Best of our wild blogs: 4 Jul 10

Article on Coral conservation in Singapore
from wonderful creation

7 Jul (Wed): Talk on "Tree vs. Tide - How mangroves colonise bare mudflats" from wild shores of singapore

Some videos of our shore life
from wonderful creation

Life History of the Chocolate Sailor
from Butterflies of Singapore

Yellow-vented Bulbuls’ “rain dance” – an answer at last?
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Wetlands magazine now online!
from wild shores of singapore

Short walk at CCNR
from Urban Forest

SBG - The Man Who Planted Trees
from Fahrenheit minus 459

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United Nations warned that corruption is undermining grants to stop logging

Campaigners say countries intend to abuse system by pocketing billions in subsidies while continuing to fell trees
John Vidal, The Observer 4 Jul 10;

A revolutionary scheme backed by the World Bank to pay poor countries billions of dollars a year to stop felling trees is the best way to stop logging and save the planet from climate change, according to wealthy countries and conservationists, yet documents seen by the Observer show the plan is actually leading to corruption and possibly more logging.

Human rights and environment groups yesterday called for a radical rethink of the United Nations scheme, known as Redd (Reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation), after it emerged that many countries were trying to cheat the system.

Under Redd, 37 mainly tropical countries have requested more than $14bn in grants from rich countries by 2015 in return for cutting their carbon emissions from logging and other forestry activities. This is expected to lead to an income of more than $10bn a year by 2020 when a global carbon offset scheme is running. The carbon money flowing from rich to poor countries will then theoretically dwarf international aid and could reduce global emissions by 17-20% – more than that emitted by all the world's transport.

But analysis of the 16 forestry reform plans so far submitted by Redd countries to the World Bank shows that many intend to abuse the system in order to collect the money while carrying on logging as usual.

Documents seen by the Observer show that the Democratic Republic of Congo wants to open up 10 million hectares (25m acres) of new logging concessions as part of its plan. The country, which is ranked as one of the most corrupt in the world, argues that it will reduce emissions by planting more trees elsewhere.

Guyana intends to use some of its Redd money to pay a property dealer from Florida to build a road and a major hydroelectric plant in some of its most densely forested areas. Indonesia has said it will impose a moratorium on the conversion of its extensive peat forests to palm plantations, but only after 2013, allowing logging companies to ravage its forests until then. Other countries are setting the present rate of deforestation deliberately high or are ignoring all present logging, so that they can be paid to do nothing.

The environment groups, which include Global Witness, Greenpeace International, Fern and Rainforest Foundation, also fear that Redd is being used by governments to victimise and steal the carbon rights of people who live and depend on the forests.

Last month police arrested a UK-based businessman alleged to have paid government officials and others in return for the emission rights on 20% of Liberia's forests. Interpol said last year the chances were "very high" that criminal gangs would seek to take advantage. Peter Younger, Interpol environment crimes specialist and author of a report for the World Bank on illegal forestry, said: "Alarm bells are ringing. Redd is simply too big to monitor. The potential for criminality is vast and has not been taken into account."

Simon Counsell, director of Rainforest Foundation, said: "Redd has been touted as the quickest and cheapest way of preventing climate change, but what we are seeing are expensive and ill-conceived plans that fail to address the underlying causes of deforestation, and might make things worse. Redd needs to be taken out of the hands of the World Bank, and a new global institution [must be] established to rigorously oversee payments to tropical countries on the basis of the actual amount of logging or deforestation that is averted."

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Obama gives $2 billion to solar energy companies

Yahoo News 3 Jul 10;

WASHINGTON (AFP) – US President Barack Obama announced on Saturday the awarding of nearly two billion dollars to two solar energy companies that have agreed to build new power plants in the United States, creating thousands of new jobs.

"We're going to keep fighting to advance our recovery," Obama said in his weekly radio address. "And we're going to keep competing aggressively to make sure the jobs and industries of the future are taking root right here in America."

One of the companies, Abengoa Solar, has agreed to build one of the largest solar plants in the world in Arizona, which will create about 1,600 construction jobs. When completed, this plant will provide enough clean energy to power 70,000 homes.

The other company, Abound Solar Manufacturing, is building two new plants, one in Colorado and one in Indiana.

These projects will create more than 2,000 construction jobs, and over 1,500 permanent jobs as the plants produce millions of solar panels each year, according to White House officials.

