Kyoto Risks Dying, No New Climate Deal In Sight

Alister Doyle and David Fogarty, PlanetArk 19 Feb 10;

OSLO/SINGAPORE - Efforts to extend the Kyoto climate pact framework risk collapse in a setback to years of diplomatic bargains, as chances fade that the United States will join other rich nations in capping emissions.

December's U.N. climate conference in Denmark failed to cite the U.N.-brokered Kyoto pact as a touchstone -- sapping hopes for a global carbon price to guide billions of dollars in investments from nuclear plants to solar panels.

"We are probably seeing the beginning of the end for the Kyoto Protocol in its current form," said Johan Rockstrom, head of the Stockholm Resilience Center at Stockholm University.

"But it's also very clear that we are still in a situation where there is no alternative. So we are in a fix."

Plans to extend the Kyoto Protocol, the world's main pact for fighting climate change, beyond 2012 hinge on bridging a divide between rich and poor countries over the cost of switching from carbon-intensive technologies.

U.S. ROLE IS KEY

The Denmark summit came up with a Copenhagen Accord aimed at limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 F) above pre-industrial times, and also pledged $100 billion a year from rich nations in climate aid for the poor from 2020.

But the accord barely mentions Kyoto, which binds 37 rich nations excluding the largest emitter, the United States, to cut greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5 percent below 1990 levels between 2008-12.

Developing nations led by China and India insist the rich must extend the Kyoto Protocol to 2020 before they take on commitments to slow rising emissions in a new treaty also with 2020 targets for all nations.

President Barack Obama has tried to commit mandated cuts in U.S. emissions "in the range of 17 percent" below 2005 levels by 2020, a cut of 4 percent below 1990 levels. But the U.S. Senate has stalled legislation in that direction.

Obama announced this week $8.3 billion in loan guarantees to build the first U.S. nuclear power plant in the U.S. in nearly three decades to help break the legislative logjam by cajoling conservatives to support a climate bill, though analysts say it's unlikely to work.

"It's not just the Protocol that looks in danger, the whole legal architecture for post-2012 looks in danger," said Stephen Howes, a director at the Crawford School of Economics and Government at the Australian National University in Canberra.

"Whether we'll have a legal architecture in place by 2012 looks very questionable."

THREAT OF PATCHWORK PLANS

With no legal certainty, Kyoto could split into a patchwork of unilateral promises to fight climate change, such as the European Union's plan to cut emissions by 20 percent from 1990 levels by 2020.

"There is a risk of Kyoto dissolving," said Jennifer Morgan, climate and energy program director of the World Resources Institute in Washington.

"You do need either a Kyoto-type framework or a clearer commitment to markets -- such as in the United States and Australia. You need clear signals going forward about the price of carbon," she said.

Some in the carbon credit trading market however expect the Kyoto carbon-offset framework to survive regardless of whether there is an extension because it underpins demand for cap and trade policies by the European Union and other local programs.

"I don't think Kyoto is dead," said Robert Stavins, director of the Harvard Environmental Economics Program, who said U.S. carbon caps were still possible in 2010.

He pointed to the $6.5 billion Clean Development Mechanism under Kyoto that promotes low-carbon investments in developing nations, and which is widely supported by them.

Trading of the offsets by investors such as banks as well as brokers has also created big profits. Europe is a major buyer of the offsets, which can be used in the EU emissions trading scheme.

Still, regional or local efforts are seen as too limited to make a dent in global emissions that a global pact could provide and see the extension as a litmus test for the world.

"At the end of the day you only have the European Union left" as the main cheerleader for Kyoto, said Alden Meyer, of the Union of Concerned Scientists.

(Editing by Ed Lane)

Factbox: What Next For The Kyoto Protocol?
Alister Doyle and David Fogarty, PlanetArk 19 Feb 10;

Uncertainty is growing over the future of the Kyoto Protocol, the first legally binding treaty to cut greenhouse gases blamed for heating up the planet.

Nearly 40 industrialized nations -- all except the United States -- are supposed to meet agreed emissions targets during the pact's 2008-12 first phase but some countries are way behind their targets and will likely miss them.

The disappointing outcome from December's climate talks in Copenhagen has cast a cloud over whether Kyoto will be extended for a second period from 2013, raising questions over the shape of a future legally binding climate pact that all nations can agree on.

Here are some questions and concerns about Kyoto:

* WHAT IS THE KYOTO PROTOCOL?

It is a pact agreed by governments at a 1997 U.N. conference in Kyoto, Japan, to reduce greenhouse gases emitted by developed countries by an average of 5.2 percent below 1990 levels during 2008-12.

A total of 189 nations have ratified the pact. Developing nations do not have binding emissions targets under Kyoto but are encouraged to take voluntary steps to curb the growth of carbon dioxide pollution from power stations, cars and industry.

* IS IT LEGALLY BINDING?

Kyoto has legal force from February 16, 2005. It represents more than 60 percent of developed nations' total emissions.

The United States, the world's second largest greenhouse gas emitter after China, decided against implementing Kyoto in 2001, reckoning it would be too expensive and wrongly omitted developing nations from a first round of targets to 2012.

* HOW WILL IT BE ENFORCED?

Countries overshooting their targets in 2012 will have to make both the promised cuts and 30 percent more in a second period from 2013.

* WILL ALL COUNTRIES MEET THEIR TARGETS?

Unlikely. Kyoto targets for 37 rich nations that are committed to cut emissions range from an 8 percent cut for the European Union from 1990 levels to a 10 percent rise for Iceland. But some countries, including Canada and Spain, say they will miss their targets by a wide margin, despite the threat of penalties.

