Best of our wild blogs: 10 Apr 09

Corals of the Great Reef part one
on the wonderful creation blog

Little Heron feeding on sea slaters
on the Bird Ecology Study Group blog

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Shark alert at Speakers' Corner on April 18

Grace Chua, Straits Times 10 Apr 09;

A LOCAL animal welfare group will speak out on the plight of sharks at the Speakers' Corner on the afternoon of April 18.

Mr Louis Ng, executive director of the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), will be giving a speech on sharks' role in the ecosystem.

It will be one of the first few environment-related events at the civic space.

Millions of sharks are killed each year for various reasons, such as for their meat, to make shark skin leather, and for shark's fin soup.

Their liver oil is also harvested for use in the cosmetic industry.

This week, it was also reported that an extremely rare megamouth shark was caught off Donsol, in the Philippines, and eaten.

About half of all shark species are thought to be endangered.

'If sharks get wiped out, the whole ecosystem will collapse and ultimately, we humans will suffer,' said MrNg.

The event will also feature a display of Jenga building blocks to signify that sharks are at the base of the marine ecosystem.

About 1,000 people are expected to show up for the event, which will be held from 2pm to 5pm, MrNg said.

Founded in 2001, Acres has been vocal on other animal welfare issues as well, such as the illegal wildlife trade and dolphins in captivity.

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TransCab Services to roll out 2,000 new CNG taxis

Timothy Ouyang, Channel NewsAsia 9 Apr 09;

SINGAPORE: Local taxi company, TransCab Services, plans to roll out 2,000 new cabs that will run on compressed natural gas (CNG) over the next one to two years.

This was revealed as Union Energy launched a groundbreaking ceremony on Thursday to commence construction of what is said to be the world's largest CNG re-fuelling station in Singapore.

Located along Old Toh Tuck Road at Bukit Timah, it will be Singapore's fifth CNG station when ready, and Union Energy's first foray into the CNG market.

The new CNG station, to be named C-Nergy, will be built over 7,000 square metres of land.

Up to 46 CNG vehicles will be able to refuel at any one point in time.

Union Energy says it expects C-Nergy to be open to the public by August this year.

The gas supplier says the station will also be used to service TransCab's existing and new CNG taxis.

TransCab, which shares the same owners as Union Energy, currently operates some 2,600 taxis, 500 of which run on CNG.

- CNA/yt

Toh Tuck to get CNG kiosk
Refuelling station is latest venture by Union Energy
Christopher Tan, Straits Times 10 Apr 09;

BOTTLED gas supplier Union Energy, which entered the taxi business six years ago, has driven into another new business - and in a sizeable way. In August, it will open the world's largest compressed natural gas (CNG) refuelling station.

Sited at Old Toh Tuck Road off Bukit Timah, the 7,066 sq m station will have 44 pumps for cars and two for trucks and buses - beating the current world No. 1 in Bangkok by two pumps.

Union Energy is investing $16 million in the venture, joining rival cab operator Smart Taxis in an emerging business that will see four CNG stations serving about 4,000 to 5,000 gas- powered vehicles here by the end of the year.

Work was already well under way on the 15-year-lease site when Union Energy held a ceremonial launch for the project yesterday.

Union managing director Teo Kiang Ang said the lease can be extended, and added that he is confident of the station's viability.

'As long as I have 2,000 CNG taxis coming here, I can survive,' he said.

Union alone has close to 500 CNG cabs, which are part of its 2,600- strong Trans-Cab fleet.

Mr Teo said he has already bought 500 more - mostly Toyota Wishes - which will be on the road soon.

He is targeting to operate about 2,000 CNG cabs eventually.

'I am trying to get Toyota to make a CNG Toyota Crown taxi. I think a purpose-built CNG car is better.'

In 2003, Toyota tested a fleet of eight CNG Crown taxis here for a year.

Although the findings were favourable, the Japanese maker did not proceed with manufacturing plans as there was low demand.

Currently, most of Singapore's 3,600 CNG vehicles, including cabs, are converted locally to run on gas. Some suffer minor downsides such as power loss and unpredictable mileage.

Mr Teo has plans to build a second CNG station - possibly somewhere in the east.

There are now three CNG stations in Singapore: on highly-restricted Jurong Island, at Jalan Buroh and at Mandai Link in the north.

A new kiosk in Serangoon North by Smart Energy - an affiliate of Smart Taxis - was supposed to open in February, but has been delayed because of technical issues.

Mr Teo said it is important to have a large station when serving taxi drivers. 'They tend to change shift around the same time, and they will come in big numbers,' he said.

Mr Teo's taxi business has been growing steadily, and unlike some rivals, his fleet is practically fully hired out. 'Our benefits,' he said when asked about his success.

'We give our drivers what we promised. We do not go about another way to take back what we gave out.'

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Get new books in exchange for your old ones

Vimita Mohandas, Channel NewsAsia 10 Apr 09;

SINGAPORE: You find that your cupboard is bursting with a mountain-load of books that you have already read. No, you will never throw them away but you are clueless as to what to do with them.

If this situation sounds familiar to you, just like how it does to me, good news is on your way.

Come April 25, the Public Libraries Singapore will be launching the first-ever Book Exchange at The Plaza, National Library Building.

This would enable you to exchange your used books with other book lovers and share the love for reading with one another. It will also give your “old” book a new lease of life.

Dr N Varaprasad, Chief Executive, National Library Board, said:” We encourage all Singaporeans to take part in this event and continue to read and broaden their perspectives. With nationwide initiatives like the Book Exchange, we hope to bring Singaporeans together to share resources with one another and cultivate a passion for continual learning, especially during this economic downturn.”

To participate, members of the public can drop off their used books at any public library from 11 to 24 April, in exchange for book exchange coupons. These coupons will permit you with a one-for-one exchange.

So it’s all books galore on 25 April, where the public can bring their coupons to the Book Exchange to redeem used books dropped off by other book lovers.

Each person can exchange up to a maximum of 30 used books at the event, which will be held at The Plaza, National Library Building, from 10.30am to 6pm.

Books accepted for participation include children’s and adults’ fiction and non-fiction books in any of the four official languages. Textbooks, magazines and audio-visual items are excluded.

A reminder: Be sure to bring along your own bags as no carrier bags will be provided at the Book Exchange to complement this recycling intent.

For more information on Book Exchange, members of the public can visit www.pl.sg, send an email to: helpdesk@nlb.gov.sg or call NLB helpdesk at 6332 3255. - CNA/vm

Recycle Your Reading - Used books become new reads at the Book Exchange!
Public Libraries website

Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2009
Time: 10.30am to 6pm
Venue: The Plaza, National Library Building,100 Victoria Street

3 easy steps to exchange your used books for new reads:

1. Bring your used books to any Public Library from 11 to 24 April, 11am to 8pm. On 25 April, used books are accepted only at the National Library Building.
2. Drop off your used books and get a book exchange coupon indicating one-for-one exchange for the books accepted.
3. Bring your coupon to The Plaza, National Library Building, on 25 April to redeem for used books dropped off by other book lovers.

