RAZAK AHMAD The Star 12 Aug 19;
PETALING JAYA: Nearly 80% of hotspots detected in the Asean region over the past 29 days
are located in Indonesia, figures from the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre (ASMC) show.
The hotspots caused by forest fires and open burning are driving the current haze situation that is affecting parts of the region, including Malaysia.
Antara 7 Aug 19;
Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA) - The Indonesian government's efforts to combat land and forest fires have received appreciation at the meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states in Brunei Darussalam to discuss transboundary haze pollution. "We concluded the meeting only last night. During the two-day session no participant (complained about) transboundary (haze pollution) from Indonesia. We explained our concrete efforts in the field but we must admit that it is very difficult to put out peatland fires," Director of Land and Forest Fire Control of the Environment and Forestry Ministry Raffles B Panjaitan said in a written statement released Wednesday.
"I met with Singapore Minister of Environment and Water Sources Masagos Zulkifli. He thanked the Indonesian government for its efforts to handle land and forest fires and sent best regards to Minister Siti Nurbaya," he said.
The integrated land and forest fire control task force comprising personnel from the military, police, national and regional disaster mitigation agencies, village heads, firefighters, fire brigades of national parks, natural resource and ecosystem conservation agency have continued their efforts to control fires arising from vulnerable areas, Raffles said.
SIRA HABIBU The Star 6 Aug 19;
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia will call on Asean member countries to take proactive measures to avoid trans-boundary haze during a two-day meeting in Brunei beginning today.
In a statement,the Energy,Science,Technology,Environment and Climate Change Ministry said Malaysia wanted concerted efforts taken in accordance with the Asean Agreement on Trans-boundary Haze ratified by member countries.
Deputy Minister Isnaraissah Munirah Majilis,who will lead the Malaysian delegation to the 21st Technical Working Group,and the Sub-Regional Ministerial Steering Committee Trans-boundary Haze Pollution meetings in Brunei,would submit reports on the measures taken to avoid open burning and haze.
“Malaysia will also activate a new National Action Plan for Open Burning and fine-tune the existing National Haze Action Plan,” it said yesterday.
Audrey Tan Straits Times 2 Aug 19;
SINGAPORE - As one of the regions with the highest number of coal plants in the pipeline, South-east Asia must work to quickly end its reliance on fossil fuels, with the goal of phasing out all coal plants from 2020, the United Nations (UN) urged on Friday (Aug 2).
Speaking to journalists via a teleconference, Mr Luis Alfonso de Alba, Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for an upcoming climate summit, also appealed to nations in the bloc to stop subsidising fossil fuels.
"This is particularly relevant for a region where emissions continue to grow," he said.
If Southeast Asian countries no longer accept waste from high-income countries, where will the waste go? City University of Hong Kong Dr Danny Marks tackles the tough questions behind our giant waste problem.
Danny Marks Channel NewsAsia 16 Jul 19;
HONG KONG: Seventy-five per cent of globally exported waste ends up in Asia. But since July 2017 — when China began to ban imports of plastic waste — Southeast Asia in particular has become a dumping ground for wealthier countries’ waste.
After China’s ban, the amount of plastic waste imported to countries like the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia more than doubled.
As the amount of foreign waste accumulates and resentment grows among local populations, Southeast Asian governments are beginning to refuse to act as the world’s dumpsite.
Both Malaysia and the Philippines recently announced plans to return waste from Western countries that had improper labelling.
Malaysia and the Philippines have already returned waste to Spain and South Korea, respectively. Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam recently restricted plastic waste imports, with a complete ban planned for in the coming years.
Rachel Au-Yong Straits Times 22 Jun 19;
BANGKOK - The transboundary nature of many environmental challenges, from marine debris to haze pollution, "makes it impossible for any single country to solve the issue alone," Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Saturday (June 22).
This is why Singapore strongly supports Asean efforts to cooperate, he told his counterparts at the start of the 34th Asean Summit in Bangkok.
A meeting Singapore held among Asean ministers to discuss climate change issues last year, while it was Asean chair, prompted regional action on environmental issues, and PM Lee said he intends to keep the conversation going on this issue.
Patpicha Tanakasempipat Reuters 18 Jun 19;
BANGKOK (Reuters) - Environmental groups called on Tuesday for Southeast Asian countries to ban waste imports from developed countries to help tackle a plastic pollution crisis, as regional leaders prepare to meet this week in Bangkok.
FILE PHOTO: Fishermen boats are seen at a beach covered with plastic waste in Thanh Hoa province, Vietnam June 4, 2018. REUTERS/Kham/File Photo
Southeast Asia has seen a staggering spike in imports of plastic and electronic waste from developed countries after the world’s top recycler, China, banned imports, causing millions of tonnes of trash to be diverted to less-regulated countries.
Thailand will from Thursday host four days of meetings for leaders of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to discuss the region’s most pressing issues, including plastic debris in the ocean.
“Greenpeace Southeast Asia demands that ASEAN leaders put this issue on the agenda during their summits this year and make a united declaration to address the region’s plastic waste crisis,” the group said in a statement.
“Declare an immediate ban on all imports of plastic waste,” Greenpeace urged.
Audrey Tan Straits Times 10 Jul 18;
SINGAPORE - From raising minimum land reclamation levels to mitigate rising sea levels, to imposing a carbon tax on large emitters, Singapore has in place a comprehensive suite of measures to help it reduce its carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Now, the Republic is offering this expertise to its neighbours.
On Tuesday (July 10), Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said Singapore will offer a climate action package to Asean countries from this year.
This will include training programmes in climate change mitigation and adaptation, ranging from climate science to flood management and disaster risk reduction.
The package will run till 2020, with courses refreshed on an annual basis. Mr Masagos added that the package will be reviewed before the run-out date to see if it can be extended.
"We hope that the climate action package will be useful to Asean countries as they ramp up action to address climate change," he said at the opening of the Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action.
In attendance were Asean secretary-general Lim Jock Hoi and several ministers, including Laos' Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sommad Pholsena and Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, General Surasak Karnjanarat.
Malaysia's Acting High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Jamal Sharifuddin Johan, and Indonesia's senior adviser to the Minister of Environment and Forestry on Climate Change and International Cooperation, Dr Nur Masripatin, were also at the meeting.
The high-level meeting, which took place at the Marina Bay Sands alongside three sustainability conferences - the Singapore International Water Week, CleanEnviro Summit Singapore and the World Cities Summit - is the first involving ministers and representatives from Asean countries to discuss climate change.
The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources had earlier told The Straits Times that Singapore, as this year's Asean chairman, is hosting the meeting to galvanise regional climate action.
On Tuesday, Mr Masagos shared Singapore's other initiatives in support of regional efforts to address climate change, a key component of which involves the sharing of information and data.
Other than the programmes under the climate action package, Singapore's Meteorological Service Singapore and the Centre for Climate Research Singapore will also share their climate projection data and findings for the region with other Asean countries, Mr Masagos said.
He also reaffirmed Singapore's support for the establishment of the South-east Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility by 2019. The facility was announced by the Finance Ministry in May this year.
"As Asean's first regional catastrophe risk pool, the (facility) will provide immediate liquidity to cover emergency response costs in the aftermath of natural catastrophes," said Mr Masagos.
For starters, the insurance facility will focus on the flood risk exposures of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, said Mr Masagos, adding that it has the potential to expand in scope to other Asean countries and different natural catastrophes.
"To conclude, Singapore is committed to working with our fellow Asean countries to address the risks of climate change.
"We hope the Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action will provide a platform for Asean to demonstrate our commitment and build regional momentum in advancing climate action," he added.
Singapore to offer climate change expertise to Asean: Masagos
Climate action training to be provided until 2020, and may be extended after review
Audrey Tan Straits Times 11 Jul 18;
From imposing a carbon tax on large emitters to raising minimum land reclamation levels to mitigate rising seas, Singapore has in place a comprehensive suite of measures to reduce its carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
Now, the Republic is offering this expertise to its neighbours.
