wildsingapore news: Mar 10, 2009

Sumatra Tiger Slayings Possibly Due to Illegal Trade, Not Conflict with Humans

Fidelis E. Satriastanti, Jakarta Globe 6 Mar 09;

The trapping and killing of three endangered Sumatran tigers by residents of Indragiri Hilir district, Riau Province, in February, may have been related to the illegal trade in tiger body parts, an official said on Monday.

It had previously been reported that the tigers were killed near Tanjung Pasar village because residents felt threatened by the animals. Two tigers were killed on Feb.10 and the last was found dead on Feb. 16.

“We are still investigating the case but there are strong indications that the killings were also a part of the illegal trade in tigers,” said Syahimin, head of technical affairs at Riau’s Natural Resources of Conservation Center.

He said his office had already detained two villagers who were believed to have trapped and killed the tigers but they have not yet officially been named as suspects.

“We’re still questioning them and trying to develop a case on the possibility of illegal trading rather than on conflict issues,” he said. “One of villagers has already confessed to having sold a slain tiger but we’re still looking for more evidence.”

Meanwhile, Syamsidar, spokeswoman of the Riau branch of the World Wildlife Fund, or WWF, said it appeared the trappings were carried out by people with experience catching tigers.

“The traps couldn’t have been set up by ordinary people; professional expertise would’ve been needed to catch the tigers,” she said.

She said the killings were reported as being carried out by local villagers because the tigers had been spotted close to villages.

“The reports said the villagers took the initiative to prevent the tigers from attacking first, but they shouldn’t have acted on their own,” she said. “They should have contacted the authorities.”

She said she was worried that opportunists may have taken advantage of the situation in order to profit from the tigers.

“We all know that [Sumatran] tigers are worth a lot, so it’s possible some people may have convinced the locals to move against the tigers,” she said.

The total population of Sumatran tigers is thought to be less than 500, and continuing loss of habitat, illegal trade and conflict with humans are pushing them towards extinction.

Based on Ministry of Forestry data, an average of 33 tigers are killed each year — often for to be stuffed of for their fur — though more killings go unrecorded.

The price of a preserved full-grown tiger starts at Rp 25 million ($2,250) on the black market, while furs are sold for between Rp 12 million and Rp 25 million.

Indonesian Navy foils attempt to smuggle birds to Singapore

The Jakarta Post 10 Mar 09;

A routine Navy patrol on Tuesday morning foiled an attempt to smuggle around 2,000 exotic birds from Batam to Singapore, Antara reports.

Chief of the patrol team first Lt. Rudi Amirudin said his team had stopped the MV Citra Lima just minutes after it left Batam International Seaport at around 8:30 a.m. following a tip off from locals.

The officers discovered thousands of canaries and estrildid finch songbirds (locally knows as burung pipit) and could find no documents for their shipment.

After questioning the boat's captain and passengers no once claimed ownership of the birds or knew who had brought them onboard.

The team returned the birds to Batam Quarantine Office, Rudi said.

Tuna spawning grounds can help Coral Triangle nations get better deal on fishing

WWF 10 Mar 09;

Asia Pacific fishing nations could use the presence of tuna spawning grounds to negotiate better prices and fairer fishing arrangements with foreign fishing nations, WWF said today.

The proposal was put forward as ministers started meeting in the Papua New Guinea capital Port Moresby this week to finalise a plan to protect marine environments and food security in the Coral Triangle region, covering waters between Indonesia, the Philippines, and the Pacific.

The area provides spawning grounds and migratory routes for tuna caught in the Indian, Pacific and Southern Oceans, which make up around 70 per cent of the world’s tuna catch.

“The region’s spawning grounds are essential to the world’s multi-billion dollar tuna industry and the world should be prepared to support their protection and effective management,” said Dr Lida Pet Soede, leader of WWF’s Coral Triangle Program.

“This can help Coral Triangle countries negotiate fairer prices and fairer fishing arrangements with non-Coral Triangle nations, who also fish in these waters.”

Dr Pet Soede said it was fitting the final meeting be held in Papua New Guinea as PNG has taken a leading role in efforts to bring more sustainability to the region’s tuna fisheries, which are critical to the food security of millions.

Managing Director of Papua New Guinea’s National Fisheries Authority, Sylvester Pokajam, warned of a collapse of the big eye tuna fishery unless fishing nations operating in the Coral Triangle introduced measures to make the fishery more sustainable.

“We can see a crash coming for tuna and this will be disastrous for many coastal communities in the Coral Triangle, where millions of people depend on healthy tuna stocks for food and livelihoods,” Mr Pokajam said.

“Here in PNG we have introduced fishing measures within our own zones in an effort to address the issue of overfishing, in particular where it comes to overfishing big eye tuna, but the success of these measures depends entirely on the willingness of other non-Coral Triangle nations to introduce similar measures.”

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste collectively make up the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI), introduced by Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the APEC leader’s meeting in September 2007.

This week’s meeting is the final ministerial forum before Coral Triangle leaders gather in Manado, Indonesia on May 15 to announce details of a plan to protect marine ecosystems and food security in the region.

The Indian Ocean Tuna Commission will meet in Bali at the end of this month to consider among other things a set of recommendations by its scientific committee to reduce fishing pressure on yellowfin tuna, which it says is likely to have reached an overfished state.

The World Ocean Conference and the Coral Triangle Initiative Summit will be held from May 11 to 15 in Manado, Indonesia, and are expected to result in the Manado Ocean Declaration, a definitive statement on oceans and climate change.

“With climate change threatening to alter habitats in the region, it is even more critical to manage marine ecosystems for the ongoing food security of the region and for the survival of many species that depend on the Coral Triangle’s unique marine environment,” said Dr Pet Soede.

Tracking the elusive Amur tiger by foot, ski, and snowmobile

WWF 9 Mar 09;

Researchers in the Russian Far East are tracking the elusive Amur tiger by foot, ski, and snowmobile this month to better understand the endangered species.

WWF-Russia, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Far Eastern branch of the Russian Academy of Science are monitoring the rare Amur tiger in its habitats in Russia, in the remote Primorskii and Khabarovskii Provinces.

The Amur tiger, which can weigh up to 300 kg and measure around three metres from its nose to the tip of its tail, has come back from the brink of extinction to its highest population for at least 100 years. Only about 40 were alive in 1950 but nowadays there are around 450, one of the strongest tiger populations in the world.

This year’s monitoring area will cover 23,500 square kms with 16 search plots -- that cover one tenth part of tiger’s habitat -- in the Khabarovskii and Primorskii Provinces. A total of 6,000 km of transects also will be covered, where researchers will map all animal tracks registered on the plots.

For each search plot, researchers will coordinate experienced wildlife managers and trappers from local hunting clubs, who will conduct three to four day overnight searches of each plot, spending their evenings in small wooden hunting lodges in the forest. They will use snowmobiles to cross transects along river valleys in the region, and don specially-designed wide hunting skis to climb through hills and passes during the searches.

As part of the monitoring, scientists will follow the tigers to collect information on the sex and age characteristics of tiger populations, as well as behavioural habits, tiger mortality, and a range of other scientific data.

“Monitoring has been conducted for 12 years already and has provided information for analysis of tiger number dynamics and characteristics of its distribution and reproduction from year to year. Another important goal of the research program is controlling large wild ungulates’ status as well as changes in tiger habitats quality and its food sources,” said Pavel Fomenko, biodiversity conservation coordinator at WWF-Russia, Amur branch, and one of the initiators and participants of the annual tiger monitoring.

WWF Russia has funded monitoring activities to the tune of 12,000 euros on six plots located in WWF’s model areas with two of them located in Ussuriiskii and Lazovskii Nature Reserves. The Russian Academy of Science has provided 22,000 euros, or more than half of the funds needed for this month’s monitoring.

“For the first time this year, monitoring of the Amur tiger number has been covered largely by the Far Eastern branch of the Russian Academy of Science. This is a good sign but it would be better to receive funding from Russian Ministry of Nature and Ecology and Federal Service of Natural Recourses Exploitation that are both responsible for tiger in Russia,” Pomenko said.

“Funds needed for tiger research should be allocated in the budget of a special Program on tiger conservation in Russia,” Pomenko added.

Results of the field research will be completed in April and a special report will be prepared and forwarded to the governmental agencies responsible for tiger conservation in Russia. WWF-Russia, active in efforts to protect the Amur tiger for many years, awaits elaboration of a new strategy for tiger conservation in Russia and hopes that this rare predator will receive not only governmental status of protection but also funding for its conservation.

Forests and the global economy: 10 million new jobs

FAO 10 Mar 09;
Sustainable forest management could become a means of creating millions of new green jobs

Ten million new “green jobs” can be created by investing in sustainable forest management, according to FAO. “As more jobs are lost due to the current economic downturn, sustainable forest management could become a means of creating millions of green jobs, thus helping to reduce poverty and improve the environment,” said Jan Heino, Assistant Director-General of FAO’s Forestry Department.

Since forests and trees are vital storehouses of carbon, such an investment could also make a major contribution to climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, said Heino.

According to a recent study by the International Labour Organization, unemployment worldwide could increase from 179 million in 2007 to 198 million in 2009 under the best case scenario; under the worst case scenario, it could go as high as 230 million.

Increased investment in forestry could provide jobs in forest management, agroforestry and farm forestry, improved fire management, development and management of trails and recreation sites, expansion of urban green spaces, restoring degraded forests and planting new ones. Activities can be tailored to local circumstances, including availability of labour, skill levels and local social, economic and ecological conditions.

A number of countries, for example the United States and the Republic of Korea, have included forestry in their economic stimulus plans. Similarly afforestation is an important component of India’s rural employment guarantee programme. According to FAO, the global potential is at least 10 million new jobs through national investments.