"So that's some of what we're doing," Obama said. "But the truth is, steps like these won't replace all the jobs we've lost overnight. I know folks are struggling."

The president warned that it would "take months, even years, to dig our way out" of the most recent economic recession.

The announcement came as the US government reported the US unemployment rate fell to 9.5 percent last month as more than half a million people abandoned the job hunt, fueling doubts about the economic recovery.

The Labor Department reported on Friday a net loss of 125,000 jobs last month.

The biggest cause for concern had been the weakness of the private sector, which created a modest 83,000 jobs in June, well up from May's revised total of 33,000.

Faced with an uncertain outlook and poor access to credit, US firms have been reluctant to rehire workers.

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Fighting climate change - while adapting to it

IRIN Reuters AlertNet 2 Jul 10;

Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.
GOLD COAST, 2 July 2010 (IRIN) - Environmental scientists are calling on policy-makers to help vulnerable communities adapt to climate change, rather than focus resources on reducing carbon emissions alone.

"The effort and money spent on mitigation is enormous compared to adaptation," said Andrew Ash, director of the climate adaptation flagship at the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation [http://www.csiro.au/].

"There is a huge lack of awareness about the need for adaptation. Scientists need to get in there and start to influence policy," he said during a three-day climate change adaptation conference [http://www.nccarf.edu.au/conference2010/] on Australia's Gold Coast this week.

Scientists reiterated that marginalized groups contribute the least to climate change but stand to suffer the most.

"In India, women are very vulnerable to climate change because they don't have social equality," said Shailendra Kumar Mandal, a professor at the National Institute of Technology Patna [http://www.nitp.ac.in/] in India. "Women often have no land ownership and poor access to health services."

He said India would have one of the largest populations in the world that would have to adapt to climate change, as numbers are predicted to grow by 300 million to 700 million over the next 40 to 50 years.

"We expect severe drought in the west of India, and our coastal megacities, Mumbai, Chennai and Kolkata will have to deal with severe flooding as sea levels rise."

These cities are part of the Asian mega-deltas, the most vulnerable to rising sea levels, along with small islands and Africa. The Asian mega-deltas also include Guangzhou, Shanghai and Ho Chi Minh City, which are also already experiencing more intense tropical cyclones.

"We are having trouble communicating these changes to the most vulnerable. We need to give them time to adapt," Mandal said.

Mitigation and adaptation

Climate change adaptation covers a broad range of efforts, from implementing early-warning systems for natural disasters to transforming land use and moving homes away from coastlines.

While both mitigation and adaptation efforts are needed to tackle climate change, scientists warn of the dangers of prioritizing one over the other.

Speaking on the linkages of climate change mitigation and adaptation, Bruno Locatelli from the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) [http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/] said trade-offs between the two needed to be considered.

"Building dams and dykes to improve water management, for example, could have adverse effects on mitigation efforts," he said. While they help control flooding, they also erode soil, potentially releasing more carbon into the atmosphere.

Billions needed

Martin Parry, a professor of climate change policy from Imperial College, London [http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/], estimates the cost of adaptation at US$50 billion annually, which would cover transformations in agriculture, water, health, infrastructure and coast lines.

During climate change talks in Copenhagen [http://www.denmark.dk/en/menu/Climate-Energy/COP15-Copenhagen-2009/cop15.htm] last year, US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said her country was committed to joining others in mobilising $100 billion annually to climate change aid for developing countries.

"If half of that goes to adaptation, then this estimate is a reasonable cost," Parry said. "But it would mean doubling our current spending on overseas aid."

Joseph Alcamo, chief scientist of the UN Environment Programme [www.unep.org], told IRIN that no one really knew whether mitigation or adaptation warranted more money.

"Even as a scientist I can't yet make a judgment about which to give more attention to, so it would be wise to give them both equal attention," he said.

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Kyoto may push factories to pollute more: UN report

Michael Szabo Reuters AlertNet 2 Jul 10;

LONDON, July 2 (Reuters) - A Kyoto Protocol scheme may be encouraging projects to emit more greenhouse gases because of incentives to earn carbon offsets from subsequently destroying these, a U.N. report said. The projects under investigation are the most lucrative under Kyoto's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and account for more than half carbon offsets sold under the scheme. Limiting their output could impact carbon prices.