Yesterday, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said Singapore will offer a climate action package to Asean countries from this year.
This will include training programmes in climate change mitigation and adaptation, ranging from climate science to flood management and disaster risk reduction.
The package will run until 2020, with courses refreshed on an annual basis. Mr Masagos said the package will be reviewed before the deadline to see if it can be extended.
"We hope that the climate action package will be useful to Asean countries as they ramp up action to address climate change," he said at the opening of the Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action.
In attendance were Asean Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi and several ministers, including Laos' Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sommad Pholsena and Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, General Surasak Karnjanarat.
Malaysia's Acting High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Jamal Sharifuddin Johan, and Indonesia's senior adviser to the Minister of Environment and Forestry on Climate Change and International Cooperation, Dr Nur Masripatin, were also present.
The high-level meeting, which took place at Marina Bay Sands alongside three sustainability conferences - the Singapore International Water Week, CleanEnviro Summit Singapore and the World Cities Summit - is the first involving ministers and representatives from Asean countries to discuss climate change.
The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources had earlier told The Straits Times that Singapore, as this year's Asean chairman, is hosting the meeting to galvanise regional climate action.
Yesterday, Mr Masagos shared Singapore's other initiatives in support of regional efforts to address climate change, a key component of which involves the sharing of information and data.
Other than the programmes under the climate action package, Singapore's Meteorological Service Singapore and the Centre for Climate Research Singapore will also share their climate projection data and findings for the region with other Asean countries, Mr Masagos said.
He also reaffirmed Singapore's support for the establishment of the South-east Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility.
The facility, which will be set up in Singapore by next year, was announced by the Finance Ministry in May this year.
"As Asean's first regional catastrophe risk pool, the (facility) will provide immediate liquidity to cover emergency response costs in the aftermath of natural catastrophes," said Mr Masagos.
For a start, the insurance facility will focus on the flood risk exposures of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, although he said it has the potential to expand in scope to other Asean countries and different natural catastrophes.
Mr Masagos said Singapore is committed to working with its Asean neighbours to address the risks of climate change.
Call for Asean to work together for low-carbon future
Audrey Tan Straits Times 11 Jul 18;
The urgent need for Asean to deal with climate change was highlighted yesterday by two Singapore ministers, who called on the regional bloc to work together for a low-carbon future.
Both Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, cited Asean's vulnerability to the changing environment as a key reason for the countries to take steps to deal with climate change.
"Asean countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam could see a 70cm rise in sea levels by 2100. There is an urgent need for all countries to take steps to be low-carbon and more climate resilient," DPM Teo said. He was quoting a report by the Asian Development Bank that also said regional temperatures could rise by about 6 deg C by 2100 if no significant actions were taken to reduce greenhouse gases.
Mr Teo also noted that while Asean member states were already taking measures to reduce their emissions, adapt to climate change and grow the green economy on their own, there was scope to work together at the regional level. "At the Asean level, we can share our experiences and work with our dialogue partners to build a low-carbon future," he said during a meeting on climate change that included ministers and representatives from Asean countries.
Yesterday evening, Mr Masagos told the media that member states agreed to work together. Reiterating that Asean was particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, he said Singapore will do its part. "We have proposed a climate action package where we will bring Asean members to Singapore to build up capacity and capability, and to share our experiences on how we mitigate as well as adapt against climate change," he added.
Audrey Tan
Singapore to help ASEAN better tackle climate change with new programme
Junn Loh Channel NewsAsia 10 Jul 18;
SINGAPORE: There will be a slew of Singapore-led programmes from this year until 2020 as part of efforts to help ASEAN countries tackle climate change.
Under the Climate Action Package (CAP) launched on Tuesday (Jul 10), Singapore will organise programmes to develop capacity in key areas such as disaster risk reduction, climate science, flood management and long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies.
The courses under CAP will be refreshed annually and the initiative will be reviewed prior to 2020.
"We hope that the CAP will be useful to ASEAN countries as they ramp up actions to address climate change," said Singapore's Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli at the Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action (SAMCA).
The special meeting, attended by delegates from ASEAN, was an initiative by Singapore, as the 2018 ASEAN Chair, to provide a regional platform to discuss climate action efforts.
The ASEAN region, whose population centres lie along low-lying coasts and river plains, is highly vulnerable to sea level rise and climate extremes, Mr Masagos noted, as he stressed the need for ASEAN to remain committed to climate action.
Citing the devastation of 2013's Super Typhoon Haiyan that swept through northern Southeast Asia, causing more than 6,000 deaths - Mr Masagos warned that worse storms may hit.
“That is what scientists are telling us can happen if we do nothing about climate change,” he said.
Apart from capacity building, Mr Masagos said Singapore will also lend its support in other areas. It is supporting the establishment of the first Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility (SEADRIF), which will be set up in Singapore in 2019.
The risk pool is meant to provide immediate liquidity to cover emergency response costs in the aftermath of regional catastrophes.
The Meteorological Service Singapore will also contribute S$5 million in a five-year regional capability development programme, which will begin this year.
The programme aims to benefit ASEAN countries through the sharing of technical knowledge and skills in weather and climate prediction, to help the region better adapt its policies to climate change.
Source: CNA/ec/(gs)
LOUISA TANG Today Online 8 Jul 18;
SINGAPORE — In Thailand’s Chonburi province, a smart city — also the country’s largest industrial city — is aiming to rely solely on itself for power using renewable energy sources.
The Amata Smart City Chonburi, which houses 5,000 expatriates and 200,000 workers, plans to set up a Smart Grid Project and build a new waste-to-energy power plant, among other measures.
On Sunday (July 8), Amata signed a letter of intent with the Yokohama Urban Solution Alliance at the inaugural Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) Smart Cities Network (ASCN) meeting, to work on its smart energy management system.
It was one of five agreements inked between ASCN cities, solution providers and external partners on Sunday.
The ASCN was established in April and has 26 pilot cities such as Yangon (Myanmar), Cebu (the Philippines) and Luang Prabang (Laos) on board.
Asean has the opportunity to be a “frontier society” and pioneer new digital services serving the needs of its people, said Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan at the meeting.
By 2030, 90 million more people in the Asean are expected to be living in cities, and “middleweight” cities of between 200,000 and two million residents will drive 40 per cent of the region’s growth, he said.
Transport, housing and IT networks are already starting to feel the strain from this trend. At the same time, technologies such as robotics and artificial intelligence are transforming the way people live, work and play, he said.
"We need to get ahead of this curve primarily because we need to ensure that our citizens will continue to have access to good jobs, good pay… and that they will be able to feel that this revolution benefits them, their families and their children for the future," he said.
The ASCN will respect the Asean members’ sociocultural, political and economic diversity. Each member will have their own national systems but they will be interoperable.
"Because we are diverse, we will not impose a monolithic system on everyone. Whether you talk about e-payments or planning or logistics, I do not believe that there will be a single dominant system across Asean," said Dr Balakrishnan.
According to him, Thailand and Vietnam are supportive of further developing the ASCN in 2019 and 2020, respectively, when they chair Asean after Singapore’s stint this year.
Speaking to reporters, Dr Passakon Prathombutr, Thailand’s ASCN chief smart city officer, agreed that different cities have to adapt their technologies to their own culture and climate.
“Technology in civilisations in Europe may not fit in Battambang (in Cambodia) or Chonburi,” said Dr Passakon, who is also senior executive vice-president of Thailand’s Digital Economy Promotion Agency.
Dr Balakrishnan said the ASCN’s framework and city-specific action plans are nearly finalised.
For instance, Banyuwangi in Indonesia has proposed a “smart kampung” that aims to improve access to public services for villagers and encourage them to sell their products on digital online markets.
The final framework is expected to be adopted by Asean leaders at the 33rd Asean Summit in November.