This has led to criticism that Kyoto is a failure, raising doubts nations will meet much tougher targets for the second compliance period from 2013.

* SO WILL KYOTO FADE AWAY?

There's a real risk of this happening. The current U.N. climate talks remain far apart on deciding the shape of a future, broader, climate pact that extends the fight against climate change.

One idea is to extend Kyoto into a second period and create another climate treaty, perhaps based on the Copenhagen Accord, which wasn't formally adopted by the U.N. meeting in Denmark in December, and is therefore not legally binding.

Big developing nations India and China, while broadly supporting the Accord, firmly back Kyoto and the current U.N. talks to try to extend it and do not want to turn the Accord into a legal text. The United States refusal to join Kyoto and the failure of the U.S. Congress to pass emissions targets is another big uncertainty.

WHAT ABOUT KYOTO'S CARBON MARKET MECHANISMS?

A key part of Kyoto is a scheme that allows rich nations to meet a part of their emissions targets by buying carbon offsets from clean-energy projects in developing nations.

Called the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) it has generated billions of dollars in investment in wind farms, hydro power plans, solar water heaters and biomass power generators in poorer nations, creating valuable offsets that can be traded for profit or used to meet greenhouse gas targets.

If U.N. climate talks drag on and Kyoto isn't extended, a major issue is what happens to the CDM after 2012, since the whole notion of binding emissions caps drives the market for the offsets.

(Editing by Ed Lane)

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Best of our wild blogs: 18 Feb 10

27 Feb (Sat): Free nature walk at Chek Jawa Boardwalk
from Adventures with the Naked Hermit Crabs

牛背鹭--新加坡最常见的白鹭 cattle egret@Singapore
from PurpleMangrove

flatworm @ Big Sister's Island
from sgbeachbum

Three woodpeckers in one location
from Bird Ecology Study Group

The Semakau Book featured in ECO Express magazine
from wild shores of singapore

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A city under the sea?

Claire Huang Today Online 18 Feb 10;

SINGAPORE - The Singapore public has been prepped for the notion of underground cities - but what about underwater ones?

Following the Economic Strategies Committee's recommendation that the Republic explore the use of more subterranean space, observers are expecting the government to introduce related changes to land zoning policies and measures in the upcoming Budget.

"At the moment we're only using the top shallow depths. In fact we can go deeper, as much as 100m, depending on the geological formation," said Associate Professor Chu Jian of the Nanyang Technological University's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

And his research shows the feasibility of underwater cities. "In fact, the idea is not new. An underwater city in Bulgaria has been created," he said.

"And underground cities are not expensive, if done on a large scale - the same as for land reclamation in the past."

Strong seawalls could be built to block the water, creating space behind - for shopping centres, factories or storage space.

"If you have larger-scale constructions and more international firms are willing to bring in more advanced machines and technologies because it's more cost effective, this will further reduce construction costs," said Assoc Prof Chu.

Currently, Singapore has three such underground networks: At Raffles Place, at CityLink Mall and linkways at Orchard Road. The government is also in the process of implementing the Jurong Rock Cavern for oil and gas storage at Jurong Island.

But such measures can get tricky, given the considerations of buildings above ground and geological formations. "For example, if you want to do deep excavation below (Raffles City), it may not be feasible."

The committee had also recommended transforming the existing Keppel and Pulau Brani area, once its lease expires in 2027, into a Tanjong Pagar Waterfront city.

Because of years of container work there, the ground - which was used for heavy-duty work - can be converted into foundations for high-rise buildings, said Assoc Prof Chu.

Limited land area means more underground and underwater cities: experts
Claire Huang, 938LIVE Channel NewsAsia 17 Feb 10;

SINGAPORE: Experts said they won't be surprised if the government introduces changes to land zoning policies as well as measures in the upcoming Budget that will enable the use of subterranean space.

Earlier this month, the Economic Strategies Committee recommended that Singapore explore the option of building underground cities.

With a rapidly growing population, Singapore's 700 square kilometre land area isn't enough.

So experts said digging down, like the underground networks in Japan and Canada is the way to go.

Associate Professor Chu Jian, School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, said: "At the moment, we're only using the top shallow depths. In fact we can go deeper. How much deeper? Well, it'll depends on the geological formation. Sometimes it can be just a few metres, sometimes it can be up to 100 metres."

In fact, Singaporeans can even look forward to underwater cities if Dr Chu's research pans out.

Associate Professor Chu Jian added: "Approach number one is we use concrete structures to build underwater infrastructures like underwater shopping centres, underwater factories or underwater storage space and at the same time, we create land on top, without using much materials. This method is recommended for reclamation in deep water.

"Using concrete structures to build very strong seawalls, to block the water and then to create space behind. In fact, this idea is not new. An underwater city in Bulgaria has been created."

And underground cities are not expensive, if done on a large scale.

Associate Professor Chu Jian explained: "If we go to a larger extent to develop underground space, then the overall cost will be cheaper. Same goes for land reclamation in the past. So if you have a larger scale constructions and more international construction firms are willing to bring in more advanced machines and technologies because it's more cost effective, then it will further reduce construction costs."

Currently, Singapore has three such underground networks at Raffles Place, CityLink Mall and linkways at Orchard Road.

The government is also in the process of implementing the Jurong Rock Cavern for oil and gas storage at Jurong Island.

But such measures can get tricky.

Associate Professor Chu Jian added: "For shallow construction, it's actually controlled by the buildings above the ground. For example, you already have Raffles City above the ground.

