Best of our wild blogs: 17-18 Dec 16

East Coast Park's sandy shores with seagrasses
wild shores of singapore

Revision to the Common Names of Butterflies 6
Butterflies of Singapore

Read more!

Singapore, Malaysia must try to increase fresh water supply from Johor River: Masagos

Sumisha Naidu, Malaysia Correspondent, Channel NewsAsia 17 Dec 16;

PUTRAJAYA: Singapore and Malaysia need to look at ways to increase the supply of fresh water from the Johor River, even as a new barrage there is already helping to make a difference, said Singapore Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli on Friday (Dec 16).

Mr Masagos noted that the water level at Johor's Linggiu Reservoir, which fell to a historic low this year, currently stands at 26 per cent. "On the back of the dry monsoon season next year, it's probably not going to recover very quickly," he told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with his Malaysian counterpart.

He said the barrage has been completed and can be operated mechanically, though its automatic functions will be implemented only in March.

"Now, what that means is that salinity intrusion has been resolved henceforth, so we are not going to face problems on that. In fact, I have been monitoring it and I have seen that it has been very effective.

Mr Masagos said that the barrage has increased the yield of the Johor River. "But the natural yield of the Johor River is not enough to meet the needs currently of the Johor population as well as the Singapore population, should Linggiu dam fail."

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said that Malaysia would take "appropriate and timely measures" to increase the yield of the Johor River - an undertaking Mr Lee said he "appreciates very much".

Mr Masagos did not give details on the measures but said that various proposals have been made to increase freshwater supply. Both countries are reviewing the technical feasibility and cost of the proposed schemes, he added.

- CNA/dt


Singapore, Malaysia to boost fresh water yield from Johor River
TOH EE MING Today Online 16 Dec 16;

SINGAPORE — The Singapore and Malaysian governments are looking at “technical solutions” that can raise the supply of fresh water from the Johor River, amid concerns over the dry weather and growing usage.

“The natural flow of the Johor River is not enough to meet the current needs of the Johor population as well as the Singapore population should the Linggiu dam fail,” Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli told reporters on Friday (Dec 16) after an annual meeting with his Malaysian counterpart, Mr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar.

The Linggiu reservoir, which enables Singapore to reliably draw water from the Johor River, has seen water levels recede to historic lows since August last year. Water levels there currently stand at 26 per cent, and a quick recovery is not in sight, Mr Masagos noted.

But the near-completion of the Johor River Barrage project has at least resolved persistent worries about saltwater intrusion. Mr Masagos said the Malaysians are now able to operate the barrage mechanically, meaning “salinity intrusion has been resolved henceforth”.

Water from Linggiu is released into the Johor River to prevent saltwater intrusion from the sea into the river, as salty water cannot be treated by the water plant further downstream.

Asked if any specific new plan was tabled at the meeting, Mr Masagos said both sides are still evaluating the technical feasibility and costs of various proposals to improve the yield of the Johor River.

“Both parties have been tasked to look at it and propose the most appropriate and timely measures to both Prime Ministers,” he added.

Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak and his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong discussed the water issue during their annual leaders’ retreat earlier this week. Mr Najib assured that Malaysia will supply Singapore with the share of water due to it under the 1962 agreement signed between the two countries.

After the meeting, Mr Lee expressed his appreciation at a joint press conference with Mr Najib that Malaysia “will be undertaking appropriate and timely measures” to increase the yield of the Johor River.

With regard to concerns over ongoing land reclamation projects in the Straits of Johor, such as the mega Forest City project off Johor Baru,

Mr Masagos said that both countries are monitoring each other’s developments and exchanging data that include the environmental impact assessment for any of these projects.

“We have to ensure that when anyone develops, any part of the Straits of Johor, they must meet the requisite processes to ensure that before they do reclamation and even after the reclamation is done, these processes must be completed,” he said, adding that Malaysia and Singapore are signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

A joint press release issued by both the governments said the two Ministers also reviewed the progress achieved by the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment.

The Ministers acknowledged the progress made in addressing transboundary haze pollution, and also reaffirmed their commitment to effectively implement the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution to prevent and monitor the pollution resulting from land and forest fires.

