Best of our wild blogs: 6 Nov 09

Mousedeer and Giant Clam articles in Nature Watch
from The Biodiversity crew @ NUS

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (2009)
from Raffles Museum News

Smooth Otters - Part II
from Life's Indulgences

Changi - After heavy rain
from Singapore Nature and wild shores of singapore

Construction on Pasir Ris, Nov 09-May 10
from wild shores of singapore

Macaranga triloba and sunbirds
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Field Journals: The Philippine Eagle
from Lost in the Jungle

Is Growth of Mega Cities Accelerating the Planet's Biodiversity Crisis? from The Daily Galaxy: News from Planet Earth & Beyond

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Guitar shark caught off Changi

Possible to find large sharks in local waters
Teh Jen Lee, The New Paper 5 Nov 09 AsiaOne

Experts warn against eating them as they could be endangered or poisoned.

Singapore, November 4, 2009 - DON’T be surprised if you end up face to face with sharks while diving in the waters off Singapore.
Yesterday, The New Paper reported on a 2.75m-long guitar shark caught off Changi by bumboat operator Tan Seck Suah, 54.

The fins of the guitar shark, which was caught in the waters near Changi Naval Base, was cut up at the Tekong Seafood Restaurant in Changi Village. Mr Tan Seck Suah, who caught the shark, sold it to the restaurant for about $600. The shark is 2.75m-long and weighs 100kg.

He also claimed to have caught a 100kg giant grouper off Pulau Tekong three weeks ago.

While it doesn’t happen every day, experts say it is possible for large sharks to be found in local waters.

Commenting on the report and picture, Mr Anthony Chang, curator at Underwater World Singapore, said the animal’s appearance suggests that it belongs to the shark and ray family.
He said: “The cartilaginous fish shown in the picture has characteristics belonging to members of the genus Rhynchobatus. They are sometimes called different names, including guitarfish, wedgefish, guitar shark and shovelnose ray.

“It is not a true shark. It would be more closely related to the ray and skate group of cartilaginous fishes.”

Cartilaginous fish have internal skeletons made entirely of cartilage, with no hard bones.

The latest International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species lists six species from the Rhynchobatus genus as vulnerable or endangered, which means they face a high or very high risk of extinction in the wild.

Mr Chang said such fish are typically warm water tropical marine species.

“The tropical marine belt is a pretty large area in the ocean. If this fish was not native to Singapore, it may have come into our territorial waters.”

Dr Tan Heok Hui, a lecturer at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said water currents, especially during the monsoon season, could have brought the fish to Singapore waters.

Endangered

The IUCN website said that such fish are endangered due to overfishing because their fins are considered to be premium quality and fetch the highest prices.

Depending on the species’ habitat, some are also threatened by habitat destruction and pollution, especially in South and South-east Asia.

Commenting on the catch, Mr Chang said the anatomy of the head and the position of the mouth make it adapted for bottom feeding.

But why was it spotted near the water surface as related by Mr Tan?

Mr Chang said it could have appeared on the surface because it was chasing prey that had gone up from the sea bed, or it had detected food on the surface.

“Also, certain diseases such as neurological problems or parasites may increase the probability of a bottom-dwelling species moving up to the sea surface,” he said.

Dr Tan said the fish could also have been injured or rose to the surface as a prelude to breeding.

Mr Chang said such fish are unlikely to attack people, unlike great white sharks.

“However, any large animal can potentially cause bodily injury or even death to a human being, especially if it is harassed.

“If you encounter such a fish in the water, you may want to observe it from a distance. But the safer approach may be to calmly move away from it, that is, get ashore or return to your boat,” he said.

A spokesman for the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority said that guitarfish is currently not listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora so there’s no law against catching or selling it.

But because the Rhynchobatus species is under threat, Dr Tan and NUS fish biologist Jeffrey Kwik encourage people to release such fish if they catch them.

Mr Kwik said: “It’s a shame not to release such large fish back into the ocean because usually by the time such fish reach this size, it’s at a stage where it’s able to reproduce and contribute to the breeding population.”

Dr Tan suggested that recreational anglers take a picture with their mobile phones if they catch something interesting, before letting it go.

He said: “Most of these bottom dwelling shark-rays are data deficient, meaning there is insufficient information about them. Yet they are caught in the tonnes every year for their meat and fins.

“So they could be even more critically endangered than what is currently stated by IUCN.”

Another reason not to eat such large fish is the possibility of high levels of mercury.

Dr Tan said: “With large predators, they do tend to accumulate pollutants such as heavy metals.”

Quote:
“It’s a sad thing to remove such adult fish because this diminishes the population in our local waters and makes this species more vulnerable.”
– NUS fish biologist Mr Jeffrey Kwik

Tekong Seafood Restaurant cooks Monster Fish
Chong Shin Yen, The New Paper 14 Oct AsiaOne

Restaurant owner estimates fish weighed over 100kg.

Singapore, October 14, 2009 - THE fish was so big, the two cooks gave up halfway, after spending an hour trying to descale it.

They were so tired their boss had to call for extra help.

So a butcher took over, but even then, it took him another hour before he managed to remove its scales and hack it into smaller pieces – with an axe.

The giant grouper, estimated to be 1.5m long and said to weigh more than 100kg, was caught off Pulau Tekong.

A fisherman and his friend had netted it, then sold it to Tekong Seafood Restaurant in Changi Village, owned by Madam Cecilia See, on Monday.

Madam See, 47, told The New Paper that her two cooks had tried to descale it using fish descalers, but gave up after an hour.

Said Madam See, in Mandarin: “They were panting as they were doing it. But they were so tired they stopped and told me they had no strength to chop it up.”

That was how Madam See ended up calling her friend, who works as a butcher. She said: “I thought a butcher should have the strength to do it.”

The restaurant owner said she did not weigh the fish as she was afraid that it may damage her weighing machine because of its weight.

“But judging from its size, it definitely weighed more than 100kg,” she said.

The grouper had been caught by Mr Tan Seck Suah, 54, a boatman, and his friend that day.

The two had gone out to sea on a joy ride.

Then, at about 1pm, Mr Tan spotted something bobbing in the water off Pulau Tekong. Thinking it was a floating human body, he was scared and told his friend to manoeuvre the boat away.

But his friend got curious and moved closer to take a second look. It was then that both of them shouted excitedly: “It’s a giant fish!”

Rare find

Said Mr Tan in Mandarin: “The fish was huge and it was swimming very slowly. It was such a rare find that we had to catch it no matter what.”

The two friends threw a fishing net over the fish to prevent it from swimming away. “It was too heavy for both of us to haul it up onto the boat. So we tied the net to our boat and dragged it back to the jetty,” said Mr Tan.

The journey to the jetty usually took him about 15 minutes. But with their big catch in tow, it was 40 minutes before they got there.

Said Mr Tan: “We could not go very fast because the fish was heavy and kept thrashing about in the water.”

Once back at the jetty, he sought the help of three other friends to haul it up.

Mr Tan, a regular angler knew people at seafood restaurants nearby. He called Madam See and she agreed to buy it from him.

They did not agree on a price, but Madam See said she does not plan to profit from it and will hand Mr Tan the proceeds from selling the fish to her customers.

She added that the market price for a grouper of that size was more than $1,000.

“I’ve known Mr Tan for a long time and we’re good friends, so I’ll just give him the money we got from selling it,” said Madam See.

She added that word about the big catch had gone around, and some of her regular customers began calling her up even before the fish had been cut up.

“Some of them bought pieces of it to take home and cook while others came to my restaurant to eat,” she said.

“We cooked some of it as a treat for my staff too. It took more than an hour just to steam the tail of the fish.

“The meat was tender and juicy and all of us had a feast that night.”

When contacted, biologist Tan Heok Hui said such giant groupers are rarely found in Singapore waters.

Dr Tan, 38, a lecturer at the National University of Singapore, said they are more common throughout the Indo-Pacific.

“Such giant groupers, being predatory fishes, can grow up to 2.3m in length and can weigh up to 280kg,” said Dr Tan.

He added that the life span of such groupers is unknown.

Based on a picture of the giant grouper which Mr Tan had caught, he estimated the fish to be 10 to 20 years old.

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SM Goh says Singapore needs new identity to stay ahead

Asha Popatlal, Channel NewsAsia 5 Nov 09;

SINGAPORE : Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said Singapore needs to be one of the most liveable cities - not just in Asia, but globally - and one that goes beyond being clean, green and safe.

Mr Goh shared this new vision of Singapore over the next 25 years at the 50th anniversary of the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore (REDAS) on Thursday.

Singapore has come a long way. But as other new cities erode the island's competitive advantages, Mr Goh said Singapore needs a new identity - a vibrant place with soul that embraces both talents and ideas.

"Singapore must therefore project a new identity - one that captivates the eyes, moves the heart, stirs the soul and inspires the mind," said SM Goh.

