Best of our wild blogs: 19 Aug 09

Red-Breasted Parakeets and an escapee parakeet
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Lower Peirce
from Singapore Nature

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New face in Solomons dolphin trade

Ilya Gridneff AAP The Age 19 Aug 10;

Animal rights activists are outraged by a Solomon Islands businessman who has virtually imprisoned eight "totally stressed" dolphins in a tiny pool for months while he tries to sell them to marine parks in Australia and the US.

Despite opposition from both the Australian and New Zealand governments, Solomons dolphins are captured and sold to aquariums, marine parks and even hotels around the world, often fetching as much as $200,000.

Solomons dolphin activist Lawrence Makili, who is the Earth Island Institute's Pacific Regional Director, has told AAP that despite the institute's tireless efforts to end the live trade, another dolphin dealer had emerged.

The American-based Earth Island Institute earlier this year began paying Solomon villagers to stop hunting dolphins.

At the time, Canadian Chris Porter, the so-called 'Darth-Vader' of the Solomons dolphin trade, had a change of heart and switched from dolphin seller to dolphin saver.

But for the past six months local businessman Francis Chow has been trying to sell eight dolphins he keeps in a pen.

"The real concern is how the dolphins are being held," Makili said on Thursday.

"They've been sitting in a tiny shallow pool for six months now, it's especially bad at low tide.

"These poor animals are totally stressed".

Makili said the Solomons government once banned the trade but now, in the pursuit of much-needed revenue, ignores directives by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

"Hopefully the next government will have a clear dolphin policy," he said.

"There is confusion and an absence of regulation for the welfare of these animals.

"The Solomon government quota was 100 but CITES said it should be reduced down to 10. Then the government downsized to 50 but we say 50 is too much."

Mr Chow told AAP his 'Solomons Marine Wildlife Park' was an adequate dolphin enclosure.

"We are not killing the dolphins, we are exporting them to marine parks like in Australia or America, we are not breaking any laws.

"I follow the law, we use scientists, follow procedures.

"Why don't those hypocrites stop driving Japanese cars and go and harass the Japanese whalers.

"They harass us, bully local MPs, trespass and give us a hard time. I don't know why all the fuss?"

Mr Chow said last year he traded 20 dolphins and hoped to sell as many this year.

"I have a seafront property so I want to make use of it, we've also been hurt by the global financial crisis and trying to make business," he said.

"Now the market is low, dolphins are worth about $50,000."

Some Solomon Islanders still hunt dolphins for food and use their teeth for traditional 'shell money' but since 2003 they have also been hunted for profit on the live export market.

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Surge in dengue cases in Singapore

502 cases last month, up from April's 264, with Holland area hardest hit so far this month
Daryl Chin Straits Times 19 Aug 10;

DENGUE fever is back on the rise with 502 cases reported last month, up from 264 in April this year.

In April, there was an average of 66 cases reported a week. Last month, the figure jumped 91 per cent to about 126 cases weekly.

The only consolation is that the total number of dengue cases from January till the end of last month, at 2,608, is lower than the 3,050 cases during the same period last year.

The number of cases dipped slightly to 250 in May and then soared to 432 in June before rising to 502 last month.

As of yesterday, there were 11 clusters reported islandwide, with the area around Holland Hill and Holland Road being the hardest hit - with 33 cases reported. East Coast Road and Dunbar Walk was the second-most affected area with 16 reported cases.

The other nine clusters with less than 10 reported cases include Ang Mo Kio Avenue 8, Choa Chu Kang Central, Serangoon Avenue 4 and Yishun Street 21.

When contacted, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that traditionally, dengue cases go up during the warmer months of May, June and July as the conditions enable the female Aedes mosquito, the carrier of dengue fever, to mature faster. The dengue virus also multiplies faster in warmer temperatures.

Residents along Holland Hill were concerned when The Straits Times spoke to them on Tuesday.

Ms Karen Lim, a mother of two living at Holland Hill Park condominium, said she became increasingly worried when she saw the tally of dengue cases there.

'My family has done as much as we can. We don't have potted plants or stagnant water so it's all up to our neighbours to play their part,' she added.

Mr Yeo B. C., a security officer at Holland Peak condominium, said he knows of at least four cases which have happened recently in the estate.

He added: 'I suspect the construction projects nearby could be responsible. But the NEA has been coming quite frequently so I think things will change.'

Along Holland Hill, two new projects are in the process of being built. One site has been fined $2,000 by the NEA for mosquito breeding.

Last month, the NEA issued a reminder, reported in The Straits Times, after a sharp spike in the number of dengue cases islandwide recently.

From January to June this year, 700 construction sites were found to have mosquito breeding, compared to 470 in the same period last year. Also, a total of 5,912 homes were found to have mosquito breeding in the first half of this year, compared to last year's 4,361 cases.

The agency also found 1,561 breeding habitats in the public areas of housing estates in the first six months of this year, as compared to 1,081 in the same period last year.

