Six buildings in talks with PUB on floods

Meeting held to discuss fortifications and drainage in Orchard Road area
Daryl Chin Straits Times 10 Jun 11;

NATIONAL water agency PUB is working with six affected buildings in the Orchard Road area to reduce the chances of flooding.

This was revealed by Mr George Madhavan, director of the 3P Network at the PUB, after a 90-minute discussion between the PUB and members of the Orchard Road Business Association (Orba) yesterday. The closed-door event was held in Traders Hotel, itself affected by the recent flooding which caused thousands of dollars worth of damage.

About 50 people turned up, including staff from the Singapore Tourism Board.

Mr Madhavan said the PUB is working with six buildings - Orchard Parade Hotel, Delfi Orchard, Orchard Towers, Forum Galleria, St Regis and Tanglin Mall - on short-term solutions, besides studying other suggestions thrown up, including setting up a park in Orchard Road.

PUB officers will advise and identify areas which need fortification, and also locations at which to place flood barriers and raised crests or road humps to prevent water from entering carparks.

The cost will be borne by the building owners.

Other measures include upgrading the drainage system at the junction of Cuscaden and Tomlinson roads. Work began last month.

'In the mid-term, we will look at detention ponds to study their feasibility, and longer term, perhaps a diversion canal to move some of the water from the Stamford catchment away from Orchard Road,' said Mr Madhavan.

A detention pond is a large container designed to hold storm water. One example he cited was the large underground holding tank complete with pump under a school field in Siglap.

Orba's executive director Steven Goh called the meeting 'cordial' and appreciated the PUB's efforts in explaining how the floods came about.

He had suggested building a park on a 20,000 sq m piece of land behind Ngee Ann City, along Orchard Turn. This would serve as a green communal space and store excess storm water to channel it back to the main drainage arteries.

Another suggestion is to use building basements to store water.

Calling them both good ideas, Mr Madhavan said the PUB would work hard to find the most cost-efficient and optimal solution, although no timeline was given.

Experts The Straits Times spoke to also offered their input.

Associate Professor Tan Soon Keat from Nanyang Technological University's School of Civil and Environmental Engineering said underground building facilities in town might be costly and a poor use of land.

'It is better to locate the facilities further away from the town centre where pumping and piping costs may increase, but should be marginal compared to the overall cost,' he said.

Still, the session with PUB is a step in the right direction, said Mr Goh, who added: 'We are very concerned... but having this dialogue at least means there's an open channel for communication.'

PUB to study ideas raised to cope with floods in Orchard Road
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid Channel NewsAsia 9 Jun 11;

SINGAPORE: National water agency PUB says it will study the Orchard Road Business Association's (ORBA) proposal for an underground tank to quell floods along along Singapore's prime shopping belt.

But as an immediate step, it will work with affected building owners to boost their flood prevention measures.

This was disclosed at a closed-door meeting on Thursday between PUB and the ORBA at Trader's Hotel, one of the places along Orchard Road that was also affected by the floods last Sunday.

It's understood that about 50 people including representatives from PUB, Singapore Tourism board and affected shopping malls turned up for the meeting.

ORBA has said that it is disappointed with PUB and wants long-term solutions to tackle the flood woes.

PUB described the meeting as "very useful", with many ideas exchanged during the session.

And the proposal for an empty plot of land in the precinct to be used as a green space - with an underground tank to hold excess rainwater - was discussed.

PUB said it would also look into suggestions to place water "holding tanks" in the basement of buildings.

"That's a very good idea, and we actually have been thinking of using retention ponds. So it's an idea that we will take back and study very carefully. Basically, we want to find an optimal solution to improving the flood protection to Orchard Road," said George Madhavan, PUB's director for 3P Network Department.

For now, PUB will lend its expertise to six building owners including Tanglin Mall and St Regis Residences - which were badly affected by last Sunday's floods - to build "crests".

"Crests are actually just road humps that will prevent water from flowing into carparks. So they are not too difficult to construct. It can be done quite quickly," said Mr George Madhavan.

PUB also said it is studying the idea of building a diversion canal from Stamford Canal to ease flood woes along the shopping belt.

The association felt that the meeting was cordial and that PUB was forthcoming in its explanations.

"There are still a lot of questions that cannot be answered because some of them of long-terms issues. We still want to know what is PUB's long-term plan to address the flood problem because it seems like no one can guarantee that the flood will not happen again," said Steven Goh, executive director of Orchard Road Business Association.

- CNA/ir

PUB to study underground tank proposal to curb flooding in Orchard
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid Today Online 10 Jun 11;

SINGAPORE - National water agency PUB said yesterday it will study the Orchard Road Business Association's (ORBA) proposal of an underground tank to prevent floods hitting the shopping belt.

But as an immediate step, it will work with affected building owners to boost their flood prevention measures.

The meeting between PUB and the association yesterday took place at Traders Hotel, which is located in an area near Orchard Road, which was affected by the floods last Sunday.

MediaCorp was not allowed to film the session but it is understood that about 50 people including representatives from the PUB, the Singapore Tourism Board and the affected shopping malls turned up for the meeting.

The ORBA has said that it was disappointed with the PUB and wants long-term solutions to tackle the flooding.

The PUB described the meeting as "very useful" and that many ideas were exchanged during the session.

The agency is studying the idea of building a diversion canal from Stamford Canal to ease flood woes along the shopping belt.

The ORBA's proposal for an empty plot of land in the precinct to be used as a green space - with an underground tank to hold excess rainwater, was also discussed, and the PUB will be looking into suggestions to place water "holding tanks" in the basements of buildings.

Said PUB's director of its 3P Network Department, Mr George Madhavan: "We have been thinking of using retention ponds so it's an idea that we will take back and study very carefully. Basically, we want to find an optimal solution to improving flood protection on Orchard Road."

For now, PUB will lend its expertise to six building owners including Tanglin Mall and St Regis Residences, which were badly hit by Sunday's floods, to build "crests" - road humps that will prevent water from flowing into carparks.

The PUB said a suggestion by the ORBA to build a green space like New York's Bryant Park is also a good idea.

If approved, the space will have an underground water tank that absorbs and stores excess water while doubling up as a venue for outdoor events.