On the issue of tackling vehicular pollution, both countries noted that they had made marked improvements over the years and would continue to share experiences and strategies in controlling vehicular emissions, such as the tightening of emission standards and stepping-up of enforcement against smoky vehicles.

Both countries also agreed to work together to prevent and control oil pollution arising from incidents involving ship-to-ship transfer activities, as well as measures against accidental or illegal disposal of oil and oily sludge into the Straits of Johor.


S'pore, M'sia to ensure adequate water supply
The New Paper 17 Dec 16;

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Singapore need to take further steps to ensure supply of fresh water from the Johor River, despite a barrage across its mouth solving saltwater intrusion.

Singapore's Minister of the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said yesterday that the Linggiu dam, which channels water to treatment plants in the Johor river operated by both the state and Singapore's water agency PUB, was currently at 26 per cent.

"On the back of the dry monsoon season next year, it is probably not going to recover very quickly," he told reporters after an annual meeting with his Malaysian counterpart.

Mr Masagos met Malaysia's Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Jaafar yesterday.

Delegations from both governments discussed land reclamation works in the Strait of Johor and the progress made in combating haze in the region.

DEPLOYMENT

Mr Masagos said the barrage is now fully operational mechanically, although automatic deployment will only begin in March.

He said: "What that means is that salinity intrusion has been solved. I have been monitoring and it is very effective.

"But the natural flow of the Johor River is not enough to meet the needs currently of the Johor population as well as the Singapore population should Linggiu dam fail."

He said the prime ministers of both countries had agreed during their annual Leaders' Retreat on Tuesday to take "timely and appropriate measures" to augment the supply of natural water to the Johor River.

Although he did not reveal what measures would be taken, he said Malaysia and Singapore will look at "many schemes that have already been proposed", and decide based on technical feasibility, cost and speed of implementation.

The Straits Times reported in May that Johor is studying plans to divert water from two rivers to the Linggiu Reservoir to reduce water shortage that has hit the state in the last few years.


KL, Singapore to do more to ensure water supply from Johor River
Shannon Teoh, Straits Times AsiaOne 17 Dec 16;

Malaysia and Singapore will take further steps to guarantee the crucial supply of water from the stressed Johor River, said Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli.

He said the prime ministers of both countries had resolved on Tuesday, at a Leaders' Retreat, to take "timely and appropriate measures" to augment the supply of natural water to the Johor River.

While he did not reveal what measures would be taken, he said Malaysia and Singapore will look at "many schemes that have already been proposed", and decide based on technical feasibility, cost and speed of implementation.


Mr Masagos made the comments after an annual meeting here with his Malaysian counterpart, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Wan Junaidi Jaafar.

The Straits Times reported in May that Johor is studying plans to divert water from two rivers to the Linggiu Reservoir located upstream of the Johor River to ease water shortages that have hit the state in the past few years. The reservoir collects and releases rainwater, pushing seawater back into the sea to ensure the river water is not too salty to be treated.

One of Singapore's four taps besides reclaimed water (Newater), desalinated water and local catchment water, the Johor River supplies nearly 60 per cent of the Republic's current water needs.

But dry weather this year has raised fears over whether Singapore can continue to rely on Malaysia for the 250 million gallons per day of raw water under a water agreement which runs until 2061.

Yesterday, Mr Masagos noted that despite installing a barrage over the river mouth to prevent the intrusion of salt water, fresh water levels were still precariously low.

The Linggiu Reservoir was currently at 26 per cent of its capacity, he said. The reservoir was at 80 per cent at the beginning of last year, and 35 per cent in April this year.

"On the back of the dry monsoon season next year, it is probably not going to recover very quickly," he told reporters. The dry monsoon season usually runs from May to September, but has been affected by climate change. This year, for example, the reservoir started to dry up around March.

Mr Masagos said the barrage is now fully operational mechanically - automatic deployment will begin only in March - increasing the yield of treated water as plants no longer need to be shut down when the river gets too salty.

