Best of our wild blogs: 3 Jun 13

Latest Green Jobs in Singapore [27 May - 2 Jun 2013]
from Green Business Times

6 Jun (Thu): The Wallace Lectures "Copepods -- an introduction to the 'Insects of the Sea'" by Prof Rony Huys from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore

Reef of rolling stones
from The annotated budak

Video clip of "Lace Corals and Moss Animals" a talk by Dr Kevin J. Tilbrook from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore

Plant hunt on the Day Off from the Southern Expedition from wild shores of singapore

Butterflies@Gardens by the Bay
from Beauty of Fauna and Flora in Nature

A walk by the reservoir (Upper Pierce Reservoir)
from Rojak Librarian

Chinese Pond-Heron - Plumage Transition
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Blue-clawed Swimming Crab
from Monday Morgue

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Extracting groundwater could cause Singapore to sink

Straits Times Forum 3 Jun 2013

STUDYING the potential of tapping underground water sources would be a waste of money, and national water agency PUB should not embark on such an exercise ("PUB calls for tender on studying groundwater potential"; April 27). The consequences could be disastrous.

First, the ecosystem of underground aquifers is complex and fragile, and once disturbed, the change is generally irreversible.

Singapore is a small island and the quantity of water that can be extracted from underground aquifers would be very limited.

Also, any suggestion that the aquifers in Singapore could be topped up by rainwater is wishful thinking.

In recent years, large tracts of land have been covered by concrete as more developments have been built.

The ground areas that allow rainwater to permeate through are thus very limited.

Once groundwater is extracted, there is no way to replenish the supply.

In addition, Singapore is a small island surrounded by the sea.

Once freshwater is pumped out, saltwater intrusion into the aquifers could easily occur, resulting in salination of the remaining groundwater.

There are several famous "sinking cities" around the world - Shanghai, Houston and Mexico City, to name a few.

The main reason why they are sinking is the extensive extraction of water from underground aquifers for human consumption.

If we ignore the experiences of these cities, we could be on our way to creating a sinking island.

Wong Ming Keong (Dr)

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Government to track Singapore's carbon emissions

5-year-plan will monitor emissions and how much is absorbed by plants
Feng Zengkun Straits Times 3 Jun 13;

SINGAPORE is embarking on an ambitious five-year plan to take stock of and monitor the entire island's carbon emissions.

The National Parks Board (NParks) wants to set up a system which will allow it to track emissions and how much of it is absorbed by the country's greenery.

The project, which is expected to start by the end of this year, will even include roadside trees and playing fields, according to a tender document posted by NParks on procurement website GeBiz last month.

Carbon-accounting experts believe the data could help Singapore improve its plans to take better care of the environment.

If the research reveals for example, that a certain plant species absorbs more carbon dioxide, more of those plants could be planted in housing estates, said the experts.

According to the tender, data from the project will be included in Singapore's Biennial Update Reports to the United Nations, the first of which is due by the end of next year.

This tabulates the country's greenhouse gas emissions and efforts to reduce them, said NParks director Lena Chan. Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which includes Singapore, agreed to submit such reports during a conference in South Africa two years ago.

In 2010, Singapore emitted around 43 million tonnes - about 0.2 per cent of the world's output - of greenhouse gases that cause global warming.

If the country had done nothing after 2005 to reduce emissions, its output in 2020 would reach 77.2 million tonnes. The Government has pledged to cut emissions by 7 per cent to 11 per cent below this projection.

As part of the latest project, Singapore's land will be divided into six categories: forest, cropland, grassland, wetland, settlements and other land.

About 56 per cent of Singapore's land is covered by greenery. Of this, 27 per cent is actively managed vegetation such as parks and gardens while the other 29 per cent includes swamps, marsh, forest and scrubland.

Land plots will be chosen to represent these categories as well as various vegetation types. Researchers will identify plant species in some of these plots, collect plant and soil extracts and measure their carbon content. Data will be collected annually to track the country's carbon balance.

One way to quantify the carbon being absorbed in grass, for instance, is to dry a plot sample in an oven, said Dr Alex Cobb from the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, who is involved in a similar project here.