The proposed site is a 20,000 sq m piece of state land behind Ngee Ann City.

The ORBA said that the meeting was cordial and that the PUB was forthcoming in its explanations, but a lot of questions could not be answered, as they concerned long-term issues.

"We still want to know what is PUB's long term plan to address the flood problem because it seems like no one can guarantee that the flood will not happen again," said the ORBA executive director Steven Goh.

The ORBA will continue to pursue its proposals. "Perhaps it is beyond PUB and their issue involves planning, involves land issue and so on and so forth.

"So I think it is a multi-agency effort and as the ORBA we will work with the Singapore Tourism Board as our key partner to address some of our wish list and wants with them," said Mr Goh.

14 spots in flood-prone areas to get safety railings
Daryl Chin and Sia Ling Xin Straits Times 10 Jun 11;

FOURTEEN locations in flood-prone areas have been identified for safety railings to be installed after a 15-year-old Indonesian boy fell into a drain and drowned last week.

National water agency PUB, which reviewed all the drains in flood-prone areas after the incident, said yesterday that 1.6km of railings have since been put up.

The 14 spots include Sixth Avenue, Thomson Road, Commonwealth Lane, Hillview Road, Marsiling Drive and Mandalay Road.

Most residents in these areas whom The Straits Times spoke to lauded the PUB initiative though a few felt more should have been done earlier.

They noted that the railings would be of use outside flood situations too.

Housewife Lee Sin Choo, 44, a Commonwealth Lane resident, said the railings give her a sense of security and are 'definitely a good investment'.

'We are always hearing stories about old folks, kids or drunk teenagers falling into drains and injuring themselves. I believe these railings will help prevent future mishaps, so the money is well spent,' she said.

Similarly, undergraduate Ong Jiaqi, 23, who lives in Hillview Road, said: 'There are many children in the area so I think it is good that we have these railings.

'They will come in useful not only when there is wet weather, but also in other daily situations such as when it is dark at night and one may slip, fall and hurt oneself.'

She added that the railings should have been set up from the beginning 'but I am glad that the Government is at least taking action now'.

Businessman Richard Tan, 54, who lives in Sixth Avenue, is impressed by the speed with which the project was embarked on. 'It is good that the Government took action this time and worked so quickly to get the railings up,' he said.

His wish is for the railings to be put up islandwide as soon as possible, and not just in flood-prone areas, as 'we can never predict when or where the next unfortunate accident may happen'.

DARYL CHIN, SIA LING XIN

Four lauded for flood bravery
Reporter carried woman on his back, three others saved teen from falling into drain
Goh Kai Shi Straits Times 10 Jun 11;

WHEN Lianhe Wanbao journalist Wilson Sim saw an elderly woman looking fearfully at the rapidly moving water in front of her during the thunderstorm on Sunday, he acted on instinct.

He walked over to her and piggybacked her to dry ground.

Yesterday, Mr Sim, 27, received a Public Spiritedness Award from the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for helping others during the Big Flood.

He was reporting on the flood near Coronation Plaza in Bukit Timah around 9am when he saw an elderly couple.

The woman had a bandage on her right leg which she had wrapped in a plastic bag to prevent it from getting wet. Her husband was struggling to support her and hold up an umbrella.

Fearing for their safety, Mr Sim waded over and convinced her to climb onto his back. He carried her for about 20m before setting her down near a bus stop in front of Coronation Plaza.

'I was afraid she would be washed away by the flood waters just as her right slipper had,' said Mr Sim, who has been a reporter for two years. 'I'm definitely heavier than her and less likely to (be washed away).'

Lieutenant-Colonel Ling Kok Yong, commander of the 1st Civil Defence Division, commended him for helping the couple.

The SCDF also recognised three others for courageous or outstanding deeds.

Security guards William Chung, 43, and Lee Kok Hwa, 57, and Mr Tan Chor Seng, 49, a cleaning supervisor, were recognised for saving student Rieyan Tan, 15, on June 1, during another thunderstorm.

The three men were in the lobby of ParkwayHealth Day Surgery and Medical Centre in Balestier Road when they saw Rieyan running barefoot along the drain there.

Moments earlier, Rieyan's friend, Indonesian tourist William Lim, 15, had been swept away after he had walked into a swollen drain at the junction of Minbu Road and Mandalay Road.

Rieyan ran after his friend as he was washed down the drain.

Sensing something amiss, the three men gave chase when they saw Rieyan start to climb into the drain.

'He was yelling for us to help him because his friend had fallen in,' said Mr Chung. 'He seemed to be confused and in shock.'

Mr Tan started removing his shoes and was prepared to jump in, but Mr Chung told him he might be swept away by the rapid currents.

The two men then grabbed hold of Rieyan's arms while Mr Lee ran ahead to look for William.

When the two men realised they could not hold on to Rieyan much longer, they tried to persuade him to give up. He reluctantly agreed and they pulled him to safety.

'It was as if he woke up from shock after he got out of the water and saw how dangerous the situation was,' said Mr Tan. William's body was later found in a waterway near Whampoa Drive.

Lt-Col Ling praised the men for their 'quick thinking and quick response'.

Read more!

Wet weather in Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines

Malaysia: Unusually wet weather early this year
But long-term rainfall range normal: Official
Carolyn Hong Straits Times 10 Jun 11;

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia experienced unusually wet weather in the early part of this year but its rainfall readings over the long term remain within normal range, according to the Meteorological Services Department.

A department official was responding to questions on whether Malaysia's rainfall pattern has changed over the years.

On Sunday, following Singapore's worst floods this year, the country's Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said there was a 'very high probability that our weather patterns have changed'.

The Malaysian official said, however, that data over the past 30 to 40 years does not show any drastic changes.

The official also said that the heavy rain that fell from the end of last year to March this year was due to the La Nina weather phenomenon, duriong which lower sea temperatures in the Pacific induce more clouds to form.

The unusually heavy rain caused floods in Perlis, Terengganu, parts of Kedah and Perak, and in East Malaysia.

Overall, the peninsula received rainfall between 200 per cent and 300 per cent above average, the department said on its website.

It also said the uncertain weather conditions could be due to climate change as well as the La Nina phenomenon.