Painting a picture of what he called a "Distinctive City", Mr Goh sees Singapore as both a convenient, compact city as well as an aesthetically-pleasing city with gardens and water spaces.

Moving on, Mr Goh also sees the country as one big on economic ideas but small in its environmental footprint.

Still, it is the quality of its people that is crucial, and more important now than at any other time in the past 50 years, said Mr Goh.

There are some 100 000 tourists in Singapore on any given day, and more than half a million foreigners live and work here. This means each must go the extra mile if all are to live in harmony.

"But let me add a caveat here. Those who come to drink from the oasis must add to our ability to replenish the water, and not just consume and deplete the stock. By this I mean that we must manage the inflow of talent and new immigrants to ensure that Singaporeans do not lose out and in fact benefit from their presence,” said Mr Goh.

However, there can be no harmony if Singapore prices itself out and the city is no longer affordable, either in terms of rentals for businesses or homes for people.

SM Goh said: "For those who are worried over the recent price increases, MND (Ministry of National Development) tells me there is adequate supply of homes in the pipeline, both in the central region as well as outside it.

"The government is also committed to releasing more land through the Government Land Sales Programme to ensure that property prices do not fall out of sync with economic fundamentals."

Mr Goh added that the government will continue to ensure that public housing remains affordable and continue to factor in the increasing demand from permanent residents in the resale market. - CNA /ls

Replenish, redefine the oasis
Inflow of migrants must be managed to ensure S'poreans don't lose out: SM Goh
Asha Popatlal Today Online 6 Nov 09;

SINGAPORE - On any given day, some 100,000 tourists are in Singapore, while more than half a million foreigners live and work here. Everyone must go the extra mile if this is to be "an oasis of harmony", said Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

"But let me add a caveat here. Those who come to drink from the oasis must add to our ability to replenish the water, and not just consume and deplete the stock.

"By this I mean that we must manage the inflow of talent and new immigrants to ensure that Singaporeans do not lose out and in fact benefit from their presence."

Speaking at the 50th anniversary of the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore last night, Mr Goh spoke about Singapore's need to be one the most liveable cities in the world, which would require a new identity - beyond that of being "clean, green and safe".

"If Singapore cannot differentiate itself as an outstanding city, we cannot sustain our high quality of life," he said.

Pro-business policies, connectivity, low tax rates, family-friendly environment - these have been the Republic's competitive advantages in drawing talent and investments. But not for much longer, for this edge is "fast being eroded as other cities start to acquire similar attributes".

"Singapore must, therefore, project a new identity, one that captivates the eyes, moves the heart, stirs the soul and inspires the mind.

"To stand out, Singapore must go beyond being clean, green and safe. It must be a vibrant place which boldly embraces talents and ideas.

"Most importantly, it must hold special meaning as Home for its citizens, both here and abroad," said Mr Goh.

His vision of a distinctive Singapore encompasses a convenient, compact and aesthetically-pleasing city with gardens and water spaces, marrying environmental sustainability with economic vibrancy.

"Singapore can be a city big on economic ideas but small on environmental footprint," he said, such as by making public transport the choice mode.

But "even as we aspire to benchmark ourselves against the best, we must not price ourselves out" - whether in terms of business rentals or homes for people.

To those worried over recent price hikes, he assured, an adequate supply of homes is in the pipeline while the Government is releasing more land to "ensure that property prices do not fall out of sync with economic fundamentals".

It will also continue to factor in growing demand from permanent residents in the resale market.

SM wants distinctive Singapore with affordable property
Even as it competes with the best, it must not price itself out of the market
Emilyn Yap Business Times 6 Nov 09;

(SINGAPORE) Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong yesterday painted his vision of Singapore as a vibrant, green and harmonious city for the next 25 years. He also underlined the importance of keeping property prices reasonable to achieve this dream.

Rents for businesses have to be competitive with those in other financial hubs such as Hong Kong and London, he said. And to offer companies more flexibility, Singapore must also have not just Grade A offices in the central business district but also cheaper space at the fringe of the city centre.

'My vision for Singapore is for it to be 'a distinctive city, a harmonious home',' Mr Goh said at a gala dinner commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore (Redas).

Singapore has progressed rapidly, transforming from a poor country with crumbling houses to a vibrant city with iconic buildings, he said.

But he emphasised that with globalisation, Singapore needs to benchmark itself against the best in the world and become one of the most liveable cities. Its competitive advantages in drawing talent and investments - such as its pro-business policies and clean environment - are quickly being eroded as other cities adopt similar strategies.

Mr Goh said Singapore can be distinctive by offering 'the liveability of a garden city and the conveniences of a compact city'.

At the same time, Singapore can be economically vibrant yet environmentally sustainable, he said. It can build a resource-efficient economy, rely more on public transport and have more Green Mark-certified buildings.

Locals and foreigners living and working here must also get along, Mr Goh said. Locals must accommodate the different habits and beliefs of foreigners, while foreigners must respect local ways and try to integrate. This way, Singapore will be 'an oasis of harmony with a rich diversity of people, culture and ideas'.

But the country must manage the inflow of talent and immigrants to ensure Singaporeans do not lose out and that they benefit from the presence of newcomers, he said.

'Even as we aspire to benchmark ourselves against the best, we must not price ourselves out. Therefore, we must ensure that we remain a competitive location for businesses, and that Singaporeans can own their own homes,' he added.

Mr Goh reassured Singaporeans that the government will keep public housing affordable for the vast majority.

'We will also continue to factor in increasing demand from permanent residents in the resale market,' he said.

'For those who are worried over recent price increases, MND (Ministry of National Development) tells me there is an adequate supply of homes in the pipeline both in the central region as well as outside it.'

Mr Goh said the authorities are committed to releasing more land through the Government Land Sales Programme, so that property prices stay in line with economic fundamentals.

At the dinner, Redas president Simon Cheong spoke about the importance of building 'design-led cities'. 'Individual buildings can economically uplift an entire city,' he said.

'Buildings are not just profit opportunities...Developers, as patrons of design, together with the Urban Redevelopment Authority and Building & Construction Authority, wield tremendous power in influencing how Singapore will strive on the world stage.'

Inflow of foreigners 'must benefit citizens'
SM: There must be accommodation by all
Francis Chan Straits Times 6 Nov 09;

SINGAPORE must manage the inflow of foreign talent and other immigrants to ensure Singaporeans do not lose out but rather benefit from their presence, Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong said yesterday.

He said the Republic, which is already a cultural melting pot, will become even more diverse in the years to come.

'Locals must accommodate the different habits, beliefs and practices of foreigners, and foreigners working and living here must respect local ways and habits and make an effort to integrate,' he said.

'Then, Singapore will be an oasis of harmony with a rich diversity of people, culture and ideas.'

Foreigners living and working here, however, must contribute to Singapore, said Mr Goh.

'Those who come to drink from the oasis must add to our ability to replenish the water, and not just consume and deplete the stock,' he said.

'By this I mean that we must manage the inflow of talent and new immigrants to ensure that Singaporeans do not lose out and in fact benefit from their presence. Only then can we create a harmonious, cosmopolitan society.'

Mr Goh was speaking as the guest of honour at the gala dinner to mark the 50th anniversary of the Real Estate Developers' Association of Singapore (Redas), held at the Shangri-La Hotel.

He was outlining his vision for Singapore over the next 25 to 50 years, as the nation competes with other emerging cities which are acquiring similar attributes.

'To stand out among cities and countries, Singapore must go beyond being clean, green and safe,' said Mr Goh.

'It must be a vibrant place which boldly embraces talents and ideas and most importantly, it must hold special meaning as home for its citizens.'

He added that to remain a leading global city, Singapore could offer both the liveability of a garden city and the conveniences of a compact city.

'More than just an aesthetically pleasing city with striking architecture, we can transform Singapore into a delightful city of gardens and water, with green and blue spaces integrated within the places where we live, work and play,' he said.

The Republic could also be a green hub, originating and exporting future technologies that can make high density living even more eco-friendly such as making the use of public transport more pervasive and getting 80 per cent or more buildings certified with the Green Mark.

While sharing his vision for Singapore to be 'A Distinctive City, A Harmonious Home' at the event yesterday, Mr Goh also took time to assure Singaporeans that homes will remain affordable.

He said that there can be no harmony if home prices are beyond the reach of Singaporeans.

'Even as we aspire to benchmark ourselves against the best, we must not price ourselves out,' said Mr Goh.

'Therefore, we must ensure that we remain a competitive location for businesses, and that Singaporeans can own their own homes.'

He said Housing Board (HDB) flats will remain the foundation of the Government's home ownership policy and that the Government will continue to ensure that public housing remains affordable for most Singaporeans.

'The current household income ceiling of $8,000 for public home ownership means that about eight in every 10 families remain eligible for HDB subsidies,' he added.