“If you want to do deep excavation below, it may not be feasible. For deep excavations, in terms of creation of caverns, it is controlled by geological formation. So you will need good quality rocks for you to do that."

The Economic Strategies Committee also released recommendations to transform the existing Keppel and Pulau Brani area into the Tanjong Pagar Waterfront city, once its lease expires in 2027.

And experts said because of years of container work there, the foundation is strong for such a change to take place. - 938LIVE/vm

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Way forward to a low-carbon economy: tax incentives in Singapore

Tax incentives will continue to play a big role in developing Singapore's smart energy economy
Sunil Agarwal and Killian Pattwell, Business Times 18 Feb 10;

AS Copenhagen has shown, climate change is testing the ability of the world's leaders to develop effective environmental policies through consultation. Many are frustrated at the pace of negotiations. Therefore, the need for each jurisdiction to find solutions to manage climate change has become even more urgent.

In the recently released PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) report Appetite for Change, 95 per cent of the executives polled believed that tax and regulation would play a key role in helping the world reach a climate deal. Also, businesses are looking to governments for leadership in establishing the behavioural change necessary to halt global warming. These were some of the findings drawn from the most comprehensive survey of its kind yet conducted.

The PwC report also takes a close look at attitudes in the international business community towards environmental regulation, legislation and taxes. In almost 700 interviews in 15 countries, executives share their perspectives on issues such as the impact of climate change, the role of government, preferred environmental policy tools, and the essential ingredients for an effective global climate change deal.

Singapore is a signatory to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change but as a non-annex 1 country. This puts Singapore in the category of 'developing nations' and thus under no obligation to reduce emissions. However, Singapore has already made progress in this space by offering incentives to players in the smart energy sector.

Tax incentives play a key role in attracting new business to Singapore and will continue to play a big role in developing Singapore's smart energy economy. The incentives as they stand are generally broad enough to cover most industries, including smart energy.

Singapore has also adopted some existing incentives to encourage growth of this sector. In 2009, emission derivatives were included as designated investments under Singapore's fund management tax regime, allowing qualifying funds exemption from Singapore tax. Qualifying income from the trading of emission derivatives under the Financial Sector Incentive-Derivatives Manager (FSI-DM) scheme allow approved financial institutions to enjoy a 5 per cent (instead of a 17 per cent) corporate tax rate. Companies with carbon trading activities can apply for a 5 per cent or 10 per cent concessionary tax rate under the Global Trader Programme administered by IE Singapore. Expenses incurred in the research and development of green technology may also qualify for further tax deductions.

While these enhanced tax incentives and concessions add to the attractiveness of the sector in Singapore, the key question is whether these are enough to change environmental behaviour.

Appetite for change suggests that there is no one single solution to the complex problem of sustainability & climate change. Rather, those surveyed believed that a combination of tax incentives and regulation/tax charges would be most effective in encouraging businesses to reduce their environmental impact. One of the executives who was surveyed believes: 'If we all think we're going to win the game by giving incentives to people who behave well, instead of levying a tax for those who pollute, then we are a long way from home. If we only do this by sending out carrots and not using sticks, we will run out of carrots'.

Despite the lack of a binding agreement at Copenhagen, Singapore has voluntarily announced its commitment to cut emissions by up to 11 per cent by 2020 and by 16 per cent cut when or if a global agreement is reached. The Economic Strategies Committee (ESC) report suggests that Singapore is likely to adopt a blend of various initiatives such as regulation to increase energy efficiency, mandatory energy audits and carbon-pricing schemes to combat climate change.

Opinion is divided between respondents hailing from annex 1 countries and non-annex 1 countries on their preferences for a carbon tax or emissions-trading scheme, with the majority of the latter expressing preference for emissions-trading schemes (see Figure 1). This may be because non-annex 1 countries (for example, China and India) are generally located in the developing world where the bulk of the carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism are generated for trade.

The choice for Singapore would therefore depend on its long-term ambitions. In order for Singapore to remain competitive, the government will need to consider environmental fiscal reform. The introduction of environmental taxes should go hand in hand with overall reform of the tax system such that genuine carbon-reducing activity is rewarded. Revenue generated from carbon taxes should ideally be ring-fenced for use in environment-friendly or carbon-reducing projects.

With adequate regulatory touch and appropriate use of tax policy, Singapore has the potential to become a smart energy & low-carbon economy.

Embracing change for sustainability can give businesses a competitive advantage. While regulatory changes can encourage adoption and awareness of sustainability-related practices and opportunities, businesses need not and should not wait to act.

Pro-active integration of sustainable practices into business decisions demonstrates thought leadership and builds trust in the community. This results in brand awareness and enhances shareholder value. Environmentally conscious organisations also build loyalty with a new generation of increasingly civil-minded staff and consumers. For most businesses, becoming carbon neutral will require the integration of carbon and energy management systems with operations and key performance indicators. Rather than being just an annual-number crunching exercise, these systems will inform investment decisions and therefore need to be readily available and reliable.

While 58 per cent of business leaders say they have already changed the way they conduct business as a result of climate change, 84 per cent expect changes in the next two to three years (see Figure 2). The increase in activity will be greatest in some of the sectors which are least impacted to date, such as financial services, communications and entertainment.

Singapore's extensive treaty network, strong infrastructure, established legal framework, tax-friendly incentives, free trade agreements; etc makes it a strategic location for sustainability-related investments in a growing Asian market.

While a focus on sustainability can bring valuable tax planning opportunities, oversight or misjudgement may result in material tax risks. As governments increasingly turn to taxes to manage harmful emissions or discourage use of plastics, investors and analysts will demand to know whether the prospect of environmental taxes have been factored into investment decisions.