Terms and Conditions:

1. Each person can exchange up to a maximum of 30 used books. There is no age limit for participation.
2. We accept children's and adults' fiction and non-fiction books (eg. cookbooks, travel guides and romance novels) in any of the four official languages. We also accept used library books bought from previous Library Book Sales. Textbooks, magazines and audio-visual materials will not be accepted.
3. Used books for exchange should be in relatively good physical condition.
4. Please check your coupons carefully after they are issued to you.
5. Coupons issued are transferable. You may pass them on to your family members or friends to help you redeem.
6. Lost coupons are not replaceable. You are advised to keep your coupons properly till the event on 25 April.
7. Plastic/carrier bags and delivery service will not be provided on Sat, 25 April. You are advised to bring your own carrier bags and/or arrange for transportation of books redeemed.

For enquiries, please call NLB Helpdesk at 6332 3255 or email: helpdesk@nlb.gov.sg

Note: NLB reserves the right to change the terms and conditions at any time.

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Keppel lands contract for clean energy plant in Britain

$518m to go green
Bloomberg, Today Online 10 Apr 09;

KEPPEL Corp, the world’s largest builder of oil rigs, won a $518-million contract from Ineos Runcorn to build an energy-from-waste heat and power plant in Britain.

The plant, one of the largest waste and renewable energy projects in the United Kingdom, will serve the Greater Manchester area, and will be completed in 2012, the Singaporean company said in an email statement yesterday. Ineos Runcorn is owned by Pennon Group’s Viridor unit, John Laing and Ineos Chlor, said Keppel.

Britain, China and other countries are building plants to generate energy from uranium, wind and solar to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Keppel’s order is part of a project designed to “bring world-class recycling, waste management and renewable energy infrastructure” to Greater Manchester, Pennon said.

Mr Chua Chee Wui, chief executive officer of Keppel Integrated Engineering (KIE), said: “Winning this green project against the backdrop of a global credit crunch is a clear indicator of the financial credit quality in addition to the technological strength of Keppel Seghers (the environmental technology division of KIE).

The plant will have an annual capacity to treat as much as 420,000 metric tonnes of solid recovered fuels from household wastes and can supply about 270,000 megawatts of electricity and 500,000 tonnes of steam, Keppel said. It added that the project is not expected to have material impact on its assets and earnings for the current financial year.

Keppel gained 2.5 per cent to close the morning session at $5.43 before the announcement. The stock has climbed 25 per cent this year compared with a 3.3 per cent advance in the Straits Times Index.

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Protecting the forest land in Selangor, Malaysia

Story and photo by Geetha Krishnan, The Star 10 Apr 09;

THE Selangor executive council has placed double and triple caveats on the state forest land to prevent them from any further exploitation.

According to estate workers’ affairs, poverty eradi­cation and caring government committee chairman Dr Xavier Jeyakumar. the state executive council has final say in the approval and implementation of any plan to develop forest land in state,

Xavier said all land and district offices in the state would have to submit all plans related to the development of forest land to the state executive council for its approval.

“Only 30% of the land in Selangor remain as forests. To prevent further devastation of the natural environment, the state government has placed double and triple caveats on the forest land,” he said.

Xavier told reporters this after launching the Sepang GoldCoast (SGC) — Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) Environmental Interpretive Centre (EIC) in Sepang yesterday.

“We are in the midst of auditing more forest areas in Damansara and Ulu Kelang. We are going to redeem the land taken away from the state,” he said.

In his speech earlier, Xavier said that Sepang was the gateway to the nation but people rarely stayed on in Selangor to enjoy the sights there.

He said that so far no one had taken an active role in promoting the state, for instance, by featuring its natural resources.

“Sungai Pelek in Sepang is rich with mangrove swamps and we are appreciative of the MNS and SGC’s efforts in promoting eco-tourism through the EIC,” Xavier said.

MNS vice-president Datuk Dr Hashim A. Wahab said the EIC served as a resource centre for the unique eco-system there and would help balance the ongoing physical development in Sepang with environmental aspects.

“We only realised the importance of mangroves after the tsunami in 2004 when the population of fishes, prawns and crabs dwindled. Mangrove swamps are breeding grounds and also attract resident and migratory bird species,” Hashim said.

To boost eco-tourism efforts in Sungai Pelek, SGC president Ho Hok Seng announced that the mangrove cruise and exploration would be launched soon.

The EIC offers bird-watching, the Banghuris Homestay, a day with the indigenous mah meri tribe, beach walk and mangrove walk.

The EIC is the initiative of the SGC with the contribution of RM300,000, a symbolic cooperation with the MNS in supporting the environment and eco-tourism.

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Turtle-watching season in Kuantan, Malaysia begins

Simon Khoo, The Star 10 Apr 09;

THE Turtle Sanctuary and Information Centre in Chendor Beach near Kuantan is the right place for turtle lovers over the next few months.
This is because the nesting period for turtles is from April to early September. Lucky visitors may get the chance to watch mostly green turtles toiling ashore to lay eggs.

Statistics showed that the number of green turtles landing in Pahang has increased over the past three years. As far as sightings of the species is concerned, there were 160 in 2005, 260 in 2006 and 307 in 2007.

The green turtle is actually olive-brown in colour but is named after the colour of its fat.

It grows over 1m in carapace length and weighs between 135kg and 170kg.

It is almost exclusively vegetarian and feeds on sea grasses, algae and occasionally sponges, and lays between 80 and 150 eggs per nest.

Siblings Michael Siva, eight, and Daniel, seven, were among the early birds who got their parents to take them to watch the turtles.
“I love animals. Not just turtles but all kinds of creatures. I adore them and managed to get my parents to allow me to skip school to be here.

“Just look at them. They are so cute and loveable,” he said while taking a look at day-old turtles at the sanctuary.

Michael said he would come back soon with his parents to stay overnight and watch the turtles lay eggs on the shore at night.

The siblings then left the premises with a heavy heart, but not before dropping a contribution in a donation box at the sanctuary.

Both boys pledged not to eat turtle eggs or throw rubbish into the sea in order to minimise pollution and save the turtles.

The sanctuary, set up in 1997 on a 0.33ha site, is managed by the Fisheries Department with the state’s co-operation.

Among its objectives are to protect turtles from threats, abuse and extinction and carry out turtle-hatchery programmes, conservation and research.

Visiting hours are from 9am to 5.30pm and 8pm to 6am (Tuesday to Sunday) while on Friday thehours are from 9am to 12pm and 3pm to 5.30pm.

The centre is closed on Mondays.

For more information, call 09-581 9087 or send e-mail to penyuphg@tm.net.my

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Plastic threatens turtles

Sonya Colberg NewsOK.com on Tulsa World 9 Apr 09;

Imagine gulping down a gelatinous blob of toxic tentacles and discovering that instead of a delicious jellyfish, you just swallowed plastic.

That’s what happened to almost 34 percent of big sea turtles studied by researchers at three Canadian universities.

Floating plastic bags look like dinner to the giants of the oceans.

"Jellyfish are a very common sea turtle prey item,” said Elizabeth Griffin, a marine wildlife scientist with Oceana, a marine conservation group. "If you can imagine what a plastic bag floating in the water looks like, it looks very similar to a jellyfish.”