"This gives you the grass' biomass. Then you take a smaller sample of the dried material and measure its carbon content," he said. Dr Cobb added that some land categories such as forests would offer more challenges, as they contain more types of plants and trees. One possible method is to record the trees' diameters and compare them with available data to come up with carbon estimates, he said.

Nature Society of Singapore president Shawn Lum said: "Essentially, for every kilogram a tree grows, about half of that is carbon absorbed from the atmosphere."

Dr Lum added that NParks could tap on the work of several other projects. The National University of Singapore and National Institute of Education have already compiled some carbon data on Bukit Timah trees, and primary and secondary forests here.

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Malaysia: 'Save Camerons, enforce Land Conservation Act'

New Straits Times 3 Jun 13;

IPOH: A group of environmental activists have urged the Federal Government to enforce the Land Conservation Act 1960 to curb the increasing environmental degradation in Cameron Highlands.
The Regional Environmental Awareness of Cameron Highlands (REACH) said the time had come for the federal authorities to clamp down on illegal land clearing in the highlands.

President R. Ramakrishnan said the rampant clearing at the highlands was being carried out right under the noses of the local and state authorities.

"But nothing has been done to stop the ongoing destruction. There was a slowdown in land and forest clearing activities in the early part of the last decade but things have started to pick in the last few years.

"In fact, the pace has quickened as though to catch up with the lost years when hill clearing was temporarily disallowed after the Blue Valley incident."
Ramakrishnan was referring to the massive land clearing in Blue Valley, which resulted in three lush green hills being defaced, after clearing works were carried out with heavy machinery by a vegetable farm operator.

The incident, which took place between 2002 and early 2003, made headlines with scores of parties, including then prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad condemning the act and demanding immediate action against the culprit.

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Best of our wild blogs: 2 Jun 13

Save MacRitchie Forest: 2. Flying Lemur
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Fabulous Feather stars of Singapore
from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore

Horrid things on Day 13 of the Southern Expedition
from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore

ButterflyCircle at Gardens by the Bay
from Butterflies of Singapore

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Central Catchment Nature Reserve: Green gems

The Central Catchment Nature Reserve has diverse plant and animal species, some unique to Singapore
Lea Wee Straits Times 2 Jun 13;

The largest of four nature reserves here, the Central Catchment Nature Reserve is home to ancient forest trees, crystal-clear freshwater streams and cooling freshwater swamp forests.

The forested area, covering more than 2,000ha, supports a rich variety of plant and animal species, some of which are found only in Singapore.

It is no wonder then that when news broke earlier this year that a proposed MRT line might run through the reserve, nature lovers expressed dismay.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) clarified in a letter to the Straits Times Forum on Friday that the detailed alignment of the proposed Cross Island Line has not been decided and that it will carry out detailed studies first.

Less than 0.5 per cent of Singapore's original forests remain and they are almost entirely found at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, which together make up the Central Nature Reserve. These undisturbed primary forests have been called the green lungs of Singapore, as they remove the undesirable greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, from the air and replace it with life-giving oxygen.

Primary forests are known for their extremely high species richness, said Dr Shawn Lum, president of Nature Society (Singapore) and a lecturer in plant biology at the National Institute of Education.

More than 2,000 plant species have been recorded from Singapore and more than 80 per cent are found in the primary forests, he said.

Protected by the continuous canopy of the primary forests, plant and animal species thrive in the network of freshwater streams and swamp forests at the Central Nature Reserve.

Such a network of streams and swamps is found only at this reserve and nowhere else in Singapore, said Mr Tony O'Dempsey, who holds a bachelor in applied science (surveying) and is a member of the society. The network is especially extensive at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, which houses the 87ha Nee Soon freshwater swamp forest, the largest of its kind here.

Freshwater swamp forests are unique habitats, and plant and animal species have evolved in ways adapted tothe oxygen-poor and water-logged conditions. For instance, some plants have stilt roots to keep them stable on soft ground while others have pneumatophoric roots which pop up above ground to allow them to "breathe".

Freshwater swamp forests also act as filters to trap silt and sediments from freshwater streams before they flow into reservoirs, said Dr Leong Tzi Ming, a zoologist and author of the book, Our Fragile Rainforest.