"What that means is that salinity intrusion has been resolved. I have been monitoring, and it has been very effective. But the natural flow of the Johor River is not enough to meet the needs currently of the Johor population as well as the Singapore population should Linggiu dam fail," he said.

Under the two countries' water agreement, Singapore is obliged to sell 5 million gallons of treated water to Johor each day. But PUB this year provided Johor with up to 16 million gallons of water a day as it was forced to undergo rationing.

Yesterday, delegations from the two countries discussed issues such as land reclamation works in the Strait of Johor and efforts in combating haze.

Both Mr Masagos and Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi told reporters that all stakeholders need to recognise that the ecology of the waterway is linked to the value of developments along the shared strait, and it is in everyone's interest to take environmental concerns seriously.

On the haze, Mr Masagos said he was confident the Asean road map on transboundary haze would lead to a "haze-free Asean" by 2020.

Read more!

Protecting Straits of Johor

NURBAITI HAMDAN The Star 17 Dec 16;

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia and Singa­pore are on track to resolve the environmental issues affecting both countries, particularly in the Straits of Johor.

Natural Resources and Envi­ronment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said 90% of the issues have been resolved, with only 10% left to be looked into.

“With every human activity, there must be some impact on the environment. So that 10% is what remains.

“We should not degrade our environment, especially in the Straits of Johor.

“I don’t want to go into detail but based on our assessment, I think we can overcome the 10%,” he said.

Dr Wan Junaidi was speaking at a press conference after a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli in conjunction with the 29th Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visit (AEV) here yesterday.

While acknowledging the rapid development around the waterway from both countries, he reaffirmed a shared commitment to protect the Straits of Johor, which was a “common heritage and property” of Malaysia and Singapore.

During the meeting, both countries discussed and exchanged information pursuant to the Settlement Agreement 2005 on matters affecting the environment in and around the Straits of Johor.

These included complaints on smell, transboundary movement of hazardous wastes and other wastes, and land reclamation works at the strait, which could have potential adverse impact.

Dr Wan Junaidi said protecting the waterway also meant protecting the value of the properties that are being developed in the area.

“The properties that we are developing near the Straits of Johor, especially in Johor, have very high value.

“If the waterway goes bad, the property value will be down. We are including the corporate sector in waterway protection efforts so that the property value in the area will continue to maintain, or even increase,” he added.

Masagos said Malaysia and Singapore have been resolving the environmental issue objectively and amicably, without any blame game.

He added that Singapore has been conducting regular emergency exercises at the Malaysia-Singapore border against oil spills in the sea, beach and causeway to prevent pollution and harm.

In a joint statement, both countries noted marked improvements over the years in tackling vehicular pollution and would continue to share experiences and strategies on controlling vehicular emissions, such as tightening emission standards and stepping up enforcement against smoky vehicles.

Both countries also agreed to continue exchanging information on the monitoring of ecology and morphology in and around the Straits of Johor for the purpose of conserving the marine biodiversity.


Malaysia, Singapore committed to Johor Straits land reclamation works
Malay Mail 16 Dec 16;

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 16 — Malaysia and Singapore are committed to continue fulfilling their obligations under the international law on land reclamation works in the Straits of Johor.

Malaysia’s Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and Singapore Environment and Water Resources Ministry in a joint statement said it was important for both countries to fulfill their obligation in particular the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to avoid potential adverse transboundary impact.

The joint statement was issued today in conjunction with the 29th Malaysia-Singapore Annual Exchange of Visit (AEV) here, in which Malaysia was represented by Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar while Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli for Singapore.

The statement said Malaysia and Singapore reaffirmed their commitment under the Settlement Agreement of exchange information and discuss matters affecting their respective environments in the Straits of Johor, including reclamation works that might have potential adverse transboundary impact.

“In this regard, the minister welcomed the establishment of a joint task force to discuss issues pertaining to the findings of the bathymetry survey at Danga Bay,” it said.

On collaboration in the area of oil spill prevention and control in the Straits of Johor, the joint statement said Malaysia and Singapore agreed to continue working together on information and experience sharing.

