Tax the way to save the planet

Euston Quah, For The Straits Times 27 Nov 10;

THE United Nations climate summit in Cancun, which begins on Monday, has taken on fresh urgency. New information shows that, alarmingly, the reduction in carbon dioxide emissions last year was less than expected and emissions are set to rise this year and the next.

There is a clear need to move to low-carbon economies. Yet there is little consensus as to how this can be achieved, as the disappointing Copenhagen climate talks demonstrated.

But there is a ray of hope. Climate change is not a completely alien phenomenon to economists. It is simply another case of negative 'externalities', albeit on a global scale.

Economists speak of negative externalities when they refer to a cost item that has not been captured in the price of something in everyday legal transactions. The noise from constructing infrastructure, the stench from landfills, and air pollution from industrial activity are some examples of externalities.

So when fossil fuels such as coal and oil are used, the externality is the carbon emissions they produce, which lead to global warming and climate change. The prices we pay for these fuels do not capture the external costs of their use.

The solution is to put a value on all such externalities. For example, putting a price tag on noise and the destruction of scenic views, cultural heritage and environmental features such as mangroves, would be key to using resources more wisely. Pricing emissions would have a similar effect.

Where public projects involving society's well-being are concerned, it is incumbent on the authorities to gather information from the public as to what kinds of externalities could arise and follow up with monetary valuations of costs and benefits. The government must take the initiative to act as a coordinator and solicitor of economic values. This will allow all externalities to be appropriately priced.

But it is not enough for any government to take the price of carbon into account in public projects. Producers and consumers must price carbon in their production and consumption decisions as well. The role of consumers is often obscured by that of industries in emission reduction discussions. But consumption activities also contribute to emissions, vehicular transport being a good example.

How then can the price of carbon be introduced into production and consumption decisions? The two most touted methods are to tax carbon or introduce a cap-and-trade system.

Carbon taxes fix the price of emissions but leave the amount of emissions variable. Cap-and-trade fixes the amount of emissions but allows the price to vary. Theoretically, assuming the authorities compute the optimal price and amount of emissions accurately, the two methods will yield the same outcome.

Unfortunately, reality seldom mirrors theory. The complexity of the cap-and-trade system means that the administrative cost incurred may be significant - a fact often overlooked in theory. The price variability of emission permits may also discourage investment in green technology as businesses cannot determine if the payoff from selling the permits freed up by adopting emissions-reducing technologies is worth it. This is a serious problem as any long-run solution to global warming must involve greater use of green technology.

Carbon taxes, in contrast, give businesses clear incentives to cut emissions. The taxes will encourage a switch in the fuel mix of the industrial and electricity sector as well as the household sector and lead to overall energy conservation. The taxes will also provide revenue that governments may use to fund green research.

Much of the criticism levelled at carbon taxes revolves around the issue of how much to charge. But this has to do with a lack of accurate information - a problem that can be fixed.

The idea of making both producers and consumers pay for activities that generate carbon emissions by levying a straightforward tax remains an appealing one. Starting with a small tax on carbon and gradually moving it up over time would be the best way forward. The fact that Finland, Norway and a number of other countries have successfully implemented carbon taxes shows that they may not be that unpalatable after all.

Given that a low-carbon world must involve pricing carbon, is the UN's attempt to impose carbon quotas too simplistic, and is Cancun doomed to failure? Yes, for the main reason that countries are at different stages of economic development and have different priorities.

Yet, however essential carbon pricing may be, it alone is not enough. There must also be investment in green technology, the widespread use of cost-benefit analysis and externality pricing. The Cancun talks, with its focus on secondary issues such as climate financial aid and deforestation, may help to move these other areas forward.

The writer is a professor of environmental economics at Nanyang Technological University.

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Scientists find eyeless cave fish in Indonesia

Yahoo News 26 Nov 10;

JAKARTA (AFP) – Eyeless cave fish and a frog that carries its offspring on its back are among the new species a team of scientists have discovered in Indonesia's eastern Papua region.

The researchers from the Institute of Research and Development (IRD) in Montpellier, southern France, studied caves, underground rivers and jungles in the remote Lengguru area of New Guinea island.

"In terms of discoveries almost everything remains to be done in this area, which is very difficult to access but which has exceptionally rich biodiversity," IRD scientist Laurent Pouyaud told AFP.

For seven weeks, the team including biologists, paleontologists and archaeologists explored the vast limestone "labyrinth" where species have evolved in isolation for millions of years.

In one previously undocumented cave they found a new species of fish which had developed without eyes or pigmentation.

"This is, to our knowledge, the first cave fish that has been discovered in Papua," Pouyaud said.

The team's archaeologists were "overwhelmed" by cave paintings and tools made of shell which provided further evidence of the ancient migration of people from Asia to the Australian continent some 40,000 years ago, he said.

The research was "the first step" in an ongoing project to study the region's biodiversity in conjunction with the Indonesian maritime affairs ministry and Institute of Sciences.

Papua's biodiversity is at risk from plans to expand plantations and mining operations in the area, Pouyaud said.

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Dismay over revised DEIA for coal plant in Sabah

Borneo Post Online 27 Nov 10;

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Unite to Re-Power the Future (Green SURF) is shocked and disappointed that a revised Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) report will be submitted for the proposed coal-fired power plant in Lahad Datu.