There are four reservoirs at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve - MacRitchie, Upper and Lower Peirce Reservoirs and Upper Seletar Reservoir.

leawee@sph.com.sg

The nature group, Cicada Tree Eco-Place, will be organising free public walks through MacRitchie forest trails from this month onwards. Those interested can e-mail contact@cicadatree.org.sg

Spotted tree frog

(Nyctixalus pictus)

Unlike other frogs which breed in ponds, this colourful frog species breeds in pools of water found in the tree holes of mature forest trees. Its slow-growing tadpoles thrive on the organic debris.

It is one of 25 native frog species which have been recorded in Singapore, mostly from the Central Nature Reserve. Two species were first officially described in Singapore.

The Giant Hawker



(Tetracanthagyna plagiata)

The world's largest dragonfly, it has a wingspan of 15cm, as long as an outstretched adult hand.

It likes to hover over streams, hunting flies and other prey. Its larvae feed on small fish and shrimps, and has the unusual habit of feeding on land rather than underwater.

So far, it can be found only at freshwater streams at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, probably because of the more extensive network of such streams there. Its presence is a good indicator of the health of a freshwater stream.

There are more than 100 species of dragonflies and damselflies in Singapore, most of which are found only in the Central Nature Reserve. Nine species were first officially described in Singapore.

Meranti Nemesu

(Shorea pauciflora)

The Meranti Nemesu belongs to the dipterocarp family, the most dominant group of trees found in primary forests here and the region. They tower above the surrounding canopy, soaring above the other trees in the forest, easily reaching 40m and higher.

They take centuries to regenerate and their average age is 200 to 400 years old.

Unlike the coastal hill dipterocarps found at the Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, the ones at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve are lowland dipterocarps, which are less common here. They are greatly threatened in the region because they are more vulnerable to logging and conversion to oil palm and other plantation agriculture.

The richest and largest remaining pockets of lowland dipterocarp forest in Singapore, and possibly the surrounding Riau island region, are found at MacRitchie. A small patch of Shorea curtisii, which is known to be a coastal hill dipterocarp and is found on Bukit Timah, can also be found here. These are believed to be relics from over 10,000 years ago, when the sea level was lower and the area was a hill. This patch of Shorea curtisii is considered by foresters to be one of the most remarkable parts of the island’s nature reserves.

Tongkat Ali



(Eurycoma longifolia)

This unassuming- looking small tree has been said to have various medicinal properties, but the most well-known one - which has been scientifically proven - is to enhance sexual performance.

It is found only in primary forest and mature secondary forest. It forms part of the understorey of the forest, which include shrubs, herbs and the forest floor. The understorey is where decomposers such as fungi and termites are busy at work, breaking down dead leaves and branches so that these can be returned to the soil and taken up by the plants. It is nature's way of providing fertiliser for the forest.

Chilli Padi Crab

(Geosesarma peraccae)

This 3cm-long crab derived its name from its fiery red colour.

Unlike other freshwater crabs which scavenge for food in the water, it climbs trees regularly in search of vegetative scraps.

It is found only in moist, water-logged areas around freshwater swamps. Its population here is confined to a few pockets of freshwater swamps at the Central Catchment Nature Reserve.

More than 20 species of freshwater crabs and prawns have been recorded at the Central Nature Reserve. At least three of these freshwater crab species are found only in Singapore, including the Johora singaporensis (which was named after the country).

Malayan Pangolin

(Manis javanica)

Also known as the scaly anteater, its body is covered with a coat of "armour" or keratinised scales. It is one of the few mammals in the world which does not have any teeth. It feasts on only termites and ants, using its long and sticky tongue to lick them out from their nests.

The species is also found in the region but its population is threatened by rampant poaching and smuggling for the wildlife meat trade.

There are 53 mammals recorded in Singapore, more than half of which are found in the Central Nature Reserve. Mammals such as the Flying Squirrel and the Lesser Mousedeer help plants disperse seeds far and wide.

Two subspecies which are found only in Singapore are the Cream-coloured Giant Squirrel and the Banded Leaf Monkey.