“Malaysia and Singapore will collaborate in capacity building on the prevention and control of oil pollution due to incidents resulting from ship-to-ship transfer activities as well as measures against accidental or illegal disposal of oil and oily sludge into the Straits of Johor,” it said.

The statement said Malaysia and Singapore would conduct a joint exercise for chemical spill at the Malaysia-Singapore Second Crossing in September next year, hosted by Malaysia.

“Regular exercises continue to serve as a good platform for both countries to test and improve their existing response plans to deal with incidents involving hazardous chemical,” it said.

The joint statement said they reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen cooperation in environmental-related matters such as control of vehicular emissions and joint monitoring of water quality in the Straits of Johor.

The statement said the two ministers noted that both countries had made marked improvements over the years in tackling vehicular pollution and would continue to share experiences and strategies on controlling vehicular emissions, such as the tightening of emission standards and intensifying enforcement against smoky vehicles.

“The two ministers noted the great emphasis placed on marine environmental protection by both countries and stressed the need to improve the seawater quality in the Straits of Johor,” it said.

At the joint press conference, Wan Junaidi said Malaysia and Singapore were ‘good neighbours’ and their close bilateral ties had resolved environmental-related matters amicably.

“We have solved about 90 per cent of it and another 10 per cent needed to be looked into, especially in the Straits of Johor,” he said.

Masagos meanwhile said Singapore and Malaysia were making ‘excellent cooperation’ and tremendous progress in resolving environmental-related issues in the most effective and objective way.

“Our cooperation helps us to address issues that affect both of us including the transboundary haze in the region.
“We welcomed the adoption of the Roadmap on Asean Cooperation towards the vision of transboundary haze-free Asean by 2020,” he said. — Bernama

Read more!

Wetter weather expected in second half of December

Channel NewsAsia 16 Dec 16;

SINGAPORE: Wet weather is expected to continue in the second half of December, said the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) in an advisory on Friday (Dec 16).

While the second half of December is expected to be wetter than the first fortnight of December 2016, overall, the rainfall for the month is forecast to be below normal, said MSS.

Short-duration thunderstorms, at times heavy, can be expected on seven to nine days, mostly between the late morning and afternoon, said MSS. On one to two days, thunderstorms accompanied by strong winds are expected between the predawn and morning, brought about by Sumatra squalls over the Strait of Malacca.

Daily maximum temperatures for the next fortnight on most days are forecast to be around 32°C or 33°C. One a few days, the daily maximum temperatures could reach a high of 34°C. On some rainy days, the daily minimum temperature could range between 22°C and 24°C.

“A FEW WARM DAYS”

The first two weeks of December had “a few warm days”, said MSS, where the daily maximum temperature was between 34°C and 35°C.

The mean daily maximum temperature recorded in the first half of December 2016 was 31.8°C, which is 1.6°C above the long-term mean for December. In addition, the mean monthly temperature recorded was 27.8°C, which is 1.4°C warmer than the long-term mean for December.

Most thunderstorms over the island from Dec 1 to 15 happened between midnight and 6am, said MSS. The heaviest daily rainfall of 45.4mm was recorded on Dec 1 around Tuas. Rainfall was also significantly below normal, said MSS, with the highest rainfall recorded around Changi and 18 per cent below average. Rainfall was lowest around Jurong where 25.2mm was recorded, 81 per cent below average.

- CNA/ek


Wet days expected over the next two weeks
Today Online 17 Dec 16;

SINGAPORE — Expect more rainy days ahead; it looks like the last two weeks of the year is going to be wetter than the first half of December.

Short-duration thundery showers can be expected on seven to nine days over the next fortnight, mostly between the late morning and afternoon, the Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said.

On one or two days, there could also be widespread thundery showers and gusty winds during the predawn and morning hours as the northeast monsoon continues to prevail.

The daily maximum temperature is expected to range between 32°C and 33°C on most days, but could also reach a high of 34°C. On some rainy days, the daily minimum temperature is expected to be cool and range between 22°C and 24°C.

Although December is the early phase of the North-east here, which typically brings more rain, rainfall in the first half of December was “significantly below normal”, the weatherman said.

Read more!