Researchers studied autopsy reports of 408 sea turtles from 1885 to 2007. A total of 138 turtles had ingested plastic, according to the study by researchers N. Mrosovsky with the University of Toronto, Geraldine D. Ryan with University of Guelph and Michael C. James with Dalhousie University.

Nine percent of the turtles’ deaths were specifically tied to plastic that had bound their digestive tracts. Other causes of sea turtle death mentioned were catches in fishing gear, collisions with boat propellers and development on nesting beaches.

Researchers concluded that, conservatively, about a third of adult leatherbacks have swallowed plastic.

"We have to look out for them,” said John Money, curator of the Oklahoma Aquarium in Jenks, where two sea turtles live.

Money said visitors who see the captive loggerheads make the connection to the wild sea turtles that face the risks of mistaking plastic for jellyfish. He thinks many visitors become determined to recycle to help increase the chances of sea turtles living out their 100- to 125-year lifespan in the wild.

"I think that everyone should be aware that everything that we put in the water, especially plastic, has a tendency to look like other things,” Money said. "These animals have developed habits over thousands and thousands or maybe even millions of years, and they aren’t changing.”

The Jenks aquarium’s 18-year-old loggerhead turtles paddle around gobbling down whatever is in their path, Money said.

"They’re kind of programmed to survive, to eat anything out there,” Money said. "That’s one of the challenges in captivity — making sure that the inside of the tank is safe for them.”
By SONYA COLBERG NewsOK.com

Study finds plastic 'diet' in leatherback turtles
Necropsy reports show a third of specimens had it in their digestive system
Emily Sohn msnbc.msn.com 9 Apr 09;

Leatherback turtles are ancient creatures with a modern problem: Plastic.

A new study looked at necropsy reports of more than 400 leatherbacks that have died since 1885 and found plastic in the digestive systems of more than a third of the animals. Besides plastic bags, the turtles had swallowed fishing lines, balloon fragments, spoons, candy wrappers and more.

Plastic was probably not the cause of death in most cases. Nevertheless, the study is an important wake-up call for a growing garbage problem.

"Eating something that is plastic can't be good for you, whether it leads to death or not," said Mike James, a marine biologist at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. "It's not what they should be eating. And it's kind of scary that it is showing up in their diet to the extent that it is."

Leatherback turtles are critically endangered and highly charismatic creatures. They are big, weighing 1,000 pounds or more, with shells that can measure more than 6 feet across. These peaceful creatures have had the same basic body plan for 150 million years.

Leatherbacks are also popular for what they eat: namely, large quantities of jellyfish. The problem is that plastic bags look a lot like jellyfish, and plastic often ends up in the oceans, piling up in areas where currents -- and turtles -- converge. That led James to wonder how much often the turtles were swallowing plastic in their hunt for yummy jellyfish.

Collecting the data was a painstaking process. James and colleagues spent two years searching far and wide for turtle necropsy reports. They scanned the literature, and they asked people to dig up old field-notebooks. For every report found, they had to make sure that a complete necropsy had been performed and that the entire GI tract had been opened.

The researchers ended up with a sample size of 408 turtles, stranded at some point during the last 125 years. Of those, 138 -- or 34 percent -- contained plastic. Alongside the rise in plastic production, there has been a sharp rise in plastic-containing turtles since the 1950s.

That finding isn't surprising, given the leatherback's jellyfish-based diet, said Christopher Sasso, a research fisheries biologist with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Miami.

But the numbers are alarming. Plastic can block a turtle's gut, causing bloating, interfering with digestion, and leading to a slow, painful death. "I can't imagine it's very comfortable," he said. "Their guts weren't designed to digest plastic."

There are vast fields of trash floating in the world's oceans, Sasso added. And leatherback turtles travel thousands of miles each year, giving them even more opportunities to come in contact with it.

"This is an animal that has survived many extinction events," James said, "And now it's got all these anthropogenic hazards to face."

That's where people come in. Simple choices -- like putting balloons and picnic supplies in the trash and using canvas instead of plastic grocery bags -- can help leatherbacks and other marine creatures survive long into the future.

"Of all the problems the environment faces, this one is not impossible to address," James said. "We don't need to have everything packaged in plastic. There are alternatives."
© 2009 Discovery Channel

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Abnormal number of sea turtles washing ashore in Florida

Grant Lodes, NBC koa.com 9 Apr 09;

An abnormal number of sea turtles are washing up along the Florida shoreline and experts don't know why.

Three turtles are in rehab on Sanibel Island at CROW - the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife. Workers at CROW love turtles, but don't like having them at their Sanibel rehab facility.

"We're providing them a quiet environment, the right diet, supplements, and meds if they need it," said Dr. Amber McNamara, a CROW veterinarian.

She says having two turtles at CROW is rare and she has never seen three there at once.

"The number of turtles coming in everywhere is certainly concerning," she explained.

Right now, CROW is home to a 70 pound loggerhead turtle. They also have two green turtles that weigh about 10 pounds each.

The two smaller green turtles were found washed ashore along the northeast coast of Florida.

The larger loggerhead was rescued about 20 nautical miles off the coast of Tampa. Fishermen pulled it on board after they found it floating near the surface surrounded by sharks.

"Nobody is sure whether they've gotten into some toxin, some bacteria, or viral or fungus component or maybe a combination. But hopefully we can find some answers soon," McNamara said.

Since mid-February, 180 loggerhead and green turtles have been beached or rescued at sea throughout Florida. Fifty of those were alive and are currently rehabbing at eight different facilities.

"The loggerhead is eating several pounds of squid a day in addition to some crabs," said McNamara.

She says the loggerhead and one of the greens are progressing well and could be released in a few weeks.

"When that moment comes, even though you've grown attached to them in some ways, you know they're going back into the wild and that's the most rewarding thing," she said.

In the meantime, the turtles continue rehabbing as sea-life experts continue trying to identify the problem.

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Extinction Sucks raises alarm over world's rarest marine dolphins

WWF 10 Apr 09;

The second episode of WWF's unique wildlife series Extinction Sucks goes online today (Friday 10.04.09) with a mission to save the rarest and smallest of all the world’s marine dolphins. Australians Aleisha Caruso and Ashleigh Young travel to New Zealand to find out more about the plight of the endangered Hector’s dolphin and its almost-extinct cousin the Maui dolphin.

Inshore fishing threatens the survival of the remaining 7,270 Hector's dolphins – and even worse, there are thought to be just 111 Maui dolphins left. Although the NZ government recently introduced a number of fishing bans to protect the dolphins, the fishing industry aren't happy. Government attempts to implement the fishing bans have ended up in court - with the industry defying overwhelming support from the New Zealand public to protect these dolphins.

Enter Ash and Aleisha who hold a demonstration in support of the ban, raise money to buy an underwater camera to help monitor the threatened populations and meet WWF scientists working day and night to protect the dolphins.

Extinction Sucks is a unique co-production between WWF and Babelgum to bring high-quality conservation programming to web audiences. It's thought to be the first time that an online video channel has commissioned original, full-length wildlife shows specifically for the internet. The series is being broadcast over a six week run on www.panda.org and www.babelgum.com. Other programmes see Ash and Aleisha raise funds for WWF programmes protecting elephants in India and rhinos in Nepal threatened by poachers, and marine turtles in Queensland.