To combat this, NEA head of operations Tai Ji Choong advised all residents and management of buildings to be extra careful in keeping their homes and premises free of stagnant water.

'While NEA will continue with its intensified operations to search and remove mosquito breeding, premise owners, too, can play a part,' he added.

Members of the public can also call the Dengue Hotline on 1800-9336483 to report new cases or mosquito breeding sites.

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Bright idea to cut costs, save energy

PAP town councils go for energy-efficient LED bulbs, motion sensors
Ng Kai Ling Straits Times 19 Aug 10;

HOUSING Board blocks here are on the way to becoming 'greener', with People's Action Party (PAP) town councils banding together to call for a bulk tender for the replacement of light bulbs in their blocks with more energy-efficient ones.

Jurong Town Council led the way with its announcement in May that it was switching to light-emitting diode (LED) lights for the blocks in its jurisdiction.

Aljunied Town Council announced a similar move this month. The first phase of work to replace the bulbs in 167 of its blocks will start this month.

But the town council will still get together with the remaining 12 PAP town councils to call for a joint tender in November for the rest of the more than 500 blocks it looks after.

Marine Parade Town Council chairman Lim Biow Chuan said the joint tender will save money.

He added that the bulb replacement will be done in phases because it will be a massive exercise.

In Tampines, the town council there plans to change the light bulbs scheduled for replacement to LED ones as a first step.

Council chairman Masagos Zulkifli said: 'We're still at the stage of finalising the blocks where the lights will be changed and the total number of lights, but we'll likely do it in two phases.'

Hong Kah Town Council, on the other hand, has already identified the 123 blocks for the first phase of the switch, with the lights in the remaining 150 blocks to be replaced in another two to three phases.

The town council overseeing Ang Mo Kio-Yio Chu Kang will start with 380 blocks.

Jurong Town Council, which has 96 blocks lit by LED lights, is already enjoying significant savings.

Its chairman Halimah Yacob said PUB bills for the completed blocks have shown an average savings of 28 to 40 per cent.

The town council estimates that it can save up to $1.13 million in annual utility bills when the bulb replacement exercise is completed in all 588 blocks by the end of the year.

In Jurong and Aljunied, the cost of the bulb replacements will be covered by the savings in electrical bills over a period of five years.

The blocks in Aljunied will not just be energy-saving, but will also have motion sensors.

Lights in staircase landings, for example, will dim when there is no traffic. When someone uses the stairs, the lights will brighten.

In dim mode, the lights reduce energy use by more than 60 per cent, with each bulb using four watts. When the bulb glows brightly, it uses 12 watts.

Aljunied Town Council chairman Cynthia Phua said the motion-sensor lights will be installed in the staircases of blocks where the lifts stop on every floor. This is because the staircases are rarely used, with residents taking the lift straight to their respective floors.

Residents in the one test block in Lorong Ah Soo said they have not noticed that the staircase lights are any dimmer.

LED lights use half the energy of fluorescent ones. They also last four times longer, and will work for about 10 years.

The downside is that they are more expensive. Those used in Aljunied's 167 blocks cost $80 each, twice that of fluorescent lights.

But despite this, each block can save about $4,000 a year, said Madam Phua.

Housewife Jennifer Heng, 45, who lives in the test block in Lorong Ah Soo, said: 'The new lights are much brighter and nicer. I use energy-saving lights at home too. So it's good that the lights outside are also energy-saving.'

Madam Phua, who is also an MP for Aljunied GRC, said the installation of LED lights for the 167 blocks will start in about two weeks and be completed by October. 'We will monitor the situation and analyse the savings before joining the other town councils in the bulk tender for our next phase,' she added.

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Released sea turtle in Malaysia regains natural instincts

New Straits Times 18 Aug 10;

KUALA TERENGGANU: Cruise, the green turtle that was released into the sea in Cherating two weeks ago after being raised in captivity for four years, is doing well and has regained its natural instincts.

Fitted with a satellite translocator on its back, Cruise is able to transmit its location whenever it surfaces and the latest data gathered yesterday showed it was near the Con Dao islands in Vietnam.

Researchers at the Fisheries Research Institute in Rantau Abang are very encouraged by the result as it not only proves that the "city-bred" turtle is healthy but has the ability to revert to its natural instincts once released into the sea.

Turtle and Marine Ecosystem Centre (Tumec) head of technical co-ordination Syed Abdullah Syed Abdul Kadir said they were happy that the satellite translocator was working very well in tracking Cruise's position.

"As we had hoped, Cruise has totally regained its natural instincts after we released it on Aug 4 in Cherating, otherwise it could not have travelled almost 1,000 kilometres to the Con Dao islands in such a short time."

Cruise could not have chosen a better destination for its first trans-oceanic travel as it turns out the Con Dao islands has been gazetted by the Vietnamese government as a national park.

The group of 16 mountainous islands and islets were given protected status in 1984 and turned into Con Dao National Park.