Green SURF said although the Department of Environment (DOE) had rejected the study in August, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had in its 2010 annual report stated that a “revised DEIA report will be resubmitted for review and approval” for the 300 megawatt plant.

The utility company had in a one-paragraph statement said that a DEIA study was submitted on May 26 to the DOE, followed by a sentence that it would be resubmitted, but made no mention of the rejection.

Green SURF representative Wong Tack pointed out that the project had been rejected before and relocated twice, wasting time, money and effort on debating a dirty energy source.

“Sabah should be leveraging on its position as a biodiversity hub to attract investments for green power. Instead, we are wasting time on this proposed coal plant.

“There is commitment among the international community to support forest, wildlife and marine conservation work in Sabah and here we are talking about building a coal plant between the rainforest of Tabin and the Coral Triangle.

“Building a coal plant in Sabah, and especially next to the Coral Triangle, does not just break the hearts of locals, but also the world,” he said in a statement issued by Green SURF, yesterday.

The coalition sent a reminder that early this month Sabah hosted an international conference on forests and climate change, where the issue of carbon trading was raised as an alternative to logging in earning revenue, conserving key wildlife habitats in the process.

“It doesn’t make sense that we are trying to attract investments in carbon trading if we are going to have a coal plant at an eco sensitive area. We don’t deserve international support for conservation or investments for carbon trading if this is the case,” Wong said.

Green SURF is a coalition of NGOs comprising the Sabah Environmental Protection Association (SEPA) of which Wong is president, Land Empowerment Animals People (LEAP), WWF Malaysia, Partners of Community Organisations (PACOS) and the Malaysian Nature Society (Sabah branch).

TNB’s move shocks NGOs
Muguntan Vanar The Star 27 Nov 10;

KOTA KINABALU: Environmental group Green SURF is shocked and disappointed that a revised Detailed Environmental Impact Assess­ment (DEIA) study will be resubmitted for a proposed coal-fired power plant in Lahad Datu.

The group said although the Department of Environment (DOE) rejected the study in August, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had in its 2010 annual report stated that a “revised DEIA report would be resubmitted for review and approval” for the 300MW plant.

The utility company had in a one-paragraph statement stated that a DEIA study was submitted to the DOE on May 26, followed by a sentence that it would be resubmitted, without making any mention of the rejection.

Green SURF (Sabah Unite to Re-Power the Future) spokesman Wong Tack said the project had been rejected previously and relocated twice and it was a waste of time, money and effort in debating a dirty energy source.

“Sabah should be leveraging on its position as a biodiversity hub to attract investments for green power.

“Instead, we are wasting time on this proposed coal plant.

“There is commitment among the international community to support forest, wildlife and marine conservation work in Sabah and here we are talking about building a coal plant between the rainforest of Tabin and the Coral Triangle.

“Building a coal plant in Sabah, and especially next to the Coral Triangle, does not just break the hearts of locals but also the world,” he said in a statement issued yesterday.

The coalition reminded that only earlier this month Sabah hosted an international conference on forests and climate change, where the issue of carbon trading was raised as an alternative to logging in earning revenue, conserving key wildlife habitats in the process.

“It doesn’t make sense that we are trying to attract investments in carbon trading if we are going to have a coal plant at an eco-sensitive area. We don’t deserve international support for conservation or investments for carbon trading if this is the case,” Wong said.

'Revised report addresses concerns on power plant'
New Straits Times 29 Nov 10;

KOTA KINABALU: The revised detailed environmental impact assessment (EIA) on the proposed coal-fired power plant in Lahad Datu has addressed issues and concerns which led to its rejection by the Department of Environment (DOE) earlier this year.

Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd corporate services general manager Wan Maria Othman Lee, who was commenting on a statement by non-governmental organisation Green SURF (Sabah Unite to Re-Power the Future), said that they were following procedures.

"The rejection was not for a coal-fired plant.

"It rejected the study because it did not comply with some criteria.

"We have addressed those areas of concern in the new revised report."

The DOE had asked for a more detailed report on mitigation measures for the plant and an EIA for transmission route, which was not required in the original terms of reference.

Green SURF had on Friday said they were shocked and disappointed that a study could be reconsidered after its rejection.

Green SURF is a coalition of NGOs comprising the Sabah Environmental Protection Association, Land Empowerment Animals People, WWF Malaysia, Partners of Community Organisations and the Malaysian Nature Society (Sabah branch).

Chin: Coal still viable source
The Star 30 Nov 10;

PETALING JAYA: Coal is still the most viable source of electricity in the country because renewable energy technology is not matured enough.

Energy, Green Technology and Water Minister Datuk Seri Peter Chin said most countries in the world were still heavily dependent on fossil fuels as their main source of energy.

“We cannot run away from such traditional fuel sources. When we talk about needing a 300MW plant, it’s a huge amount and our generation is still based on these sources, especially in Sabah,” he said on Saturday.

He was commenting on a protest by the environmental group Green SURF (Sabah Unite to Re-Power the Future) against a proposed coal-fired power plant in Lahad Datu.

Green SURF spokesman Wong Tack had said that the project, which had been rejected previously and relocated twice, was a waste of time, money and effort as it was a dirty energy source.

The plant has been proposed for a site on the shores close to the Coral Triangle, an area rich in reef and marine biodiversity.

Chin urged those opposing the move for a coal-fired power plant to reconsider be rational.