Cambodia: Ministry Claims ‘No Irregularity’ in Huge Gap in Sand Exports to SIngapore

SEK ODOM Cambodia Daily 16 Dec 16;

A Ministry of Mines and Energy spokesman denied any irregularities in Cambodia’s sand exports on Thursday, even as figures he provided contradicted those supplied by other government bodies.

“There is no irregularity,” ministry spokesman Dith Tina said yesterday at a news conference held after the National Assembly’s anti-corruption commission questioned Mines and Energy Minister Suy Sem and some of his colleagues.

“If the figures in Cambodia and Singapore were the same, then we might begin to wonder,” he said. “We might think that these two countries had made some deal with each other.”

But figures provided on Thursday prove only that the Cambodian government’s data is inconsistent.

A statement from the ministry on Thursday said it had tallied almost 16.2 million tons of sand exports to Singapore from 2007 to last year. Statistics from the Finance Ministry’s general department of customs and excise, however, show roughly 2.7 million tons leaving the country for the city-state during that period.

The latter figure, which was supplied to the U.N. Commodity Trade Statistics Database, known as Comtrade, differs by over 70 million tons from the Cambodian sand imports recorded by Singapore.

Citing disclaimers on the Comtrade website that warn about gaps and inconsistencies in trade numbers, Mr. Tina maintained that the ministry had done its part to get to the bottom of the differences and concluded that its records were correct.

“I hope that from today, you please stop talking about $700 million because it’s a number from U.N. Comtrade, so the record keepers in Singapore or in our country have their own procedures,” Mr. Tina said at the news conference, referring to the value of the trade gap recorded in the database.

“For example, a bunch of bananas selling in Phnom Penh, the United States, France or Paris will get a different price,” he said.

“We have done an inspection and the figure hasn’t changed from the beginning. We audited every provincial department,” he said, adding that the database “shows differences in other countries too.”

The statement also appeared to distance the ministry from the export figures, saying that it was “not a sand seller” and “only had the authority to collect royalty revenue following the prakas with the Finance Ministry.”

But CNRP lawmaker Ho Vann, chairman of the National Assembly’s anti-corruption commission, which questioned Mr. Sem, walked away unconvinced.

“We do not accept their number yet, so we demand that they be careful and become more organized to avoid it happening in the future,” he said after the questioning.

“The numbers should be similar,” he said. “We understand the country’s policy is different, but the figures should not be far apart.”

Read more!

Malaysia: Villagers create WhatsApp group for elephant alert

The Star 17 Dec 16;

KOTA TINGGI: Alarmed by the appearances of wild elephants at their village, Batu 10 Kampung Mawai Baru residents have created a WhatsApp group to alert each other in case the uninvited guests come a-knocking again.

The group aims at informing the residents of such sightings as the large mammals always trample their crops and vases.

Mohamad Khairul Nizam Mohideen, 21, an active member in the group, said he witnessed two elephants trampling on his neighbour’s banana trees at around 2am last Tuesday.

“I was chatting with my brother while my parents were asleep. I heard loud thumping and elephant noises coming from a few metres away,” he told The Star at his home yesterday.

Although there were no reports of injuries from the incidents, which have been occurring over the years, villagers were concern about their crops and properties.

Mohamad Khairul said he recalled seeing the wild animals in the village when he was eight years old, but they never appeared again until some five years ago.

“The elephants usually target houses with fruit trees as they might be looking for food,” he said.

Trader Noraini Che Musa, 49, said the appearance of the wild animals was not new for the village.

“Whenever such incidents occur in our village, we will report to the police and the Johor Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan), and wildlife officers will take immediate action by conducting checks at the affected areas.

“As long as no one is injured, I think everything is fine as our village is quite near to the jungle,” she said.

Noraini added that the village’s women committee also had a meeting to advise the residents not to approach the animals whenever they appeared.

When contacted, a Johor Perhilitan spokesman said the two elephants that appeared last week came from Hutan Lipur Panti.

“They belong to a herd of about 28 elephants. It is common for two or three mischievous ones to stray into villages nearby,” he said.