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New satellite data reveals true decline of world's mangrove forests

Wiley-Blackwell EurekAlert 18 Aug 10;

New satellite imagery has given scientists the most comprehensive and exact data on the distribution and decline of mangrove forests from across the world. The research, carried out by scientists from the U.S Geological Survey and NASA, is published in Global Ecology and Biogeography, and reveals forest distribution is 12.3% smaller than earlier estimates.

Mangrove forests are among the most productive and biologically important ecosystems of the world, including trees, palms and shrubs which grow at tropical and subtropical tidal zones across the equator. Now scientists can use the world's most definitive map of the Earth's mangrove forest to reveal that approximately 53,190 square miles (137, 760 km2) of mangroves exist, substantially less than previous estimates.

"Our assessment shows, for the first time, the exact extent and distribution of mangrove forests of the world at 30 meters spatial resolution, the highest resolution ever," said Dr Chandra Giri from USGS. "This reveals that 75% of the remaining forest is found in just 15 countries, out of which only ~6.9% is protected under the existing protected areas network."

Mangrove forests have adapted to the most severe environmental conditions thriving in regions of high salinity, scorching temperatures and extreme tides across the equator. However, increasingly human activity and frequent severe storms have taken their toll, resulting in a loss rate for mangrove forests higher than the loss of inland tropical forests and coral reefs.

"The current estimate of mangrove forests of the world is less than half what it once was, and much of that is in a degraded condition," said Giri. "It is believed that 35% of mangrove forests were lost from 1980 to 2000 which has had an impact on the coastal communities that use mangrove forests as a protective barrier from natural disasters such as hurricanes and tsunamis."

Using data from the NASA satellite Giri and an international team, including 30 student interns and visiting scientists from across the world, analysed more than 1,000 'Landsat' scenes using digital image classification techniques. This enormous task allowed the team to slowly piece together the world's most accurate map of mangrove distribution.

This work represents the most comprehensive global database of mangrove forests ever created and has revealed that the world's remaining mangrove forests are spread across 118 countries and territories. Asia has 42% of the world's mangroves, followed by 21% in Africa, 15% in North and Central America, 12% in Oceania and 11% in South America.

"The mapping of mangrove forests at this resolution, on a global scale, has never been attempted, partly due to cost and computation limitations," concluded Dr Garik Gutman, from the NASA Land Cover/Land-Use Change Program which funded the project.

"The Global Land Survey data produced by NASA and USGS has enabled worldwide land cover projects like this, because pre-processing global coverage of Landsat data at project levels is a gigantic task."

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First Frozen Coral Sperm and Egg Bank Created

LiveScience.com 18 Aug 10;

Scientists in Hawaii have set up the first frozen bank for corals to save threatened species of this vital ocean ecosystem anchor from extinction.

Researchers warn that without swift action, coral reefs and many of the animals that depend on them may cease to exist within the next 40 years, causing the first global extinction of a worldwide ecosystem in modern history.

The new frozen coral cell bank, at a University of Hawaii laboratory on Coconut Island in Kaneohe Bay, has already successfully thawed frozen sperm samples and fertilized coral eggs to produce developing coral larvae.

(Coral structures are made up of hundreds of coral polyps, or animals that build the reefs. In various ways, the polyps produce sperm and egg cells, which ultimately produce a baby coral called a planula.)

"Because frozen banked cells are viable, the frozen material can be thawed one, 50 or, in theory, even 1,000 years from now to restore a species or population," said Mary Hagedorn, an adjunct faculty member at the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology and a research scientist with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, which has its headquarters in Virginia.

Done properly over time, researchers can store samples of frozen material and place them back into ecosystems to infuse new genes and vigor into natural populations, thereby enhancing the health and viability of wild coral stocks.

Coral reefs are living, dynamic ecosystems that provide invaluable services: They act as nursery grounds for marine fish and invertebrates, provide natural storm barriers for coastlines, purify carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and are potential sources for undiscovered pharmaceuticals.

Currently, coral reefs are experiencing unprecedented levels of degradation due to human impact. Globally, greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels are warming the oceans, making them more acidic and causing corals to stress and bleach. As a result, the corals are more susceptible to emergent diseases.

In Hawaii, reefs are affected by pollution and sedimentation from poor land-use practices, nutrient run-off from farms and waste-treatment plants, and destructive practices such as dynamite fishing and trawls.

"This work highlights the importance of basic science and discovery for developing creative solutions to pressing conservation problems," said Steve Monfort, director of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. "We are confident that this effort will one day help to restore these vital marine ecosystems."

Currently, the Hawaiian bank contains frozen sperm and embryonic cells from mushroom coral (Fungia scutaria) and rice coral (Montipora capitata), but the researchers hope to store many of the corals that are important to Hawaiian reefs.

However, scientists warn that saving reef habitat alone will not stop corals' decline because many of the most serious threats are global rather than local.

