Saving the Mangroves Front in Southeast Asia

Marwaan Macan-Markar IPS News 15 Jun 12;

ANG PULO, Philippines, Jun 15 2012 (IPS) - On a humid islet covered with mangroves, Lucena Duman and her neighbours have found a route out of poverty. They work as conservationists and tour guides in this isolated corner of the Philippines.

After feeding her goats, which were once her only source of income, the 46-year-old Duman dons a wide-brimmed sun hat, slips into a yellow guides T-shirt and heads out on her bamboo raft. She is going from her village of small-scale fishers and farmers to Ang Pulo island in the South China Sea.

Her work on the 7.5 hectare islet has brought a new appreciation of mangroves. “All I knew of mangroves before was that they were a source of firewood and food – snails,” she admitted during a break from guiding visitors to plant mangrove seedlings. “But after being trained, we realise it is a richer place for us if we protect mangroves.”

The sea change since late 2009 is not limited to the Philippines. Similar accounts are heard across Southeast Asia as regional and international organisations promoting biodiversity encourage local communities to become foot soldiers to defend what is left of some 63,000 sq km of mangrove forests.

“This is a phenomenon spreading across the forestry eco-system in Southeast Asia and the rest of the continent,” says Simmathiri Appanah, forestry officer at the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation’s Asia and Pacific office in Bangkok. “Communities living close to forests are being drawn to manage and preserve them, and what is happening with mangroves reflects this.”

The new formula offers communities an economic incentive to protect mangroves and, at times, the special rights as co-owners of mangroves. “It is better than policies that prevailed before, where government agencies played a dominant role in managing mangroves, ignoring the people who lived nearby,” Appanah tells IPS.

All ten countries that belong to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional bloc, have programmes to protect these salt-tolerant trees and shrubs with their thick roots. Local communities, school children and even the private sector have been drawn to this effort.

In Indonesia, the largest country in the region and home to 62 percent of mangrove cover in ASEAN, college students rallying under the banner Green Community are involved in managing the coastal ecosystems near their schools, according to the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), an intergovernmental body promoting conservation in the regional bloc. “They plant mangroves with a number of partners.”

In Malaysia, a mangrove conservation project supported by a private bank has “resulted in an alternative source of income for the communities through the establishment of mangrove nurseries,” adds the ACB. In neighbouring Singapore “children (are being taught) how to appreciate its mangrove ecosystem.”

“The territory occupied by the Philippines and the rest of the ASEAN member states houses a third of the world’s mangroves, coral reefs and seagrass areas,” says Rodrigo Fuentes, executive director of ACB, based in the Philippines city Los Banos. “These ecosystems support the highest concentration of coastal and marine fauna and flora in the planet.”

Consequently, the economic value of mangroves needs to be seen in a different light as offering a “stream of ecosystem services” that matter to the fishing and tourism sectors, he explains in an interview. “This paradigm shift is happening now, putting a full value to mangroves to benefit an estimated 600 million people in the ASEAN region who depend on these resources for food and income.”

But there are other benefits, too. Mangroves serve as an important buffer for coastal communities hit by storms that churn up tidal surges, and as a frontline defence of expected sea level rises due to global warming.

Research in Malaysia offers another feature about mangroves helping the planet combat climate change – a high capacity for sequestering carbon. “They represent a potentially vast carbon sink, absorbing and storing excess carbon from the atmosphere,” states Dicky Simorangkir, international advisor to a biodiversity project run by the German international development agency (GIZ). “They are able to sequester some 1.5 tonnes of carbon per hectare per year.”

Yet, such growing appreciation for mangroves is not universal, Simorangkir admits. He points to the steady loss of mangroves for firewood, to produce charcoal, and wood chips and timber for sale. Mangroves are also felled in large swathes to make way for shrimp farms. “About 150,000 hectares of mangroves are lost a year around the globe.”

And so the Ang Pulo mangrove conservation park matters in Southeast Asia, which has seen its coastlines lose some 600 sq km of mangroves annually for the last 20 years. “Only one percent of mangroves are protected globally, like the Ang Pulo reserve,” says Simorangkir.

For Duman, it means guiding those who visit the islet, from university students to Filipinos driving from Manila for a weekend holiday, to discover the signs of a mangrove on the mend after trunks were slashed years ago. “There are more crabs and shrimp and over 20 different types of birds now,” she says. “These mangroves are our future.”

