NTU Alumni Club-Cycling Expedition
from Pulau Ubin Explorer
Ruddy Turnstone turns a stone
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Tail fanning as a foraging strategy
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Introducing “A Beary Wonderful World” by Tabin Wildlife Resort from Bornean Sun Bear Conservation
UN index ranks several in Asia high; China up 7 spots
Straits Times 6 Oct 09;
BANGKOK: Norway has retained its status as the world's most desirable country in which to live, according to United Nations data released yesterday which ranks sub-Saharan African states afflicted by war and HIV/Aids as the least attractive places.
Data collected prior to the global economic crisis showed people in Norway, Australia and Iceland had the best living standards, while Niger, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone scored worst in terms of human development.
Several Asian countries were ranked in the 'very high human development' category. Japan, staying in 10th, was the only Asian country in the top 10. Singapore ranked 23rd, swopping places with Hong Kong at 24th. South Korea and Brunei came in at 26th and 30th respectively, retaining their previous positions.
China made the biggest strides in improving the well-being of its citizens, moving up seven places on the list to rank as the 92nd most developed country.
The United States dropped one spot to 13th.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) index was compiled using 2007 data on gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, education, and life expectancy, and showed marked differences between the developed and developing world. It was published as part of the UN's Human Development Report (HDR) 2009.
Singapore ranked highly in terms of life expectancy at birth and GDP per capita, coming in respectively at 13th and seventh place among all the nations with available data.
In 2007, a newborn could be expected to live up to 80.2 years and the probability of not surviving up to the age of 40 was 1.6per cent, the second lowest among all countries.
Singapore's 2007 GDP per capita stood at US$49,704 (S$70,143), after adjusting for purchasing power. Adult literacy was 94.4 per cent.
The UNDP, which has published the index annually since 1990, said human development had improved globally by 15 per cent since 1980, with China, Iran and Nepal the biggest climbers in the chart.
But it also noted that progress has been much more significant in education and health than on the income front.
'The persistent inequality in the distribution of world incomes should continue to be a source of concern for policy makers and international institutions,' said HDR author Jeni Klugman in the report.
The report also called on governments worldwide to look at changes to their immigration policies with a view to offering a 'new deal' to migrant workers whose skills can help spur economic recovery.
'This is not the time for anti-immigrant protectionism but for reforms which promote longer-term gains. Convincing the public of this will take courage,' said Dr Klugman.
Singapore ranked No. 10 in terms of the share of immigrants as part of total population, at 35 per cent. The emigration rate was 6.3 per cent, with 51.2 per cent of emigrants moving to another Asian country.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
Most desirable countries to live in
1. Norway
2. Australia
3. Iceland
4. Canada
5. Ireland
6. Netherlands
7. Sweden
8. France
9. Switzerland
10. Japan
-
23. Singapore
Least desirable countries to live in
173. Guinea Bissau
174. Burundi
175. Chad
176. Democratic Republic of the Congo
177. Burkina Faso
178. Mali
179. Central African Republic
180. Sierra Leone
181. Afghanistan
182. Niger
Victoria Vaughan, Straits Times 6 Oct 09;
GARBAGE trucks could become a thing of the past if a new research centre at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) succeeds in one of its first projects.
The Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre (R3C), the latest facility to be launched under Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute (NEWRI), has submitted a proposal to government agencies and industries for funding to look into the creation of community resource recovery centres to deal with household waste at a local level.
Such facilities would separate waste at source and convert into energy and useful nutrients on site to cut down on waste and save energy used in collection, explained Mr Wang Jing-Yuan, director of the centre.
The nutrients would be used to fertilise Singapore's soil and the energy to power homes in the vicinity, he added.
The project will also look at developing toilets which take as little water as possible to flush, to cut down on waste water and reclamation further along the process.
Mr Wang, allaying fears of bad odours in neighbourhood, assured: 'We have an expert on odour control and we can use a photo catalyst - a light - to remove odours.
NTU submits proposal to convert waste into energy
Byron Ho, Channel NewsAsia 5 Oct 09;
SINGAPORE: Waste collection could become a much simpler process if a new research centre at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) succeeds in one of its projects.
The Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre has submitted a proposal for government agencies and industries to fund community resource recovery centres.