'Thirty per cent of the principal stations throughout the country have a new record of highest monthly rainfall in March,' it said.

Since the La Nina effect passed at the end of March, however, the weather has become drier, said the meteorological official.

He added that when heavy rain caused flash floods in Singapore on Sunday, southern Johor was also rainy but not unusually so. There were no reports of floods in Johor or elsewhere that day.

Rain continues, delaying start of dry season
Wahyudi Soeriaatmadja Straits Times 10 Jun 11;

JAKARTA: Parts of Indonesia are seeing a delay in the dry season this year due to rain caused by more-than-usual water vapour over surrounding seas, namely the Java Sea in the south and the Indian Ocean in the west, weather forecasters said.

The dry season in Indonesia usually starts between March and July.

But sporadic rain has been pouring into parts of many cities across the archipelago. This weather anomaly may last until the middle of next month, weather forecasters said.

On Sunday, Singapore's Environment and Water Resources Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, speaking after the year's worst floods, said there was a 'very high probability that our weather patterns have changed'.

Mr Erwin Makmur, head of the early warning desk at Indonesia's meteorological service agency, noted a greater volatility in the weather.

But despite the unusual weather pattern in Indonesia, he ruled out calling it climate change.

Jakarta, which should have begun its dry season early last month, is only now transitioning from the rainy season.

'There have been more frequent anomalies,' Mr Erwin told The Straits Times. 'We have had unexpected rain in the middle of the dry season, abundant rain in the middle of the dry season, and the absence of rain for a long stretch of time in the middle of the rainy season.'

Last year was a 'very extreme year', said weather forecasters, with rain falling almost throughout the year and almost across Indonesia, hurting crops.

Prices of chillies in Indonesia more than tripled to more than 100,000 rupiah (S$14.50) a kilogram last year after abundant rain spoiled the harvest.

Rambutan-growing areas in Indonesia had practically zero output as the trees require a few consecutive weeks of warm or dry weather to produce fruit.

'In the past 10 years, temperatures across Indonesia have generally risen by between 1 and 2 deg C,' Mr Erwin said.

The higher temperature means more water vapour, which in turn means more rain, he added.

Heavy flooding kills four after days of incessant rain
Straits Times 10 Jun 11;

MANILA: At least four people drowned after heavy flooding in large areas of the rain-soaked Philippines, the authorities said yesterday, with some of the waters up to chest level.

Days of incessant rain since Monday have shut down schools, and forced a number of domestic flights to be cancelled yesterday.

At least five provinces, 19 municipalities and 135 villages have been affected. More chaos could be on the way, with forecasters predicting that a low pressure area west of the capital could become a storm.

However, the weather disturbance was not likely to develop into a full-blown typhoon and was forecast to blow off towards southern China by today, said Mr Robert Sawi, a senior state weather forecaster.

Overflowing rivers swamped coastal population centres on the major southern island of Mindanao, causing all the known fatalities, rescuers said. Manila was also under threat.

'The water in some parts were chest-deep,' said Mr Nasser Mastura, vice-governor of Maguindanao province, which is among those heavily inundated.

'We have removed thousands to safer grounds,' he said on local television, without giving exact numbers.

The government declared a school holiday in Manila and in some nearby suburbs yesterday, while a number of domestic flights to tiny provincial airports were either delayed or cancelled due to the stormy weather.

La Mesa Dam, Manila's lone tap-water reservoir, was about to overflow, triggering official warnings that nearby residents could be asked to evacuate if the heavy rain continued.

'We are expecting to have continuing heavy rain today until late tomorrow,' said Mr Sawi.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Read more!

Australia: Dugong health hit by floods

Seanna Cronin Fraser Coast Chronicle 10 Jun 11;

HERVEY Bay's dugongs have fared worse than their Moreton Bay counterparts after the summer floods, a Sea World and University of Queensland survey has found.

Researchers from UQ, Sea World and Taronga Zoo spent the past two weeks catching wild dugongs to survey the health of the populations.

It was the first time the team had carried out its revolutionary capture methods in Hervey Bay, which suffered massive losses to its dugongs after the 1991 floods.

“We've been studying dugongs with UQ for many years, probably 10 years, but it was only four years ago we developed the techniques and processes to be able to lift them (dugongs) out on board and do the work,” said Sea World's director of marine sciences, Trevor Long.

“You've got to remember these are big animals and they're very sensitive animals. We've got to be very, very cognisant of their welfare and caring about our approach.”

UQ marine mammal researcher Dr Janet Lanyon said the 1991 floods showed that the Hervey Bay dugongs were more vulnerable than the Moreton Bay population because their feeding grounds were closer to the coastline.

“The seagrass beds in Hervey Bay copped the full brunt of the floods up there in 1991, and the dugong habitat was virtually lost because the seagrass beds were smothered,” she said.

“The beauty of Moreton Bay's feeding area is it's a little removed from the coast – a few kilometres offshore.”

The researchers were pleased to catch several pregnant dugongs, including a whopping 600kg female, in Moreton Bay.

“Catching pregnant females is a really good sign that the population is healthy and that they are reproducing,” Dr Lanyon said.

But as of Wednesday the researchers had not found any pregnant dugongs in Hervey Bay.

“From an observation point of view, we've seen some of the animals here have been in slightly poorer condition than those in Moreton Bay,” Mr Long said.

“We won't know any real details until we get all of the blood work back, but from a physical point of view these animals are certainly thinner.”

Mr Long said the trip would lead to a better understanding of Hervey Bay's less-studied dugongs.

“The good thing is we've got some benchmarking for future assessments,” he said.

“That's the best thing, otherwise you never know where you're at. You don't know whether they're getting better or worse.”

Mr Long said the results of blood toxicology tests, which would take several months, would reveal any impacts on the dugongs from pollutants or heavy metals washed into the bays by the floods.

To see the video of the researchers’ work with dugongs go to http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au.

Dugong facts:

Dugongs are highly migratory and are found in tropical waters from the Qld/NSW border in the east to Shark Bay in WA.

They are also known as “sea cows” because they graze on seagrass.

Dugongs are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Act of 1999.

Kat the “lonely dugong” has been living alone in the remote Cocos Keeling Islands, an Australian territory near Christmas Island, for the past nine years.

