Singapore: Long-term fix to haze must involve 3Ps

Jose Raymond Today Online 25 Jun 13;

In a dialogue with Ang Mo Kio residents on Sunday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong pointed out that the “right way of farming” is the long-term solution in dealing with the haze issue. Mr Lee is right in that this is the crux of the problem — farmers are resorting to burning as a short cut to clearing land for crop planting.

But it is also very likely that the landowners of such plots supply the major corporations which deal in pulp and palm oil — raw materials used in products consumed by all of us on an almost daily basis, be it paper, tissues, beverages, food, cosmetics or much, much more.

Many of us just do not realise it is our ever-growing demand that is driving companies to employ such irresponsible methods in their business operations.

Over the last decade or so, the governments of the region have met on an at least annual basis to discuss the transboundary haze problem. The ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution was established in 2002; only Indonesia has yet to ratify the agreement.

Therein lies the source of frustration for Singaporeans, who have had to put up with the annual haze for almost two decades with no known end in sight. While Singapore has been attempting to help or gently encourage the Indonesians to move towards more sustainable farming practices, perhaps other avenues should be explored to get the desired results.

GOVT SHOULD GIVE LAWS BITE

As a respected member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Singapore Government should continue to engage the region’s governments to exert more pressure on Indonesia.

This problem, after all, is not just limited to Singapore. Malaysia, for one, has declared a state of emergency in Muar, and its capital Kuala Lumpur is enveloped in smog. Parts of Thailand, too, are beginning to experience the haze as a result of shifting wind conditions.

When the haze hit Singapore last week, one of the first demands which the public and the Government made was for Indonesia to name the companies responsible for the fires. The latter has since named eight landowners. Is this sufficient? No.

What we must find out is which major companies the landowners supply. If we can establish the chain of custody, we can trace where the resources land up and which products are manufactured using these palm oil or pulp resources. It is possible the trail might lead to companies which are anchored or operate in Singapore.

This is why the Singapore Environment Council strongly believes that the Government should put the current Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) under the microscope and amend it where necessary.

The current EPMA appears to lack the bite to deal with companies headquartered in Singapore but with manufacturing and ground operations outside of it. Singapore companies, as well as foreign companies that operate or are based here, whose suppliers cause environmental degradation anywhere in the world should be taken to task through the EPMA.

Slash-and-burn techniques contribute to climate change, and we must ensure companies which operate here are held responsible for their actions and reminded of the irreparable damage their irresponsible behaviour can do to Singapore.

On its part, the National Environment Agency (NEA) should have a haze monitoring team, which keeps a constant eye on the number of hot spots in Indonesia and wind conditions, and send out alerts to the public if hazy conditions are expected — similar to tsunami warning systems in many parts of the world, or even the Lightning Warning System used here.

The website http://www.haze.gov.sg has been a great source of information for Singaporeans and this should be the platform which the NEA uses to disseminate information regularly from here on.

RESPONSIBLE CORPORATE CITIZENS

Companies whose manufacturing processes include palm oil should ensure that their sustainability reporting includes evidence of compliance with legislation that bans slash-and-burn clearing, and of safeguarding farmers’ livelihoods such as by developing alternatives. Corporations should declare whether they conduct audits or spot checks, so that consumers know if the products have been responsibly produced.

Companies should not be allowed to “hide” the fact that they use palm oil as an ingredient with the substitute term, “vegetable oil”. There should be industry standards on declaring this, as well as where the palm oil is sourced, so that it is transparent to consumers if these products are contributing to the haze in the region.

The Singapore Exchange (SGX) should also consider making sustainability reporting mandatory for all listed companies. Sustainability reporting is currently encouraged, but making it compulsory would send a strong signal to all business owners that corporate responsibility is not just an afterthought but should be in the DNA of every company.

Alternatively, if mandatory reporting is not feasible in the short-term, then the SGX should at least suspend companies found to have conducted their businesses irresponsibly.

PUT INFO IN CONSUMERS’ HANDS

Consumers have a right to information about the goods and services they purchase, and they should be equipped to know where the products are derived. Knowing the business practices of their favourite brands will help them in their buying decisions.

Regional non-government organisations (NGOs) should work together to conduct research campaigns on products which contain palm oil and create a directory of responsible palm oil/sustainable alternative consumer products for the public. This directory should include the names of companies or brands which people should avoid, as well as the responsible ones which are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil.

A Development or Education Fund could be set up and administered by an NGO in Singapore with an Institution of Public Character status. These funds could be put aside by corporations involved in paper and palm oil products, and companies which believe in corporate sustainability and responsibility. These funds could be used to educate not only people in Singapore about what they can do to force businesses to change irresponsible practices, but also help hapless villagers in Indonesia living in areas which are blanketed in smog about this time every year. NGOs could also tap the funds to engage companies in changing their practices over time.

Business and trade associations such as the Singapore Manufacturing Federation and the various chambers of commerce and industry can help influence their members’ behaviour and potentially be very effective channels to bring about change.

Striving for a sustainable solution to the haze requires the action and collaboration of the public, private and people sectors. Think of it as “civic environmentalism”, which strikes a balance between eco-radicalism, seeking technological solutions to our environmental problems and adopting a citizenry approach — in other words, a moderate, ground-up approach towards sustainability as a way of life.

The people of the region have suffered for far too long. We need to set targets to ensure that whatever actions are taken, there are ways to look back and assess the impact of our response as a region over time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Jose Raymond is Executive Director of the Singapore Environment Council.