The $2.7 billion scheme allows companies and countries in the industrialised world to meet carbon caps by funding emissions cuts in developing nations, earning offsets called certified emissions reductions (CERs).

"There is a strong incentive to ... not improve the efficiency of the plant ... during any refurbishment because of the CDM benefits," said the report published late on Thursday.

"Further investigation is required ... to identify situations in which overestimation of CERs occurs and improve the methodology accordingly," it added.

The U.N. methodology panel advises the scheme's supervisory executive board on what types of carbon-cutting projects qualify for offsets.

It asked the board for "guidance on possible action" at its next meeting from July 26-30. Three out of 10 board members can form a blocking minority, making decisive action unlikely, said one carbon market expert on condition of anonymity.

The investigation was sparked when a green group earlier this year made a submission to the board saying said that the most profitable CDM projects, which destroy a potent greenhouse gas called hydrofluorocarbon-23 (HFC-23), were emitting more HFCs than necessary in order to destroy these and sell more CERs. [ID:nLDE659169]

HFC gases are a waste product from the manufacture of refrigerants, and trap around 12,000 times more heat than the more common, climate-warming carbon dioxide. Most HFC projects are registered in China and India.

In its submission to the executive board, green group CDM-Watch said plants "intentionally operated in a manner to maximise the production of CERs", and produced less HFC-23 during periods when they were unable to request CERs.

Thursday's report said that the efficiency of refrigerant plants was improving, and that "it is probable" that new factories unable to claim carbon offsets were producing fewer waste greenhouse gases than those registered under the CDM.

Among "possible actions", the report proposed: "A reconsideration of a cap ... at a level representing the best available technology," which could be half the present cap on the production of HFC-23.

Benchmark CER futures were trading at around 13 euros ($15.91) a tonne on Friday. (Reporting by Michael Szabo; Editing by Gerard Wynn)

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Best of our wild blogs: 3 Jul 10

Singapore oil spill in Seagrass Watch Magazine issue 41, Jun 10
from teamseagrass

How does crude oil harm seagrasses?
from wild shores of singapore

Baby Common Birdwings @ AH Butterfly Trail
from Beauty of Fauna and Flora in Nature

Blue-bearded Bee-eater takes a carpenter bee
from Bird Ecology Study Group

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Cities to get biodiversity index

It will serve as a global tool for cities to manage flora and fauna in urban areas
Victoria Vaughan Straits Times 3 Jul 10;

CITIES might not seem the obvious place to seek nature but Singapore has established a city biodiversity index which it hopes will become a global tool to measure the amount of flora and fauna existing in urban areas.

The index is being finalised today by a panel of experts from around the world and it is hoped it will be adopted at the 10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity to be held in Nagoya, Japan, in October.

The Singapore Index on Cities' Biodiversity has 25 indices looking at native biodiversity, ecosystem services and governance among other things, with four points allotted to each one.

Although the index is still being finalised, it will not be used to rank countries, said Dr Lena Chan, deputy head of the centre for biodiversity at the National Parks Board and the force behind the index. 'I hope it will be used as a diagnostic tool for cities, helping them to protect native biodiversity and know where to spend their money,' she said.

In a preliminary test of the index, Singapore scored 80 out of 100. It was strong in governance but weaker in ecosystem services - the functions biodiversity performs within a city such as trees' absorption of carbon - particularly in freshwater supplies, as there are not many large areas of soil through which water can filtrate and be cleaned.

Dr Chan said other global indices do not focus on biodiversity or they look at country comparisons which are not easily applied to Singapore. 'This is a positive index, which does not look at how many species are extinct or what we have lost but what cities are doing and what they have,' she said.

The native biodiversity section takes into account natural and semi-natural areas such as Sungei Buloh and parks, as well as the diversity of ecosystems; for example, Singapore has wetlands and rainforest.

It also looks at five different native species: plants, birds and butterflies, and two others left free for a city to nominate to make it a fair measuring system.

Governance looks at the policy and plans around biodiversity, education and partnerships with businesses and charities.

Ms Machteld Gryseels, director of the nature, water and forest division in Brussels' regional environment administration in Belgium, who is in Singapore to help finalise the index, said it has highlighted a lack of biodiversity planning in her city.

'For the last 20 years, we have been looking at biodiversity, so we had a lot of data on that. But it showed we lacked precise data on how many programmes and visits to nature areas that we have, which is part of the eco-system service component,' said Ms Gryseels, adding that Brussels had scored about 75 in the index.