'I know that with the recent recovery of the property market after the lows of the financial crisis, many Singaporeans are concerned that they will be priced out. This anxiety is understandable.

'But our public housing policy, based on affordability, will ensure that they will be able to. This pledge had been kept in the past and it will be kept in the future.'

Mr Goh also said the Government remains committed to releasing more land through the Government Land Sales Programme to ensure that property prices 'do not fall out of sync with economic fundamentals'.

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Don't promote fence-sitting on global warming: comment on Andy Ho

Straits Times Forum 6 Nov 09;

DR ANDY Ho argued correctly in the first part of his commentary last Friday ('Reasons for Singapore to be cool on global warming') against Singapore being made either an Annex 1 or an Annex 2 country, in the coming Copenhagen Global Warming Treaty. This is supported by the fact that Singapore is still a developing country and our manufacturing base would suffer unduly from a carbon emissions cap.

However, I find the second part of his arguments alarming. Here he depicted doubts that global warming is the consequence of human activities. He also suggested that the scientific evidence be given a full and public hearing.

First, I find it doubtful, that the public is scientifically knowledgeable enough to judge in any way the facts.

Second, there is everything that the Singapore Government has done to combat global warming in the past few years. Among them:

# Most of Singapore's power generators are already on natural gas;

# The Building and Construction Authority awards and incentivises developers to build buildings with green features;

# The Housing Board has installed test-bed programme solar panels on top of selected residential blocks and multi-storey carparks;

# There are compressed natural gas buses and taxis on our roads;

# There is a $1 billion environmental blueprint to make Singapore a clean technology and urban solutions hub over the next five years; and

# There is green labelling of energy appliances.

All these are testimony to Singapore's belief that global warming is due to human activities and it has therefore started acting responsibly as a global citizen.

I do not think we need to encourage more fence sitters or buy time by asking for such revisits of the scientific evidence.

Sylvia Lee (Mrs)

Related articles
CLIMATE CHANGE: What Singaporeans can do Straits Times Forum 2 Nov 09;

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Singapore workers with green conscience

Today Online 6 Nov 09;

SINGAPORE - Over 90 per cent of people working in Singapore said they are more likely to work for an organisation that is ethically and socially responsible.

The figure of 91 per cent is also higher than the Asia-Pacific average of 87 per cent, according to a survey by Kelly Services.

The survey involved some 100,000 people from over 30 countries. Respondents from Singapore make up 3 per cent of those polled.

The survey also showed that workers here are keen on being green. Eighty per cent of the workers in Singapore said that they are more likely to work for a company that is environmentally responsible.

More than half of them, 53 per cent, said they would even accept a lower pay or take on a small role in an organisation with sound corporate reputation - a figure that is also higher than the regional counterparts.

9 in 10 S'pore workers prefer to work for ethical firms: survey
Lin Jiamei, Channel NewsAsia 5 Nov 09;

SINGAPORE: Ninety-one per cent of Singapore workers said that they are more likely to work for an organisation that is ethically and socially responsible, according to a survey by Kelly Services.

This figure is higher than the Asia Pacific average of 87 per cent.

The survey involved some 100,000 people from over 30 countries, and the respondents from Singapore made up 3 per cent of those polled.

The survey also showed that Singapore workers are keen on being green - with 80 per cent of them saying they are more likely to work for a company that is environmentally responsible.

Fifty-three per cent of the Singapore respondents said they would even accept a lower pay or take on a small role in an organisation with sound corporate reputation - a figure that is also higher than the regional counterparts.

According to Kelly Services' Asia Pacific Senior Vice President Dhirendra Shantilal, the survey showed that employees prioritize corporate transparency, accountability and social responsibility when deciding where to work.

He added that this has implications when employers hire new talents.

- CNA/sc

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APEC leaders to discuss sustainable growth at next week's meeting

Wong Siew Ying, Channel NewsAsia 5 Nov 09;

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry said that the topic of sustainable growth will be discussed at the APEC leaders' meeting next week, along with trade and economic issues that have an impact on climate change.

Basically, APEC leaders will be clearing the air about one thing - growth should not be done at the expense of the environment.

"We are looking at very specific initiatives to increase energy efficiency in the region, and to facilitate trade in environmental goods and services," said Ravi Menon, second permanent secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore.

Singapore Cables Manufacturers hopes that the plans can be rolled out soon. The firm said it started producing green products over five years ago and has seen good results.

The company also said that reusing and recycling scrap materials can help to cut cost by at least two per cent a year; and that green manufacturing will also have a positive impact on revenue, as consumers pay a premium for innovative and environmentally-friendly products.

Moreover, the Singapore Manufacturing Federation is confident that green manufacturing will provide lots of spin-offs for the economy.

"When you use less resources, you lower your cost, you are more efficient, and on the other hand create a lot of economic multiplier," said Renny Yeo, president, Singapore Manufacturers' Federation.

"A green building when you retrofit, for example, green products go into it, (and) it creates a lot of employment. It is a whole new sector that can grow into significant area in the long-term recovery of the economy," he added.

The International Chamber of Commerce said it is setting up a sustainability committee to promote sustainable development among its members. It estimated that nearly half of the 800 companies represented under the chamber adopt some form of green practices. It said it has also been lobbying the green cause with the authorities.

Shanker Iyer, first deputy chairman, Singapore International Chamber of Commerce said: "I am heading the chamber's tax committee and one of the things we have been lobbying the Ministry of Finance for the last three years is actually to give more tax incentives to companies to have more environmentally-friendly investments in terms of buildings, renovation and so on.

"I think the ministry is receptive to the idea, but they are still looking for more evidence of whether such incentives will result in benefits or not."

Industry players said other initiatives could include green lanes at Customs to expedite the processing and shipping of environmentally friendly goods, or accelerated depreciation to encourage manufacturers to invest in innovation and technology.

- CNA/sc

Apec aims for specific targets
Ministers will want to set plans in motion
Fiona Chan, Straits Times 6 Nov 09;

IT HAS been criticised as being nothing more than a 'talk shop', but the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) grouping is doing its best to shed that image.

When Apec ministers meet in Singapore next week, they will set tangible and down-to-earth targets on lofty issues such as regional integration and economic growth, said Mr Ravi Menon, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry and chairman of the Apec senior officials' meeting.

This means putting a specific figure on, for example, by how much to cut the cost of shipping a container - matters which will result in very real savings to companies.

'These are targets we are setting and we're working at it, so it's not as though next month there will be a drop in the cost of shipping a container,' he said, at a press briefing ahead of the gathering. 'But this is how we're trying to translate actions.'

Similarly, Apec ministers want to try to reduce the number of days it takes to start a business.

'If it took 30 days before, and now 25 days, you've saved five days in starting a business,' Mr Menon said. 'That's tangible help.'

To do this, Apec economies are systemically going through their laws and regulations. They will also appoint a number of 'champion economies', ones which have implemented successful reform programmes, to help the other economies improve.

Many firms in the region do business across borders - they may receive their raw materials from one country, manufacture products in another, and ship them off to be sold in a third. These regional supply chains are sometimes inefficient and Apec is looking at ways to improve them, said Mr Menon.

He said that eight 'chokepoints' had been identified in Apec meetings earlier this year, although he would not elaborate on what they were.

But he said unblocking these chokepoints would make it easier to move goods and services across borders, especially for small- and medium-sized companies, which are less able to overcome such barriers when compared to larger companies.

Aside from promoting economic integration in these ways, senior officials, finance ministers, and trade and foreign ministers from each of Apec's 21 member economies will discuss issues in two other areas, the first of which is how to support free trade and resist protectionism.

Apec's trade ministers will review how well each economy has done to keep protectionism at bay, as well as discuss how to restart the Doha round of trade negotiations that are aimed at freeing up world trade. Finance ministers will also talk about economic and financial reforms.

The ministers will also discuss how to lay the ground for stronger and lasting growth in the Asia-Pacific region. Here, Apec will set goals to try and help the man in the street, said Mr Menon. It wants to make sure growth is inclusive - that as many people as possible feel the benefits of growth and free trade, not just the rich or lucky ones.

To achieve this, Apec is tackling issues on improving worker skills and providing safety nets for those who need them.

'This recession has been extremely deep, but the implications for the labour market have been much less,' said Mr Menon. While people have lost their jobs, many have been able to move on to other jobs.

'We need to do better, we need to improve more of these skills and flexibility in the labour market.'

Schemes to help lower income workers who may not feel the positive effects of growth and free trade will also be discussed by Apec ministers and officials.

'We want to be able to give short-term assistance, but in the long term you want the person to be able to pick himself up and participate in the economy...' Mr Menon said.

More than 10,000 delegates and international media are expected to converge for the week-long Apec Leaders' Week starting this Sunday.