Where funds invest into production-based assets in India or China, due diligence processes and financing models need to consider whether there are environmentally damaging processes which may trigger pollution taxes, fines or penalties.

Government action is inevitable but in general the global business community is supportive and recognises the need for meaningful emissions targets. Perhaps in the upcoming Budget 2010, we might hear further details of what is in store for Singapore businesses. The ESC envisages Singapore as a 'future ready' urban location including energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste management, etc. Let us hope that a pro-green Budget will stimulate growth in this sector and put Singapore at the leading edge.

PwC's 'Appetite for Change' report is available for free download at http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/appetite-for-change/index.jhtml

Sunil Agarwal is a Tax Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers Services LLP, and Killian Pattwell is a Tax Senior Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers Services LLP

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Smoke in the air due to bush fires

Straits Times 18 Feb 10;

A bush fire broke out on Tuesday in this area - about the size of a football field - behind a construction site in Tampines. Drier conditions have led to hot spots around the island, and the SCDF says it has responded to 71 such fires so far this month.

THE National Environment Agency (NEA) says that the smell of burning and smoky air over some areas last week was due to bush fires, not haze.

Drier conditions last week resulted in hot spots in Singapore, the agency said. But as the fires were not large, the smoke from the fires did not affect PSI air-pollutant readings.

The PSI readings for this month have been in the 'good' range of 1 to 50 each day, and under 35 for all but two days.

Singapore usually goes through the dry phase of the north-east monsoon from February to late March, the agency added.

For the first 16 days of this month, the island received just 4.6mm of rainfall, compared to February's monthly mean rainfall of 161.5mm.

The lowest recorded rainfall for a February was a scant 8.4mm, recorded in 1968 and again in 2005.

The NEA added that hot spot activity had been subdued in Sumatra and Borneo last week, and that prevailing winds from the north-east would have blown any haze away from Singapore.

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) confirmed that it had responded to 71 bush fires so far this month, and urged the public to refrain from tossing cigarette butts or matches onto grassy areas and operating machinery that gives out sparks in dry vegetation areas.

It added that home owners with lawns should keep the grass trimmed and dispose of dead leaves properly.

Incense papers should be burnt only in the bins provided by town councils and completely extinguished after prayer sessions.

The SCDF said its crews are patrolling hot spots such as Fort Road, Tanah Merah Coast Road, Sengkang and Punggol to put out incipient vegetation fires before they escalate.

While some residents said they had not noticed a burning odour in the air, others were more concerned.

Madam Lorraine Teo, a 34-year-old bank worker, said the smell of burning is in the air even at her home in Paya Lebar. 'We've been smelling it for the past couple of weeks,' she said.

Family physician Dana Elliott Srither said he had been seeing some cases of asthma and common cold, but put them down to the past weekend's holiday break.

'I don't think it's specifically because of haze,' he said.

GRACE CHUA

71 bush fires in two weeks
Today Online 18 Feb 10;

SINGAPORE - The dry spell saw 71 cases of grass, lalang and vegetation fires between Feb 1 and Feb 16, and 36 cases last month.

These figures are low compared to last year's peak of 182 bush fires in January and 159 fires in February, said the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) which chairs the Wildfire Task Force Committee.

It has been working with related agencies to adopt preventive measures such as increasing the frequencies in trimming vegetation, keeping the land moist and creating fire break buffers. SCDF crews are also patrolling fire hotspots like Fort Road, Tanah Merah Coastal Road, Sengkang and Punggol.

The SCDF urged the public to not throw cigarette butts and matchsticks onto grass patches or rubbish dumps, and not dispose of rubbish at grassy areas. Home owners should keep their grass trimmed and watered, while incense paper should be burned in incense burners placed on flat open ground.

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A Sweltering Riau Is on Edge Ahead of Forest Fire Season

Budi Otmansyah, Jakarta Globe 17 Feb 10;

Pekanbaru. As the country transitions into the dry season, Riau’s provincial government has put the region on red alert to deal with forest fires after recording a spike in the number of potential hot spots.

Syaid Nurjaya, the head of Riau’s Forestry and Land Office, said on Tuesday his office had already sent out warnings to the police and all district heads in the province to notify them of the danger and prepare them for possible fire outbreaks.

“At the moment, a patrol team has been dispatched into the field in order to monitor and handle the fires, which could happen at any time,” he said.

“The team will be ready 24 hours a day.”

Satellite monitoring from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Pekanbaru office of the Climatology, Meteorology, and Geophysics Agency (BKMG) have turned up 24 potential hot spots in the past few days. That is a significant increase from Monday, when just nine potential hot spots were recorded.

The northern port city of Dumai recorded the most hot spots, with 10, while Bengkalis district had seven, Rokan Hilir five and Siak two.

Philip Mustamu, the head of the BMKG in Pekanbaru, said temperatures across the province had reached 34.7 degrees Celsius, which is considered to be near-extreme weather.

“It [the dry season] began last week and we need to be on the alert for the increasing number of these hot spots,” he said.

He added that a number of minor fires had already created a smoky haze over Dumai, Rokan Hilir and Bengkalis.

As part of its preparations, the provincial administration this year has already allocated a budget of Rp 3.5 billion ($378,000) to increase public awareness about forest fires and to strengthen the region’s fire-fighting capabilities with new logistical supplies and equipment.

Fadrizal Labay, head of Riau’s Environmental Office, said the disbursement of funds was entirely under the authority of the province’s Center for Land and Forest Fire Management (Pusdalkarhutla), which is currently chaired by the deputy governor, Mambang Mit.