Read more!

BBC wildlife survey asks commuters to record sightings

Mark Kinver BBC News 9 Jun 11;

Workers are being encouraged to make a note of the wildlife they encounter during their daily commutes.

Described as the first nationwide survey of its kind, BBC Wildlife Magazine is asking people to send in details of birds and animals they see.

It is also keen to receive details or photographs of people's memorable wildlife encounters.

The magazine plans to publish the results from the survey in a special report later in the year.

"It is not a comprehensive, scientific survey, but hopefully it will cast a light and help illuminate where our wildlife is and how it exists," explained James Fair, the magazine's environment editor.

He added that it was not necessary for people to have a detailed knowledge of birds and animals in order to take part.

"If someone knows that the bird they have seen is a juvenile, male great spotted woodpecker, then that's great as well," he told BBC News.

"But if someone else just sees a woodpecker in a tree next to the pub, that is great too."

"What we really want is to encourage people who do not usually record or talk about their wildlife sightings."

'Urban birder'

People can submit their sightings by using the form in the magazine, or visiting BBC Wildlife's website or emailing the details to the editorial team.

Respondents will be asked to list the species they have seen, in what region of the UK they spotted the creatures, and what mode of transport they were using - e.g. car or train.

"We're particularly keen to hear from people in urban and suburban areas to find out what unexpected wildlife is living in and around our towns and city streets," Mr Fair added.

"Don't worry if you're mostly seeing pigeons, squirrels or other common species though - wherever you go, whatever you spot, we want to hear from you."

Writing in the magazine, self-declared "urban birder" David Lindo encouraged people to look upwards during their trip to work.

"One winter's morning a few years ago, I detoured to see about 150 waxwings feeding on rowan berries," he recalled.

"Masses of commuters marched past on their way to work, totally oblivious to these gorgeous Scandinavian visitors."

Mr Fair said that he planned to publish the results from the survey later in the year.

"We are going to try and tease out things from the information we receive, such as the most common species," he suggested.

He added that he hoped the survey would become an annual fixture to help build up a picture of how the ecological landscape changes over the years.

Read more!

Climate change 'will cut water for farmers': UN

Yahoo News 9 Jun 11;

ROME (AFP) – The UN food agency on Thursday warned climate change will restrict the availability of water for farming in decades to come, including in the Mediterranean region, and urged governments to take action.

A report by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) said climate change will reduce river runoff and aquifer recharges, adding that the loss of glaciers "will eventually impact the amount of surface water available."

The report said that in Asia "large areas of irrigated land that rely on snowmelt and mountain glaciers for water will also be affected."

"Heavily populated river deltas are at risk from a combination of reduced water flows, increased sanity and rising sea levels," it added.

FAO also found that while increased temperatures will lengthen the growing season in northern temperate zones they will reduce it almost everywhere else, leading the yield potential and water productivity of crops to decline.

It said governments should improve the ability of countries to measure their water resources, as well as encourage farmers to change their cropping patterns to allow earlier or later planting and reduce their water use.

"Farm size and access to capital set the limits for the scope and extent of adaptation and change at farm level," the report said.

Climate change: major impacts on water for farming
New FAO survey sums up current scientific understanding of impacts, highlights knowledge gaps and areas for attention
FAO 9 Jun 11;

9 June 2011, Rome - Climate change will have major impacts on the availability of water for growing food and on crop productivity in the decades to come, warns a new FAO report.

Climate Change, Water, and Food Security is a comprehensive survey of existing scientific knowledge on the anticipated consequences of climate change for water use in agriculture.

These include reductions in river runoff and aquifer recharges in the Mediterranean and the semi-arid areas of the Americas, Australia and southern Africa -- regions that are already water-stressed. In Asia, large areas of irrigated land that rely on snowmelt and mountain glaciers for water will also be affected, while heavily populated river deltas are at risk from a combination of reduced water flows, increased salinity, and rising sea levels.

Additional impacts described in the report:

An acceleration of the world's hydrological cycle is anticipated as rising temperatures increase the rate of evaporation from land and sea. Rainfall will increase in the tropics and higher latitudes, but decrease in already dry semi-arid to mid-arid latitudes and in the interior of large continents. A greater frequency in droughts and floods will need to be planned for but already, water scarce areas of the world are expected to become drier and hotter.

Even though estimates of groundwater recharge under climate change cannot be made with any certainty, the increasing frequency of drought can be expected to encourage further development of available groundwater to buffer the production risk for farmers.

And the loss of glaciers - which support around 40 percent of the world's irrigation -- will eventually impact the amount of surface water available for agriculture in key producing basins

Increased temperatures will lengthen the growing season in northern temperate zones but will reduce the length almost everywhere else. Coupled with increased rates of evapotranspiration this will cause the yield potential and water productivity of crops to decline.

"Both the livelihoods of rural communities as well as the food security of city populations are at risk," said FAO Assistant Director General for Natural Resources, Alexander Mueller. "But the rural poor, who are the most vulnerable, are likely to be disproportionately affected."

Responding to the challenge

FAO's report also looks at actions that can be taken by national policymakers, regional and local watershed authorities, and individual farmers to respond to these new challenges.

One key area requiring attention is improving the ability of countries to implement effective systems for ‘water accounting' - the thorough measurement of water supplies, transfers, and transactions in order to inform decisions about how water resources can be managed and used under increasing variability.

"Water accounting in most developing countries is very limited, and allocation procedures are non existent, ad hoc, or poorly developed," the report says. "Helping developing countries acquire good water accounting practices and developing robust and flexible water allocations systems will be a first priority."

At the farm level, growers can change their cropping patterns to allow earlier or later planting, reducing their water use and optimizing irrigation. Yields and productivity can be improved by shifting to soil moisture conservation practices, including zero- and minimum tillage. Planting deep-rooted crops would allow farmers to better exploit available soil moisture.

Mixed agroforestry systems also hold promise. These systems both sequester carbon and also offer additional benefits such as shade that reduces ground temperatures and evaporation, added wind protection, and improved soil conservation and water retention.

However, FAO's report also stresses that small-scale producers in developing countries will face an uphill struggle in adopting such strategies.