“Those protesting do not want coal anywhere at all. It is the wrong mentality to adopt. If they think a site is not suitable, that doesn’t mean we should exclude fossil fuels completely,” he said.

He said it was also wrong to object for the sake of objecting as it would only be doing the public a disservice.

“Rationalise based on these factors – there are limited alternatives available which are very costly.

“Yes, it is good to tap energy from the sun but it is expensive and the high cost will be passed back to consumers. The technology of renewable energy is still not matured enough – not for our generation,” Chin said.

It was reported that Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), which was behind the project, would be re-submitting a revised Detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (DEIA) study for the plant after it was rejected by the Department of Environment (DOE).

Green SURF claimed that TNB had in its 2010 annual report stated that a “revised DEIA report would be re-submitted for review and approval” for the Lahad Datu plant.

The utility company had in a one-paragraph statement stated that a DEIA study was submitted to the DOE on May 26, followed by a sentence that it would be re-submitted, without making any mention of the rejection.

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Scientists Manage to Adapt Juvenile Blue Fin Tuna to Captivity in Land Installations

ScienceDaily 26 Nov 10;

Research scientists Fernando de la Gándara and Aurelio Ortega, along with technicians Juan Ramón Prieto and Javier Viguri from the tuna culture team at the IEO, have managed to adapt around twenty juvenile bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), to captivity in land based facilities at the Plant for Marine Culture at the Murcian Oceangraphic Centre.

This adaptation had already been successfully achieved in Japan, in Australia and in the USA, in other species of tuna such as the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis), the southern bluefin tuna (Thunnus maccoyii), the yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and the blackfin tuna (Thunnus atlanticus) but never with the Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) making this a European first.

Some of the individuals were captured with a barbless hook and line just in front of the coast of Mazarrón, and transported directly to the Marine Culture facilities of the IEO in Mazarrón. Others were captured in front of Cabo de Palos and previously adapted to captivity in floating cages situated in the bay of El Gorguel, managed by the company Caladeros del Mediterráneo belonging to the Ricardo Fuentes group, prior to being transported to the IEO installations in Mazarrón. The survival rate in the first case was 70% while in the second case it was 100%, fundamentally due to the fact that in this second case the individuals had already been adapted to captivity in the cages. The twenty juveniles, each of around a kilo in weight, have been housed over the past two weeks in a fibreglass tank 8m wide x 2m deep. They are being fed with fresh anchovy and sardine pieces and show very active feeding behaviour.

Handling of this species is extremely difficult given it´s great sensitivity and the fact that it is a pelagic fish that is accustomed to living in an open-water environment, where no obstacles exist. The techniques employed in the adaptation of the bluefin tuna individuals to captivity at the land facilities will be used in the TANQUE project, co-financed by funds from FEDER and headed up by Aurelio Ortega. This project will equip the IEO with a large single installation for the reproduction of bluefin tuna, whose main element will consist of a tank of 25m in width and 12m deep, which will house bluefin tuna broodstock whose main objective will be the obtaining of viable eggs from this species.

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Unidentified insect a threat to Sunderbans mangrove

Prithvijit Mitra, The Times of India 27 Nov 10;

KOLKATA: It's not just unauthorized chopping that threatens the Sunderbans mangroves. The forest could be faced with a new enemy that has been slowly eating into the trees on the edge of the water, reducing them to charred pulps of waste vegetation. Hundreds of black insects, shaped like caterpillars, have been raiding the mangroves for the last three months, causing serious damage to the plants. While experts haven't yet been able to identify the pest, a few specimens have been collected and sent to the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI).

A team of scientists from Jadavpur University's School of Oceanography chanced upon the insect during a visit last week. It was while surveying the mangroves that they noticed many with leaves that had been eaten up and looked as if they had been set on fire.

Initially, the experts suspected a human hand behind it but were soon corrected by the locals. "They led us to many more such damaged mangroves at places like Pakhiralaya, Sajnekhali, Lahiripur and Rangabelia. We were shocked to find hundreds of these insects crawling all over the mud on the banks. They were piling on to the mangroves in droves and feeding on the leaves. They were peeling off the leaves within minutes, reducing the mangroves to a skeleton of branches and twigs. Mysteriously, the leaves they were feeding on wore a charred look once the insects were gone. Neither the locals, nor any of us could identify them. We have collected a few specimen and sent them to ZSI," said Gautam Sen, a member of the oceanography team.

Such insects have never been known to exist in the Sunderbans. About an inch-and-half in length, they resemble caterpillars but without the hairy legs. The pests have so far only been raiding the bani trees (avicennia) that grow on the edge of the water. "No insect has ever been seen so close to the water, which is extremely saline. It needs to be found out if they have come from some other region or had so far restricted themselves to some other part of the forest," said Sen.

Climate change could have triggered the flight of these insects, it is being suspected. "The insects could have been dislodged from some island that's now submerged or was flooded after Cyclone Aila. What is worrying is that they have started moving towards the villages and have already raided some vegetable gardens. It would be disastrous if they raid the farmlands or move deep into the forests. Mangroves will be seriously affected unless we can stop the march of these mysterious insects," said Sarbaranjan Mondol, an NGO worker in the Sunderbans.

Member of the state biodiversity board, Silanjan Bhattacharya, said it was strange that a new insect specie has been spotted at the Sunderbans. "I was at the mangrove forest recently but didn't come across this new insect. There are insects which feed on mangrove leaves but locals are well acquainted with these. It might have floated in from some remote part of the mangrove forest along the waters in the post-Aila period. It is difficult to comment on this unless we have a look at the insect," said Bhattacharya, who is also the head of the department of zoology at West Bengal State University.