Sunday’s meeting – which took place at the Marina Bay Sands Expo and Convention Centre, held alongside the World Cities Summit – was co-organised by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Centre for Liveable Cities, in partnership with Temasek Foundation Connects.
Adrian Lim Straits Times 7 Jul 18;
SINGAPORE - Mayors and governors from Asean capitals on Saturday (July 7) pledged their commitment to take ownership in building a sustainable environment in their respective cities.
They inked a Singapore Declaration on environmental sustainability during the closing of a three-day meeting held in the Republic.
The 6th Meeting of Governors/Mayors of Asean Capitals (MGMAC) was attended by over 40 delegates from the 10 Asean nations. MGMAC was started in 2013 by then-Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo as a platform for mayors and governors to discuss topics relating to the development of their capital cities, and to strengthen links between them.
As Asean chairman this year, Singapore hosted the meeting, during which the delegates exchanged ideas and shared best practices on environmental issues.
"Our cities share many common challenges, for instance - climate change, urbanisation, and sustainability. To overcome these, we need the collective action and support of all in society, from individuals to businesses, and across government and civic organisations," said Singapore's Chairman of Mayors' Committee and Mayor of South West District, Ms Low Yen Ling.
Ms Low, who is also Senior Parliamentary Secretary of Manpower and Education, said the meeting will help to "open new doors of collaboration and solutions for Asean capitals".
In a speech before the signing of the declaration at Parliament House, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said there is urgency for Asean national, provincial and city governments to take action against climate change.
He cited an assessment by HSBC in March this year which said that five out of 10 countries that are most vulnerable to climate change are in South Asia and South-east Asia.
Mr Masagos said: "There is much that we can do to build resilience against environmental threats...to innovate and seize opportunities for green growth."
"By working together, we will become a more dynamic and connected community, and ensure that Asean remains united and resilient," he added.
During the three-day meeting, the Asean delegates visited Marina Barrage and Bukit Panjang Community Club, which achieved a Green Mark Gold Plus certification awarded by the Building and Construction Authority.
They also met with Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, and paid a courtesy call to Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin.
On the regional level, Singapore has been working with its South-east Asian neighbours to fight climate change, such as through the Asean Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation 2016-2025.
Under the plan, countries, for example, will seek to reduce energy intensity in the Asean region by 20 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020.
On July 10, Singapore will also host a Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action.
Grace Leong Straits Times 4 Jun 18;
Asian investors are lagging behind their global counterparts in the adoption of socially responsible investment practices, even as this trend is on the rise in the region.
A report set to be released today by Singapore-based Asian Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) at its sixth conference found that less than 1 per cent of funds in Asia leverage ESG investing, which incorporates environmental, social and governance factors into companies' decision-making.
This compared with 50 per cent globally in 2016, the report said.
"ESG looks at how you operate a business. Are you contributing to environmental harm or good? Do you source from sweat shops or adopt fair trade practices? Do your suppliers provide equitable working conditions?
"Governance looks at whether there are adequate measurements of risk, and how top management is overseen by the board," AVPN chief executive Naina Subberwal Batra told The Straits Times ahead of the four-day conference touted as the largest gathering of social investors in Asia.
Other talking points at the conference include the need for early-stage funding for social enterprises here. Another report, The Continuum Of Capital In Asia, notes that funding from US$5,000 (S$6,690) to US$2 million is in short supply in South-east Asia. Critical issues relating to climate action, education and wealth disparity are also set to be addressed, with Asia having one of the largest wage gaps globally.
ESG investing has seen a surge worldwide, with US$23 trillion of ESG assets under management being deployed as of 2016. This came in the wake of major global disasters involving multinational corporations, such as the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and in 2010, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, among others.
These incidents, coupled with growing environmentalism and social media, accelerated the move towards more responsible business practices. But the take-up rate has been slow in Asia except for Japan - a forerunner due to its actions following the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in 2011.
AVPN knowledge centre managing director Kevin Teo cited a lack of regulation and ESG compliance adoption here.
"ESG compliance is often demanded from the bottom by millennials, women and employees, but it is regulations and adoption by organisations that change the landscape," he said.
Other factors include a lack of awareness and expertise to interpret ESG standards as well as a tendency to prioritise short-term returns. Also, Asian private investors tend to view investment and philanthropy as separate.
Ms Naina said: "They see financial returns as separate from philanthropy. But millennials are actively making social change through business." With some 35 per cent of Asia's wealth expected to be in the hands of millennials in the next five to seven years, that will allow them to advance ESG investing.
With Asia's share of the world's ultra-wealthy population growing nearly 10 per cent in 10 years, Asia now has more billionaires than the United States, and is set to have the world's largest concentration of wealth in four years.
"In the next two, three years, Asia may overtake the US in ESG investing because of the greater number of green bonds, financial instruments and opportunities for investment. There is also a lot of awareness-building done to encourage listed companies to maintain ESG compliance in financial reporting," Ms Naina added.
Antara 19 May 18;
Minister of National Development Planning / Head of Bappenas Bambang Brodjonegoro (center) spoke with Singapore Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli (right) after speaking at 5th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources in Singapore on Friday (18/5/2018). (ANTARA News/Virna P Setyorini)
Singapore (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and other ASEAN member-states are ready to strengthen their commitment to green development based on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.
Under the Paris Agreement within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Indonesia has committed unconditionally to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 29 per cent in 2030.
The target could be increased to 41 per cent if the country receives international support.
During the 5th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources on Friday, the National Development Planning Minister, Bambang Brodjonegoro, said that Indonesia continued to set some aggressive targets to reduce greenhouse gas emission.
After establishing a framework for managing forests and peat lands, Indonesia was currently turning its attention to other large carbon producers, such as the transportation and energy sectors.
"Forests and peat have been (managed) pretty good, but energy, especially renewable energy, is still left behind. This is what we want to be accelerated, for example, by bringing in investors and setting a more appropriate pricing scheme," said Brodjonegoro.
The Singapore Minister of Environment and Water Resources, Masagos Zulkifli, said that as the Chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) for 2018, Singapore had set a theme of endurance and innovation, which included tackling climate change as one of its priorities.
Singapore was also aware of its role to establish partnerships within Asean by conducting the Special Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change Control Action in July 2018 and the establishment of the Asean Smart City Network, which would build the capacity of Asean cities to achieve sustainable urban development.
Meanwhile, the Filipino Senator, Loren Legarda, explained that her role as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and Climate Change had helped in her country harmonising a larger policy to align energy, climate, agriculture and food issues with public and private financing.
"The private sector is ready to support by incorporating public-private partnerships to grow the green sector, such as renewable energy," the environmentalist said.
At the same time, she said, large corporations had begun integrating climate change control targets into their business models.
The SIIA`s 5th annual dialogue was attended by 350 industry experts, corporate leaders, and regional decision makers.
Reported by Virna P. Setyorini
Y013/INE
(T.Y013/A/KR-BSR/A/H-YH)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Pratch Rujivanarom The Nation 26 Apr 18;
Activists call for tighter controls over contract farming activities of food firms
THE FAILURE in the implementation of the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) has led to the prolonged and severe haze season in the northern region of Southeast Asia, while the goal of a haze-free Asean by 2020 was far from achievable, environmentalists said yesterday
Greenpeace called for tighter regulations to control the overseas operations of big food companies, as it highlighted that contract farming through the subsidiaries of the multinational corporations was a major factor behind the high number of haze hotspots this dry season in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia as well as the severe seasonal haze in the north of Asean
Despite a slight improvement in air pollution from the accumulation of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in the North of Thailand yesterday, PM2.5 daily average levels in some areas such as Chiang Mai and Lampang were still above the country’s safe average Unusually, the haze problem in the North this year is more severe at this time of the year as compared to previous years
The air pollution monitoring stations of the Pollution Control Department (PCD) reported yesterday that Chiang Mai and Lampang still had a problem with the harmful level of air pollution The PM2.5 daily average level of these provinces reached 66.56 micrograms per cubic metre of air and 58.47 micrograms respectively, which was higher than the safe standards of both Thailand and the World Health Organisation
The PCD’s safe standard for PM2.5 daily average level was 50 micrograms, while the WHO safe standard was set at 25 micrograms The Chiang Mai University Climate Change Data Centre said that the smog problem in the North was not only the result of increasing open burning activities within the region after the 60-day ban on burning ended He said the hotspots outside the country also contributed to transboundary haze that also affected Thailand
Greenpeace country director for Thailand Tara Buakamsri said the ongoing air pollution over the northern part of Southeast Asia and also in the North of Thailand pointed to the failure of the AATHP implementation and uncontrolled expansion of monoculture farming in Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia through the contract farming system.