"Farm size and access to capital set the limits for the scope and extent of adaptation and change at farm level," it warns, noting that already today many developing world farms produce yields far below their agro-climatic potential.

Zooming in on hotspots

FAO also warns that far too little is known about how climate change impacts on water for agriculture will play out at the regional and sub-regional level, and where farmers will be most at risk.

"Greater precision and focus is needed to understand the nature, scope and location of climate change impacts on developing country water resources for agriculture," the report says, adding: "Mapping vulnerability is a key task at national and regional levels."

Read more!

Canada Confirms It Will Reject New Kyoto Protocol

Gerard Wynn PlanetArk 9 Jun 11;

Canada confirmed on Wednesday that it would not support an extended Kyoto Protocol after 2012, joining Japan and Russia in rejecting a new round of the climate emissions pact.

The current Kyoto Protocol binds only the emissions of industrialized countries from 2008-2012. Poor and emerging economies want to extend the pact, creating a deadlock at U.N. climate talks running from June 6 to 17 in Bonn, Germany.

The confirmation makes it clear Canada is following the line its ruling party pursued ahead of last month's election.

"Now that we've finished our election we can say now that Canada will not be taking a target under a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol," Judith Gelbman, a member of Canada's delegation, told a negotiating session of the talks.

Canada has also previously said it could not achieve the binding emissions cuts it has committed to under the first round of Kyoto up to 2012, infuriating environmentalists and developing countries.

The U.N.'s top climate official, Christiana Figueres, said on Monday that the talks would now miss a deadline to launch a binding successor to Kyoto at the end of next year, because even if countries agreed a deal, they subsequently would have to be approve it in national parliaments in a lengthy ratification process.

The talks in Bonn were all but deadlocked on Wednesday on what items to include in the agenda of the meeting, and also over the long-running spat over whether or not to extend Kyoto.

Global carbon emissions last year rose at their fastest rate in more than four decades, up nearly 6 percent at about double the annual rate of increase over the past decade, data released by oil company BP showed.

(Editing by Jonathan Lynn)

Read more!

Best of our wild blogs: 9 Jun 11

21 Jun (Tue): "The Sea Anemone Lecture" by Dr Daphne Fautin
from wild shores of singapore

Fantasies of Phyllodiscus: A surreal sea anemone
from wild shores of singapore

driftnet fishing @ terumbu semakau 05June2011
from sgbeachbum and anemone shrimp @ terumbu semakau 05June2011

Dairy Farm Park To The Summit On 28 May
from Beauty of Fauna and Flora in Nature

Luxury (new) site Sungei Buloh WR C8 mangrove
from News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

Making a difference for the Malayan Sun Bear
from Bornean Sun Bear Conservation

Read more!

Resorts World Sentosa as dolphin sanctuary?

It should develop itself as the region's hub for dolphin research and rescue
Letter from Toh Tai Chong Today Online 9 Jun 11;

I REFER to the recent comments by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) and applaud the group for highlighting the issues of procuring and training dolphins for public exhibition.

The underlying concern, however: Can we ever justify capturing animals for public education? Is prohibiting all wildlife import the solution to conservation?

Following the death of the dolphins, concerns were raised by activists regarding the condition of the dolphins, such as issues of enclosure space, diet and disease control.

While Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) has repeatedly assured the public that regulations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) were adhered to, videos released by activists argued otherwise.

RWS should reveal detailed information about how the animals are being taken care of and demonstrate that it has upheld the required quality of care. It should also perform regular inspections at dolphin holding and training sites, with qualified veterinarians and marine biologists.

Research on dolphins is lacking, especially in this region. In Singapore, most of the dolphin research over the years was performed in captivity, using the facilities at Underwater World Singapore. There is potential for RWS to develop itself as a regional centre to address the long-standing need for a central establishment in South-east Asia committed to dolphin research.

This can be achieved by tapping its existing Marine Life Fund, as well as active collaboration with international institutes, such as the Wildlife Conservation Society, to address population studies for instance and accelerate the development of successful breeding programmes to alleviate the reliance on captive dolphins for public display.

In Asia, dolphins face a variety of threats such as habitat destruction, overfishing and accidental death from being trapped in drifting gill-nets. However, there is a lack of wildlife rescue centres and many injured animals are left stranded.

With RWS' funding capacity and existing expertise, there is potential to develop a marine wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre for the injured animals.

The debate on wildlife trade for public display and education is not new. As with most conservation policies, there must be a balance between ensuring the safety and well-being of the animals and fulfilling the needs of the stakeholders. RWS could play a role beyond public education, as a key player in research and wildlife rescue.

Polemical views are often counter-productive in achieving conservation aims. There has to be mutual understanding on both sides to ensure concerns are addressed.

Read more!

A Central Park for Singapore as a solution to floods?

Ong Dai Lin Today Online 9 Jun 11;

SINGAPORE - New York has Central Park. Now, the Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA) is eyeing a local version for Singapore's shopping belt as a long-term solution to the floods in the district.

This is one of the suggestions ORBA will be presenting today to national water agency PUB: A green space that not only serves as a venue for outdoor events but, more importantly, absorbs and stores excess storm water in an underground water tank.

ORBA has identified a possible location, its executive director Steven Goh told MediaCorp, without giving anything away ahead of its meeting with PUB and parties affected by Sunday's floods.

Mr Goh said a green space in the area could be designed into a park for community events, while an underground water storage tank could be built beneath it to provide water to the plants or be channelled to the Botanic Gardens.

ORBA hopes to convince the authorities that this would serve to add vibrancy to Orchard Road as well as combat floods during heavy storms.

Another suggestion ORBA will put forward is for PUB to conduct regular drills on its flood alert system. "This can test how effective the system is, rather than realising the system doesn't work when the flood occurs," said Mr Goh.

PUB had set up an SMS alert system that is triggered when sensors detect high water levels. But a software glitch meant that the flood alerts were not sent to some Orchard Road establishments. These suffered the most from Sunday's floods.

As for today's meeting with PUB, Mr Goh said: "Our top-of-mind agenda is to lessen the impact of possible re-occurrence of floods in the coming weeks, since the authorities have said that further storms can be expected. Secondly, we'd like to have the authorities' assurance that Orchard Road, as Singapore's pride and premium shopping street, doesn't flood again."

