Bleaching at Sentosa
from wild shores of singapore
Venus Drive
from Singapore Nature
Terumbu Pempang Darat
from Singapore Nature
Feeding Spotted Dove: 1. Introduction
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Sea Turtle Night patrol
from Project Orion II
Victoria Vaughan Straits Times 1 Jul 10;
CITIES can become toxic environments for families and more needs to be done to encourage multi-generational living, said experts at the World Cities Summit yesterday.
Mr Joel Kotkin, Presidential Fellow in Urban Futures at Chapman University in the United States, said families did not want to live in cities and this is demonstrated in Singapore as it has one of the world's lowest fertility rates.
'High density living is no longer attractive to families. People from south China come to Singapore and transform their lives, but as they succeed the city is no longer a place for them to raise a family.'
Mr Kotkin recounted that at a meeting with the Singapore government agency responsible for promoting marriage, he was told people in Singapore were so busy, stressed and competitive that they were not having children.
'Something in the way we build cities and society is making it toxic for families and this will be an issue when, in 10 to 30 years' time, we will have cities made up of those aged 60 to 80... and cities will lose their dynamism,' he said.
However, Dr Liu Thai Ker, director of RSP Architects Planners and Engineers and chairman of the Centre for Liveable Cities Advisory Board, said the low birth rate here was not just down to the physical environment. He said stress is a major factor, citing a survey which found Singaporeans to be one of the hardest working people in the world.
Dr Liu said that in planning housing in Singapore, efforts were made to foster a sense of community between families. He gave the example of making corridors shorter with only six to eight flats so families could get to know one another.
In closing the session, Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan said Singapore could act as a living laboratory for companies wishing to test-bed innovative solutions for dense urban living.
High-density living does not have to be toxic for dating and socialising
Joanne Chan Channel NewsAsia 1 Jul 10;
SINGAPORE : National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan has stressed that high-density living does not have to be toxic for dating and socialising.
A panel discussion at the World Cities Summit on Wednesday evening raised the concern that city life may be detrimental to starting families.
Mr Mah noted that for places such as Singapore, urban living is a necessity and it is the job of policymakers to improve the cities.
The rural-to-urban migration continues at an unprecedented rate and by 2050, seven in 10 people in the world will live in cities.
While some cities have the luxury of space to create suburbs that are more conducive for families, others, such as Singapore, can't afford to do so.
Mr Mah noted that its up to policymakers to ensure that cities grow in a sustainable and liveable manner for its residents.
He said: "People are coming into the cities to look for jobs, to look for a better life, to look for hope and how can we deny them this? So our job is to try to improve the cities, rather than for us to try to shift this trend."
He added that in Singapore, where over 80 per cent of the population live in public housing, planning goes into ensuring that facilities such as schools and places of worship are provided.
Mr Mah was speaking at the closing plenary session of the World Cities Summit.
This view that cities can do more for families was shared by Mayor of Melbourne, Robert Doyle.
He said: "The prevailing culture of my city is not a family-friendly one at 3am. But as city leaders, we have got a task to activate our cities so that it becomes attractive for all sorts of people, including families.
"So we actually give our festivals - whether it is the comedy festival, or the arts festival, or the music festival - extra money so that they can put on family-friendly, alcohol-free activities late into the evening."
To encourage the sharing of best practices and learning among cities, the World Cities Summit Mayors' Forum will be developed into a global network.
This learning network will also help to identify solutions that can help build sustainable and liveable cities and foster harmonious and sustainable communities.
The first gathering of the forum in Singapore saw over 40 mayors and governors participating.
The Centre for Liveable Cities will work with the World Bank, UN-HABITAT and Asian Development Bank on this new network. - CNA/ms
Out-of-box solutions needed to address sustainability, liveability
Hetty Musfirah Channel NewsAsia 30 Jun 10;
SINGAPORE : Senior Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu has said there is a need to find out-of-the-box solutions to resolve the challenges in addressing sustainability and liveability for Singapore.
She was speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Ministerial Dialogue at the World Cities Summit on Wednesday.
The dialogue on "Leading the Change: Building Liveable and Vibrant Cities" brought together mayors and ministers from various cities.
Ms Fu said she was inspired by some of the innovative solutions that were shared during the dialogue.
She added: "We have to find creative and innovative solutions to also address issues such as sustainability and liveability for Singaporeans. It is important for us to communicate that vision to our people clearly so that they are on board, and that they can be together with us, joining us in the next journey."
Ms Fu also gave her views about Singapore coming in third out of 64 cities, behind Geneva and Zurich, in the Global Liveable Cities Index.
She said: "It does not mean that we have arrived. It does not mean that we are completely satisfied with where we are. So we have to continue to look at new ways.
"As we develop Singapore in the next phase, we are going to get more urbanised, more dense. Then this issue about liveability is really going to be more critical.
"It's for us to decide what Singapore should be and we have to make our own definition as to what is liveable and what's a vibrant city. There's no fixed model.
"It does not mean that we have to be number one on every rating, but we have to know what we want for Singapore and that ultimately our objective is to create a home for Singaporeans."
- CNA/al
Mayors keen to share ideas on urban planning
S'pore think-tank to help develop learning network for city leaders
Emilyn Yap Business Times 1 Jul 10;
MAYORS around the world can look forward to sharing ideas on urban planning more frequently through a new learning network soon.
National Development Minister Mah Bow Tan said this yesterday evening in his speech at the closing plenary session for the World Cities Summit (WCS).
The biennial event saw more than 1,000 officials and industry leaders discuss urbanisation issues in the last few days.
'There is strong support from city leaders for such conversations, such dialogues to continue at smaller gatherings. And I support this,' said Mr Mah.
'I suggest we establish a learning network for cities after WCS 2010, leading up to the next WCS 2012.'
Mr Mah first mooted the idea of a learning network on Tuesday, saying that it can bring together policymakers and practitioners to share best practices in sustainable development in the years when there is no summit.