“Asean’s haze agreement cannot prevent or solve the problem of transboundary haze in the region, because it lacks the power to force the member countries to take constructive measures to tackle transboundary haze,” Tara said However, he pointed out that the main reason for the recurrence of the haze problem in northern Asean was the result of expansion of monoculture farming and rapid deforestation in these countries
“From the satellite data of Nasa, it was seen that Cambodia has the highest rate of deforestation in Asean This is partly the result of contracted farming investment in the country, which in turn increases the number of hotspots from open-burning activities in agricultural sector,” he said
“A similar problem has also been noticed in Laos and Myanmar, as big food companies continue to invest through subsidiaries and expand monoculture farming in these regions This requires burning during the dry season to clear leftover material on the field to prepare for the new crop in the rainy season.”
He called for control over contract farming in these countries through tighter regulation, similar to how Singapore had imposed strict rules on multinational palm oil companies that invested in IndonesiaOtherwise the regional goal to be haze-free by 2020 will be impossible
Antara 13 Apr 18;
Beijing (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and China has agreed to develop a multifunction laboratory for a high-temperature gas-cooled reactor.
The agreement was signed by Indonesian Minister of Research, Technology, and Higher Education Mohamad Nasir and Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wang Zhigang in Beijing on Thursday night (Apr 12).
The agreement document was inked on the sidelines of the launch of the ASEAN-China Innovation Year 2018 and the China-ASEAN Innovation Forum.
"China`s innovation needs the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Similarly, ASEAN`s innovation needs China," Zhigang noted.
In addition to Indonesia, China also agreed to develop a railway system research center with Thailand, develop a new and renewable energy laboratory with Laos, and develop radar and communications satellites with Myanmar.
China has collaborated on science and technology projects with 158 countries and is involved in 200 international scientific and technological organizations, according to local media.
"We continue to support the openness and cooperation in science and technology and technology innovation more broadly and deeply," Wang noted.
The Chinese Ministry will also seek to synergize the idea of the Silk Road and the Maritime Lane of the 21st Century or "Belt and Road" with the ASEAN development plan to build the China-ASEAN community.
Minister Nasir had paid a working visit to China on April 12-15, 2018. He had an opportunity to hold a bilateral meeting with Zhigang at the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology office in Beijing.
Nasir is also scheduled to meet with representatives from the Tsinghua University and members of the Indonesian Students Association in China at the Indonesian Embassy in Beijing on Friday.
Nasir will continue his visit to Chengdu, Sichuan Province, on Saturday (Apr 14) to observe the Technology Industry Development Zone, the Research and Development Center at Xinan Jiaotong University, the Giant Panda Research and Development Center, and Dufu Museum.
SIAU MING EN Today Online 26 Jan 18;
SINGAPORE – From monitoring paper usage in schools, setting up recycling corners at the workplace, to using reusable shopping bags, educational institutions, organisations and individuals can now pledge to commit to activities to tackle climate change.
As chair of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) this year, Singapore will also host a special ministerial meeting on climate change in July, announced Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli on Friday (Jan 26).
Speaking at the launch event for the Year of Climate Action held at the Singapore Sustainability Academy, Mr Masagos said Singapore’s journey to fight climate change is already “well-embedded” in its development policies. But it is just as important to raise the level of national consciousness, of the need for individual and collective action to fight climate change.
He said: “(It is) simply because the Government cannot do it alone. This is a year when we will join forces with all of you here, plus many other parties across Singapore and beyond, to rally everybody to take action to reduce our carbon footprint and fight climate change.”
On why this year was specifically designated as the Year of Climate Action, Mr Masagos said climate change poses an existential threat. Rising sea levels and weather extremes, such as droughts and flash floods from intense rainfall, can have devastating consequences on lives and businesses.
Singapore is already feeling the heat from global warming and urbanisation, as last year was the warmest year on record that was not influenced by an El Nino event. The El Nino phenomenon leads to drier and warmer conditions, particularly between June and October across South-east Asia.
Mr Masagos also launched the Climate Action Pledge on Friday, where individuals, organisations and educational institutions can make a public declaration through the ministry’s website to show their readiness to take climate action, and influence others to do the same.
Individuals can pick from a list of actions to commit to, such as bringing their own reusable shopping bag, avoid using a straw, and setting their air-conditioner at 25 deg celsius. Organisations and educational institutions can also share their pledges, which can involve setting up recycling corners, switching off the lights after use, among other things.
There were more than 200 pledges as of Friday morning and Mr Masagos urged more Singaporeans and organisations to do so. More than half of these pledges came from corporations, and of those, about half were Small and Medium Enterprises.
“It is a positive action and will help us push forward collectively during this Year of Climate Action,” he added.
A blog has also been set up for members of the public to stay up-to-date on all climate-related matters in Singapore. Noting that this will be a “community-run effort”, he urged members of the public to contribute and share their climate action stories, events and photos on the site.
They can use the new red Climate Action logo, which incorporates the Singapore skyline, to brand their sustainability activities and events, as well as use the hashtag #ClimateActionSG for their social media posts.
With Singapore assuming the Asean chairmanship this year, Mr Masagos said the authorities look forward to leading discussions on climate action. A Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change will be held on July 10, and it will be an important meeting for Asean to “show leadership on climate action”, he said.
There will also be back-to-back expanded meetings between Asean and ministers from China, Japan, and South Korea, as well as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of Parties’ respective president and president-designate, Fiji and Poland.
This will send a strong signal internationally that Asia remains fully committed to the Paris Agreement and will take collective action to tackle climate change, said Mr Masagos. Under the Paris Agreement on climate change, Singapore has committed to cutting emissions intensity by 36 per cent, from 2005 levels, by 2030.
The Year of Climate Action also supports the 2030 Development Agenda, a long term global development framework with a set of 17 goals, noted the minister. Singapore will be working with countries around the world to build capacity and help them achieve these goals.
Some companies here have already gotten a headstart when it comes to tackling climate change. In the last six years, property developer City Developments Limited, which has been doing its part to protect the environment since 1995, saved more than S$19 million from its energy efficient retrofitting and initiatives in eight of its office buildings. Local telco Singtel also has carbon reduction targets, and is committed to transparent disclosure of its climate-related risks.
Members of the public can make their pledge at www.mewr.gov.sg/pledge-gallery# and visit the blog at https://climateaction.sg/
WHAT OTHERS ARE DOING THIS YEAR:
• Some schools have pledged to reduce the use of paper and plastic disposables, designate “No Plastic Day”, start recycling corners, and set targets for collection of electronic waste.
• Some companies have promised to only purchase energy efficient or sustainably sourced products, raise air-conditioning temperatures by one to two deg celsius, among other things.
• Global Compact Network Singapore, the sustainability arm of the Singapore Business Federation, will organise a seminar for business leaders to manage their resources more efficiently.
• Singapore Youth for Climate Action will be organising a reading book club for people to read Singapore’s Climate Action Plan and discuss these initiatives. They also plan to partner with a private educational institution to expand their learning and leadership programme.
• Three-day Climate Action Forum and workshop in May organised by Green in Future and Sustain Ability Showcase Asia. It will cover areas such as the latest climate science findings, energy and food security, investment opportunities linked to climate change mitigation, among other things.