Bambang, 38, a resident of West Dumai, said visibility in the area due to smoke was limited to between 200 and 300 meters in the morning, improved during the day, then returned to hazy overnight. “The air quality here is getting worse because it is mixed with the smoke from the forest fires,” he said.

A 2007 report by the World Bank said Indonesia was among the world’s top three greenhouse gas emitters, with a large part of those emissions coming from deforestation and forest fires.

The report found that forest fires accounted for 57 percent of the country’s nonindustrial carbon emissions.

Riau is located on the eastern side of Sumatra Island and borders on neighboring countries Malaysia and Singapore, which are also affected by the haze from forest fires in Indonesia. Fires on both Sumatra and Kalimantan have become an annual problem for all three countries.

Environmental groups say the Indonesian government is ultimately responsible for the region-wide problem because of its systematic failure to enforce laws designed to cut the country’s rapid rate of deforestation.

Activists have said that official data shows that Indonesia has lost between a quarter and a third of its forests since 1990, primarily due to unrestrained logging and the overdevelopment of land for agriculture.

1982 and 1983
Extensive forest fires across Riau and Kalimantan. There are also smaller fires on Java and Sulawesi.

1987, 1991 and 1994
Large-scale forest fires affect Riau, Kalimantan, Java and Sulawesi. More than 3,300 square kilometers of forest are destroyed.

1997 and 1998
Considered the worst years on record, fires destroy 97,000 square kilometers of forest in Kalimantan and in parts of Sumatra.

1999 to 2005
Annual forest fires affect Sumatra, Kalimantan, Java and Sulawesi. Forests are burned off each year by farmers and plantation owners to clear land for development. From various sources

Dry season to blame for rising hot spots in Riau
Rizal Harahap, The Jakarta Post 18 Feb 10;

The Pekanbaru Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency has warned of rising hotspots across Riau province and asked the authority to immediately anticipate forest and peatland fires.

The agency’s head Philip Mustamu said its satellite images had shown 24 hotspots in Riau — 10 in Dumai, seven in Bengkalis, five in Rokan Hilir and two in Siak.

“The number of hotspots had risen by nine spots compared to the day before,” he said.

“The growing number of hotspots influenced by the rising temperature, which in the past several days has
reached 34.7 degrees Celsius, or close to extreme.

“We must alert to the rising temperature due to low rainfall in a large part of Riau. The signs of the dry season are marked by the scorching sun in the daytime and stifling heat at night over the past week.”

Forest and Peatland Fire department at the Riau Forestry Office Said Nurjaya said he had received the warning and notified regents, mayors and police forces across the province to anticipate the possibility of fires due to the changing season.

“We have deployed firefighters to help extinguish fires in a number of areas,” he said.

Haze has started to shroud Rokan Hilir and Bengkalis regencies and Dumai city. Haze in Dumai over the last four days has restricted visibility at 200 meters.

The Dumai Transportation Office has put up signboards reminding motorists to reduce speed at a number of spots to minimize accidents.

In Rokan Hilir, haze has blanketed the city for past three days, reportedly worrying residents.

A resident in regency capital of Pasir Pengarayan, Ahmad Zaini, said the haze, which was present every morning and afternoon, had severely disrupted outdoor activities.

“The haze is very disturbing for motorcyclists,” Zaini told The Jakarta Post by phone.

“When I sent my child to school this morning, the haze irritated my eyes and made it difficult for me to breathe.”

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Forests expand by 14m hectares: Indonesian Ministry

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post 17 Feb 10;

The Forestry Ministry claims the country’s total forested area has increased to 134 million hectares from the previous figure of 120 million hectares.

The ministry’s head of research and development, Tachrir Fathoni, said Monday the figure was based on analysis of Landsat satellite images from 2009.

“We’ll publish the new data in the official forestry statistics,” he told The Jakarta Post. If verified, the new figure would make Indonesia the world’s second-largest forest nation.

That spot is currently occupied by the Democratic Republic of Congo with 133 million hectares, behind Brazil with 415 million hectares.

Tachrir said many officials within the Forestry Ministry had questioned the veracity of the data, given the country’s high rate of deforestation, in excess of 1 million hectares a year.

“It might be a matter of the accuracy of the equipment used to measure forest cover,” he said.

“In the past, we employed a manual system.”

Tachrir added the new figure had been made without ground checks.

Previously, the ministry claimed that based on Landsat image analysis from 2000, Indonesia had 120.3 million hectares of total forested area, of which 59.7 million hectares were in a degraded state.

Also on Monday, the ministry said a decree was in the works to count oil palm plantations as forests.

In 1997, around 1.8 million hectares of forest were cut down, with the figure spiking to 2.8 million hectares a year between 1998 and 2000.

Since then, clearance rates have stabilized at 1.08 million hectares annually.

Forests have become a key bargaining tool in dealing with the issue of climate change, because of their role in absorbing carbon dioxide.

The bigger the forest, and hence its capacity as a carbon sink, the greater the financial incentives the host nation stands to gain.

Indonesia is currently seeking Rp 168 trillion (US$18 billion) in foreign aid to cut emissions by 15 percent by 2020 to meet its pledged emissions cut target of 41 percent.

Tachrir denied speculation the new statistic had been doctored toward a political end.

Indonesia is among a handful of developing countries that have set emissions cuts targets. The government says it will allot Rp 83 trillion to slash emissions by 26 percent by 2020, 14 percent of it coming from the forestry sector.

The NGO Greenomics Indonesia called on the ministry to reveal how it came up with the new figure.

“We were surprised by the data; it’s a huge increase, given the high deforestation rate,” Greenomics executive director Elfian Effendi told the Post.