Discussion on the new platform took place early yesterday among more than 40 mayors and governors attending the inaugural WCS Mayors' Forum, which was organised by local think-tank Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC).
Forum participants supported the creation of the learning network. CLC will partner the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme to develop it.
The network will allow mayors to share lessons in creating liveable spaces and develop practical and scalable solutions. It will also identify more areas for collaboration among cities.
Japan's Yokohama city mayor Fumiko Hayashi sees value in this network. Problems such as climate change are global in nature and it is important to 'overcome national borders and coordinate regional approaches' to deal with them, she said.
At the Mayors' Forum, heads of cities also got a chance to share their views on governance, and ways to balance high growth with environmental sustainability.
Reflecting on the forum, the mayor of Phoenix city in the US, Philip Gordon, said: 'This is a rare chance to exchange ideas with leaders from all over the world and to make business contacts that can further the city of Phoenix's economic development efforts.'
The Mayors' Forum will run every year, and there will be other opportunities for urban planners to interact. For instance, CLC will open its executive training programme to city leaders and officials from abroad next year.
High-density cities can also be highly liveable with good urban planning, said Mr Mah, who sought to dispel the notion that cities discouraged family formation.
'In cities like Singapore and in many cities in Asia, high-density living is a necessity,' he said. But 'it is possible for all of us, big or small, to be able to design and plan our urban environment in such a way that it is possible to give our people a good life.'
In Singapore, the government seeks to build communities and comfortable homes for people, he said, adding that there are often other sociological factors keeping people from having families.
LTA to invite tech firms to test system next year; electric cars under study
Maria Almenoar Straits Times 1 Jul 10;
THE eyes of Singapore's Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system could be heading to the sky.
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has called for proposals for a gantry-free system that is based on the use of satellites to track a vehicle on the road.
This eye-in-the-sky method, if implemented, will allow LTA to extend its ERP coverage to congested roads anywhere on the island, without having to install more gantries, which cost about $1.5 million each.
A satellite-based system also means the Government can charge for using a stretch of road based on actual congestion, instead of the flat fee levied when a motorist passes under an ERP gantry.
For instance, the system can be adjusted so that motorists pay only if they are approaching a section of congested road. The in-vehicle unit can also be used to notify them that they are about to enter a stretch of road that attracts a charge.
Transport Minister Raymond Lim said yesterday that the LTA will begin inviting companies which provide satellite-based technologies to take part in a trial which is likely to start next year. The tender and trial are expected to last a total of two years.
One key test will be to determine if such eyes in the sky can cope with Singapore's congested urban environment.
Satellite-based systems that track a vehicle's road use are already in use in Germany. However, they can work only on open stretches of road, such as expressways.
The LTA will test the systems available on all road and weather conditions, and on all road types including arterial roads, viaducts and expressways, its spokesman said.
Mr Lim said yesterday that while the current gantry-based ERP system has worked well, it will not be sufficient.
Addressing more than 300 delegates yesterday at the opening of the World Urban Transport Leaders Summit at the Suntec convention centre, he added: 'It may become impractical to continue installing ever more physical gantries to manage congestion,' he said. There are already about 70 such gantries islandwide.
Transport engineering specialist Anthony May from the University of Leeds said such a global navigation system would likely see cost and space savings in terms of infrastructure.
It is also likely that with some tweaks, the current in-vehicle units in cars could be used as tracking devices, said Professor May. He cautioned, however, that Singapore's urban environment could prove challenging, as tall buildings may interfere with signals.
Prof May, who was speaking on the sidelines of the summit, pointed out that a satellite system would work well for distance-based charging, where vehicles are charged for how much of the road they use.
'It is also a more fair and equitable system for drivers,' he said.
Under a distance-based charging system, vehicles that circle the business district to make pick-ups and deliveries, for example, will be charged more than an office worker who enters the area and then leaves his car parked for much of the day.
However, critics of such a system have said in the past that the ability to track cars wherever they are on the island may give rise to privacy and other issues.
But vendors say there are measures which can be taken to prevent this, such as storing data with neutral third parties.
Mr Lim said that apart from satellite-based technology for ERP, Singapore was also testing other green technologies.
An Electric Vehicle Taskforce co-chaired by the Energy Market Authority and LTA was set up to assess the use of this technology.
The two agencies will jointly develop a charging infrastructure to create easy access to the electricity grid.
Other technologies under study include the use of recycled materials for road construction and diesel hybrid buses.
Satellite navigation ERP and electric cars possible on future road system
Channel NewsAsia 30 Jun 10;
Singapore: The Land Transport Authority will soon be calling for a tender to invite industry players to submit technical proposals for a second generation ERP system.
One of the key technologies identified is a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) which makes use of satellites to determine the position of a vehicle.
Transport Minister Raymond Lim said the LTA will be conducting various technical tests to evaluate if the latest technologies available in the market today are accurate and effective enough for use as a congestion charging tool, especially taking into consideration the dense urban environment in Singapore.
However, he added that the development and testing of new ERP technologies that are suitable for Singapore’s conditions could take some years before it is ready to be launched and implemented.
Speaking at the World Urban Transport Leaders Summit 2010 being held at Singapore's Suntec Convention City Centre, Mr Lim pointed out since being implemented in 1998, the gantry-based system Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system has served well.
However, as the number of vehicles on Singapore roads increases over the longer term, congestion will become more extensive and it may become impractical to continue installing ever more physical gantries to manage congestion.
The Transport Minister told the world-gathering that Singapore is in a very unique situation being a small city state, with a growing population whose needs have to be met.
"Our transport sector plays an important role, in being able to move people quickly and efficiently, while managing road congestion. This is critical in keeping Singapore vibrant, green and an attractive place to live, work and play" he said.
This means options that include ways to encourage the development and use of green technologies in Singapore and nurturing green businesses and clean tech industris through tests of clean technologies in the transport sector.
This includes energy efficient lighting for traffic and street lights, recycled materials for road pavement construction, and construction methods that minimise the impact on the environment.