At the same time, improved forest management and new tree planting could significantly reduce the downward trend in forest cover reported by many countries. This would help to reduce carbon emissions from land-use change and could potentially have a larger positive impact on climate change than any other initiative currently being planned or considered by world leaders.

How sustainable forest management can help build a green future and meet society’s changing demand for forest-derived goods and services will be the main thrust of World Forest Week, to be held in conjunction with FAO’s Committee on Forestry, 16 to 20 March in Rome. Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, the UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy on Climate Change, will deliver the keynote address. She will emphasize the critical role of forests in society’s response to the challenges posed by climate change.

The meeting takes place against the backdrop of an unprecedented global economic crisis. The forest sector has also been affected severely, notes FAO’s State of the World’s Forests 2009, to be released on 16 March 2009. However, the forest sector has considerable potential to play a catalytic role in the world’s response to the global economic and environmental crises.

Best of our wild blogs: 10 Mar 09

Bumboats
on Ubin.sgkopi

TeamSeagrass at Cyrene Reefs
on the teamseagrass blog with lots of sightings on the wonderful creations blog

Inconsiderate people disobey rules and fish at Upper Pierce reservoir on the Lazy Lizard's Tales blog

Melastoma malabathricum and Butterfly @ WWW
on Beauty of Fauna and Flora in Nature blog

20 days later
foster-mother of 'cats' reports on talfryn.net

Who cut off my crown?
on the Midnight Monkey Monitor

Escapee Palm Cockatoo sighted
on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog

Earth Hour organisers confident of success for inaugural event in Singapore

Satish Cheney, Channel NewsAsia 9 Mar 09;

SINGAPORE: It is just a few weeks before Earth Hour on March 28, when households and businesses are encouraged to switch off their electricity usage for one hour.

It is the first time Singapore is taking part in the initiative to raise awareness on climate issues. While the number of people registered for the event seems dismal in Singapore, the organisers are not worried.

They have a target of one million participants, but so far, only about 2,000 people and 250 companies have registered on the event's website to do their part for the environment.

Organisers believe there will be thousands out there taking part in Earth Hour in their own way, and tracking numbers can only be done after the event is over.

Take the first Earth Hour in Sydney in 2007 for example. Director of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Singapore, Carine Seror, said: "There were just a few hundred companies, just a few thousand participants registered on the website, but actually the real figure of participation was 2.2 million."

And to encourage more people to get involved, there will be a candlelight picnic at the Esplanade Park on the big day.

Ms Seror said: "You bring down your picnic mat and your candles and just join us for a big party. We start at 5pm with the green carnival and by 7pm, we will have some entertainment before the blackout at 8.30pm."

And giving their support to Earth Hour is MediaCorp's radio station Class 95FM. The station has been promoting the event on-air and it has other plans lined up on the day itself.

Senior programme director of Class 95FM, MediaCorp, Erina Cook, said: "We're going to run reminders to our listeners so that they can be reminded that it's not too late to take part in Earth Hour, and to switch off all their lights to support Earth Hour."

So if you are at home or out and about on March 28, don't be in the dark when the lights go out for Earth Hour at 8.30pm.

- CNA/yt

Man with a message
Agatha Koh Brazil, Today Online 10 Mar 09;

WILD fires, snow in unlikely regions and even Singapore’s own spate of bush fires have helped to turn Singapore’s corporate conscience a little bit greener.

Around this time last year, Craig Law Smith (picture) was knocking on doors trying to interest decision-makers into taking part in Singapore’s inaugural Earth Hour event.

This year, Craig, one of the prime movers of the WWF campaign here, is chuffed that — at last count — about250 organisations have already signed on to the event on March 28.

“Last year’s effort was a very grass roots effort with myself and one other person from the World Wildlife Foundation literally knocking on doors and spreading awareness of Earth Hour,” says the 41-year-old.

About 15 corporations took part in the pioneering effort last year. This year, the event has secured the participation of: “icons” such as the Singapore Flyer, the National Museum of Singapore, the Singapore Management University as well as the Singapore Tourism Board. They will switch off non-essential lights for an hour from 8.30 pm.

Such commitment could not have been possible though, if not for the lessons learnt from last year’s maiden effort.

“To get something done, you need to be very organised, start early and use a model that will scale. You also have to communicate the same message, again and again, and continue to reiterate that message.” says Craig, who got involved last year because of his job. He is the marketing director for South-east Asia, for Micrsoft’s Online Services Group.

“In Singapore alone, we have 1.5 million Windows Live Messenger users that we will be reaching out to. This will be done by promoting Earth Hour on our network through banners which link to the Earth Hour site and on the MSN home page where we can tell people about Earth Hour.

“This makes it an ideal way to pass the message along and get more people in the community involved.”

But he believes technology cannot replace passion. “I strongly believe that nothing truly great can be accomplished without passion. Last year, we only had two passionate people doing things,we started late and weren’t that organised.

“This year, we started at least six months ahead with a very passionate organising committee ... We stronglybelieve that Earth Hour this year will have a massive impact.”

About 1 million people in Singapore are expected to take part in the event which started in Sydney in 2007.

Craig walks or rather, cycles the talk. The British citizen was born in Kenya but has lived in Asia for the past 20 years. Now a Singapore Permanent Resident, he cycles from his home in Siglap to his office at Marina Boulevard.

“It’s good for the environment and great for my health,” he says.

Many companies, he says, are happy to be told how they can contribute.

“Where things get more difficult is getting individuals on the street aware of Earth Hour, and that’s where the early planning takes fruit.

“Here, we need to scale. One way of doing this is having corporations spread the word to their employees through posters ... and an email reminder on the day to switch off the lights.”

SingTel will be sending SMS messages to its mobile subscribers on that day. There will also be Earth Hour commercials on TV channels and before movies are screened at Golden Village cinemas. There will also be billboards at bus stops and trailers on buses.

“So, the main hurdle to overcome is awareness, and from there, with a helping hand, participation is the next step.

“In the initial stages when we approached people, we would get a reaction such as there’s no way we can turn off all the lights. But then, you explain they can just turn the lights off outside of their building or (if we are talking to restaurants) they can keep their kitchens running but just serve a candle light dinner.”

“Keep saying things over and over again,” says Craig. This is something he is good at too, because of his 18-month-old son, he quips.

“But, if someone doesn’t understand you, then it’s your fault.”

The MSN and Windows Live team got involved because it felt that it was one initiative “we thought we could definitely make a significant difference with,” says Craig. “It is the right thing to do.”

On March 28, An Inconvenient Truth will be screened at the Botanic Gardens from 2.30pm to 3.30pm. Reserve your seat at www.wwf.org. From 5pm to 10 pm, there will be an Earth Hour blackout event at the Esplanade Park where a candle light picnic will be held.

More about the effort on the Earth Hour Singapore site

No need to backtrack to return rental bike

Maria Almenoar, Straits Times 10 Mar 09;

A NEW spin on recreational cycling has hit the four connected parks on the East Coast.

Six new bicycle rental kiosks strung out along the bike paths now allow cyclists to pick up and drop off their rented wheels at any of these pit stops.

Bye bye to the need to backtrack to the kiosk from which the bicycle was rented, as is the required practice with bike rental stations now.

The National Parks Board (NParks) awarded the tender to run the new service to Lifestyle Recreation, a company which has been renting out bicycles and in-line skates at the East Coast Park since 2001.

Its kiosks can be found at East Coast Park Area C, East Coast Park Area G, Changi Beach Park Area Car Park 1, Sun Plaza Park, Changi Beach Park Car Park 7 and Telok Kurau Park. Two more may be set up in the Bedok and Pasir Ris town parks.

Rental rates are comparable to other rental outlets in the area - $5 an hour for a bike and $10 an hour for a tandem bicycle. A cyclist needs to produce his or her identity card to rent a bike.

Lifestyle Recreation is also looking into providing an all-day service in which a cyclist picks up a bike and can return it even after the rental stations have closed for the day.

A cyclist who plans on returning the bike late first books and pays for the rental online. A bicycle number and code to the bicycle lock is then sent to him in a text message.

Ms Susanna Tay, Lifestyle Recreation's managing director, said: 'When NParks opened the new park connectors, we knew that cyclists did not want to be restricted on where they could ride, so this is a value-added service we can provide.'

She added that the company may allow the same rental arrangement for in-line skates if there is a demand.

Photographer Alex Wee, 35, who heads to East Coast Park every two months for cycling, is now game to explore the East Coast's four parks.

He said: 'Usually you don't get to cycle far and see much because you have to backtrack to return the bicycle. They should consider having a public transport link at either end as well.'

Rent a bike here, return it there
Today Online 10 Mar 09;

Rent and ride a bicycle along Singapore’s East Coast without having to go back to your starting point. Six rental kiosks have been set up by :Lifestyle Recreation in four parks along the 42-km Eastern Coastal Park Connector Network. Visitors can rent a bike from one and return it at any of the others.

The kiosks are at East Coast Park Area C and G, Changi Beach Park Area Car Park 1, Sun Plaza Park, Changi Beach Park Car Park 7 and Telok Kurau Park. Rates start at $5 an hour for an adult bicycle. Anall-day service is in the pipeline. For details, visitwww.lifestylerecreation.com.sg or call 6443 6675.

Singapore-listed China Fishery to cast net in Africa

Ananya Roy, Straits Times 10 Mar 09;

SINGAPORE-LISTED China Fishery Group (CFGL) will target African consumers in the year ahead.

