Paint along with Pui San, 29 Mar 2015
from Art in Wetlands
Life History of the Ultra Snow Flat
from Butterflies of Singapore
Morning Walk At Admiralty Park (21 Mar 2015)
from Beetles@SG BLOG
Water everywhere… Happy World Water Day!
from BES Drongos
7 Suggestions for Public Consultation on Climate Change and Singapore
from Green Future Solutions
Jack Board Channel NewsAsia 22 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE: Eugene Heng is a veteran hand when it comes to plying Singapore’s extensive waterways. He is a warden of the canals that stream like veins through an urban landscape, a loyal protector of the waters that give life to a thirsty nation.
The reservoirs are not like they used to be. Where once armed guards stood patrolling alongside barbed wire fences, now the water is an aquatic playground, where children rock playfully on dragonboats and keen athletes test their prowess on streamlined kayaks.
With no natural water source, Singapore as a nation has historically needed to fight and innovate to keep the taps running and the environment in check. And Eugene, the founder of Waterways Watch Society, understands better than most just how fragile water can be.
DRAINING SYSTEM TODAY, DRINKING WATER TOMORROW
“You cannot create water and with the irregular weather and conditions we are experiencing, one cannot take water for granted. Water is life, and every one of us has a responsibility to understand this and behave in a way that respects this commodity,” he said.
Under an overpass of the Nicoll Highway, on the banks of Marina Reservoir, Eugene’s understated headquarters for his non-government organisation provides a perfect vantage point to watch the reservoir come to life with water users, and to launch out into its cobalt expanse.
But Eugene is no sight-seer. His mission is to patrol, monitor and educate and he has dedicated a life to encouraging his countrymen and women to treasure a precious resource. At the very least, he wants them to stop polluting it.
Yet, he remains troubled on a daily basis by the amount of pollution washing into the country’s reservoirs, waste created by the dozens of communities and townships up river, which eventually flows into Singapore’s source of drinking water.
“The Marina Reservoir is so urban-connected with people, and people create litter. You cannot blame it on anyone else,” he said. “We find plastic bags, drink cans and even a lot of household items. That tells you people are either ignorant or irresponsible. Your drainage system today is actually your drinking water tomorrow."
"WATER IS OUR LIFELINE"
As we explore the passages around the reservoir, litter is not hard to spot. Most of it is clustered at the water’s edges where pieces of plastic, food waste and styrofoam lay congealed in a thick vacuum of muddy ooze. After heavy rain the problem is greatly magnified.
“We actually find a lot of litter, and pollution of our waterways in terms of oil, paint and foam, and all this relates to the fact that there are a lot of people not understanding that this waterway is our lifeline,” he said.
Eugene is also able, with regular timing, to reach into the water using his trusty net to extract bottles, cans and even the odd badly-injured bird, which he takes ashore for treatment. He laments that other water users do not do the same, simple acts that would collaboratively help keep the water clean and contribute to a feeling of collective ownership.
“What is really disappointing is when we see young people enjoying their kayaking and dragonboating, and they pass floating trash bags without a second thought of picking it up,” he said.
“For 16 years we've been here, and I have never, ever seen any water user actually stop and pick it up. That's very sad.”
Nearby fishermen cast their lines illegally. They are meant to only fish in designated areas of the reservoir, but Eugene says, like the fish, they rarely go where they are told. A woman bathes neck deep by the shoreline. Swimming is illegal and Eugene puts over on his motorboat to gently suggest she move on.
A 'CLEANED' NATION
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently bemoaned how the nation is becoming more cleaned than clean, and nowhere is this more evident than Marina Reservoir, where dozens of cleaners on land and on water wearily earn their pay, filling endless bags with trash.
“As we increase our population from 5.4 million to 6.9 million this problem will be even more challenging, and hiring more cleaners is not the solution,” Eugene said. “If we are able to educate, share with people - if the people are more aware and take more social responsibility and take more ownership and they now know what to do and what not to do - I think you will find much less litter in our waterways.”
Eugene is far from a solitary voice in trying to promote this message. His organisation has about 400 volunteer members who help conduct regular education workshops for school students and corporate groups as well as providing bicycles and kayaks to encourage learning beyond the group’s makeshift classroom.
His work in turn has been widely recognised in Singapore. He was given the President’s Award for the Environment in 2014 and a Public Service Medal in 2005 for his role in environmental conservation. At the core of his mantra is a yearning to see each Singaporean play their part.
“For us, prevention is better than cure,” he said. “While you have this resource, don't take it for granted, enjoy it, respect, value it - don't pollute it."
UN World Water Day is held every year on March 22, highlighting a different global water issue each year. For more information click here.
- CNA/jb
World Water Day: Water self-sufficiency part of Lee Kuan Yew's legacy, says DPM Teo, Grace Fu
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia 21 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said it was Mr Lee Kuan Yew's determination and the vision as the nation's first Prime Minister which pushed Singapore towards water self-sufficiency.
