Rising seas will affect major US coastal cities by 2100

University of Arizona EurekAlert 14 Feb 11;

Rising sea levels could threaten an average of 9 percent of the land within 180 U.S. coastal cities by 2100, according to new research led by University of Arizona scientists.

The Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts will be particularly hard hit. Miami, New Orleans, Tampa, Fla., and Virginia Beach, Va. could lose more than 10 percent of their land area by 2100.

The research is the first analysis of vulnerability to sea-level rise that includes every U.S. coastal city in the lower 48 with a population of 50,000 or more.

The latest scientific projections indicate that by 2100, the sea level will rise about 1 meter -- or even more. One meter is about 3 feet.

At the current rate of global warming, sea level is projected to continue rising after 2100 by as much as 1 meter per century.

"According to the most recent sea-level-rise science, that's where we're heading," said lead researcher Jeremy L. Weiss, a senior research specialist in the UA's department of geosciences. "Impacts from sea-level rise could be erosion, temporary flooding and permanent inundation."

The coastal municipalities the team identified had 40.5 million people living in them, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. Twenty of those cities have more than 300,000 inhabitants.

Weiss and his colleagues examined how much land area from the 180 municipalities could be affected by 1 to 6 meters of sea-level rise.

"With the current rate of greenhouse gas emissions, the projections are that the global average temperature will be 8 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than present by 2100," said Weiss, who is also a UA doctoral candidate in geosciences.

"That amount of warming will likely lock us into at least 4 to 6 meters of sea-level rise in subsequent centuries, because parts of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets will slowly melt away like a block of ice on the sidewalk in the summertime."

At 3 meters (almost 10 feet), on average more than 20 percent of land in those cities could be affected. Nine large cities, including Boston and New York, would have more than 10 percent of their current land area threatened. By 6 meters (about 20 feet), about one-third of the land area in U.S. coastal cities could be affected.

"Our work should help people plan with more certainty and to make decisions about what level of sea-level rise, and by implication, what level of global warming, is acceptable to their communities and neighbors," said co-author Jonathan T. Overpeck, a UA professor of geosciences and of atmospheric sciences and co-director of UA's Institute of the Environment.

Weiss, Overpeck and Ben Strauss of Climate Central in Princeton, N.J., will publish their paper, "Implications of Recent Sea Level Rise Science for Low-Elevation Areas in Coastal Cities of the Conterminous U.S.A.," in Climatic Change Letters. The paper is scheduled to go online this week.

Weiss and Overpeck had previously developed maps of how increases in sea level could affect the U.S. coastline. Strauss suggested adding the boundaries of municipalities to focus on how rising seas would affect coastal towns and cities.

For the detailed maps needed for the new project, the researchers turned to the National Elevation Dataset produced by the U.S. Geological Survey. The NED provides a high-resolution digital database of elevations for the entire U.S.

The high resolution let Weiss and his colleagues identify the elevation of a piece of land as small as 30 meters (about 100 feet) on a side – about the size of an average house lot.

The researchers used the USGS database to create detailed digital maps of the U.S. coast that delineate what areas could be affected by 1 meter to 6 meters of sea-level rise. The researchers also added the boundaries for all municipalities with more than 50,000 people according to the 2000 U.S. Census.

To increase the accuracy of their maps, the team included all pieces of land that had a connection to the sea and excluded low-elevation areas that had no such connection. Rising seas do not just affect oceanfront property -- water moves inland along channels, creeks, inlets and adjacent low-lying areas.

"Ours is the first national-scale data set that delineates these low-lying coastal areas for the entire lower 48 at this degree of spatial resolution," Weiss said.

The NED data set has some uncertainty, particularly for estimating elevation changes of 1 meter or less. That means the researchers' ability to identify the threat to any particular small piece of land is better for larger amounts of sea-level rise than for smaller amounts of sea-level rise, Weiss said.

"As better digital elevation models become available, we'll be using those," Weiss said. "The USGS is always improving the digital elevation models for the U.S."

Overpeck said, "The main point of our work is to give people in our coastal towns and cities more information to work with as they decide how to deal with the growing problem of sea-level rise."

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Coastal flooding expected when King Tides and rain storms collide this week

LA Times 15 Feb 11;

The highest tides of the season will arrive in California this week in tandem with forecast rain, a powerful combination that could lead to coastal flooding.

The so-called King Tides occur twice a year when the gravitational forces of the sun, Earth and a full moon align. The ocean is expected to surge starting Wednesday and peak at its highest level Thursday morning.

If the waves meet ocean-bound runoff from the expected rains, there could be flooding.

Coastal communities, especially low-lying stretches of Orange County, San Diego and the San Francisco Bay Area, are readying pumps and sandbags and preparing to seal tide valves to keep the high water at bay, while environmental groups across the state plan to use the extreme tides to illustrate the potential impacts of rising sea levels.

Workers at Turcs, a bar in Sunset Beach that sits just a few feet above sea level, are set to pile sandbags in front of their doors to keep the establishment dry. It’s a precaution they take every time high tides coincide with rain, an event that overwhelms the area’s drainage system and sends sheets of water across Pacific Coast Highway.

“Come January and February, we kind of know to expect it,” said Joy Monaghan, a bartender.