Asean policymakers zero in on health and environment issues
Straits Times 7 Nov 09;

HEALTH and environmental issues were identified as key areas for collaboration at a gathering of regional policymakers from the science and technology sector in Singapore yesterday.

Participants at the 13th session of the Asean Ministerial Meeting for Science and Technology, which brings together senior government officials from the 10 member states, identified six programmes to focus on: biofuels, disaster mitigation, food security, health, water and the environment.

Speaking at the forum's opening ceremony at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel, Deputy Prime Minister Wong Kan Seng highlighted the need for Asean to forge closer links in an increasingly globalised world, where many countries face common threats such as infectious diseases, natural disasters and international terrorism.

The identified areas, to be addressed through the Committee on Science and Technology (Cost), are key to improving the lives of people as well as enhancing economic growth, Mr Wong added.

Research into alternative energy sources, such as

biofuels and geothermal power, had the potential to reduce the region's reliance on oil and hence reduce its carbon footprint, said the minister.

Each area will be spearheaded by an Asean member state which will be tasked with developing a set of targets to be achieved by 2015, said Professor Low Teck Seng, deputy managing director (research) at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research, who chairs Cost.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, he said Singapore will lead research efforts in the area of health, specifically in combating infectious diseases.

'This is something that impacts the entire region. From the recent H1N1 pandemic, it is clear that the threat knows no boundaries.'

He added that Singapore will leverage on its large research base to contribute to the regional effort as well as its experience in dealing with Sars in 2003.

The Philippines and Vietnam will lead efforts in tackling climate change, given their vulnerability to extreme weather events and natural disasters such as typhoons and earthquakes.

Singapore could render assistance in beefing up early warning systems for natural disasters through the work done at research institutes, such as the Centre for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing, and the Earth Observatory of Singapore, added Prof Low.

Funding for the projects will be sourced in part from the $9.3 million Asean Science Fund, although the private sector will also be approached to co-fund some of the programmes.

Said Prof Low: 'In doing this, there is a stark realisation among Asean countries that there is a huge disparity in terms of the needs, focus and capabilities of each member state.'

AMRESH GUNASINGHAM

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Mutton prices up in Singapore due to developments in Australia

Zhao Quan Yin/Dylan Loh, Channel NewsAsia 6 Nov 09;

SINGAPORE: Mutton prices have been increasing going into the year-end period.

In the past two months, mutton prices have risen by as much as 40 per cent - from S$5 a kilogramme to about S$6 or S$7 per kilogramme.

About 80 per cent of Singapore's mutton supply comes from Australia, and the rest mainly from New Zealand.

Suppliers said that the increase in prices is due to changing weather conditions in Australia, and exchange rates which favour the Australian dollar.

Most hawkers and meat sellers that MediaCorp spoke to said that they will absorb the increase for now, but will have to pass it on to consumers if the price hike continues.

- CNA/sc

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Experts say that fears surrounding climate change are overblown

Hannah Devlin, Times Online 6 Nov 09;

Alarming predictions that climate change will lead to the extinction of hundreds of species may be exaggerated, according to Oxford scientists.

They say that many biodiversity forecasts have not taken into account the complexities of the landscape and frequently underestimate the ability of plants and animals to adapt to changes in their environment.

“The evidence of climate change-driven extinctions have really been overplayed. We’re going to lose five or six species due to climate change, not hundreds,” said Professor Kathy Willis, a long-term ecologist at the University of Oxford and lead author of the article.

Professor Willis warned that alarmist reports were leading to ill-founded biodiversity policies in government and some major conservation groups. She said that climate change has become a “buzz word” that is taking priority while, in practice, changes in human use of land have a greater impact on the survival of species. “I’m certainly not a climate change denier, far from it, but we have to have sound policies for managing our ecosystems,” she said.

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature backed the article, saying that climate change is “far from the number-one threat” to the survival of most species. “There are so many other immediate threats that, by the time climate change really kicks in, many species will not exist any more,” said Jean Christophe Vie, deputy head of the IUCN species program, which is responsible for compiling the international Redlist of endangered species.

He listed hunting, overfishing, and destruction of habitat by humans as more critical for the majority of species.

However, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds disagreed, saying that climate change was the single biggest threat to biodiversity on the planet. “There’s an absolutely undeniable affect that’s happening now,” said John Clare, an RSPB spokesman. “There have been huge declines in British sea birds.”

The article, published today in the journal Science, reviews recent research on climate change and biodiversity, arguing that many simulations are not sufficiently detailed to give accurate predictions.

In particular, the landscape is often described at very low resolution, not taking into account finer variations in vegetation and altitude that are vital predictors for biodiversity.

In one analysis of the likelihood of survival of alpine plant species in the Swiss Alps, the landscape was depicted with a 16km by 16km (10 miles by 10 miles) grid scale. This model predicted that all suitable habitats for alpine plants would have disappeared by the end of the century. When the simulation was repeated with a 25m by 25m (82ft by 82ft) scale, the model predicted that areas of suitable habitat would remain for all plant species.

The article suggests that migration to new regions and changes in living patterns of species would take place but that actual extinction would be rare.

Other studies comparing predictions of extinction rates with actual extinction rates have come to similar conclusions. According to a high-profile paper published in the journal Nature in 2004, up to 35 per cent of bird species would be extinct by 2050 due to changes in climate. To be on track to meet this figure, Professor Keith Bennett, head of geography at Queen’s University Belfast, calculated that about 36 species would have to have become extinct each year between 2004 and 2008. In reality, three species of bird became extinct.

He said that many species are far more versatile than some prediction models give them credit for. “If it gets a couple of degrees warmer than they’re comfortable with, they don’t just die, they move,” he said.

Can Biodiversity Persist In The Face Of Climate Change?
ScienceDaily 6 Nov 09;

Predictions made over the last decade about the impacts of climate change on biodiversity may be exaggerated, according to a paper published in the journal Science.

Oxford University researchers, Professor Kathy Willis and Dr Shonil Bhagwat, argue that predicting the fate of biodiversity in the face of climate change is 'fraught with caveats and complexities'.

They say that several larger-scale models are failing to take into account local, more detailed variations and that models often underestimate the full capacity of plants and animals to adapt to a changing climate.

The researchers' view is that these factors 'seriously alter the model predictions'. They suggest that 'we should expect to see species turnover, migrations, and novel communities, but not necessarily the levels of extinction previously predicted'.

Their synthesis of research highlights the contradictions in previous studies about the likely survival rates of alpine plants in the Swiss Alps, European butterfly populations and the South American tropical rainforests.

'These studies highlight the level of complexity that we are faced with in trying to model and predict the possible consequences of future climate change on biodiversity,' the paper says. The researchers say the mixed picture that is emerging from previous studies also emphasises a high level of persistence in many communities.

Although over three quarters of the earth's deserts, grasslands, forests and tundra have changed because of human activity, the researchers say that even in this fragmented landscape species are surviving better than was previously predicted. The paper cites more recent studies and concludes that even in altered landscapes 'all is not lost for biodiversity'.

The researchers point to a study into 785 animal species across six continents, which suggests the most important factor for occupancy is the quality of the animals' immediate environment rather than whether their habitat is shrinking. Their paper also highlights a study of forest butterflies in West Africa, which found that despite an 87 per cent reduction in forest cover, 97 per cent of species are still present.

Professor Kathy Willis, from the School for Geography and the Environment, expresses some caution about the apparent ability of species to survive in a more fragmented habitat. She said: 'Presence or absence does not take into account lag effects of declining populations. Therefore, a more worrying interpretation is that the full effects of fragmentation will only be seen in future years.'

The paper also highlights a serious issue for future conservationists, arguing that the definition of 'natural' is changing fast.

Dr Shonil Bhagwat, from the School of Geography and the Environment, said: 'Although every measure should be put in place to reduce the further fragmentation of reserves, we cannot turn back the clock. We need to determine what represents a "good" intervention to preserve animal habitats in the countryside and in towns and cities. Furthermore, we will increasingly see new ecosystems emerging as a result of climate changes and so what is "natural" is going to require a whole new definition.'

Adapted from materials provided by University of Oxford.

Studies 'overstate species risks'
Mark Kinver, BBC News 6 Nov 09;

Some large-scale computer simulations may be overestimating the impact of climate change on biodiversity in some regions, researchers have suggested.

They said models that analyse vast areas often failed to take into account local variations, such as topography and microclimates.

Local-scale simulations, which did include these factors, often delivered a more optimistic outlook, they added.

The findings have been published in the journal, Science.

One of the studies cited in the paper looked at the fate of plant species in the Swiss Alps.

"A coarse European-scale model (with 16km by 16km grid cells) predicted a loss of all suitable habitats during the 21st Century," the researchers wrote.

"Whereas a model run using local-scale data (25m by 25m grid cells) predicted (the) persistence of suitable habitats for up to 100% of plant species."