Mr Ng Joo Siang, the industrial fishing company's group managing director, told The Straits Times that CFGL's South Pacific operation will focus on catching the Chilean jack mackerel primarily for the African market, where he sees 'huge demand for the species'.

CFGL is investing about US$100 million (S$155.2 million) over four years - ending next year - on buying, converting, upgrading and chartering vessels for its South Pacific operations. Catches will go to countries such as Nigeria and the Ivory Coast.

The company also plans to move some of its vessels from the North Pacific, where a fleet of 23 currently operates, to the South Pacific.

'Some of the vessels in the North are not operating to full capacity,' said Mr Ng. 'We will reduce the fleet size there and put 10 vessels from the North, along with five chartered and one new vessel, in the South Pacific.'

This year will be the company's maiden year of operations in the South Pacific Ocean, where it is set to become a member of the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organisation.

Singapore is not a member of the body, which was established in 2006 to ensure the long-term sustainable use of fish stocks, so CFGL will gain membership via Russia.

Despite the downturn, CFGL posted a 6.5 per cent rise in net profit to US$94.3 million for the financial year ending Dec 31 last year.

High oil prices dented its results last year, but operating costs are expected to come down substantially this year because of falling oil prices.

Mr Ng forecasts that demand for fish will remain buoyant despite the current economic slump. Although people will dine out less, they will continue to eat at fast-food joints and will increasingly buy raw fish to cook at home.

He added: 'Consumers are increasingly looking at fish as the healthier choice, and population is also increasing. So the demand for fish has not waned. In fact, it is going up - especially for the low-cost fish, which CFGL provides.'

Currently, the China market is the biggest contributor to the company's earnings.

Singapore honours Dutch scientist for low-cost waste water treatment

Chew Wui Lynn, Channel NewsAsia 9 Mar 09;

SINGAPORE: Professor Gatze Lettinga of the Netherlands has been awarded the Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize 2009. He has developed a way to purify industrial and domestic wastewater in a widespread, cost-effective manner, producing useful by-products in the process.

The professor has been involved in the study of wastewater treatment since the 1970s. Over the years, he has developed what he calls an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB).

Despite its complex name, the theory behind the discovery is simple. Industrial or domestic wastewater is channelled into a tank where waste material or sludge accumulates at the bottom.

The sludge naturally contains micro-organisms that break down contaminants in the water. In this way, the water gets treated and flows up and out of the tank.

It will, however, still require further purification before it is considered safe for drinking.

Biogas, such as methane, is produced in the process and could be reused as energy. In fact, the whole procedure produces enough energy to be self-sustaining, as is the case at a water purification plant in the Netherlands.

Unlike other treatment techniques, Professor Lettinga's invention does not require oxygen to be pumped in to sustain the micro-organisms. This results in energy savings of 30 to 40 per cent, making it an affordable option.

As a result, Singapore's PUB is conducting pilot projects on the technology and may apply it in the future.

Khoo Teng Chye, chief executive of PUB & executive director of the Environment and Water Industry Development Council, said: "Going forward, in the area of the large-scale water reclamation, the municipal used water... this technology is quite promising."

Despite the many benefits of the invention, Professor Lettinga has taken the surprising step of not patenting it.

"For our environmental protection, we shouldn't have a patent on the concept. Everybody everywhere in the world should be able to use the concept of the treatment system and to improve it or whatsoever. That was the idea. Not patenting," the professor said.

For his achievement, he will get around US$194,000, an award certificate and a gold medallion at a ceremony to be held in Singapore in June.- CNA/so

Singapore honours Dutch scientist
Yahoo News 9 Mar 09;

SINGAPORE (AFP) – Singapore said Monday it will award nearly 200,000 US dollars to a Dutch scientist who pioneered an environmentally friendly, low-cost way of treating waste water and refused to patent the process.

Gatze Lettinga, an environmental engineer from Amsterdam, was chosen as this year's winner of the award, launched in 2008 and named after Singapore's founding father and former prime minister Lee Kuan Yew, officials said.

Resource-starved Singapore, which is already recycling sewage into clean water for use in factories and homes, gives out the award to honour persons or groups for "outstanding contributions" in the field of water.

Lettinga, who turns 73 next month, said he did not patent his discovery because he wanted everyone to benefit.

"I believe that innovative technologies for treating used water, waste, and gas... will contribute to more sustainable living which the world urgently needs," the retired professor told a news conference in Singapore.

Lettinga focused on anaerobic technology, which uses micro-organisms in an oxygen-free environment to purify waste water before it is released to the environment, reducing the threat of pollution.

While anaerobic technology has been around for hundreds of years, his research proved that it can be done at a much lower cost and in a manner that is environmentally sustainable, organisers of the award said in a statement.

Because it does not use oxygen, anaerobic technology uses up to 40 percent less energy than the conventional aerobic system and is also cheaper to operate and maintain, the statement said.

The technology is now used is almost 3,000 reactors, representing 80 percent of all anaerobic used water treatment systems worldwide.

The award, which comes with a cash prize of 300,000 Singapore dollars (194,000 US) and a gold medallion, is sponsored by the Millennium Foundation, a philanthropic body supported by sovereign wealth fund Temasek Holdings.

Prof wins Water Prize for treatment system
Dutchmen's invention - using bacteria to treat wastewater efficiently - is used worldwide today
Grace Chua, Straits Times 10 Mar 09;

WHEN Dutch environmental technology professor Gatze Lettinga began studying anaerobic wastewater treatment in 1970, he knew nothing about the subject.

Still, he kept working on the technology, which mimics nature's way of breaking down waste anaerobically, that is, in the absence of oxygen.

For coming up with a widely used, energy-saving, wastewater treatment reactor, the 72-year-old yesterday became the second recipient of the prestigious Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize. His invention beat 38 other nominations from 19 countries, all of which are projects tackling global water problems.

The emeritus professor from Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands will be presented the $300,000 prize in June during the Singapore International Water Week, at which industry leaders, policymakers and experts will meet here to discuss water issues.

Last year's inaugural prize was won by Dr Andrew Benedek, the Canadian whose pioneering research in membrane filtration is now applied here to treat and purify sewage to produce Newater.

Prof Lettinga's design, called upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) technology, uses a layer of caviar-like sludge granules which contain a cocktail of bacterial micro-organisms.

These bugs digest contaminants in wastewater, leaving the treated water to be filtered off for discharge or further purification. The process produces methane gas, which can be collected as fuel.

UASB systems cost half as much as conventional aerobic treatment systems, and use 30 to 40 per cent less energy.

Professor Lettinga chose not to patent the technology, as he believes any technology which can improve the environment 'should be available to everybody'.

Today, more than 3,000 industrial and domestic treatment systems worldwide - about eight in 10 of the world's anaerobic wastewater treatment systems - use the technology. Such reactors can be found in sugar refineries, breweries, paper mills and other industries.

The technology has yet to reach its full potential. While the bacteria in anaerobic reactors are most effective in tropical climates, they are so far used only in Colombia, Brazil and India.

A pilot study is being done to see if it could be used here, said Mr Khoo Teng Chye, the chief of national water agency PUB.

Prof Lettinga won the annual Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement in 2007 for his invention. He is also a board member of the Lettinga Associates Foundation, which develops and implements sustainable environmental technologies.

Energy officials in talks with gencos' new owners

Ronnie Lim, Business Times 10 Mar 09;

WITH the divestment of Singapore's three power generating companies (gencos) having been officially wrapped up by Temasek Holdings, senior energy officials led by a minister have begun visiting the new foreign owners of the power plants.

Familiarisation visits kicked off last week, when a team led by Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry S Iswaran and new Energy Market Authority (EMA) chief executive Lawrence Wong met China Huaneng, which bought Tuas Power for $4.23 billion in March last year.

Tuas Power - the smallest of the island's three gencos but with the newest plant - was the first to be divested.

Next up for the visit, apparently, is Senoko Power - the biggest genco but with the oldest plant - which was sold to Japanese/ French Lion Power consortium for $4 billion in September last year. Senoko is in the midst of spending $750 million to convert three oil-fired plants into two more efficient gas-fired units.

The third and final genco divested is PowerSeraya, sold for $3.8 billion to Malaysia's YTL Group in a deal officially completed last Friday.

Upcoming issues in Singapore's electricity and gas markets include a proposed interim measure to help smaller consumers benefit from competition ahead of full opening up of the electricity market; and the import of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to boost energy security by supplementing current piped gas supplies from Malaysia and Indonesia.

Sources said these issues are expected to figure in talks with the new genco owners.

Currently, bigger industrial and commercial customers - who account for three quarters of the electricity market here - can choose which retailer they want to buy from and at what price. Other users, including some 1.2 million small consumers, have so far been unable to do so.

Full retail contestability - pilot trials are now going on - is expected to take another three years to implement. So EMA is proposing as an interim measure that gencos bid for part of the domestic electricity load on a competitive basis.

This is understood to have cropped up in talks with Tuas Power, given that EMA expects to complete a detailed study of the proposal by year-end and to implement the idea next year.

On LNG, BT has previously reported that construction of Singapore's $1 billion terminal is expected to start by mid-year, with the project expected to come on stream around mid to late-2012. Meanwhile, the LNG aggregator, BG Group, has been trying to firm up LNG purchases by gencos here.

The LNG plan is especially attractive to Senoko's owner Lion Power, as many of its consortium partners are involved in LNG either as buyers or traders, with France's GDF Suez also having a 30 per cent stake in the Singapore LNG terminal.

Apart from being a major user of the LNG terminal, Lion Power also plans to go into LNG trading here once BG's local monopoly on LNG imports expires.

Singapore, Jakarta to sign border pact

Straits Times 10 Mar 09;

SINGAPORE Foreign Minister George Yeo is visiting Jakarta today to sign a bilateral maritime border agreement with Indonesia.