PHOTOS: NATURE SOCIETY (SINGAPORE), LEONG TZI MING, NORMAN LIM

Source: Dr Leong Tzi Ming, a zoologist, botanist Dr Shawn Lum and Mr Tony O’Dempsey, both from the Nature Society (Singapore).

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Catch crocs in Sungei Buloh

Experts say up to 10 of the reptiles now live in S'pore waters, up from only two in 2008
David Ee Straits Times 2 Jun 13;

Look before you step into the water near Kranji and Lim Chu Kang if you do not want a nasty, toothy shock.

More saltwater crocodiles, the world's largest living reptiles and one of the most fearsome predators, have moved into Singapore waters.

Experts told The Sunday Times that up to 10 crocodiles now live in and around Singapore's north-western coast, up from only two confirmed by the National Parks Board (NParks) in 2008.

Most are within the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, but some are known to roam Kranji Reservoir too.

Last Sunday, a small crowd of excited visitors to Sungei Buloh saw two crocodiles in the river at about 8am, apparently a good time to spot the creatures basking in the sun.

"They were feeding on a shoal of fish caught in the low tide," said gynaecologist Yap Lip Kee, who was on his regular walk in the area.

The 1.5m crocodiles were languidly floating facing upstream, he said, swallowing fish that strayed too close to their jaws.

The avid wildlife photographer, who enjoys his solo walks there every other month, immediately started snapping away with his camera. He has seen crocodiles in the area on four other occasions.

He said: "It's quite a privilege to observe animal behaviour like this, especially when most people have to pay a fortune to go on safari to do so. And to be able to do it from a safe spot on a bridge too!"

Other crocodiles spotted in the past near Pasir Ris and Woodlands had likely visited from Malaysia, experts said.

The reptiles are known to swim freely in the Straits of Johor, and feed and rest in mangroves and freshwater bodies along Singapore's north coast.

While seawater crocodiles can grow up to the length of two small cars, the ones here tend to remain under 3m because their habitats are smaller, said wildlife consultant Subaraj Rajathurai.

He said their increased presence shows that Singapore's protected habitats are thriving. Some crocodiles may have been forced out of Johor waters by development there, he said.

"Thirty to 40 years ago, villagers here used to live with crocodiles around them. Then they were hunted to near extinction," he said.

"What we're seeing in Sungei Buloh is actually a validation that the ecosystem there is maturing."

People have little to fear so long as they stick to designated footpaths and do not venture close to the water in areas where crocodiles have been seen.

Dr Brady Barr, a reptile and amphibian expert and National Geographic Channel host, said: "The chances of being hit by a car in Singapore are greater than a crocodile taking a bite out of you... but there is a responsibility that comes with living in an area inhabited by them."

NParks' director of conservation Wong Tuan Wah advised visitors to heed warning signs placed in the reserve, and to stay calm and back away slowly should they come across a crocodile on a footpath.

But Dr Barr said people should be thankful to catch a glimpse of the giant reptiles.

"If you encounter a crocodile, feel fortunate that you have seen such an amazing animal. They have been around for over 200 million years, long before we started taking over their habitat," he said.

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Best of our wild blogs: 1 Jun 13

Sunday 2 June Tour with Raymond Goh
from a.t.Bukit Brown. Heritage. Habitat. History.

Jobs in freshwater ecology (vacation job) – FOUR positions available, sorting/identifying freshwater invertebrates from The Biodiversity crew @ NUS

Save MacRitchie Forest: 1. Introduction
from Bird Ecology Study Group

Awesome Amphipods
from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore

Pea crab on Day 12 of the Southern Expedition
from Mega Marine Survey of Singapore

Random Gallery - Common Tiger
from Butterflies of Singapore

World Ocean’s Day beach cleanup (Sat 08 Jun 2013) w/Lush Cosmetics & Shark Saver’s from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

The 2013 Trash Free Seas Report has arrived!
from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore and Pandan Mangrove revisited – back mangrove cut, less trash but still a sensitive site! and Site Allocation Exercise III – now there are 3,107 volunteers from 61 organisations signed upv

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Children welcome at My Tree House to learn about nature

Design of library and books are based on green theme
Kash Cheong Straits Times 1 Jun 13;

DEEP in an "enchanted forest" is a mock tree house where children can read or play.