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Indonesian Agriculture Minister to Open Up 10.000 Hectares of Land Annually

Tempo Interactive 17 Feb 10;

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Agriculture Minister Suswono said his office plans to open 50.000 hectares of new land per year within the next five years. He was optimistic that the program can be realized because the National Land Agency (BPN) had announced that 7,3 million hectares of land were neglected.

“These lands can be utilized for agriculture,” Suswono said in the 2010 – 2014 Agricultural Development Program seminar at the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday (16/2). The utilization of these lands, he continued, is expected to increase the welfare of farmers.

At present, the average land ownership by Indonesian farmers is 0,3 hectare per capita. According to Suswono, this cannot be expected to support their livelihoods. “Land ownership families must be increased,” he said.

At the same occasion, the Agriculture Ministry’s secretary-general, Hasanudin Ibrahim, said there were 191 million hectares of agricultural land in Indonesia. "This is larger than Brazil and Australia," he said. However, the problem is that Indonesia has a much bigger population.

As a consequence, land ownership is smaller. “In Brazil, a farmer normally has up to five hectares of lands,” Hasanudin said. “That is why farmers there are relatively more prosperous than ours.”

PINGIT ARIA MUTIARA

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Waiting on a Promise To Combat Emissions in Indonesia

Fidelis E Satriastanti, Jakarta Globe 17 Feb 10;

Months after the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, developing countries, including Indonesia, remain in a state of limbo over funds committed by developed countries to help them contain the impacts of climate change.

The conference, held in December, was widely viewed as a disappointment over the failure to reach a binding agreement that would have committed developed countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent to 45 percent.

But optimism stemmed from a promise by developed countries to “provide [to developing countries] new and additional resources, including forestry and investments through international institutions, approaching $30 billion for the period 2010 to 2012” for the purpose of combatting climate change.

Some prominent local environmentalists, however, say that commitment has so far been nothing more than lip service.

“I’ve talked to donor countries — which came up with the numbers in the first place — such as Australia, the UK and Norway, but none of them can elaborate or clarify what, how, when or from whom the funding will be disbursed, or which [developing countries] will receive the money and under what terms,” said Ismid Hadad, chairman of the Working Group on Financial Mechanisms at the National Council on Climate Change.

Furthermore, Ismid said, the money is unlikely to be disbursed this year because there is still debate over whether the new funding should be under one umbrella — the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change — or another mechanism such as the World Bank or Global Environmental Facility, which allocates and disburses about $250 million per year in projects related to energy efficiency, renewable resources and sustainable transportation, in about 180 countries.

“The bottom line is that the US does not believe in a multilateral forum, such as the UNFCCC,” Ismid said. “It sees [the forum] as ineffective, too much talk and a forum it cannot dominate as it is based on ‘one country one vote.’

“I presume that it would want to address the agreement [on a funding mechanism] at the G-20 meeting rather than the [official] climate change meeting because that’s the place for donor countries to gather.”

Based on the National Plan of Action, Indonesia will need at least Rp 83 trillion ($9 billion) to finance efforts to reduce its carbon emissions by 26 percent by 2020, and another Rp 85 trillion in international support if it is to achieve the more ambitious 41 percent emissions cut.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono announced those targets at a G-20 Summit in the US city of Pittsburgh last year.

On the other hand, Ismid said, developing countries — also known as the G-77 countries — have criticized some funding mechanisms as nontransparent. They also say the distribution of the funds would be weighted in such a way that it would only benefit rich countries.

Besides the Global Environmental Facility, there are other funding mechanisms dedicated to climate change, including the Special Climate Change Fund, established in 2001 under the UNFCCC to finance projects that adapt current systems to be more environmentally friendly. The fund works in areas like technology transfer, clean energy, transportation, industry, agriculture, forestry and waste management.

The GEF manages a fund called the Least Developed Countries Fund, which helps some of the world’s least developed — and therefore most vulnerable — countries combat the adverse effects of climate change. There is also the Adaptation Fund, established by the Kyoto Protocol to finance so-called adaptation projects in developing countries. These could include drought contingencies or shoreline management to fend off rising sea levels.

Rachmat Witoelar, executive head of the National Council on Climate Change, said the Copenhagen Accord itself was not legally binding, so developing countries had no leverage through it over developed countries.

“As for the promise [on the funding], well, a promise is a promise,” Rachmat said. “That is on our agenda for preliminary meetings in anticipation of the upcoming Mexico Climate Talks. We plan to discuss it with countries involved [in producing the pledge] and ask them to shell out what they promised.

“I have met with several leaders on this issue, and it is certain the focus will be on the REDD [Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation] and financing.”

Daniel Murdiyarso, a climate change scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research (Cifor) in Bogor, said the funding issues were evidence that there was still no clear international guidance as to the implications of the non-legally binding status of the Copenhagen Accord.

“Meaning that the [climate change] governance is weak. The only strong governance is still the Kyoto Protocol, which will expire very soon,” Daniel said. “If you look back, it is very clear that the countries agreed to curb emissions by 5 percent, an important small step. But now we only have two years left, and the complexities are huge. The geopolitics are also different.”

“These figures are pledges; if they are non-legally binding then how can we be sure that they will be met?”

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Indonesian Government looks to seas as potential carbon sink

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post 18 Feb 10;

Research conducted by the Maritime Affairs and Fishery Ministry shows that Indonesia’s seas can absorb roughly 0.3 gigatons of carbon dioxide each year (300 million metric tons), far more than previous estimates of up to 40 million tons.