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New frog species found in central Vietnam

thanhniennews 14 Jun 12;

Australian and Vietnamese scientists have discovered another species of frog in central Vietnam, the Sai Gon Tiep Thi newspaper reports.

The Firth's Asian Leaf Litter Toad (Leptolalax firthi) was discovered and described by Australian Museum biologist Dr Jodi Rowley and her colleagues from the University of Science-Ho Chi Minh City, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources and Vinh University.

The finding was published last month in Zootaxa, the world’s leading magazine for taxonomy, based in New Zealand.

The strange-looking toads were found in the forests of Quang Nam and Kon Tum provinces, according to the scientists.

Southeast Asia has been described as one of the world's biodiversity hotspots for amphibians. The website ecologyasia.com says it is a region "where a remarkable evolutionary explosion has resulted in incredible diversity of form, color and lifestyle." Over 700 species of amphibians can be found in the region.

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Mozambique: Full force of the law needed to save stricken dugongs

IUCN 23 May 12;

Law enforcement is key to saving one of the world’s most threatened marine mammals - the Dugong (Dugong dugon) - and a project funded by SOS - Save Our Species is on the case in Mozambique.

The Dugong is classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species - its population has declined by 30% in the last six decades. Applying the correct penalties for illegal fishing is crucial for reducing the entanglement of dugongs in gill nets - one of the major threats to this shy species.

East Africa’s last viable dugong population is represented by an estimated 200 individuals found in Mozambique’s Bazaruto Archipelago National Park. This population is geographically isolated and remains under threat from entanglement in gill nets and habitat destruction.

Recently, during several patrols, law enforcement officers in the National Park were able to remove two unattended gill nets and confiscate reef fishing gear from a crew operating in a specially protected zone.

“Bazaruto’s Dugongs could vanish in as little as 40 years unless the most significant threats to this population are mitigated,” says Karen Allen, Dugong project leader. “Through effective partnerships, and applying both a top-down and bottom-up conservation approach, Bazaruto’s Dugongs have a chance of survival.”

Throughout Mozambique, dugong numbers have been reduced by incidental takes (bycatch) in small-scale gill net fisheries, as well as by deliberate hunting. Local extinctions have occurred where populations were previously robust.

With the support of SOS, South Africa’s Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), an IUCN Member, is able to develop a revised law enforcement strategy and establish systems that will enhance conservation of the National Park.

SOS support has enabled the purchase of critical law enforcement equipment which will help the project raise further funds for aerial surveillance and monitoring. This will allow regular observation of the National Park and areas of special protection. The surveillance flights will double as additional law enforcement support and also collect current dugong sightings and distribution data.

It is hoped the long term success of the project will be ensured by transferring conservation management skills to the National Park’s law enforcement officers.

For more information please check out the SOS-funded Dugong project.

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Bureaucratic Bungling Finished Rhino Species: Book

Ed Stoddard PlanetArk 15 Jun 12;

There was a narrow window of opportunity to save Africa's northern white rhinos from extinction but bureaucratic ineptitude slammed it shut and the species has now almost certainly vanished from the wild.

The last-ditch effort to save the animal in its final Congolese refuge is detailed in a new book, "The Last Rhinos," by South African conservationist Lawrence Anthony, who died of a heart attack in early March just weeks before it was published.

Anthony, who famously rescued the animals of the Baghdad zoo in the aftermath of the 2003 U.S.-led invasion, even travelled into the bush to meet leaders of the infamous Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) to get their promise to protect the rhinos.

With elephant and rhino poaching surging across Africa, Anthony's failed bid to save the northern whites - a sub-species of the horned pachyderm - is a poignant reminder how high the stakes are in the region's brutal wildlife wars.

The last known population of the animals was holed up in Garamba National Park in the northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) - a remote, wild region teeming with armed groups.

The late Douglas Adams, better known for "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" science fiction comedies, visited the reserve two decades ago for a book on vanishing wildlife he wrote entitled "Last Chance to See."

The country was then called Zaire and Adams wrote that the park was "scantily visited" because of the "insane bureaucratic nightmares that assail any visitor."

Anthony could certainly relate. If any man could save the last of the northern white rhinos, it was him. But Congolese government inanities smothered his plans.

Anthony managed to secure the experts needed, the funding and the equipment which would have included helicopters to dart the critters and marksmen to do the job.

The DRC's ambassador to South Africa was behind the project and time was running out as the end of the wet season would make the animals accessible to determined poachers.