ASEAN can show leadership on climate action: Masagos
Vanessa Lim Channel NewsAsia 26 Jan 18;
SINGAPORE: Singapore will host a Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change on Jul 10, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said on Friday (Jan 26).
Speaking at the official launch of the Year of Climate Action for Singapore, Mr Masagos said the meeting will be an important one for ASEAN to show leadership on climate action.
“It will send a strong signal internationally that we in Asia remain fully committed to the Paris Agreement and will take collective action to tackle climate change,” said Mr Masagos.
In addition, back-to-back expanded meetings will also be organised between ASEAN and Ministers from China, Japan, South Korea and the current President of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties as well as President-designate Fiji and Poland.
2018 THE 'YEAR OF CLIMATE ACTION'
Within Singapore, efforts to raise awareness on the need to tackle climate change are also underway, with 2018 being officially declared the Year of Climate Action.
The year will see a series of key events such as the Singapore International Water Week and CleanEnviro Summit Singapore as well as more ground up initiatives to encourage the public to take measures to reduce their carbon footprint.
Getting individuals to take positive action is important as climate change poses an existential threat, said Mr Masagos.
“The impact of rising sea levels, and weather extremes such as droughts and flash floods caused by intense rainfall, can have devastating consequences for lives and livelihoods,” he said.
Singapore’s commitment to tackling climate changes comes against a backdrop of extreme weather events, with 2017 being the hottest year on record that was not influenced by an El Nino event.
“Our world is warming at an unprecedented rate, caused by the excessive emission of greenhouse gases, in particular, carbon dioxide, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels,” said Mr Masagos.
To adapt and mitigate the impact of climate change, significant investments have been made in infrastructure, which includes the widening of drains as well as erecting flood barriers, the minister said.
Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, Singapore has pledged to reduce its emissions intensity by 36 per cent from the 2005 levels by 2030. In addition, it has also pledged to stop any increase to its greenhouse gas emissions around 2030.
However, the responsibility of tackling climate change should not fall on the government alone, said Mr Masagos, stressing that everybody needs to play a part.
To date, more than 150 individuals and organisations in Singapore have pledged to take climate action. At the event, Mr Masagos called on more to take part in fighting climate change.
“To fight global warming is both our moral obligation and commitment to ensure that future generations can inherit a sustainable planet,” he said.
Source: CNA/mz
Climate change: Many think they can't make a difference
Getting people and organisations to take Climate Action Pledge is part of effort to change mindset
Audrey Tan Straits Times 27 Jan 18;
Singapore is breaking new tem-perature records every year, the weather is getting increasingly erratic and the country is pun-ching above its weight when it comes to producing harmful carbon emissions.
Yet, while most people here are concerned about the effects of climate change, a significant portion do not believe their actions can make a difference to the country's carbon footprint.
The authorities are trying to change this attitude.
"We feel it is important to raise the level of national consciousness around the need to take individual and collective action to fight climate change," Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said yesterday at the launch of Singapore's Year of Climate Action.
As part of this effort, people and organisations will, for instance, be able to make a Climate Action Pledge, where they can declare publicly what they want to do to make Singapore greener.
Individuals can promise to recycle, take public transport, walk or cycle, while organisations can raise office temperatures by 1 deg C to 2 deg C, for example. More than 210 pledges have been made so far.
The effort is timely.
Singapore may contribute just 0.11 per cent of global emissions, but it ranks 26th out of 142 countries in terms of emissions per capita, according to 2015 data from the International Energy Agency.
This means that each person here produces more carbon emissions than his counterpart in Britain, Switzerland or France, for instance.
Singapore may contribute just 0.11 per cent of global emissions, but it ranks 26th out of 142 countries in terms of emissions per capita, according to 2015 data from the International Energy Agency.
But one in three respondents of a 2016 survey here believes that what he does will not have any impact on this figure. This is even though nine out of 10 were concerned about the effects of climate change on future generations.
Disagreeing, Mr Masagos said that tackling climate change cannot be the work of the Government alone.
"Taking action individually all adds up... towards making sure that climate change is not as adverse as predicted," Mr Masagos told reporters.
A climate action blog has also been launched at www.climateaction.sg, which will be a resource for those looking for ways to cut their carbon footprint.
Asked if his ministry will consider punitive measures for individuals, whether through the implementation of pay-as-you-throw schemes or a plastic bag tax, Mr Masagos would say only that his ministry's focus for this year is the carbon tax, which will be levied on large emitters in 2019.
"This is a year when we will join forces with all of you here, plus many other parties across Singapore and beyond, to rally everybody to take action to reduce our carbon footprint and fight climate change," Mr Masagos said yesterday, even as he reaffirmed Singapore's commitment to meeting its targets under the Paris Agreement, an international effort to limit global warming.
Singapore will be hosting a Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change in July, Mr Masagos said, and this will be an important meeting for Asean to show leadership on climate action.
On the ground, there are already encouraging initiatives. The Nature Society (Singapore) is planning to organise activities such as talks and forums to show how climate change affects biodiversity.
Environmental scientist Pui Cuifen, 36, is also on a personal campaign to urge marathon or-ganisers to become greener. This includes providing recycling bins along marathon routes to re-cycle cups, and collecting waste from bananas given out at events for composting.
Ms Nor Lastrina Hamid, co-founder of the Singapore Youth for Climate Action, said the Government's effort was a good start.
"I thought it was good to designate this year as the Year of Climate Action, for some branding and emphasis at the national level. But whether or not the various movements are strategic enough to affect change at a national level - that remains to be seen."
Most Singaporeans worry about impact of climate change but few think their actions matter
Audrey Tan Straits Times 26 Jan 18;
SINGAPORE - Singapore is not a big country by land size but each person here produces more carbon emissions than his counterpart in much bigger countries such as Britain, Switzerland or France.
But a National Climate Change Secretariat’s Climate Change Public Perception Survey in 2016 showed that over a third of respondents in Singapore believed that their individual actions would not make a difference to climate change.
This is even though nine out of 10 indicated that they were concerned about the effects of climate change on future generations.
With this in mind, tackling climate change cannot be the work of the Government alone.
That was the message Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, had for people and businesses on Friday morning (Jan 26), when he launched Singapore's Year of Climate Action - a year-long national initiative aimed at raising awareness of climate change - at City Square Mall.
To kickstart the year, he launched a Climate Action Pledge, which individuals and companies can make to publicly declare their readiness to take action against climate change.
For example, individuals can pledge to recycle, or opt to take public transport, walk or cycle; while organisations can pledge to raise office temperatures by 1 to 2 deg C. More than 210 pledges have been made so far.
2018: Year of Climate Action
A climate action blog is also up on the Ministry for the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) website at https://climateaction.sg, which will serve as a resource portal for those looking for ways to cut their carbon footprint.
Urging individuals and companies to do their part to reduce their carbon footprint, Mr Masagos said: "We feel it is important to raise the level of national consciousness around the need to take individual and collective action to fight climate change for a sustainable Singapore. Because the Government cannot do it alone."
Climate change refers to the human-induced warming of the Earth, due to deforestation and the excessive consumption of resources that results in the production of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
Booths set up at the launch of Year of Climate Action at City Square Mall
Singapore contributes just 0.11 per cent of global emissions but ranks 26th out of 142 countries in terms of emissions per capita, according to 2015 data from the International Energy Agency.
"This is a year when we will join forces with all of you here, plus many other parties across Singapore and beyond, to rally everybody to take action to reduce our carbon footprint and fight climate change," Mr Masagos said on Friday, even as he reaffirmed Singapore's commitment to meeting its targets under the Paris Agreement.
In conjunction with its Year of Climate Action, Singapore plans to tap its chairmanship of Asean to roll out regional initiatives on climate change, among other things.
Singapore will host a Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change in July, said Mr Masagos, and this will be an important meeting for Asean to show leadership on climate action.