Centre Director Wang Jing Yuan said Monday that such facilities will separate the waste at source, and convert it into energy and other useful materials such as fertilisers.
The energy obtained from the waste can also be used to power up homes in the community.
Associate Professor Wang said the team will embark on the project next year.
The project is part of a five-year programme to find a sustainable urban waste management solution for the future.
- CNA/yb
NTU studies new way of managing garbage
Victoria Vaughan, Straits Times 17 Oct 09;
GARBAGE trucks and their signature odour could become a less common sight in Singapore if a new research centre at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is successful in one of its first projects.
The Residues and Resource Reclamation Centre (R3C) wants to establish community resource recovery centres to deal with household waste at a local level.
Such facilities will separate waste at its source and convert it into energy and useful fertiliser on site. This will cut down on waste collection and the energy used to collect it, explained Mr Wang Jing-Yuan, the centre's director.
Mr Wang allayed fears that such an innovation would create an unpleasant smell in the neighbourhood: 'We have an expert on odour control and we can use a photocatalyst - a light - to remove odours,' he said.
The R3C is the latest facility to be launched under the Nanyang Environment and Water Research Institute, and it has submitted a proposal to government agencies and industries for funding.
It is hoped that funding will be granted early next year to develop the technology and analyse the possible savings to both households and the Government, Mr Wang added.
Currently, it costs the Government $77 a tonne, and between $8 and $10 a month for each household's waste collection.
The R3C was launched last week at NTU alongside two other research facilities: the DIH-NTU Water and Environment Research Centre and Education Hub - a collaboration with a Danish waste water consulting firm, and the Singapore Membrane Technology Centre, which will look at more efficient waste water purification methods. Both these facilities have been active for a year.
Guest of honour Tan Yong Soon, permanent secretary at the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, praised NTU's research for being 'relevant to the needs of industry'.
'Through R3C's research, Singapore could get a larger foothold in...recycling waste (which) is now seen as a profitable resource creation enterprise in its own right,' said Mr Tan.
The three research centres will receive a total of $95 million from the Economic Development Board, Environment and Water Industry Development Council, NTU and industry partners.
Jason Palmer, BBC News 5 Oct 09;
A system that generates energy from rubbish is being sent by defence firm Qinetiq to the US army.
The PyTEC system heats mixed waste, releasing a gas that can be burned to produce five times more energy than is required to drive the system.
Qinetiq say that the system, already in use on British navy ship HMS Ocean, has been "containerised" for US army use.
The approach could see use in urban areas, reducing municipal waste volume by 95% while producing energy.
The process hinges on pyrolysis, in which waste subjected to high temperatures releases combustible gases.
In essence it is the same process that happens above a match; heating of the wood releases gases that burn in the presence of oxygen, producing the visible flame.
In pyrolysis, the heating occurs in the absence of oxygen, and the released gases are gathered and stored for later use.
This is in contrast to simple incineration or gasification - another energy-from-waste approach that heats particular kinds of waste in the presence of oxygen to create combustible gases.
Typically, such systems require that the waste be of a singular type, and diced up before entering the gasification chamber.
Waste not
In the PyTEC system, a large screw-shaped column takes in up to 100kg per hour of untreated mixed waste - including glass and tin, particularly troublesome waste sources for thermal waste approaches.
The waste is heated, releasing gases that are removed and used to power a steam turbine.
What exits the system is a glassy substance just 5% the volume of the waste that entered, along with 400kW of power.
A similar system was installed on the UK navy ship HMS Ocean late last year.
"We've taken the plant that we developed for HMS Ocean and containerised it for the US army as a means to make it more mobile, more easily deployable and reducing their fossil fuel requirements," said Pat McGlead, waste management business development manager for Qinetiq.
The systems will be deployed to one of 55 "forward operating bases" in Iraq and Afghanistan - temporary outposts of 600 front-line soldiers that, until now, had no formal arrangements for waste disposal.
"That means they're going to have to have trucks on the roads (to carry the waste), and that means people are going to be exposed to land mines and so on - and it increases the use of fossil fuels," Mr McGlead told BBC News.
"By providing them with a self-contained waste management capability, we're reducing their logistical footprint, reducing the number of body bags, and reducing their fossil fuel usage."