The year was 2006 and surveys suggested there were fewer than 15 of the animals left in the wild, with a few in captivity in a Czech zoo - too small a gene pool to do much good.

The Environment Minister in DRC also backed the project but bizarrely, Anthony wrote that he met resistance from ICCN, the Congolese government agency responsible for conservation.

Garamba was effectively run by a non-profit foundation called African Parks and it also finally came on board.

"We immediately contacted the ICCN and informed them of African Parks' decision. A few days later we received a response saying that they agreed to the rescue provided African Parks agreed," Anthony wrote.

"But they have agreed, we replied. And with that the ridiculous merry-go-round started again and we were unable to make any more progress."

SHAKE HANDS WITH THE DEVIL

Anthony tried other routes, audaciously making contact with the feared Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), as its gunmen and troops were based in and around the park.

From what is today South Sudan, he travelled to a jungle lair in DRC to meet the LRA's Vincent Otti, who was the number two to the group's leader, Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony, wanted by the International Criminal Court for atrocities including the kidnapping of children for use as soldiers and sex slaves.

Anthony claims he got, among other things, the LRA pledge to protect the rhinos, a sacred totem animal for some of the Acholi people of northern Uganda.

But things subsequently came apart. Otti was executed in the bush and subsequent surveys could not find any more of the northern whites. The chance to save the species evaporated.

Elsewhere the rhino situation is brighter, if precarious. The black rhino has gone extinct in west Africa but there are a few thousand left elsewhere, mostly in South Africa and Namibia.

Confusingly, both African species are in fact greyish.

There are around 20,000 southern white rhinos, the vast majority of them in South Africa, where 448 black and white rhinos were poached last year for their horns to meet surging demand from newly affluent Asia, where it is coveted for use in traditional medicines.

Over 600 will be killed this year in South Africa if current trends continue.

Still, there may be one last ray of hope for the northern white rhinos.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature - the authority on issues of extinction - still classifies the species as critically endangered though it admits the last confirmed wild population in Garamba has "probably gone extinct."

But it says there are unsubstantiated reports of a small population hanging on in a remote area of South Sudan.

If that proves true and Anthony was still alive, he would have viewed it "as the best news he ever had in his life," his co-author and brother-in-law Graham Spence told Reuters.

Perhaps the last chance to see them has not vanished.

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

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Best of our wild blogs: 15 Jun 12

Singapore’s National Climate Change Strategy 2012 – Key Points
from Low Carbon Singapore

Is this a rare species? Unusual blue-plumed bird spotted on tree in Bukit Gombak
from Lazy Lizard's Tales

TeamSeagrass featured in new edition of Semakau Book
from teamseagrass

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Leave wild boars alone, say residents

They say animals aren't a nuisance; others against 'crossbow culling' option
Siau Ming En Straits Times 15 Jun 12;

RESIDENTS living on the fringes of the Lower Peirce forest, where wild boars roam, want the National Parks Board (NParks) to leave the animals alone.

'I hardly see them and they haven't been a nuisance at all,' said Mrs Laura Loke, a 57-year-old retiree who has lived in the area for more than 10 years.

In fact, sightings of the creatures are part and parcel of the charm of living near the forest, said 56-year-old Bernard Teo, a semi-retired businessman.

'When you buy a house here, you should already be prepared to see some of these wild animals; it's all part of nature,' he added.

The duo's sentiments typify the views of 20 residents living in the landed homes along Old Upper Thomson Road that face the forest.

They were interviewed yesterday on the NParks move to look at curbing the growing population of wild boars in the Lower Peirce area. Culling them with crossbows is one of the options being considered.

The issue has also generated a buzz among other people, with several readers living elsewhere writing to The Straits Times Forum page to call for a more humane solution.

NParks estimates that there are 100 wild boars in the forested Lower Peirce area alone. But residents say they are rarely seen, appearing only at night in herds of seven to nine boars.

Occasionally, they can be seen crossing the road separating the forest and landed properties.

'Cars driving down Old Upper Thomson Road sometimes startle them and they would scurry across the road,' said Ms Dawn Chua, a 29-year-old housewife.

The possibility of using crossbows to curb the growing number of wild boars was raised at a meeting NParks had with animal welfare groups last month.

But most of the groups were not in favour of it.

Wildlife Reserves Singapore says it plans to meet NParks by the end of this month to offer a plan that involves rounding up the animals to sedate and euthanise them with chemicals.

The call for 'a more viable, sustainable and humane solution' was also made by retired lawyer Irene Low. The 52-year-old's Forum letter on Wednesday carried 57 signatures.