Environmental groups said the King Tides offer a preview of what to expect in California as sea levels continue to rise and put the coastline at greater risk of inundation and storm damage.

As the ocean swells higher in the coming decades, environmentalists and others expect tides that spill over sea walls, flood oceanside highways and splash up toward oceanside homes and businesses to become a regular occurrence.
King Tides “provide us a glimpse of what might happen, and also give us an opportunity to think about how to adapt to the inevitable,” said Liz Crosson, executive director of Santa Monica Baykeeper.

Baykeeper and environmental groups across the state plan to use the high-tide event to catalog and document the areas most vulnerable to coastal flooding and storm damage, including Sunset Beach, the peninsula and islands of Newport Beach, Broad Beach in Malibu, San Diego Bay and Crissy Field and Treasure Island in San Francisco.

California Coastkeeper Alliance is asking the public to submit photos of the effects of the King Tides on beaches, roads, seaside parks and sea walls throughout California.

The double wallop of a storm and extreme tides has soaked the most exposed stretches of coast in the past.

A storm that hit Southern California during an unusually high tide in 2001 flooded oceanfront campsites in Ventura County and sent water bursting through a giant sand berm built to protect the Orange County community of Surfside.

In 1983, the water in the tiny neighborhood of Seal Beach surged so high that people had to resort to paddling boats through the streets.

For the gondoliers of Sunset Beach, the King Tides mean little beyond having to adjust their routes to avoid bridges that will likely be blocked by high water.

But there is one way Sunset Gondola owner Tim Reinard hopes to milk the occasion for some publicity: by rowing one of his Venetian boats right up next to the town’s main thoroughfare.

“We may be able to pull off having a gondola on PCH,” he said, “if it's a high enough tide.”

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Synthetic dykes: the Dutch wave of the future?

Radio Netherlands Worldwide 15 Feb 11;

Most of the Netherlands’s coastal defences consist of dykes made of large angular blocks of basalt. However, in one location, a dyke has been coated with an experimental layer of synthetic material. Not the most romantic of materials, but effective in coping with the ever-rising sea level.

The experiment is being conducted on a dyke off the coast of the province of Zeeland. For the past three years the dyke has been covered in a top layer of crushed rock mixed with a synthetic adhesive. The new type of coating is actually performing better than expected: three years of continuous wave action and severe winters featuring storms, snow and ice, have not resulted in any discernable wear.

The world famous Dutch defences against the sea have so far – let’s be honest - not been very subtle. Better protection almost invariably means higher dykes, more concrete and more asphalt. However, the sea level keeps rising, forcing the Dutch to come up with smarter ways of keeping the water out. And, if at all possible, cheap and environmentally friendly.

Huge quantities of synthetic material
As regards the latter issue – possible environmental damage – the synthetic dyke raises a number of questions: How environmentally friendly can it be to introduce large quantities of synthetic material into the environment? What if all coastal defences were covered in this material, wouldn’t that already constitute a huge amount of pollution? Johan Rasing from BASF, the German chemical company that developed the material, quickly puts paid to that notion:

“This synthetic material is a polyurethane, a completely stable product. Chemists call this type of material inert. It does not react with any other material and will not leach out. It will stay the way it is, forever.”

This in marked contrast with the concrete or asphalt currently forming the coating of the nation’s sea dykes, which will continue to leach toxic substances for many, many years. The new coating – called Elastocoast - features numerous open spaces between the pieces of crumbled rock: a veritable paradise for mussels, seaweeds and all kinds of lichen which can easily find a foothold there, and give the dyke quite a natural look.

Safe?
The real question is whether such an open structure, featuring no less than 50 percent hollow space, could ever be strong enough for a dyke. Could such a dyke ever be safe? Kees Lazolder from engineering firm Arcadis explains that it’s all about these cavities:

“Those hollow spaces are key, because the waves break on the surface and their force disappears in the cavities of the material. It is a very effective way of cushioning the impact of the wave. It extends the lifespan of the material and allows it to absorb the impact of much more powerful waves.”

Could this high-tech material possibly be applied in other parts of the World where governments simply don’t have the money to build state-of-the-art coastal defences? John Rasing and Kees Lazolder both immediately admitted that Elastocoast is slightly more expensive than either asphalt or concrete, but added that because of its long life-span might prove more economical in the long run.

Malaysia
All of the above makes the synthetic dyke a Dutch export product which can easily face the global competition. Mr Rasing has an example:

“My colleagues are currently working on a project in Malaysia which involves a total surface of 18,000 square metres. That is quite a large section, of about a kilometre-and-a-half long and 15 metres wide.”

The only serious disadvantage to the new coating is not the synthetic material, but the stone enclosed in it. According to Kees Lazolder:

“If that is not available locally, don’t even think about it. The transport costs would be prohibitive.”

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Best of our wild blogs: 15 Feb 11

Happy Valentine's Day! Look what the birds are up to
from Life's Indulgences

Courtship feeding in Coppersmith Barbet
from Bird Ecology Study Group

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Singapore ranked the greenest city in Asia

Cheryl Ong Straits Times 15 Feb 11;

THE little red dot is green, too. An inaugural study commissioned by European technology company Siemens has found Singapore to be the greenest city in Asia.