Railings installed along drains
Ong Dai Lin

In the wake of one of Singapore's worst floods, national water agency PUB has installed some 700m of railings at six locations, including Sixth Avenue, Clementi Rd, Marsiling Drive and Commonwealth Lane.

PUB said the railings improve safety by visually demarcating the drains from the footpath, especially in the event of floods when water levels may rise above that of the drains.

The agency said it has inspected drains at more than 70 locations so far, and found that some 30 of them may have safety issues.

Checks and installation work are in progress and PUB is also considering installing CCTV cameras and water-level sensors to monitor the drains. Seet Sok Hwee

ORBA to propose long-term solutions for floods
Evelyn Choo Channel NewsAsia 8 Jun 11;

SINGAPORE: The Orchard Road Business Association wants long-term solutions to the problem of flooding in the shopping belt and is meeting national water agency PUB on Thursday with a few concrete proposals.

One idea is to introduce regular flood-prevention drills.

The association also wants to know if an empty plot of land in the precinct can be used as a green space. This can also double up as a holding area for excess flood water.

Steven Goh, Executive Director of the Orchard Road Business Association, said: "Hopefully, we can convince the government to turn that into a green park, just like Bryant Park in New York.

"Besides serving as a park, perhaps we can build an underground holding tank to hold the excess storm water, at the same time we can use the water for recycling purposes."

Meanwhile, it is business as usual in Tanglin Mall. However, the management staff have been working around the clock, desperate to come up with an immediate recovery plan. The cost of damage incurred is not yet known, but one thing is for sure - the shopping mall will not be able to weather another flood anytime soon.

-CNA/ac

PUB installs railings across Singapore
Seet Sok Hwee Channel NewsAsia 8 Jun 11;

SINGAPORE: In the wake of one of Singapore's worst floods, national water agency PUB has installed some 700 metres of railings at six locations across the island.

They include Sixth Avenue, Clementi Road, Marsiling Drive and Commonwealth Lane.

The new railings visually demarcate the drains from the footpath.

PUB told Channel NewsAsia it has inspected drains at more than 70 locations so far, and found some 30 of them may have safety issues.

Checks and installation work is ongoing.

PUB catchment and waterways department executive engineer James Koh said they are considering installing CCTV cameras and water-level sensors to monitor the drains.

The agency added that the widening of Bukit Timah Canal will be fully completed by the end of next year.

PUB best sourcing department deputy director Lim See Gan said: "The canal capacity will increase by 70 to 100 per cent.

"That will certainly help to alleviate the flooding situation here.

"We have started work here beginning of this year.

"(For) the first stage of the work, we needed to carry out traffic diversion, to give us space to drive in the sheet pile that is necessary to hold the earth.

"Once the sheet pile on both sides of the canal are riven in, we then can carry out excavation work".

-CNA/wk

Read more!

Green Faith

A growing number of religious groups have renewed their efforts to take care of the environment, spurred by the escalating 'green' movement and the ancient teachings of their own faiths. Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Baha'is and Jains are among the religious groups that are cleaning up beaches and outfitting their places of worship with energy-saving measures, all in the name of religion.
Jennani Durai Straits Times 9 Jun 11;

IN THE past year, the nuns of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary have hosted visitors from various Catholic parishes at their home in Holland Road.

On these 'Eco Evenings', the sisters take their guests on guided nature walks in their garden, teach them how to put enzymes to work as a natural detergent and talk about the work of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology.

At the end of each session, participants discuss the problems facing the environment and are challenged to make changes to their lifestyles to protect it.

On World Environment Day on Sunday, the Catholic Archdiocese here urged all its parishes to take steps to reduce their collective carbon footprint.

Spurred by the worldwide green movement, Catholics are among several religious groups stepping up their commitment to environmental causes and also relooking what their own ancient teachings say about this.

Increasingly, religious groups have been among those leading the charge for change, cleaning up beaches, installing eco-friendly features in their places of worship and rallying their international counterparts into discussions on what they can do to impede the degradation of the environment.

They are also taking part in larger movements: They were, for example, among the more enthusiastic supporters of Earth Hour, a movement to turn off all lights for an hour on a Saturday in March.

The 10 religious groups in the Inter-Religious Organisation came forward in March to mount a joint exhibition on World Water Day, to showcase the significance of water in their faiths and explain why it is important to conserve it.

Their reason for intertwining God and the environment may differ.

The Catholics, for example, believe caring for the environment is intrinsically linked to caring for the poor, given that people in poverty are often the biggest victims of the impact of global climate change.

The Jains link care for the environment with their religion's teaching of non-violence, while those of the Baha'i faith believe that man, as the highest life form, has a duty to protect the environ-ment.

Why now?

DR MATHEW Mathews, a research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, said faith groups have been influenced by trends in the broader society.

'Care for the earth, highlighted by environmental groups for some time now, resonates with the teachings and principles in many world religions. It thus makes sense for these groups to champion the environment.'

Others believe the trend may be a result of religious leaders responding to anxiety among their flocks over environmental disasters.

Mr Russi Ghadiali from the Parsi Zoroastrian Association said: 'Things are getting worse, and it's always the case that when things are not good, people turn to religion.'

If religious groups are acting to protect the environment, they are also doing so because they take the cue from their international counterparts.

Pope Benedict XVI, for example, called environmental degradation a 'pressing moral problem' in late 2009 and called on Catholics worldwide to take care of the environment.

The going is at times rocky

THE pill that combines religion and environmentalism is not always easy to swallow, say religious leaders.

Mr Ghadiali said: 'It's not easy to convince people to change their lifestyles. People generally won't think about changing until they face problems themselves.'

Some groups are getting their adherents warmed up to the idea of taking care of the environment by using holy days and festivals as occasions to raise environmental awareness and bring the 'green' message back to their scriptures.

For instance, the Jains marked this year's festival of Mahavir Jayanti, which celebrates the birth of the founder of Jainism Lord Mahavir, by cleaning up the East Coast Park beach.