In addition, the size and complexity reduction of the system for US army use means the approach could see application outside the military.
"We're finding more and more people in the commercial sector want to take ownership of their waste, and they want to reduce their carbon footprint, so they see energy from waste as a good way to go," Mr McGlead said.
"There are people that are interested in it for blocks of flats - it has a number of different applications."
South-east Asia's first such lab, in Bukit Batok, set to test first vehicle on Oct 23
Christopher Tan, Straits Times 6 Oct 09;
JUST eight months after the word go, South-east Asia's first and only vehicle emission testing laboratory is up and almost ready for business.
The $5.8 million centre, built by vehicle inspection company Vicom and half-financed by the Government, is slated to test its first vehicle on Oct 23.
Vicom chief executive Heng Chye Kiou told The Straits Times the 6,000 sq ft facility at Vicom Bukit Batok is now undergoing final tests before accreditation by German standards body TUV.
The centre will be a boon especially to parallel importers, many of which have had difficulty meeting a new fuel-efficiency labelling scheme that became mandatory in April.
Parallel importers do not have access to certification from vehicle manufacturers. Testing must be done at independent labs in Japan or Hong Kong, the nearest places with such testing facilities.
Vicom's state-of-the-art facility will be able to measure the emission level as well as the energy efficiency of cars, motorcycles and light commercial vehicles - regardless of engine type.
Mr Heng said besides petrol and diesel cars, the lab can test vehicles that run on compressed natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas and even electricity. 'For electric cars, we can measure the amount of power they consume per km,' he noted.
He added that the centre, which can test four to six cars a day, will cater to a wide clientele. Besides parallel importers, they include motor traders wanting to verify a competitor's claims, oil companies studying fuel qualities, car accessory suppliers and car re-exporters.
'For instance, cars going to New Zealand need to meet Euro III emission standards, and cars going to Thailand have to meet Euro IV,' Mr Heng said.
In Singapore, petrol cars have to meet Euro II standards, while diesel vehicles have to be Euro IV. The higher the number, the cleaner the engine.
Vicom, a subsidiary of transport giant ComfortDelGro, has not yet confirmed testing fees, but Mr Heng said they will have to be competitive.
'A parallel importer spends around $4,000 to send a car to Hong Kong for certification,' he said.
Fees for diesel models are likely to be higher than those for petrol ones due to the extra steps required, such as testing the amount of soot emitted. Vicom's centre is among the few worldwide equipped to measure PM2.5, a health hazard.
PM2.5 refers to particulate matter of no more than 2.5 microns each. The air in Singapore has more PM2.5 than recommended by the US Environmental Protection Agency, and the Government says diesel vehicles are the single biggest culprit.
Mr Heng expects the centre to contribute to Vicom's revenue, but is not able to say by how much: 'We are targeting the international market. We cannot survive by just serving local clients.'
New cars imported into Singapore have had to display a fuel economy label since April. Parallel imports were given up to Oct 1 to meet the ruling.
But the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association, which represents used car dealers and parallel importers, has appealed for the reprieve to be extended by two more months.
Test your car at a state-of-the-art lab
Esther Ng, Today Online 9 Oct 09;
Singapore's first state-of-the-art vehicle emission and fuel efficiency test laboratory opened yesterday in Bukit Batok.
The $5.8-million Vicom Emission Test Laboratory is equipped to test vehicles according to stringent Euro V exhaust emission standards or better. Car owners and traders can now have their vehicles tested at the 6,000-sq-ft facility instead of having to send them to test centres overseas. These include passenger cars, light goods vehicles as well as motorcycles running on diesel, petrol and compressed natural gas. The centre is also able to test hybrid and electric vehicles. "We believe that in the not-so-distant future, car owners and dealers will submit their cars for the tests not just because they have to, but because they want to," said Vicom's chief, Mr Heng Chye Kiou. ESTHER NG
A primary school has become the first building in the country to have a Local Nature Reserve on its roof, Natural England said.
The Telegraph 5 Oct 09;
The 2,000 square metre ''green roof'' on Sharrow School in Sheffield is designed to reflect the different habitats surrounding the city and includes wildflower meadow and grassland plants as well as a wetland area with a small pond.