The Asian Green City Index, put together by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), ranked 22 major cities - including Tokyo, Delhi and Shanghai - in eight categories.

Singapore came up tops in its management of waste and water resources. It also scored consistently above average in the other categories, such as sanitation and environmental governance.

EIU senior consultant Jan Friederich, who led the team that carried out the study in Asia, said Singapore fared well thanks to the Government's emphasis on long-term sustainability.

"It's building on a long legacy of focusing on sustainability, and also on long-term planning that yields results only after a certain period of time, and that's something not as prevalent in other Asian countries," he said.

According to benchmarks set by experts from the United Nations and the World Bank, Singapore is a winner for the way it collects and disposes of waste. The index noted that the Government has raised its target to recycle rubbish from 56 per cent in 2008 to 65 per cent by 2020. Singapore also fared well in its plans for green transport systems, such as investing in doubling the rail network by 2020, and installing new cycling paths in neighbourhoods.

Dr Amy Khor, Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources, accepted the Green City Award handed out here yesterday.

"Our reputation as a clean and green city is the result of continuous effort, involving all stakeholders from the Government, industry and community," she said.

The closest runner-up in overall rankings was Japan, whose three cities rated in the study - namely Tokyo, Osaka and Yokohama - ranked highly.

"The study of Asian cities shows one thing very clearly: higher income does not necessarily mean higher resource consumption," said Mr Friederich.

He said while countries used more resources as their annual gross domestic product (GDP) rose to €15,000 (S$26,000) per capita, consumption dipped when GDP rose further than that thanks to more efficient infrastructure and greater environmental awareness.

But while Singapore fared well in most of the categories, it raked up carbon emissions on a par with cities like London, and higher than any of the other cities in the study. The study also found that air pollution levels are relatively high in the cities it covered.

Siemens commissioned similar studies of Europe and Latin America in the past two years, in which Copenhagen and Curitiba were found to be the greenest cities.

Siemens' chief sustainability officer Barbara Kux said the study helps countries to learn from each other, and to do so quickly because of the growth of new cities all over Asia.

The United Nations Population Division estimates that more than 40 per cent of people in Asia now live in cities.

This latest finding comes two days after a study by consultancy firm Solidiance compared cities in the Asia-Pacific region according to eco-friendliness.

Singapore was among the top four cities, behind Tokyo, Seoul and Melbourne, for its policies on green buildings and water management.

Yesterday evening, Siemens also handed out its inaugural Green Technology Journalism Award.

The Straits Times' environment correspondent Jessica Cheam picked up the top prize in the sustainability category.

She had submitted a Saturday Special report, published in The Straits Times on Dec 18, about sustainable forestry, which trumped over 190 other entries from Asean countries including Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Besides the €1,000 in prize money, she will go on a sponsored trip to Germany to attend a seminar organised by the Technical University of Berlin on sustainability and new technologies, and visit Siemens research centres.

Nine other journalists also walked away with awards that covered three categories: industrial productivity, energy efficiency and sustainability.

Singapore tops ranking of Asian green cities
Joyce Hooi Business Times 15 Feb 11;

SINGAPORE has topped the Asian Green City Index which was released yesterday, beating out 21 other major Asian cities.

It was the only city to be rated 'well above average' in a five-rating index that was sponsored by Siemens.

This put it ahead of Hong Kong, Osaka, Tokyo, Yokohama, Seoul and Taipei - which were banded as 'above average'.

The island's neighbouring cities, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, both scored an overall rating of 'average'. In the bottom tier of the rankings was Karachi, with a 'well below average' rating.

'The government of Singapore has rigorously targeted the protection of the environment and resources, and sustainable development, ever since the country won its independence in 1965,' said Barbara Kux, a member of Siemens AG's managing board and its chief sustainability officer, at a briefing in Singapore yesterday.

The study, which was carried out by the Economist Intelligence Unit with data collected between April and June last year, assessed cities in eight categories and 29 sub-categories.

Singapore scored a 'well above average' in the waste and water categories, and an 'above average' in the energy and carbon dioxide, land use and buildings, transport, sanitation, air quality and environmental governance categories.

The report noted that Singapore produces 307 kilogrammes (kg) of waste per person annually, lower than the index average of 380 kg.

While Singapore might have a higher-than-average consumption of water - 309 litres per person per day compared to the average of 278 litres - it has the second lowest leakage rate, at 5 per cent, against the average of 22 per cent.

Ms Kux also pointed out that there are some areas for improvement in Singapore, especially where its carbon dioxide emissions were concerned.

'With per capita emissions of 7.4 tonnes of CO2, Singapore is way above the average of the Asian cities we looked at. This is on par with other megacities like London and mostly due to the fact that Singapore is a highly developed city,' said Ms Kux.

'However, it also is a case for action because this level of emissions is not compatible with the widely accepted goal of limiting global warming to two degrees Celsius. I am sure that Singapore will also tackle this challenge with vision, prudence and determination.'

The average carbon emissions for the index are 4.6 tonnes per person.