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World warmer, short-term trends need study: report

* Global average temperature up over past 160 years
* Rate of temperature rises has slowed over past 10 years
Reuters AlertNet 26 Nov 10;

LONDON, Nov 26 (Reuters) - The global average temperature has increased over the past 160 years, but short-term trends in temperature and sea ice seem to be at odds with each other and need more research, the UK Met Office's Hadley Centre said.

In a report on long and short-term climate trends, the Hadley Centre found several factors that indicate a warming world and said 2010 has been one of the warmest years on record.

The report drew on the work of more than 20 institutions worldwide and used a range of measurements from satellites, weather balloons, weather stations, ocean buoys, ships and field surveys.

The report showed increases in air temperatures above both land and sea, increases in water temperature and humidity, sea level rises and the shrinking of Arctic sea ice.

"The average temperature over the first decade of the 21st century was significantly warmer than any preceding decade in the instrumental record, stretching back over 160 years," the report said.

Despite variability from year to year, with some years warmer and others cooler, a clear trend of increasing global temperature can be seen from the late 1970s onwards at about 0.16 degrees per decade, the report said.

"It is clear from the observational evidence across a wide range of indicators that the world is warming," said Matt Palmer, ocean observations specialist at the Met Office.

"As well as a clear increase in air temperature observed above both the land and sea, we see observations which are all consistent with increasing greenhouse gases," he added.

However, short-term trends in temperature and sea ice seem to be at odds with each other. The rate of temperature increases has slowed over the past 10 years, while the level of sea ice has increased.

Climate models suggest that the internal variability of the climate system may be responsible for the recent decrease in the rate of warming, the report said.

Changes in solar activity, water vapour, increased aerosol emissions from Asia and changes to the way sea surface temperatures are measured over the past decade could have contributed to some artificial cooling, the report said.

"We expect warming to increase in the next few years ... However, other future external factors, such as volcanic eruptions or changes in solar activity, could prolong the current reduction in warming," the report said.

More research is needed into some of the factors that influence short-term climate trends, which are not fully understood or represented in climate models.

(Reporting by Nina Chestney; Editing by Jane Baird)

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Coax people to be green in Singapore

Straits Times 27 Nov 10;

I read Fiona Chan's article, Being Green Makes Me Blue (LifeStyle, Nov 21), with a wide smile on my face.

Getting people to be eco-conscious is like raising a child. It does not work when you say, 'No, you shouldn't!', without validating it with a reason. I far prefer coaxing people to do it.

I, too, have witnessed avid plastic bag-savers, who drive off in their gas-guzzling cars. What I do believe, however, is that each person can find at least one way to save the environment without any inconvenience to his lifestyle. In my household, we diligently reuse plastic bags and recycle materials.

We cannot dismiss how many of the recent natural disasters have got to do with the deterioration of our environment, which has caused new illnesses, homelessness, and the shortage of food, water and sanitation. I veer from the idea that saving the environment has become far too fashionable for its own good. Perhaps the media may portray it as such. The green message is clear, strong and relevant to our lives and one that we cannot ignore.

Jasmine L. Arika

The environment needs no saving and will thrive without us. Who we are really saving is ourselves and our loved ones. It would be myopic to think that the environment is the 'flavour of the decade'. Hypocritical celebrities and non-celebrities who choose to greenwash should not be associated with the ones who walk the talk.

Let us be objective and look at all the issues before we write off the environment as a frivolous, non-urgent topic. We need to�realise our limitations as individual environmentalists saving one plastic bag at a time, and acknowledge our great potential as consumers and citizen who can pressure corporations and the Government to do something on a much quicker and grander scale.

Olivia Choong

Being green makes me blue
Fiona Chan Straits Times 20 Nov 10;

I never thought I would say this, but of late I have come to appreciate the wisdom of Kermit the Frog.

Way before the world got caught up in a wave of environmentalist fervour, Kermit warned us all: It's not easy being green.

Everywhere you look these days, people are exhorting you to save the world. Mostly by condemning you if you don't.

Have you ever printed out a report? You might as well have taken an axe to a forest full of trees.

Do you use plastic bags? That's going to cost us about a hundred species of flora and fauna essential to global biodiversity.

Are you driving a car? Why don't you just load up a big cannon full of fireballs and aim it straight at Earth, that would be more efficient.

Greenies may see red at most daily activities, but for ordinary folk like me, being green can sometimes make you blue.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for having everyone do his or her part for the environment. And, of course, this starts at home.

To save energy, I turn off all the lights when I sleep at night. To save water, my husband sometimes wears the same pair of trousers for two weeks at a time.

'Laundry,' he intones in a self-satisfied manner in his three-day-old socks, 'is a barely necessary evil.'

We even go so far as to dutifully send our newspapers for recycling every fortnight. The fact that all we have to do is to put them outside our front door to be picked up is pure coincidence.

All this may take some effort, but hey, it's worth it as long as the world is going to be saved from an apocalyptic bonfire, right? I'm really glad that my great- grandchildren will get their chance to enjoy aerosol cans and plastic water bottles.

But it would be nice if, on the occasions that I do choose convenience over the environment, I'm not made to feel like some kind of super villain bent on destroying the world.