The agreement on the western segment of their maritime border will delimit the western part of the Strait of Singapore,said a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday.

Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said early last month that the new borderline was drawn between Indonesia's Pulau Nipah and Singapore's Sultan Shoal.

Pulau Nipah is located between the Indonesian islands of Batam and Karimun Besar.

While in Jakarta, Mr Yeo will officiate the opening of the new chancery of the Singapore Embassy.

He will also be meeting prominent Indonesian academics and media personalities, the statement said.

Republic Indonesia, Singapore ink sea border agreement
The Jakarta Post 10 Mar 09;

After four years of negotiations, the governments of Indonesia and Singapore agreed on a sea border on Tuesday, formed by Nipah and Tuas islands in the Singapore strait, Antara state newswire reports.

After signing the deal with Singapore's foreign minister George Yeo, Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda said the agreement was in its second stage after first being inked in May, 1973.

Under the agreement, the two islands would form part of Singapore's western sea border, although it is unclear from the report whether the islands would be part of Singapore or Indonesian territory.

"We hope this deal will help develop cooperative ties between the two countries, and we are optimistic about reaching similar agreements for the eastern sea border, later," Wirajuda said.

The eastern sea border is divided into two segments. The first segment includes an area between Changi and Batam, while the second encompasses a region between Bintan and South Ledge/Middle Rock/Pedra Branca.

Minister George Yeo said both governments would discuss the two segments immediately but had not set any deadlines to finalize the negotiations. (ewd)

Singapore, Indonesia sign maritime border treaty
Channel NewsAsia Indonesia Bureau Chief Sujadi Siswo 10 Mar 09;

JAKARTA: Singapore and Indonesia have signed a maritime border agreement, which extends a sea boundary between the two neighbours.

The agreement was signed on Tuesday after four years of talks, with both sides hailing it as an important milestone in bilateral relations. But it still has to be ratified by their respective parliaments before the treaty can come into effect.

Doing the honours in Jakarta were Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo and his Indonesian counterpart, Mr Hassan Wirajuda – both of whom had initiated the talks in 2005.

"It is not often that foreign ministers would begin talks on border delimitation and end up being able to sign them because it usually takes time. This is the essence of good relations where we work towards win-win outcomes. This agreement is an important milestone in our bilateral relations," said Mr Yeo.

The new sea boundary is an extension of an existing maritime treaty signed in 1973. It lies off the western part of Singapore near Tuas and Indonesia's Nipah Island which is part of the Riau Islands.

It is also in compliance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which both countries are signatories of.

Indonesia, an archipelago, shares its border with ten countries. It said Tuesday's agreement will further strengthen bilateral relations between Jakarta and Singapore.

The Indonesian foreign minister said: "Border diplomacy is one of the priority areas of Indonesia's diplomacy."

Both countries will refer the treaty to their respective parliament for ratification. Jakarta will seek ratification from the new parliament after the elections next month.

However, buoyed by the successful completion of this treaty, talks will soon start on the eastern sea border between the two countries.

The first involves an area off Indonesia's Batam Island and Singapore's Changi area. The other is located between Indonesia's Bintan Island and South Ledge near Pedra Branca, which Singapore and Malaysia have competing claims.

The successful completion of the border agreement within a relatively short period of time, without a third-party resolution, is certainly a remarkable achievement.

Both countries are now determined and optimistic that the remaining part of the sea border can be settled with the same spirit of friendship and compromise.- CNA/so

Singapore and Jakarta sign border accord
Agreement covers the western segment of the maritime boundary
Salim Osman, Straits Times 11 Mar 09;

JAKARTA: Singapore and Indonesia yesterday signed an agreement demarcating the western segment of their maritime border.

The agreement - the result of eight rounds of talks - sets down a borderline drawn between Indonesia's Pulau Nipa and the western part of Singapore.

The pact will have to be ratified by the Indonesian Parliament to come into effect.

The last maritime border pact between the two countries was signed in May 25, 1973.

Talks on the latest agreement began in 2005. Reports then indicated concern among Indonesian officials over reclamation works by Singapore.

Foreign Minister George Yeo, who signed the treaty on behalf of Singapore yesterday, hailed it as 'an important milestone in bilateral relations'.

'Once the agreement is ratified, we look forward to the negotiation of the eastern borders, which I hope will be marked by the same spirit of friendship and compromise on both sides,' he said at a joint press conference with his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda after the ceremony.

Mr Yeo added that the legal certainty and clarity provided by the treaty would help both sides step up security in the area.

'We've already had coordinated patrols against piracy by security forces from both sides...With this new border agreement, (cooperation) will be even better,' he said.

Indonesia's military chief, General Djoko Santoso, who was also at the ceremony, told reporters: 'This agreement gives us a certainty over our fixed maritime territories so that the security enforcement in the sea and air will be more effective.'

Indonesian Foreign Minister Wirajuda too welcomed the treaty for strengthening bilateral ties.

'The agreement just signed certainly reflects the adherence of both Singapore and Indonesia to the principles contained in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea,' he noted.

Mr Wirajuda said his government would present the treaty to Parliament for ratification after the country's legislative elections next month.

Both sides, he said, will now look towards settling the eastern segments of their borders. There was no indication when talks on these would start.

One segment covers the area between Indonesia's Batam and Singapore's Changi.

Another section involves Indonesia's Bintan, as well as South Ledge, Middle Rocks and Pedra Branca.

Mr Wirajuda said that talks on Bintan and the rest will have to await the outcome of negotiations between Singapore and Malaysia following the ruling last year by the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

The ICJ had granted Singapore sovereignty over Pedra Branca and awarded Malaysia the Middle Rocks outcrop.

Who owns South Ledge is still being worked out by the two sides. The ICJ's view is that it belongs to the country in whose waters it sits.

Mr Wirajuda said yesterday that while he could not provide a timeframe for the next phase of maritime border negotiations, he was optimistic that it could be reached in five years.

'The treaty we have signed today took us five years to complete,' he noted. 'The border delimitation with Vietnam took us 33 years to complete.'

'That is why I appreciate the goodwill and cooperation of both delegations for being able to conclude an agreement in five years,' he said.

Later in the day, Mr Yeo opened the new chancery in Jakarta, which ranks among Singapore's biggest missions in the world.

The size of the mission, he said, was a reflection of the close and multifaceted relationship between the two sides.

Indonesia, Singapore sign maritime border pact
Treaty seen as boost to anti-piracy efforts in Malacca Strait
Business Times 11 Mar 09;

(JAKARTA) Indonesia and Singapore signed a treaty setting out part of their shared maritime boundary yesterday, in a move touted as a boon for anti-piracy efforts in the strategic Malacca Strait.

Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo said that the legal certainty provided by the treaty would boost anti-piracy efforts in the Malacca Strait, where recent joint patrols by the two nations have been credited with causing a drop in the number of attacks.

'We've already had coordinated patrols against piracy by security forces from both sides . . . With this new border agreement, (cooperation) will be even better,' Mr Yeo said.

'This agreement gives us a certainty over our fixed (maritime) territories so that the security enforcement in the sea and air will be more effective,' Indonesian armed forces chief Djoko Santoso said.

More than 30 per cent of world trade and half the world's oil shipments pass through the Malacca Strait, which is shared by Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. Indonesia's navy has warned that the effects of the global financial crisis could lead to a rise in piracy in the Strait.

The agreement legally defines the western part of both countries' sea boundary and was the result of nearly four years of negotiations, Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda told reporters. 'On the future negotiation on (the) eastern maritime segment, we're equally optimistic that it will be successful as well,' he said\. \-- AFP

Indonesia and Singapore Agree on Western Coastal Border
Tempointeraktif.com 11 Mar 09;

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indonesia and Singapore have agreed on the Western coast borders separating the two countries. The maritime border agreement was signed by the foreign affairs ministers of both countries, Hassan Wirajuda and George Yeoh, at the Indonesian Foreign Affairs’ Pancasila Building in Jakarta, yesterday.

The two ministers agreed that the agreement can strengthen cooperation between the two countries. “We hope this can generate bilateral cooperation,” Wirajuda said at the press conference after signing the deal. “It can also be the start for negotiations on an Eastern maritime border agreement,” George Yeoh added.

Wirajuda said negotiations on the Western border agreement would be a learning experience for the next agreement. However, he could not confirm when all borders between the two countries would be discussed. “This involves many aspects and can be complicated. We cannot, at this time, determine how long it will take,” he said. He cited the negotiations on the Vietnam border which took up 32 years.

The Indonesia-Singapore Western maritime border is located between the Indonesia’s Nipah Island and that of Sultan Soul, belonging to Singapore. According to the Justice and International Agreement director-general Arief Havas Oegroseno, negotiations took five years to complete. The western borderline is joined in the middle border, located between the islands of Batam and Singapore.

Havas confirmed that Singapore’s reclamation did not affect the maritime border decision. “We don’t want it to be used as reference,” he said. In the agreement, the frontier begins with Nipah Island, with the line stretching from Greater Karimun Island. The line was determined in 1960 and was revised by Government Regulation No. 37/2008. Meanwhile, Singapore is using basic coastal line, therefore the reclamation did not affect anything. “From the very beginning, we did not want the reclamation to become the basic point,” Havas said.

After the signing of the agreement, Indonesia and Singapore still has one more maritime border to be discussed, namely the Eastern segment. The Eastern segment is divided into two, the First East, consisting of Batam and Changi; and the Second East, covering Bintan-Pedra Branca and Southledge. The subsequent negotiations will focus about the First East because this area only involves the two countries and its length is relatively short. “The next will be the Second East, because we must await the results of negotiations between Singapore and Malaysia,” Havas said. In the Second East zone, Singapore also share borders with Malaysia.