Amy Khor - South West District Mayor and Minister of State for the Environment and Water Resources - who accepted the Asian Green City Award on behalf of Singapore yesterday, credited the 'culture of continuous innovation' for Singapore's success as a green city in the face of limited resources.

'Going forward, we cannot rest on our laurels. We live in a more resource-constrained world. Higher energy prices, climate change and rising raw material prices all mean that we have to be more prudent with our use of resources,' said Dr Khor yesterday.

Guess where's Asia's greenest city?
Mustafa Shafawi Channel NewsAsia 14 Feb 11;

SINGAPORE: The Asian Green City Index, a study commissioned by Siemens, has concluded that Singapore is Asia's greenest metropolis.

The survey conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) analysed the aims and achievements of 22 major Asian cities with respect to environmental and climate protection.

Singapore stands out in particular for its ambitious environmental targets and its efficient approach to achieving them.

The republic received full marks in the Index for having an energy reduction strategy.

It ranks above average for its robust policies that serve to contain urban sprawl and to protect green spaces from the negative side effects of development.

Singapore also ranks above average for its extensive public transport network, at 0.21km per square kilometre, which is above the 22-city average of 0.17km per square kilometre.

In addition, the city generates lower-than-Index-average waste per person, and the authorities collect and dispose all of it.

Siemens Singapore CEO Lothar Herrmann said the country's many policies, incentive programmes and public awareness campaigns have worked well in improving its urban environment.

He added what's more commendable is that the Singapore government constantly partners the private sector to find new and innovative ways to boost the island's sustainability.

-CNA/wk

Singapore City Asia's Greenest, KL Average Green
Bernama 14 Feb 11;

SINGAPORE, Feb 14 (Bernama) -- The city of Singapore came out as Asia's greenest metropolis, well above average of other major Asian cities, according to a study commissioned by Siemens.

Siemens today released the findings of The Asian Green City Index, a study carried out by the independent Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on 22 major Asian cities over the past few months.

Hong Kong, Osaka, Seoul, Taipei, Tokyo and Yokohama were categorised as above-average cities.

Meanwhile, Kuala Lumpur, joined by Bangkok, Beijing, Delhi, Guangzhou, Jakarta, Nanjing, Shanghai and Wuhan, appeared on the average list in the index.

The Asian Green City Index examines the environmental performance of the cities in eight categories: energy and CO2 (carbon dioxide), land use and buildings, transport, waste, water, sanitation, air quality and environmental governance.

Siemens said the republic's city stood out in particular for its ambitious environmental targets and its efficient approach to achieving them.

"The Asian Green City Index supports cities in their efforts to expand their infrastructures on a sustainable basis. We want to enable Asia's up-and-coming urban centres to achieve healthy growth rates coupled with a high quality of life," said Siemens AG's Chief Sustainability Officer Barbara Kux.

Siemens also said that the study found that many Asian cities were increasingly aware about the importance of environment and climate protection, with some having already introduced comprehensive environmental guidelines.

It said the 22 Asian cities produced an average of 375 kg of waste per capita per year, less than in Latin America (465 kg) and Europe (511 kg).

The biggest challenges facing Asia's cities were the relatively high air pollution levels, Siemens said, adding their average total values had substantially exceeded WHO standards.

The index listed Bengaluru, Hanoi, Kolkata, Manila and Mumbai as the below-average cities, while Karachi was the only city well below average.

-- BERNAMA

Clean and green: Why Japan beats top-ranking Singapore
Straits Times Forum 22 Feb 11;

WHILE Singapore's top ranking in the Asian Green City Index is positive, could we have achieved it without the legions of cleaners who pick up after us? ('Singapore ranked the greenest city in Asia'; Feb 15).

One early Sunday morning, I was at the Henderson Waves bridge of the Southern Ridges and it was strewn with litter. My companion complained that the cleaners were not doing their job, but really it should have been the public who should not have left the rubbish behind.

Sadly, thoughtless littering is common in our public spaces because the prevailing attitude in Singapore is that civic-mindedness is limited to one's backyard.

Japan, which polled second, is a true example of a clean and green nation. Tokyo may be a massively crowded city but it manages to remain clean without an over-reliance on an army of cleaners and bins like in Singapore.

The Japanese clear their own trays at foodcourts and keep their tables fairly clean when they dine, unlike most Singaporeans at food centres.

The recycling bins in Japan serve their proper purpose, unlike here where all manner of rubbish is dumped indiscriminately.

It will take Singaporeans a very long time to attain the level of cleanliness that Japan practises; and the journey begins at home.

If parents do not impress upon their children that we have a collective responsibility to keep Singapore clean and green, our aspirations will remain stuck in wishful thinking.

Charlotte Chu (Ms)

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Singapore: How the Budget can help firms go 'green'

Rachel Kelly Channel NewsAsia 14 Feb 11;

SINGAPORE : Experts have said that with the right incentives, it is quite possible for Singapore to become the world capital for electric vehicles.

Tax consultants have a slew of recommendations on how this Friday's Singapore Budget could give a nudge to businesses and consumers here to go green.

Singapore may have come up tops in comparison to regional peers when it comes to green buildings - according to recent findings by marketing and growth strategy firm Solidiance.

But there are other areas, like adoption of cleaner, more sustainable auto fuels, where experts said fiscal incentives can help Singapore take the lead.