Creation of the first frozen repository for Hawaiian coral
University of Hawaii at Manoa EurekAlert 17 Aug 10;

Honolulu, HI – Scientists at the Smithsonian Institution and the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology at the University of Hawaii at Manoa have created the first frozen bank for Hawaiian corals in an attempt to protect them from extinction and to preserve their diversity in Hawaii. Mary Hagedorn, an adjunct faculty member at HIMB and a research scientist with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, leads the laboratory at the HIMB research facilities on Coconut Island in Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, that is banking the frozen coral cells.

"Because frozen banked cells are viable, the frozen material can be thawed one, 50 or, in theory, even 1,000 years from now to restore a species or population," said Hagedorn. "In fact, some of the frozen sperm samples have already been thawed and used to fertilize coral eggs to produce developing coral larvae."

Coral reefs are living, dynamic ecosystems that provide invaluable services: They act as nursery grounds for marine fish and invertebrates, provide natural storm barriers for coastlines, purify carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and they are potential sources for undiscovered pharmaceuticals.

However, coral reefs are experiencing unprecedented levels of degradation due to human impact. Globally, greenhouse gasses from burning fossil fuels are warming the oceans, making them more acidic and causing corals to stress and bleach. As a result, the corals are more susceptible to emergent diseases. Locally, reefs are affected by pollution and sedimentation from poor land-use practices, nutrient run-off from farms and waste-treatment plants, and destructive practices such as dynamite fishing and trawls.

Unless action is taken now, coral reefs and many of the animals that depend on them may cease to exist within the next 40 years, causing the first global extinction of a worldwide ecosystem during current history.

"This work highlights the importance of basic science and discovery for developing creative solutions to pressing conservation problems," said Steve Monfort, director of the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. "We are confident that this effort will one day help to restore these vital marine ecosystems."

Saving reef habitat alone will not stop corals' decline because many of the most serious threats are global rather than local. Done properly over time, researchers can store samples of frozen material and place them back into ecosystems to infuse new genes and vigor into natural populations, thereby enhancing the health and viability of wild stocks.

Currently, the Hawaiian bank contains frozen sperm and embryonic cells from mushroom coral (Fungia scutaria) and rice coral (Montipora capitata), but it is only a beginning. The researchers hope to store many of the corals that are important to Hawaiian reefs.

Helping with this project are two student summer interns supported by the Smithsonian Women's Committee: Malia Paresa (a senior at the University of Southern California) and Kelly Martorana (a recent graduate of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo). This internship was an incredible experience for both women, but especially relevant to Paresa, who grew up five minutes from Kaneohe Bay.

"Before this internship, I had no idea how dire the situation was that many coral species are facing, and now I am much more aware that all of their hardships are caused by anthropogenic activities," said Paresa. "As a native Hawaiian and Kaneohe native, I take great pride in making a difference in the future of Hawaiian coral reefs. If we act quickly enough, we can make a difference to their future." In addition, visiting scientist, Dr. Kamal Sarma from the Central Agricultural Research Institute on Nicobar and Andaman Islands, and Virginia Carter and Ann Farrell from the Smithsonian are assisting.

###

This research is funded by the Smithsonian, HIMB, Morris Animal Foundation and Anela Kolohe Foundation.

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Russian forest fires pose major threat to bats

UNEP 18 Aug 10;

Bonn (Germany), 18 August 2010 - The catastrophic wildfires that have swept across Russia this summer have killed at least 50 people and could cost the country's economy an estimated US$15 billion. But among the hidden victims of the fires are small, nocturnal animals that are fast losing their habitats. Russia's bat population - which boasts some 30 species - has been hit especially hard by the flames.

The areas worst affected by the wildfires are concentrated in western Russia, one of the most important breeding and foraging areas for the country's bat species.

Although no official assessments have been carried out, recent satellite images show that more than one million hectares of forests have been destroyed in western Russia. According to the country's Ministry of Nature Resources, the fires have already harmed about 40,000 hectares of protected forest areas.

Species such as the Noctule, Leisler's or Nathusius' pipistrelle bats roost over summer in tree hollows and will experience a dramatic loss of habitat long after the wildfires have been contained.

"Our thoughts are with the Russian people who are suffering during this crisis," says Andreas Streit, Executive Secretary of EUROBATS, a UNEP-administered body that promotes bat conservation throughout Europe. "Many people have lost their homes and even entire villages have disappeared. The disappearance of forest habitats adds an extra dimension to the catastrophe. Forest ecosystems are vital for our planet and for many local communities whose lives are intertwined with forests and nature."

Although the damaged areas account for only a small part of the vast forest surface in Russia, the fires could have devastating consequences for populations of migratory bats. While birds will be mainly affected by air pollution and smoke inhalation, bats will suffer long-term losses of habitats and foraging areas, as well as a decrease of available prey such as insects.

"The areas worst affected by the fires are also the key breeding grounds for long-distance migratory bats", says Dr. Suren Gazaryan, a bat expert based at Russia's Institute of Ecology of Mountain Territories. "As a result, the direct impact of forest destruction on bats will be much higher than can be estimated by surface area damage alone."