For instance - and I know this confession will send me straight to green hell, where all the trees have been replaced by fake trees and I have to pretend to water them for eternity - I don't take my own bags to supermarkets. Not even on Wednesdays.

Not only that, but I also sometimes ask for heavy objects to be bagged with - horrors - two plastic bags, just in case one breaks.

It gets worse. At work, I like to print things out rather than read them on the computer. Ironically, sometimes the pro-environment signature at the end of an e-mail - the one that says 'think before you print!' - makes the document spill over to an extra page, which I then crumple up and throw away, compounding my crime.

I also guiltily opt for paper bills rather than have them all sent electronically. I know, this is completely selfish of me: I'm saving my own eyesight at the expense of the Earth.

Similarly, I am never willing to fork out more for the organic version of any food. This is clearly evidence of my short-sighted tendency to protect my wallet rather than the environment.

Given my weakness of character, I always admire those true-blue environmentalists who practise what they preach.

I respect how they eschew motor vehicles and cycle to work, then forgo a shower in the name of saving water and spend the rest of the day sweatily triumphant about their tiny carbon footprint. I respect them, but I probably won't sit next to them.

Still, at least they're devout followers of their green doctrine. What I really don't get are those so-called environmental experts, or the numerous self-professed tree-hugger celebrities, who earnestly and self-righteously enjoin people to care more about the Earth - and then hop onto their privately chartered jets to the next green conference.

Or your everyday environmentalists, who insist on paying 10 cents for their plastic bags at the supermarket to save the world, only to pile all their groceries into the back of their monster sports utility vehicles before driving off.

All that said, I am probably no different from the green evangelists in one respect - I am making a mountain out of what is, effectively, a molehill.

There are plenty of other unsolved problems in this world: starving people, physically abused women, apathetic youth and bad grammar. Saving the planet just happens to be the flavour of the decade.

But precisely as greenies - or greenhorns, in my case - we�should not miss the wood for the trees. The environment is a problem, but it is one problem, and not one that can be solved by simply attending Greenpeace concerts and hugging oaks.

So let's not accuse one another of not being green enough when maybe what we are is too green: green with envy of others' carefree carbon emissions.

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Best of our wild blogs: 26 Nov 10

Blog Log: 21 November 2010
from Pulau Hantu

Chronicle of Mr & Mrs King - Fledging (Nov 25 2010)
from Life's Indulgences

Asian Glossy Starling eats seeds of Michelia champaca
from Bird Ecology Study Group

泰坦魔芋花（Titan Arum）仍然含苞待放（9am,26th,Nov）
from PurpleMangrove

Cyrene: poster child for balancing conservation and coastal development
from Cyrene Reef Exposed!

Reclamation with 'transformed excavated materials'
from wild shores of singapore

Learning about Integrated Costal Management
from wild shores of singapore

Panthers and Leopards in the Malay Peninsula
from The Biology Refugia

Job offers at NUS Biological Sciences
from ecotax at Yahoo! Groups

The Price of Development: Ports Versus the Turtle Breeding Grounds of Orissa
from EcoWalkthetalk

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Wild boars spotted at Singapore reservoir

Gan Ling Kai The New Paper AsiaOne 24 Nov 10;



A HERD of wild boars roaming Upper Peirce Reservoir Park.

That's what a picture posted on citizen journalism website Stomp on Saturday supposedly shows.

The photo, which shows at least nine wild boars of various sizes, was sent in by netizen Chris.

Mr Louis Ng, executive director of Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres), said wild boars have been sighted in Singapore before, in places such as Lim Chu Kang and Choa Chu Kang, especially in densely vegetated areas.

They can also be found on Pulau Ubin and Pulau Tekong, he added.

"Just a few months ago, I chanced upon nine wild boars in Pulau Tekong during my reservist training," he recalled.

In July, a wild boar got stuck in a barrier along Kranji Express way and was freed by staff from Acres.

But is it common for boars to be seen in a herd?

In February, The Straits Times reported that the creatures, up to 10 at a time, trotted out from the undergrowth of the Lower Peirce Reservoir area at dusk and crashed through trees and bushes onto Old Upper Thomson Road.

As of last night, the Stomp posting had drawn more than 5,000 views and about 30 comments.

Most of those who commented were curious about the sighting.

ChenUrYouXiang wrote: "kill it and bring home to make bakuteh!"

In response, MrKaypoh wrote: "No, no, bak kua is better."

Mr Lim Zhiyang, 29, an engineer, told The New Paper: "When I have the time, I would want to go check out the papa and mama wild boars. I think the little ones maybe quite cute too."

But Ms Joanna Foo, 29, an engineer, has concerns about safety.

"I might avoid going to the park for the time being because I wouldn't want to get charged at by the wild boars," she said.

But Mr Ng, 32, said the members of the public need not be worried about their safety.

Wild boars, which are omnivorous, typically would not attack human beings, he explained, though the male ones may grow tusks.

He added: "Just like wild monkeys, wild boars are not hostile towards humans unless they are provoked.

"If you ever come across a wild boar, the best thing to do is to back away slowly. If you run, it may get startled and become aggressive."

Will the population of wild boars ever grow to a size that will become a major disturbance to the public?

Unlikely, Mr Ng said.

"Unless the public feeds them, their population would otherwise be controlled through natural deaths," he added.