Damien Duhamel, the managing partner of Solidiance, said: "As Singapore's population keeps growing, being green will no longer be a luxury but a necessity. The existing Singapore government programmes are good and should be pursued. However one cannot expect to change behaviour and mentality overnight. We need to look over 5-10 years to see noticeable changes."

Mr Duhamel added that more needs to be done to encourage the use of electric vehicles in Singapore. He said: "The infrastructure is just not there today to sustain anything else than a few weekend electrical cars. Green Vehicles Rebates are quickly obsolete if no one can or knows where to recharge its Electrical Battery. Once again, Singapore is uniquely placed to become the electric vehicle capital of the world."

Allan Lim, chief executive director of Alpha Biofuels, said: "I think we are in a very good position in Singapore to start initiatives to help companies adopt clean technology, and establish Singapore as a regional centre that promotes and provides such technologies to the region.

"One of the incentives which I think is really critical for clean energy to thrive in Singapore is to provide some kind of incentive for SMEs and companies in Singapore to adopt clean energy. Things like solar panels have always been there and the incentives have been done, but what about transportation fuels."

"I think once the adoption of smart grid technologies...starts, the test bedding will come on quite well, and we have a lot of space for this test bed that could then be exported overseas."

Tax experts at Deloitte are calling for a two-year extension to the green-vehicle rebate which is due to expire at the end of this year. They said that an extension is needed to encourage take-up of the industry in Singapore.

Chan Huang Chay, a partner of Business Tax at Deloitte Singapore, said: "There are few areas which we think the government could consider to help Singapore go green.

"The first one is to consider granting enhanced capital allowance of say 150 per cent (instead of the current 100 per cent capital allowance) for certified energy-saving and energy-efficient equipment, probably in the same vein as the enhancement currently available for prescribed automation equipment under the Productivity and Innovation Credit Scheme.

"The other one is to extend the Green Vehicle Rebate Scheme for say another two years as the current scheme is due to expire on 31 December 2011, so as to continue to encourage the adoption of green vehicles.

"The third one is to consider granting further tax deduction for revenue expenditures incurred on usage of recycled products (such as recycled paper for printing) so as to encourage businesses to purchase such green products for their business purposes.

"And lastly, the government may want to provide a subsidy or grant to encourage businesses to undertake recycling and other 'green' projects (for example, reduction of carbon emission, increase in energy efficiency and other environment-friendly projects)".

Others such as KPMG are hoping for tax incentives for green technology and sustainable urban solutions, for example a 10 per cent 'Green Tax Credit' on costs for businesses that develop and implement green technologies.

"Another idea is doubling the amount of capital allowances claimable for plant and equipment that meet certain 'green' criteria such as energy efficiency or water savings. There could also be a lower property tax rate for 'green buildings', instead of the current 10 per cent rate generally applicable to all commercial properties," said Tay Hong Beng, head of tax of KPMG in Singapore.

Latha Matthew, tax partner at Ernst & Young Solutions LLP, said: "One other item on our wish list that we would really like to see happen is some sort of incentive to give home owners a push to install solar panels in their homes. "At the moment, I think to install solar panels is expensive and it is a vicious cycle...few people use it and the cost is high. I think some encouragement in the form of a property tax rebate could help to bring that cost down."

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said the government should set up an approved fund whose proceeds can be used to promote environmental initiatives. Companies with a high carbon footprint can contribute to that fund and receive a 200 per cent or 250 per cent tax break.

"The government should match the funds donated by the company, and the corpus of the fund should be used for environmentally-friendly initiatives," said Abhijit Ghosh, partner at PwC.

- CNA/ms

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Singapore: Going green will boost energy sector

Business Times 15 Feb 11;

CAN the oil & chemicals and power sectors - traditionally regarded as 'dirty' industries - clean up their act and become 'green' or more environment-friendly as far as carbon emissions are concerned? That's what the US is starting to legislate, while Singapore, without resorting to laws just yet, is actively working towards that together with the industries.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has made its stand clear. It's time to act. Last December, it announced that it was setting new standards for climate change-causing greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and oil refineries - and this started last month with polluters such as coal-fired power plants and oil refineries having to obtain permits to emit carbon dioxide (CO2), just as they do for other pollutants including emissions that cause smog and acid rain.

Next, the EPA plans to begin setting performance standards, or limits, for both existing and new facilities later this year, with these taking effect from 2012. This is vital given that America's 500 fossil fuel-firing power plants and about 150 refineries together emit a reported 2.4 billion tonnes of CO2 and other greenhouses gases annually, or nearly 40 per cent of total US emissions.

Last November, Singapore also indicated that it will have to put a price on carbon - possibly in the form of a carbon tax here - if all countries pledge to curb greenhouse gas emissions. While the Cancun United Nations climate change meeting failed to deliver on the latter, Singapore nevertheless has to prepare for an eventual agreement.

This is why Jurong Island Version 2.0 - a 10-year strategic plan currently being hammered out to ensure the Singapore energy industry's continued sustainability and competitiveness - is moving in that direction. Why should dirty industries like oil refineries, or power plants, concern themselves about going green? This is because greenhouse gas emission could be vital to their sustainability and profitability. As oil prices stay high, they must turn to more energy-efficient technologies or production to cut costs.