It is part of a new "green" library that was opened yesterday to teach youngsters about nature.

With more than 45,000 books and interactive installations, the 500 sq m facility aims to bring environmental issues to life.

Its centrepiece is an artificial trunk with a tree house-like platform where children can sit and read their books. It also has eco-friendly fixtures such as LED lights and recycled shelves.

Ms Esther An, head of corporate responsbility at City Developments, which is co-sponsoring the project with the National Library Board, said the aim is to spread environmental consciousness among the young. "We find it important to educate children about the environment, so that they will grow up to be green champions," she said.

Called My Tree House, the library bases its design, book collection and programming on green principles. More than 30 per cent of its books are non-fiction about ecological topics.

Located in the basement of the Central Library, it also features tree-like structures made of recycled wood and interactive components such as the weather stump - a visual installation that shows real-time weather patterns. Children can answer questions on conservation using a "knowledge tree wall".

The new facility was opened yesterday by Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim, who noted that one out of every five library members is aged under 12.

Raffles Girls' Primary School (RGPS) pupil Ananya Ray, 12, said: "You can move around in this library so it doesn't get boring."

Mr Derek Tan, a 39-year-old engineer with one child, said: "Besides the usual parks and outdoors, there's now one more place I can bring my kids to educate them about nature."

Anata Wazir, 11, also from RGPS, said she was most inspired by light fixtures in the library that are made out of plastic water bottles. "It makes me want to recycle too," she said.

"This place spurs my imagination. I feel like I could write a story about it some day."

"Green" library for children to learn all about caring for the environment
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid Channel NewAsia 31 May 13;

SINGAPORE: There's now a "green" library for children to learn all about caring for the environment.

Known as "My Tree House", it opened its doors on Friday at the Central Public Library.

Communications and Information Minister Yaacob Ibrahim joined in the festivities.

The library is a collaboration between the National Library Board and City Developments Limited.

At "My Tree House", children can learn about the environment through a multi-sensory experience.

The library also boasts a collection of 45,000 books, with 30 per cent focusing on green topics.

Soh Lin Li, manager of Central Public Library and National Library Board, said: "We curate the collection in terms of having more non-fiction books on the weather, animal, plants, also global warming, and all these climate change materials. These will help them know about the services and also the issues around in the world. So this differentiates us very much from the other libraries."

Besides books, children can also visit the library to take part in activities such as story-telling sessions, reading programmes, and art and craft workshops.

- CNA/de

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Inclusive, cooler cities: A different take on liveability

Gerhard Schmitt Today Online 30 May 13;

In a discussion following the announcement here of the Green City Index Asia two years ago, it was suggested that Singapore could possibly top the list because it is very wealthy.

The response by Mr Khoo Teng Chye, Executive Director of the Centre for Liveable Cities (CLC), impressed me greatly — after a slight pause, he answered: “I think it is the other way around. Singapore is wealthy because it is environmentally conscious.” In this regard, I think Singapore has solved the chicken and egg conundrum in a rather convincing manner.

Planners have successfully ensured that Singapore is one of the world’s most liveable cities. Still, apart from achieving liveability, it is equally important to ensure that this liveability is sustainable.

PRINCIPLES FOR LIVEABLE CITIES

I teach a course on Future Cities by the Singapore-ETH Centre for Global Environmental Sustainability; students who attend this open online course are from several countries. For one of the assignments, they had to identify three cities they felt were most liveable — independent of the existing rankings. They also had to provide their definitions of liveability.

The result was astounding: Safety, mobility, openness and quality educational institutes were at the top of the list. More than 80 per cent of the cities students chose happened to be in countries with a low Gini coefficient.

The CLC recently partnered the Urban Land Institute to introduce 10 principles for liveable, high-density cities. A lot of the factors listed coincide with the criteria stated by the students of the Future Cities course.

However, there is more than one way to look at some of these criteria.

GOOD GOVERNANCE

All reports point to the importance of good governance for the liveability of the city. The interaction between the citizens and the individuals that work for the progress of the urban community is decisive in the success of an urban system as a liveable city. Good governance must also be inclusive.