Muslim leaders have made changes to their mosques, so their followers will do the same at home. During Ramadan last year, mosques here pledged to cut their utilities bill by 5 per cent this year, and to plant at least 20 plants in their respective compounds.

But some groups have found the pro-green message in outright contradiction to some of their religious practices.

Taoist leaders, for example, have been struggling with the burning of paper offerings; Taoists here believe the practice absolves them and their departed loved ones of their sins.

Younger leaders like Master Chung Kwang Tong of the Taoist Federation have urged devotees to cut back on it.

He said: 'We tell them it's the sincerity that counts, not 'the more the merrier'. Taoism stresses the balance between man and nature. We take from the environment, so we shouldn't pollute it. It's us who suffer in the end.'

The Buddhists have their differences over the practice of releasing animals into the wild for good karma, a rite typically carried out on Vesak Day.

Some temples have encouraged the practice of buying birds or terrapins from pet shops and setting them free, but the Buddhist Fellowship, a non-sectarian organisation has been working with the National Parks Board to publicise the harm this does to the ecosystem.

Mr Henry Baey, who heads the Buddhist Fellowship, said: 'We tell people it's not necessarily a kind act. The animals often do not survive, and those that do will upset the existing ecosystem and may harm the native wildlife.'

Dr Mathews believes such intra-religious conflicts can be resolved if religious leaders explain practices most central to the faith.

He said: 'Religious groups have substantial influence over their adherents. When religious leaders proclaim issues as being important considerations for their faithful, adherents are more likely to follow these.'

Dr Mathews sees the trend of mixing God and the environment positively, in that religions add heft to the green cause: 'When religious groups get into the foray, they're really a sizeable group and can do considerably more for the cause.'

Read more!

'Laughing' insects among new Philippine species

Mynardo Macaraig Yahoo News 8 Jun 11;

MANILA (AFP) – Laughing cicadas and small "cat sharks" are among scores of species believed new to science discovered by US and Filipino researchers in waters and islands of the Philippines, the team said Wednesday.

The finds showcased the vast biodiversity of the Southeast Asian archipelago that is now under severe threat, said the experts from the California Academy of Sciences and local institutions.

The team found a rich harvest of starfish, sea urchins, eels and barnacles, many of which had not been previously documented by scientists, said Richard Mooi, one of the California marine scientists.

"We found at least 75 new species, perhaps more. A lot more analysis is needed," he told a forum to announce the discoveries.

"Unquestionably, we found 20 new species of starfish and sea urchins alone," Mooi added.

Fellow academy scientist John McCosker said they discovered several small "cat sharks" with brown backs and having dark stripes and white bellies, colours which he had never seen on any other shark before.

Picked up by a trawler net 2,000 metres (6,600 feet) below the waves, the sharks are about 60 centimetres (two feet) long and feed on shrimp, said McCosker, head of the aquatic biology department.

Detailing other finds, California Academy dean Terry Gosliner said: "We found one new species of eel, possibly a new species of pipe fish, new species of barnacles, new species of nudibranch (shell-less) mollusks."

Among the other unusual discoveries, Filipino entomologist Ireneo Lit said his team believed they had found several new species, including a cicada that made a sound like high-pitched laughter.

"The local residents were afraid of them. They thought the laughter was from dwarves, laughing dwarves," he told AFP of the insect found on 2,158-metre Mount Banahaw, a volcano on the main island of Luzon.

Lit, director of a national history museum at the University of the Philippines, said he would contact a colleague in France's Paris Museum of Natural History to confirm if it was a new species.

The expedition had trawled the depths of the waters off Batangas province and Taal Lake south of Manila.

It also took samples of fauna from Banahaw and other mountains on Luzon, where the scientists found three possible new species of spiders, said American spider expert Charles Griswold.

It would take several months of laboratory work to confirm if the finds were all truly new species but the large number of experts involved could easily tell if they had really found something new, Mooi said.

Edgardo Gomez, a professor of the University of the Philippines' Marine Science Institute, said some of the marine finds would have been under threat of extinction.

"Philippine marine biodiversity is under siege," Gomez told the forum.

He cited damage caused both by pollution and overfishing and climate change.

Theresa Mundita Lim, head of the environment ministry's Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, warned some species could become extinct before they are even documented.

"The research on biodiversity is not at pace with the threats. The threats are more numerous," she added.

More Than 300 New Species Discovered in the Philippines
ScienceDaily 24 Jun 11;

This spring, scientists from the California Academy of Sciences braved leeches, lionfish, whip-scorpions and a wide variety of other biting and stinging creatures to lead the most comprehensive scientific survey effort ever conducted in the Philippines, documenting both terrestrial and marine life forms from the tops of the highest mountains to the depths of the sea. They were joined on this unprecedented, multi-disciplinary undertaking by more than two dozen colleagues from the Philippines, as well as by a team of Academy educators who worked to share the expedition's findings with local community and conservation groups.

Over the course of the expedition, which was funded by a generous gift from Margaret and Will Hearst, the scientists discovered more than 300 species that are likely new to science, including dozens of new insects and spiders, deep-sea armored corals, ornate sea pens, bizarre new sea urchins and sea stars, a shrimp-eating swell shark, and over 50 colorful new sea slugs. These discoveries will be confirmed and described over the coming months, as the scientists use both microscopes and DNA sequencing to analyze their specimens.

"The Philippines is one of the hottest of the hotspots for diverse and threatened life on Earth," says Dr. Terrence Gosliner, Dean of Science and Research Collections at the California Academy of Sciences and leader of the 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition. "Despite this designation, however, the biodiversity here is still relatively unknown, and we found new species during nearly every dive and hike as we surveyed the country's reefs, rainforests, and the ocean floor. The species lists and distribution maps that we created during this expedition will help to inform future conservation decisions and ensure that this remarkable biodiversity is afforded the best possible chance of survival."

Despite intensive efforts to document life on Earth, scientists estimate that more than 90 percent of the species on this planet have yet to be discovered. In the face of large-scale habitat loss and degradation, many of these species are disappearing before we even know they exist. As they join the ranks of the extinct, we are not only losing members of our family tree -- we are also losing potential medical treatments, agricultural pollinators, oxygen producers, soil servicers, and many other critical components of healthy, functioning ecosystems. In order to make smart decisions about how to conserve what is left of our planet's biodiversity, we must make a concerted effort to rapidly increase our knowledge about these life forms and their distribution. This was the motivation behind the Academy's 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition, which aimed to dramatically improve our understanding of one of the most species-rich places on Earth.