When contacted yesterday, she expressed her disappointment at the agency's proposal.

'I asked why? The equation is a very disturbing one, we see a wild animal and we kill,' Ms Low said.

Another letter writer, Dr Chong Shin Min, said 'more research is needed to determine the baseline population figure and the roles wild boars play in our reserve ecosystems'.

The area's MP, Mr Inderjit Singh of Ang Mo Kio GRC, said the issue has not been discussed with him.

'But now that it has come up, I will be going down to talk to residents to find out how serious is the situation,' he added.

Additional reporting by Cherie Thio

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Singapore's strategy to fight climate change

S Ramesh Channel NewsAsia 14 Jun 12;

SINGAPORE: Singapore has released a national climate change strategy document which outlines the country's plans to address climate change through a whole-of-nation approach.

The key elements of Singapore's climate strategy include reducing emissions across sectors, building capabilities to adapt to the impact of climate change, harnessing opportunities for green growth and forging partnerships on climate change action.

The 136-page document was launched on Thursday by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also the chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change.

Mr Teo said: "Energy efficiency is one of the key strategies because we are an alternative-energy-disadvantaged country because we do not have hydroelectricity (or) nuclear power. Even if it (nuclear power) is an option, it is a very long-term option because of our density."

On reducing emissions, Mr Teo said the inter-ministerial committee will study how Singapore can stabilise its long-term emissions.

At the same time, he urged everyone to play their part to combat climate change.

"What can you do, what can we do, what can I do together? Ultimately how well Singapore does in our response to climate change will depend on the collective efforts across the people, private and public sectors," he said.

Mr Teo added: "Everyone has a part to play whether through lifestyle adjustments or changes in business processes. This could be through buying more efficient appliances, taking public transport, using less air-conditioning or simply switching off the lights when we leave our homes, classrooms or offices."

Isabella Loh, chairman of the Singapore Environment Council, said: "We are encouraging through ownership, through social media outlets as well as through events and programmes and partnering with corporates, to do more outreach whether it is in the school segment or the community. That goes for energy audits and consumer understanding of green products."

It is projected that Singapore's business-as-usual emissions are expected to reach 77.2 million tonnes by 2020. The business-as-usual level refers to Singapore's projected greenhouse gas emissions without policy intervention.

The National Climate Change Secretariat said the manufacturing sector will contribute 60.3 per cent of these emissions, with global manufacturing companies set to scale up their operations in Singapore in the coming years.

Singapore's refining and chemical industries are expected to contribute about half of Singapore's projected 2020 emissions. In view of this, Singapore has put in place various schemes to facilitate the adoption of energy efficient technologies and processes in manufacturing plants.

The building sector is estimated to contribute 13.8 per cent of 2020 emission levels. The National Climate Change Secretariat said the increasing demand for commercial space and more intensive use of space are likely to contribute to an increase in emissions from this sector.

Recognising this, the government has implemented measures and incentives to improve the energy efficiency of buildings.

The transport sector is projected to contribute 14.5 per cent to greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. Private cars contribute the largest share of 35 per cent of land transport emissions, followed by commercial vehicles, buses, taxis and the rapid transit rail system.

The secretariat said it will step up efforts to increase the attractiveness of public transport and encourage the public to make use of this energy efficient mode of transport.

Under the Land Transport Masterplan, Singapore targets to achieve a 70 per cent public transport modal split by 2020, up from 59 per cent in 2008.

Households will contribute about 7.6 per cent of emissions. That is because growing population size and household incomes are expected to increase the demand for electrical appliances like air-conditioners, televisions, lightings and refrigerators, which contribute to greenhouse gases.

The secretariat said it has put in place awareness programmes to educate households on ways to save energy. It added that it will consider more measures to influence purchasing and energy usage patterns.

The secretariat has published a booklet entitled "The fight against climate change begins with You". Through this booklet, Singaporeans can find out how much money they can save in a year if they adopt energy efficient habits. For example, using a fan instead of the air-conditioner can help them save S$790 a year.

There will also be a series of public outreach programmes from September and a two-part documentary to educate the public on climate change. There are also plans for climate change education in collaboration with the Education Ministry and the Science Centre.

In his message published in the document, Mr Teo said Singapore needs to be pragmatic and practical, yet bold and visionary in addressing the issues surrounding climate change.

He said: "Making adjustments earlier will make the transition easier. Every individual effort such as buying more energy-efficient appliances, taking public transport and using less energy will count."