In an August report, wildlife experts told The New Paper that they were seeing more wild animals running around our little island and swimming close to our shores.

The original post on Stomp
Nature in Singapore paper on the status of wild boar in mainland Singapore [PDF file]

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Singapore government fund for ideas to solve urban issues

Got a good idea? Here's $1m in funds
$450m initiative to spur private sector collaboration with public agencies in solving problems
By Chong Zi Liang Straits Times 26 Nov 10;

WANTED: good ideas from the private sector to solve problems faced by government ministries. And companies that step forward to take up the challenge could get up to $1 million in government funding.

The Government yesterday launched a $450 million fund to encourage collaboration between its agencies and the private sector in coming up with solutions for its long-term needs.

First announced in Budget 2010, the Public Private Co-Innovation Partnership (CI Partnership) will commit the money over five years to cushion private companies' investment and research into problems identified by the public sector.

Speaking at a Land Transport Authority (LTA) event where she launched the fund, Second Minister for Finance Lim Hwee Hua said: 'Most of the time, the expertise to develop workable solutions lies with our companies in the private sector.'

She added that while looking at how it could help entrepreneurs develop markets in Singapore, the Economic Strategies Committee realised that the Government was a major potential customer in Singapore's small market.

The CI Partnership has two broad objectives:

# One, that the public would be better served when the private sector steps in to fill the gaps of its public counterpart.

# Two, partnership with the Government will allow private companies to become more competitive by leveraging on the jointly developed expertise and building up their track record.

There are three development phases into which the fund will go. Each phase lasts between six and 12 months, and up to eight companies can work on one project. Funding will range between $250,000 and $1 million per company, with the Government co-sharing up to 95 per cent of the cost to implement the ideas.

Although the public and private sectors have worked together in the past, Mrs Lim said it was important to come up with a systematic and deliberate framework to facilitate cooperation.

'We felt it was important to structure it so that there is a constant consciousness among agencies to look for innovative solutions and to provide for this process,' she said.

There are now four pilot projects from three different government agencies inviting proposals to tackle problems. They include the LTA, which wants better licence-plate recognition technology to clamp down on errant drivers, and the Ministry of Health, which is seeking a remote monitoring system for diabetics.

The Singapore Business Federation welcomed the news of the fund. Its chief executive officer, MrTeng Theng Dar, said: 'There are funds for every stage of the business process, from incubation to delivery. I expect companies will be looking out for opportunities.

'The Government's endorsement is more valuable than any amount of advertising money can buy.'

Interested companies can visit the CI Partnership website at www.coinnovation.gov.sg. It went online yesterday.

THE following pilot projects are calling for proposals from the private sector:

# JTC CORPORATION

JTC has two projects for which it would like proposals.

The first involves transforming excavated soft materials like marine clay and mud into alternative reclamation fill.

Such soft materials come from local excavation, tunnelling and dredging works.

JTC believes that if such materials can be used in land reclamation, it will reduce Singapore's reliance on costly sand imports; it will also get rid of the problems associated with disposing of these soft materials.

The second project concerns making use of excavated sedimentary rocks for road construction.

The current Jurong Rock Cavern excavation for oil product storage is generating a large amount of sedimentary rock, which has limited use in construction. They could possibly be of better use as road construction and road surfacing materials.

# LAND TRANSPORT AUTHORITY AND TRAFFIC POLICE

The LTA and the Traffic Police would like to develop better licence plate recognition technology to identify offenders who drive in bus lanes during restricted hours and those making illegal U-turns.

The new system will be implemented if it is more effective than what the LTA and Traffic Police now have in place.

# MINISTRY OF HEALTH

Although diabetes can be kept in check if patients follow their doctors' prescribed care plan, many patients fail to comply because of complacency, forgetfulness and inconvenience, among other reasons.

The MOH wants a remote monitoring solution that can prompt patients when it is time to take blood glucose readings, inform their caregivers of non-compliance, transmit readings automatically to and alert their physicians early if the patient's condition worsens.

CHONG ZI LIANG

Government commits $450m to Public Private Co-innovation Programme
Ryan Huang Channel NewsAsia 25 Nov 10;

SINGAPORE : The government is committing S$450 million over the next five years to co-develop innovative solutions with the private sector.

The idea for the Public Private Co-Innovation Programme was first mooted earlier this year as part of recommendations by the Economic Strategies Committee.

It was part of wider plans to nurture more globally competitive companies.

Under the new programme, public agencies will have a more structured process and a common platform to seek ideas and solutions from the private sector.

For example, in one of the pilot projects, the Ministry of Health is seeking a solution to remotely monitor the condition of diabetic patients.

Private companies with good ideas can apply for partial funding of up to S$250,000 to develop them further.

More funding - up to a combined S$1.5 million - can be sought for the next two stages of development.

Mrs Lim Hwee Hua, Second Minister for Finance said: "This is a win-win solution, in terms of the government potentially delivering better services to the public, and at the same time, the SMEs have a good chance of helping to develop their ideas further all the way to the procurement stage.

"The government is not shortchanged in terms of procurement standards and at the same time, it is procuring better services."

Observers expect the new programme to be a boost for smaller companies by helping to level the playing field.

Teng Theng Dar, CEO of the Singapore Business Federation said: "It's not a standalone type of scheme that we used to see, it's a more holistic approach. For the small and mid-sized firms, they may have the idea, but to bring the idea and test it out takes time and resources.