To improve the living environment, Singapore has also been testing green transport technologies such as the trial of diesel hybrid buses and diesel particulate filters in conjunction with the vehicle emission test laboratory (VETL) which was set up in October 2009.
An Electric Vehicle Taskforce co-chaired by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and LTA was also established to assess the feasibility of the EV technology in the local transport eco-system.
Mr Lim said LTA and the EMA will next jointly develop the necessary charging infrastructure to ensure convenient access to the electricity grid, with electric vehicle charging stations from service providers currently under evaluation.
With the electric charging infrastructure set up, and anticipated delivery of the Mitsubishi iMiEV electric vehicles, the test-bedding trial will bring Singapore be a step closer to going electric, on the road.
-CNA/sf
Alternative ERP technologies under study
Second-generation system needed as gantries hit limits
Samuel Ee Business Times 1 Jul 10;
(SINGAPORE) Installing more ERP gantries to manage increasing traffic flows may not be practical, so the government is exploring a more effective method of electronic road pricing.
Even though the ERP system has served Singapore well since it was introduced in 1998, the increase in the number of vehicles will make congestion more extensive, Transport Minister Raymond Lim said yesterday in his opening address at the two-day World Urban Transport Leaders Summit 2010 at Suntec Convention City Centre.
As a result, it may become 'impractical' to continue installing gantries, he said. 'We will therefore have to explore other solutions that would enable a more effective approach to implement congestion pricing which will help reduce the dependence on physical gantries.
'With emerging technologies available, our Land Transport Authority (LTA) has been studying potential technology applications for our second-generation ERP system.'
Mr Lim said one of the key technologies identified is a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to determine the position of vehicles.
In Germany, for example, GNSS technology is applied to road tolling on open expressways. It was introduced in January 2005 - to the country's 12,100km expressway network - for trucks with a weight of 12 tonnes or more.
The toll is calculated according to the distance travelled by a truck on the autobahn, as well as the vehicle's number of axles and emission category.
The toll is collected automatically using a combination of mobile communications technology and GNSS, and toll charges can be either pre-paid or through monthly billing.
Mr Lim said: 'The LTA will soon be calling for a tender to invite industry players to submit technical proposals.
The LTA will be conducting various technical tests to evaluate if the latest technologies available in the market today are accurate and effective enough for use as a congestion charging tool, especially taking into consideration the dense urban environment in Singapore.'
But with this second-generation ERP technology trial still at the concept stage, Singaporeans expect ERP gantries to be around for some time to come.
Mr Lim said: 'We expect the development and testing of new ERP technologies that are suitable for Singapore's conditions to take some years before they are ready to be launched and implemented.'
He also touched on electric vehicles (EVs) and revealed that a tender to develop a network of charging stations received a good response.
The Energy Market Authority (EMA) and LTA are spearheading a test-bedding programme to assess the feasibility of EVs as part of the transport eco-system here.
EMA and LTA, which are jointly developing the required charging infrastructure, recently made a request for a proposal to appoint a charging service provider, which will deploy the charging infrastructure in tandem with the the EV test-bed programme.
'The agencies have received good responses to the request and are evaluating them now. The outcome will be made known soon,' Mr Lim said.
It is understood that several multinational companies and government agencies are interested in the project.
Singapore on a firm path to going electric on roads
Hetty Musfirah Today Online 1 Jul 10;
SINGAPORE - The Republic is now one step closer to going electric, with the creation of an Electric Vehicle (EV) Taskforce, said Transport Minister Raymond Lim yesterday.
The taskforce, co-chaired by the Energy Market Authority (EMA) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), will spearhead the EV test-bedding programme to assess the feasibility of the EV technology in Singapore's transport ecosystem.
To encourage the take-up of electric vehicles - which are priced much higher than petrol and diesel-driven vehicles - vehicular tax exemption will be given to attract participation in the test-bedding trial.
The EMA and LTA will jointly develop the necessary charging infrastructure to ensure convenient access to the electricity grid. At the same time, a technical reference for the electric vehicle charging stations has also been developed.
The two agencies have requested for proposals to appoint a Charging Service Provider, which will deploy the charging infrastructure in tandem with the take-up of the EV test-bed programme.
They have received good responses to the request and are evaluating them now, said Mr Lim at the World Urban Transport Leaders Summit.
He also spoke on the need to develop the use of green technologies in the transport sector.
Some of the green endeavours already being pursued include energy-efficient lighting for traffic and street lights, recycled materials for road pavement construction and construction methods that minimise the impact on the environment. Hetty Musfirah
Straits Times Forum 21 Jun 10;
I HAVE lived in Singapore for more than 20 years and am a big fan of how clean and green the country is.
I applaud the efforts of those who have made it this way. I wonder, however, if the same care is extended to Singapore's surrounding waters.
Whenever I swim in the sea, I notice that the water quality looks bad and my skin starts to itch after I come out of the water. I love the ocean and coastal areas in general, and have travelled enough to know that these are not signs of a healthy marine environment.
I have heard that Singapore is one of the few countries that does not require shipping traffic and industries to treat their waste. Is it really true that tankers are allowed to dump their untreated waste into the sea without cost or recrimination?
I would like to know why Singapore's surrounding waters are so dirty and what is the official policy towards water pollution by the main offenders, be they vessels or industries.
Yumiko Davis (Ms)
Ironic accolade
Straits Times Forum 24 Jun 10;
'I am embarrassed that Singapore has been named a green city when it has a dirty sea.'
MR STANLEY KOH: 'I refer to the Forum Online letter by Ms Yumiko Davis ('Lax dumping rules behind dirty sea water?'; Monday). I am embarrassed as a citizen and regular beach goer that Singapore has been named a green city when it has a dirty sea. It is time to clean up our beaches.'
Maritime authority polices pollution by ships vigorously
Straits Times Forum 1 Jul 10;
WE REFER to Ms Yumiko Davis' Forum Online letter ('Lax dumping rules behind dirty sea water'; June 21). With about 1,000 vessels in our port daily, preventing pollution from ships is an important concern of the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore.