Speaking at celebrations to mark World Water Day at the Sports Hub on Saturday (Mar 21), Mr Teo wished Mr Lee well. The former Minister Mentor has been at the Singapore General Hospital since Feb 5, when he was admitted for severe pneumonia.
"Right here on the river in the 1960s and 1970s where the water was black, oily and dirty, he had the vision to think of this place as a beautiful bay that we could clean up and enjoy and which can give us life-giving water and with determination and persistence, and with cooperation from everyone, this is what we have today – a beautiful bay with life-giving water," said the Deputy Prime Minister.
Mr Teo said that with Singapore marking 50 years of nation building this year, Singaporeans should remember the hard work that enabled Singapore to transform the country's water vulnerability into an advantage.
And looking ahead, Mr Teo said climate change will pose new challenges to the country's sustainable development efforts. To safeguard Singapore against changing weather patterns, the Government will continue to invest in water infrastructure ahead of demand, he said.
For example, a third desalination plant at Tuas will be completed by 2017, adding another 30 million gallons a day of desalinated water to Singapore's water supply.
Over at celebratons at Jurong Lake, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Grace Fu said during his term as Prime Minister, Mr Lee was very conscious to make the country's water supply a key priority.
"With disappointment and sadness that we are now facing the reality that our founding prime minister is critically ill in hospital, I think it is very timely and appropriate on this day to really remember and acknowledge the contributions of Mr Lee," she said.
"From the very first day, Mr Lee has highlighted the importance of water, particularly from a security and sovereignty point of view. Connected by water pipelines at the time of independence, Singapore needed water from other countries to keep us alive, so that was of critical, strategic importance - a factor that really has a profound effect on how we were going to survive as a new country.
"And in fact, the Water Supply Agreement forms part of the Separation Agreement and both of them became the Document of Independence. We owe it to Mr Lee today, that we can proudly say that through 30, 40 years of research development and hard work we have almost reached water self-sufficiency."
Water demand in Singapore is currently about 400 million gallons a day - a figure which is set to double by 2060. That is equivalent to more than 1,400 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
- CNA/es
WWF 21 Mar 15;
Sydney, Australia – WWF-Australia said the final Reef 2050 plan released today includes a number of good initiatives but the $100 million in new funding announced by the federal government falls short of what’s required to halt the Reef’s decline and remove the threat that it is listed ‘World Heritage in danger’.
The joint Australian/Queensland Government blueprint is the key factor to be considered by the World Heritage Committee when it decides this June whether to list the Reef.
“It’s a positive sign to see the new Queensland Government’s Reef election commitments have been added to the plan including the intention to ban the dumping of dredge spoil in the World Heritage Area,” said WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman.
“Whilst we welcome the Federal Government’s ban on dumping in the marine park we repeat our call for a federal ban to cover the entire World Heritage Area because that would provide the strongest level of protection.
“It’s critical that we see a ban implemented before the World Heritage Committee meets in three months’ time,” he said.
“We welcome that the Queensland and Federal Government are committed to achieving an 80% reduction in nitrogen run-off by 2025 and will both inject an additional $100 million over five years to tackle pollution.
“But considering the Reef will generate $30 billion for the economy over the next five years, a much more substantial investment from the Federal Government is not unreasonable.
“Billions not millions are needed to save the Reef.
“The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority must also be given the legal powers and resources it needs to become a champion for the Reef.
“The long-term survival of the Great Barrier Reef depends on the world acting together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including stronger action from Australia.
“When it comes to the Reef the existing level of spending is simply not working. The Federal Government’s own Outlook Report says the Reef is in poor shape and getting worse,” Mr O’Gorman said.
Better forest management and slowdown in deforestation contribute to emission reduction
FAO 20 Mar 15;
20 March 2015, Rome - Total carbon emissions from forests decreased by more than 25 percent between 2001 and 2015, mainly due to a slowdown in global deforestation rates, according to new estimates published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today.
Global emissions from deforestation dropped from 3.9 to 2.9 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year over the period of 2001-2015. Deforestation is defined as a land-use change, from forest to other land uses.
"It is encouraging to see that net deforestation is decreasing and that some countries in all regions are showing impressive progress. Among others, they include Brazil, Chile, China, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Turkey, Uruguay, and Viet Nam," said FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva. "I urge all those countries to share their successful experiences with other countries. Through South-South Cooperation programme, FAO is ready to facilitate this collaboration and knowledge exchange."
FAO emphasized at the same time that despite the overall reduction in carbon emissions from forests linked to less deforestation, emissions from forest degradation have significantly increased between 1990 and 2015, from 0.4 to 1.0 Gt CO2 per year. Forest degradation is a reduction in tree biomass density from human or natural causes such as logging, fire, windthrows and other events.