After the agreement is signed, Havas hopes a legal certainty can be established to refer to all border-related measures. “Operations involving security patrols would be more clear because there will be legal certainty, not based on assumptions as in the past,” he said.

Indonesian military (TNI) welcomes the border agreement. “The agreement provides legal certainty in maritime and air control, so operations will be easier,” commented Indonesian Armed Forces chief, Gen. Djoko Santoso, after attending the signing of the agreement. He said the agreement. This can improve coordination of operations with Singapore especially in dealing crimes at the border zones. So far, both countries, together with Malaysia and Thailand, carry out joint-patrols to secure the Malacca Strait.

In anticipation of this Indonesian-Singaporean border agreement, the TNI has constructed checkpoints at Nipah Island. “That will be the Indonesian Navy’s guard post. Its construction has been completed and is now operational,” Djoko said.

TITIS SETIANINGTYAS | MANAN

Construction of Tianjin eco-city well under way

Tracy Quek, Straits Times 10 Mar 09;

BEIJING: - The global economic turmoil will have only a 'limited and short' impact on the China-Singapore eco-city project in Tianjin, a senior official said yesterday.

Construction on the first 4 sq km phase of the 50 billion yuan (S$11.3 billion) project that will showcase how economic growth can be balanced with environmental protection is well under way, Mr Gou Lijun, director of Tianjin's Binhai New Area Administrative Committee, told reporters during China's annual legislative session.

Since the project's groundbreaking last September, the city, which is being built from scratch in Tianjin's Binhai New Area, has already attracted a variety of companies and industries, including a national-level animation centre and the Huang Ming Solar Energy firm, Mr Gou said.

Tianjin's top university, Nankai, is also setting up a branch in the city. In addition, Singapore and China will collaborate to set up an environmental school there, he added.

Car giant Toyota, PetroChina and the Tianjin Beijiang power plant have also signed agreements with the eco-city. Mr Gou did not go into details.

He said that prospective buyers for more than 7,000 apartments being built in the city have been found.

This year, construction work will start on public facilities, including schools and hospitals.

To date, 10 companies have been registered and set up with an investment of 3.51 billion yuan and more projects for the eco-city are in the pipeline or being launched soon, the official Xinhua news agency reported over the weekend.

It quoted Mr Cui Guangzhi, vice-chairman of the eco-city administrative committee which plansand oversees the project, as saying that despite the economic crisis, there would be 'no change to the eco-city's construction goals, and no slowdown in pace'.

He said the eco-city will 'work hard' to attract 10 billion yuan worth of investment this year.

The eco-city is the second flagship project between Singapore and China after the Suzhou Industrial Park. It will be built over the next 15 years and eventually stretch across 30 sq km. The city will be home to 350,000 inhabitants who will live and work there.

Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong, who proposed the eco-city when he met Premier Wen Jiabao in Beijing in April 2007, had said for it to succeed, it should be commercially viable as well as replicable elsewhere in China.

To support the development of the city, planners will build up strengths in sectors such as modern services, finance, software development as well as research and development, Mr Gou said.

Fireflies lose sparkle as mangroves come down in Sungai Selangor

Elan Perumal, The Star 10 Mar 09;

INDISCRIMINATE land clearing along the banks of Sungai Selangor are threatening the fireflies in Kampung Kuantan, Kuala Selangor.

The acts of some irresponsible land owners who have rented out their plots to outsiders have been identified as the main culprits.

The riverbanks have been cleared of the mangrove trees such as nibong and rumbia, and replaced with those that will generate higher income including oil palm.

The original trees were not only conducive to the existence of the millions of the fireflies that live on berembang trees but have also been a source of income for the villagers who weaved attap roofs from the rumbia and nibong leaves.

A check also revealed that the facilities at the sanctuary were not fully used due to a lack of visitors.

The gazebos are left empty while the playground equipment has also been left unattended.

The tourist development centre which is located just behind the jetty also appeared to be in a deplorable state.

Sahar Lahajar, who is a coordinator at the Kampung Kuantan firefly sanctuary, said the land clearing work started in 2007.

He said Kampung Lubok was one of the areas where major clearing had been done.

“The nibong and rumbia trees had been replaced with oil palm trees, while some areas have not been planted with any crops yet.

“The indiscrimate land-clearing is not good for the fireflies as the insects live on the mangrove trees,’’ he said, adding that the land clearing had also been done along the riverbanks at the sanctuary.

Besides felling trees, Sahar said the irresponsible parties had also conducted open burning and built drains in the area.

He said there were 31 boatmen at the sanctuary, which was one of the state’s unique tourist attractions.

Sahar said the number of visitors to the village had not been encouraging in recent years and he felt that the mangrove trees must be protected.

“The government has done its bit to save the fireflies by barring boats with engines since 2004.

“They have also improved the facilities around the jetty and I think they should also do something to stop the clearing of the trees so that we will not lose this natural heritage,’’ he said

Boatman Fuad Arif, 62, said Kampung Kuantan had earned its name among tourists from all over the world since 1978.

He said he was one of many who had been earning a living ferrying visitors to view the fireflies.

“It is important that the environment is maintained as naturally as possible so that the fireflies will continue to live here,’’ he said.

Kuala Selangor District Council secretary Azahari Sairin said the council had identified those who were responsible for the clearing of the mangroves and it was taking action against the culprits.

He said it was an offence to clear land within a 5km radius of the Sungai Selangor riverbanks under the Local Plan.

“We are also in discussions with the Forest Research Institute of Malayisa (FRIM) on the possibility of planting mangroves at the affected areas,’’ he said.

It’s good to know Tioman will not be spoilt after all

The Star 10 mar 09;

IT IS indeed good news for Malaysians and a vindication for nature lovers to hear “Tioman Airport Extension Off” (The Star, March 8).

For years now, the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) and its members have been working towards ensuring that Tioman Island’s unique and fragile ecosystem is sustainably managed and conserved.

We thank the Transport Ministry for being sensitive towards the many reports and feedback on the environmental impact of such a project and reiterate our stand that a designated marine park island such as Tioman must be managed holistically. We should also take into account that conservation must take precedence over mega projects and increasing visitors’ numbers.

We also urge the Federal Government to solve the jurisdictional authority of marine park management and put into motion resources to deal with waste management, sustainable planning and encourage eco-friendly practices on all our islands so that our these will forever be on top of the deserving list of marine park islands of the world.

ANDREW J. SEBASTIAN,
Head of Communications,
Malaysian Nature Society.

Tioman airport extension off
Simon Khoo, The Star 8 Mar 09;

KUANTAN: The proposal to build a new RM120mil airport on Tioman Island for bigger aircraft has been called off, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat said.

Ong said the ministry decided this recently after considering various factors, particularly the impact on the environment.

“I have personally gone through each and every report pertaining to the pros and cons of the project.

“We are instead proposing to upgrade the present airport to cater for ATR (turboprop) aircraft,” he said after opening the Indera Mahkota MCA division new office here yesterday.

Ong said an allocation would be sought under the 10th Malaysia Plan for the new proposal.

“I would like to stress that the decision to cancel the project was due to the negative impact on the environment, particularly corals and marine life and not due to pressure from certain quarters.”

He said a new environment impact assessment study would be carried out.

The construction of the new airport on reclaimed land in Kampung Paya, some 2km from Kampung Tekek, was supposed to have commenced in 2004. However, the project drew strong protests from villagers and chalet operators in Kampung Paya, Kampung Genting and Kampung Mukut.

On another matter, Ong said the ministry would embark on a plan to rebrand Malaysia’s many ports to enhance international competitiveness.

He said several had already make it to the top 20 international ranking such as Port Klang (West Port and North Port), Tanjung Pelepas, Penang, Kemaman-Kuantan and Bintulu.

“Port business is getting very competitive due to the emerging of many new ports in the region. We need to look at country rebranding to position our ports in the midst of international competition.”

He said Kuantan Port had the potential to be listed in the top 20 and plans were in the pipeline to upgrade its facilities under the East Coast Economic Region (ECER) masterplan.

“To attract bigger vessels to dock, a breakwater and capital dredging project must be carried out in Kuantan Port,” he said, adding that he would personally go to the ground to expedite its development.

On party matters, Ong, who is also MCA president, said he would dedicate more of his time on his work instead of getting involved in party politicking.

“My comrades and the grassroots have been sending me text messages to cheer me up over the unpleasant developments in the party of late.

“They had given their reassurance they will stand solidly behind us – the leadership – to tide over the difficulties ahead.”

Pesticides in Malaysia's padi fields

Hilary Chiew, The Star 10 Mar 09;

Banned agro-chemicals continue to find their way into rice fields.

IMAGES of golden brown rice stalks swaying in the gentle breeze or a sprawling green vista come to mind when one thinks of the padi fields of Kedah. Apart from the knowledge that at 96,558ha the Muda Agriculture Development Agency (Mada) is the largest rice production centre in the country, many may not have a clue as to what goes into the production of the staple grain.

Set up in the late 1960s, Mada was envisioned to be the proverbial rice bowl as part of the socio-economic development plan of Malaysia. Today, it accounts for close to 50% of the country’s rice production of 2.3 million tonnes.

In June, Mada will turn 39. Apparently things are not all going well in the rice fields and among the 48,500 farmers who toil to put the pearly white grains on our plates. Plagued by floods and droughts in recent years which the farmers attribute to climate change as well as diminishing soil fertility and pesticide poisoning, rice farming has never been more challenging.