Micro v macro

Co-author Shonil Bhagwat, a senior research fellow at the University of Oxford, UK, said when vegetation was looked at on a smaller scale, scientists saw a different picture.

"For example, smaller plots give data on microclimatic variations, whereas large-scale models predict (uniform) changes throughout the landscape."

Advances in computing power meant that more large-scale datasets were being made available to scientists, Dr Bhagwat explained.

"There is more interest in predicting widespread, large-scale effects," she told BBC News, "that is why coarser-scale models are normally used.

"However, the changes in communities of vegetation occur at a much smaller scale."

In the paper, Dr Bhagwat and co-author Professor Kathy Willis, wrote: "These studies highlight the complexities that we are faced with trying to model and predict the possible consequences of future climate change on biodiversity."

The researchers called for more micro-scale studies to be carried out that complement the overall picture presented by larger models.

However, they added that the overall picture for biodiversity loss was still bleak, especially once the rate of habitat loss and fragmentation was taken into account.

"Predicting the fate of biodiversity in response to climate change combined with habitat fragmentation is a serious undertaking fraught with caveats and complexities," they observed.

For example, Dr Bhagwat explained, the current system of having fixed nature reserves may need to be reconsidered.

"We have 12% of the Earth's land surface covered in protected areas, but climate change is likely to push species out of their home ranges and out of reserves," she added.

"So we need to look beyond reserves and create the conditions that allow the migration of species."

Read more!

Malaysia to double tiger population by next year: government

AFP Google News 5 Nov 09;

KUALA LUMPUR — Malaysia's deputy premier has announced plans to double the population of the endangered Malayan Tiger through a new initiative to manage and conserve the big cat in its natural environment.

Muhyiddin Yassin said the government's new biodiversity council had adopted the National Tiger Action Plan in a bid to boost the dwindling population.

The plan targets an increase in the Malayan tiger population "to 1,000 by 2020 in their natural habitat," he told state media Bernama late Wednesday.

"We will take concrete efforts to protect the tigers, including in situ conservation efforts. The aim is to also widen the area where wildlife is protected."

Wildlife activists have welcomed the government's endorsement of the plan, urging greater enforcement of laws to protect the animals.

"High level support behind the action plan is crucial not just to save tigers but their habitat and prey species," Chris Shepherd, acting head of wildlife trade monitoring group TRAFFIC Southeast Asia told AFP.

A "decline in their prey base" is one of the key threats to the tigers, he added.

The government said in July it has also sought the help of the military to battle poaching, which wildlife activists say has reduced the number of Malayan Tigers in the wild from around 3000 in the 1950s to fewer than 500 tigers now.

"Enforcement in Malaysia and across tiger-range states needs to be stepped up as tiger (numbers) have declined so sharply in the last few years," Shepherd added.

"We are not going to be able to save tigers unless enforcement and deterrents are in place."

Tiger parts are used in traditional medicine across the region. Last month, wildlife authorities rescued a Malayan tiger from a snare set up by poachers near the country's jungle border with Thailand. The animal died from its wounds shortly after.

Work closer on wildlife
Farrah Naz Karim, The Star 5 Nov 09;

PUTRAJAYA: The deputy prime minister has called to heighten joint enforcement initiatives among state governments, the Wildlife Department and Peninsular Malaysia Forestry Department to curb encroachment and poaching.

Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said this was one of the many steps needed to ensure the sound management and conservation of biodiversity.

Effective measures would enable Malaysia to enjoy its rich biodiversity as a new source of wealth, he said in a statement yesterday after chairing the sixth National Biodiversity-Biotechnology Council, now renamed the National Biodiversity Council.

He said the council had agreed to expand the National Biodiversity Integrated Spatial Data Base Development Project to the whole peninsula (Phase 1) as well as pilot areas in Sabah and Sarawak (Phase 2).

The project, which uses remote sensing technology and geographical information system, would be a more effective way of creating a balance between biodiversity conversation and development.

"The council is also taking note of efforts by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry in keeping an inventory of the country's biodiversity wealth. It is crucial for us to know our biodiversity and the need for conservation to use it as a driver of new wealth," he said.

The council also adopted the paper Common Vision on Biodiversity aimed at driving biodiversity into the mainstream of the country's development.

This, he said, would require all sectors and activities related to biodiversity to take into account sustainable management, conservation and utilisation of biodiversity.

A National Biodiversity Centre would be set up in line with the National Diversity Biology policy, which is aimed at strengthening the institutional framework for the management of biology diversity.

The issue of Malayan tigers, which are fast dwindling in numbers, was also touched on at the meeting attended by several ministers, menteris besar and chief ministers.

The council adopted the National Tigers Action Plan (NTAP), an integrated approach for the management and conservation of the Malayan tiger in its natural habitats.

The plan, Muhyiddin said, was to save the rare species from extinction as they now numbered about 500, from 3,000 in the 1950s.

The NTAP, among others, would focus on the conservation of tigers in-situ at conservation sites.

"Through this action plan, the management of the tigers' habitat could be strengthened by increasing the wildlife corridor network and protection areas."

With the plan in place, Muhyiddin said the council expected the number of Malayan tigers to increase to 1,000 by next year.

Muhyiddin announces plan to double tiger population
The Star 5 Nov 09;

PUTRAJAYA: A comprehensive plan to double the country’s tiger population is in the works.

The plan, to be adopted by the National Biodiversity-Biotechnology Council, aims to manage and protect the animal from extinction and increase its numbers in the wild to 1,000 by the year 2020.

Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said the country could not afford to lose the tiger as it was a subspecies unique to Malay­­sia.

According to official records, Malaysia’s tiger population was estimated at 3,000 in the 1950s but current figures showed a drastic drop to between 450 and 500 only.

“We will take concrete efforts to protect the tigers, including in situ conservation efforts. The aim is also to widen the area where wildlife is protected,” he said after chairing the council’s sixth meeting yesterday.

Those present included Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Douglas Unggah Embas, Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai, Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Maximus Ongkili, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin, and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed.


Malaysian Tiger Action Plan adopted
TRAFFIC 5 Nov 09;

The Government in Malaysia has endorsed a Tiger Action Plan that aims to see 1,000 wild animals in the country by 2020 Click photo to enlarge © Roger Hooper / WWF-Canon Kuala Lumpur, 5 November 2009—Malaysia’s roadmap to saving its wild tigers has received its most solid endorsement yet—a firm and clear commitment from Government to protect the species and the places it calls home.

The National Tiger Action Plan was officially adopted by Malaysia’s National Biodiversity-Biotechnologys Council yesterday. It is a detailed document that government and environmental NGOs jointly shaped over the past two years.

Malaysia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin, who chairs the Council said the government would take concrete efforts to protect the Tigers, double their number by 2020 and widen the area where wildlife is protected.

The high-powered Council counts Ministers of Environment, Health, Education, Science, Technology and Innovation as well as International Trade and Ministry among its members.

Consultations on the draft plan between the Wildlife and National Parks Department and a coalition of NGOs that formed the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT) began in 2006. The coalition comprises TRAFFIC Southeast Asia, WWF Malaysia, Malaysian Nature Society and the Wildlife Conservation Society-Malaysia Programme.

The plan, which was completed and released late 2007, spells out the direction and specific actions that government agencies and NGOs must carry out between 2008 and 2015 to secure a future for wild Malayan Tiger populations.

These actions include securing ample Tiger habitats, ensuring connectivity of habitats, protecting Tiger prey-species and enforcement against poachers and has even been built into spatial and infrastructure development planning.

Its overall indicator of success will be 1,000 wild Tigers surviving on wild prey in the year 2020, in a secured, well-connected swathe of forest that runs through the centre of Peninsular Malaysia, referred to as the Central Forest Spine.

Malaysia currently has an estimated 500 wild Tigers, down from about 3,000 in the 1950s.

“This is a monumental step forward for conservation of Malaysia’s Tigers and all wildlife,” said Chris R. Shepherd, TRAFFIC Southeast Asia’s Acting-Director.

“There’s much work ahead to realize the plan and many problems to address, but this is exactly the kind of commitment we hope all Tiger range States will show.

Among those problems, which the Council also addressed, were threats posed by encroachment into protected areas and poaching. The Deputy Prime Minister called on the all State Governments, the Wildlife and National Parks Department and the Forestry Department to work towards curbing the problem.

The adoption of the plan is a timely boost for conservation efforts and comes at a critical time for Tiger and Tiger prey survival. Poaching levels are high, as indicated by numerous recent illegal activities in Malaysia’s forests.

In July, the government took another crucial step towards protecting Tiger prey-species by placing a two-year ban on the hunting of Sambar and Barking Deer.

Most recently, on October 26, Wildlife and National Parks Department arrested two men for poaching two Barking Deer, just off a highway that cuts through a biodiversity rich forest in the north of Peninsular Malaysia.