The authority enforces strict regulations for ships visiting Singapore and monitors them in port to ensure compliance and that they do not discharge waste into the water.
All ships, including tankers, are required to properly treat their harmful waste. Ship masters face prosecution if they break the rules.
Singapore provides adequate reception facilities for ships to discharge oily and chemical waste.
The authority also employs a contractor to collect garbage from ships to help ensure proper disposal, as well as to monitor and retrieve floating debris.
These measures contribute towards ensuring the cleanliness of our port waters and coastline.
Capt M. Segar
Group Director (Hub Port)
Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore
It will build Memstill demonstration plant to test desalination technology
Rachel Sim Business Times 1 Jul 10;
KEPPEL yesterday officially opened its 1.6 hectare Keppel Seghers Tuas Waste-to-Energy Plant and also announced plans to construct a Memstill demonstration plant to test the desalination technology.
The waste-to-energy plant comes under the National Environment Agency's (NEA) Public-Private Partnership initiative, and Keppel Integrated Engineering (KIE) will operate and maintain the plant for 25 years under a contract awarded by the NEA.
The plant has a capacity to treat 800 tonnes of solid waste daily to generate more than 20MW of green energy.
Of the energy produced, about 15-20 per cent is channelled to the day-to- day operations of the plant while the rest is channelled to external sources.
'This plant, together with Senoko WTE Plant, which was divested to Keppel in 2009, enables Keppel to treat almost half of Singapore's incinerable waste,' said Michael Chia, deputy chairman and chief executive of KIE.
Both the WTE plants and the Keppel Seghers Ulu Pandan NEWater Plant form the initial portfolio of K-Green Trust which was listed on the main board of the Singapore Exchange yesterday.
KIE also announced plans for a new project this year.
'With the support of PUB and EDB, we will be taking a big stride in our water solutions with the construction of a Memstill demonstration plant on Jurong Island during the fourth quarter this year,' said Mr Chia.
The plant, to be built on Singapore Refining Company's petroleum refinery located on Jurong Island, will also study the applicability of the new desalination technology.
Keppel's plans for building sustainability have not been confined to Singapore as it has already set up plants in Greater Manchester as well as in Qatar and Doha.
Keppel also holds 60 per cent market share of the imported WTE technology in China and is equipping what would be China's largest WTE plant in Shenzhen.
'Looking ahead, KIE will continue to carry out research in both waste and wastewater treatments. We will improve our current technologies as well as push out new and innovative environmental solutions that can help Singapore and other global cities drive their sustainable development,' said Mr Chia.
Greener way to get fresh water
Keppel to test process that uses heat from waste to produce power
Robin Chan Straits Times 1 Jul 10;
KEPPEL Corp is a step closer to introducing greener water desalination technology in Singapore.
The firm announced yesterday that it is set to start testing a process which uses waste heat to save on energy at a demonstration plant being built in Singapore Refining Company's compound.
Using a treatment called Memstill being developed with a Dutch technology centre, it will harness heat generated from waste to produce the power to turn salt water into fresh water.
Mr Michael Chia, deputy chairman and chief executive of Keppel Integrated Engineering, said the demonstration plant will be up and running by the end of the year and will have an initial capacity of 100 cu m.
Mr Chia was speaking at the official opening of the Keppel Seghers Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant at Tuas.
It is Singapore's fourth such incinerator and has been operational since the fourth quarter of last year.
The smallest and most compact of Singapore's incinerators uses 800 tonnes of garbage per day to generate 20MW of energy, and is the first to be built under the National Environment Agency's Public-Private Partnership initiative.
Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence, the official guest at the opening ceremony, said the introduction of incineration meant that only 2 per cent of Singapore's waste, comprising mainly non-incinerables, went to Semakau Landfill.
Singapore - whose residents produce about 7,000 tonnes of unrecycled garbage a day - has succeeded in putting in place an efficient waste management system despite its small land space, said Mr Teo, but it cannot rest on its laurels.
'We must continue to innovate and look for more efficient methods of managing waste - by reusing or recycling as much as possible and reducing disposal because the sustainability of Singapore depends on it,' he added.
Mustafa Shafawi Channel NewsAsia 30 Jun 10;
SINGAPORE : Five water companies will receive about a total of S$6 million worth of research funds to carry out R&D to improve their product offerings to the global water industry.
This was announced by the Environment & Water Industry Programme Office (EWI) on Wednesday following the launch of the first Request-for-Proposals (RFP) on Industry-Led Research in November last year.
A total of six proposals were submitted by the five companies - Siemens Pte Ltd, Ultra-Flo Pte Ltd, Natflow Pte Ltd, OptoTech (S) Pte Ltd and DHI Water & Environment (S) Pte Ltd.
Of the 5 companies, two are Singapore-based companies while the rest are strongly represented by offices in Singapore.
S$1 million was awarded to each proposal. DHI Water & Environment received funding for two proposals.
Technology giant Siemens and home-grown company Ultra-Flo aim to improve their range of membrane products by developing novel membrane types and new membrane processes for applications like brackish and seawater desalting.
DHI Water & Environment and OptoTech both plan to leverage on their existing capabilities to produce the next generation of sensors for microorganisms and other water parameters.
These sensors will interface with advanced software, so as to enable water agencies worldwide to monitor their waters easily and effectively.
Natflow intends to develop a combined heating, cooling and desalination system by integrating these three technologies, which are currently used in isolation. Such an innovation can contribute to both energy and water efficiency.
By 2015, the environment & water sector is expected to contribute $1.7 billion to Singapore's gross domestic product and employ 11,000, with a majority in professional and skilled categories. - CNA /ls
Multimillion research funds for 5 water firms
Today Online 1 Jul 10;
SINGAPORE - Five water companies will receive about $1 million worth of research funds each to carry out research and development on improving their product offerings to the global water industry.