"The immediate benefit is that we now know that if the idea is good, there is a supporting mechanism coming in."

Interested companies can find more details at www.coinnovation.gov.sg.

Government takes problem solving to a new level
It is set to launch its public-private Co-Innovation Partnership scheme
Karen Ng Business Times 26 Nov 10;

PROBLEM solving in the public sector will take a new twist when the government rolls out its Public-Private Co-Innovation Partnership initiative.

Instead of stipulating what it wants and procuring an off-the-shelf application in a tender process, it now has the additional option of looking at a multitude of ideas and working with a number of companies to derive the best solution.

For a start, the Land Transport Authority (LTA), the Traffic Police, the Ministry of Health and JTC Corp will invite proposals from the private sector to help solve some of the problems they have identified.

Not only will the government put in money to co-develop the ideas - to the tune of $450 million over five years - and serve as the consumer, it will also work with the companies to achieve the best solutions, which can then be marketed to other countries.

This will give smaller companies a leg-up because they will be able to use the Singapore government as a reference and improve their track record, said Lim Hwee Hua, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and Transport.

'A lot of governments want to look at how we do many different things in terms of public services,' Mrs Lim said on the sidelines of LTA's Livetraffic@sg yesterday. 'This can be a very good track record for them to sell themselves.'

This will benefit the public sector as well, since it will open a wider range of ideas.

Pointing to LTA's live traffic management system as an example, Mrs Lim said: 'When I put up a tender, I simply tell you this is what I want. For example, for LTA Live Traffic, it can say I just want applications, I will give you the raw data. But I will not be sure that I have the complete range of ideas.'

She gave an assurance that the government will not be short-changed, as it will procure better services.

A prime example will be LTA's new offering - a live traffic feed called 'Traffic Message Channel Location Table'.

In developing it, LTA worked with home-grown start-up Quantum Inventions, which came up with the software, analysis and design of traffic congestion patterns. So far, one map vendor has bought this product, with two more on the horizon.

Companies whose ideas are accepted may get government grants, that could exceed more than $1.75 million for an individual firm. The actual amount of funding will depend on the nature of the project and the stages of development in the co-innovation process. SMEs will get greater funding support.

While a few government agencies have been known to collaborate with the private sector to come up with solutions, the partnerships were not done in a structured manner.

'In due course, we hope that more and more agencies would actually get into the mode of sharing their medium to long-term plans with the potential suppliers, letting them know what are some of their needs,' said Mrs Lim. 'Then more of the companies can then participate by thinking about the solutions and developing them together with the agencies.'

The nuts and bolts...
Chen Huifen Business Times 26 Nov 10;

THERE are three stages in the Co-Innovation Partnership programme. At the proof-of-concept stage, companies are required to test the feasibility of their ideas.

Up to eight proposals can be accepted and the government will co-share up to 95 per cent of the funding, capped at $250,000 per proposal.

As successful ideas advance to the proof-of-value stage, companies will have to develop prototypes to demonstrate the product or service is feasible.

A maximum of six proposals may be accepted at this phase, where the government co-funds up to 85 per cent of the costs, up to $500,000 per proposal.

Finally, at the test-bedding stage, the prototype or system will have to be validated in a relevant environment and perhaps even begin initial production. Up to three proposals will be accepted.

The government will co-fund up to 70 per cent at this stage, up to $1 million per proposal.

The four projects available for private sector participation are:

1) JTC - The statutory board is looking for solutions to transform excavated soft materials into alternative reclamation fill.

This would not only solve the waste disposal problem in excavation, but also reduce reliance on sand imports for reclamation purposes.

2) JTC - A substantial amount of sedimentary rock is being generated in the process of excavation for the Jurong Rock Cavern (JRC) project.

JTC wants to explore innovative and cost-efficient technologies that can transform this rock into road construction material.

3) Land Transport Authority (LTA) - With the Traffic Police, the LTA is calling for technical trial proposals to identify and capture licence plates of vehicles driving inside bus lanes during restricted hours, or making illegal U-turns.

The agencies want to assess the performance of the proposed systems in terms of accuracy in reading and capturing of vehicle licence plates under local environmental conditions such as extreme weather.

4) Ministry of Health - It is looking for a remote monitoring solution for chronic disease patients - initially for diabetics.

One of the key objectives is to ease the burden on care givers and physicians. For example, such systems could prompt the patient when it is time to take blood glucose readings, transmit readings automatically, inform care givers of non-compliance and alert physicians early to deteriorating patient conditions.

The proposals will be evaluated and approved by the Co-Innovation Committee, comprising members from various government agencies and co-chaired by two permanent secretaries.

To obtain more information, go to www.coinnovation.gov.sg

Read more!

Andaman Reef Deaths Loom as Disaster for Phuket

Chutima Sidasathian Phuketwan 26 Nov 10;

MARINE experts have reacted with alarm to news that the coral reefs off Phuket and the Andaman have been severely damaged by coral bleaching. One expert at the Phuket Marine Biology Centre has called for coordinated action to save the region's star tourism attraction.

Dr Nalinee Thongtham told Phuketwan: "We as experts can say what the problems are but we have no power to determine the future of the coral reefs that bring so many visitors to the region.

"The authorities mus act now. It can take eight or 10 years to restore the coral reefs, and the process must be properly managed. Once the reefs die off beyond a certain point, it will not be easy to bring them to life again."