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Canada's caribou face growing risk

David Ljunggren, Reuters 9 Apr 09;

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's 36,000-strong population of woodland caribou will shrink over the next century and those animals that live in areas heavy in energy production and logging are at greatest risk, according to a major report released on Thursday.

The Conservative government -- which received the report last June but has only made it public now -- angered conservationists by saying the document was not detailed enough and called for more studies.

Ottawa denied it had sat on the report, saying it needed time to study a complex topic. Environmental critics regularly accuse the government of not caring about green issues and of being too close to the energy industry.

Unlike the other more common types of caribou, which migrate across Canada's northern tundra and Arctic in huge herds numbering in the hundreds of thousands, the woodland caribou live further south in the boreal forests that stretch across the entire country. There are 57 herds in all.

The study, compiled by a group of 18 caribou experts, said 29 of the herds were not self-sustaining. Many of the herds most at risk were in the energy-producing western provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan.

"The inherent risks associated with a small population size warrant a cautious approach when considering potential resilience to any additional disturbance," it concluded.

The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, which has long campaigned to protect the woodland caribou, said the report showed the animals were in more trouble than anyone realized.

"We are calling for an immediate pause to logging and new development activity in critical caribou habitat," said the society's Aran O'Carroll.

The federal environment ministry said the report needed to look further into the effect of human activity on the caribou.

"It does not provide enough detail about the habitat disturbance that can be tolerated by caribou populations and still maintain long-term persistence," said a spokeswoman.

She said the ministry would produce a strategy in mid-2011 to protect the animals.

"We completely disagree with that. We think it is the most scientifically conclusive report ever produced on the species," O'Carroll told Reuters.

In early 2007, specialists said they were worried by the falling population of barren-ground caribou in Canada's vast Northwest Territories. They blamed factors such varying climate, insect levels, the amount of food available, and the number of predators.

(Reporting by David Ljunggren)

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Urgent action in Africa to save elephants

West African States agree on urgent conservation measures to save the world's largest terrestrial mammal
UNEP 9 Apr 09;

Bonn, 9 April 2009 - At the first meeting of the signatories to the CMS agreement to conserve West African populations of the African Elephant, governments and international conservation bodies agreed on steps to stop the depletion and the loss of their habitat. Representatives of 13 West African countries as well as wildlife agencies attended the meeting in Accra, Ghana on 30-31 March 2009. A joint meeting of representatives from CMS and the CITES programme MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) also took place the following day in Accra.

In West Africa, major declines of elephant populations occurred well before the turn of the 20th century and the population has remained at low levels ever since. The loss of habitat and illegal killing has raised deep concerns about the future of this endangered, highly charismatic species. An estimated 90 per cent of elephants' habitat in West Africa has been destroyed. Elephant habitats include both humid forest and the arid Sahel. With human settlements encroaching ever further into elephant habitats, elephants have less space and the number of human-elephant conflicts is increasing. Roads and railways also split the elephant range into isolated populations. Two-thirds of the currently existing populations contain less than 100 elephants, but only larger groups have a chance for long-term survival.

At the meeting, delegates agreed on a 3-year work programme from 2009-2011, which was also endorsed by representatives of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). CMS, as the lead organization, announced that it would provide EUR 30,000 towards its implementation.

Local communities and NGO partners such as the IUCN and WWF will study seasonal cross-border migrations of the species. Genetic studies of forest and savannah elephants will provide information necessary for their management. Economic benefits through ecotourism and other sources will promote a peaceful coexistence of elephants and local populations. Training of guards and community representatives will enhance capacities and support the implementation of protection measures.

A major objective is to reduce the continuous loss of elephant habitat. The creation of new migration corridors and alternative elephant habitats is intended to mitigate conflicts between elephants and humans. Involving local communities in finding solutions to the causes of conflicts is essential. Accompanying measures such as outreach campaigns will focus on schools and the targeted distribution of publications.

An important threat to elephants remains illegal ivory trade. Following a decision taken at a recent CITES conference, government representatives have now decided to strictly implement an action plan to enhance controls and deal with illegal domestic ivory markets, which are still flourishing in parts of Africa. Regional governments will also work together to obtain information about poaching, train field officers and guards and provide them with the necessary equipment. In addition, a technical network among the countries will monitor elephant migrations.

The results from the first meeting were taken up at the joint meeting of representatives from CMS and the CITES programme MIKE. Delegates developed joint project proposals where their respective governments could collaborate in selected a trans-boundary areas.

CMS Executive Secretary Robert Hepworth said: "The results of the two meetings will make a real difference for the conservation of elephants in West Africa. Elephants play a key role in maintaining forest and savannah ecosystems. We have provided the platform for countries, UN agencies, NGOs, research institutions and local communities to work together to halt the decline of one of the most remarkable animal species and their habitats."

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Congo spirits get international help to protect wetland

WWF 9 Apr 09;

Brazzaville, Congo: The spirits traditionally associated with a vital rapids and waterfall complex on the mighty Congo River will now have the help of international recognition in protecting the area.

Les Rapides du Congo-Djoué, a 2,500 hectare site not far downstream from Republic of Congo capital Brazzaville, was one of four African wetlands inscribed on the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands register of wetlands of international significance this month.

The largest site is the 1.525 million hectare Sangha-Nouabalé-Ndoki wetland in the north west Republic of Congo, a vast area of lakes, marshes, ponds and floodplain forests on major Congo tributary the Sangha River.

The area is significant in regulating flood flows and providing dry season reserves for the Congo basin generally, is important for transport and is habitat for a number of species of conservation concern – including the Giant Pangolin, chimpanzees and leopards.

The much smaller Congo-Djoué rapides surround a natural barrage on the Congo and major tributary Djoué which is vital to its two largest cities, Brazzaville, and the Democratic Republic of Congo capital of Kinshasa.

The site is centred on one of three forested islands: L’Ile du Diable (Devil’s Island), traditionally the home of spirits who not only protect the areas but ensure good fishing, health and influence to those initiated into their secrets.

However, for the uninitiated, the spirits – for which Nile crocodile or half-human, half-fish “sirène” tokens are venerated – can exert a malign influence.

Gilbert Madouka, of the Ministry of Tourism and the Environment and the Republic of Congo’s Ramsar representative, said the area was being recognised for its cultural as well as its environmental significance.

“The sirène and the Nile Crocodile are revered in our area like gods,” Madouka said.

“That is why this habitat that houses the gods always causes fear among the population and access to these areas to exploit their natural resources is often based of the traditional authorities – which to a certain extent, diminishes the human pressure on the area.”
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Also declared last week were two new welcome additions to protected wetlands in coastal Sudan to help guard against risks posed by over-grazing and proposed expansions to shrimp aquaculture.

The areas are unusual in straddling terrestrial and marine environments, from camel breeding areas to reefs important to endangered turtles and dugong.

WWF International's Wetlands Programme has been supporting wetlands conservation in the Republic of Congo since 2002.

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Brazil Cracks Down On Illegal Loggers In Amazon

Raymond Colitt, PlanetArk 9 Apr 09;

BELEM - Environmental police in Brazil seized the equivalent of 400 truckloads of wood in a major raid on illegal loggers, the government said on Wednesday, the latest effort to curb destruction of the Amazon rain forest.

