gives soldiers visual advantage, because these perfectly radial polarised beams of light stay true to their course over long distances.

This invention by Dr Phua of the DSO National Laboratories could do the same favour for firefighters amid dense smoke.

It has also won him the nation's prestigious prize for defence technology.

Two other defence scientists and five teams from DSO and the Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) also scooped up this year's awards.

Dr Phua is no stranger to thinking out of the box. The defence science world has sat up and taken notice of his research and inventions in the last decade, which has led to United States patents - eight and counting.

Yesterday, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean lauded the winners for their work in sharpening the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF) capability to fight a high-tech war.

The DSO and DSTA hothouse the nation's pool of 5,000 defence scientists and engineers. DSO has had 22 patents granted to its researchers since 1999.

Mr Teo, speaking at the prize-giving ceremony at the Science Centre in Jurong, pledged that the Government would continue to 'invest steadily' in defence, specifically on research and development, so that the SAF can deliver a 'knockout punch' in wars of the future.

The drive to transform the SAF into a more lethal third-generation fighting force includes testing new firepower like the Aster anti-air missile and equipment that enables soldiers to share real-time information on the battlefield.

The Defence Ministry now commits about 4per cent of the nation's annual defence budget to research and development - which Mr Teo called 'a very good investment' that can 'make the difference between victory and defeat on the battlefield'.

He said the recent financial meltdown could cripple economies worldwide and trip off 'social and political stresses' that could destabilise the region.

'Our continued steady investment in a strong and capable SAF allows us to face any such security uncertainties that may arise from this crisis with sure-footed confidence,' he said.

Dr Phua, who hopes to do more for the defence industry here, said: 'Whether you are a scientist, artist or musician, you want a signature piece. Da Vinci had his Mona Lisa. I'm not there yet.'

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Singapore and Britain can tackle climate change, energy security together

Clear and present challenges
Malcolm Wicks, Straits Times 8 Nov 08;

IN 100 years' time, when historians look back at the 21st century, they will try to summarise the great complexity of our times by picking a handful of dominant themes.

Even today, we can make a fairly safe guess that climate and energy security will feature strongly in that analysis.

They are, without doubt, two major historical challenges for mankind.

We can see that reflected in the media every day. The competition for scarce fossil fuel resources is becoming ever greater as demand increases. The technical challenge and the cost involved in extraction and exploration are rising; and, of course, we have seen exceptional price volatility this year.

Climate change is also already a real and measurable phenomenon, and each new piece of evidence makes the scientific consensus even stronger.

To quote American President-elect Barack Obama: 'Climate change is real. It is something we have to deal with now, not 10 years from now, not 20 years from now...we ignore it at our own peril.'

The result is that we know that in order to achieve long-term sustainability, our future energy supply must be low-carbon: a diverse mix of technologies, including a rapid expansion of renewables.

Both Singapore and Britain have a proven track record of global leadership in the fields of climate change and renewable energy technologies.

As the British Prime Minister's Special Representative for International Energy Issues, I want to see our two countries work even more closely in tackling some of our generation's greatest challenges.

Scientifically, there are great opportunities to join our technological know-how in developing commercially competitive renewable energy sources. Like Singapore, Britain continues to increase its investment in public science - which has more than doubled in real terms since 1997, and will stand at just under $10 billion annually by 2010.

Like Singapore, we recognise the importance of cutting across traditional boundaries - with some £680 million (S$1.6 billion) for cross-disciplinary research in energy and environmental change.

The near market opportunities for our collaboration lie in areas such as bio-energy, carbon capture and storage, and sea and solar power.

On Wednesday, I opened a high-level scientific workshop focusing on how to make full use of renewable small-scale energy generation. This built upon the close Britain-Singapore partnership in science, which has seen cooperation in a variety of areas including drug discovery, aerospace and infectious diseases.

I am greatly impressed by Singapore's success in building an R&D-based knowledge economy, and the Government's long-term vision for investing in infrastructure such as the Biopolis and Fusionopolis research hubs.