Phuket dive company consultant Guy "Charlie" Lidureau raised the alarm this week when he reported: "I have just come back from five diving days at the Similans, Bon Tachai and Richelieu Rock. All coral reefs between the surface and 20 meters in depth are 60 percent to 80 percent dead, and at some dive spots 100 percent dead."

An extended hot high season at prolonged high sea temperatures caused the damage when Phuket's usual monsoon rains did not bring relief early enough.

Now experts are concerned to aid the recovery by environmental controls over the reefs and the diving industry - or face the end for Phuket's most vulnerable natural attraction.

Dr Nalinee said: "The reefs are still beautiful and first-time divers in the region will still find them delightful. But regular divers can see the difference. Once the coral dies off beyond a certain point, it will not be easy to bring them back."

Dr Nalinee said the need for the diving industry to make money was understood but the business has been operating without regulation, much to the concern of Mr Lidureau and other veteran Phuket operators.

"There is a vital need to fix and control what activities can be done in which areas," Dr Nalinee said. "Regulations have to be introduced to control the number of divers, or the reefs will not survive this natural disaster, and the man-made disaster of overuse."

Mr Lidureau said: "What is happening this year in the Andaman Sea is must worse that the 2004 tsunami. Where coral reefs are completely dead, it will take at least 5-10 years to recover.

"The only places left to dive will be in deeper water below 20 meters and dive sites with large boulders as fishermen, storms and the El Nino bleaching phenomenon were not able to remove them.

"The Similans and Surin Island have only been open for three weeks so only a few people knew the truth."

Mr Lidureau said the devastated reefs in Thailand and lack of fish will push dive tour operators and divers around the world to find alternative liveaboard dive destinations in other oceans for the coming years.

"Expect fewer reservations and more cancellations," he said.

Mr Lidureau, general manager of Seafarer Divers in Chalong, is an advocate of tighter environmental enforcement and restrictions on the number of day-trip and liveaboard divers, as well as a limit to the number of dive operators.

Read more!

Jellyfish: Do tourists need warnings?

Some say they must know risk, but others warn against panic
Nirmal Ghosh, Straits Times 26 Nov 10;

BANGKOK: The death of a woman stung by a box jellyfish near the seaside town of Hua Hin two weeks ago has refocused attention on whether more should be done to warn tourists to the region.

Ms Ann Nordh, 59, was the second tourist from Sweden to die from a jellyfish sting while wading in regional waters this year.

In February, 45-year-old Carina Lofgren died in agony almost immediately after being stung during a night swim at Langkawi in Malaysia.

In another incident earlier this year, another Swede, nine-year-old Aida Rosenberg, was also stung while in shallow waters near Koh Chang off Thailand's east coast.

Only quick reaction from a fellow Swedish tourist - a trained firefighter - saved her. He gave the girl a heart massage and administered vinegar to the stings.

Stings from the box jellyfish cause extreme pain and can result in death within seconds.

Another deadly jellyfish believed to be flourishing in Asian waters is the irukandji, which does not kill as quickly, but can cause severe reactions that result in death later.

Recent observations confirm a rise in jellyfish populations across the world, including in Europe and Japan. Record-sized 'blooms', or gatherings, have been linked to an imbalance in marine ecosystems triggered by overfishing. Warmer water temperatures may also be a factor.
But experts are reluctant to link the rise in jellyfish populations to the deadly incidents. They say that greater awareness could have led to a rise in the reporting of such incidents.

But some argue that beachgoers and divers should be given more information about the risk of being stung.

In some cases, relatives of victims have said they were never warned about the danger.

In a report on the case of Ms Lofgren, the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet accused Swedish tour operators of not informing their clients about the risks.

In February this year, signs on Koh Lanta warning tourists about jellyfish stings were blacked out by locals worried about scaring visitors away.

At a seminar on marine stingers in Phuket at the time, Dr Somchai Bussarawit, a leading Thai jellyfish researcher, told participants: 'People must be told the facts accurately. 'This is about telling people how to be protected from danger. They have to be warned.'

To be sure, the Thai authorities have warned tourists. The governor of Phuket, as well as Thailand's Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, have said that people should be alerted to the dangers of box jellyfish.

However, some experts warn that panic is not the answer.

While the danger is real, deaths from box jellyfish stings are still statistically rare. Thailand, for instance, receives well over 10 million foreign tourists a year, the vast majority of whom visit one of the country's famed beaches, and only a small number of jellyfish stings have been reported this year.

A recent Journal of Travel Medicine paper on jellyfish noted that severe stings had long occurred across the Indo-Pacific, from India to Australia.

Dr Lisa-Ann Gershwin, a senior adviser at Australia's Sting Advisory Board and a co-author of the paper, said road accidents kill more people, including tourists, in Thailand.

And she said that reports of fatal incidents may give rise to irrational fears.

'The typical tourist isn't going to decide to not come to Thailand because they are afraid of a road accident. They are far more afraid of things like jellyfish, sharks, things they perceive they don't have any control over,' she told The Straits Times over the phone.

Education and understanding are crucial to calming these fears, she said. 'The jellyfish are scary only if you don't know how to protect yourself.'

Simple measures to guard against jellyfish include wearing protective clothing - even materials as thin as Lycra or pantyhose help - and keeping vinegar, which stops the stinging and neutralises the venom, handy.

Read more!