"It will send a strong signal internationally that we in Asia remain fully committed to the Paris Agreement and will take collective action to tackle climate change," Mr Masagos said.
In November last year, he had announced 2018 to be Singapore's Year of Climate Action at an international climate change conference in Bonn, Germany, to instil awareness among citizens and inspire them to act.
The outreach events undertaken as part of Singapore's Year of Climate Action will supplement the country's existing suite of strategies that affect mainly industries.
Masagos Zulkifli on why Singapore decided to designate 2018 as its Year of Climate Action
Amendments to the Energy Conservation Act made last year, for example, slap harsher punishments on large polluters for being energy inefficient. A carbon tax will also be implemented from next year to force large emitters to find ways to reduce emissions.
From the ground-up level, there are already encouraging initiatives.
For instance, National University of Singapore undergraduate Pamela Low, a member of a non-governmental organisation called Singapore Youth for Climate Action, has partnered the university to roll out a zero-waste roadshow which encourages people to eat-in, or to use their own takeaway containers if they have to eat out.
The Nature Society (Singapore) is also planning to organise activities such as talks and forums to show how climate change is linked to the conservation of biodiversity.
For example, rising sea surface temperatures led Singapore's corals to suffer from the longest bleaching incident on record in 2016.
Environmental scientist Pui Cuifen, 36, is on a personal campaign to urge marathon organisers to become greener. This includes measures such as providing recycling bins along marathon routes to recycle cups, and collecting bananas usually given out at such events for composting.
"I'm not a regular runner, but the amount of waste generated at these events - such as cups thrown everywhere and towels used for a few seconds - provides a visual reminder of how much resources are being used," said Ms Pui.
Channel NewsAsia 17 Nov 17;
SINGAPORE: Singapore will designate 2018 as the Year of Climate Action, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli announced at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP23) on Thursday (Nov 16).
Speaking at the conference in Bonn, Germany, Mr Masagos said the move will complement Singapore's current efforts to build resilience against climate change, including diversifying the water supply and enhancing food security.
"As a small island city-state vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, Singapore is committed to the effective implementation of the Paris Agreement," Mr Masagos said.
The minister noted that the rate of warming over Singapore from 1951 to 2012 was 0.26°C per decade, more than double the global average of 0.12°C over the same period.
The country's daily mean temperature is projected to rise by up to 4.6°C towards the end of the century and its mean sea level is estimated to rise by up to about 1m by 2100, according to him.
"Since our early years of nation building, Singapore has placed considerable emphasis on sustainable development ... Even so, we want to do more to instill awareness of climate change amongst our citizens and inspire and to support the Paris Agreement," he said.
In his speech on Thursday, Mr Masagos also announced that Singapore will join the Ministerial Declaration on Carbon Markets.
The declaration, endorsed by 19 countries led by New Zealand at the Paris climate change negotiations in 2015, states that interested countries will work together to develop standards and guidelines for using market mechanisms that ensure environmental integrity and avoid any double-counting or double-claiming of emissions reduction units.
As the incoming ASEAN chair for 2018, Singapore will also work with its fellow members and dialogue partners of the regional bloc to achieve climate objectives including reducing energy intensity in the ASEAN region by 20 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020 and increasing the component of renewable energy in the ASEAN energy mix to 23 per cent by 2025, the minister said.
S’pore declares 2018 as ‘Year of Climate Action’
CYNTHIA CHOO Today Online 17 Nov 17;
SINGAPORE — Next year will be designated the “Year of Climate Action” for Singapore, the Environment and Water Resources Minister announced on Thursday (Nov 16).
Speaking at the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference in Bonn, Germany, Mr Masagos Zulkifli stressed Singapore’s commitment to fight climate change, given that the island-state is vulnerable to the environmental impact.
He said that while Singapore has placed considerable emphasis on sustainable development its early years of nation building, “we want to do more to instil awareness of climate change among our citizens and inspire them to act in partnership”.
Singapore is committed to the Paris Agreement, a pact made in 2015 by 195 nations to combat climate change, at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris.
At this year’s conference, Mr Masagos also announced that Singapore would be joining the Ministerial Declaration on Carbon Markets. The New Zealand-led declarations were first initiated at the Paris conference. Through this, interested countries will work together to develop standards and guidelines for using market mechanisms that ensure environmental integrity, and avoid any double-counting or double-claiming of emissions reduction units.
Next year will see Singapore chairing the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean), and the timing is right to move ahead with plans in terms of energy use.
“We will work with fellow Asean members and our dialogue partners to advance the Asean Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation 2016 to 2025,” Mr Masagos said.
Singapore will try to reduce its energy intensity in the Asean region by 20 per cent come 2020, down from the levels in 2005, and increase the component of renewable energy in the Asean energy mix to 23 per cent by 2025.
On Thursday, Mr Masagos reiterated key policies that have been put in place this year.
In February, Singapore became the first country in South-east Asia to introduce a carbon tax, which is set to take effect from 2019. The tax rate is expected to be between S$10 and S$20 per tonne of greenhouse gas emissions, which is within the range of what other jurisdictions have put into effect.
“The scale of solar energy deployment in Singapore is limited by space constraints and issues with intermittency, but we are not easily deterred,” he said.
Last year, Singapore launched the world’s largest floating solar panel test-bed atop a hectare of waters at Tengeh Reservoir. These floating test-beds might also be deployed at other reservoirs, Mr Masagos said. “Singapore is pushing ahead to increase our solar PV (photovoltaic) deployment to 350 MWp by 2020, and further to 1GWp beyond 2020,” he added.
Next month, Singapore’s first electric car-sharing programme begins, and 1,000 electric cars and 2,000 charging points will be deployed island-wide by 2020.
As the two-week UN conference comes to an end on Nov 17, a study by The Global Carbon Project and the University of East Anglia found that 2017 is looking to be the year with the highest levels of carbon pollution on record, due to a surge in fossil fuel consumption.
A recent report by the World Resources Institute also found that the number of countries that have already peaked their greenhouse gas emissions increased from 33 in 2000 to 49 in 2010.
Their findings estimate that by 2020, the number of countries that have already peaked, or have a commitment that implies an emissions peak, would grow to 53. By 2030, this would go up to 57.
The report noted that several developing countries are taking on commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but the number of countries peaking and their peak emissions levels are not enough to meet the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals to limit global warming to well below 2˚C.
The rate of warming over Singapore from 1951 to 2012 was 0.26˚C per decade, more than double the global average over the same period. The country’s daily mean temperature is also projected to rise by up to 4.6˚C towards the end of the century.
Singapore will work with Asean neighbours on climate change issues: Masagos
Audrey Tan Straits Times 16 Nov 17;
Singapore will work with its South-east Asian neighbours on strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change when it takes on the role of Asean chairman next year, Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said on Thursday (Nov 16) at a United Nations climate change conference in Bonn, Germany.
There will be two areas of focus for this regional cooperation: reducing energy intensity, and increasing the use of renewable energy.
Mr Masagos said Singapore will work with its neighbours to advance the Asean Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation 2016-2025.
Among other things, the plan seeks to reduce energy intensity in the Asean region by 20 per cent from 2005 levels by 2020. It also aims to increase the component of renewable energy in the Asean energy mix to 23 per cent by 2025.
The region's commitment to tackling climate change comes against a backdrop of extreme weather events. For example, the year 2016 was the warmest year on record, and the third consecutive year that record temperatures have been set.
Multiple natural disasters also hit the world, from drought in Africa, torrential floods in South Asia, as well as hurricanes and cyclones that pounded the Caribbean, North-east Asia, the Pacific and North America.
"Our hearts go out to the families affected and we hope that these areas will return to normalcy soon. The global community needs to work together, urgently and resolutely to stem the warming trend," Mr Masagos said when delivering Singapore's national statement to the international audience.
For its part, Singapore has pledged under the 2015 Paris Agreement to reduce its emissions intensity by 36 per cent from the 2005 levels, come 2030. Emissions intensity is the amount of greenhouse gases emitted to achieve each dollar of gross domestic product.