One recent example of the productive Britain-Singapore relationship is the Nanyang Technological University-Rolls Royce Fuel Cell Systems collaboration. The combination of NTU's academic and manufacturing excellence with Rolls Royce's R&D and engineering expertise is a recipe for success for an important new clean energy source.

I was also pleased earlier this week to witness a new cooperation agreement between Singaporean company IUT Global and British-based Refgas, which will work together to turn reclaimed food and inorganic waste in Singapore into power.

These prove that exciting progress is being made by those willing to take risks and to be creative. There are huge opportunities in the energy and carbon sectors for businesses with the imagination and innovation to make the most of them.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Al Gore has described climate change as a 'true planetary emergency' - a very apt description.

Even as we work to decarbonise our economies, we must never forget the urgency or scale of the challenge. The window of opportunity to prevent dangerous climate change is closing rapidly.

We have no choice but to act now, and the prize for those who play a part in this great global revolution looks set, quite rightly, to be very substantial indeed.

Chances for collaboration
Straits Times 8 Nov 08;

THE UK-Singapore Partners in Science initiative was started in 2004 to celebrate the excellence of UK Science and highlight collaborative opportunities with Singapore.

The campaign was launched by Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and is run by the British High Commission in Singapore.

It was so successful that in July 2005, then British prime minister Tony Blair and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong decided to convert the campaign into a long-term strategic programme.

Since then, more than 30 workshops have been held across a range of areas in science and innovation, including aquaculture, stem cell research and organic chemistry.

Promising researchers in Singapore have benefited from travel grants allowing them to go to Britain for collaborations. These have led to other funding awards.

For example, work on computer simulation models by Dr Ian McLoughlin of Nanyang Technological University (NTU) together with the University of Birmingham, partly funded by the British Council, led to a grant of more than $180,000.

The grant from the Singapore National Medical Research Council is to be used over two years for research on bionic voice technology.

Following their academic exchange, Dr Liu Changqing from Loughborough University and NTU's Dr Chen Zhong also won a research award of more than $100,000 from the British Council in Britain to invest in a project connecting integrated circuits to electronic systems.

Climate change is one key area of research leading to collaborations, such as the one between NTU's Associate Professor Chen Yan and Oxford University's Dr You Zhong on solar panel research.

The British High Commission said that one of its important tasks here is to promote a low-carbon, high-growth economy in Singapore and the region.

SHOBANA KESAVA

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Holland's jiving with alternative energy plans

Innovations range from zero-emission power plant to club 'charged' by people
Shobana Kesava, Straits Times 8 Nov 08;

A MARINA barrage that can power a town, a zero-emission power plant and a nightclub powered by human energy are three innovations moving the Dutch to the forefront of a power supply revolution.

Blue Energy offers promise to any country with a river delta, including Singapore's own Marina Barrage.

The system, which releases no greenhouse gases in the process, is being tested in the Netherlands, where a 76-year-old, 35km dyke cuts across three northern provinces. It is the site for an installation with special filters to pick up the electric currents that form when a river's fresh water meets salt water as it discharges into the sea.

The power could light up the homes of 1.7 million inhabitants by 2018 in these provinces.

Scientists from Wetsus, Centre for Sustainable Water Technology, who developed the system believe it offers more promise than wind turbines, as it is not weather-dependent.

The Netherlands' Economic Affairs Ministry has contributed ¥35 million (S$67 million) to this institute to support programmes including Blue Energy over five years, until 2012.

Speaking to The Straits Times, its director-general of enterprise and innovation Renee Bergkamp said: 'In a few years, we hope the plant will provide all three northern provinces of the Netherlands with energy.'

She expects that the dam bordering Lake IJesselmeer and the North Sea can generate enough current to supply 200MW of electricity in 10 years.

Improvements will be made in this time. Opened in June, the pilot project in a container now produces 20kW. This will be ramped up to 1MW when a permanent structure is set up on the dyke in two years.