The roof even has a dead tree to provide shelter for birds and insects and small hills and valleys - while areas which have been left to grow on their own are sprouting small trees.
According to the Government's conservation body Natural England, the green roof - which has grown in the two years since it was completed - attracts local wildlife including butterflies and bees.
It has been declared as a Local Nature Reserve by Sheffield City Council with the support of Natural England, in recognition of the importance of the roof to wildlife and educating the school's pupils about nature and the environment.
The school's head teacher Lynne Ley said: ''The staff and pupils really value the green roof and it's a great resource to get children out of the classroom to learn about wildlife and our local environment.
''They also learn how important it is to look after the environment, not just on our doorstep, but worldwide.''
While there are 1,400 Local Nature Reserves around the country, the school's is the first roof to be declared one, giving it protection to ensure it remains a site for local wildlife.
It is one of 120 green roofs in Sheffield, which claims to be the ''green roof capital'' of the UK, and was designed by the Green Roof Centre which was founded by Sheffield University and Groundwork Sheffield.
Paul Scriven, leader of Sheffield City Council, said: ''The Local Nature Reserve designation will protect the roof to ensure it remains a haven for local wildlife as well as a wonderful educational resource for the school and its pupils.
''We have worked closely with the university and Groundwork Sheffield to encourage the use of more green roofs right across the city, whether on schools, office blocks or even bus shelters.''
Green roofs can soak up heavy rainfall and helping avert flooding, insulate buildings and keep cities cool, as well as providing habitat for wildlife.
Natural England's regional director Peter Nottage said: ''In our changing climate, we need to find new ways of supporting our wildlife and managing extreme weather - something that residents and businesses in Sheffield are only too aware of.
''This is a superb example of how we can also involve our future generations in looking after our environment.''
Liam Creedon, Press Association The Independent 5 Oct 09;
Global warming will threaten London's wildlife habitats by increasing the risk of flooding in the winter and drought in the summer, according to a report published today.
Despite being one of the world's largest and most densely populated cities, the capital boasts a wide diversity of habitats that are hugely important to the wildlife that depend on them.
The report by the London Climate Change Partnership warned that a global increase in temperature could expose London's scarce wetland areas to drought and fire in the summer months.
Warmer, wetter winters could also increase pressure on rivers, which in turn could flood and wash out important nesting and breeding sites.
The report suggests the best way to combat the increase in temperature is by adopting "urban greening" schemes.
These would include river restoration, incorporating grass roofs and walls into building designs and increasing the number of trees planted in the capital.
Alison Barnes from the Government's countryside watchdog Natural England, said: "Climate change is going to affect us all - both Londoners and the city's wildlife.
"We know that more habitat will increase the chances of vulnerable species being able to cope with the peaks of heat, drought and flood that the climate change predictions suggest.
"However, there is also growing evidence that greening London can protect people too, by helping to keep the city cool and by soaking up storm water thus reducing the incidence of flooding."
The report was released to coincide with United Nations World Habitat Day.
Gerry Archer, chairman of the London Climate Change Partnership added: "We need to find ways to accommodate a rich and changing biodiversity which is vital for our future and this report shows how our adaptations to climate change can benefit Londoners directly whilst also being friendly to wildlife."
Melissa Goh Channel NewsAsia 5 Oct 09'
KUALA LUMPUR: Even as world attention focuses on earthquake and typhoon victims in Southeast Asia, there is grim reminder of another threat to the region - scientists and environmentalists are warning of a return of the choking haze due to an extended dry season in Indonesia.
A little over a decade ago, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and to a lesser extent - Thailand, were reeling from thick smog from raging forest fires in Indonesia's Kalimantan and Sumatra.
Billions of dollars in economic losses were incurred and there was unaccountable damage done to people's health and the environment.
Since then, various programmes and initiatives have been implemented to combat the perennial menace.
Singapore has embarked on a joint initiative programme with Indonesia in Jambi province, while Malaysia has signed a bilateral memorandum of understanding with the province of Riau.
However, more needs to be done, according to more than 40 experts attending a regional haze conference jointly organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs and and the institute of Strategic and International Studies in Malaysia.