It has also pledged to stop any increase to its greenhouse gas emissions by around 2030.
Singapore has implemented a slew of strategies to achieve these targets. This includes enhancements made this year to its Energy Conservation Act, which aims to get large polluters to be more energy efficient, and plans to implement a carbon tax from 2019, said Mr Masagos.
The Republic has also pumped money into research for innovations that can help the island state develop sustainably. It is banking on solar power to reduce its reliance on natural gas, and has invested in ways to better harness energy from the sun, by piloting floating solar systems, for example.
But Singapore wants to go one step further next year, by driving the climate change message not just among industries, but citizens too. To do this, Singapore will designate 2018 as the Year of Climate Action.
"We want to do more to instil awareness of climate change amongst our citizens and inspire them to act in partnership," said Mr Masagos.
At the Bonn conference on Thursday, 20 countries and two US states joined an international alliance to phase out coal from power generation before 2030. Since signing the Paris Agreement which aims to wean the world off fossil fuels, several countries have made national plans to phase out coal from their power supply mix.
Netral News 25 Oct 17;
Study conducted by Grundfos and Research of Eco-Business on investments to manage floods.
JAKARTA, NETRALNEWS.COM - Approximately 86 percent of cross-sectional sustainability practitioners in Indonesia believe extreme weather and climate change can have a significant impact on the country's economy.
The statement is the result of a study conducted by global leaders in pumping solutions, Grundfos, and Research from Eco-Business, a sustainability-focused social company, entitled 'Flood Controls in Southeast Asia'. The study surveyed 417 sustainability industry leaders in Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Climate change and rising global temperatures are expected to have an impact on sea level and rainfall intensity, creating serious problems for the tropics such as Southeast Asia, including Indonesia.
Based on the report of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, in 2070, major cities in Indonesia, such as Jakarta, Palembang, Surabaya and Makassar are projected to lose assets totaling $453 billion caused by bad weather such as floods where Jakarta itself is estimated to experience a loss of $321 billion.
The results also reinforce the data by stating that 60 percent of respondents believe Indonesia will face far more extreme weather and climate conditions in the next decade.
A total of 46-48 percent of respondents also feel that Indonesia has not effectively equip itself to face climate change nor allocate adequate resources and funding to reduce the threat of the disaster.
Tim Hill, Research Director at Eco-Business Research, said, "According to the respondents, average temperatures and rainfall have increased in Indonesia and they feel that the rainy and dry seasons are less predictable."
"While the Government of Indonesia is implementing various flood mitigation solutions, respondents feel there is a need for more resources and funds to invest in this area. Increasing public participation is also needed, especially in land acquisition and environmental management."
Respondents also suggested geographical border collaborations with neighboring countries because climate change risks are also faced by most countries in Southeast Asia.
Rhodina Villanueva The Philippine Star 24 Oct 17;
MANILA, Philippines — Protecting wildlife species is good for the economy as it will boost ecotourism that will generate jobs, officials of the United Nations said during the world’s wildlife conference that opened at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City yesterday.
Speaking during a press conference on the sidelines of the 12th Conference of Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), UN Environment Program deputy executive director Ibrahim Thiaw said “there is a need to protect our ecosystem” because it “serves as a foundation of our economy.”
“It will help bring tourists to a country and generate employment,” he added.
Bradnee Chambers, executive secretary of CMS, called for the formulation of international guidelines on the protection of wildlife species as it will help achieve its goals.
“As we recognize the importance of ecotourism, we should also recognize certain guidelines that will help set limits as to how we deal with whales for example, like maintaining a certain distance during whale watching, among others,” Chambers said.
He also noted that the COP comes at a critical time for wildlife conservation.
“Our wildlife is not an optional extra, but the basis upon which all our livelihoods and progress depend. Only by integrating wildlife conservation with sustainable development will we be able to protect the remaining species on Earth, species from which we benefit in so many different ways,” he said.
For Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu, the COP is a great opportunity to show to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) community and to the rest of the world the importance of why the Philippines and the Southeast Asian region should protect migratory species and safeguard their habitats.
Cimatu said the Philippine delegation will also push for the Manila Declaration that would call on world leaders to take broad and coordinated action to protect the habitats of migratory species within their respective territories.
The Philippine delegation will also call for the adoption of a resolution urging member countries of the ASEAN to implement marine biodiversity conservation initiatives through the promotion of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) at the local and regional levels.
MPAs are portions of bodies of water where human activity is restricted to conserve natural resources in these areas. Protection measures are defined usually through local ordinances.
“While there has been notable increase in the number of MPAs in the region, the need to build up a regional connectivity of these areas among ASEAN member-nations remains a challenge,” Cimatu said.
He also called on member-countries to help in the fight against wildlife trafficking and illegal trade.
The Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources estimated that the Philippines has been losing around P12 million because of illegal wildlife trade.
“It is underestimated at the moment because it is being based on the taxes that we lose. The value of the species itself in terms of ecosystem services, has been integrated in the accounting,” BMB director Theresa Mundita Lim said.
Global action vs marine pollution
Environment ministers and representatives from international organizations, the business sector and civil society also called for a global unified action to combat marine pollution during the COP.
Chambers said marine debris, lead ammunition and pesticides are the biggest contributors to marine pollution.
“Marine debris impacts more than 800 wildlife species and this number may still go up as complex issues, including microplastics, still need to be investigated,” Cimatu said.
Cimatu noted that the current efforts to solve the marine debris problem in the Philippines include incorporating integrated coastal management strategies into resource use and development plans of local government units (LGUs).
He said several bills were filed in Congress to ban, phase out, tax or regulate the use of plastic bags in the country. While these measures are pending, some LGUs initiated the use of commercially viable and environment-friendly alternatives to plastic.
Expert rallies vs marine plastic pollution
Catherine Teves, Philippine News Agency Philippines Canadian Enquirer 25 Oct 17;
MANILA — An expert raised urgency for international action against marine pollution from plastics, warning this degradation increasingly threatens humans and the environment.
“This must stop,” UNEP Executive Director Dr. Erik Solheim said Wednesday (Oct. 25) in Manila at the continuing Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) 12th Conference of the Parties (COP 12).
He said concerted efforts of both public and private sectors would make a difference in addressing pollution from plastics. Governments worldwide must mobilize to make the right action, he noted. “Mobilize citizens for the right practices,” he said.
Right practices include not throwing plastics into oceans, he said. Manufacturers of plastic must also look into the possibility of using environment-friendly alternatives for making their products, he added.
He said plastic is a very useful material but its improper disposal would affect health, the environment, and species. A 2016 UNEP report said global production of plastics in 2014 hit 311 million tons.
Estimates show between 4.8 million to 12.7 million metric tons of plastic reached oceans, noted UNEP.
“Plastic debris and microplastics are transported by ocean currents across borders,” UNEP said, citing poor waste and wastewater management, preventable accidental losses and illegal dumping as possible reasons for this leakage.
UNEP said such leakage had serious environmental, social and economic consequences as it harms wildlife, safety of sea transport, fisheries, tourism, and recreation.
Plastic pollution also threatens marine ecosystems, UNEP noted. CMS is an inter-governmental treaty under UNEP and provides the global platform for conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and habitats of these species.
Parties to CMS agree to protect and conserve migratory species particularly those at high risk of extinction. “Their future is our future – sustainable development for wildlife and people” is CMS COP 12’s theme and highlights the link between migratory species’ conservation and sustainable development.
“That future starts now,” CMS Executive Secretary Dr. Bradnee Chambers said at COP 12’s opening this week, highlighting the urgency for more international cooperation on migratory specie conservation.
He cited the need for elevating conservation efforts so people can continue benefiting from services migratory species provide. Migratory species are animals that cyclically and predictably cross one or more national jurisdictional boundaries in response to seasons, availability of food or need to reproduce, said the Philippines’ Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB).