Mr Alfredo Vincente de Castro Trindade, technical coordinator for flora and fauna in Curitiba, Brazil, said it was important to take action at a city level.

'It doesn't matter what governments do if the cities don't implement it. Life happens in cities; it is where change happens,' he said, adding that Curitiba scored about 80 on the index.

The index has the potential to guide cities in the management of flora and fauna. This is becoming increasingly important as 70 per cent of the world's population is expected to live in cities by 2050, up from 50 per cent in 2008.

Mr Ahmed Djoghlaf, executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, said that measuring biodiversity and forming plans at a national and local level was the way forward following the failure to hit this year's target on reducing loss of bio-diversity.

The idea of the index was tabled in May 2008 by Minister for National Development Mah Bow Tan at the 9th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Bonn, Germany.

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Soft power: Singapore has what it takes

Heng Yee Kuang, For The Straits Times 3 Jul 10;

CHINA is a big fan of it. The Japanese wield it in abundance. South Korean and Indian policymakers are talking about it. But how does Singapore fare in the Asian 'soft' power stakes?

The Republic's hosting of two major international events this week - the Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) and the World Cities Summit - provides a glimpse into Singapore's very own 'soft' power.

Harvard University's Professor Joseph Nye's idea of soft power emphasises a country's power of 'attraction', as opposed to 'coercion'. Soft power stems from the attractive values expressed in a country's culture as well as its domestic and international policies. Prof Nye believes the most influential soft powers not only ooze cultural appeal, but also champion policies that embody prevailing global norms and advance values and interests that others share.

But soft power in practice is often equated with cultural appeal, and Asian countries - China, Japan, India and South Korea - are leading the way in this area. China's Confucius Institutes help put a positive spin on its ancient culture. The world's first Japan Creative Centre based in Singapore showcases contemporary Japanese pop culture as well as cutting-edge solutions to environmental problems. The Koreans and Indians are leveraging off the 'K-Wave' obsession with Korean cultural exports and Bollywood films, respectively.

Singapore's multi-ethnic culture has its plus points, not least in terms of diversity and cuisine. But let's put aside Singapore's potential cultural appeal for a moment. It is in the second aspect of Prof Nye's conceptual framework - embodying prevailing global norms - where Singapore could excel. Indeed, some Singaporean policy initiatives encapsulate values and interests that come close to prevailing global norms. The two major events this week are a case in point.

Themed Sustainable Cities: Clean And Affordable Water, this year's SIWW could well set the city-state up nicely to ride the wave of the international zeitgeist where sustainable development and access to clean water are firmly planted on the global agenda. Taking the lead on these issues could generate soft power in an attractive way.

Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew revealed in a dialogue session at the SIWW that when it comes to Singapore's water management, 'today, three-quarters of the island is a catchment. By the next decade, the whole island will be a catchment'. The ways in which Singapore has developed solutions to its water challenges - from Newater to desalination technology to the Deep Tunnel Sewerage System - offer an attractive model for other countries facing similar water woes.

Similarly, reflecting global concerns about accelerating urbanisation around the world, the World Cities Summit was themed Liveable And Sustainable Cities For The Future. The Global Liveable Cities Index released at the summit ranked Singapore third in the world and first in Asia. Its expertise in urban planning and sustainable development could be another niche soft power platform that Singapore can leverage off. Its success in public housing makes it 'one of the cities that are inspiring, especially for its best practices', said United Nations Human Settlements Programme executive director Anna Tibaijuka.

Another notable initiative that can project Singapore's soft power is the Tianjin Eco-City project that is being jointly developed with China. The project addresses, among other issues, energy efficiency, waste and water management and green transportation. Its aim is to 'create a mode, which will benefit not only other cities in China, but also other countries that are facing similar challenges'.

Being an attractive soft power delivers economic benefits. Singapore, by positioning itself astride global norms and delivering policy solutions, can achieve its goal of generating new growth sectors in environment-related technologies. The SIWW and World Cities Summit both provide a forum for businesses, enabling them to exhibit new innovations at these gatherings.

Indeed, SIWW managing director Michael Toh hopes Water Week will serve as a platform for business networking. Singapore water companies Hyflux and Sembcorp now have a global presence, the latter sealing an agreement at the SIWW with Abu Dhabi Water Authority to build a $200 million desalination facility. Keppel Corporation, too, has got involved in the sector. It has launched its newest waste-to-energy plant and is developing new membrane-based distillation technology for desalinated water.