The men, both from the town of Gerik in Perak, will face charges under Section 68 of the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 for possession of a protected species and could face up to RM3,000 in fines or a maximum three years in prison, or both, upon conviction.

Wildlife officers in Gerik town alone have handled 16 cases involving poachers so far this year, Perak State Wildlife Department Director Shabrina Mohd Shariff said.

In May, authorities caught two men with the skull and bones of a Tiger and arrested Cambodian poachers in Malaysia’s forests with wildlife parts. Just last month, a Tiger was found in a snare by authorities and WWF’s wildlife protection unit, unfortunately it died of its injures.

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Officers uncover illegal animal trading syndicate in East Java

Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post 5 Nov 09;

A joint team comprised of East Java Police officers and members of an NGO arrested a man allegedly involved in an illegal animal trading syndicate in Walikukun district, Ngawi, East Java, and confiscated 38 protected animals.

Campaign officer from ProFauna Indonesia Radius Nursidi said the officers had surveyed the Walikukun forest prior to the seizure.

“We received reports from residents that there were many animals ready to be sold in the area. We then passed ourselves off as buyers and negotiated the prices with the suspect,” Radius said.

He added that the officers were brought to the middle of the forest where they discovered cages filled with animals protected under the 1990 Natural Conservation Law.

“We then brought the animals to the provincial headquarter in Surabaya as evidence,” he said.

The suspect said the animals belonged to people who had managed to escape during his arrest.

Illegal animal trading uncovered
Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post 6 Nov 09;

A joint team of police and NGO activists arrested a man who is allegedly a member of a syndicate trading in protected animals, in Walikukun district, Ngawi regency, East Java.

The team, which comprised of personnel from the East Java Police and activists from non governmental organizations ProFauna Indonesia and Humane Society International (HSI), also seized caged protected animals from the man, identified as Sumadi, 40, during the raid on Wednesday.

"We went undercover, pretending that we wanted to buy six lutungs *long-tailed monkeys* from the suspect," ProFauna Indonesia's campaign officer Radius Nursidi told The Jakarta Post.

Radius said that a few days prior to the arrest, the team conducted an investigation in the Walikukun forest along the Ngawi-Sragen route, after receiving reports from the community regarding the suspected sale of protected animals in the forest.

Sumadi, according to Radius, agreed to meet to hand over the order after establishing a price for the animals. Each lutung was priced at Rp 200,000.

He also told the undercover official that he frequently sold protected primates including Sunda lorises and lutungs. Sunda lorises, he said, were usually priced between Rp 75,000 and Rp 250,000 each, while Javanese lutungs were sold for about Rp 200,000 each.

"After agreeing on the price, the undercover official was taken to a place in the forest to pick up the lutung. There we arrested the suspect," Radius said.

He added that the joint team also found dozens of cages filled with animals protected under the law governing the conservation of natural resources and ecosystems.

All the animals were seized and transported to the East Java Police headquarters in Surabaya as evidence.

The seized animals comprised of 21 Sunda lorises, 15 Javanese lutung, a white bellied sea eagle and a leopard cat as evidence.

Sumadi, however, told the officials that the seized animals belonged to some friends of his, who share the same "profession".

Another suspect, believed to be the owner of some of the seized animals, reportedly escaped soon after Sumadi's arrest.

Both Javanese lutungs and Sunda lorises, Radius said, were on the red list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and were categorized as endemic animals on the brink of extinction.

The region along the Ngawi-Sragen highway, near the R Soerjo monument, has long been known as a notorious trading site for protected primates. For years, protected primates like Sunda lorises and Javanese lutungs have been freely traded in the region, on both sides of the route.

The arrest was made only two weeks after ProFauna issued its report on the trades of protected animals in bird markets across Java Island.

ProFauna Indonesia's chairman Rosek Nursahid expressed hope the arrest and seizure would help stem, or even stop, the trade of protected animals in Ngawi.

"We suspect this is part of a protected animal trading syndicate," he said,

ProFauna's latest report based on a survey conducted in 70 bird markets across Java Island shows that the trade of protected animals at those markets is relatively high.

The R. Soerjo monument market was among the markets featured in the survey.

Read more!

Attempt To Smuggle Anteaters Foiled in Johor, Malaysia

Bernama 5 Nov 09;

JOHOR BAHARU, Nov 5 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) foiled an attempt to smuggle in 55 anteaters worth RM75,000 in the waters off Parit Jawa, near Muar, Thursday.

MMEA southern region enforcement chief Commander Abdul Razak Johan said the anteaters were left in a boat by a sand bank after smugglers of exotic animals realised the presence of MMEA personnel patrolling the area around 6am.

"Our patrol boat noticed a fibre boat carrying at least two people moving along a mangrove swamp in a suspicious manner.

"On realising the presence of the authoritites, they sped away before the boat got caught at a sand bank and forced them to jump into the waters before escaping into the mangrove forest," he said in a statement here today.

Abdul Razak said on checking the boat they found 55 anteaters (pangolins), weighing between three to five kilogrammes each,

Anteaters can fetch between RM200 and RM250 per kg in the market.

He said the protected species were believed to have been smuggled from a neighbouring country because of their shiny greenish-black colour, which are not available locally.

-- BERNAMA

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Shoppers at newly-opened KL Carrefour Market must bring own bags

Jayagandi Jayaraj, The Star 6 Nov 09;

GOING green all the way, Carrefour Market at the Sphere in Bangsar South, Kuala Lumpur has implemented its no-plastic-bag policy starting last week.

Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own bags, or buy recyclable bags sold at the market.

The attractive bags cost between RM4 and RM4.90.

Otherwise, they can make use of carton boxes provided at the check-out counters.

The initiative is Carrefour Group’s target to stop the free distribution of plastic bags to shoppers in all countries by 2012.

With 19 stores in Malaysia, the company has currently implemented the concept at Carrefour Bandar Tun Hussein Onn and Carrefour Penang.

Carrefour at Tropicana Mall in Petaling Jaya is also in the midst of a conversion. Next in line to adopt the “no plastic bag” policy is Carrefour Mid Valley Megamall in Kuala Lumpur.

Carrefour Malaysia chief executive officer Guillaume de Colonges said although environment conservation was an uphill task, the company was not discouraged.

“To succeed, we are planning more effective programmes, taking with us the learnings from the best practices of other Carrefour stores around the world.

“In our business, we have the advantage of a large consumer base and because of this we know we can make an impact to promote public awareness on the need to protect and conserve our environmental heritage,” he said at the grand opening of Carrefour Market.

Deputy Federal Territories Minister Datuk M. Saravanan officiated at the opening.

Also present to support the company’s efforts in going green were model Amber Chia, actress Vanidah Imran and husband Rashidi Ishak.

Chia, who often carried her own shopping bags instead of using plastic bags, said it was about time that Malaysians picked up and followed through on the habit of bringing their own shopping bags.

“Abroad, people do that all the time. It is a habit that reduces waste and helps protect the environment. I can see the trend of bringing recyclable bags is slowly picking up here but more people should be educated and be aware of it. So let’s start from somewhere.

“These days recyclable bags are also attractive, so it’s good,” she said.

At 2,000 square meter, Carrefour Market in Bangsar South is the first of its kind in Malaysia.

The mini hypermarket has 16,000 stock keeping units with a wide range of grocery items, including beauty and health products.

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Trash-eating Turtles Dying in Record Numbers: Earthwatch Presents First-Ever Award to Further Research

PRWEB 5 Nov 09;

Preliminary studies led by Dr. Kathy Townsend from The University of Queensland indicate that more than 35% of the sea turtles she has studied in Australia died from eating trash.

Earthwatch Institute, Maynard, MA (Vocus/PRWEB ) November 5, 2009 -- Preliminary studies led by Dr. Kathy Townsend from The University of Queensland indicate that more than 35% of the sea turtles she has studied in Australia died from eating trash.

“Marine rubbish is having a significant impact on marine life,” Townsend said. “These impacts include ingestion of plastic debris and entanglement in crab pots, synthetic ropes and lines or drift nets, all of which can lead to death of turtles, sea birds and marine mammals.”

This first-ever fellowship—presented recently by Earthwatch at its office in Australia—will provide Townsend with $205,000 in funding to continue her research over the next three years. The fellowship is supported by the US-based Goldring Family Foundation.

Townsend will use the award to continue to expand the study area, raise awareness of the problem, and investigate why turtles eat the trash in the first place—and she’s garnering the help of Earthwatch volunteers to gather the data.

“Turtles in Trouble” is a new kind of research project for Earthwatch where up to eight volunteers become “scientists for a day,” spending a full day with Townsend learning about marine debris ingestion by turtles found around North Stradbroke Island, off the coast of Queensland. More than 100 turtles (green turtles, hawksbills, and loggerheads) have washed ashore in this local area since 2005, Townsend said—but she’s sure there were plenty of others that weren’t reported.