In their book Why Nations Fail, Daron Acemoglu and James Robinson describe Venice during the 13th century as perhaps the richest and most attractive city in the world. However, they also state that the switch from an inclusive to an extractive system marked the start of decline for the city.

They go on to show, with various examples such as London, New York and Vienna, that the opening up of the system to include citizens in decision-making processes has led to an increase in wealth, liveability and attractiveness of the cities. It is good to see that Singapore is taking this approach to involve its citizens in the planning of the city.

AWARENESS

Awareness of best practices is another important precondition for a liveable city. The city’s governing bodies have to be aware of what works and what does not work in cities around the world.

However, it is also important to understand the contextual differences that affect policies — what functions well in one city may not perform the same way in another.

While cities are studying from one another to deal with certain challenges, there is no “one size fits all” solution. Solutions have to be custom-developed for cities, taking into consideration the local context and the behaviour of its people.

In Zurich, for example, one of the top-ranked cities for liveability, it is vital for the population to be aware of what is being planned for the city, so that citizens are able to take part actively in its transformation and in developing solutions that work well for their city.

RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS

Almost all of the top most liveable cities in the world have excellent universities. However, the role that the university plays is more than merely to attract people to the city in pursuit of educational opportunities.

Often, the relationship between the university and the city is a historic and fruitful one. Geneva, Zurich, Vancouver and Vienna are good examples where the universities play an important role in the development of the city. These universities contribute in providing solutions for its intellectual and material growth, and where most of the value creation originates.

In Switzerland, I had the privilege to lead the participatory development process of the Science City ETH Zurich, in collaboration with the City and the Canton of Zurich. ETH Zurich, or known as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is the leading university in Continental Europe.

Working on the Science City design process, I witnessed first-hand how the university was valued by the population and, more importantly, the people were well aware of the long-term investment required in the quality of the educational system. Similarly, in western Switzerland, near Lausanne, ETH Lausanne is contributing greatly to the development and well-being of surrounding cities.

In Singapore, the universities are taking on the same role; the highly-ranked National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University, and new institutions like the Singapore University of Technology and Design have been increasingly involved in plans to develop the city.

COOLER, CALMER SINGAPORE

Singapore is a vibrant city full of energy — literally. Over the last few years, three topics have emerged repeatedly and have taken over many conversations between residents, citizens, politicians, diplomats, students, public servants and taxi drivers. These topics are, not surprisingly, transportation, the economy, and the growing population.

On the other hand, people are also increasingly concerned about the rising heat in the city. Anecdotally, people feel like Singapore is getting hotter, but no one quite knows the reason why. Some feel that it is due to climate change on a global level.

In fact, cities are traditionally warmer than their surrounding countryside due to the phenomenon known as Urban Heat Island effect, and Singapore is no different. The main cause of this phenomenon is the modification of land surface through urban development using materials that retain heat. As a second contributor, heat is generated by energy usage within the city. Both effects increase its temperature.

Cooling down a city goes beyond merely blasting cold air into warm indoor spaces. Furthermore, in conventional urban design, if we blast cold air into a space to cool it down, we will inevitably meet with a trade-off — not only will more energy be required, the heat will also be channelled into an area which will then be artificially warmer than it is supposed to be.

That is why cities are on the hunt for sustainable ways to mitigate the Urban Heat Island effect. These include enhancing urban infrastructure such as growing greenery on rooftops, planting trees to increase shaded areas, or using bright street surfaces to increase reflection. Some of the above have already been successfully implemented in Singapore.

However, these measures only serve to ease the effects of the phenomenon and do not address the issue at its roots. This is a good time for Singapore to think out of the box in tackling the above-mentioned issues alongside allaying the Urban Heat Island effect.

A study of the largest sources of heat and their interconnections — industry, transportation and buildings — also points to intensifying possible mixed-use solutions based on Singapore’s concept plan and master plans for urban development.

Some approaches that have proven very successful in Switzerland include higher industrial value creation with less energy used, and thus less heat released, or advancing transportation efficiency towards electric vehicles with less heat and noise generated.