FAO published these figures for the first time on the occasion of the International Day of Forests, celebrated on 21 March 2015. The data are excerpts from a larger FAO study based on the FAOSTAT Emissions database and FAO's Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015 (FRA), which will be launched in September 2015 as one of the highlights of the XIV World Forestry Congress in Durban. This will be the first time this global event is organized in Africa, under the auspices of the Government of South Africa, with more than 5,000 participants expected.
Managing forests sustainably to address the impacts of climate change
A more sustainable management of forests will result in a reduction in carbon emissions from forests and has a vital role to play in addressing the impacts of climate change, the FAO Director-General stressed.
"Forests are critical to the Earth's carbon balance and hold about three-quarters as much carbon as is in the whole atmosphere. Deforestation and forest degradation increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but forest and tree growth absorbs carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas emissions", he said.
Graziano da Silva also highlighted the important role of sustainable agriculture to reduce pressure on forests, along with implementing the UN-REDD programme to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.
Imbalances between countries and regions
The absorption of carbon by forests helps to counterbalance, although not entirely, overall emissions due to the conversion of forests to other types of land use. Forests absorb and store an additional two billion tonnes of CO2 per year (2011-2015), excluding emissions from deforestation. Half of the forest carbon sink is related to growth in planted forests.
Developed countries continue to represent the bulk of the overall estimated carbon sink, with a share of 60 percent (2011-2015). This share, however, has decreased from 65 percent (2001-2010), mainly due to a decrease in the establishment of new planted forests.
Developing countries account for the remaining 40 percent of the total carbon sink.
At the regional level, Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean all continued to release more carbon than they absorb, although emissions from Africa and Latin America decreased between 1990 and 2015. Brazil alone represented more than 50 percent of the overall estimated reduction in carbon emissions between 2001and 2015.
The forests of Europe and North America functioned as net carbon sinks between 1990 and 2015 since they absorb more carbon than they release, whereas Oceania did not show a clear trend in forest emissions over the same period.
Methodology
The FAO analysis is based on national data reported to the agency by countries using ground-based and aerial measurements. They are not directly comparable to measurements using satellite imagery only, which, although useful, do not capture certain types of forests or stages in the growth cycle, and do not easily capture land-use change dynamics.
For example, dry forests in Africa or central Brazil have great spaces between trees and often have few leaves for large parts of the year, making them difficult to capture by remote sensing, and regular harvesting activities in managed forests may be detected as deforestation by satellite surveys.
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World on track to meet ambitious forest restoration goal
IUCN 21 Mar 15;
Bonn, Germany, 21 March, 2015 – New restoration initiatives were announced today by Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa at the second international Bonn Challenge conference on forest landscape restoration taking place in Germany. With these announcements, a total of 59.2 million hectares have now been contributed to the Bonn Challenge – a global movement to restore 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2020.
The conference brought together environment ministers and government representatives from China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Liberia, Republic of Korea, Sweden and the US, along with representatives from key donor countries, such as Germany and Norway, business leaders and nature conservation organisations.
"We are well on our way to achieving our goal of restoring a total of 150 million hectares of destroyed forests by 2020," says Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks. "With the restoration of forests we can pursue multiple objectives simultaneously: We can do something about climate change and species extinction and help restore the livelihoods of millions of people.”
At today’s meeting, El Salvador revealed its plans to launch a Central American partnership for restoration. In Africa, Ethiopia and Liberia announced continued action on the Great Green Wall Initiative, which aims to curb the spread of the Sahara by restoring forests. In Southeast Asia new ideas to extend cooperation between governments and businesses on forest restoration were announced.
“The world is recognising that forest landscape restoration offers a critical contribution to addressing some of our global challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity, food security and economic growth,” says Inger Andersen, Director General of IUCN, one of the co-hosts of the event. “The Bonn Challenge is about much more than simply planting trees – it’s about addressing the most pressing issues of our generation, and of future generations.”
The Bonn Challenge was launched in 2011 at an event co-hosted by Germany and IUCN. It was endorsed at the 2014 Climate Summit and supplemented by the New York Declaration on Forests with a goal to restore an additional 200 million hectares by 2030.
According to IUCN, achieving the 150 million hectare challenge could bring more than USD 85 billion per year to local and national economies and USD 6 billion in additional crop yields. Achievement of the goal could also reduce the current CO2 emissions gap by 11 to 17 percent.
A New Climate Economy analysis found that achieving the expanded Bonn Challenge goal of 350 million hectares by 2030 could generate USD170 billion per year in net benefits from watershed protection, improved crop yields and forest products, alongside carbon sequestration.