During the surprise raid in Nova Esperanca do Piria, 120 miles east of Belem city, police shut down 13 logging companies and sawmills, and seized tractors, guns, and ammunition, Environment Minister Carlos Minc said during a visit to the remote jungle site. The owners fled the area.

The crackdown is the latest in a series of measures by the government to meet a new target of reducing destruction of the Amazon forest by 50 percent during the next decade.

"We are determined to slash deforestation -- this operation is a warning to illegal loggers," Minc told Reuters.

Brazil's government last year abandoned years of opposition to deforestation targets and is now under pressure to show the world community and critics at home that it can deliver, particularly ahead of a major climate change summit in Copenhagen in December.

Minc aims to reduce deforestation to about 3,700 square miles (9,500 sq km) in the 12 months through July, the lowest on record and down from 4,600 square miles (11,900 sq km) the year earlier.

Each year advancing loggers, ranchers and farmers cut huge swathes of forest in search of cheap land.

In an attempt to prevent social unrest in Nova Esperanca, where most of the 32,000 inhabitants depend on the timber industry, the government pledged welfare measures and alternative economic activities.

SEEKING ALTERNATIVES TO LOGGING

The steps include unemployment benefits, food baskets and plots of land for the poorest. The estimated 5 million reais ($2.24 million) in proceeds from the sale of the impounded wood will finance local infrastructure projects where redundant loggers will be hired.

"We want to reduce the potential for unrest by bringing not only repression but also alternative economic solutions," Minc said. "Neither works alone."

Last year similar police operations in other areas caused violent protests in which loggers took officials hostage and fled with the impounded tree trunks.

Since he took office 10 months ago, Minc has cut credit to illegal ranchers and farmers and impounded beef and soy products from deforested areas. He also struck deals with timber and grain wholesalers as well as banks to boycott products of illegal origin.

But critics say President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's government remains deeply divided over conservation. It is promoting a series of new roads and hydroelectric plants that conservationists fear could increase deforestation.

The country's strong agriculture lobby also has resisted costly measures to improve productivity and recover depleted land instead of slashing and burning forest.

Norway, which last year pledged contributions of $1 billion through 2015 to a new Amazon Fund, has made its annual contributions conditional on progress in cutting deforestation rates. The fund will finance conservation, scientific research and sustainable economic development.

(Editing by Stuart Grudgings and Bill Trott)

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Vulnerable Sundarbans islanders use technology against climate change threats

WWF 9 Apr 09;

Mousuni, India: The 20,000 residents of tiny, vulnerable Mousuni Island in the Indian Sundarbans are using technology to protect themselves from climate change-related threats – including deadly cyclones and rising sea levels – now impacting more and more severely upon them.

WWF recently inaugurated a Climate Adaptation Centre on the island, which aims to help Mousuni villagers better handle climate change by providing integral services such as an electronic early warning system, disaster preparedness kits, knowledge, resources and skills for adapting to climate impacts and educational materials for students.

Low lying Mousuni Island, at 24 sq km, is the second most vulnerable of the islands, but the information gathered by the new station will assist Mousuni and neighbouring sea-facing islands in the Sundarbans.

Additional climate change threats to Mousuni include tidal surges, increased soil and water salinity and sea-level rise. The southern part of the island is expected to lose more than 15 percent of its landmass by 2020 because of rising sea levels, according to WWF-India

While the population on the island has been on the increase, the size of the island has diminished because of sea-level rise. The cyclones and tidal surges have destroyed the communities by breaching embankments, wrecking homes and destroying harvests because of salt-water incursion from the sea.

“Mousuni island is in peril,” said Anurag Danda, Head of WWF India’s Sundarbans Programme. “Its neighbouring island, Sagar, is recording a relative sea level rise of 3.14 mm which is alarming. We have to work towards increasing the adaptive capacities of the communities before it is too late.”

Other adaptation strategies introduced by WWF have included the re-introduction of indigenous salt-tolerant rice plants to farmers on the island. As the market value of this variety (tal mugur) is not far behind other high-yielding varieties, farmers on the island have been successful in maintaining their livelihoods without having to worry about losing crops to salt water incursion.

The Climate Adaptation Centre provides rice seeds to the farmers and also holds information about the various varieties of rice, their market values and benefits of government schemes and programmes.

“These problems are similar in deltas all over the world,” said Arjan Berkhuysen, Delta Expert with WWF-Netherlands. “WWF is looking for natural solutions that respect the dynamics of the system while helping people towards sustainable development in the face of climate change.”

WWF-India, in partnership with WWF-Netherlands, Hewlett Packard and GTZ inaugurated the center on March 29. It houses an electronic early warning system – to warn villagers of impending environmental disasters – information on livelihood diversification through salt tolerant rice and inland fisheries and a book bank to loan students on the island material to help further their education.

The early warning system has been linked to Jadavpur University in Kolkata and will receive messages whenever there is an oncoming disaster. The Centre also houses relief material such as stretchers, torches and medical aid.

An organized Disaster Management Team, comprising village youths, also has been put together to physically mobilize the community towards safety in the event of a disaster.

These efforts have been made possible by organizations and corporations that have partnered with WWF.

“Climate change is probably one of the most significant environmental challenges that the world faces today,” said Bina Raj-Debur, Director, Corporate Marketing, HP India. “Hewlett Packard’s collaboration with WWF and investments in their projects are part of our comprehensive social investments and environmental strategies that makes use of HP technology to help reduce our own environmental impact, as well as that of our partners, suppliers and customers.”

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Easter eggs: more packaging than chocolate

Martin Hickman, The Independent 9 Apr 09

Easter eggs are 60 per cent packaging, according to new research.

Some manufacturers have reduced their packaging this year, reducing the average weight of eggs by 33 per cent, according to a survey by Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson.

Nestle is the best performer, reducing packaging by 25 per cent on last year. Terry's has increased its packaging.

Swiss chocolatier Lindt had the most excessive packaging, where the chocolate made up only 9 per cent of the volume of the box.

Overall, Ms Swinson - who passed her research to the Independent, which launched a campaign against packaging in 2007 - said Easter eggs were still too profligate of resources.

"While it is encouraging that the amount of packaging used for Easter eggs has gone down, they remain one of the most excessively packaged and wasteful products available," she said.

“On average the Easter eggs still take up only 40 per cent of their packaging, so there is still more that can be done to reduce it even more. It is also important to make sure not just that packaging is reduced, but that it is recyclable and that is made clear to consumers. The progress that has been made in the past year is encouraging, but manufacturers must go much further.”

According to the survey of 10 eggs, packaging averaged 84g in 2007 and 82.6g in 2008, but shrank to 45.7g this year.

Several companies are advertising their packaging cuts in their marketing campaigns, suggesting they believe this is important to consumers.This year, Nestlé and Green & Black’s have removed all plastic from their packaging and replaced it with cardboard, which is more widely recycled.