Other problems notwithstanding, it now appears that agro-chemicals misuse, a habit inevitably inculcated by the government subsidy scheme, is proving to be a hard habit to kick.

Under the Pesticides Act 1974, 28 insecticides, herbicides and fungicides have been banned. However, the notorious endosulfan, a highly acute toxin and a suspected endocrine disruptor, which was banned in November 2005 with a one year phase-out period to clear existing stocks is still widely applied in rice farms.

Marketed under the trade name of Thiodan by Bayer, endosulfan is heavily relied on by farmers in the Mada scheme to solve all sorts of pest attacks.

Endosulfan is banned in more than 50 countries. Due to its high toxicity and high potential for bioaccumulation and environmental contamination, a global ban on the use and manufacture of endosulfan is being considered under the Stockholm Convention. The international agreement to phase out harmful chemicals referred to as Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) decided at its meeting last October to list endosulfan as a POP by its next meeting at the end of the year.

Chemicals-dependent

However, rice farmers in the Mada scheme openly admit that the prohibited substance is available and constantly sprayed to rid the farms of pests, especially the golden apple snail (siput gondang emas).

Generally referred to as racun Cina (Chinese poison) as the packaging carries only descriptions in Chinese words, farmers say they have no choice but to rely on the banned pesticide “for its effectiveness”.

Ismail Shafie, 36, of Permatang Kenanga pays RM6 for a packet and generally uses two packets for one relong (about 0.4ha) to kill off the snails. “It’s the most effective solution but we are worried about the side-effects.”

From time to time, there have been newspaper reports of farmers complaining of skin rashes and sprayers falling sick after applying the chemicals in the field.

Veteran farmer Tajudin Yaakob, 55, echoes Ismail’s sentiments. He says farmers have been buying agro-chemicals such as endosulfan and methomyl from the black market, adding that the contraband came from Thailand.

He claims that endosulfan is readily supplied by at least five shops in his area, Kampung Air Hitam in Jerlun. “But they’ll only sell to farmers whom they trust,” he adds.

As the Agriculture Department has beefed up enforcement, sellers and buyers have devised ingenious ways to evade detection. For example, farmers would place orders in the shop but pick up the contraband in a rubbish bin at another location.

Tajudin says his problem with pests began after he switched from the traditional transplanting practice to direct seeding 15 years ago. Before Mada’s intervention, farmers sow rice seeds in a nursery and transplant the saplings to the growing plot later.

“Twenty years ago, I used buffaloes to plough my farm and I never used pesticides. But now, my farm cannot do without these chemicals,” he adds.

His neighbour Azmi Abdul Jalil, 60, shares his frustrations. “The number of pesticides used have increased tremendously. For one relong we spend RM120 for two rounds of herbicide spraying and RM45 for three times of pesticide spraying and that excludes labour costs,” he explains.

More checks

Agriculture Department deputy director-general (operation) Sulaiman Md Zain admits that use of contraband agro-chemicals is a growing problem but the authorities are doing all they can to curb smuggling and nab local culprits who offer the prohibited chemicals to farmers.

He says enforcement together with Customs officers had some success but is frustrated by pacts between farmers and suppliers. “Suppliers even go direct to the farms and this is rampant in the Mada area. However, we are educating the farmers through our extension programme on the danger of these banned chemicals.”

In Kedah and Perlis, out of 290 premises that were licensed to sell agro-chemicals, 59 operators had their permits revoked for contravening the Pesticides Act in 2006.

Since 2007, Sulaiman says roadblocks at entry points bordering Thailand have been mounted following reports of smuggling, and raids have been extended to farms.

“The contraband is usually concealed in vegetable trucks coming from Thailand.” He adds that due to limited resources, there is no 100% inspection and enforcement relies on tip-offs and intelligence gathering.

In the last two years, only two of the 21 roadblocks uncovered contraband. At the farms, 442 raids were conducted, with 20 confiscations and 12 convictions. Between 1998 and 2008, 6,271 checks conducted nationwide resulted in 555 confiscations, 365 prosecutions and half a million ringgit in fines. No offenders were jailed.

Damaging subsidies

Critics of agro-chemicals say the Government fails to see the co-relation between its agro-chemical subsidies and chemical dependence in the country’s rice fields.

Third World Network sustainable agriculture researcher Lim Li Ching says the problem afflicting Mada can be traced to the adoption of the Green Revolution by Malaysia. The Green Revolution is an international movement which started in the 1960s on agriculture expansion to feed growing populations.

“Mada spearheaded the two-season farming practice with government subsidies in high yield varieties (HYV) and agro-chemical inputs. As with the Green Revolution, mono-cropping of HYV is accompanied by a rapid rise in pesticide application as these varieties were more susceptible to pest outbreaks,” she explains.

By the 70s, she adds, Green Revolution-style farming has replaced the traditional farming practices of many developing countries. By the 90s, almost 75% of Asian rice areas were sown with these new varieties.

The Mada area is planted with several types of HYVs developed by the Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (Mardi).

Consumers Association of Penang education officer N.V. Subbarow urges the Government to review its subsidy policies and take steps to reform the rice growing system.

Sulaiman says the department is encouraging sustainable agricultural practices that include the reduction in the use of chemicals and organic farming methods but acknowledges that so far the programme only reaches out to vegetable and fruit farmers.

Snail invasion
The Star 10 Mar 09;

IT WAS first detected at Wan Mat Saman’s irrigation canal in Pangkalan Kundur, Kedah, in 1992. From there, it gradually spread to the nearby Mada (Muda Agriculture Development Agency) rice fields.

Today, it is said to infest about 2,000ha of the 96,558ha-granary. The golden apple snails, locally known as siput gondang emas, is an invasive alien species that is devastating rice fields in the north and there is no clear solution to it yet. Two species were found to have infested the Mada farms – Pomacea canaliculata and Pomacea insularum.

It is believed that the snail that is native to Latin America was brought into the country by the food trade which was hoping to raise the gastropod but was unsuccessful. At some point, it was discharged into the environment. The snail is also creating havoc in other Asian rice planting regions.

According to the Global Invasive Species Programme, the snail can spread rapidly from agricultural areas into wetlands and other natural freshwater systems and can threaten native aquatic vegetation and aquatic fauna, including native snails.

Climatic modelling has shown that it has the potential to spread to other uninfested areas, such as the huge rice growing areas of India. It has already been introduced to the United States and threatens the major rice crops of Texas and California. After years of looking into the problem, the Programme concludes that eradication of established populations is probably not possible. It recommends that in rice and taro fields, regular hand picking is a reliable method to control apple snail populations without harming the environment.

Farmers in Mada are relying heavily on the banned endosulfan to rid the ferocious snails that can devour an entire plot overnight. The Agriculture Department is experimenting with mechanical, biological and chemical control measures.

Department deputy director-general (operation) Sulaiman Md Zain says inundation of the irrigation canal with sea water by opening the coastal watergate during high tides has been carried out to kill the snails but the method needs careful execution to prevent sea water from entering rice fields.

Ducks have also been roped in to help eradicate the snails. So far, three farmers are in the pilot scheme. However, part-time farmer Che Halim Idris of Kampung Air Hitam in Jerlun says this method will fail as long as farmers continue to spray the fields with agro-chemicals as the ducks will succumb to chemical poisoning.

“My mother used to raise about 50 ducks at any one time but they started dying,” recalls the English teacher. “It seems like the more we use modern technologies, the more problems we get,” he says.

Seeking safer options
The Star 10 Mar 09;

SACKS of organic fertiliser sit idly underneath some stilt houses in Jerlun, Kedah. The same type of fertiliser supplied to rice farmers in the Mada (Muda Agriculture Development Agency) scheme can also be seen in the storerooms of some farmers’ houses.

The fertilisers came as part of the additional subsidies under the Food Supply Assurance Policy launched last year in response to the global food crisis, to boost rice production and were distributed to eligible farmers for two seasons beginning last April.

However, farmers are rejecting the organic fertiliser as they found it to be ineffective. They claim that it made the soil soggy and gave them skin rashes. The additional subsidies also include a chemical package for a host of pest problems – rats, snails and stem-borers – and a subsidy for tractor services.

Tajudin Yaakob of Kampung Air Hitam in Jerlun questions the lack of consultation by the authorities on the needs of farmers. “The package is so rigid. We were told to choose from a selected number of pesticides and we had to take the substandard organic fertiliser. Why can’t they let us choose the type of pesticides that we know can work rather than give us useless stuff?”

The farmers reckon a coupon system where they can purchase the farm inputs that they want at the regional farmers’ organisation stores would be more effective.

Agriculture Department deputy director-general Sulaiman Md Zain says the supplier of the “sub-standard” fertiliser is being investigated for not meeting the specification of the contract.

In Kuala Kedah, farmer Md Saad Ali who finds the additional subsidies a waste of taxpayers’ money, no longer use pesticides on his farms but rely on organic concoctions to keep pests and weeds at bay.

“The authorities are ignoring our efforts and continue to waste money on all these agro-chemicals. We can’t refuse the fertilisers and pesticides as these come in a package with the RM28.35 per ha tractor subsidy. We either accept the package or we get nothing,” he claims.

Md Saad is producing his own organic fertilisers based on methods learnt from organic farming workshops organised by the Consumers Association of Penang. For the last four years, the 62-year-old farmer has experimented with organic methods and now has reached out to 1,000 farmers from Kuala Kedah up to Perlis. He says within the Kota Star district, 10 farmers with a combined 100 relong (one relong is about 0.4ha) of farm land are adopting organic ways.

Md Saad now spends about RM8 per relong to solve pest problems compared to RM1,900 for his 12 relong of land within a season when he was dependent on agro-chemicals.