He said the department would continue to monitor the situation.

Read more!

Indonesia successfully fights forest fires in 2016

Fardah Antara 17 Dec 16;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Many inhabitants of Riau Province have a fleeting sense of relief since, for the first time in the past 18 years, they were not choked by haze coming from forest and plantation fires, thanks to all out efforts by Indonesian authorities to put out the fires.

Indonesia remained haze-free in 2016, after two decades of experiencing annual forest fires that had triggered haze, Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya has confirmed.

"For the first time, in 2016, we did not experience major forest fires thanks to the joint hard work of many in the regions. The number of hotspots decreased by 80 to 92 percent, according to the NOAA and Terra satellite methods," the minister said on Dec 10, 2016.

The number of hotspots, from January 1 to December 9, 2016, reached 3,844, a significant drop from 21,847 during the same period in the previous year.

In Riau, the Sumatran province worst hit by haze, there were 1,924 hotspots last year, and this year, there are only 371. In Central Kalimantan, the number of hotspots dropped from 4,283 last year, to 257 this year.

Based on data from the TERRA and AQUA Satellites from NASA, during this same period the number of hotspots significantly decreased from 70,252 last year, to 3,814 this year.

The minister expressed her appreciation to all members of the forest fire teams who have done their best in the field to prevent or extinguish forest and plantation fires. The teams were made up of military and police personnel, regional administration officers, and local inhabitants.

"They worked, regardless of holidays, and even stayed overnight at the locations to prevent fires from spreading to larger areas," she noted. They also worked on land, as well as from the air, to put out fires.

To prevent forest fires from spreading, there have been daily patrols, deployment of 23 helicopters, water bombs totaling some 92 million liters of water, artificial rains, and more strict legal enforcement, including sanctions and imprisonment. Additionally, companies involved in setting forest fires might lose their business licenses, she warned.

In order to optimize the fight against fires, the provinces of Riau, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan, Jambi and South Kalimantan have declared a forest fire emergency status.

The integrated team, that also conducted routine patrols, comprises Manggala Agni, rangers, the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI), the Indonesian Police (POLRI), the press, NGOs, and local authorities, as well as communities.

"We are grateful that this year we could handle forest fires, and the public did not suffer from haze, as in previous years. We kept on optimally decreasing the number of hotspots that could produce haze," she added.

The government has set up an integrated forest fire control mechanism, and a preventive and early detection mechanism to curb forest fires.

The mechanisms include building 18,507 water management containers, establishing 347 out of the target of 731 integrated patrol villages, and setting up a task force that operate a mitigation and reporting system.

"I have also opened an information gateway. My personal cellphone is on 24 hours a day, seven days a week. I have also received reports on forest fires on social media from various community groups and teams in the fields. Every report has been read, and made as an objective reference for follow up measures, and coordinates with cross sectoral, cross ministerial and other concerned parties," Nurbaya said.

Also, legal enforcement has been stepped up to prevent fires intentionally set, particularly in farmland and plantation areas.

In line with Law No. 32 Year 2009 on Environmental Protection and Management, forest and plantation arsonists could face up to 15 years in jail and a maximum fine of Rp15 billion if a fire claims casualties.

The National Police Criminal Investigation Department (Bareskrim) has detained at least 85 forest fire suspects in Riau, up through August this year.

"In addition, nine companies are being investigated for alleged involvement in forest fires," said Bareskrim chief Insp. Gen. Ari Dono Sukmanto on Aug. 25.

In West Kalimantan, the Military District Command (Kodim) 1207/BS Pontianak has detained 38 people, including 26 farmers, suspected of setting fires.

"Of the 38 suspects, 36 are farmers who clear their farm lands by setting fire to them, and one suspect cleared land the same way for housing construction," Commander of Kodim 1207/BS Pontianak, Colonel (Inf) Jacky Ariestanto said. Another suspect cleared land by using fire for a palm oil plantation, he added.

Earlier, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) announced that six Indonesian provinces - Riau, Jambi, South Sumatra, West Kalimantan, Central Kalimantan and South Kalimantan, are in a state of emergency due to forest and bush fires.