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Mobile Phone Industry Seeks To Clean Up Act

Nina Chestney, PlanetArk 9 Apr 09;

LONDON - Mobile phone equipment makers are taking steps to clean up their act and tackle a goal of powering nearly 120,000 base stations in developing countries by cleaner energy sources by 2012, players in the industry say.

The GSM Association, which represents 750 mobile operators worldwide, has said it aims to power 118,000 base stations which have no reliable electricity supply by renewable energy by 2012.

This is an ambitious goal as it says currently fewer than 2,000 out of over 3 million base stations worldwide are powered by renewable sources such as wind or solar power.

Critics of the mobile phone industry argue that reducing the number of base stations built is the best way to cut harmful carbon dioxide emissions. But mobile companies say networks with high data speeds require more base stations.

Nokia Siemens Networks said renewable energy will be its first choice for powering such sites by 2011. It currently has about 300 renewable energy base stations, which the company admits is a "very small amount."

"It is hard to get this moving forward but there are some factors helping take-up. There are more financing tools available and the business case keeps looking better when wind and solar prices are coming down," Anne Larilahti, head of environmentally sustainable business at Nokia, told Reuters.

RENEWABLE OR DIESEL?

Base stations are either powered by an electricity grid or, when they are located in remote areas in the developing world, they rely on diesel generators.

An average base station consumes about 20,000 litres of diesel a year, requires frequent maintenance and refuelling and is vulnerable to fuel price fluctuations.

Sweden's Ericsson and Orange Guinea Conakry announced plans in February for 100 base stations in Africa to replace those running on diesel, using a mix of solar and diesel battery power.

The group plans to roll out more than 1,000 solar base stations at its African operations by the end of 2009.

Telecom network service company Averox Inc. added wind and solar power generator installation for telecoms base stations to its portfolio last year.

"We are expecting several telecom operators to install wind or solar powered generators in the next few months," said a company spokesman.

But the telecoms industry, like other sectors in the economic downturn, is struggling to secure funding to make such investments, he added.

The GSMA has said it is working with financial institutions to improve financial vehicles to support renewable energy.

"Operators facing capital limitations may increase investment in green power solutions if capital financing options were available," it said in a report on its website. (http://www.gsmworld.com/documents/green_power_top10.pdf)

In moves in Western Europe, Finnish telecoms company Elisa said this week it will pilot a wind turbine for powering one of its mobile networks in Finland.

The company estimates that wind power could reduce the network's operating costs by 10 percent.

If the results of the pilot test are worthwhile, Elisa said it might expand its use of wind power.

(Editing by Keiron Henderson)

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Plan unveiled to turn London into 'electric car capital of Europe'

Scheme would create 25,000 charging spaces on streets of the city
Nigel Morris, The Independent 9 Apr 09;

Motorists would get at least £2,000 towards the cost of buying an electric car under government moves to revolutionise driving in cities.

In an interview with The Independent yesterday, Gordon Brown said that this month's Budget would pave the way for the mass introduction of electric cars. But ministers acknowledge many drivers will need a cash incentive to be convinced to abandon petrol-run vehicles.

Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, also said yesterday that he planned to create 25,000 electric car charging spaces in the city over the next six years. He hopes that 100,000 electric cars and vans could be using the city's streets.

The proposed government grant of £2,000 would reduce the cost of a small electric car to about £7,000. Drivers could recoup the sale price in savings in little more than two years as an average electric vehicle saves about £3,000 a year in motoring costs. The handouts would be modelled on the solar-panel grants scheme for homeowners.

The plans, to be set out in an ultra-low carbon car strategy this month, are designed to kick-start driver demand which British manufacturers could meet. They could be in place by 2011.

Mr Johnson's proposals to revolutionise motoring in London were set out in a letter to Mr Brown yesterday. The Mayor pressed for charging points to be installed on main roads and in workplaces, retail centres, car parks and railway stations by 2015. He proposes that 20 per cent of all new parking spaces be equipped with such points.

He promised to convert at least 1,000 London Authority vehicles to electric by 2015 and repeated a guarantee that electric vehicles would be exempt from the central London congestion charge. Mr Johnson called for the £60m cost of his plans to be met jointly by the Greater London Authority, the Government and the private sector.

"This package of measures would be unprecedented in Europe and would make London the electric car capital," he said. "By taking these steps, we will not only create green-collar jobs, but also smooth the way for less polluting transport choices which will improve our air quality, reduce traffic noise and contribute significantly to my carbon emissions reduction target."

The Conservatives say creating a network of charging points is essential to encourage motorists to change their habits. They propose giving electricity companies incentives to set up such points using decarbonised electricity.

Philip Gomm, from the RAC Foundation, said: "The Prime Minister's comments must be welcomed by anyone interested in providing sustainable transport for individuals into the future.

"But while government backing for alternative technology like electric vehicles is good news, this is still a vision for tomorrow and not today. The short-term answer must include further refinement of existing technology."

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Solar-powered cooker nabs climate prize

Reuters 9 Apr 09;

OSLO (Reuters) - A $6 cardboard box that uses solar power to cook food, sterilize water and could help 3 billion poor people cut greenhouse gases, has won a $75,000 prize for ideas to fight global warming.

The "Kyoto Box," named after the United Nations' Kyoto Protocol that seeks to cut emissions of greenhouse gases, is aimed at billions of people who use firewood to cook.

Costing 5 euros ($6.60) to make, it can also make it easier to boil polluted water.

"We're saving lives and saving trees," the Kyoto Box's developer Jon Boehmer, a Norwegian based in Kenya, said in a statement.

The FT Climate Change Challenge was backed by the Financial Times, technology group Hewlett-Packard, which sponsored the award, and development group Forum for the Future.

The other four finalists were a garlic-based feed additive to cut methane emissions from livestock, an indoor cooling system using hollow tiles, a cover for truck wheels to reduce fuel use and a "giant industrial microwave" for creating charcoal.

A statement said that Boehmer would carry out trials in 10 countries, including South Africa, India and Indonesia. He would then collect data to back an application for carbon credits.

The United Nations is discussing giving credits to developing countries that preserve tropical forests, which soak up carbon as they grow. Those credits could then be traded.

Many countries are looking for cheap green ways to stimulate economies mired in recession. More than 190 nations have agreed to work out a new U.N. climate pact to succeed Kyoto at a meeting in Copenhagen in December 2009.

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In Big Green Push, Australia Thinks Too Small On Solar

Leonora Walet and Bruce Hextall, PlanetArk 9 Apr 09;

HONG KONG/SYDNEY - At first glance, a new day seems to be dawning for the overshadowed solar sector in Australia, the world's sunniest continent.

The government is pushing through a carbon trading scheme that will penalize big greenhouse gas emitters; a major piece of renewables legislation is due for approval within months, setting a target of 20 percent green energy by 2020.

But supporters say these shiny targets may be undermined by policymakers who think too small -- limiting the most generous rebates for renewables to the first 1,500 watts of capacity, or about half the minimum of the 3,000-5,000 watts used by the average Australian home.

"The limit of something like 5 KW would have been a really useful driver," said Muriel Watt, chair of the Australian Photovoltaic Association. "But the limit being 1.5 KW, it's not going to drive the large systems we'd like to see."

Australia draws just about 5 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, mostly hydropower and wind. Solar power comprises less than one percent.