If successful, Blue Energy's technology could one day be exported to any country with river deltas, such as Singapore, to provide an alternative to traditional fossil-fuel energised power grids, Ms Bergkamp said.

Water innovations have been exported from the Netherlands for decades. Technology for dams has also been adopted from the country, which has found ways to stay dry despite being below sea level.

The Singapore Delft Water Alliance is studying the latest innovations with researchers from the National University of Singapore. Most recently, Dutch companies like pump supplier Nijhuis worked with Singapore to control water levels in Singapore's own newly opened Marina Barrage.

In the northern Netherlands, a project to build the first zero-greenhouse gas emission power plant in the world is under way. It will use methane or natural gas trapped underground to produce enough electricity - 68MW - for a small town of 100,000 households in Drachten.

To be ready next year, the plant will ensure only pure carbon dioxide will be produced. To achieve this, the methane will be burnt in pure oxygen in the presence of water. The carbon dioxide will be pumped deep into the ground to help push up the fuel for use in the power plant, while storing the greenhouse gas blamed for global warming.

By powering the town this way, the Netherlands expects to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by one megatonne in six years, a small dent in greenhouse gases emitted if other countries adopt similar technologies. Canadian scientists have estimated the world needs to reduce its emissions this century by at least 2 million megatonnes to ensure it does not increase current levels of carbon dioxide.

Not all green innovations need to be serious, however. Rotterdam's Club Watt, a nightspot, hopes to offer the world's cities the first sustainable dance floor.

Jumps, bumps and gyrations compress special cells on the dance floor which create an electrical charge. The more vigorous the dance moves, the brighter the lights shine.

The Sustainable Dance Club, a company set up last year by a group of Dutch ecological inventors, engineers and investors, also uses rainwater-fed toilets and low-waste bars. Heat is recycled from the bands' amplifiers and other musical equipment.

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Rare animal trade thrives in Thailand from lax laws

Claire Truscott Yahoo News 7 Nov 08;

BANGKOK (AFP) – Thousands of tourists and locals throng the congested aisles of Bangkok's popular Chatuchak market every weekend, hunting for everything from a new pair of shiny leather shoes to a puppy.

But among the racks of caged creatures is an illegal trade in endangered animals that wildlife police say they are powerless to stop as sellers take advantage of lax Thai laws and punishments.

The illicit international trade in rare species is worth an estimated six billion dollars per year, academics estimate, and wildlife campaigners say much of that money now changes hands in the Thai capital.

"It's difficult to arrest these smugglers," Lieutenant Colonel Thanayod Kengkasikij of Thailand's anti-wildlife trafficking taskforce told AFP.

His problem is practical and legal as keeping an eye on smugglers as they move about the market is tough enough, but once arrests are made getting the courts to punish them is even tougher.

"If the court handed down harsher verdicts to traffickers I think they would be more afraid of us," Thanayod said.

Months of police surveillance at Chatuchak, also known as JJ market, preceded a raid last March, organised with the help of wildlife charities TRAFFIC and PeunPa.

During the operation, 40 undercover Thai officers arrested two traffickers attempting to sell three Madagascan Ploughshare tortoises, so rare that conservationists say only 300 remain in the world.

In another section of the market a dealer was caught secretly selling slow lorises, endangered primates that live Southeast Asian forests.

"Dealers stated openly that many specimens were smuggled into and out of Thailand," said Chris Shepherd, a senior programme officer for TRAFFIC.

"They even offered potential buyers advice on how to smuggle reptiles through customs and onto aeroplanes."

The surveillance and raid cost campaigners thousands of dollars. Of the three men arrested, none went to prison -- two were not punished at all and one received a 20,000-baht fine, half the maximum financial penalty.

These sort of meagre penalties frustrate wildlife campaigners.

-- For law to work, attitudes need to change --

"The biggest wildlife traffickers in the world have decided to base themselves in Bangkok because they know that if they get caught the worst that can happen is about a 1,000 dollar fine," saud PeunPa's Steven Galster.

"Nobody's going to jail, not even the guys caught red-handed. Meanwhile the traffickers are laughing all the way to the bank, using Thailand as a base."