Prior to the fire outbreak, woodland bats in Russia were already facing a reduction of suitable summer roosts. This was mostly due to forest damage caused by intensive logging practices, plus increased tourist activities in caves where bats hibernate. Disturbing hibernating bats can be lethal for the animals. When a bat is woken up, it consumes a lot of the energy it needs to survive the hibernation period, when food is unavailable.

The future for Russia's bats also looks worrying. The World Wildlife Fund in Russia has noted that in a few decades, wildfires could become much more common and spread to other parts of the country. The continuing effects of climate change and abnormal weather phenomena will also increase the likelihood of future species destruction in important migratory grounds in Europe.

The dramatic reduction in the number of fire wardens and personnel working in Russia's forests in recent years is another concern for conservationists. The State forest guard service, which once had 100,000 employees, was closed down in 2006.

Forests are extremely important ecosystems around the world and are home to many vulnerable and endangered species. The United Nations has designated 2011 as the International Year of Forests to raise global awareness of the urgent need to protect the planet's fragile forest resources.

The International Year of Forests will coincide with the Year of the Bat 2011, a joint campaign of CMS (The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals) and EUROBATS. The event will promote bat conservation, research and awareness-raising about the ecological importance of bats, including their essential role in sustaining biodiversity through forest regeneration and other contributions. Increasingly, bats are regarded by environmental experts as indicators of biodiversity and healthy ecosystems.

Russia is not yet a Party to the Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS), but bat experts in Russia have closely co-operated with EUROBATS since the agreement's signing in 1991.

In Russia,migratory bats are legally protected under regional legislation, as well as under the 1995 national Law on the Animal World. Scientific research, monitoring and bat conservation projects are also taking place in Russia, but additional actions to safeguard Russian bat populations are needed.

Notes to Editors

The Agreement on the Conservation of Populations of European Bats (EUROBATS), a binding international treaty which came into force in 1994, presently numbers 32 European states among its Parties. The Agreement was concluded under the auspices of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), which recognises that endangered migratory species can be properly protected only if activities are carried out over the entire migratory range of the species. EUROBATS aims to protect all 49 species of bats identified in Europe, through legislation, education, conservation measures and international co-operation with Agreement members and with countries which have not yet joined.

The 14th European Bat Night, which will take place on 28-29 August 2010 all over the European continent, is an annual event initiated by EUROBATS to raise public awareness about bats. (www.eurobats.org)

The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS), also known as the Bonn Convention works for the conservation of a wide array of endangered migratory animals worldwide through the negotiation and implementation of agreements and species action plans. At present, 114 countries are parties to the convention.(www.cms.int)

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Nasty weather in peninsular Malaysia, no thanks to La Nina

Serean Lau The Star 19 Aug 10;

PETALING JAYA: People in the peninsula must brace themselves for some nasty weather that will bring heavy rain, lightning and thunderstorms right up to early next year.

According to a senior officer at the Malaysian Meteorological Department, thunderstorms usually occurred during the inter-monsoon seasons between March and May.

“This year, however, there’s an exceptional occurrence of thunderstorms with the La Nina phenomenon (the occurrence of cooler sea surface temperatures across the equatorial region of the Pacific Ocean).

“Normally, in August, we do not have thunderstorms because we will be getting the south-westerly winds.

“With La Nina, the north-easterly winds are much stronger than the south-westerly winds, which causes heavy rains and thunderstorms.”

He said the thunderstorms would occur when sea breeze and north-easterly winds met.

“If you notice, we get more rain in the afternoon rather than in the morning. This is due to wind patterns,” said the officer, adding that Klang Valley had the highest lightning density followed by southern states.

He said many factors played a role in the formation of lightning but the main aspect was urban heat islands, formed by the modification of the land surface by urban development that used materials that effectively retained heat.

He said urban heat islands could alter weather patterns, including an increase in thunderstorm activity.

A Universiti Putra Malaysia lightning expert said human industrial areas were also prone to increased thunderstorm activity.

“Gases, pollutants and chemicals emitted from factories create a buffer for deep convection. They initiate vertical lifting, resulting in an unstable air mass.

“When a place is filled with factories, there is a higher chance of r lightning.

“These unstable ingredients in the air can speed up storm-cloud creation,” said Dr Mohd Zainal Abidin Ab Kadir, chairman of the university’s Centre of Excellence on Lightning Protection.

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'Super-Extreme' Weather In Indonesia Is the Worst on Record

Nurfika Osman Jakarta Globe 19 Aug 10;

Jakarta. Indonesia has been experiencing its most extreme weather conditions in recorded history, meteorologists warned on Wednesday as torrential rains continued to pound the capital.

All regions across the archipelago have been experiencing abnormal and often catastrophic weather, an official from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said.

“We have reached a super-extreme level of weather this year, the first time in our history, and this is much worse than what we experienced back in 1998, when the La Nina caused extreme weather in the country,” Edvin Aldrian warned.

Edvin, who leads the climate change and air quality division at the agency, told the Jakarta Globe that a combination of a heating planet and the La Nina climate cycle were behind the unseasonable downpours.