Said Faizal Parish, director of the Global Environment Center: "More people die from the haze than from earthquakes, but it's not immediate death. In many villages in haze prone areas, 30 per cent of the children have stunted growth. For many of us as adults breathing in the haze, there are many carcinogens."
An estimated 50 million people are at risk of respiratory problems in the region, and some environmentalists have blamed climate change on the worsening haze situation.
"We don't need more bad news about Southeast Asia (SEA)," said Simon Tay, chairman of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs. "As the world is... trying to get an agreement on climate change in Copenhagen, the last thing we need is for SEA to be among the culprits releasing more carbon into the air."
Most nations have signed and ratified the ASEAN agreement on transboundary haze pollution in 2002.
However, Indonesia continues to block the agreement as many of its lawmakers feel that the country is being unfairly blamed.
Said Laode M Syarif, senior researcher with the Indonesia Center for Environmental Law: "But, there's hope because we've just elected (new members of parliaments)... 70 per cent entirely new, (and) I really, really hope these new MPs will agree to ratify the agreement."
With regional economies still struggling with slow growth, a return to the hazy and gloomy days is probably the last thing the region needs.
Therefore, experts have urged countries to strengthen their political will and keep up with integrated responses in order to beat the haze.
- CNA/yb
Indonesia Serious In Reducing Forest Fires In Sumatra And Kalimantan
Bernama 5 Oct 09;
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- Indonesia is serious and committed in reducing forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan to address the crossborder haze problem and El Nino phenomenon in South-east Asia.
Sumatra World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) deputy director Dr Erwin Widodo said four Indonesian ministries - Forestry, Public Works, Home Affairs and Environment were cooperating to control the forest fires.
"We are aware that burning of forest in Sumatra and Kalimantan are happening annually, causing negative effects on the environment, economy and health of people in South-east Asia.
"We have managed to reduce forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan by 50 percent," he said at the 3rd Dialogue on Transboundary Haze Pollution here Monday.
Widodo said to reduce forest fires, Indonesia cooperated with 20 non-governmental organisations (NGO) in Sumatra and 15 NGO in Kalimantan.
-- BERNAMA
Tapping riches of biodiversity
New Straits Times 5 Oct 09;
TAMBUNAN: A technology park will be proposed for Sabah under the 10th Malaysia Plan to protect and tap its rich biodiversity.
Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Dr Maximus Ongkili said the Sabah Technology Park would be a medium-sized set-up with a cost of RM30 million. It would serve as a centre for research and development, and processing of natural products.
"Sabah is rich with biodiversity which is largely untapped through domestic research yet foreign researchers are illegally collecting and exporting samples of our biodiversity resources without approval and to the benefit of their own industry," he said at a gathering held in conjunction with Parti Bersatu Sabah Tambunan division AGM on Saturday.
Ongkili added that the park would be a centre for researchers to undertake study of biodiversity, especially of natural products as well as provide facilities for small entrepreneurs to conduct incubation.
"The initiative will be concentrated in rural areas where biodiversity resources are in abundance, at the Crocker Range areas, including Trusmadi, the second highest mountain in Sabah."
Ongkili said that the ideal location for the setting up of the proposed Sabah Technology Park was either in Tambunan or Keningau and subject to the availability of land to be provided by the government.
On examples of the rich biodiversity resources, he said Sabah had many types of herbal plants, fauna and flora as well as insects that could be utilised for various purposes, including cosmetics, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical uses.
Muguntan Vanar, The Star 5 Oct 09;
KOTA KINABALU: The ambitious tri-nation rainforest conservation initiative is taking shape two years after Malaysia, Indonesia and Brunei signed a declaration for the “Heart of Borneo” project.
The three nations are now discussing possible common positions as they propose to take another step forward towards institutionalising protection and conservation arrangements in the 220 sq km area that covers nearly a third of Borneo island.
Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Tan Sri Joseph Kurup said there was a need for officials of the three nations to revise possible approaches and mechanisms.
Kurup, who opened the Third Trilateral Heart of Borneo meeting here on Monday, said that Malaysia remained committed to the project that would not only benefit the three participating countries, but also the world at large.
“Forests are like the proverbial goose that lays the gold eggs and we must therefore ... protect them,” he said in reference to Borneo’s rich biodiversity.