Singapore's power industry, which in 2005 accounted for almost half of the CO2 emissions here, has already moved from oil-firing to cleaner and more-efficient gas-firing plants (which now account for more than 80 per cent of the electricity here). Singapore's LNG project ensures continued gas supplies here, a crucial part of that strategy. Building on this, Singapore is now looking at whether it can tap unused cold energy from the LNG terminal for cryogenic power generation.

Under its 'green' plan, Singapore is also looking to build a terminal to import alternative liquefied petroleum gas feedstock (most likely from Qatar) for petrochemical crackers here, thus reducing the need to have more oil refineries to provide needed naphtha feedstock. Other options under study include harnessing waste heat for desalination plants, and in the longer term, the use of bio-based feedstocks such as palm oil or plant biomass for chemical plants here. Yes, we must try.

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Not feasible to have full-tunnel North-South Expressway

Royston Sim Straits Times 15 Feb 11;

SEMI-TUNNEL sections of the planned North-South Expressway (NSE) will not be converted to closed tunnels.

Transport Minister Raymond Lim told Parliament this was not feasible, because of the lack of land sites needed for ventilation buildings above such tunnels.

The NSE will have two semi-tunnel sections: between the Seletar Expressway (SLE) and south of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 9; and between Sin Ming Avenue and north of Pemimpin Place.

Ms Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio GRC), citing feedback from affected residents in her Nee Soon South ward, asked Mr Lim if semi-tunnels close to residential areas could be converted to full tunnels.

He said that while the Land Transport Authority (LTA) has tried to plan for the NSE to be a full tunnel in highly urbanised areas, this was not always possible.

For the semi-tunnel stretches to be full tunnels, more land would be needed for ventilation buildings. These would occupy an area of 15,000 sq m each - the size of nearly 21/2 football fields - and must be built close to the tunnel at intervals.

According to LTA data, six such buildings would be needed if the whole NSE section south of the SLE became a tunnel. But owing to competing land uses, the LTA could identify only five suitable sites.

Mr Lim said possible land sites such as the undeveloped land around Lentor Avenue and Yio Chu Kang Road were either obstructed by the existing MRT viaduct, part of the Defence Ministry's training ground, or close to the Yio Chu Kang MRT station, where land has been reserved for residential use.

A ventilation building in the vicinity of Bishan Park would also be required, but this would affect national water agency PUB's Active, Beautiful and Clean Waters upgrading programme there, he added.

Construction on the NSE is expected to start in two years. The project, which will cost between $7billion and $8 billion, will link northern Singapore to the city, and is expected to be ready by 2020.

The 15.9km northern segment from Admiralty Road West to Toa Payoh Rise was announced on Jan19. It will have the longest viaduct in Singapore, as well as surface roads, semi-tunnels and tunnels.

The NSE is expected to reduce travel time to the city by up to 30 per cent after its opening, and ease congestion on major roads in the north-south corridor, such as the Central Expressway and Thomson Road.

Mr Lim also assured Ms Lee that the LTA would ensure the NSE meets National Environment Agency standards for road traffic noise when it is in operation. The LTA has considerable experience in building major roads close to residential areas, he added.

The minister said the LTA is conducting engineering studies on noise mitigation, and "will try to complete it as soon as possible". Possible measures such as dense planting, using porous asphalt on the roads to reduce traffic noise and shaped screens will be implemented where necessary.

The LTA could also consider how best to construct the project in phases so as to minimise inconvenience to residents, Mr Lim said.

North-South Expressway may be built in stages to minimise disruption and noise to residents
Hoe Yeen Nie Today Online 14 Feb 11;

SINGAPORE-The Land Transport Authority (LTA) has said it will consider building the North-South Expressway in phases, where feasible. This comes after MP for Ang Mo Kio GRC Lee Bee Wah suggested in Parliament that portions closest to residential areas be completed first, with the aim of minimising disruption to residents over what is estimated to be a seven-year project.

Another issue was whether parts of the expressway near homes could be built as full tunnels, to ease traffic and noise disruption after the expressway is completed.

Transport Minister Raymond Lim replied that while the expressway was designed as a full tunnel in highly urbanised areas, this was not always possible because large plots of land about 15,000 square metres, or about two football fields, are needed for the required ventilation buildings.

Besides having to compete with other land uses, Mr Lim said there are also limits to how far possible sites, like the undeveloped land around Lentor Avenue and Yio Chu Kang road, can be developed.

HO YEEN NIE

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Work on Changi Motorsports Hub halted

Ian De Cotta Channel NewsAsia 14 Feb 11;

SINGAPORE : Work on the Changi Motorsports Hub has been stopped since the middle of last month.

This comes after SG Changi, which won the bid to build the facility, failed to deliver an instalment for the S$50 million piling work.

MediaCorp has learnt from SG Changi that the S$10 million outstanding amount will be paid on Tuesday, after company chairman and shareholder Fuminori Murahashi secured a personal loan.

"The amount will be enough to cover the entire cost of the piling work, but it is not going to cover the amount needed to complete the project," SG Changi's director and general manager, Moto Sakuma, told MediaCorp.