“The combination of global warming and the La Nina phenomenon makes everything exceed normalcy,” he said, adding that global warming causes higher temperature in sea waters, and La Nina boosts humidity and the likeliness of rains.

Sea temperatures, Edvin said, were also at a level considered normal for Indonesia’s rainy season, not for the dry season. “It is about 28 to 29 [degrees] Celsius now. Normally, for August it should have been around 24 to 26 degrees.”

Generally at this time of year, Indonesia is supposed to be in the midst of the dry season and entering the transition to wetter months.

“In conditions like this, tornadoes are likely to occur,” Edvin warned.

“It can happen in any region in the country, starting from the western part of Indonesia to the east.”

He also said the extreme conditions were causing high waves, posing a threat to ships in Indonesian waters. “At the least, the waves will reach 3.5 meters and can reach up to more than five meters. And strong winds can make the waves even higher.

“The Southern part of Sumatra and Java are the most affected areas so far,” he said. “This condition is forecast to start to reach the eastern part of Indonesia within one to two weeks.”

Based on a BMKG forecast, the provinces of Aceh, North Sumatra, West Sumatra, West Java, West Kalimantan, East Kalimantan, Maluku,

West Papua and Papua would see prolonged high rains, with more than 400 millimeters falling from now through October. More than 100 mm of rain is categorized as high intensity.

The rest of the country is expected to begin entering the rainy season again in November.

The extreme weather has already affected the country’s agricultural output, especially in Java where there are many farms, said Winny Dian Wibawa, the Agriculture Ministry’s director for horticulture.

“Crops like melon, mango and mushrooms are experiencing delayed harvests.

“It puts the farmers at a disadvantage as they now cannot produce many good quality crops,” he said, adding that the excess rains made fruit softer and less sweet.

Izzul Waro, an analyst from the Transportation Study Institute (Instran), told the Globe that the extreme weather would also cause headaches for commuters and truckers, especially in big cities like Jakarta.

“The conditions become worse because the drainage system in the city’s roads is bad. Puddles of water will occur with just a bit of rain,” he said, adding that traffic would only worsen during the extended rainy season.

The capital has seen heavy downpours in the past two days, causing deep inundations and burst river banks. On Tuesday, at least five neighborhoods in South Jakarta reported flooding.

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Weather shifts behind disasters need 'urgent' probe: UN

Yahoo News 18 Aug 10;

GENEVA (AFP) – Climate scientists must urgently look into changes in atmospheric currents linked to devastating floods in Pakistan and wildfires in Russia, UN climate and weather bodies said on Wednesday.

Ghassem Asrar, director of the World Climate Research Programme, told AFP that changes, known as blocking episodes, can prevent humidity or hot weather dispersing.

That intensified heavy rain or heatwaves and locked them over an area, he explained, potentially with a growing impact on extreme weather events that scientists expect to happen more frequently with global warming.

Asrar said that European researchers had modelled the blocking pattern in atmospheric currents and resulting weather behind the Pakistani rains and Russian heatwave a few weeks in advance.

They "clearly flagged this formation and kept track of it", said Asrar, whose programme is partly linked to the UN's World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

"We know for sure that the two events in Pakistan and Russia are linked," he added.

Asrar and the WMO underlined that the intense monsoon rain in Pakistan and heatwave in Russia, as well as rain-induced landslides in China and the split of a giant iceberg in Greenland in recent weeks were exceptional even by the standards of naturally-occurring climate extremes.

The WMO called the four "an unprecedented sequence of events" that "compare with, or exceed in intensity, duration or geographical extent, the previous largest historical events".

"This poses an urgent question for climate science: whether the frequency and longevity of the blocking episodes are going to change," the WMO said in a statement.a

The evidence behind the impact and shifts in blocking patterns in atmospheric currents as well as the changing role of disruptive El Nino and La Nina currents over the Pacific Ocean, added to the urgent need for answers, Asrar argued.

"Absolutely, because of the impact on life and property, if you look at what happened in Pakistan and China," he added.

Scientists are reluctant to overtly blame a single weather event on climate change, which measures longer term shifts over periods of years or decades.

Moscow was trapped in an unprecedented heatwave in the past six weeks with temperatures soaring to 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) and daily highs well above 30 degrees (86 F) for a month, triggering a nationwide crisis and destroying a quarter of the country's crops.

Asrar said the priorities for climate and weather science were "transforming very rapidly".

Meanwhile, experts predict that the highly disruptive La Nina pattern would last at least until early 2011.

The phenomenon lasts "usually around nine to 12 months," said Rupa Kumar Kolli, a researcher at the WMO.

"At the moment, we don't have really reliable indicators on how long it will last -- at least until the end of this year."

"La Nina conditions are expected to strengthen and last through (the) Northern Hemisphere winter," the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said earlier this month.

La Nina is the return swing of El Nino, a weather anomaly that faded in mid-year after being blamed for blizzards in the United States, heatwaves in Brazil, killer floods in Mexico and drought in Argentina.