Officials, however, declined to comment on whether Indonesia would promote the ocean as alternative resource in efforts to mitigate human-induced climate change.

“We are still focusing on adaptation measures,” Marine and Fishery Research Agency chief Gellwynn Jusuf told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.

The country’s first-ever research of carbon in oceans will be officially launched at the global ministerial meeting in Bali on Feb. 25.

Environment ministers from 192 countries are slated to attend the four-day conference, organized by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).

Oceans will be one of the main issues discussed at the meeting, which will be opened by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Indonesia has 5.8 million square kilometers of seas.

Gellwynn said the research did not include the capability of sea grass, mangroves or coral reefs to absorb the carbon.

Data from the National Action Plan on climate change launched by President Yudhoyono in Bali in 2007 said the 61,000 square kilometers of coral reefs could absorb up to 73 million tons of the carbon dioxide, one of the main contributors to climate change.

The action plan says Indonesia’s 30.000 square kilometers of the sea grass could absorb up to 56 million tons of CO2, and 93,000 square kilometers of mangroves could absorb 75 million tons of carbon each year.

The government, however, had not used data from the action plan in international talks on the oceans’ role in mitigating climate change.

Gellwynn said Indonesia and the UNEP would sign a memorandum of understanding on the blue carbon concept to help Jakarta develop oceanic research in relation to climate change.

The Bali meeting is expected to issue the “ocean decision” that will mandate the UNEP to mainstream marine and coastal strategy into its program of work to help protect oceans from impacts of increasing global temperatures.

“If all ministers agree on the ocean declaration, the UNEP will promote the assessment of marine areas and ecosystems,” senior ministry official Hendra Yusran Sira said.

People’s Coalition for Justice in Fisheries (Kiara) secretary-general Riza Damanik said the government must also take into account the amount of carbon released by oceans.

“The claim is incorrect if the government only calculates the capability of oceans to absorb carbon. Scientific research shows that oceans absorb and release carbon at the same time,” he told the Post.

Most of the carbon absorbed by oceans is not the anthropogenic carbon that causes climate change, he said.

“It is carbon from photosynthesis,” he said.

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World's most endangered primates revealed

IUCN 18 Feb 10;

Mankind’s closest living relatives – the world’s apes, monkeys, lemurs and other primates – are on the brink of extinction and in need of urgent conservation measures according to Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, 2008–2010.

The report, compiled by 85 experts from across the world, reveals that nearly half of all primate species are now in danger of becoming extinct from destruction of tropical forests, illegal wildlife trade and commercial bushmeat hunting. The list includes five primate species from Madagascar, six from Africa, 11 from Asia, and three from Central and South America, all of which are the most in need of urgent conservation action.

Conservationists want to highlight the plight of species such as the golden headed langur (Trachypithecus p. poliocephalus), which is found only on the island of Cat Ba in the Gulf of Tonkin, north-eastern Vietnam, where just 60 to 70 individuals remain. Similarly, there are thought to be less than 100 individual northern sportive lemurs (Lepilemur septentrionalis) left in Madagascar, and around 110 eastern black crested gibbons (Nomascus nasutus) in northeastern Vietnam.

The list has been drawn up by primatologists working in the field who have first-hand knowledge of the causes of threats to primates.

“This report makes for very alarming reading and it underlines the extent of the danger facing many of the world’s primates,” says report editor Dr Schwitzer, advisor to the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and Head of Research at the Bristol Conservation and Science Foundation. “We hope it will be effective in drawing attention to the plight of each of the 25 species included. Support and action to help save these species is vital if we are to avoid losing these wonderful animals forever.”

Almost half (48 percent) of the world’s 634 primate species are classified as threatened with extinction on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. The main threats are habitat destruction, particularly from the burning and clearing of tropical forests (which results in the release of around 16 percent of the global greenhouse gases causing climate change), the hunting of primates for food, and the illegal wildlife trade.

“The results from the most recent IUCN assessment of the world’s mammals indicate that primates are among the most endangered vertebrate groups,” says Dr Russell Mittermeier, Chair of the IUCN/SSC Primate Specialist Group and President of Conservation International. “The purpose of our Top 25 list is to highlight those that are most at risk, to attract the attention of the public, to stimulate national governments to do more, and especially to find the resources to implement desperately needed conservation measures. We want governments to commit to desperately needed biodiversity conservation measures when they gather in Japan in October. We have the resources to address this crisis, but so far, we have failed to act.”

Despite the gloomy assessment, conservationists point to the success in helping targeted species recover. In Brazil, the black lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) was down listed to Endangered from Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, as was the golden lion tamarin (Leontopithecus rosalia) in 2003, as a result of three decades of conservation efforts involving numerous institutions, many of which were zoos. Populations of both animals are now well-protected but remain very small, indicating an urgent need for reforestation to provide new habitat for their long-term survival.



Notes to Editors

Primates in Peril: The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates, 2008–2010 has been compiled by the Primate Specialist Group of IUCN’s Species Survival Commission (SSC) and the International Primatological Society (IPS), in collaboration with Conservation International (CI).