The Clean Energy Council, Australia's main clean-tech body, has urged the government to raise to 200 KW the limit for renewable energy installations eligible for generous rebates.

Instead, say campaigners, Australia needs to adopt a nationwide feed-in tariff structure that would allow users to generate revenue by selling excess power back to the grid.

Such "feed-in" tariffs in Germany, for example, led to the country's solar power installations increasing 11-fold since it introduced a generous gross feed-in tariff eight years ago.

China and Japan are also ramping up solar investment, with China last month announcing a subsidy of 20 yuan ($2.93) per watt peak for large solar projects. Japan offers a further $200 million subsidy to boost home solar panel usage for the year from April 1 after a $90 million outlay from January to March.

Australia's policies have not proved as enticing. BP Plc's solar unit in Sydney, which operated the only panel-making plant in the country, closed down last month to cut costs.

That leaves the Australian market open to Japan's Kaneka Corp Sanyo Electric Co Ltd and Sharp Corp, and China's Suntech Power and JA Solar.

Australian firms that have persevered despite the obstacles include electricity and gas supplier Origin Energy Australia, Dyesol and Silex, which are working on individual solar cell technologies.

"GREENHOUSE MAFIA"

Solar, though, remains costly compared with wind power, and particularly with coal, which generates 80 percent of Australia's energy, making it one of the most coal-reliant nations in the world.

"That's one of the hardest things for us to compete against. There's a real inadequacy of government programs and inconsistencies but whatever they do it's still competing against cheap brown coal," said Simon Troman, vice-president of the Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society.

He said coal-fired power generators had long enjoyed subsidies from taxpayers, with for example, transmission lines linking power stations being built for free.

The coal lobby -- together with other carbon-intensive export-oriented industries such as mining -- also wields tremendous political influence, not only because of the higher costs but for fear of unstable electricity supplies in a country that regularly faces sporadic shortages.

"Everyone knows perfectly well what's holding things back," said renewable energy policy expert Mark Diesendorf of the Institute of Environmental Studies at the University of New South Wales in Sydney.

"It's a group called the greenhouse mafia. It consists of the coal industry, oil, aluminum, iron and steel, cement and motor vehicle makers," he told Reuters.

The government has backed mandatory renewable energy target legislation (MRET) that ramps up existing targets to 20 percent national green energy production by 2020. Parliament is expected to pass the law within months.

The law is expected to attract renewable energy investment of A$20 billion to A$30 billion by 2020, with wind power capturing the most investment initially, analysts say.

LITTLE INCENTIVE

Australian states and territories have introduced, or want to introduce, schemes to reward householders for power fed back into the grid. But so far, only the tiny Australian Capital Territory has opted for the more generous gross feed-in tariff from March this year for systems up to 30 KW.

Solar Shop Australia, the country's largest installer of domestic solar systems, wants the federal government to implement a national gross feed-in tariff, instead of the less generous net tariff backed by most states.

Diesendorf said there was no incentive for large-scale solar power from the federal government, a view echoed by the manager of an energy systems supplier.

"Even for very small commercial installations of 20 to 50 KW on buildings or small farms, there's very little incentive," said the manager, who did not want to be named. "The feed-in tariffs designed in most states exclude commercial solar projects."

But engineering firm WorleyParsons Ltd announced plans last year to build the world's largest solar plant, a 250 MW project, in Australia.

The plan would be reliant on big mining firms funding the A$1 billion ($710 million) project. Mining firms want to invest in renewable power to cut fuel costs and curb carbon emissions to meet targets under national emissions trading, expected to begin in the middle of next year.

WorleyParsons said it aimed to deliver 40 percent of Australia's renewable energy needs with 34 solar power plants by 2020 but carbon credits would have to be priced at well over A$10 a tonne to make the solar power plants commercially viable.

The government estimates credits under its scheme will initially trade above A$20 a tonne of carbon pollution.

(Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

FACTBOX: Main Points Of Australia's Draft Renewable Energy Laws
David Fogarty, PlanetArk 9 Apr 09;

(Reuters) - Australia has drafted laws that mandate the generation of 20 percent renewable energy by 2020 and the government aims to have the legislation passed within months.

The Mandatory Renewable Energy Target legislation aims to expand the target under an earlier scheme to 45,000 GWh by 2020 from 9,500 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 2010.

Following are some of the main steps the government hopes to achieve this, and industry concerns.

-- RENEWABLE ENERGY CERTIFICATES (RECs)

Created under the earlier MRET scheme, each REC represents 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of green energy produced and are sold to wholesale electricity buyers. These firms are legally bound to meet a share of the renewable energy target in proportion to their share of the national wholesale power market.

RECs are trading around A$50 per MWh and will continue to be used under the expanded renewable target legislation.

Eligible projects that can earn RECs include solar water heaters and small generation units, such as solar panels on household roofs, small wind turbines and micro-hydro.

-- CERTIFICATE MULTIPLIER

Instead of simple cash rebates, the new legislation proposes a complex system of issuing large amounts of RECs upfront for clean-energy installations up to the first 1.5 kilowatts (KW) capacity. Under the scheme, householders can receive up to 15 years of RECs based on the amount of energy calculated to be generated over the 15-year period.

As an extra incentive, the scheme has what is called a REC multiplier during the initial years.

For example, during the first two years between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2011, householders can earn one-off subsidies of five times the 15 years' worth of RECs. Once these are issued, no more RECs are given for a particular installation for the deemed 15-year life of the generating unit.

The multiplier declines to four times for the 2011/12 financial year and by 2015/16 only one times the 15 years of RECs are paid.

INDUSTRY CONCERN: Three issues. Firstly, industry says the 1.5 KW limit is far too small, since Australian households consume between 3 and 5 KW, while the nation's peak clean-tech industry body, the Clean Energy Council, says the limit should be raised to 200 KW to really get green investment going.

Second, the scheme favors investment in the cheapest clean-energy systems instead of quality, long-term assets since it rewards people no matter what they buy.

Third, the creation of "phantom" RECs. For each REC, extra certificates are created under the multiplier scheme for the same output. The scheme target should be increased by the number of additional RECs created by the multiplier, the Council says, to ensure the extra RECs are fully taken into account.

LONG-TERM TARGET

The MRET scheme runs until 2030 but the 45,000 GWh target, set to be reached by 2020, remains the same until 2024, then quickly declines to 23,000 GWh by 2030. In effect, this will lead to a substantial drop in the number of RECs issued.

INDUSTRY CONCERN: Creation of a boom-and-bust market. The Clean Energy Council fears the trajectory will spook investors and lead investment to stall by 2014 because there will be only a small period in which to recoup their money by 2024.

(Sources: Australian government, here

The Clean Energy Council, www.cleanenergycouncil.org.au

Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society, www.anzses.org )

(Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

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Japan stimulus may not help cut emissions

Risa Maeda, Reuters 9 Apr 09;

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan's latest burst of economic stimulus spending is aimed at promoting energy-efficient products made by recession-hit exporters, but analysts say it is unlikely to help the world's fifth-biggest polluter cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Japan aims to cuts annual greenhouse gas emissions by 13 percent by March 2013 under the Kyoto Protocol from a record level hit in fiscal 2007/08, when emissions rose by 2.3 percent, helped by growth in exports to developing countries.