In addition to restoration commitments from countries and organisations, key donors noted today that they would increase their support for global restoration
“We are now at the point where just reducing emissions will not be enough,” says Tine Sundtoft, Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment. “We must actively remove carbon out of the atmosphere. Forest restoration is the most cost-effective carbon capture option we have. The New Climate Economy Report from last year showed us that conserving and enhancing the forest can be done. And it can be done while also achieving economic growth.”
Support for restoration is also increasingly coming from private sector sources.
“Restoring millions of hectares of degraded land is one of the great ideas of our times,” says Dr. Andrew Steer, President & CEO of the World Resources Institute, a co-host of the event. “No wonder, then, that political and financial momentum is building across every continent.”
The Bonn Challenge conference was co-organised by the German Federal Environment Ministry, the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Resources Institute (WRI).
Notes to editors
To mark the International Day of Forests (March 21) proclaimed by the United Nations, the Bonn Challenge participants have planted a maple tree together as a symbol of their joint efforts. A photo of the event as well as photos of the conference can be found here: www.bmub.bund.de/G49889
Forest City reclamation seen from Singapore's last western reefs at Tuas
from wild shores of singapore
Singapore's last western reefs are alive!
from wild shores of singapore
Underwater fantasy at Tuas
from wonderful creation
Pasir Ris Mangroves: New Beans
from The Green Beans
Close Encounter With A Stag Beetle
from Beetles@SG BLOG
Singapore Waste Statistics from 2003 to 2014
from Zero Waste Singapore
Channel NewsAsia 20 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE: The Fish Farmers Association of Singapore met with the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) on Friday (Mar 20), to discuss possible ways of alleviating the "red tide" plankton or algae bloom problem, as well as providing assistance to affected fish farmers.
This was in response to the red tide occurrence last month, which affected about 55 fish farms and resulted in the deaths of almost 600 tonnes of fish.
Currently, fish farmers can get financial assistance from the Agriculture Productivity Fund. But fish farmers hope authorities can help cover 90 per cent of their equipment costs this year - 20 per cent more than last year - to help them through this difficult period.
In terms of dealing with the cause of the plankton bloom, the Fish Farmers Association proposed spraying clay into the sea to clump the water, hence killing off the plankton - a method which has been successfully tested in Korea and Japan.
Some fish farmers also expressed their hope that authorities will allow the temporary shifting of their farms to Pulau Tekong as a short-term solution if a similar episode reoccurs.
Further discussions with AVA will take place next week.
Mr Chan Wei Loong, Programme Chair for Marine Science and Aquaculture at Republic Polytechnic, said: “Shifting to another area to farm, it could be feasible, really depending on the location because for the south of Tekong, I guess it is actually closer to the open ocean, then obviously the current flow as well as the water flow could be better.
“And if it is better, then obviously chances of having an algae bloom because of nutrients being congregated together at a certain location are (lower)."
Said Mr Timothy Ng, president of the Fish Farmers Association of Singapore: "Unfortunately, what we heard or what was told to us was that the Government at this moment has no plans to give financial assistance for restocking or restarting.
“We were asking basically that apart from fish fry, assistance on restocking of fish fry, that there could be some assistance also on feeding of the fish, the fish feed, because that constitutes the biggest part of the costs of any fish farming operations."
- CNA/ms
Christopher Tan, The Straits Times AsiaOne 20 Mar 15;
WHEN the COE system was just four years old in 1994, well-respected transport and behavioural economist Anthony Chin predicted that, in time, only top earners in Singapore would be able to afford cars.
The Government dismissed his assertion and, in the two decades since, it would seem that Professor Chin - who died last year at the age of 57 after a short illness - got it wrong.
Car ownership has been rising, not falling. By 2012, 45 per cent of households owned cars - up from less than 35 per cent when the certificate of entitlement (COE) system was introduced in 1990.
But the trend is reversing. After allowing the car population to grow at 3 per cent a year since 1990, the Government halved it to 1.5 per cent in 2009. The cap has been lowered three more times since and is now at 0.25 per cent.
And last week, Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo announced in Parliament that it is likely to go to zero per cent some time "in the future".
With Singapore's population growing, what this means is that the percentage of car-owning households will start shrinking. In fact, the contraction has already started.
Currently, it is estimated that 44 per cent of households own cars - one percentage point lower than in 2012. And when the population grows to, say, 6.9 million, that figure could go down to 35 per cent.
That is assuming the number of cars remains constant. But there are signs that the car population has been dipping, even with an allowed 0.25 per cent growth.
Last month, there were 597,152 cars on the road, the lowest number in four years.
If and when zero growth kicks in some time "in the future", the shrinkage might well accelerate. Then, the late Prof Chin's pronouncement in 1994 might ring true indeed.
It is not an unexpected outcome, though. Any pricing mechanism, taken to its logical end, will always mean the less well-to-do making way for the more well-to- do. And in any land-scarce city, it is also logical that the majority relies on public transport.