This was announced by the Environment and Water Industry Programme Office yesterday.
Technology giant Siemens and home-grown company Ultra-Flo aim to improve their range of membrane products by developing novel membrane types and new membrane processes for applications like brackish and seawater desalting.
DHI Water and Environment, which was awarded funding for two proposals, and OptoTech both plan to leverage on their existing capabilities to produce the next generation of sensors for microorganisms and other water parameters.
Natflow intends to develop a combined heating, cooling and desalination system by integrating these three technologies, which are currently used in isolation.
By 2015, the environment and water sector is expected to contribute $1.7 billion to Singapore's gross domestic product.
Neo Chai Chin Today Online 1 Jul 10;
SINGAPORE - It was "healthy tension" with Malaysia that spurred Singapore to seek water self-sufficiency, and nations are better off if they are able to stand on their own when it comes to water needs, said national water agency PUB chairman Tan Gee Paw yesterday.
He was speaking at a recording of a BBC World News debate featuring global thought leaders.
And although agencies like the United Nations Development Programme have warned of water wars in areas where the resource is shared among countries, it is unlikely that tensions between countries over water will spill over into wars due to fast-advancing technology, he added.
"Relationships amongst countries are not just based on water needs, there are many other factors," said Mr Tan.
The prospect of conflict, however, is helpful in pushing water and sanitation issues higher up on politicians' agendas, said Ms Erna Witoelar, former Indonesian Minister for Settlements and Regional Development.
They were two of five panellists at the recording of the World Debate Series - which will air on BBC World News on July 17 - on whether the world was running out of water.
When asked by moderator Nik Gowing if tension with Malaysia had driven Singapore to find self-sustaining solutions, Mr Tan replied: "Definitely ... it's a tension that tells us that water is a very sensitive issue because it strikes at the heart of the survivability of a nation."
While Singapore has been held up as a role model in pursuing water solutions, it can do better consumption-wise, said panellist Gidon Bromberg, an Israeli environmentalist.
"Rather than using fresh water - drinking water - to flush our toilets, we could be using recycled water ... we could be developing waterless toilets rather than developing desalination plants," said Mr Bromberg, director of Friends of the Earth in the Middle East.
Using expensive technology led by the private sector creates a "disincentive to conserve", he said.
Singapore's current per capita domestic water consumption is about 158 litres per day, and residents are encouraged to conserve.
The panellists - with the exception of Ms Witoelar - dismissed the prospect of the world running out of water. The real issues are about resource mismanagement and equity of access, they said.
Straits Times 1 Jul 10;
THE Energy Market Authority (EMA) has said that Singapore currently has no contracts for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar, but it remains open to sourcing the fuel from worldwide suppliers, including Qatar.
It noted that LNG will be imported by BG Singapore Gas Marketing (BG), a subsidiary of BG Group, which was appointed by EMA following a competitive tender process to be the LNG aggregator for Singapore.
Under this arrangement, BG has an exclusive licence to import up to 3 million tonnes per annum of LNG or until 2023, whichever is earlier, said EMA.
The supply of LNG from BG will come from a diversified portfolio of sources, including Egypt, Trinidad & Tobago and Australia, it said.
BG Group is headquartered in Britain and has operations in more than 25 countries, according to its website.
The EMA statement follows remarks made by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew on Tuesday at a dialogue at the World Cities Summit. He said then: 'We are buying gas from our neighbours. Our neighbours are thinking of upping the price in spite of the contract. So we are preparing an LNG station to buy gas from Qatar and store it.'
EMA said in its statement yesterday: 'The Government is indeed developing an LNG terminal that will enhance our energy security through diversification of our gas supply sources.'
The terminal, under construction on Jurong Island, will begin operations in 2013, according to earlier media reports.
EMA said it has set up a new subsidiary, the Singapore LNG Corporation, or SLNG, to own the LNG terminal and oversee its development.
'With such a facility, Singapore will be plugged in to the global gas market, and will be able to bring in gas from countries all over the world, including Qatar.
'As Singapore's gas needs increase over time, we will naturally have to source for new supplies of LNG beyond the BG franchise. We remain open to importing LNG from other suppliers, including Qatar, for our future gas needs.'
The EMA is a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Its main goals are to promote effective competition in the energy market, ensure a reliable and secure energy supply, and develop a dynamic energy sector here.
Separately, MM Lee's press secretary Yeong Yoon Ying wrote to The Straits Times yesterday saying its report 'Singapore to buy natural gas from Qatar' had 'misinterpreted' Mr Lee's remarks.
'The point which MM made was that Singapore is preparing an LNG terminal to enhance our energy security. This facility will enable Singapore to buy and store LNG from Qatar and other countries in the world,' said Madam Yeong.
EMA clarifies report on S'pore building LNG terminal to buy & store Qatar gas
Channel NewsAsia 30 Jun 10;
SINGAPORE: Singapore's Energy Market Authority (EMA) has clarified a report quoting Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew as saying that Singapore will be building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal to buy gas from Qatar and store it.
EMA said it has received several queries from the industry on this matter following the report by The Straits Times on 30 June.
It clarified the context in which these remarks were made.
EMA said the government is indeed developing an LNG terminal that will enhance Singapore's energy security through diversification of its gas supply sources.
EMA has set up a new subsidiary, the Singapore LNG Corporation or SLNG, to own the LNG terminal and oversee its development.
"With such a facility, Singapore will be plugged in to the global gas market, and will be able to bring in gas from countries all over the world, including Qatar," EMA said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Currently, however, Singapore has no contracts for LNG supply from Qatar," it added.
EMA said LNG will be imported by BG Singapore Gas Marketing Pte Limited (BG), a subsidiary of BG Group.
It was appointed by EMA, following a competitive tender process, to be the LNG Aggregator for Singapore.
Under this arrangement, BG has an exclusive licence to import up to 3 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of LNG or until 2023, whichever is earlier.