The international law governing these crimes is called CITES -- the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species -- to which Thailand is a signatory.

But the CITES provisions have not yet been fully translated into Thai law, and gaping loopholes still exist that Galster said will not close until attitudes throughout Thai society are changed.

PeunPa and TRAFFIC spent three years training police to understand the damaging environmental effects of wildlife crime, and now need to persuade judges too.

"The police working on wildlife crime used to be called the forestry police, mainly focused on illegal logging and timber trafficking. We've been training them up to go after wildlife criminals," Galster said, adding: "They've gotten pretty good."

"But they are seriously discouraged by the current law. They're raring to go but they need the law behind them," he said.

Police say new training seminars for judges are making a difference.

"Judges and prosecuting lawyers have changed their attitude since we began campaigning -- they used to think that violators were just earning a living but now they understand they are causing environmental damage," said Thanayod.

But change is slow and the drafting of a new tougher law, which has been the subject of years of discussion, seems as distant a prospect as ever.

"The situation's getting better but it's like with anything in Thailand: unless it's drugs or murder they don't think the police are going to take it all that seriously," Galster said.

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Ivory auctions will undercut poachers: UN

Yahoo News 7 Nov 08;

GENEVA (AFP) – A controversial series of legal ivory auctions in southern Africa should undercut poachers who have been charging exorbitant prices in key Asian markets, United Nations conservationists said Friday.

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates international trade in endangered species, allowed four African countries -- South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe -- to hold one-off sales to buyers from China and Japan.

In total the auctions raised 15.4 million dollars, at an average price of 152 dollars per kilogram (2.2 pounds).

John Sellar, an anti-fraud official at CITES, said this controlled sale would undercut the illegal trade.

"If ever there was a demonstration that crime doesn't pay, this is it. The poachers and the dealers in Africa have taken people in Asia for mugs, and they appear to have got away with it for several years," he told journalists.

Some non-governmental organisations have claimed the price of illegal ivory can be as high as 800 dollars per kilogram.

"If any trader in China and Japan, or elsewhere, has been stupid enough to pay those figures, they must have been mad!," Sellars said.

"If next week you're a dealer in illegal ivory and you try and get 4, 5, 6, 7, 800 dollars a kilo for ivory, you're going to be laughed out of the room."

CITES has imposed stiff requirements on buyers of the ivory, which can only be sold within China and Japan and cannot be resold overseas. Both countries were required to create monitoring systems before the sale.

The four southern African countries are home to 312,000 elephants, and their government stocks of tusks came from natural deaths or the culling of herds to keep the population under control.

But the plan has been criticised by some environmentalists who fear it will inevitably stimulate demand and thus provide more opportunities for poachers.

"I believe that auctioning the ivory stockpiles would cause poaching to increase particularly in the central, eastern and western African elephant range states where poaching is not yet properly controlled," famed Kenyan conservationist Richard Leakey said.

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Why plastic bottles may harm

Andy Ho, Straits Times 8 Nov 08;

BACK in August, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared the chemical used to make plastics hard 'non-toxic'. Called bisphenol-A or BPA, the chemical is used in baby bottles, bottles for water and beverages, the coatings of cans used to pack infant formula and other foodstuff, the linings of medical devices and water supply pipes, and so on.

Studies by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention show that BPA is found in the bodies of an amazing 93 per cent of US residents over the age of six years. If it is really non-toxic, then many can heave a sigh of relief.

In coming to its conclusions, however, the FDA passed over 100 studies. The National Toxicology Programme, a US government-funded initiative tasked to provide unbiased evaluations of the scientific evidence on a particular issue, then re-examined all BPA studies.

The FDA had used only three studies, all funded by the chemical industry, clearly an interested party. It was also revealed that the chair of the FDA panel reviewing BPA safety had failed to disclose a US$5 million (S$7.5 million) gift from the founder of a medical equipment-making company.