The El Nino/La Nina cycle is caused by a buildup of warm water that surges from the western Pacific to the eastern Pacific before cooling.

La Nina is associated with greater-than-usual monsoons in South Asia, drought or water stress in South America and more Atlantic cyclones. The last La Nina was in 2007-8.

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Indonesia’s Foray Into Carbon Trading Ripe for Fraud: Experts

Fidelis E Satriastanti Jakarta Globe 18 Aug 10;

Indonesia. Ambitious plans to harness Indonesia’s millions of hectares of forest to offset carbon emissions could give rise to a new strain of corruption and financial fraud unless managed properly, experts warn.

The projects, which fall under the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) program, are being viewed as a golden opportunity to cash in on the nascent carbon trade.

Despite stalled negotiations to reach a universally binding deal to fight climate change, REDD projects are flourishing, not only here but in developing countries around the world. Indonesia recently secured a $1 billion deal with Norway for a series of REDD Plus ventures, which aside from reducing emissions, are designed to improve biodiversity, carbon enhancement and sustainable forest management.

“The central point that I’ve tried to make is that REDD poses an unavoidable paradox,” said Christopher Barr, a forest policy expert at consultancy Woods and Wayside International, which is based in Texas.

“Large amounts of money are being mobilized to slow deforestation and forest degradation — up to $28 billion per year to bring about a 50 percent reduction in forest-based emissions globally,” Barr said.

“However, a significant portion of these funds will be channeled to countries that have long histories of weak forest management and poor administration of public fiscal resources.”

Ten of 19 countries taking part in UN-mandated REDD schemes also feature in the top third of the list of most corrupt countries in the world, according to Transparency International data from 2008. This includes Indonesia.

“Clearly there’s a need to strengthen financial governance mechanisms to ensure that the funds are not lost to corruption and fraud,” Barr said. He added that new forms of corruption and financial fraud would emerge as REDD payment schemes were introduced.

Barr also warned that some project developers were likely to manipulate data in their proposals to secure funds for projects that should not qualify for REDD payments.

“Through bribery or political pressure, verification bodies may also persuaded to ‘verify’ artificially high levels of carbon benefits for projects associated with state elites,” Barr said.

Indonesia is expected to generate REDD Plus revenue of up to $765 million a year for a 5 percent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation, and up to $4.5 billion for a 30 percent cut.

The Indonesia-Norway deal inked in May promises $200 million for the establishment of special institutions for financing and monitoring REDD Plus schemes, as well as for a two-year moratorium on issuing logging concessions in conservation and peat forests.

The remaining $800 million will be disbursed once Indonesia begins showing proven emissions reductions.

Agus Purnomo, the presidential adviser for climate change, said the government had already formed a team to select an institution to manage the financing of REDD projects, but that it still needed Norway’s approval. The two sides are currently discussing the issue.

“The Norwegians want to know how we’re executing the program, and we want to know whether the money will be disbursed or not,” Agus said.

He added that Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, the former head of the Aceh post-tsunami reconstruction agency, may oversee these REDD bodies, but that final plans were still being drawn up by the State Palace.

Agus said the two countries had yet to reach agreement on the final set-up of the body that would oversee REDD financing.

“Norway wants it to be handled by an international financial institution, such as the World Bank, while we want it to be managed by our own institutions,” he said.

Agus said the body would have two basic functions: ensuring the money was spent judiciously and that indigenous rights were upheld.

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Indonesia May Cancel Permits To Save Forest

Sunanda Creagh and Neil Chatterjee PlanetArk 19 Aug 10;

Indonesia's planned moratorium on the clearing of natural forest from 2011 may lead to the revocation of some firms' existing permits and will slash the size of a giant food estate, said the official in charge of the scheme.

The two-year moratorium, agreed under a $1 billion deal with Norway to curb greenhouse gases from deforestation, has created uncertainty among investors in plantations, timber and mining, who fear their expansion could be stymied.

Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, head of the presidential delivery unit, told Reuters the moratorium could also extend beyond two years, given that President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was determined to protect the country's extensive tropical forests.

"Climate change is a real problem for the world and for a developing country like Indonesia. Well this is a new agenda and I believe we have to change the way we think about development," said Mangkusubroto in an interview.

"Parallel to that, we cannot neglect the welfare of the people," he said, adding that strong economic growth of 7 percent was still possible while protecting nature.

Plantation and mining firms have opposed the moratorium, which could slow the expansion of palm oil firms such as Astra Agro Lestari and delay coal and mining projects worth $14 billion by the likes of BHP Billiton.

"It all depends on how many licenses someone has already, and whether they are affected or not depends on the type of licenses that have been issued," Mangkusubroto said, adding that compensation could come in the form of land swaps.

"There might be opposition because, for sure, there will be industries affected," he said. "We are just controlling the way they utilize the forest."