Japan is to announce on Friday details of a huge stimulus, equivalent to 3.1 percent of GDP, which is expected to include measures to promote the use of solar panels, fuel-efficient cars and energy-efficient TVs, air conditioners and refrigerators.

The world's fifth-biggest emitter had lagged behind China, the United States and other countries which recently announced plans to stimulate the economy in a way to promote a shift to a low carbon economy.

Unlike some other governments investing massively on rail, grids and other infrastructure, Japan's is focused on saving energy and fuel use at houses and offices, whose emissions take a lesser share than factories among polluting sectors in Japan.

In addition, the spending would do little to make energy low carbon as an expected increase of solar power is negligible and nuclear plant operation is unlikely to jump in the near future even though one of the units at the world's biggest nuclear plant is ready to resume operations after a halt since a 2007 quake.

"I don't think the economic stimulus would reduce emissions. If not, it would only help offset a fall in emissions," said Itsuho Haruta, an executive officer at Natsource Japan, referring to an expected decline in emissions in line with falling factory activity due to Japan's deepest recession since World War Two.

CATCHING UP

Japan's spending had been far less green than other countries in their recently announced economic stimulus packages.

"One thing I'm worries is the stimulus is so huge that it would for sure worsen the already huge government deficit," said Hideo Kumano, chief economist at Dai-Ichi Research institute.

"It seems they try to cover up the weak point by highlighting the environment as one of the key spending areas," he said, adding that subsidies on consumers to buy energy-saving home appliances looks similar to those in China.

As of March 31, Japan allocated only 2.6 percent of its fiscal spending to climate change investment, compared with 12 percent in the United States, 34 percent in China, 14 percent in Germany, a recent report by HSBC showed.

The report examining stimulus packages and budgets in over 30 countries across the world also showed the bulk of the spending allocated to such themes are targeted at green infrastructure options -- notably buildings, grids, rail and water.

But the focus here is on houses and offices as the Japanese government is responsible to their emission reductions, while industry sectors have their own voluntary emission cut targets to meet during the Kyoto period.

If almost all of households and offices introduce solar panels, next-generation cars and energy-conservation housing devices, that would cut each sector's emissions by 47 percent and 25 percent, respectively, by 2020 from the 1990 levels, according to an estimate by the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES).

The estimate is a part of a scenario by NIES on how low carbon Japan's economy can be by 2020, describing what each emitting sector should do to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

But the two sectors account to a combined 30 percent of total emissions and given that far less households or offices are likely to get so green as in the estimate, the latest spending would help Japan to cut emissions by about 2 percent at maximum, a government official said.

The impact on emissions from the measures to make infrastructure environment-friendly is yet to be known, the official added.

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Health risks of shipping pollution have been 'underestimated'

One giant container ship can emit almost the same amount of cancer and asthma-causing chemicals as 50m cars, study finds
John Vidal, guardian.co.uk 9 Apr 09;

Britain and other European governments have been accused of underestimating the health risks from shipping pollution following research which shows that one giant container ship can emit almost the same amount of cancer and asthma-causing chemicals as 50m cars.

Confidential data from maritime industry insiders based on engine size and the quality of fuel typically used by ships and cars shows that just 15 of the world's biggest ships may now emit as much pollution as all the world's 760m cars. Low-grade ship bunker fuel (or fuel oil) has up to 2,000 times the sulphur content of diesel fuel used in US and European automobiles.

Pressure is mounting on the UN's International Maritime Organisation and the EU to tighten laws governing ship emissions following the decision by the US government last week to impose a strict 230-mile buffer zone along the entire US coast, a move that is expected to be followed by Canada.

The setting up of a low emission shipping zone follows US academic research which showed that pollution from the world's 90,000 cargo ships leads to 60,000 deaths a year in the US alone and costs up to $330bn per year in health costs from lung and heart diseases. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates the buffer zone, which could be in place by next year, will save more than 8,000 lives a year with new air quality standards cutting sulphur in fuel by 98%, particulate matter by 85% and nitrogen oxide emissions by 80%.

The new study by the Danish government's environmental agency adds to this picture. It suggests that shipping emissions cost the Danish health service almost £5bn a year, mainly treating cancers and heart problems. A previous study estimated that 1,000 Danish people die prematurely each year because of shipping pollution. No comprehensive research has been carried out on the effects on UK coastal communities, but the number of deaths is expected to be much higher.

Europe, which has some of the busiest shipping lanes in the world, has dramatically cleaned up sulphur and nitrogen emissions from land-based transport in the past 20 years but has resisted imposing tight laws on the shipping industry, even though the technology exists to remove emissions. Cars driving 15,000km a year emit approximately 101 grammes of sulphur oxide gases (or SOx) in that time. The world's largest ships' diesel engines which typically operate for about 280 days a year generate roughly 5,200 tonnes of SOx.

The EU plans only two low-emission marine zones which should come into force in the English channel and Baltic sea after 2015. However, both are less stringent than the proposed US zone, and neither seeks to limit deadly particulate emissions.

Shipping emissions have escalated in the past 15 years as China has emerged as the world's manufacturing capital. A new breed of intercontinental container ship has been developed which is extremely cost-efficient. However, it uses diesel engines as powerful as land-based power stations but with the lowest quality fuel.

"Ship pollution affects the health of communities in coastal and inland regions around the world, yet pollution from ships remains one of the least regulated parts of our global transportation system," said James Corbett, professor of marine policy at the University of Delaware, one of the authors of the report which helped persuade the US government to act.

Today a spokesman for the UK government's Maritime and Coastguard Agency accepted there were major gaps in the legislation. "Issues of particulate matter remain a concern. They need to be addressed and we look forward to working with the international community," said environment policy director Jonathan Simpson.

"Europe needs a low emission zone right around its coasts, similar to the US, if we are to meet health and environmental objectives," said Crister Agrena of the Air Pollution and Climate Secretariat in Gothenburg, one of Europe's leading air quality organisations.

"It is unacceptable that shipping remains one of the most polluting industries in the world. The UK must take a lead in cleaning up emissions," said Simon Birkett, spokesman for the Campaign for Clean Air in London. "Other countries are planning radical action to achieve massive health and other savings but the UK is strangely inactive."

The calculations of ship and car pollution are based on the world's largest 85,790KW ships' diesel engines which operate about 280 days a year generating roughly 5,200 tonnes of SOx a year, compared with diesel and petrol cars which drive 15,000km a year and emit approximately 101gm of SO2/SoX a year.
Shipping by numbers

The world's biggest container ships have 109,000 horsepower engines which weigh 2,300 tons.

Each ship expects to operate 24hrs a day for about 280 days a year

There are 90,000 ocean-going cargo ships

Shipping is responsible for 18-30% of all the world's nitrogen oxide (NOx) pollution and 9% of the global sulphur oxide (SOx) pollution.

One large ship can generate about 5,000 tonnes of sulphur oxide (SOx) pollution in a year

70% of all ship emissions are within 400km of land.

85% of all ship pollution is in the northern hemisphere.

Shipping is responsible for 3.5% to 4% of all climate change emissions

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