Best of our wild blogs: 6 Mar 12

PUB to survey Sungei Tampines and Sungei Api Api at Pasir Ris
from wild shores of singapore

Oriental Honey-buzzard loses its balance
from Bird Ecology Study Group

electronic drongo @ bukit brown - March 2012
from sgbeachbum

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Singapore top carbon emitter in Asia-Pacific: WWF

Straits Times 5 Mar 12;

SINGAPORE (AFP) - Singapore had the largest carbon footprint per head in the Asia-Pacific in 2010, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said on Monday.

The environmental advocacy group said Singapore's 2010 per capita gross domestic product of more than US$40,000 (S$50,314) - one of the highest in the region - fuelled exorbitant consumption habits.

But the group also fingered the corporate sector and in particular the construction industry for crowning the tiny city-state as the region's top per capita carbon emitter. Precise figures for various nations in the Asia-Pacific will be released together with the WWF's Asia Footprint Report in June. But WWF President Yolanda Kakabadse revealed on Monday that Singapore topped the list.

'Every member of the population in relation to the size of the country is consuming a lot in food, in energy,' she said. 'Singapore... is a society that maybe is one of the best examples of what we should not do.'

Singapore emitted 43,454 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide from combustion of fossil fuels in 2010, official statistics showed.

But Ms Kakabadse said it could atone for its excessive carbon footprint by sharing its energy-efficient technologies with the world.

'It has a tremendous capacity to contribute with technology. Technology for energy, technology for water management, technology for whatever, even for food production that would make it more sensible,' she said.

WWF spokesman Chris Chaplin told AFP business and industry were responsible for contributing to the high carbon footprint.

'The building sector in Singapore is responsible for 15 per cent of the nation's footprint... If you consider the amount of construction going on, it's a substantial number,' he said.

Singapore's National Environment Agency has said the city-state is dependent on fossil fuels because its small size limits its ability to switch to alternative sources.

Singapore top carbon emitter in Asia-Pacific: WWF
(AFP) Google News 6 Mar 12;

SINGAPORE — Affluent Singapore had the largest carbon footprint per head in the Asia-Pacific in 2010, conservation group WWF said Monday.

The environmental advocacy group said Singapore's 2010 per capita gross domestic product of more than $40,000 -- one of the highest in the region -- fuelled exorbitant consumption habits.

But the group also fingered the corporate sector and in particular the construction industry for crowning the tiny city-state as the region's top per capita carbon emitter.

Precise figures for various nations in the Asia-Pacific will be released together with the WWF's Asia Footprint Report in June.

But WWF president Yolanda Kakabadse revealed Monday that Singapore topped the list.

"Every member of the population in relation to the size of the country is consuming a lot in food, in energy," she said.

"Singapore... is a society that maybe is one of the best examples of what we should not do."

Singapore emitted 43,454 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide from combustion of fossil fuels in 2010, official statistics showed.

But Kakabadse said it could atone for its excessive carbon footprint by sharing its energy-efficient technologies with the world.

"It has a tremendous capacity to contribute with technology. Technology for energy, technology for water management, technology for whatever, even for food production that would make it more sensible," she said.

WWF spokesman Chris Chaplin told AFP business and industry were responsible for contributing to the high carbon footprint.

"The building sector in Singapore is responsible for 15 percent of the nation's footprint... If you consider the amount of construction going on, it's a substantial number," he said.

Singapore's National Environment Agency has said the city-state is dependent on fossil fuels because its small size limits its ability to switch to alternative sources.

Meanwhile, the per capita carbon footprint of Asian powerhouse China -- which has been accused of rampant pollution as it industrialises -- was around the same level as the Asia-Pacific average and far below Singapore's.

But this was due to the massive population of China rather than efforts to clamp down on pollution, WWF said.

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BG Tan: Why we made 'difficult decision' to build road through Bt Brown

Today Online 5 Mar 12;

SINGAPORE - Minister of State for National Development and Manpower Tan Chuan Jin said that while the Government had considered alternatives to the development of the Bukit Brown cemetary, the Government eventually made the "difficult decision" to build the proposed road as "it had the least impact" on the area, part of which he announced would be developed for public housing.

"The road is required for the Outer Ring Road System, so we are left with few options," said Brigadier-General (NS) Tan Chuan Jin, speaking in Parliament today at the Committee of Supply debates.

Widening Lornie Road or building a viaduct would have damaged our Central Catchment Nature Reserve and entailed land acquisition, while a tunnel would have caused more damage to the cemetery, he told Parliament.

However, he said steps were being taken to evaluate the impact of the proposed road on the environment evaluate the impact of the proposed road on the environment, with PUB and National Parks Board studying drainage requirements before the plan was approved. The LTA is also conducting biodiversity surveys on the area, as well as exploring ways to ensure that wildlife can continue to traverse within the Bukit Brown area.

BG Tan announced today that the southern part of Bukit Brown, near the Old Police Academy, will be developed for public housing, as an extension of Toa Payoh "in the nearer term".