During their 42-day expedition to survey Luzon Island -- the largest island in the Philippine archipelago -- and its surrounding waters, the international team of scientists created species lists and distribution maps for a wide variety of species, including plants, insects, spiders, reptiles, amphibians, fish, corals, barnacles, sea urchins and many other marine invertebrates. Along the way, they encountered more than 300 species that appear to be new to science, including such notable finds as a cicada that makes a distinctive "laughing" call, a deep-sea swell shark that inflates its stomach with water to bulk up and scare off other predators, a starfish that exclusively eats sunken driftwood, three new lobster relatives that squeeze into crevices instead of carrying shells on their backs, a crab whose pincers are lined with needle-like teeth, and a worm-like pipefish that hides among colonies of soft coral.

Many of the new species avoided previous detection because of their diminutive size, such as goblin spiders, sea slugs, and barnacles that all measure just a few millimeters in length. Others simply exist in places that are rarely, if ever, visited by humans, such as a snake eel from the bottom of the ocean and a primitive plant called a spikemoss from the dangerously steep upper slopes of Mt. Isarog. All of the new species add weight to the idea that the Philippines is a critically important haven for biodiversity, and that its waters likely house more species than any other marine environment on Earth.

Unlike the traditional expedition model, in which results are often not published or shared until months or years after the field work has concluded, the participants in the Academy's 2011 Philippine Biodiversity Expedition began the process of communicating about their results while they were still in the Philippines. With the help of a team of Academy educators, they conducted outreach sessions in each of the communities closest to the expedition's survey sites, sharing their preliminary findings with local teachers, politicians, and conservation workers. At the end of the expedition on June 8, they held a full-day symposium at the University of the Philippines to share these results more widely and discuss initial conservation recommendations.

Since then, the scientists have integrated their data and provided a formal recommendation to key partners such as Conservation International, the Philippines Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, the Philippines Department of the Environment and Natural Resources, and the Bureau of Fishers and Aquatic Resources outlining the most important locations for establishing or expanding marine protected areas, as well as suggested areas for reforestation to reduce sedimentation damage to the reefs. They also identified reduction of plastic waste as a conservation priority, since plastic litter was pervasive throughout the marine environment, even on the ocean floor at depths of over 6,000 feet. Additionally, the team's terrestrial surveys and species lists will help UNESCO and other conservation organizations make a compelling case for funding to enforce the existing protected areas on land, many of which are currently only "paper parks" with no means of preventing deforestation, hunting and other technically prohibited activities.

Over the next few months, the expedition scientists will be hard at work analyzing the specimens they collected during their field work -- and undoubtedly discovering more new species along the way. In the meantime, they will present their preliminary results to the San Francisco public for the first time on June 30, during the Academy's weekly NightLife event.

Read more!

Cambodian monks help protect rare turtles

(AFP) Google News 8 Jun 11;

KRATIE, Cambodia — Cambodian monks and environmentalists launched a new conservation project on Wednesday to help save one of the world's rarest and largest freshwater turtles from extinction.

A centre for the endangered Cantor's giant soft-shell turtle has been set up on the grounds of a temple near the central town of Kratie on the Mekong river, with support from wildlife group Conservation International.

"The turtle faces serious threats in its natural habitat," said Conservation International's Sun Yoeung, explaining that the centre would look after baby turtles.

"We hope they will have a better chance at survival when they are bigger and can protect themselves," he said.

The turtle, capable of growing up to 50 kg (110 pounds), was thought to be nearly extinct until it was rediscovered on an isolated stretch of the river in 2007.

At the opening ceremony for the centre, an orange-clad monk blessed a female Cantor's turtle weighing 18 kg (40 pounds) and released her into a large pond inside the temple complex, a popular tourist attraction in the area.

Staff at the facility hope to find her a mate soon to kick-start a breeding programme.

The centre is also home to nearly 100 baby turtles who were moved from their nests for their own protection.

"In one or two years we will release them back into the river," Sun Yoeung told AFP. "Now they are too small and they can be eaten by birds or fish."

The Cantor's turtle is also under threat from hunters and from the destruction of its habitat.

The animal spends 95 percent of its life hidden in sand or mud and is listed as endangered under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, the same status given to tigers and pandas.

It was discovered in an area closed off to scientists until the late 1990s because of decades of civil conflict in the country.

It is not known exactly how many of the creatures are left but since 2007, CI has protected 51 nests on the Mekong river and watched more than 1,000 turtles hatch successfully.

Center opens to protect rare turtle in Cambodia
Yahoo News 8 Jun 11;

SAMBOUR, Cambodia – An extremely rare soft-shell turtle species has a new, protected home in Cambodia.

The critically endangered Cantor's giant soft-shell turtle is one of the rarest freshwater turtles in the world. Scientists last saw one in the Cambodian wild in 2003, and small numbers have been seen in neighboring Laos, while it appears to have disappeared from Vietnam and Thailand.

U.S.-based Conservation International said it opened the Mekong Turtle Conservation Center on Wednesday in Kratie province, 100 miles (160 kilometers) northeast of Phnom Penh.

A 40-pound (18-kilogram) female turtle and six babies were released into the conservation pond at a Buddhist pagoda on the Mekong River at the center's launch. The ceremony was attended by six Buddhist monks — who blessed the female turtle by painting scared markings on her body — and more than 100 villagers.

"Our goal is to conserve Cantor's turtle populations in their natural habitat, the Mekong River, through the Mekong Turtle Conservation Center and the community-led nest protection scheme," Conservation International said in a statement.

Local fishermen currently collect both eggs and adult turtles for their own consumption and sale to restaurants, Conservation International said. Soft-shelled turtles are considered a delicacy in many Asian diets, and rarity only adds to their value on menus or as traditional medicines.

The species can grow up to 6 feet (2 meters) in length and weigh more than 110 pounds (50 kilograms).

Conservation International said planned dams and dredging schemes on the river pose another serious threat to the species.

Read more!