Taken together with the Economic Development Board's recent brand campaign to repackage Singapore as 'creative', and not just efficient, the SIWW and World Cities Summit suggest that Singapore does potentially possess some form of soft power, even if the underlying conceptual rationale for it has not quite been explicitly stated. Is it possible then to catapult the city-state higher up the soft power leader board?

A more holistically designed policy framework would first need to systematically identify and then promote the sources of Singapore's soft power, ranging from its cultural appeal to its developmental transition from Third World to First. This could involve bringing together all arms of the government, business sector, civil society and academia in a concerted 'big-tent' assessment of the benefits that soft power could bring to Singapore.

Our Asian neighbours have certainly not been blind to soft power and we would be wise to take note.

The writer, a Singaporean, teaches international relations at the University of St Andrews. Currently on sabbatical, he will be based at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy.

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Historical data down the drain in flood prevention

Straits Times 3 Jul 10;

THE water authorities can no longer rely on historical data when planning the infrastructure needed to deal with extreme weather, says the head of a major water company.

Mr Daniel McCarthy, president and chief executive officer of global water company Black & Veatch, which helped with the installation of Changi's Newater plant and the development of the Marina Barrage, said that the old method of predicting rainfall is no longer valid.

'What we are seeing is higher intensity storms and longer periods of drought,' he said at the Singapore International Water Week, which ended yesterday.

'Traditional engineering solutions look at historical weather patterns and extrapolate forward.

'It's not working.'

He called for a new standard of planning, taking into account new weather patterns and rising sea levels, the latter of which is of particular concern to island nations like Singapore.

'Although no one can predict the weather, there are new tools to help us look at scenario planning and what extremes will look like as we can't look at past averages,' he said.

While Mr McCarthy said it was not possible to be rid of the risk of flooding, better management could mitigate the problem.

'I don't think we can build everything for a worst-case scenario, as it's too expensive, but we don't want to deny ourselves solutions like putting in a second pipe or drain if water flows increase,' he said.

He added that rain gardens and porous concrete can be used to help slow the run-off from concrete, while detention basins can stem the flow of sudden downpours of the type seen recently in Singapore.

Singapore's water authority, the PUB, is currently reviewing all major canals and how they are cleaned and inspected following the Orchard Road floods last month, which caused millions of dollars worth of damage.

It is not known when the results of the review will be published.

VICTORIA VAUGHAN

Invest in water management to avoid flooding
Straits Times Forum 3 Jul 10;

WITH reference to Monday's report ('PM: Don't expect flood-free Singapore'), Singapore sits near what has been the southern edge of the North-Equatorial band of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, about one degree north of the equator.

Data from three American solar observation sites - Mauna Kea, Kitt Peak and White Mountain - confirm that there has been a sharp drop in net solar heating since 2008. This may be a trend that is going to carry on for several decades; a reversion to the mean after an unusually active solar period in the late 20th century.

The reduced heating - a spectral shift due to less infrared 'light' from sunspots - has narrowed the zone and moved the centre from plus or minus three degrees to about two degrees latitude. It has also expanded the earth's 'dry bands' centred about 20 degrees latitude.

The results are rising rainfall in the narrower zone (for example, in Singapore) and less rainfall in the dry bands (for example, in Hawaii and Mexico). With a growing population, water may become more important than oil as a strategic resource for ensuring not only prosperity, but also survival.

So, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is generally correct. Singapore must invest in water management systems that can handle higher volumes of water to avoid flooding.

Brian Lynch
Austin, Texas

'Growing urbanisation has radically reduced the capacity for natural, sustainable drainage.'
Straits Times Forum 3 Jul 10;

MR MICHAEL LAZAR: 'Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is right ('PM: Don't expect flood-free Singapore'; Monday). It is not economically possible and sustainable to upgrade the drainage system to keep up with the storm water run-off. However, with growing urbanisation, the increase in hard landscaping, footpaths, cycling and jogging tracks, housing estate roads, parking areas and such has radically reduced the capacity for natural, sustainable drainage. This, coupled with the changes in rainfall patterns, means continuing growth in the volume of surface water run-off that has to be managed. Designers, developers and the approving authorities should assess the impact of their projects on the existing hyrology and of their drainage system for extreme events and climate change.'