The chairman - a professor of toxicology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor - had been repeatedly told by that interested party that BPA was 'perfectly safe'. An inquiry into the matter was initiated by the US Congress.

Last Wednesday, the National Toxicology Programme reported that its review had led it to conclude that BPA might lead to brain damage as well as heightened risks of cancer. And last Friday, a panel of scientists the FDA itself had convened to review its August report concluded it was in agreement with the programme's assessment of the matter.

The panel noted that studies not funded by industry did show that BPA might harm children, even at levels 10 times lower than what the FDA had deemed safe. But the FDA stood its ground, insisting that BPA was non-toxic. More studies were promised but, meanwhile, BPA would continue to be allowed on the shelves.

The National Toxicology Programme noted that exposure to BPA was widespread - in Europe and Asia, as well as in the US - frequent and continuous. As the chemical does not remain in the body for long, its widespread discovery means that people's exposure to it is recurring. Moreover, the levels are also rising, with median levels of exposure having doubled between 1994 and 2004.

Recognising that the data was by no means complete, comprehensive or completely consistent, the programme concluded that 'the possibility that bisphenol-A may alter human development cannot be dismissed'. This was so especially because BPA can be found in high levels in the blood of pregnant mothers, the placenta, cord blood and breast milk.

In the lab, the chemical can permanently reorganise brain circuits in female rats to make them more male-like in their non-reproductive behaviour. These include how they deal with stress or anxiety, seek novelty, and respond to attention or motivation. Female lab rats apparently differ in such behaviours from male ones.

Without long-term observational studies in humans, it is hard to say whether BPA causes equivalent changes in the human infant brain. Overall, the programme concluded that there was cause for 'some concern' that exposure in the womb and in early infancy might lead to changes in infant brain structure and behaviour.

Elsewhere, in other tissues, BPA may act like a weak female hormone instead. In this connection, the programme was a bit concerned that some of the lab studies showed BPA might lead to pre-cancerous changes in the breast glands of females.

Other studies on lab animals also caused the programme to express concern that BPA might also induce pre-cancerous changes in the prostate in males.

All these are animal studies from which the programme has drawn conclusions about the chemical's probable impact on human health. But the state of knowledge about the effects of BPA in humans is much more rudimentary.

The first epidemiological study of BPA in humans has only just been just published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in September. But in this study, other diseases than those the animal studies had pointed to were implicated instead.

The study found that BPA exposure in the US population exceeded the upper limit set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. These high BPA levels were found to be significantly associated with heart disease and diabetes.

People exposed to a lot of BPA tripled their risk for heart disease. They were also 2.4 times more likely to develop diabetes. And their liver function tests tended to be abnormal as well.

One lesson that can be drawn at this juncture is that animal models suggest BPA may cause significant health problems while more epidemiological studies in humans might point to the same or other problems. All in all, the balance of evidence makes it hard to agree with the FDA that BPA is assuredly non-toxic to humans.

In April, Canada banned the use of BPA in infant milk bottles. Perhaps its lead is worth following as soon as possible.

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Green spaces 'reduce health gap'

BBC News 7 Nov 08;

A bit of greenery near our homes can cut the "health gap" between rich and poor, say researchers from two Scottish universities.

Even small parks in the heart of our cities can protect us from strokes and heart disease, perhaps by cutting stress or boosting exercise.

Their study, in The Lancet, matched data about hundreds of thousands of deaths to green spaces in local areas.

Councils should introduce more greenery to improve wellbeing, they said.

Across the country, there are "health inequalities" related to income and social deprivation, which generally reflect differences in lifestyle, diet, and, to some extent, access to medical care.

This means that in general, people living in poorer areas are more likely to be unhealthy, and die earlier.

However, the researchers found that living near parks, woodland or other open spaces helped reduce these inequalities, regardless of social class.

When the records of more than 366,000 people who died between 2001 and 2005 were analysed, it revealed that even tiny green spaces in the areas in which they lived made a big difference to their risk of fatal diseases.

Although the effect was greatest for those living surrounded by the most greenery, with the "health gap" roughly halved compared with those with the fewest green spaces around them, there was still a noticeable difference.