EMA said the supply of LNG from BG will come from a diversified portfolio of sources, including Egypt, Trinidad & Tobago and Australia.
"As Singapore's gas needs increase over time, we will naturally have to source for new supplies of LNG beyond the BG franchise. We remain open to importing LNG from other suppliers, including Qatar, for our future gas needs," EMA said.
- CNA/ir
Matt Walker BBC News 29 Jun 10;
Finless porpoises, a rare type of toothed whale, may be even more endangered than previously thought.
A survey of finless porpoises in Asia has revealed there are two species, not one, and that they rarely intermingle.
More worrying, finless porpoises living in the freshwater of China's Yangtze river are genetically unique, say scientists, who warn that greater efforts must be made to prevent these animals, numbering fewer than 1000, from following another Yangtze cetacean, the Baiji, to extinction.
Special populations
Finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) inhabit a wide range of tropical and temperate waters around the Indo-Pacific region.
For a long time, zoologists have noted how these porpoises appear to differ depending on where they live.
Those living around China, for example, have a few different morphological characteristics depending whether they live in the Yellow Sea, South China Sea or up the Yangtze river, which holds fresh rather than seawater.
But a new study published in the journal Marine Biology has revealed just how distinct each population of finless porpoise is, with significant implications for their conservation and survival.
"The most surprising finding of this study is that the Yangtze finless porpoise represents a distinct genetic grouping, which is distinct from marine porpoises," says Professor Guang Yang of Nanjing Normal University in China, who conducted the study with Professor Michael Bruford of Cardiff University, UK and colleagues at Nanjing.
Conservationists currently consider all finless porpoises to be the same species.
But Prof Yang and Prof Bruford's team analysed the genes of 125 finless dolphins living around China, including in the Yellow and South China Sea and Yangtze river.
And the results suggest that special regard should be given to the freshwater porpoises, which should be managed and conserved separately, they say.
"The freshwater nature of this population makes it unique," says Prof Yang.
The "jury is still out" on whether the Yangtze finless porpoise should be granted species status, as more data is required, say the scientists.
But it is so genetically unique, and rare, that special efforts should be made immediately to protect it.
1,000 and counting
"The most recent field survey conducted in 2006 suggested that there were around 1,000 individuals in the Yangtze River," says Prof Yang.
"This is much smaller than previous estimates, suggesting a significant population decline in the past two decades."
China is already considering upgrading the conservation status of the Yangtze population of finless porpoises, from a national II conservation grade to national I.
However, "at least in China, most conservation biologists and cetologists have a strong feeling that the Yangtze finless porpoise has a very high risk of extinction, and is very likely to follow the Baiji to extinction within a short-term period unless conservation measures are put in place," says Prof Yang.
The Yangtze River holds the dubious distinction of being the site of the first recorded extinction of a cetacean (whale, dolphins and porpoises) since records began.
In 2007, conservationists declared extinct the Baiji (Lipotes vexillifer), a species of river dolphin endemic to the Yangtze River, after repeated surveys over many years failed to sight a single animal.
Development, industry, pollution, overfishing and the commercial use of the river by boats have all been blamed for contributing to the Baiji's demise.
No gene flow
The scientists' survey also revealed that finless porpoises living in the sea should be considered two separate species.
Those porpoises living in the Yellow Sea are distinct from those in the South China Sea.
The genetic data showed there is no or very little gene flow between these two species, even in areas where they overlap.
Therefore each marine population should be conserved separately, warn the scientists.
Brian Skoloff, Associated Press Yahoo News 30 Jun 10;
PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. – An effort to scoop thousands of turtle eggs from their nests to save them from death in the oily Gulf of Mexico will begin in the coming weeks in a desperate attempt to keep an entire generation of threatened species from vanishing.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will coordinate the plan, which calls for collecting about 70,000 turtle eggs in up to 800 nests buried in the sand across Florida Panhandle and Alabama beaches.
It's never been done on such a massive scale. But doing nothing, experts say, could lead to unprecedented deaths. There are fears the turtles would be coated in oil and poisoned by crude-soaked food as they hatch and swim out to sea.
"This is an extraordinary effort under extraordinary conditions, but if we can save some of the hatchlings, it will be worth it as opposed to losing all of them," said Chuck Underwood of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
"We have a much higher degree of certainty that if we do nothing and we allow these turtles to emerge and go into the Gulf and into the oil ... that we could in fact lose most of them, if not all of them," he added. "There's a chance of losing a whole generation."
Dozens of workers are fanned out across the coast marking turtle nests, most of them threatened loggerheads, which nest largely along Florida Panhandle and Alabama beaches.
In about 10 days, they will begin the arduous process of excavating the nests, mostly by hand. The digging must be slow and delicate — aside from making sure the shells don't crack, the eggs can't be rolled around or repositioned to protect the embryo inside.
Then the eggs will be carefully placed in specially designed Styrofoam containers, like coolers, along with sand and moisture to mimic the natural nest. The containers will then be trucked about 500 miles east to a temperature-controlled warehouse at Florida's Kennedy Space Center.
There, the eggs will remain until hatchlings emerge, and they will be placed one-by-one on Florida's east coast, where the turtles can swim oil-free into the Atlantic Ocean.
Loggerhead turtles typically lay about 125 eggs per nest, which incubate for roughly 60 days before hatching. The government has no way of knowing exactly how many of the species live in the Gulf, but instead use nest numbers to determine population health.
Fish and Wildlife has proposed increasing loggerhead protections under federal law from a threatened species to an endangered species, largely because nest numbers have been steadily declining over the years.
Even without an oil spill, the vast majority of hatchlings don't make it to maturity, Underwood said.
"I think that's the reason why this particular species lays so many eggs," he said. "It is not a rosy picture to begin with."
These turtles will soon start hatching and continue emerging over the next several months.
"There's a whole lot of unknowns in what we're doing," Underwood acknowledged, noting many of the hatchlings could die anyway because of the stressful moving process.