Public has role in preventing floods
Straits Times 3 Jul 10;

I AM astounded by the number of complaints in the Forum page about the recent freak flood in Singapore. They demanded explanations from the PUB despite the quick action taken by the national water agency.

We should understand that the recent heavy rain was due to global warming. Almost every major city has been hit recently, and floods have caused far more serious havoc in these places than what we have seen here.

The sudden and exceptionally heavy rain within a short time in Singapore was an act of God and is impossible to foresee and avoid.

The authorities have said enough and we should do our part to prevent flooding, instead of complaining. We should stop littering and ensure our drains are kept clean.

I noticed that most of the complaints were about loss of business and costs associated with it. In good times, do these people appreciate the safe and secure environment that allows them to thrive?

Peter Khaw

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Ideas flow on managing water

Experts share experiences on protecting water sources amid climate change
Lester Kok Straits Times 3 Jul 10;

RIVERS and deltas have to be managed properly if they are to continue being a source of fresh water and serving as waterways for transport, said guest speakers at the Singapore International Water Week.

At the first River Basin and Delta Management Workshop held at the Suntec convention centre, eight speakers who have managed water issues in their respective countries shared their experiences, including the difficulties they faced and the solutions.

Climate change is causing higher average temperatures, raising sea levels and changing rainfall patterns. To make matters worse, rivers and their surrounding land are deteriorating due to unchecked usage of these resources for freshwater supply, hydro power and irrigation.

Mr Tan Yong Soon, permanent secretary (National Climate Change) in the Prime Minister's Office, who spoke at the conference as the guest of honour, said rivers are relied on for various purposes such as water supply, transport and recreation.

'But at the same time, river basins are coming under the strain of economic development, population growth and rapid urbanisation as more stakeholders' groups seek to tap this resource,' he said.

To ensure the sustainability of water as a resource, he added, integrated management of water is needed, which includes managing water sources such as waste water, river basins and deltas.

According to a climate change report in 2007, 60 per cent of the world's population lives within 100km of the sea, which means that global warming and rising sea levels are a threat.

A common problem for many countries are floods, which can kill thousands of people and destroy buildings.

Among those who spoke on the methods of curbing floods was Professor Gerry Galloway of the University of Maryland's Institute of Water Resources, formerly the presidential appointee to the Mississippi River Commission.

He spoke about how the Mississippi River was the main waterway for transport in the early years of the United States, and how floods have pushed the people and the government towards building protective measures such as dykes, dams, levees and floodways.

Other measures include lakes that are used for flood control and can also be used for recreational activities, generating revenue and becoming a source of income for some states.

In the panel discussion, the speakers were asked about the key to success in adapting river basins and deltas to deal with climate change.

Prof Galloway said the key to managing the Mississippi River was the political will, which came from the engagement of people by bringing more of them to the table to discuss the issue.

'Technology in the 21st century is enabling that engagement, and the combination of engagement with the capacity to do it will build the political will necessary to find the funds and take on the other issues,' he said.

Other speakers also agreed that although ecological disasters like floods will help to rally support to address climate change issues, communication with the public is very important as well.

Mr Wim Kuijken, government commissioner for the Delta Programme in the Netherlands, felt that the key factors for success were leadership and transparency.

'Everybody knows that the climate is changing. You have to be, in my opinion, very honest, and also honest about uncertainties,' he said.

'I think the best way to do this is to handle these uncertainties, prepare people for the big decisions to be made.'

Mr Mitja Bricelj, president of the International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River, which runs through 19 countries in Europe, said political awareness and open dialogues were the main reasons for his commission's success.

Other solutions include using water to make cities more attractive, termed as 'turning threats into opportunities' by Mr Arnoud Molenaar, programme manager of the Rotterdam Climate Proof Programme in the Netherlands.

He said that since floods are inevitable in today's climate of sudden and heavy rain, Rotterdam built emergency flood basins that also function as a civic area for people to enjoy when the weather is dry, as it is most of the time.

The Dutch way of combating climate change
Straits Times 3 Jul 10;

MR WIM Kuijken is the first government commissioner for the Delta Programme in the Netherlands, which has an annual budget of €1 billion (S$1.7 billion) to combat climate change and its consequences.

Solutions suggested by the programme include taking sand from the bottom of the North Sea to supplement shorelines, in order to minimise the impact of rising sea levels. LESTER KOK speaks to him.