He added: "We have secured US$200 million from investors in Hong Kong that would have allowed us to do so, but they have frozen the funds."

The S$370 million project came under scrutiny after recent reports said the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau had begun a probe into the tender for the project.

It was revealed the consortium's only other shareholder, Thia Yoke Kian, had been assisting the bureau with investigations since November.

The Singapore permanent resident led the group to beat two other consortiums in their bid to build the track, but was dropped from the management team in July.

While Mr Sakuma said they have handed their accounts and records to the Bureau and cooperated fully, they are unsure if the probe in still ongoing or has been concluded.

A karting circuit, a quarter-mile drag racing strip, a motor museum and 35,000 square metres of commercial space are also being planned for the Motorsports Hub.

The probe has spooked interested parties, especially those from Singapore, and SG Changi now plans to court investors from Japan and Europe.

This could inevitably lead to the country's first permanent motor race track being under the total control of foreigners when completed at the end of 2011.

- CNA/ms

Funds crunch puts brakes on motor sports hub
Group is late with instalment payment for piling work
Leonard Lim Straits Times 15 Feb 11;

CONSTRUCTION work on the Changi Motorsports Hub has stopped, after the consortium in charge of the project, SG Changi, failed to deliver an instalment for the $50 million piling work.

The $10 million outstanding amount is expected to be paid today and work may resume.

One of SG Changi's directors, Mr Moto Sakuma, admitted yesterday they had yet to secure the full quantum of the construction cost - estimated to be $380 million - from the private sector.

When The Straits Times visited the 41ha site near the Singapore Airshow grounds yesterday afternoon, all was quiet.

Over 15 minutes, just two trucks arrived at the sea-facing site to deliver long cylindrical equipment. Cranes and other machinery were largely idle.

This, despite SG Changi admitting in past reports it is facing a tight deadline to meet the targeted completion date of end-2011 for the $380 million project.

"Work stopped for about two weeks, around Chinese New Year," a Bangladeshi site supervisor who declined to be named said. He added: "My boss just told me there's some problem."

According to him, there were about 200 workers before. Yesterday, there were only about 20, all sitting in a shaded area.

Construction had started only in December, even though SG Changi said last March - when it was picked ahead of two other bidders by the Government to design, finance, build and manage the facility for 30 years - that it hoped to start work within three months.

It has had to source for funding in terms of bank loans and equity for the project, and there has been talk that the Japanese-led group lacked the necessary financial muscle to pull off the project.

Many in the motor sports industry worried that this would lead to delays in the construction of the hub, which will have a 3.7km track capable of hosting any race except Formula One, a 1.2km karting circuit, grandstands, shopping and food and beverage outlets, and a racing academy.

Yesterday, Mr Sakuma was hopeful that fresh funds would come within a few weeks.

"We have been dealing with a local bank for the last two months," he said. "We're expecting something within this month."

He declined to say how much money had been secured so far, but added that there were no changes to the facility's expected completion date.

"Construction's still going on, I don't have reports though," he claimed.

But later yesterday, when pressed on why construction work had stopped, he said he was in a meeting and would return the call. Further attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.

Another SG Changi director, Singapore businessman Thia Yoke Kian, declined comment.

In response to queries, Mr Alvin Hang, spokesman for the Singapore Sports Council (SSC), which is overseeing the project, would say only: "The SSC expects SG Changi to comply with all its commitments under the project agreement."

The hub is a major plank in Singapore's aim to position itself as a regional motor sports destination, and SG Changi had hoped to stage the first race there by March next year.

The latest news comes a month after the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) was reported to have begun a probe into possible irregularities in the hub's tender process.

An official at the SSC's motor sports industry development arm and others involved in the deal have reportedly been called up for interviews and lie detector tests.

A CPIB spokesman yesterday declined to confirm or deny that there is an investigation into the matter.

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Singapore: Plastics more pricey as cost of oil surges

Rise in product costs as plastic firms unable to absorb increases fully
Aaron Low Straits Times 15 Feb 11;

LOCAL plastic manufacturers are struggling to keep costs in check in the wake of surging oil prices that are making their raw materials more expensive.

Prices of everyday items such as plastic spoons, bags and cups have increased over the past six months while mobile phone casings and medical instruments are likely to go up soon.

Mr Wang Gee Hock, chief executive of Superior Multi-Packaging, which produces plastics products, told The Straits Times that some plastic manufacturers here are unable to completely absorb the price rise as the raw materials form a high percentage of their overall costs.

"So if the price increases by $10 a tonne, most of the time, we end up passing on $7 a tonne to customers, and get hit with the other 30 per cent cost increase," he said.

Mr Eddy Chua, managing director of Allswell Polythene, said he used to buy a 2.3kg bag of plastic bags for $5.50.

"Now it costs $6.50, a dollar more, or about 18 per cent higher," said Mr Chua, who sells his wares to convenience stores and hawkers.

"So profit margins have fallen from 20 per cent last year to 8 per cent now."

That means consumers must pay more for plastic products.

A pack of 10 plastic plates costs between $2.20 and $2.60, about 10 per cent higher than six months ago.