All of the sea turtles that venture into Gulf waters have already suffered because of commercial fishing and habitat loss. Endangered Kemp's ridleys, which are nesting on beaches in Mexico and Texas, have washed up by the dozens dead along Gulf beaches since the April 20 Deepwater Horizon rig explosion that has gushed up to 130 million gallons of oil into the sea.
Some of the dead turtles were oiled, while others showed no outward signs of crude and are being tested to determine what killed them. The Kemp's ridleys aren't in as immediate of danger because oil hasn't been washing ashore yet in their nesting places in the western Gulf. But some fear those hatchlings also could eventually make it into the crude.
Loggerheads also have been found oiled and dead since the spill started, along with leatherbacks and green turtles, also protected under the Endangered Species Act.
David Godfrey, executive director of the Gainesville, Fla.-based Sea Turtle Conservancy, agrees this plan is the only option to save as many turtles as possible.
He said if left alone, the turtles will soon begin emerging from their nests and heading straight out to sea to feed in masses of oil-soaked seaweed.
Even more unusual, in a field that typically sees division between government entities and conservationists, there is agreement on what to do. Teri Shore, program director with the California-based Sea Turtle Restoration Project, said she thought the plan was good given the circumstances.
"If those sea turtles swim out to the Gulf, they're going to face a massive oil slick which will cause them to perish or at least significantly decrease their chances of survival," she said.
Godfrey said he agreed with the strategy and called it a "pretty amazing plan" because conservationists rarely support relocating sea turtle nests. They often push for a change in human behaviors, such as dimming lights along beaches at night to avoid disorienting them.
But no one can control the oil, he noted.
"We're talking about allowing the entire year's class of hatchlings to emerge and swim to their certain doom, and are we just going to sit back and let that happen?" he said. "We just can't."
Fidelis E Satriastanti The Jakarta Globe 30 Jun 10;
A roar of applause rang out from hundreds of Teluk Meranti villagers after resident and activist Desmidarti gave a speech calling for the revocation of forestry permits for companies logging in Sumatra’s Kampar Peninsula, which has been the village’s source of livelihood for generations.
The sentiment is felt strongly here.
At last week’s reopening of a community camp to preserve the Kampar Peninsula in Riau, community leaders from Teluk Meranti and Teluk Binjai villages all denounced the government’s decision to allow one of the country’s biggest logging companies, PT Riau Andalan Pulp & Paper, to operate in the area.
They claim the company’s concessions stretch to the coast and accuse it of illegal operations.
“On behalf of the women of Teluk Meranti, I strongly reject the company’s presence here and urge the government to revoke its permit,” the 47-year-old Desmidarti said.
The peninsula is home to 700,000 hectares of peat forest, much of it with layers of peat more than 20 meters deep. It straddles the two administrative districts of Pelalawan and Siak, with 25,000 hectares in Teluk Meranti village.
RAPP began operating in the area last July, a month after being granted a 56,000-acre concession for the Kampar Peninsula, according to Greenpeace.
The environmental group says the company has a combined 300,000 hectares of concessions in the province.
Villager Abdul Hamid, 47, says the company forced locals off their own farmland and rice paddies.
“What’s wrong with the company,” he said. “This is what happens when locals like us are overlooked. We need that land to grow our crops, and if they take it away, how will we survive?
“We’ve always been a farming and fishing community, but now that RAPP has permission to operate up to the coastline, what’s left for us and our children?”
Abdul also cast doubt on the legitimacy of the permits, pointing out that they allowed the company to log in forests with peat layers more than 3 meters deep, which is illegal.
Village elders have repeatedly lobbied the provincial authorities in the capital Pekanbaru, and recently met with their legislators in Jakarta.
Their campaign seemed to be bearing fruit when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono ordered a two-year moratorium on new concessions for peatland and forest conversion, followed by Forestry Minister Zulkifli Hasan’s proposal that the Kampar Peninsula host pilot projects for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation schemes.
“Even before the president weighed in on the issue we’d already been conserving the forest for years, because we depend on it for our livelihoods,” resident Nasir said. “Teluk Meranti village was established in 1918, and since then our lives have been centered around the forest. We want to keep defending it, and not give it away.”
He said the fate of indigenous plant and animal species also hung in the balance.
“With no forest left, the animals will encroach onto our farmland and destroy our crops,” he said. “Tigers will also come into the villages in search of food.
“What we want is for the government to help us in our efforts to conserve the Kampar Peninsula by kicking RAPP out,” Nasir added. “We’re not powerful enough to do it on our own.”
Desmidarti said the villagers had already lobbied the forestry minister to revoke the company’s permits.
“That’s all we wanted. We’re against any company logging in the Kampar Peninsula, because it’s our source of livelihood,” she said. “That’s where we get our medicine, farm our crops and fish.”
She added the continued presence of the company had caused tensions among villagers.
As part of their effort to show they can be responsible for the forest, Teluk Meranti villagers have collected 9,000 tree seedlings and are growing them in their own tree nursery.
Herman, the villager in charge of the collection, said the seedlings would be planted in areas left over from RAPP’s operations.
“We’re committed to saving the forest, so if the company can’t meet its obligations of planting trees on the degraded land, it should give the land back to the local people, and we’ll be ready to reforest them,” he said.
When contacted by the Jakarta Globe, RAPP officials declined to either confirm or deny the allegations that they were logging on villagers’ land and in protected areas.
Yahoo News 30 Jun 10;
BANGKOK (AFP) – Environmental campaigners on Wednesday urged Thailand to shelve its nuclear power proposals, warning that the cost of the project could be much greater than expected.
Greenpeace said the government's provisional plans to build five nuclear plants could face "huge cost overruns" and pressed authorities to instead focus on renewable energy.
Campaign manager Tara Buakamsri said official estimates for the initial cost of the development was around 15.4 billion dollars, but cautioned that international spending levels for reactors suggested the outlay could be more like 20 billion dollars.