Stress buster

The change was particularly clear in areas such as heart disease and stroke, supporting the idea that the presence of green spaces encourages people to be more active.

However, the researchers, Dr Richard Mitchell from Glasgow University, and Dr Frank Popham, from the University of St Andrews, said that other studies had suggested that contact with green spaces also helped reduce blood pressure and stress levels, perhaps even promoting faster healing after surgery.

They wrote: "The implications of this study are clear - environments that promote good health might be crucial in the fight to reduce health inequalities."

They called for planning authorities to consider making more green spaces available to improve the health and wellbeing of their residents.

In an accompanying article in The Lancet, Dr Terry Hartig, from the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Uppsala University in Sweden, wrote: "This study offers valuable evidence that green space does more than 'pretty up' the neighbourhood - it appears to have real effects on health inequality, of a kind that politicians and health authorities should take seriously."

David Tibbatts, from GreenSpace, a charity which promotes parks in urban areas, said that they were threatened by "decades of decline" in some areas.

"The study confirms what we have been saying for many years - parks are important for health and everyone should have access to high quality, beautiful and vibrant green spaces. "Unfortunately, despite the benefits green spaces bring to communities, our research has shown a decline in park services that has spread across more than 30 years.

"Despite increase recognition of their role in areas such as improved health, far too many parks teams find their revenue budgets are still under continuous threat."

Professor Barbara Maher from the Lancaster Environment Centre said her research had shown that roadside trees improve health by protecting people from pollution.

"Urban and roadside trees may be an under-used resource both in terms of acting as natural 'pollution monitors' and actively screening people, especially, children and the already ill, from the damaging health effects of particle pollution," she said.

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Brazil sees carbon market saving Amazon

Yana Marull Yahoo News 7 Nov 08;

MANAUS, Brazil (AFP) – Growing concern over climate change, and the potential of the carbon credit market, could give the Amazon forest a financial value rivalling the lucrative activities that are eating it away, Brazilian officials believe.

The Amazon -- the biggest zone of tropical woodland on the planet -- is already home to the Juma reserve, an area of half a million hectares that has become the first project in Brazil to achieve international certification for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by averting deforestation.

The government in Amazonas state want to replicate that model over 34 other reserves it manages, and it wants to use financing from the carbon market to help preserve the forest and improve the lives of people living within it.

"We will be a big player in the carbon market," said Virgilio Viana, director of the Sustainable Amazonas Foundation running the reserves.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in August launched an international Amazon Fund, which has already attracted a one-billion-dollar donation pledge from Norway's government up to 2015.

The carbon credits scheme resulted from the Kyoto accord, which came into force three years ago. It opened the way to monetize the shortfall in greenhouse emissions targets and have them traded on a world market.

But it does not acknowledge the reduction of emissions from deforestation of tropical forests in developing countries.

Brazil, the fourth-biggest producer of greenhouse gases in the world, mostly from deforestation, wants its fight to preserve its five million square kilometers of Amazon forest to be recognized as a service against global warming.

It argues that its efforts should be rewarded with financial input from other countries which would go to helping poor Amazon populations that might otherwise turn to cutting down trees.

Extra cash would contribute to slowing the alarming rate of Amazon forest devastation, which each year amounts to more than 10,000 square kilometers of razed land, it says.

Although the carbon credits scheme does not take into account forest conservation projects, there is a small but growing voluntary market made up of companies and organizations that want to offset their carbon footprints by investing in such environmental projects -- and, they hope, reap a public relations coup in doing so.

That is the case, for instance, with the Marriott Hotel group, which is involved in the Juma reserve. It asks guests staying in its chain to contribute a small amount of money for their greenhouse gas output, which goes to help the Juma conservation efforts.

But the Brazilian government wants a systematic approach and is seeking the post-Kyoto UN convention on climate change to consider those initiatives.

"We can't shut our eyes to the reality: forests have an important role in climate regulation and this has been noted in the past year by the UN in its negotiations," said Fernanda Müller, a researcher with the CarbonoBrasil group.