He said the Federal Government had allocated RM10.8mil to Sabah and Sarawak to implement various projects, including inventories and a survey of baseline information, in Heart of Borneo areas.
He said that Malaysia was also strengthening its existing transboundary conservation efforts with neighbouring countries under the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) in ensuring the protection and conservation of highland forests.
Representatives from Indonesia and Brunei also spoke of action plans taken in their respective areas towards the Heart of Borneo project.
All three countries have worked out their strategic plans of action in the core areas in Borneo, the third largest island in the world.
The trilateral meeting here will be a platform for officials and experts to discuss and exchange information on the management and biological conservation of natural resources.
Pulse still strong at Heart of Borneo’s third annual Tri-national meeting
WWF 9 Oct 09;
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah – Agreements and resolutions announced at the third annual Heart of Borneo (HoB).
Tri-national meeting which concluded on 6/10/2009 proved that the ‘pulse’ of conservation and sustainable development - the lifeblood of the HoB Initiative - is still strong.
Opening the meeting, Malaysia’s Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, the honourable Tan Sri Datuk Seri Panglima Joseh Kurup, stressed the important role played by the HoB Initiative in establishing protected areas, maintaining productive forests and ensuring sustainable land use.
He said the HoB was a crucial part of South East Asia’s natural heritage and it provided tremendous value in terms of ‘goods and services’ vital for livelihood development. However, he warned that the task was far from complete and looked to the three governments of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to agree on methods of effective implementation of agreements reached at the meeting.
Following the summit’s conclusion, a paper released by summit officials highlighted the importance of sustainable financing to make the HoB vision a reality. It also stressed the need to promote HoB as a priority area for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) and the opportunity to showcase this initiative during a side event at the climate change talks in Copenhagen later this year.
WWF’s Heart of Borneo Initiative Leader, Adam Tomasek, said he was encouraged by the development of individual national country plans and their on ground implementation, which would be the foundation of success for this three country initiative.
“Whilst the progress during this summit was encouraging, it must be tempered by the fact that the HoB still faces some enormous threats. Forest fires, deforestation, wildlife trade and rampant resource extraction pose real challenges that must be addressed if the governments are to achieve their shared objectives, as agreed under the HoB Declaration in 2007.1
“As the world struggles with global climate change, it is vital for the governments of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to position the HoB Initiative as part of the solution,” he said.
International police, politicians and conservationists warn that the UN's programme to cut carbon emissions by paying poor countries to preserve their forests is 'open to wide abuse'
John Vidal, guardian.co.uk 5 Oct 09;
A revolutionary UN scheme to cut carbon emissions by paying poorer countries to preserve their forests is a recipe for corruption and will be hijacked by organised crime without safeguards, a Guardian investigation has found.
The UN, the World Bank, the UK and individuals including Prince Charles have strongly backed UN plans to expand the global carbon market to allow countries to trade the carbon stored in forests.
If, as expected, this is agreed at crucial UN climate change talks taking place in Bangkok this week and concluding in Copenhagen in December, up to $30bn a year could be transferred from rich countries to the owners of endangered forests.
But experts on all sides of the debate, from international police to politicians to conservationists, have warned this week that the scheme, called Reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation (Redd), may be impossible to monitor and may already be leading to fraud. The UN itself accepts there are "high risks".
Interpol, the world's leading policing agency, said this week that the chances were very high that criminal gangs would seek to take advantage of Redd schemes, which will be largely be based in corruption-prone African and Asian countries.
"Alarm bells are ringing. It is simply too big to monitor. The potential for criminality is vast and has not been taken into account by the people who set it up," said Peter Younger, Interpol environment crimes specialist and author of a new report for the World Bank on illegal forestry.
"Organised crime syndicates are eyeing the nascent forest carbon market. I will report to the bank that Redd schemes are open to wide abuse," he said.
The significance of the felling of forests across great swaths of the world cannot be overstated - it is are responsible for about 20% of the globe's entire carbon emissions. With governments anxious to find new ways to meet increasingly stringent national emission targets, a scheme which promises to benefit poor countries, cut emissions cheaply and not require any new technology is highly attractive.
But most of the countries rich in forests are also home to some of the world's most corrupt politicians and uncontrolled logging companies, who stand to make billions of dollars if they can get Redd projects approved.