The question is: Why did we allow the car population to grow at 3 per cent per annum for 18 long years before deciding that it was not sustainable?
It is much harder to persuade someone who has been driving to give up his car than to convince him he does not need a car before he went out and bought one.
So why 3 per cent? Actually, the growth rate was pegged at just below the historical growth rate of Singapore's car population in the pre-COE days before 1990.
And it was pegged well below the foreseeable growth rate that would have resulted from rising income levels.
Here's the interesting thing, though. The actual growth rate was more than 3 per cent. Between 1991 and 2010, the car population grew by an average of 4 per cent per annum.
This was largely because the Government could not get the COE supply formula right and, for many years, dished out far more certificates than the number of cars taken off the road.
It came to a point where people who would normally buy a motorcycle decided to fork out a bit more for a car instead. One could get a new budget car for well under $30,000.
The oversupply situation was so serious that even motor traders publicly called for the COE supply to be cut.
Channel NewsAsia 20 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE: New industries in the Republic will have to meet tighter industrial emissions standards over a range of pollutants with effect from Jul 1, the National Environmental Agency (NEA) announced in a news release on Friday (Mar 20).
The introduction of more stringent standards is part of NEA's "continued effort to further improve air quality and safeguard public health", said the release.
NEA said existing plants will be granted a grace period - until Jul 1, 2018 - to comply with the revised standards for compounds of mercury, lead, cadmium, ammonia and hydrogen fluoride. The standards for particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide have also been revised, and for this the grace period will end on Jul 1, 2023.
“NEA has been in consultation with the affected companies since early 2014 on the revision of industrial emissions standards,” the release added. “The grace period will give them time to adjust their plans - for example, upgrades of equipment - and processes so that they can meet the standards and still achieve their business outcomes.”
The NEA is also introducing a daily site-average limit for sulphur dioxide, that it says will help regulate the emissions generated from combustion sources on a daily basis. The industrial activity in Singapore accounts for about 99 per cent of the locally generated sulphur dioxide emissions, it added.
“Tightening the emissions standards will encourage industries to continually review and improve their industrial processes, equipment design and daily operational protocols to reduce emissions of pollutants,” it added.
LIST OF REVISED EMISSION STANDARDS
- CNA/ct
Tougher emission standards for companies here from July
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 21 Mar 15;
Companies in Singapore will have to meet tougher emission standards for a wide range of pollutants from July this year, to help improve the country's air quality.
Announcing the new guidelines yesterday, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the pollutants include mercury, cadmium, ammonia, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.
From July, new industrial plants will have to comply with the higher standards.
Existing plants have until July 1, 2018 to meet some of the guidelines, and until July 1, 2023 for the rest.
The NEA said: "The introduction of the more stringent standards will serve to improve our air quality as we strive towards achieving our air quality goals for 2020 and beyond."
It added that it had been in consultation with affected firms since early last year, and the grace period will give them time to adjust.
For example, they can upgrade their equipment.
Tightening the standards will encourage firms to continually review and improve their operations.
It is also in line with the Government's goal of growing industries here sustainably in the long term.
The NEA also introduced a daily limit for sulphur dioxide emissions from combustion sources, since industrial activity makes up 99 per cent of the emissions generated locally.
In 2012, motor vehicles made up the remaining 1 per cent, according to statistics on the NEA's website.
Last year, the Republic's sulphur dioxide, fine particulate matter, particulate matter and ozone emissions all exceeded World Health Organisation guidelines.
Emissions here, however, are affected by haze from neighbouring countries.
Today Online 20 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE: Haze was reported by members of the public on Friday afternoon (Mar 20), with the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading hitting 102 at 4pm, dipping into the 'Unhealthy' range.
The three-hour PSI reading at 8am was 65, before steadily rising. It continued to increase throughout the day. At 2pm, the 24-hour PSI was 64 to 73.
It crossed into the 'Unhealthy' range at 102 at 4pm and by 6pm, it peaked at 106. At 8pm the 3-hour PSI dropped back in the 'Moderate' range, at 99.
The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said that the "slight haziness could be due to the accumulation of particulate matter in the air under light wind conditions".
The National Environment Agency (NEA) added that "burning activities in the Northern ASEAN region, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra could have contributed to the increased concentration of particulate matter."
NEA said hazy conditions are expected to persist for the rest of the day, with Saturday's 24-hour PSI expected to be in the 'Moderate' range. It said "given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, everyone can continue with normal activities".
At 12.40pm, Channel NewsAsia received a call from Mr Wee, a member of the public, who said it was “very hazy” in Macpherson. A Twitter user, Jonathan Leong, said that it was "slightly hazy in Jurong this morning."
Yudi Setiawan also posted a photo on Instagram of hazy conditions this morning.