The Minister of State acknowledged that the plans could have been communicated to the public prior to their announcement, which was met by disappointment from heritage and environmental activists.

"Could we have shared better to the public at the earlier stages? Perhaps. But not all plans can be shared beforehand due to market sensitivity," he said.

"Inevitably, it is our responsibility to make the final call on the trade-offs between competing land needs."

He said of the decision: "How do I preserve the past while building the future? I will say this: This is a difficult decision."

Debates such as the one raging over the future of Bukit Brown are "about our identity and our sense of what it means to be Singaporean and Singapore. It is about our spirit and our soul", he said.

BG Tan said discussions are ongoing with "some of you who care for this part of our history and various agencies" about what can be done to "retain, capture and promote this story that is Bukit Brown".

"This is not the end of the road," he said.

Development should not come at expense of heritage: Tan Chuan-Jin
Joanne Chan Channel NewsAsia 5 Mar 12;

SINGAPORE: Minister of State for National Development Tan Chuan-Jin said that Singapore's development should not and need not come at the expense of the country's heritage, identity and sense of belonging.

But he pointed out that hard choices need to be made on how land is used.

Speaking during his ministry's budget debate, Mr Tan was responding to MPs who had called for the conservation of Singapore's heritage, which must not come at the expense of development.

Several MPs had questioned the government's decision to redevelop part of Bukit Brown Cemetery into a road, and raised concerns that the country's heritage was being erased.

Mr Tan said that while physical markers are important, it's also important to document and share the Singapore stories.

He pointed out that the Urban Redevelopment Authority has been funding the documentation of around 5,000 graves (about five per cent of the graves at Bukit Brown) which may be potentially affected by the road.

Mr Tan said: "There is still actually very much more that we can do together. I am discussing this with some of you out there who care for this part of our history and with our various agencies on the next steps to take and to explore actively what else we can do to retain, what else we can do to capture and to promote this story that is Bukit Brown. It is part of a much larger story, which is about where we come from and who we are. This is not the end of the road.

"In similar fashion, we also formed a consultation group, comprising nature lovers, heritage buffs, cyclists and the like to discuss on how best to shape the future of our Rail Corridor. That is also another important part of our history, heritage and biodiversity landscape. We have envisioned together that indeed, a continuous green strip can co-exist and can complement developments along that corridor. Work goes on to define that space together."

The proposed road will be part of an Outer Ring Road System that will enable motorists to bypass the city.

He noted that there is already a traffic jam at Lornie Road during peak hours, and the new road is urgently needed as more housing is built in the northeast and northern part of Singapore.

Mr Tan also stressed that the government considered other options, such as building a viaduct or tunnel, but said such alternatives will cause more damage.

He explained: "Our efforts to enhance public transport, and manage and optimise traffic flows will continue. However, the road, as I mentioned earlier, is required for the Outer Ring Road System so we are left with few options.

"We considered widening Lornie Road but that would have encroached into the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and it would also entail land acquisition, which we try to minimise and avoid. Viaducts was something that we also considered but it would have had similar impact. For example, road diversion would have been required during the process of building some of these viaducts.

"A tunnel would cause more damage to the cemetery as I realised that most of our tunnels if not all, are typically constructed by the cut and cover approach, meaning you cut this hole to form the tunnel and you cover over it. If you were to bore the tunnel and you don't have a bore large enough to create this eight-lane road, you will then be required to create three separate tunnels to create that. It would have to go deep, but at the ends, you need the cut and cover method to provide for the exit points. That would again cause quite substantive damage so the proposed road was decided upon because it provided the least impact."

He conceded that the public could have been consulted at an earlier stage, but said not all plans can be shared beforehand due to market sensitivity, such as land acquisition.

Mr Tan said that it is the government's responsibility to make the final call on the trade-offs between competing land needs.

The southern part of the area near the Old Police Academy, for example, will be developed for public housing as an extension of Toa Payoh, said Mr Tan.

Mr Tan also quoted the late National Development Minister, Lim Kim San, who had responded to opposition to exhumations of Tiong Bahru with this statement: "Do you want me to look after our dead grandparents or do you want to look after your grandchildren?"

On Singapore's heritage, Mr Tan said Singapore has been able to conserve and preserve much.

He cited that over 7,000 buildings have been conserved. Urban areas such as Kampong Glam, Little India, Chinatown and Boat Quay have also been earmarked for conservation.

If physical markers have to be removed, Mr Tan said it is just as important to document memories.

He said: "When we are unable to preserve certain aspects of our heritage, it does not mean that we do not care. It does not mean that we have no regard for who we are. We can and must conserve and celebrate it in the many different ways that are available to us."

- CNA/fa/ac

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Sharks' fins pulled from Swissotel The Stamford's private dining rooms

Today Online 5 Mar 12;

SINGAPORE - Hot on the heels of hotels that have hauled sharks' fins from their shelves, Swissotel The Stamford today announced it had ceased serving sharks' fins at its four private dining rooms at Equinox Complex since Jan 1.