“Animal migration can be found in all major animal groups including birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians, insects and crustaceans,” BMB said.
Experts cited food, pollination and pest control as among migratory species’ benefits. Such species also have potential as medicinal sources and eco-tourism draws, they added. (PNA)
Philippines, countries called to protect marine ecosystem for shark species
LEANDER C. DOMINGO Manila Times 26 Oct 17;
MARINE conservation groups have urged the Philippine government to pass a comprehensive law to protect and conserve all shark species in the country even as it called the world’s nations to ensure protection of whale sharks and wedgefish, which are on the verge of being extinct.
According to the United Nations-Food and Agriculture Organization, global shark population is experiencing an unprecedented decline because humans are driven by an annual trade value of $1 billion resulting in almost 100 million sharks being killed each year, with fishing rates exceeding the ability of shark populations to recover.
Sharks are vulnerable to fishing pressure because they can take decades to mature and they produce few young, and they are also targeted for their fins for use in shark fin soup, a delicacy in Asia.
While the 12th Session of the Conference of Parties (COP) to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) way taking place place in Manila on October 23-28,
conservation groups took the opportunity to call for the protection of shark species numbering more than 200 in the country.
Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace Philippines, said the country ranks fourth next to Australia, Indonesia and Japan, and is in a unique position globally when it comes to shark species biodiversity. But only a few species are protected in the country.
“To demonstrate that we are serious about our call to the global community, it is important for the Philippine government to pass a comprehensive law to protect and conserve all shark species in the country,” Cinches said.
Important to ecosystems
He added that sharks are important species in maintaining the health of the marine ecosystem, but it is threatened with illegal, unregulated, unreported and destructive fishing.
Anna Oposa, Save Philippine Seas executive director, said the Philippines has been at the frontline of protecting whale sharks for nearly two decades.
Oposa said at the COP, the Philippines is again leading the protection of the species by being the proponent for up-listing from Appendix II to Appendix I and that “we have shown the world that sharks are truly more valuable alive than dead.”
“By listing them on Appendix I, parties are urged to strictly protect them throughout their migratory range,” she added.
In 1998, whale shark was the first shark to be nationally protected through Fisheries Administrative Order 193 banning its taking or catching, selling, purchasing, possessing and exporting.
But in 2016, whale sharks were re-classed in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List from “Vulnerable” to “Endangered,” which is a step closer to “Extinction” while wedgefishes are in the “Vulnerable” status.
Commonly targeted because of their high-valued fins, wedgefishes are threatened by overexploitation, giving the white-spotted wedgefish (Rhynchobatus australiae) a “Vulnerable” status under the IUCN.
Oposa said since the species are highly mobile that makes it a shared resource, there is a need to take steps to improve the status through the cooperation among countries within its range.
According to the Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines (MWWP), the Philippines has proposed the listing of wedgefish on Appendix II at the COP to strengthen the country’s efforts to conserve sharks and rays in the long-term.
Arnel Yaptinchay, MWWP executive director, said the Philippines has encouraged the parties to the CMS to support this proposal.
He added that they are looking at the CMS meeting as an opportunity to call on the Philippine government to fill in legislative gaps in the protection of shark species.
“The Philippines has over 200 shark species. They mature late, reproduce slowly and easily succumb to fishing pressures compared to their bony-fish counterparts,” Yaptinchay said.
Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz Manila Bulletin 21 Oct 17;
The Philippines is hoping to build stronger ties with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through the establishment of a network of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the region that would safeguard migratory species and the habitats critical to their survival.
Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu said the proposed establishment of MPA network within the ASEAN is contained in a draft resolution submitted by the Philippine delegation led by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to the secretariat of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).
The Philippines is the only country in Southeast Asia that is party to the convention.
The draft resolution is up for consideration by more than 120 nations during the 12th Meeting of the Conference of Parties (COP) to CMS, which will be held in Manila on October 23-28.
“While there has been notable increase in the number of MPAs in the region, the need to build up a regional connectivity of these areas among ASEAN member nations remains a challenge,” Cimatu pointed out.
MPAs are portions of bodies of water such as seas, oceans or lakes where human activity is restricted to conserve natural resources found within them. Protection measures are defined usually through local ordinances.
DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) director Theresa Mundita Lim said the MPAs provide safe havens and food for migratory aquatic and bird species.
The MPAs also contribute to food security, sustainable livelihood and economic growth, and climate change mitigation and adaptation, she said.
“Effective management of MPAs means we also defend species and habitats from actual and perceived threats so that they can continue to deliver important ecosystem services,” Lim said.
At the same time, Lim noted that the establishment of an MPA network would be a proactive step in protecting globally-important marine and coastal biodiversity, particularly since the region faces complex threats from climate change, overexploitation of resources, and pollution from a burgeoning population.
She explained that the draft resolution was based on the CMS principle of “taking individual or cooperative action to protect migratory species, as well as conserve species and habitats and rehabilitate them if necessary.”
According to Lim, the proposed resolution takes off from each ASEAN country’s national biodiversity strategy and action plans, which already call for designation, connection and management of MPAs.
It also encourages ASEAN countries, especially those that are within the range of known migratory species, to improve the way migratory sites are managed by promoting MPA networks.
Lim said it is imperative for the global community to acknowledge and act proactively on protecting marine and coastal biodiversity.
She also said the draft resolution calls for greater collaboration among regionwide networks, such as the Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia, the Coral Triangle Initiative, ASEAN State Officials for Environment, and the ASEAN Heritage Parks.
South East Asia hosts 30 percent of the coral reefs, 35 percent of mangroves, and 18 percent of sea grass meadows in the world.
Despite these figures, only two percent of the entire region has been designated as MPAs.
The draft resolution seeks to conserve at least 10 percent of the regions’ coastal and marine areas.
Lim believes that more MPAs would address continued losses to biodiversity within coastal and marine ecosystems. This is consistent with goals set for 2020 under the Aichi Biodiversity Targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
WONG KAI YI Business Times 3 Oct 17;
SOUTH-EAST Asia's banking regulations and bank practices do not reflect deep commitments to fighting climate change, according to a report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the National University of Singapore.
The study surveyed 34 banks across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and found that none of them disclosed climate or sustainability risks at their portfolio level.
Although 26 banks refer to sustainabiltiy in their strategy or vision, only 12 of them acknowledged the importance of climate risk for society and business, WWF said.
WWF found Asean banks to have good corporate governance foundations upon which to build environmental, social and governance (ESG) strategies, but found regulators were lagging in incentivising or penalising quicker ESG incorporation and standards.
On a national level, WWF found that supporting regulatory frameworks for sustainability reporting and corporate governance were present in all six surveyed countries. However, more could be done to coordinate sustainable finance regulations across Asean, due to the irregular nature of their implementation.
In Singapore, the three banks surveyed - DBS, OCBC and UOB - disclosed efforts to integrate sustainability concepts into their business, and distinguished between direct and indirect ESG footprint of their business actitivities. They have also made progress in recognising environmental issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss and human rights.
More could be done to integrate environmental and safety (E&S) factors into mainstream capital allocation decisions, the study said.
The WWF called upon Asean regulators to implement prescriptive and timely sustainable finance guidelines to ensure the sector works towards those common goals.
Jeanne Stampe, WWF's head of Asia finance and commodities, said: "Countries will not have any chance of meeting their commitments to the Paris Climate Accord and the UN Sustainable Development Goals without the finance sector playing its part. There remains four years from now to stay below a 1.5 degrees (Celsius) temperature rise as adopted in the Paris Agreement. Banks must therefore act now and develop robust sustainable banking practices within the next 12 months."
Professor Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and champion of the United Nations Environmental Program, urged the finance sector to take necessary measures and find solutions against the looming spectre of Asean's food, water and physical security being at risk.
"Banks have the power and responsibility to influence business practices and transform the region's approach to development," he said in a statement.
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