If some of these strategies are applied in Singapore, it would automatically reduce the need for air conditioning — and, in turn, start a virtuous cycle that would further improve walkability and air quality, with all its positive effects on health. It might even reduce the intensity of downpours leading to flooding.

Cities like Tokyo are trying to lower the temperature in downtown areas by enhancing natural wind-flow. That, however, might not be feasible for a small island like Singapore. Instead, the country can explore strategies to increase ventilation through enhancing vertical airflow. This reduces ambient temperature as heat is drawn vertically upwards and released into unoccupied space.

Singapore has an advantageous attitude towards innovative measures; this city is one of the boldest in testing new strategies and technology. With the island’s density slated to grow, we must develop convincing solutions which ensure it remains cool and calm.

Singapore could be the first city that improves its climatic conditions with rational and natural means — and this will contribute greatly to its liveability and attractiveness through to 2030 and beyond.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Professor Dr Gerhard Schmitt is Director of the Singapore-ETH Centre, established by ETH Zurich and Singapore’s National Research Foundation and Module Leader of the Simulation Platform research module at the Future Cities Laboratory.

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Battling Deforestation In Indonesia, One Firm At A Time

NPR 31 May 2013;

On the Indonesian island of Sumatra, a backhoe stacks freshly cut trees to be made into pulp and paper. Asia Paper and Pulp, or APP, is Indonesia's largest papermaker, and the company and its suppliers operate vast plantations of acacia trees here that have transformed the local landscape.

APP has sold billions of dollars' worth of paper products to Staples, Disney and other big U.S. corporations. But environmental groups have accused APP of causing deforestation, destroying the habitat of Sumatran tigers and orangutans, and trampling on the rights of forest dwellers.

Asril Amran is the head of a nearby village. He says that the plantations have ruined the local environment.

"In the past we could go into the forest and catch deer. We could look for birds," he recalls. "But now, there is nothing, as you can see. No animal can live in the acacia forest. We cannot shelter in its shade. It's hot. It's a greedy tree — it uses up a lot of water."

The Rainforest Action Network says that APP has turned an area of rain forests the size of Massachusetts into pulpwood plantations. It estimates that by cutting down forests and burning peat land, APP spewed the equivalent of 67 million to 86 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in 2006. That would rank APP's emissions ahead of 165 countries, as measured by those countries' emissions as measured in 2006.

Two years ago, the environmental group Greenpeace began targetting APP's biggest customers.

They protested at the Los Angeles headquarters of Mattel, makers of the Barbie doll. In this campaign video, Barbie's boyfriend, Ken, learns that Barbie's packaging is causing deforestation.

In response, Ken dumps her. Barbie sits on her couch in a huff, wearing her Day-Glo spandex.

"I'm Barbie," she says. "As long as I look good, who cares about tigers in some distant rain forest? If Mattel wants to use wood from Indonesia's rain forests to make my box, then let them do it."

The campaign and others like it worked. Companies stopped buying APP's products, and APP's profits plummeted.

APP felt the criticism was unfair. After all, they said, they were building schools and conservation programs for local communities.

APP Managing Director for Sustainability Aida Greenbury says her company and the NGOs that were criticizing it were just not talking on the same wavelength.

"We addressed climate change by trying to implement sustainable practice in our forestry, so we have tried our best to address those. But there's always something missing, as if we were talking on two different frequencies."

So the company turned to Scott Poynton, a lanky Australian who runs the Tropical Forest Trust.

Poynton told them bluntly that if they kept cutting down virgin forests, no amount of "greenwashing" was going to help them.

"I was just like: You guys are not listening. Your whole business is going down the drain; you've got customers leaving you every two seconds; you think you're doing a good job; and you've missed the point," he says.

Corporate Targets

Greenpeace and Poynton's good cop/bad cop tactics worked. In February, APP's chairman announced that his company would stop cutting down natural forests.

Poynton says that APP's managers just needed help in seeing that their business model was outdated.

"The context in which they're operating has changed, and with the questions of climate change, cutting down forests is not cool," Poynton says. "And people don't want deforestation in their products."