- CNA/ct
Air quality hits unhealthy levels, PSI peaks at 106
Today Online 21 Mar 15;
SINGAPORE — Air quality reached unhealthy levels yesterday, when the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) breached the 100-mark. And the hazy conditions could continue into today, with the 24-hour PSI to be in the moderate range of 51 to 100.
Yesterday, the three-hour PSI crossed into unhealthy territory at 4pm, and peaked at 6pm at 106, before dipping out of the unhealthy range at 8pm. By 9pm, the three-hour PSI reading was 88. The 24-hour PSI readings ranged between 75 to 83.
Responding to media queries, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said: “The haziness is likely due to an accumulation of increased particulate matter in the atmosphere under light wind conditions throughout today. Burning activities in the northern ASEAN region, peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra could have contributed to the increased concentration of particulate matter.” The regional haze map posted on its website showed that clusters of hot spots were detected mainly in Myanmar and some were scattered in Thailand.
Air quality enters the unhealthy level when PSI is between 101 and 200. The three-hour PSI readings began climbing after 7am yesterday, reaching 71 at 11am, 74 at noon and 80 at 1pm. It then hit 86 at 2pm and 94 at 3pm.
The agency added that PM2.5 levels were elevated in most regions of Singapore yesterday. Noting that prevailing winds today are expected to be light and variable in direction, they said hazy conditions can still be expected.
Given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, the public can continue with normal activities, the NEA said, but noted that the health impact of haze is dependent on one’s health status, the PSI level and the length and intensity of outdoor activity.
Haze returns, expected to continue today
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 21 Mar 15;
Hazy skies returned to Singapore yesterday and are expected to darken part of the island today as well.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) said last night that the return of the haze was likely due to an accumulation of increased particulate matter in the atmosphere under the light wind conditions. "Burning activities in the northern ASEAN region, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra could have contributed to the increased concentration of particulate matter," it added.
The day began yesterday with relatively clear skies, but the air quality deteriorated throughout most of the day, from 1am to 6pm, before improving slightly in the night.
By 4pm, the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) had crossed 100, the threshold where air becomes unhealthy. The three-hour PSI averages air quality readings in the previous three hours.
By 5pm, even the 24-hour index, which the Government has said is a better indicator of whether people should worry about their health, had inched close to that threshold, ranging from 69 to 92 across the island.
People in eastern Singapore, where the haze was worst yesterday evening, said they were worried that the burning smell was here to stay. "I was really hoping we wouldn't have to go through the face masks and air purifiers again," said 28-year-old sales assistant Joy Thng.
The NEA said hazy conditions can still be expected today, although the 24-hour PSI is expected to be in the moderate range.
Everyone can continue with normal activities given the air quality forecast, but people who are not feeling well should seek medical attention, it said.
Lita Aruperes, The Jakarta Post 20 Mar 15;
Efforts made by activists to obstruct mining projects in North Sulawesi due to their negative environmental impacts have been made increasingly difficult by the issuance of new licenses in the sector by local governments.
Head of North Sulawesi Energy and Mineral Resources Agency, Marly Gumalag, said that as of March 2015, 145 mining licenses (IUP) had been issued by regency, city and provincial administrations.
“They are spread in 12 out of North Sulawesi’s 15 regencies and cities, covering a combined area of 403,000 hectares,” Marly said.
Only three regions in North Sulawesi province are currently free of mining concessions, namely Sitaro regency, Kotamobagu city and Manado city.
Of the 145 licenses issued, according to Marly, 63 have been allocated for stone-mining activities, 60 for gold mining, and the rest for iron sand, manganese, nickel and iron ore.
Flora Kalalo from Sam Ratulangi University (Unsrat) Manado has blamed the environmental damage in the province on the numerous mining licenses issued by the local administration, many of which were illegal.
“Still, licenses continue being issued. Why? because its money doing the talking,” said the environmental law expert.
As an example, Flora pointed to the licenses handed out to mining companies on Bangka Island, East Likupang district, North Minahasa regency.
Flora said Bangka Island was a small island where mining was prohibited, but that the licenses were given out anyway.
“When money interferes in the name of investment, then many rules are put aside. The result is damage to the environment,” said Flora, who is also Unstrat’s deputy rector overseeing administration and finance.
In recent months, locals have staged regular demonstrations against mining in the province.
On Tuesday, for example, dozens of people from Buyat subdistrict, East Bolaang Mongondow (Boltim) regency, filed a complaint against a mining company with the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Manado.
A local representative for Buyat, Alfian Lasabuda, said mining had damaged the environment and created social divisions.
“People are now divided into two groups: those who are against and those who are for the mining. In such a situation, horizontal conflicts can just pop up, both mentally and physically,” Alfian said.
Alfian urged the Boltim administration to respond to the situation by siding with the people whose communities were being divided by the mining interests.
- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/20/mining-activities-continue-unabated.html#sthash.j5ch9y8T.dpuf
Battling the curse of marine litter – a challenge we will face with determination!
from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore
CNY Day 3: St John's Island
from wonderful creation
Spine-tufted Skimmer mating and ovipositing
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Which Honey Buzzard is this? Alan OwYong and Tan Gim Cheong.
from Singapore Bird Group
SHANNON TEOH, MALAYSIA CORRESPONDENT IN KUALA LUMPUR Straits Times 19 Mar 15;
KUALA LUMPUR - The developers of Malaysia's controversial Forest City reclamation project, close to Singapore's Tuas Second Link, have insisted that they have made compromises and concessions due to environmental concerns.
Pointing out that their project is on a far smaller scale than reclamation done by Singapore, Country Garden Pacificview (CGPV) boss Othman Yusof told reporters today that the plan, worth RM450 billion (S$169 billion) in gross development value, had been reduced by 30 per cent after a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) and Hydraulic Study.
"Singapore's land reclamation of Tuas, some parts are only 200m from the (maritime border)," Datuk Othman said, adding that Malaysia's Department of Environment (DoE) recommended that Forest City build at least 1km from the border.
"Even the nearest island to the border is 1.1km away," he said.
The original 1,978ha project has been mired in controversy due to concerns from the local population, some of whom fish in the Johor Straits for a living, and from Singapore over damage to the marine environment.
It was reduced to 1,624ha after a hydraulic study forced the company - which the Sultan of Johor reportedly has a significant interest in - to split the development into four islands to protect sea grass and other marine wildlife.
The DEIA approved it in January, then reduced it further to 1,386ha - about three times the size of Singapore's Sentosa Island.
CGPV is 60 per cent owned by one of China's largest property firms Country Garden, while Esplanade Danga 88 - controlled by the Sultan - holds the remaining 40 per cent.
The company expects to launch its first units for sale by the end of this year, and expects the first owners to move in around 2020.
Forest City reclamation work starts, developer says
Infographic of coastal reclamation projects off Straits of Johor, by The Malaysian Insider
Today Online 19 Mar 15;
KUALA LUMPUR — Reclamation work on the controversial Forest City project in Johor has restarted after eight months, with its developer saying yesterday that it had obtained approval from Malaysian authorities and had carefully looked at how to minimise any impact on the environment.
The developer, Country Garden Pacific View (CGPV), said the Malaysian Department of Environment had approved its Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in January, and its Environmental Management Plan (EMP) last month.
“We are pleased to be able to recommence our work, and, with our proven track record and quality of delivery, we are confident that the project will be completed within our timeline,” said CGPV executive director Md Othman Yusof.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman said that Singapore has recently received the EIA reports, and is studying them closely.
“As conveyed to Malaysia earlier, Singapore is concerned about the potential transboundary impact from Malaysia’s land reclamation projects in the Straits of Johor, given their close proximity to Singapore,” said the spokesman, who was responding to queries from TODAY.
Since May 2014, Singapore had requested for all relevant information regarding such reclamation projects in the Straits of Johor, including EIA reports, from Malaysia in accordance with its obligations under international law and in particular under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
“Singapore has recently received the EIA reports for Forest City and R&F Princess Cove from Malaysia, and is studying the reports closely. We will work with Malaysia to address any potential transboundary impact on Singapore,” added the spokesman.
The R&F Princess Cove is a separate development project in Johor involving reclamation.
Forest City, an origiinally 1,978 hectares project, has been mired in controversy due to concerns from the local population, some of whom fish in the Johor Straits for a living. Locals had argued that the reclamation would lead to the loss of their land and livelihood. Local fishermen have blamed the ongoing reclamation works for mass fish deaths in the Johor straits recently. During a public dialogue on September 21 last year, residents accused developer CGPV of bulldozing the project through.
The project was reduced in size to 1,386 hectares after a hydraulic study forced the company to split the development into four islands to protect sea grass and other marine wildlife.
“At 1,978 hectares, we estimated it (gross development value) to be RM600 billion (S$225 billion). With the reduction of size by 30 per cent to 1,386 hectares now, the gross development value is around RM450 billion,” Mr Othman told the media yesterday (THURS).
The mixed-development project, which will include residential and commercial lots, is estimated to be completed in 2045.
CGPV said the company had voluntarily stopped its reclamation works earlier to conduct the EIA, in line with its commitment to preserve the environment and to ensure all mitigation measures were in place prior to the recommencement of work.
Mr Othman said that during the construction period, various environmental preservation, safety, health and environment related measures would be implemented according to their EMP to minimise inconvenience to the community and environment.
The measures, he said, included the installation of a double silt curtain and a daily water monitoring system to ensure no major or sustained anomalies were found in the water readings.