"Fraud could include claiming credits for forests that do not exist or were not protected or by land grabs. It starts with bribery or intimidation of officials, then there's threats and violence against those people. There's forged documents too," said Younger. "Carbon trading transcends borders. I do not see any input from any law enforcement agency in planning Redd."
Hans Brattskar, director of Norway's forest and climate programme, whose country is financially backing the UN Redd programme, said last night: "It will be extremely difficult to make it work. Law enforcement is vital because the corruption issued are very real. But we have to put in safeguards and we have to try. Redd can save up to 20% of all the world's emissions. Without it, I believe it will be impossible to reach the target of stemming climate change and holding global temperatures to 2C," the level judged acceptable by the European Union.
Last month, Papua New Guinea, one of the countries pushing hardest for Redd to be accepted in the UN climate talks, suspended their climate change minister after allegations that $100m of fake carbon credits had been handed to communities to persuade them to sign up to forest protection schemes.
Last night the UN admitted that Redd schemes were dangerously open to abuse. "Where countries are corrupt the potential for Redd corruption is dangerous. [In Papua New Guinea], people have tried to take advantage of the market in an unacceptable way and carbon cowboys are trying to get the benefits. We can expect more of this as Redd develops," said Tiina Vahanen, a senior officer at UN-Redd.
People setting up Redd schemes also fear that they may be discredited by fraudsters aiming to profit from public money. "The potential for Redd rape and pillage is staggering. Logging companies may turn into carbon companies. All they have to do is count, not cut. It's like giving a mass murderer money," said Rob Dodwell, a British conservationist setting up schemes in Kenya and Cameroon.
The UN estimates that 25% of the world's forestry emissions, or nearly 5% of total global carbon emissions, could be saved by 2015 if rich countries invest $15bn to set up Redd schemes.
So far rich countries have put up $52m to establish nine official pilot Redd schemes in Asia, Latin America and Africa. In addition several hundred private schemes are being set up by bankers, conservation groups, and businesses who plan to offer carbon credits on the voluntary market.
But academics and environment groups with long experience working with the logging industry and indigenous communities said that both government and private schemes are being set up with no guarantees to protect communities who depend on the forests. "Decisions are being rushed, communities are not consulted or compensated and the lure of money from cutting emissions is overiding everything," says Rosalind Reeve of forestry watchdog group Global Witness.
Bernama 5 Oct 09;
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 5 (Bernama) -- The recent announcement by a group called the Straits of Malacca Partners Sdn Bhd to build a RM44 billion bridge linking Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra has set the maritime community abuzz.
Touted to be the biggest infrastructure project ever in Malaysia, the 50-kilometre bridge between Melaka and Dumai is envisioned to enhance socio-economic ties between the two areas.
The big scope of the project warrants close inspection from a maritime perspective, according to the Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA).
The proposed bridge will arch above the Straits of Malacca, a key passageway that facilitates a significant volume of global maritime trade, said MIMA.
"It is certain that the bridge would generate significant impact on the environment and activities in the surrounding area," it said in a commentary by Dr Ibrahim Mohamed, Mohd Nizam Basiron, Nazery Khalid and Capt Rakish Suppiah.
According to MIMA, construction of the bridge will hamper the safe movement of ships in the Straits of Malacca.
Traffic flow in the Straits, one of the world's busiest sealanes, will be adversely affected, it said.
"The dense Straits is not only used by merchant ships and huge tankers traversing its length but also a big number of cross-traffic barter vessels and fishing boats," the institute said.
"It is expected that the presence of the bridge would present an obstacle for the smooth flow of shipping traffic in the narrow waterway," it said.
MIMA said the presence of the bridge is likely to generate significant impact to maritime trade, ports, shipping traffic and infrastructure developments in and along the busy waterway.
"A project of this magnitude would surely alter the landscape of maritime trade in the surrounding areas and would reshape the dynamics of the economy in the area, including shipping, port operations and other related activities," it said.
MIMA called for a thorough and comprehensive study of the potential cost-benefit, legal, environmental, strategic and socio-economic impact of the project to be conducted before any decision is made.
"Until then, the proposed bridge across the Straits of Malacca will remain a bridge too far," it said.
-- BERNAMA
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