Environmentalists say the APP case shows the importance of big corporations in driving deforestation, and stopping it.

"Sure, consumers want stuff, they use stuff. But the corporations are the ones that determine often, or try to influence what you perceive that you need, and what you perceive are the things that you want to buy," says Lafcadio Cortesi, an activist with the Rainforest Action Network. "And so that's one of the reasons that we focus on large corporate consumers rather than individuals."

Greenpeace Indonesia activist Yuyun Indradi welcomes APP's new policy. But he says that if APP goes back on its pledge, Greenpeace will restart its campaign. He adds that APP is only the first step in a bigger fight against deforestation.

"Our target is zero deforestation in Indonesia by 2015," Indradi says. "Yes, I think it's quite ambitious. But APP's pledge helps to lighten our burden in reaching that goal."

He says Greenpeace is now trying to persuade other papermakers to follow APP's example.

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Big firms should report environmental impact : UN panel

Michelle Nichols and Alister Doyle PlanetArk 31 May 13;

Big companies should report their impact on the environment in addition to their earnings under a U.N. plan to boost economic growth and ease poverty by 2030, according to recommendations by a panel of world leaders released on Thursday.

Slowing climate change and protecting the environment should be at the core of global development, said the 27-member panel, led by British Prime Minister David Cameron, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

"There is one trend - climate change - which will determine whether or not we can deliver on our ambitions," the report said. "Without environmental sustainability, we cannot end poverty; the poor are too deeply affected by natural disasters and too dependent on deteriorating oceans, forests and soils."

The report - handed over by Yudhoyono to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York - recommends 12 so-called illustrative goals to replace eight Millennium Development Goals that were aimed at reducing poverty and hunger. Those goals were agreed to by world leaders in 2000 and expire in 2015.

The goals recommended on Thursday will be the basis for a two-year debate among the 193 U.N. members on a development agenda for 2015 - 2030. Like the Millennium Development Goals, which included a bid to halve extreme poverty, any specific new numeric targets will be non-binding.

Among the recommendations, the 69-page report says large businesses should be obliged to report social and environmental impacts, in addition to their financial accounts. About a quarter of businesses now make environmental reports, it said.

"We suggest that a mandatory 'comply or explain' regime be phased in for all companies with a market capitalization above $100 million equivalent," the report said. "The same principle should apply to governments. National accounting for social and environmental effects should be mainstreamed by 2030."

Last year, Britain became the first country to force major companies to publish their greenhouse gas emissions in corporate earnings reports. The requirement applies to 1,800 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange.

'GRAVE PRESSURES'

Jim Leape, director general of the World Wide Fund for Nature, said this was a welcome change from the earlier goals which he said had barely addressed the environment.

"Nearly fifteen years on, there is finally recognition that poverty cannot be eradicated and the well-being of people across the globe cannot be secured without addressing the grave pressures on the environment," he said in a statement.

The U.N. panel proposes goals for 2030 such as doubling the share of renewable energy in consumption, phasing out harmful fossil fuel subsidies and doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency from buildings to transport.

About 13 percent of the world's primary energy comes from renewables such as hydropower, wood, solar and wind power, according to the International Energy Agency.

The panel said it was not presenting a "prescriptive blueprint ... The suggested targets are ones for humanity to aspire to. They would not be legally binding, but they can be monitored closely," the report said.

The United Nations had hoped to set specific 2030 goals in areas such as water, food security and energy at a summit last year in Rio de Janeiro. But governments fell short, distracted by the global financial crisis and unrest in the Middle East.

"We envision a world in 2030 where extreme poverty and hunger has been ended. We envision a world where no person has been left behind, and where there are schools, clinics, and clean water for all," the panel said.

The report said the Millennium Development Goals had made a lot of progress in reducing poverty. Even so, the 1.2 billion poorest people account for only 1 per cent of world consumption while the billion richest consume 72 per cent, it said.

And it pointed to threats, including climate change. "We must act now to slow the alarming pace of climate change and environmental degradation, which pose unprecedented threats to humanity."

The full report can be seen at: www.post2015hlp.org

(Additional reporting by Nina Chestney in London Editing by Mark Heinrich and Vicki Allen)

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