CGPV also defended the reclamation work, saying the project was further from Singapore’s maritime border than the Singapore’s own reclamation work in Tuas.
The Sultan of Johor Ibrahim Ismail spoke in defence of the project in an interview published on Wednesday, saying that it would benefit both Malaysians and Singaporeans who find housing in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore too expensive. The ruler added that reclamation was a strategic necessity for the state especially since Singapore has been reclaiming land as early as the 1820s while Johor has yet to do so.
CGPV is expected to make a profit of nearly RM290 billion over the next 30 years through the project.
The company is a 66 per cent - 34 per cent joint venture between China’s Country Garden Holdings Ltd and Esplanade Danga 88 Sdn Bhd, whose main shareholder is the Johor sultan. AGENCIES
Forest City size revised, GDV now cut to RM450bil
NG BEI SHAN The Star 20 Mar 15;
PETALING JAYA: Work at the high-profile Forest City project, which has seen its gross development value (GDV) cut by 25% to RM450bil, has recommenced after a halt since June 16 last year.
The acreage of the development, which has been revised twice, was reduced from its original 1,978ha to 1,386ha, the developer of the project Country Garden Pacificview (CGPV) said in a statement.
With the downsizing, the GDV of the project was expected to decrease to RM450bil from RM600bil initially.
It said construction work on the project had started again after the Department of Environment’s approval on the detailed environmental impact assessment (DEIA) in January and environmental management plan last month.
Its executive director Datuk Md Othman Yusof said the company was confident the project would be completed by 2045.
To recap, CGPV completed the land alienation of the project site in November 2013 and fully paid all land premiums.
The resizing of the project by 354ha was to ensure the sea grass was preserved for future generations while maintaining the flora and fauna of the surrounding area, the company said.
It would preserve a 48.5ha sea grass area to synergise with the existing ecosystem, ensuring the anchorage area is wide enough for ships to sail through and also took consideration of the Port of Tanjung Pelepas’ future expansion plans.
There were earlier allegations that reclamation work between southwest Johor and northwest Singapore had disrupted marine life and affected the livelihood of fishermen. The luxury project consists of four man-made islands of 979 acres, 1,896 acres, 405 acres and 145 acres.
It is a 66:34 joint venture between China-based developer Country Garden Holdings Ltd and Johor state government’s subsidiary company, Kumpulan Prasarana Rakyat Johor.
Othman also said the company was applying for incentives such as tax relief as the project fell under the economic region of Iskandar Malaysia.
The project was currently being funded internally while it did not rule out financing from local or foreign banks, he added.
Forest City developers insist green issues tackled
They say project is on a far smaller scale than reclamation done by S'pore
Shannon Teoh, Malaysia Correspondent, Straits Times 20 Mar 15;
DEVELOPERS of the controversial Forest City reclamation close to the Tuas Second Link insisted yesterday that they have made compromises and concessions to assuage environmental concerns.
Saying that their project is on a far smaller scale than reclamation done by Singapore nearby, Country Garden Pacificview executive director Othman Yusof told reporters that the development was 30 per cent smaller after a Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) and Hydraulic Study, with its gross development value reduced by a quarter to RM450 billion (S$169 billion).
Datuk Othman said Malaysia's Department of Environment recommended that Forest City build at least 1km from the border.
"Even the nearest island to the border is 1.1km away," he said of the plan to build four man-made islands in the Johor Strait just west of the Second Link.
The original 1,978ha project has been mired in controversy because of concerns from the local population, some of whom fish in the strait for a living, and from Singapore, over damage to the marine environment. It was reduced to 1,624ha after a hydraulic study forced the company - in which Johor Sultan Ibrahim Ismail has a significant interest - to split the development into four islands to protect seagrass areas.
The environmental assessment approved in January then reduced it further to 1,386ha, about three times the size of Sentosa island and requiring an estimated investment of RM230 billion. Country Garden Pacificview (CGPV) is 60 per cent owned by one of China's largest property firms, Country Garden, while Esplanade Danga 88 - controlled by the Sultan - holds the remaining 40 per cent.
The company expects to launch its first units for sale by year end, with the first owners moving in around 2020. This is despite delays due to a voluntary halt in June last year, when CGPV chose to await full approvals before continuing work on-site.
However, Forest City's first offerings are likely to enter the market when there is a supply overhang. Some real estate consultants calculate that about 550,000 residential units will be available in southern Johor by 2017, too many for a population of about two million people.
Although the expected timeline for completion of Forest City is 20 to 30 years, CGPV admitted it was carefully studying potential oversupply in its business model.
"We see a lot of oversupply in residentials but... we choose an employment-based model, rather than residential-based," said its business strategy chief Yu Runze, referring to plans to create up to 250,000 jobs in Forest City.
Part of its environment management plan includes mangrove edges and breakwaters, and avoiding dredging until after 2030.
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