The World’s 25 Most Endangered Primates: 2008–2010, by region:

Madagascar
Greater Bamboo Lemur Prolemur simus
Gray-headed Lemur Eulemur cinereiceps
Sclater’s Black Lemur, Blue-Eyed Black Lemur Eulemur flavifrons
Northern sportive lemur Lepilemur septentrionalis
Silky Sifaka Propithecus candidus

Africa
Rondo Dwarf Galago Galagoides rondoensis
Roloway Guenon Cercopithecus diana roloway
Tana River Red Colobus Procolobus rufomitratus
Niger Delta Red Colobus Monkey Procolobus epieni
Kipunji Rungwecebus kipunji
Cross River Gorilla Gorilla gorilla diehli

Asia
Siau Island Tarsier Tarsius tumpara
Javan Slow Loris Nycticebus javanicus
Simakobu or Pig-Tailed Snub-Nose Langur Simias concolor
Delacour’s Langur Trachypithecus delacouri
Golden-headed Langur or Cat Ba Langur Trachypithecus p. poliocephalus
Western Purple-faced Langur Trachypithecus (Semnopithecus) vetulus nestor
Grey-shanked Douc Monkey Pygathrix cinerea
Tonkin Snub-nosed Monkey Rhinopithecus avunculus
Eastern Black Crested Gibbon Nomascus nasutus
Western Hoolock Gibbon Hoolock hoolock
Sumatran Orangutan Pongo abelii

Central and South America
Cotton-top Tamarin Saguinus oedipus
Variegated or Brown Spider Monkey Ateles hybridus
Peruvian Yellow-tailed Woolly Monkey Oreonax flavicauda

Full report available at: www.conservation.org/2010primates

Dozens of primate species on the brink: study
Marlowe Hood Yahoo News 17 Feb 10;

PARIS (AFP) – Seldom seen species of lemur, monkey and gorilla are among 25 primates facing near-certain extinction unless urgent measures are taken to protect them, according to a report released Thursday.

All told, close to half of the planet's 634 known primate species are to some degree threatened with dying out, said the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and other conservation and research groups.

That percentage has risen quickly -- only three years ago the IUCN put the ratio of vulnerable primates at one third.

"Primates are among the most endangered of all vertebrate groups," said Russell Mittermeier, head of the IUCN's primate specialist group.

Of the top 25, five are on the island of Madagascar, six on the African continent, three in South America and 11 in Southeast Asia.

The least likely to survive might well be the golden-headed langur of Vietnam, found exclusively on the island of Cat Ba in the Gulf of Tonkin. Only 60 to 70 individuals remain.

Two other species hover in number at around 100: the northern sportive lemur of Madagascar, and the eastern black crested gibbon of northern Vietnam.

Human encroachment has reduced the population of cross river gorillas, found in the mountains along the Cameroon-Nigeria border, to less than 300.

The most threatened species are not always the rarest, experts point out.

How well governments protect dwindling animal populations against deforestation and hunting is at least as critical.

More than 6,000 Sumatran orangutans, for example, are thought to survive on Indonesia's largest island. But poor enforcement of conservation measures has led to plummeting numbers and an unenviable place on the list of most critically endangered primates.

By contrast, the Hainan gibbon -- named for the Chinese island where they are found -- "is actually the world's rarest primate," said Simon Stuart, head of the IUCN's Species Survival Commission.

"But the Chinese government has some very strict conservation measures, so it is not on the list because there is not much more that can be done," he said in a phone interview.

Even so, he added, "it is one thing to stop a species from going extinct, and it is another thing to talk about recovery."

Globally, habitat destruction, especially through the burning and clearing of tropical forests for agriculture, has been the main driver toward extinction.

But in Southeast Asia, hunting for food and traditional medicines made from animal parts -- fueled by an illegal trade in wildlife -- is an even greater threat.

"It comes out again and again from all our studies, tropical Asia is by far the worst place to be for any animal bigger than a rabbit," said Stuart.

The situation in Vietnam and Laos, he added, is "particularly desperate."

Researchers hope the 'top 25' list will garner public and government support for urgently needed conservation measures, especially ahead of the next meeting of the UN's Convention on Biological Diversity, set for October in Nagoya, Japan.

"We have the resources to address this crisis, but so far, we have failed to act," said Mittermeier.

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Study: Marine parks give boost to coral reefs

Michael Casey, Business Week 17 Feb 10;

Marine parks that limit fishing and other human activity can help shrinking coral reefs halt their decline over several years and even start growing again, a study released Wednesday found.

Earlier studies have found that fish populations increase in response to no-fishing zones. But the study in the peer-reviewed science journal PLoS ONE is the first to show that reefs also may gain from such protection.

The study by University of North Carolina marine scientists Elizabeth Selig and John Bruno analyzed a global database of 8,534 live coral cover surveys between 1969 and 2006. They found that corals located in marine reserves halt their declines and, in some cases, increase their cover.

"We found that on average, coral cover in protected areas remains constant, but declined on unprotected reefs," Selig, the study's lead author, said in a statement.

Bruno said the reefs do not respond initially to the increased protection, but over several years they show signs of recovering. For example, in the Caribbean, he said the surveys found that coverage declined for about 14 years before steadying and then increasing.

In the Indo-Pacific, cover kept declining for the first five years after protections were established and then improved, reaching growth rates of 2 percent yearly after two decades.

"Given the time it takes to maximize these benefits, it makes sense to establish more marine protected areas," Bruno said in a statement. "Authorities also need to strengthen efforts to enforce the rules in existing areas."

Corals serve as breeding grounds and habitat for many of the world's marine species and act as indicators of overall ocean health. They are under threat from pollution and overfishing and increasingly from global warming.

A 2007 study published in the journal Science warned that if carbon dioxide emissions continue at today's rate, all corals could be extinct within 100 years.

Gregor Hodgson, executive director of the California-based conservation group Reef Check Foundation and who was not involved in the study, said a survey of this size in PLoS ONE was "very important" because it allows researchers to see emerging patterns with reefs.

"It also shows some management was better than none," Hodgson said.

The study also appears to challenge an earlier one that found that marine parks offered little protection to reefs.

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