Besides the decreasing costs of external inputs, he claims that the yield is compatible with the conventional method and is picking up after four years. He acknowledges that there are farmers who are sceptical and reluctant to try new ways because they are reliant on the agro-chemical subsidies.

Md Saad says he would never return to applying chemicals as his health has suffered and he believes some of his friends had died at the relatively young age of 50 due to long-term chemical poisoning.

“There’s no future for agriculture in this country if we continue on this agro-chemical path. If we have alternatives, we should not continue with the toxic way,” he concludes.

Maldives moves to protect its sharks

Gaia Vince, BBC News 9 Mar 09;

Hunting reef sharks is now banned throughout Maldivian waters.

The government decision has made the Indian Ocean archipelago the first nation in the region to outlaw the practice.

Shark numbers have plummeted in the Maldives in recent years because a significant minority of fishermen target sharks for their lucrative fins, which are used in shark-fin soup, a luxury Asian dish.

Once its fins have been cut off, the shark is often returned to the sea where it suffocates over many painful hours.

In 1998, the government imposed a 10-year moratorium on shark fishing within the seven "tourist atolls" because of concerns about the impact the practice was having on the tourism industry - many people are attracted to the Maldives because it offers the opportunity to snorkel and scuba dive with sharks and other marine life.

But there is no reliable way to determine whether a shark fin on the market has been taken from a tourist atoll or from elsewhere in the Maldives. And because the fish migrate between atolls, legal hunting has led to a noticeable decline in shark populations in the reefs surrounding the tourist resorts.

'Safe haven'

The new ban prevents fishermen from hunting reef sharks in all of the Maldives' 26 atolls and for up to 12 nautical miles (22km) off the atoll coasts.

It will be extended in one year's time to include a ban on hunting oceanic sharks such as tiger sharks and whale sharks, Dr Ibrahim Didi, minister for fisheries and agriculture, said.

"The protection measures… should lead to a sharp recovery in shark numbers, providing a boon for both the environment and the tourism industry," Didi said.

"It will pave the way to a complete ban on the export of all shark products."

The move was welcomed by marine conservationists who have long campaigned for better protection for the 37 species of shark that frequent Maldivian waters.

"Eight years ago, you could see 60 or 70 black-tip reef sharks swimming off our jetty whenever you went snorkelling," said Anke Hofmeister, a marine biologist based at the Soneva Fushi resort in Baa Atoll.

"Now you would be lucky to see two.

"It will take a long time for the shark populations to recover and until the Maldives can be considered a safe haven for sharks; but this ban is a very important first step," Hofmeister added.

Financial alternatives

Sharks are top predators and play an important role in maintaining the population balance of the marine ecosystem.

A decline in shark numbers can lead to an increase in fish numbers further down the food chain, which in turn can cause a crash in the population of very small marine life, such as plankton. Without the smallest creatures, the entire system is threatened.

In the Maldives, sharks have a particularly valuable role in the tourism industry, which generates some 30% of the country's GDP.

According to surveys, about 30% of tourists visit the Maldives for its underwater marine life, and viewing sharks and manta rays are their top priorities.

Diving with sharks generates $2.3m every year and whale shark excursions are responsible for generating about US$10m annually. However, at least one of the resorts offers shark fishing as a guest activity.

Shark fishermen must be compensated in order for the ban to be workable, experts say. Marie Saleem, a reef ecologist at the Marine Research Centre in Male, who led the campaign for the new ban, surveyed the country's estimated 200 shark fishermen and found that most of them would be willing to give up the practice if they were offered alternative occupations that derive a similar income.

Currently, fishermen earn about $100 per shark fin, which is equivalent to killing one shark. Shark hunting contributes about US$100,000 a year to the Maldives economy.

Harbour concerns

The Ministry of Fisheries says it is working with all stakeholders to find alternative livelihoods for fishermen who derive their income from shark hunting. And the new government is also planning to increase police boat patrols around the country, and educate customs officials to recognise shark products.

Hunting is not the only threat to the pelagic population of the Maldives. Shark conservation groups are concerned about a government plan to develop an international harbour on Maamigili island in Alif Dhaal atoll to allow larger ships entry.

"This is an incredibly important area for whale shark migration and one of the few places in the world where it is possible to see whale sharks all year round," said Adam Harman of the Whale Shark Research organisation, who is carrying out a tagging programme of the little-researched animals.

"Whale sharks and manta rays there are already scarred from boat impacts and the new harbour would be devastating."

According to an official in the President's Office, the harbour upgrade has not been confirmed and will undergo a comprehensive environmental assessment before any building work commences.

"The new President takes very seriously the impact of development on marine life, and will specifically investigate any possible harm to whale sharks in considering further development of the harbour," he said.

The Maldives is unique in that it is the only place in the world where it is possible to see whale sharks year round.

The filter-feeders are the world's biggest fish and are additionally threatened by finning, because their large fins make substantial signboards for fish restaurants as well as for shark-fin soup.

Coral Reefs May Start Dissolving When Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Doubles

ScienceDaily 9 Mar 09;

Rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the resulting effects on ocean water are making it increasingly difficult for coral reefs to grow, say scientists.

A study to be published online March 13, 2009 in Geophysical Research Letters by researchers at the Carnegie Institution and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem warns that if carbon dioxide reaches double pre-industrial levels, coral reefs can be expected to not just stop growing, but also to begin dissolving all over the world.

The impact on reefs is a consequence of both ocean acidification caused by the absorption of carbon dioxide into seawater and rising water temperatures. Previous studies have shown that rising carbon dioxide will slow coral growth, but this is the first study to show that coral reefs can be expected to start dissolving just about everywhere in just a few decades, unless carbon dioxide emissions are cut deeply and soon.

"Globally, each second, we dump over 1000 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and, each second, about 300 tons of that carbon dioxide is going into the oceans," said co-author Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution's Department of Global Ecology, testifying to the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife of the Committee on Natural Resources on February 25, 2009. "We can say with a high degree of certainty that all of this CO2 will make the oceans more acidic – that is simple chemistry taught to freshman college students."

The study was designed determine the impact of this acidification on coral reefs. The research team, consisting of Jacob Silverman, Caldeira, and Long Cao of the Carnegie Institution as well as Boaz Lazar and Jonathan Erez from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, used field data from coral reefs to determine the effects of temperature and water chemistry on coral calcification rates. Armed with this information, they plugged the data into a computer model that calculated global seawater temperature and chemistry at different atmospheric levels of CO2 ranging from the pre-industrial value of 280 ppm (parts per million) to 750 ppm. The current atmospheric concentration is over 380 ppm, and is rapidly rising due to human-caused emissions, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels.

Based on the model results for more than 9,000 reef locations, the researchers determined that at the highest concentration studied, 750 ppm, acidification of seawater would reduce calcification rates of three quarters of the world's reefs to less than 20% of pre-industrial rates. Field studies suggest that at such low rates, coral growth would not be able to keep up with dissolution and other natural as well as manmade destructive processes attacking reefs.

Prospects for reefs are even gloomier when the effects of coral bleaching are included in the model. Coral bleaching refers to the loss of symbiotic algae that are essential for healthy growth of coral colonies. Bleaching is already a widespread problem, and high temperatures are among the factors known to promote bleaching. According to their model the researchers calculated that under present conditions 30% of reefs have already undergone bleaching and that at CO2 levels of 560 ppm (twice pre-industrial levels) the combined effects of acidification and bleaching will reduce the calcification rates of all the world's reefs by 80% or more. This lowered calcification rate will render all reefs vulnerable to dissolution, without even considering other threats to reefs, such as pollution.

"Our fossil-fueled lifestyle is killing off coral reefs," says Caldeira. "If we don't change our ways soon, in the next few decades we will destroy what took millions of years to create."

"Coral reefs may be the canary in the coal mine," he adds. "Other major pieces of our planet may be similarly threatened because we are using the atmosphere and oceans as dumps for our CO2 pollution. We can save the reefs if we decide to treat our planet with the care it deserves. We need to power our economy with technologies that do not dump carbon dioxide into the atmosphere or oceans."

Adapted from materials provided by Carnegie Institution, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

Carbon cuts 'only give 50/50 chance of saving planet'

As states negotiate Kyoto's successor, simulations show catastrophe just years away
Michael McCarthy, The Independent 9 Mar 09;

The world's best efforts at combating climate change are likely to offer no more than a 50-50 chance of keeping temperature rises below the threshold of disaster, according to research from the UK Met Office.

The key aim of holding the expected increase to 2C, beyond which damage to the natural world and to human society is likely to be catastrophic, is far from assured, the research suggests, even if all countries engage forthwith in a radical and enormous crash programme to slash greenhouse gas emissions – something which itself is by no means guaranteed.

The chilling forecast from the supercomputer climate model of the Met Office's Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research will provide a sobering wake-up call for governments around the world, who will begin formally negotiating three weeks today the new international treaty on tackling global warming, which is due to be signed in Copenhagen in December.

The treaty, which is due to replace the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, is widely seen as the Last Chance Saloon for the community of nations to take effective action against the greatest threat the world has ever faced. But the Met Office's new prediction hits directly at the principle guiding all those hoping for an effective agreement, with the European Union in the lead: that of stopping the warming at two degrees Centigrade above the "pre-industrial" level (the level of average world temperature pertaining two hundred years ago).

Today, world average temperatures stand at about 0.75C above the pre-industrial, and many scientists and politicians agree that further increases have to be stopped at 2C if catastrophic impacts from the warming are to be avoided, ranging from widespread agricultural failure and worldwide sea level rise, to countless species extinctions and irreversible melting of the world's great ice sheets.