# Why did the Netherlands choose sand top-ups over man-made barriers?

'We think... it is sustainable and better than making high rigid dykes. By using sand, you make nature, space, and you defend yourself. We can, for centuries, follow this strategy because even when sea levels rise 4m or 5m, we can handle this because we bring out the sea... it's also an attraction factor for our economy.'

# How do we climate-proof urban cities such as Singapore and Rotterdam?

'Cities like Singapore will get more heat-stressed. You have to find solutions. And in the Netherlands, the Rotterdam area for instance, we tried to make areas where water from heavy rainfall can go. Normally they are children's playgrounds, but they can be adapted to work. Green roofs - you do it on a large scale, on your high buildings. They can absorb water and cope with the heat, so we try also in cities to find ways to work with water.'

# What do you think about Singapore and our efforts in dealing with climate change?

'As you know, the Netherlands and Singapore have very strong relations. We both are urbanised... dependent on water, and (similar in) the way we work with water. It is very interesting for me to see how this partnership between our knowledge institutes can be strengthened, as we cannot solve this problem alone in Europe. We have to find partners in Asia, as it is crucial to find out what to do in future, so we learn from each other.'

# Why is the term of a Delta Commissioner seven years instead of the typical four years for a ministerial position?

'The politicians said: 'We want somebody close to the government, but not working on short-term politics, but on the country's long-term future'. Our country is 60 per cent susceptible to floods. In those parts, we earn two-thirds of our gross national product. There are nine million people who live in those areas, so it is something to defend. Long-term politics beats short-term. It gives confidence to people and businesses.'

# Why is there a large annual budget on the Delta Programme?

'It is so that we can make reservations in the fund, to pay for the very expensive decisions, for barriers or dykes. It is a kind of insurance premium for the future. We have a gross domestic product of about €600 billion, and €1,500 billion as capital in the western part of our country to defend, so it is a relatively small sum.'

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8 researchers get $5m to make manufacturing greener

Grace Chua Straits Times 3 Jul 10

NUS CHEMIST Li Zhi wants 'to make manufacturing more environmentally benign'.

He is studying biological enzymes that can replace chemical catalysts in reactions. That would eliminate the use of toxic solvents, make more of a product from the same amount of raw material, and produce less heat in the reaction than conventional processes.

Associate Professor Li was among eight Singapore researchers who were awarded a total of $5 million yesterday in the first grant call from a $50 million fund set up by GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) last year together with the Economic Development Board (EDB).

The fund was prompted by the need to promote 'greener' manufacturing.

For example, in pharmaceutical manufacturing processes, like those at GSK's Tuas chemical plant, large amounts of chemical solvents and other materials are used. About 100kg of materials go into making a single kilogramme of product. Much of that is pricey metals which need to be recovered, or toxic chemicals which have to be treated or burned.

The eight researchers are from public institutions such as the National University of Singapore (NUS) and the Agency for Science, Technology and Research's Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences (ICES).

They were picked from 33 applicants, by a committee, peer review, and a scientific advisory board.

Their research looks for ways to cut back on chemicals and make more of a product with less raw material.

Another project, by Professor Reginald Tan from NUS and ICES, aims to make medicines more water-soluble, so human bodies can absorb them better and less of a drug is needed.

Some of the findings can be used in manufacturing as soon as four years from now, said Dr Philip Dell'Orco, GSK's director of process engineering and head of manufacturing sustainability in research and development.

The pharmaceutical industry contributed about $18 billion to Singapore's economy last year, with GSK opening a $600 million vaccine plant and other big names like eye-care product maker Alcon also expanding their presence.

Besides pharmaceutical manufacturing, the chemical methods that researchers are working on may be used to make other substances like detergents or lab chemicals.

And though GSK and the EDB are bankrolling the projects, the rights to whatever is discovered remain with the researchers and their institutions.

Further rounds of projects will look at other aspects of green manufacturing, such as developing efficient technology and treating waste.

In the GSK-EDB fund's 10-year lifespan, a total of seven to eight grant calls are expected, with the next grant call to be announced later this year.

About two-thirds of the fund is for education and research into green manufacturing and chemistry while the remainder is for public health policy research.

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Green operation: Khoo Teck Puat Hospital

From using solar energy to reusing organic waste, the Khoo Teck Puat Hospital is big on being eco-friendly
tay suan chiang Straits Times 3 Jul 10;

There is a little bit of Shangri-La Hotel in the new Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) in Yishun.