In addition to performing turtle “necropsies” (autopsies for animals) and quantifying the amount of debris found on the local beaches, Townsend also takes volunteers out in a boat to release any turtles that have been rehabilitated.

The Goldring Emerging Marine Scientist Fellowship, presented by Earthwatch, supports promising early-career researchers and professionals who are committed to the creation of a sustainable environment through science, public education, and collaborative partnerships.

“Marine debris—including balloons, plastic ties and bags, milk bottle tops and more—is choking the life out of sea turtles all over the world, not just in Australia,” said Ed Wilson, CEO and president of Earthwatch in Metro Boston. “Support from the Goldring Fellowship will enable Kathy and an arsenal of Earthwatch volunteers to collect the data needed much quicker than was possible before—greatly expanding the reach and impact of this critical research.”

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=51132618634&ref=ts

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East Timor wants compensation from Australia for oil spill fallout

ABC News 5 NOv 09;

East Timor wants compensation from the Australian Government for any environmental damage caused by an oil leak from a rig in the Timor Sea.

The Montara oil rig, which is 250 kilometres from East Timor's coastline, was expelling 400 barrels of oil a day for two months until the leak was stopped earlier this week.

East Timorese President Jose Ramos-Horta says the spill is the responsibility of the Australian Government and the Thai company that owns the platform.

Dr Ramos-Horta is calling for Australian environmental groups to help assess if the spill has caused any damage to East Timor's maritime area and says he will seek compensation for any negative effects to his country's environment.

ABC Radio's PM program has seen statements provided by several Indonesian fishermen who say their livelihoods have been seriously affected by oil.

They have spoken of a slick appearing at their fishing grounds and some of them have had no catch as a result. Some have had to borrow money to get by.

The Australian Government says only small patches of "weathered oil" have gone into Indonesia's economic zone, and that was about 100 kilometres from Roti.

Today Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett would not comment directly today on reports of impacts in Indonesian waters.

But he did say more work had started to determine the effects of the spill.

"As soon as we receive the results from that work we will make them publicly available, as we did with the work done originally at my insistence," he said.

"I have always said that this is a very serious matter and we have treated it seriously.

"We will make sure that every amount of relevant information in respect of environmental impacts is made available. If we think there's a necessity for more information and for more work to be done, we will get it done."

The confirmed death toll of birds affected by the spill is now at 19 but Mr Garrett would not speculate on whether he thought the seemingly low death toll would increase by much.

"I hope of course ... that there's minimal impact. So I'm not going to start speculating on whether there'll be increases and what kind of increases there may or may not be," he said.

"We will make sure that we will continue to do the work that we undertook in the first instance as a consequence of this event."

Spill inquiry

Today the Federal Government appointed a former senior public servant - former Environment Department secretary David Borthwick - to head a commission of inquiry into the oil spill.

The company behind the rig, PTTEP Australasia, says it welcomes the opportunity for the facts to be placed on the public record.

Federal Resources Minister Martin Ferguson says Mr Borthwick will have the power and the authority of a royal commission.

"This inquiry's about getting to the bottom of the cause of the incident and the manner in which it was handled," he said.

"It's clearly now our responsibility to work with industry to assess the cause or causes of the incident and also make any necessary changes to the regulatory environment in Australia to try and avoid similar incidents in the future."

But Greens Senator Rachel Siewert is concerned Mr Borthwick does not have any judicial or investigative experience.

She says the Government must guarantee the inquiry will be conducted in public.

"Under the terms of reference and the process set up, it could be entirely done behind closed doors," she said.

"We don't think that's adequate so we're seeking an absolute commitment that there will be a public inquiry."

Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett says that is up to the commissioner.

"As to whether the commissioner determines to have public hearings or not in relation to the oil spill inquiry is a matter for him," he said.

"My expectation would be that he would give pretty open thought to the opportunity for public inquiry participation, but it's a matter for the commissioner."

Opposition Environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the inquiry should also examine a separate gas leak in the oil spill region.

"It's inexplicable that the Government has excluded the seven-week cover up of the East Puffin gas leak," he said.

"This was a gas leak which was 50 kilometres from the West Atlas oil rig leak and yet we heard nothing for seven weeks."

Mr Borthwick is due to hand down his findings by April.

Read more!

Coral Reefs Inspire Rare Consensus -- Just Save Them

ScienceDaily 5 Nov 09;

One of the first set of studies to examine what tourists and recreation enthusiasts actually think about coral reef ecosystems suggests they are a rare exception to controversies over human use versus environmental conservation -- their stunning beauty is so extraordinary that almost everyone wants them protected in perpetuity.

That core belief is often strong enough that if it means people have to be kept out, so be it.

The analysis, done in Hawaii by researchers from Oregon State University and the University of Hawaii, found that most people visiting the state's coral reef ecosystems care deeply about these areas and very much enjoy visiting them, but will generally endorse whatever amount of management is needed to protect them.

"It was really quite astonishing, almost shocking how much people wanted this resource protected for its own sake," said Mark Needham, an assistant professor of forest ecosystems and society at OSU. "We fish and hunt wildlife for food or sport, we cut trees for timber. In most natural resource issues, we find conflicts over management for economic value versus environmental preservation or protection, but we really didn't see that here.

"Our surveys found overwhelmingly that people visiting coral reef areas did not think that human use and access were the most important issues when it came to these areas," he said. "And if anything was to have a deleterious effect on reef ecosystems, they would want it stopped."

That attitude was also of interest, Needham said, because in Hawaii coral reef ecosystems are a major draw for the tourism industry -- seven million people a year who spend more than $11 billion, in part, to enjoy the glistening waters, multi-colored corals, and myriad tropical fish. They are a destination for everyone from snorkelers and scuba divers to tourists in glass-bottom boats and toddlers wading knee-deep, all who come to see the incredible diversity of marine life. More than 80 percent of Hawaii's visitors recreate in the state's coastal and marine areas, and a majority go snorkeling or diving.

Past research has been done in many places around the world to analyze physical damage or other pressures placed on coral reefs, which in some cases has resulted in steps to reduce human use or educate visitors on reef protection. But until now, resource managers had no real barometer on just how much public support there was for such measures, especially among hobbyists and tourists who use this resource.

These recent surveys obtained attitudes and opinions from more than 3,500 residents and tourists visiting seven coral reef sites in the Hawaiian Islands, including state marine protected areas, fisheries management areas, and a county beach park. The surveys also measured attitudes about overuse and crowding, and opinions about management needs.

Opinions about coral reefs varied, Needham said, but were mostly just variations on how much protection might be needed, with some people feeling more extreme than others. Virtually no one wanted expanded use of coral reefs to the extent it might degrade them for enjoyment by future generations, and many were willing to endorse any level of protection needed, even if it meant banning human use. These views toward coral reefs reflected peoples' core personal values and are unlikely to change much, scientists said.

The studies showed that acceptance of potential future management strategies would be driven largely by perceived health of coral reefs and changes to these ecosystems.

"Litter, facilities, and crowding were not as important as coral reef conditions in influencing support or opposition to management actions such as limiting human use and increasing public information," Needham said. "This is surprising because in many parks and protected areas on land, social issues such as crowding and litter heavily influence attitudes toward management.

"In a marine context," he added, "it appears that environmental conditions may be more important."

More education and interpretation was commonly sought to help address issues of concern, such as people damaging corals by standing on them, the report found. The studies were supported by the Hawaii Coral Reef Initiative and State of Hawaii Division of Aquatic Resources. Some results of this work have been accepted for publication in professional journals.

This research should be considered good news for managers seeking support for their marine protection and conservation efforts, Needham said.

However, further studies are needed in other states and countries and with other segments of the public, he said, including some that have a much stronger orientation toward managed use instead of recreation or environmental protection. Needham is now working with Brian Szuster, an assistant professor of geography at the University of Hawaii, to examine this topic in other areas of Hawaii and in other countries.

Adapted from materials provided by Oregon State University.

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Caribbean, Gulf spared widespread coral damage

David Mcfadden, Associated Press Yahoo News 6 Nov 09;

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Lower-than-feared sea temperatures this summer gave a break to fragile coral reefs across the Caribbean and the central Gulf of Mexico that were damaged in recent years, scientists said Thursday.

Unusually warm water in recent years has caused the animals that make up coral to expel the colorful algae they live with, creating a bleached color. If the problem persists, the coral itself dies — killing the environment where many fish and other marine organisms live.

"We dodged a bullet this year. The good news is that temperatures didn't get quite warm enough for there to be a large-scale bleaching problem," said C. Mark Eakin, coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Coral Reef Watch network. He was among scientists gathered in Puerto Rico's capital for a meeting of the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force.