Thailand is exploring the feasibility of tapping atomic power to help meet its growing energy needs, but it has faced strong local opposition to the siting of reactors.
"The expected huge cost overruns for Thailand's planned nuclear power plants, as well as the serious public concern and strong opposition from local communities over a closed power development planning process should convince the government of Thailand and National Energy Policy Committee to cancel the proposed nuclear power plants," Buakamsri said.
He urged authorities to instead concentrate on the research and development of renewable energy, which he said could provide "cheaper, more quickly available and accessible" power as well as reducing emissions.
Sunanda Creagh PlanetArk 29 Jun 10;
The United States will spend $136 million over three years on environment and climate change programs in Indonesia, according to a statement issued by the White House on Monday.
The agreement between two of the world's biggest emitters of planet-warming greenhouse gases follows Norway's $1 billion commitment in May to environmental programs in Indonesia.
Indonesia is regarded as a key player in the fight to slow climate change because its tropical forests and carbon-rich peatlands trap huge amounts of carbon dioxide but its rapid deforestation rate has sparked concern among environmentalists.
Trees soak up carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, as they grow and release it when they burn or rot.
The White House statement said the United States would allocate $119 million toward a partnership called SOLUSI, which stands for Science, Oceans, Land Use, Society and Innovation.
As part of the deal, the two governments would investigate the possibility of further reducing Indonesia's debt repayments to the United States on the condition the money saved be spent on environmental preservation.
Clean-energy development programs and marine research would also be covered by the SOLUSI funds, the statement said.
Washington would also put $7 million toward the creation of a regional climate change center "linking science to policy on strategic priorities in the climate change area, and focusing initially on emissions from peatlands."
A further $10 million would be set aside for "associated projects and partnerships, including public-private partnerships focused on addressing climate-related challenges in Indonesia."
No further details were given.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has vowed to slash Indonesia's emissions by 26 percent from projected levels by 2020 or by 41 percent with international funding and support.
Bustar Maitar from Greenpeace Indonesia welcomed the new money but called on the United States to reduce its own emissions as well.
"Just throwing money toward Indonesia is not enough," he told Reuters by phone. "But this shows that the U.S. government is committed to helping Indonesia fight climate change. The commitment from Norway is also there, so now I think the Indonesian government must try to achieve the 41 percent reduction."
(Editing by David Fogarty)
Yahoo News 30 Jun 10;
LONDON (AFP) – Britain's greenhouse gas emissions fell by 8.6 percent in 2009, but this was largely because of the recession and levels will likely rise as economic growth returns, a study said Wednesday.
The Committee on Climate Change, an independent body which monitors Britain's progress on tackling global warming, called for a "step change" in mitigation efforts if tough targets on cutting emissions are to be met.
"The recession has created the illusion that progress is being made to reduce emissions," said committee chairman Adair Turner as it published an update to parliament.
"Although emissions have declined substantially, our analysis shows that this is almost wholly due to a reduction in economic activity and not from new measures being introduced to tackle climate change.
"So we are repeating our call for new policy approaches to drive the required step change, in order that the UK can ensure a low-carbon recovery."
The 2008 Climate Change Act set a legally-binding target for Britain of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050 and at least 34 percent by 2020, based on 1990 levels.
Emission cuts threatened by economic recovery
Michael McCarthy, The Independent 30 Jun 10;
Britain is not on course to meet its climate change targets for reducing carbon emissions, the Government is bluntly warned today.
Only a step change in effort, brought about by a range of new policies ranging from boosting numbers of electric cars to reforming the electricity market, will ensure that the UK's legally binding "carbon budgets" can be complied with by 2020 and beyond, according to the independent Committee on Climate Change.
In its second progress report to Parliament, the committee cautions that the sharp fall in UK greenhouse gas emissions of 8.6 per cent seen last year is almost entirely due to the recession, and that the proportion of the drop due to actual climate policies is but "a fraction" of the total. When the economy recovers, the committee warns, the rate of reduction due will not be adequate to achieve the 34 per cent reduction in CO2 (on 1990 levels) by 2020, to which the Government is already committed – let alone the 42 per cent reduction to which Britain will move if a tougher target can be agreed with the rest of the EU.
"The recession has created the illusion that progress is being made to reduce emissions," said the committee chairman, Lord Turner of Ecchinswell, who as Adair Turner was the director general of the Confederation of British Industry.
"Although emissions have declined substantially, our analysis shows that this is almost wholly due to a reduction in economic activity, and not from new measures being introduced to tackle climate change. So we are repeating our call for new policy approaches to drive the required step change, in order that the UK can ensure a low-carbon recovery."
The committee was set up to monitor the performance of the government in implementing the 2008 Climate Change Act, which made the UK the first country in the world to have a legally binding long-term framework to cut carbon emissions. Britain is doing this through a series of five-yearly carbon budgets which have to be met, by law.
Today's report is a candid signal to the new coalition, both parties of which have stressed their commitment to tackling global warming , that unless it acts decisively and quickly with a range of new initiatives, it will fail. Four areas in particular are highlighted: electric cars, buildings insulation, agriculture and reform of the energy market. The committee would like to see Britain running a fleet of 1.7m electric cars, which have zero CO2 emissions, by 2020 – at present there are thought to be only a few hundred electric vehicles on the roads.
Yet it is concerned that £260m in the budget of the Department for Transport, earmarked for price support for buyers, and for setting up a battery-charging network, may be swept away on the forthcoming cuts to reduce the deficit. "We would like to keep that funding for the electric car market," said the committee secretary, David Kennedy.
Secondly, the committee would like to see new rules for how farmers apply nitrogen fertilisers to the land - which can release nitrogen oxides, themselves greenhouse gases. Thirdly, it wants a comprehensive programme of home insulation, which addresses all the barriers stopping people investing in domestic energy efficiency.
And fourthly, it would like to see a reorganisation of the current, liberalised energy market to make it more attractive to investors to put their money in low-carbon power generation, including a government-supported minimum price for carbon.
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