Maurik Jehee, the official in charge of carbon credits at Brazil's Banco Real bank, said: "The potential of the carbon credits market for reforestation and against deforestation projects is huge, but it depends so much on international negotiations."

Even though international certifications for verifying carbon-dioxide reductions in forest projects have greatly improved, they are still recent and "buyers are still cautious" over the perceived risk they hold, said Stefano Merlin, president of the Social Carbon Company. His firm created a certificate for carbon projects that provide social benefits.

A director for Greenpeace Brazil, Sergio Leitao, observed other obstacles to Brazil's ambitions.

Brazil's government had to overcome its reluctance to accept quantifiable targets to reduce deforestation if it wanted to attract donors, he said.

He also stressed the Amazon must not become a "cheap" option for the world's big polluters looking for an easy way to offset their greenhouse gas emissions.

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Current warming sharpest climate change in 5,000 years: study

Yahoo News 7 Nov 08;

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Research on Arctic and North Atlantic ecosystems shows the recent warming trend counts as the most dramatic climate change since the onset of human civilization 5,000 years ago, according to studies published Thursday.

Researchers from Cornell University studied the increased introduction of fresh water from glacial melt, oceanic circulation, and the change in geographic range migration of oceanic plant and animal species.

The team, led by oceanographer Charles Greene, described "major ecosystem reorganization" -- or "regime shift" -- in the North Atlantic, a consequence of global warming on the largest scale in five millennia.

"The rate of warming we are seeing (now) is unprecedented in human history," said Greene, whose research appears in the November 2008 issue of the journal Ecology.

In order to forecast the path of climate change, Greene and colleagues have been reconstructing major episodes of warming and cooling in the Arctic over the past 65 million years.

They have found in the paleoclimate record periods of rapid cooling, with average temperatures plunging by 10 degrees Celsius (18 degrees F) within just decades or even years.

But the rise in temperatures over the past five decades is unmatched since the onset of human civilization, Greene said.

The paleoclimate data gives the scientists more insight into the impact of melting Arctic ice sheets and glaciers on the North Atlantic oceanic system.

They have found "extensive" shifts in the geographic range of numerous plant and animal species.

For instance, the massive Arctic fresh-water melt in the past 10 years has helped one species of microscopic algae move from the Pacific ocean to the North Atlantic.

The last time that algae appeared in the North Atlantic was 800,000 years ago, the Cornell research found.

The increase of fresh water can have a huge impact on the ecosystems of the Atlantic continental shelf, for instance extending the growing seasons of phytoplankton and microscopic drifting animals fundamental to the food chain.

"Such climate-driven changes can alter the structure of shelf ecosystems from the bottom of the food chain upwards," according to Greene.

In another example, the collapse in the last century of cod populations in the north Atlantic is partially due to overfishing, but also partly due to Arctic glacial melt adding more fresh and colder water to the ocean, which stifles cod reproduction.

At the same time, the research noted, less cod and colder water benefited shrimp and snow crab populations.

"As climate changes, there are going to be winners and losers, both in terms of biological species and different groups of people," said Greene.

The Cornell studies also focused on the way the introduction of more freshwater in the north Atlantic can disrupt circulation patterns further south.

"When Arctic climate changes, waters in the Arctic can go from storing large quantities of fresh water to exporting that fresh water to the North Atlantic in large pulses, referred to as great salinity anomalies," Greene explains.

By modelling the current changes, the Cornell researchers posited that the highly saline water of the deep North Atlantic will likely not be heavily affected by the "pulses" of fresh water during the 21st century.

"Continued exposure to such freshwater forcing, however, could disrupt global ocean circulation during the next century and lead to very abrupt changes in climate, similar to those that occurred at the onset of the last ice age," the studies said.

"If the Earth's deep ocean circulation were to be shut down, many of the atmospheric, glacial and oceanic processes that have been stable in recent times would change, and the change would likely be abrupt," said Greene.

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