The worst coral bleaching in the region's recorded history occurred in 2005, when hot seas caused bleaching of as much as 90 percent of corals in the eastern Caribbean, with more than half of that dying.

In July, the Coral Reef Watch network warned that high temperatures this year might lead to severe coral problems because sea surface temperatures in parts of the Caribbean were unusually hot.

Eakin said the threat had passed for 2009, since temperatures are now cooling, but the problem could return.

"We're seeing little signs of coral recovery in the Caribbean, where the damage has been like a ratchet wrench clicking down and staying there," Eakin said. "Temperatures could be severe enough next year."

Reef-building coral is a fragile organism, a tiny polyp-like animal that builds a calcium-carbonate shell around itself and survives in a symbiotic relationship with types of algae — each providing sustenance to the other. Even a 1-degree Celsius (1.7-degree Fahrenheit) rise in normal maximum sea temperatures can disrupt that relationship.

Bleaching can occur when sea temperatures rise just a few degrees above average in the warmest summer months. Bleaching that lasts more than a week can kill the organisms, since they rely on the algae for sustenance.

Some coral bleaching was recorded this year in the Cayman Islands, according to Eakin and scientists in the British Caribbean dependency.

Croy McCoy, a senior researcher with the islands' Department of Environment, told The Associated Press that officials are still calculating the damage to local reefs.

___

On the Net:

NOAA's Coral Reef Watch home page: http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/index.html

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Canada to investigate disappearing Pacific salmon

Reuters 5 Nov 09;

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - Canada will launch an investigation into why far fewer sockeye salmon than scientists had predicted returned to the Fraser River on the Pacific Coast this summer.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the judicial inquiry on Thursday, saying the federal government was concerned about the declining sockeye population.

Federal government scientists had predicted that as many as 13 million sockeye salmon would return to the river this year to breed, but it is now estimated that only about 1.4 million fish actually returned.

The collapse gutted the commercial Fraser sockeye fishing season, and prompted the government of the West Coast province of British Columbia and federal opposition parties to ask Ottawa to investigate whether federal officials have mismanaged salmon stocks.

Details of the inquiry were expected to be announced on Friday in Vancouver.

Salmon have long been at the center of diplomatic spats between Canada and the United States, with Canadian fishermen often accusing their U.S. rivals of taking too large a portion of the catch.

Division of the dwindling salmon catch is also the center of a bitter dispute within Canada involving aboriginal, recreational and non-aboriginal commercial fishermen.

Some environmentalists, who praised the announcement of the inquiry, have said that aquaculture farms along Canada's Pacific Coast endanger wild fish stocks -- a charge that the fish farm operators deny.

(Reporting by Allan Dowd, editing by Peter Galloway)

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Bluefin tuna on edge of extinction, environmentalists warn

Yahoo News 6 Nov 09;

WASHINGTON (AFP) – An international fisheries group set up to protect Atlantic tuna has done the opposite and driven one species of the fish, the bluefin, to the edge of extinction, environmentalists said Thursday.

On the eve of a 10-day meeting in Brazil of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT), environmentalists accused the group of ignoring the advice of its own scientists and setting fishing quotas for bluefin tuna that have drastically depleted stocks.

"ICCAT has continually disregarded countless opportunities to do the right thing and secure the Atlantic bluefin tuna," Susan Lieberman, director of international policy at the Washington-based Pew Environment Group, told reporters.

Marine biologist Carl Safina, president of the Blue Ocean Institute, which studies how human behavior impacts the ocean, called ICCAT "the poster child for not only failure... but cynicism and a real unwillingness to get serious, be professional and listen to what the science has to say.

"The world's first fisheries management agency formed out of concern for this one species never followed their own science, never lived up to their mandate to manage for a sustainable yield," Safina said.

ICCAT was set up in the late 1960s to conserve "tuna and tuna-like species in the Atlantic Ocean and adjacent seas," according to its website.

Lieberman said ICCAT has for decades set quotas above what its own scientists have recommended for bluefin tuna.

Those quotas are systematically exceeded by industrial fleets, which over-fish the species.

Combined with illegal fishing, this has caused the population to decline by more than 85 percent in the eastern Atlantic and by more than 90 percent in the western Atlantic.

"The bluefin tuna will not be with us and certainly will be extinct if governments don't do the right thing... and unless ICCAT says, 'Enough is enough, it's time for a zero quota; we're going to put the brakes on this fishery,'" Lieberman said.

"If we had any terrestrial species that had declined this much, this quickly, we would have said we have to shut this down, we have to let them recover," Lieberman told AFP.

The environmentalists also called for stricter regulation of the trade in sharks, which are often caught up as "by-catch" in commercial tuna-fishing operations and are also being targeted directly by fishing fleets for their fins and meat.

Around 100 million sharks are caught in commercial and sports fishing every year, and several species have declined by more than 80 percent in the past decade alone, according the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

"ICCAT needs to set science-based sustainable catch limits on the number of sharks that can be killed and prohibit the retention of exceptionally vulnerable sharks species such as the big-eyed thresher," Lieberman said.

The environmentalists want the bluefin tuna to be included on the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) list of animals and plants most threatened with extinction, and for some species of shark to be included on a CITES list which regulates trade.

"We want their trade regulated so they don't go the way of the bluefin," Lieberman told AFP.

Bluefin tuna is popular in upscale sushi restaurants around the world, particularly Japan, while shark-fin soup is a delicacy and status symbol in some Asian countries. Shark meat is also gaining popularity in Europe.

Forty-eight countries in every region of the world -- ranging from Algeria, Barbados, China and France, to Ivory Coast, Japan, the United States and Venezuela -- are contracting parties to ICCAT.

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Study suggests peat CO2 credits more valuable

Sunanda Creagh, Reuters 6 Nov 09;

JAKARTA (Reuters) - An Indonesia-based study is showing carbon-rich tropical peat lands trap more greenhouse gases than first thought, driving up their potential value on the carbon market and strengthening the case for their protection.

Huge amounts of greenhouse gases are released when peat lands are logged or drained for agriculture, and even more when the dried bogs catch fire and release toxic haze into the air.

But while most scientists agree preserving peat is key to slowing global warming, a team of 11 of the world's best peat scientists have found it might be more important than first thought.

"We are finding that the emissions from peat are very, very large, much larger than people expected," said John Raison, chair of the 11-member Peat and Greenhouse Gases Group, a joint project between the Indonesian and Australian governments formed late last year to develop a method to measure peat emissions.

"We are also finding that all of the assumptions to date have been too rough, far too rough for something that is to be sold on the (carbon) market."

Peat is created when layers of organic material break down over thousands of years and is particularly abundant in the Sumatra and Kalimantan, the Indonesian half of Borneo island, where huge tracts have been cleared for palm oil plantations.

Accurate calculations on carbon lost through deforestation or locked away by saving and replanting forests and peatlands is crucial to a fledgling U.N. forest carbon offset scheme called reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD).

REDD aims to reward developing nations for preserving and protecting forests via the use of an expanded carbon market. The United Nations hopes the scheme will become part of a broader climate pact from 2013 that might be agreed next month in Copenhagen or some time next year.

ESTIMATES

But Raison said there was still great uncertainty about how much carbon was stored in the peat lands, which would influence how much peat carbon credits should be worth.

Governments and companies in rich nations could buy the credits to help them meet mandatory emissions reduction targets.

"There have only ever been very gross estimates about that -- just guesses, really -- but the price is dictated by the certainty of the estimates. The more precise the estimate, the more valuable the product," he told Reuters in an interview.

To settle the debate, the team of peat experts will develop a method of estimating greenhouse gas emissions from tropical peat lands and create a way of forecasting more accurately how much greenhouse gases could be saved through REDD projects.

Initial research was presented to climate pact negotiators meeting in Barcelona this week and new field research would take place in Kalimantan later this year, said Raison.

About 5.5 percent of global carbon emissions are created by draining or burning peat, which stores twice as much carbon as all the trees in the world, according to new research presented at climate talks in Barcelona on Wednesday by one member of Raison's team, Hans Joosten.

Another study published on Tuesday in the journal Nature Geoscience found that draining peatland in Southeast Asia alone produced four times the greenhouse gases created by deforestation worldwide. This study found global deforestation created 12 percent of the world's total carbon emissions.

Raison said the team's research will inform the Copenhagen talks and Indonesia's development of its National Carbon Accounting System, a measurement and monitoring tool that helps a country set a carbon baseline and determine how much carbon is gained and lost.

However, Abdon Nabanan, secretary-general of the Indigenous People's Alliance of the Archipelago told an environmental forum on Wednesday that land titling problems -- not carbon accounting -- was the issue that would make or break REDD in Indonesia.

"Developed countries want to invest in mitigation efforts in Indonesia but I think they will fail because there is no investment certainty. There is conflict everywhere," he said.

(Editing by David Fogarty)

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