LAND CHALLENGE

One casualty will be the Merauke food estate in the easternmost Papua region, which he said will be cut to around 350,000-500,000 hectares from an initial plan for 1.2 million, partly because carbon-rich peat lands had been found there.

Investors in Merauke include Singapore palm oil giant Wilmar and Indonesia's Medco.

Mangkusubroto, who is meeting Norwegian officials this week, said the scheme was still on track for January 2011, even though the two governments have yet to clarify their definition of natural forest and exactly what a moratorium will mean for permits.

For now, he could not be specific on how much of Indonesia's roughly 120 million hectares of forest would be included under the moratorium. He admitted that enforcing the scheme -- given illegal logging is rife -- was another problem.

Mangkusubroto said a multilateral agency such as the World Bank may oversee the $1 billion, most to be given by Norway after emissions reductions have been proved, which would reduce the risk that corrupt officials would siphon off funds.

The moratorium could also derail prospects for infrastructure project such as toll roads if they affect natural forests.

Mangkusubroto said a government land acquisition bill was unlikely to be approved by parliament before next year, later than hoped for given poor infrastructure is a key deterrent for many foreign direct investors in Southeast Asia's top economy.

(Editing by Sara Webb)

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Nuclear plant to be built in Indonesia

Antara 16 Aug 10;

Pangkalpinang, Babel (ANTARA News) - A nuclear power plant (PLTN) with a capacity to generate 2,600 megawatts of electricity would be built in the province of Bangka Belitung (Babel), a mayor said.

"Based on the result of a survey of the National Atomic Energy Agency (Batan), two districts in Babel, namely West Bangka and South Bangka, will build 2,600-MW nuclear power plants," Pangkalpinang Mayor Zulkarnain Karim said here on Monday.

He said that the survey would still need about three more years to consider number of aspects, including social aspects, making sure that a PLTN plant would not cause adverse effects on the people.

"Nuclear power plants would be able to supply electricity to Java and Sumatra islands through a national transmission network in the eastern coastal areas of Sumatra," he said.(*)

Nuke plants for Bangka island
Straits Times 31 Oct 10;

Jakarta - Indonesia plans to build two nuclear plants on a large island to the south-east of Batam, a Jakarta newspaper has reported.

Indonesia's National Nuclear Energy Agency has signed a memorandum of understanding with Bangka-Belitung province to build the plants on Pulau Bangka, Jakarta Globe reported on its website.

Located off Sumatra, the island lies about midway between Singapore and Jakarta - or about an hour away by air.

Mr Hudi Hastowo, chief of the energy agency also known as Batan, signed the agreement on Tuesday, the daily said. He put the cost of building the plants at 54 trillion rupiah (S$7.8 billion).

Mr Herman Agustiawan, a member of Indonesia's National Energy Council, said a 10,000MW plant is expected to be built in west Bangka. The second, an 8,000MW plant, is to be built in south Bangka, he was quoted as saying.

Bangka is chosen partly because it is not located in an earthquake-prone region, he said.

He was quoted as saying that all necessary legal paperwork had been completed, and the plan just needed the go-ahead from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

'As soon as the President says 'go nuclear', we will start to build it,' he said. Construction could begin next year and it will take about 10 years to complete, the Jakarta Globe quoted him as saying.

Indonesia has decided to build nuclear plants to reduce its dependence on coal, oil and gas. An earlier plan for a nuclear plant in Muria in Central Java was rejected. Other possible sites mentioned in the past included Banten in Java and Kalimantan in Borneo.

Mr Arif Fiyanto, a climate and energy campaigner for Greenpeace South-east Asia, said the group would fight plans to build nuclear plants on Bangka.

Vietnam is also building a nuclear power plant, with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev expected to sign a deal today to help build it. Malaysia has plans to build a nuclear plant too and Singapore has started a feasibility study.

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Indonesia has completed surveys on its 13,000 islands

Antara 18 Aug 10;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia has conducted a survey on the number and naming of its islands, a senior official said.

The survey shows that Indonesia only has about 13,000 islands that scatter from Sabang in the west to Marauke in the east. "The total number of our islands is only about 13,000. This figure is based on data of our latest survey," Director General for Coastal areas and Small Islands, Sudirman Saad, said here on Tuesday.

He said that the decreasing number of Indonesian islands had nothing to do with the surge of sea water due to global warming or with quarrying of sea sand.

"This is only a matter of data accuracy. So far, no surveys on the number of islands in Indonesia have been conducted," he said.

He said that accurate data on the number of Indonesian islands were obtained after the Maritime and Fisheries Ministry finalized the validity of its surveys on the naming of islands in the country.

"The validation work has been completed. It was finished this year," he said.
He said that in 2012 all names of islands in Indonesia which total about 13,000 would have been registered with the United Nations.

The government will also in the near future issue a government regulation which among others include the names of islands in Indonesia, he said.

"We hope that the government regulation would have been issued before the end of this year," the director general said.

It was earlier known that Indonesia, which had the longest coastal lines in the world, had 13,480 islands.
(*)

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