But the Hadley Centre's simulation indicates that even if global emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas causing the warming, were to be slashed at a very high rate the chances of holding the rise at the C threshold are no better than even. The scenario, prepared for Britain's Climate Change Committee, the body recommending the UK's future carbon "budgets", visualises world CO2 emissions peaking in 2015, and then falling at a top rate of 3 per cent a year, to reach emissions of 50 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050.

At the moment, global emissions are thought to be rising at nearly 3 per cent a year – so turning that into a 3 per cent annual cut would be a gigantic slashing of what the earth's factories and motor vehicles are pumping into the atmosphere. There is as yet nothing remotely like that on the table for potential agreement in Copenhagen, and if a deal of this ambition were to be done, it would be regarded as a triumph.

Yet even with that, the Hadley Centre research suggests, the chances of keeping the rise down to about 2C by 2100 would be only 50-50. Furthermore, the simulations suggest that there is a worst-case scenario – about a 10 per cent chance – of the rise by the end of the current century reaching, even with these drastic cuts, a level of 2.8C above the pre-industrial, which is well into disaster territory.

With any action that is slower than the scenario above, the likeliest outcome is a much higher eventual temperature – and in fact, the model indicates that each 10 years of delay in halting the rise in global emissions adds another 0.5C to the likeliest end-of-the-century figure. So if emissions do not peak and start to decline until 2025, we can expect a 2.6C rise by 2100, and if the decline only begins in 2035, the figure is likely to be 3.1C – even with 3 per cent annual cuts.

These new figures suggest quite unambiguously that the world is on course for calamity unless rapid action can be taken which is far more drastic than any politicians are so far contemplating – never mind the general public.

If action is sluggish or non-existent, the model suggests that climate change is likely to cause almost unthinkable damage to the world; under a "business-as-usual" scenario, with no action taken at all and emissions increasing by more than 100 per cent by 2050, the end-of-the-century rise in global average temperatures is likely to be 5.5C, with a worst-case outcome of 7.1C – which would make much of life on earth impossible. "Even with drastic cuts in emissions in the next 10 years, our results project that there will only be a 50 per cent chance of keeping global temperatures rises below 2C," said Dr Vicky Pope, the Met Office's Head of Climate Change Advice.

"This idealised emissions scenario is based on emissions peaking in 2015 and changing from an increase of 2-3 per cent per year to a decrease of 3 per cent per year. For every 10 years we delay this action another 0.5C will be added to the most likely temperature rise. If the world fails to make the required reductions, it will be faced with adapting not just to a 2C rise in temperature but to 4C or more by the end of the century."

The world's water and climate change

Reuters 9 Mar 09;

March 10 (Reuters) - World water supplies may be severely stressed in coming decades because of global climate change linked to the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil. The U.S. West is one of the places that has the most to lose with water scarcity, but many other regions around the world will face similar challenges.

Here are some facts and projections on water and climate change:

-- Temperatures are likely to rise by between 1.1 and 6.4 Celsius (2.0 and 11.5 Fahrenheit) and sea levels by between 18 cm and 59 cm (7 inches and 23 inches) this century, according to the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

-- Climate change model simulations for the 21st century see increased precipitation at high latitudes and tropical areas; decreased rainfall in sub-tropical regions.

-- Warming in the western U.S. mountains is projected to cause decreased snowpack, more winter flooding and reduce summer flows, exacerbating competition for over-allocated water resources.

-- Major challenges are projected for U.S. crops near the warm end of their suitable range or which depend on highly utilized water resources.

-- In southern Europe, climate change is projected to worsen conditions like high temperatures and drought, and reduce available water, hydropower potential, summer tourism and crops in general.

-- In Latin America, productivity of some important crops will decrease, while disappearance of glaciers in the Andes will affect water supplies for human consumption.

-- In Africa, by 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change. In some countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50 percent.

-- In Asia, by the 2050s, freshwater availability in Central, South, East and South-East Asia, particularly in large river basins, is projected to decrease.

-- Australia's current drought, which helped spark the country's deadliest bushfire disaster ever in early in 2009, has been linked to climate change. By 2030, water problems are projected to intensify in southern and eastern Australia.

-- Rising sea levels could increase salinity in groundwater and estuaries worldwide. This could have grave implications for coastal urban areas such as Miami, Florida. (Sources: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, World Health Organization, Pacific Institute for Studies on Development, Environment and Security)

(Reporting by Ed Stoddard, editing by Mary Milliken)

Business suffers with world water shortages
Reuters 11 Mar 09;

(Reuters) - From cotton farms to factories that make high-tech computer chips, companies face huge risks from droughts like those searing California and Australia and that recently parched the U.S. Southeast.

Climate scientists say droughts will become more common as higher temperatures evaporate water supplies and overuse drain aquifers faster than they can be replenished by natural cycles.

Large cities in China and India are also at risk from droughts as mountain glaciers shrink on the Tibetan plateau.

The risks to big business range from actual physical shortages of water, to rising costs for meeting water quality regulations, to conflicts with local communities.

Below are some sectors that face risk from water scarcity.

-- AGRICULTURE. About 70 percent of global water used is for agriculture, in some developing countries where populations are growing fastest that figure is as much as 90 percent. Australia's drought helped sharply boost global rice prices last year. Companies that make products that require large amount of water, such as meat and biofuels, face drought risks.

-- BEVERAGES. Coca-Cola and PepsiCo bottlers lost licenses to operate in Kerala, India while major beverage firms face opposition to new plants. Bottled water companies also face opposition in places where water is scarce. Some consumers are drinking more tap water for environmental reasons.

-- HIGH TECH. More than half of the world's largest semiconductor factories are in the Asia-Pacific, where water risks are severe. Silicon chips take large amounts of clean water to make and factories face competition with local populations.

-- ELECTRICITY GENERATION. Droughts can severely cut power generation from hydropower, an electricity source that is low in greenhouse gas emissions. In 2001, a drought in Brazil dramatically cut energy output.

-- APPAREL. Cotton and other raw materials of clothes face risks as droughts slash agricultural yields.

-- BIOTECH PHARMACEUTICALS. Companies face new cleanup costs from new regulations to cut the concentration of chemicals and microbes in their waste water streams

-- FOREST PRODUCTS. Water-intensive pulp and paper manufacturing faces risks from droughts, increased costs for water and regulatory costs.

-- METALS/MINING. Companies face regulatory risks from their waste water streams. Mines use lots of water and face competition with local populations.

(Sources: Ceres, Pacific Institute)

(Reporting by Timothy Gardner, editing by Mary Milliken)

Key facts on the world's water supply
Reuters 11 Mar 09

(Reuters) - Water scarcity is likely to change the way of life of millions of people in the U.S. West, one of the richest and most technologically advanced regions in the world. Other parts of the planet may take cues from the West on how to deal with a global water crisis that is expected to worsen with climate change.

Following are some facts and figures about the world's water:

-- There are 1.4 billion cubic kilometers of water on the planet but almost 97 percent is salt water. Most freshwater is locked up in glaciers or deep underground, leaving only a fraction available for human consumption or use.

-- Most experts believe there is still enough water to go around, but its distribution is very uneven. According to the Pacific Institute for Studies on Development, Environment and Security, North Americans have access to over 6,000 cubic meters per person per year stored in reservoirs. But the poorest African countries have less than 700 and Ethiopia has less than 50 cubic meters per person per year of water storage. Wealthy but water-scarce countries such as Saudi Arabia can afford expensive desalination projects, but poor ones cannot.

-- Agriculture accounts for 66 percent of human water consumption, industry 20 percent, domestic households 10 percent, according to the World Water Council. About four percent evaporates from man-made reservoirs.

-- Providing clean drinking water to the poor is one of the biggest development challenges. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals pledged at the start of this decade "to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the population without sustainable access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation." The U.N. says that since 1990, 1.6 billion people have gained access to safe water. But nearly a billion people still lack safe drinking water.

(Sources: Reuters, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, United Nations, Pacific Institute for Studies on Development, Environment and Security, World Water Council

(Reporting by Ed Stoddard, editing by Mary Milliken)

Key facts about water in the US West
Reuters 11 Mar 09;

(Reuters) - The West has been one of the United States' fastest-growing regions, with its warm, dry climate a major draw. But much of its landscape is desert or semi-arid and many of its cities are facing a long-term water supply crisis.

Here are some facts and figures:

-- The Southwest was home to 14 of the 25 fastest-growing American cities with populations over 100,000 between 2006 and 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

-- It is home to seven of America's 10 largest cities. By order of ranking: Los Angeles (2), Houston (4), Phoenix (5), San Antonio (7), San Diego (8), Dallas (9), San Jose (10).

-- The six-county area of Southern California, including Los Angeles and San Diego, is home to nearly 22 million people, with population growth expected to add 6 million residents by 2030. Yet 60 percent of its overall water supply is "imported" from distant sources, such as northern California or the Colorado River. In some areas, only 10 percent of the water comes from local sources.

-- Outdoor water use, such as lawn irrigation, accounts for 40 percent of average household consumption in the city of Los Angeles, which has a population of about 4 million. The city averages close to 15 inches of rainfall annually, but that amount varies widely from year to year.

-- Las Vegas gets only 2 or 3 inches of rainfall a year, and in 1959 it went 150 straight days without measurable rain. Because the Southern Nevada climate is so much drier than Los Angeles, grass lawns there require a third more water.

-- Water use in Los Angeles is projected at about 208 billion gallons this fiscal year, roughly the same amount that the city has consumed annually for the past 25 years despite population growth of about 1 million. City water officials attribute this to a combination of greater conservation practices and more water-efficient appliances and fixtures. (Reporting by Steve Gorman and Ed Stoddard; Editing by Mary Milliken)

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