The luxury hotel near Orchard Road boasts lush gardens with ponds, a waterfall and plenty of plants in some of the rooms' balconies. The hospital has similar green features.

'The gardens at the hotel are so lovely, I copied them for the hospital,' says Mr Liak Teng Lit, chief executive of Alexandra Health group, which runs KTPH.

A 550 sq m garden that was inspired by the hotel's can be found in Basement One of the hospital where the operational support services are. Butterflies flit around it and a pair of birds has begun building a nest among the greens, too.

With a garden on this level, 'patients and visitors don't feel as if they are in the basement', says Mr Jerry Ong, 34, a senior architect at CPG Consultants, the architecture firm for the hospital.

There are also plants on the wards' balconies, 'so patients have greenery to look at from their beds', adds Mr Liak, 57.

The rooftops of its three blocks have not been forgotten. Trees are being planted there so that no one has to look at bare concrete. The trees will provide shade on these plots, which welcome patients and their families for strolls.

A group of volunteers comprising residents living in the area manages a 720 sq m vegetable and fruit garden that is already flourishing on one rooftop.

The plot reuses organic waste from the hospital's kitchen and food outlets to fertilise the crops, such as ladies' fingers, eggplants and sweet potatoes, which supplement the industrially grown food that is served in the hospital.

Mr Liak firmly believes that the greenery and water features create an environment of restfulness and calm that is good for patients.

The $450-million hospital opened its acute care and emergency centre and some inpatient wards earlier this week. Presently, 237 of its 550 beds are in operation.

A hospital spokesman says the rest of the beds will open in stages. The hospital will officially open later this year.

In March, 11 of its specialist outpatient clinics, including those for dental surgery and ear, nose and throat treatments, started receiving patients.

Singapore's newest hospital is named after the late banking tycoon in honour of the Khoo Foundation's $125-million donation.

Local firm CPG Consultants' design was chosen from a competition and construction began in 2006.

Mr Ong says he drew inspiration for the hospital design from the lush gardens in the existing Alexandra Hospital as well as from the Shangri-La Hotel.

There was one problem: 'How do I replicate the charm of a 10ha garden hospital into a 3.5ha site?' he says. The solution: locate the gardens on rooftops.

As the hospital site is next to the Yishun pond, Mr Ong designed some of the wards and the clinics to face it.

He also orientated the hospital's three blocks to allow breeze from the pond to sweep through the buildings.

The result: a well-ventilated structure that does away with the need for air-conditioning in the public areas, hence saving energy costs.

Keeping direct sunlight out

The hospital is not only filled with greens but it is also eco-friendly.

Solar panels on its roofs capture the sun's energy to heat up water for the hospital's use while louvres on the facade keep out direct sunlight and channel the breeze inside.

Such green features mean that KTPH will use only 40 per cent of the power used by similar-sized hospitals.

Last year, it won a Platinum Green Mark for Building Award, which is given out by the Building and Construction Authority to developers of buildings that are environment-friendly.

Patients and visitors should also be able to find their way easily around the hospital. There are three blocks, each designated for distinctive uses.

The six-storey block nearest the main road houses specialist clinics. To its left is an eight-storey block where the private wards are. These wards have either single or four beds in them.

The third block is a 10-storey building that houses the subsidised wards, which have five or 10 beds in them.

Hospital rates start range from $30 to $290 a night.

The buildings are purposely kept low, so that 'they do not stick out like a sore thumb in the neighbourhood', says Mr Liak. This was one of the design criteria that he set.

Mr Ong says that 'it is important to make it easy for patients to navigate around the hospital'.

From the dropoff point, it is a 10m walk to the emergency department, 20m to the specialist outpatient clinics and 80m to the subsidised ward tower.

As hospitals are seldom places that people like going to, the architect said he had to make sure that a visit to such a place would be a comfortable one.

Apart from the lush gardens and waterfall, 'the hospital is designed with many large, naturally ventilated open spaces to make it a more inviting environment', he says. 'The interior design uses a palette of warm colours to create a cosy ambience.'

Patients and their families have given the hospital their thumbs-up.

Says housewife May Lee, 40, who took her mother to the hospital for her monthly medical check-up: 'This hospital doesn't have that typical hospital feel.'

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