Mr Lee Hock Chew, who owns a dry goods store in Commonwealth, said: "I'm still on my last batch before the price went up, but once I sell this batch, I will have to increase the price as well."

The culprit is in plain sight: rising oil prices.

Crude has risen by about 20 per cent over the past 12 months and now hovers at US$101 per barrel.

As plastic is a by-product of oil, it has seen similar increases.

Take polyethylene, the most commonly used plastic. Its price is up about 20 per cent from January last year to US$1,285 (S$1,650) a tonne, according to Bloomberg data.

Mr Wang, who is also assistant secretary-general of the Singapore Plastic Industry Association, said local manufacturers are worried that prices will keep rising.

Oil is tipped to reach around US$115 per barrel this year, said a Bank of America Merrill Lynch report.

"Many companies are worried that oil prices will spike in the next few months, which will most likely mean higher plastic prices as well," said Mr Wang.

Apart from the cost of oil, which is a big factor in plastic prices, plastics analyst Mazlan Razak also noted that demand for the product will play a key role in determining prices.

Mr Mazlan, a vice-president in oil consultancy DeWitt & Company, noted that polyethylene prices may begin to pick up again due to "restocking requirements amid busy plant turnaround in March and April".

The bigger plastic manufacturers are less worried about the cost increases.

Proway Engineering general manager Jasver Foo said the better business activity has mitigated some of the cost increases.

At the same time, his company, which makes parts for mobile phones, circuit boards and medical equipment, is trying to boost productivity by reducing storage costs and increasing staff training.

An assistant general manager, who wanted to be known only as Mrs Ho, said she regularly passes on costs to her customers at a listed manufacturing firm servicing the medical sector.

"Some of our clients may have been turned away but our major clients accept that plastics just cost more," she said.

"But at the end of the day, managing the input price and impact on business has to be a major part of every manufacturer's business plan, so we learn to deal with it."

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Indonesia, Riaus: Oil slick beaches fishermen

The Jakarta Post 14 Feb 11;

An oil slick, reportedly from a vessel bearing a Singaporean flag, has stopped at least 300 fishermen from going out to sea in Tanjung Berakit, Bintan, Riau Islands, an official says.

Bintan Environmental Impact Management Agency head Karya Hermawan told tempointeraktif.com Monday that he was not sure if it was sludge from the ship’s engine or oil from another source. The oil has damaged fishermen’s fishing gear, he said.

The oil had spread up o six kilometers along Padang Lamun Beach, he said.

He said the oil came from a tanker during a cleanup of the vessel and was dumped at night when the north wind was blowing toward Batam. Bintan and Tanjung Pinang.

The agency conducted a cleanup, putting the oil in sacks, in an attempt to prevent the oil from spreading, he said, adding that an investigation was under way.

A fisherman said the pollution became apparent in the wee hours of Saturday. He recalled that sacks containing similar black oil had been found in the water several years ago.

Oil Waste Pollutes Bintan Waters
Tempo Interactive 16 Feb 11;

TEMPO Interactive, Batam:The waters in Bintan, Riau Archipelago, have been polluted with oil, preventing hundreds of fishermen from fishing. The black oil is suspected to have been leaked by a foreign ship anchoring in Singaporean waters. “As usual, when there is the northern wind, there is this sludge oil B3 waste,” said Karya Hermawan, Bintan Environmental Impact Control Board (BAPEDAL) chief, last Monday.

According to Karya, the oil slick is 6 kilometers long across Padang Lamun Beach, Bintan. He is certain the oil is from a foreign ship that was cleaning a tanker in Singapore. Karya said the oil is normally thrown to the sea at night, when the northern wind blows to Batam, Bintan and Tanjung Pinang.

RUMBADI DALLE

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Malaysia: ‘Green menu’ to help conserve marine life

Isabelle Lai The Star 15 Feb 11;

PETALING JAYA: Restaurants and hotels will soon be roped in to help in marine conservation efforts by offering an alternative “green menu,” WWF Malaysia said.

Senior programme officer G. Chitra Devi said working with the food and beverage (F&B) industry would help combat the depletion of Malaysia’s fishery resources.

“We plan to engage with F&B outlets and ask the operators to provide alternative choices for seafood that have been subjected to overfishing,” she said.

She said this was the next step following the Save Our Seafood campaign launched last June by WWF Malaysia and the Malaysian Nature Society. The six-month campaign included distribution of a seafood guide which informed consumers which seafood to choose (green list) or avoid (red list) based on their sustainability.

Chitra said working with the F&B industry would ensure that consumers were given the opportunity to make responsible choices.

“With the public asking the right questions, the industry will feel the pressure to ensure proper seafood sourcing policies are in place to satisfy their customers,” she said, adding that this, in turn, would pressure fishery operators to practise sustainable fishing activities.

She urged consumers to find out where their seafood came from and whether it was caught using sustainable methods.

Speaking on the campaign, Chitra said public response had been very encouraging, with many wanting to know more about the problem of overfishing.

“We want the public to realise that it isn’t just fishermen who are affected. If nothing is done, consumers won’t have enough fish to eat in future,” she said.

She added that the seafood guide would be translated into Mandarin due to popular consumer demand.

Those who want the seafood guide can download it from www.saveourseafood.my.

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