BNPB has put operating eight water bombing helicopters to help extinguish the fires, spokesman of the agency Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said on Aug. 23.

Spread over 17,000 islands, Indonesia is home to the world's third largest area of rainforests, after the Amazon and Africas Congo Basin.

Forest and plantation fires, which ravaged Indonesia in 2015, inflicted material losses of trillions of rupiah, in addition to the operational costs involved in extinguishing the fires.

In addition, the hazardous haze emanating from forest and plantation fires led to 10 deaths, left 503,000 people sick and 43 million people exposed to smoke, in six provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan during the previous year. They reportedly suffered from acute respiratory infection, eye and skin irritations, as well as pneumonia. (*)

Read more!

Japan: Half of its biggest coral reef wiped out by hot summer

TOMOYUKI YAMAMOTO Asahi Shimbun 16 Dec 16;

NAHA--More than half of Japan’s largest coral reef is now dead because of global warming.

Coral bleaching has also affected 97 percent of the coral on the seabed of the area known as Sekiseishoko, researchers from the Environment Ministry have also revealed.

Sekiseishoko, an area of the sea between Ishigakijima and Iriomotejima islands, is a popular diving spot.

Coral bleaching occurs when coral weakens and turns white due to high water temperatures or other reasons. Experts have been warning that the phenomenon may occur more frequently as global warming progresses.

The severe bleaching was “caused by the persistent extraordinarily high seawater temperature--as high as 30 degrees or warmer-- between June and September 2016,” according to a report by the Naha Nature Conservation Office of the Environment Ministry.

The office studied the condition of coral at 35 points in the Sekiseishoko area in September and October. In the first survey conducted in July and August, they found 5.4 percent of coral had died, but the percentage had significantly risen to 56.7 percent in the latest inspection.

Read more!

Australia: Big fall in number of migratory seabirds as rising sea covers vital mudflats

Peta Gilbert Sydney Morning Herald 18 Dec 16;

Birds migrating from the Arctic to Botany Bay for the summer months are dwindling in number due to increasing coastal development and climate change, according to experts.

Philip Straw, an environmental consultant on waterbirds and wetlands, said migration has decreased in the Botany Bay area by more than 40 per cent.

"Some species, like the eastern curlew and curlew sandpiper, have declined by up to 80 per cent," he said. "We need to protect this site because it is so important to the migratory shorebirds."

The construction of a third runway for Sydney Airport and the expansion of Port Botany in 2014 has meant less coastal areas for these endangered birds to roost, he said.

Director of the Centre for Ecosystem Science Richard Kingsford said bird numbers have fallen from 2000 in the 1970s to fewer than 1400 today.

"We have data that has been collected since 1944 and we've been able to monitor the numbers of these birds," he said. "It's developments like the Port Botany expansion that destroy yet another area where migratory birds are declining."

During the Port Botany Expansion, to compensate for the removal of some of the habitat, Sydney Ports renovated and improved areas for the birds, however Professor Kingsford is sceptical that this action mitigated the removal of the birds' original habitat.

Climate change also poses a threat, with the birds feeding on low-lying mudflat areas that are increasingly covered by rising sea levels.

"The problem with living in a city like Sydney is that there is limited space, if sea levels rise and encroach we can't push the whole city back, there is limited space to work with in the first place," Professor Kingsford said.

The area, which has been deemed a "wetland of International Importance" for more than 40 years, hosts about 35 species of migratory birds who stay in Botany Bay from September to April each year.

"The birds rely on this area of Towra Point Reserve, particularly when they need to fly home because in order to 'fuel up' they need to put on 60 per cent of their body weight in fat," Mr Straw said. "If there's no land to feed on, they won't have developed enough fat storage meaning they won't attempt the journey home and as a result they don't breed."

According to Mr Straw, joint studies in Botany Bay by BirdLife Australia and NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service have raised concerns about habitat for migratory birds.

Along with a number of other environmental consultants, Mr Straw is hoping to complete a study in 2017 on behalf of the federal government regarding potential solutions to restore the area and prevent any further decline in numbers.

Read more!