Together with affiliate Fairmont Singapore, the two hotel's combined 16 restaurants have now completely eliminated sharks' fins from all of its menu, said Swissotel The Stamford in its press release.

The hotel said its commitment to preserve the diversity of the oceans also extends to other endangered marine species such as the Chilean seabass and the Bluefin tuna.

Guests who book the venues will be offered alternatives without the controversial ingredient.

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Building greener, resident-friendly neighbourhoods: MoS Lee

Today Online 5 Mar 12;

SINGAPORE - Minister of State for National Development Lee Yi Shyan, speaking in Parliament at the Committee of Supply debate today, highlighted a series of ongoing and upcoming projects to make Singaporean neighbourhoods more livable, from "green" iniatives to installing lifts in all multi-storey car parks.

"There's been a conscious effort to locate facilities nearer to HDB residents to lower transport costs, minimise inconvenience," said Mr Lee.

The Minister of State said that the Lift Upgrading Programme is on track to be completed by 2014, at a cost of S$5.5 billion, with the Government funding up to 90 per cent of the price tag.

On the issue of parking space in Singapore's dense neighbourhoods, Mr Lee said the MND is doing "whatever is practical" to increase parking, including multi-storey or podium car parks.

"We will also explore with LTA the possibility of using space under MRT tracks for heavy vehicle parking," he said in response to a query by MP Ang Hin Kee.

Mr Lee also announced that HDB will roll out a S$120-million lift installation programme for all existing Multi-Storey Car Parks without lifts. While all HDB MSCPs built from 2007 have been fitted with lifts, more than three-quarters of MSCPs - 548 out of the 740 in Singapore - are currently without lifts. This programme will be completed by 2016.

On the HDB's green initiatives, Mr Lee said the agency plans to roll out pilot projects under the "Greenprint " concept, in which HDB will "green" a neighbourhood in Jurong East with water and energy-saving solutions, as well as a Pneumatic Refuse Collection System. It will also pilot a Green Home Package, where residents can choose the types of energy-saving appliances to green their homes.

Under the project, HDB will enhance cycling, pedestrian network, complemented with secured bicycle parking facilities.

"From the pilot's findings, HDB will then refine the Greenprint model for possible rollout to other HDB towns," said Mr Lee.

He also expanded on the "City in the Garden" concept, which includes the Gardens by the Bay due to open in June and the Round Island Route of connectors announced last week by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.

"Our aim is to develop an urban landscape with pervasive greenery, where our parks, gardens and green spaces are linked up to form large tracts of greenery. We want to transform from a garden city to a City in a Garden. What this means is that instead of having a garden just outside our homes, we will have the entire city nestled within a garden," he said.

"We want to bring biodiversity back to the heart of the city so that daily encounters with nature become a way of life."

Wrapping up his speech, Mr Lee noted that "even as we seek to position Singapore as a Global City, it is important to think about what makes Singapore a special place".

He said: "Our skyscrapers may awe us, our greenery may soothe us, but it is the time we spend with our family and friends, the helping hand we extend to our neighbours and the common memories we create and share together that will render this place special, and a place we call home."

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Law That Regulates Shark Fishery Is Too Liberal, Experts Say

ScienceDaily 2 Mar 12;

Shark fins are worth more than other parts of the shark and are often removed from the body, which gets thrown back into the sea. To curtail this wasteful practice, many countries allow the fins to be landed detached from shark bodies, as long as their weight does not exceed five per cent of the total shark catch. New University of British Columbia research shows that this kind of legislation is too liberal.

A study published this week in the journal Fish Biology analyzes the fin to body weight ratios for 50 different shark species. The authors find the average fin to body mass is three per cent -- considerably lower than the five per cent ratio currently legislated by the EU and other countries.

"The five percent ratio provides an opportunity to harvest extra fins from more sharks without retaining 100 per cent of the corresponding shark carcasses," says Sea Around Us Project researcher Leah Biery, lead author of the study. "It does not prevent waste or overfishing, as the law intended."

Currently, the EU and eight other countries use at least a five per cent shark fin to body weight ratio for landed catch. Only 59 countries in the world have any legislation related to sharks.

"Sharks are sensitive to overfishing and it's embarrassing how little we have done to protect them," says Daniel Pauly, principal investigator of UBC's Sea Around Us Project and co-author of the study. "We would like to see more science in the management and protection of sharks in the coming years."

Researchers estimate about 26 to 73 million sharks are killed each year to feed the growing demand for shark fin. Sharks are sensitive to overfishing because they often grow slowly, mature later, and have very few offspring.

Canada MP Fin Donnelly introduced a bill last December that would ban the import of shark fin into Canada, but it has not been voted on. The Canadian municipalities of Brantford, Mississauga, Oakville, Pickering, London and Toronto have all banned the sale and possession of shark fin.

Journal Reference:

L. Biery, D. Pauly. A global review of species-specific shark-fin-to-body-mass ratios and relevant legislation. Journal of Fish Biology, 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.03215.x

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