He said efforts to reduce Singapore's long-term emissions will be challenging as Singapore's small size limits the country's ability to draw on alternative energy like solar, wind or nuclear.

Nonetheless, he said Singapore will enhance energy efficiency efforts and develop low carbon technologies to overcome current constraints.

Singapore is also building up expertise and capabilities on climate science, in partnerships with local and overseas research institutions.

Mr Teo added that Singapore is well-positioned to tap the economic opportunities arising from climate change by creating high-value jobs for Singaporeans and enabling the economy to benefit from green growth.

Asked about the status of the Global Climate Change talks, Mr Teo explained: "It will be difficult because every country has its own interest which it wants to advance. But from being in Durban last year, there was a consensus that we should try to reach a global agreement.

"This is not something which country A does and country B doesn't do. Then all that country A does almost gets nullified by what country B isn't doing. So you do need a global agreement and that consensus on that. But the shape of the global agreement will be a subject of intense discussion.

"On Singapore's part, we have followed the standard methodology and arrived at what our projected carbon emissions would be in 2020 if we just did Business As Usual, and we have made a commitment to reduce that between seven and 11 per cent unconditionally and the NCCS 2020 document maps out what we are going to do."

As for the longer term target of 16 percent, he said Singapore would have to take more energy efficient measures. "One of the things we have to consider is carbon tax...we are still studying whether it is appropriate and what is the best way of doing so. We are looking at the experiences of other countries, as well."

-CNA/ac/al

Everyone has a part to play in climate change fight
Puay Leng Channel NewsAsia 14 Jun 12;

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean has urged everyone to play their part to combat climate change.

Mr Teo made the call at the launch of Singapore's National Climate Change Strategy 2012 publication on Thursday.

The document outlines Singapore's strategies and initiatives to realise its vision to be a climate-resilient global city that is well-positioned for green growth.

"Ultimately how well Singapore does in our response to climate change will depend on the collective efforts across the people, private and public sectors," said Mr Teo, who is also the chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change.

"Everyone has a part to play, whether through lifestyle adjustments or changes in business processes," he said.

Some small businesses and organisations in Singapore are already taking the eco-friendly route, despite some initial heavy investment.

For instance, Densco Electrical Engineering Pte Ltd paid about S$40,000 to install more than 60 solar panels last month.

The factory's director, Chia Joo Meng, estimates that it will save about S$5,000 on energy costs every year.

Meanwhile, the Poh Ern Shih temple at Chwee Chian Road spent over S$350,000 to install an array of eco-features, including solar panels and wind turbines.

Building owners said tapping on alternative energy can help them combat rising energy costs.

Suppliers of solar panels said they have seen a 30% jump in the number of small buildings adopting eco-features, compared to last year.

- CNA/cc/ir


Not watching TV now? Then turn it off
Singaporeans urged to use less electricity as part of national effort to tackle global warming
Woo Sian Boon Today Online 15 Jun 12;

SINGAPORE - As the Government spells out its comprehensive measures to bring down energy consumption across all sectors, households evidently have a vital role to play in what Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean described as a "collective national effort".

Yesterday, as Mr Teo, who chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change, launched a 136-page national climate change strategy document, the National Climate Change Secretariat announced that it will also distribute 10,000 brochures providing eco-friendly tips to schools, public libraries and community centres.

The brochure details the savings that a person can accrue in a year if he adopts energy-efficient habits at home or in the workplace. For example, using a fan at night instead of the air-conditioner will save S$790 a year, while switching off a printer when not in use will save S$134.

Said Mr Teo: "In our daily lives, we can all make choices that help to reduce carbon emissions. This could be through buying more energy-efficient appliances, taking public transport, using less air-conditioning or simply switching off lights when we leave our homes, classrooms or offices."

Currently, households contribute to about 17 per cent of total electricity usage in Singapore. But even as the authorities roll out various initiatives - including the mandatory energy labelling scheme for electrical appliances - households here are consuming more electricity.

A study published in 2010 by the National University of Singapore Energy Studies Institute showed that between 1999 and 2009, total residential electricity consumption increased significantly, by one third, partly because of the growing number of households. Electricity usage per household increased by a compounded annual growth rate of 1 per cent.

While tariffs have risen, the study also showed that households' demand for electricity is highly inelastic to prices, given that electricity bills make up only about 1.3 per cent of household incomes.

It also found that electricity consumption is "highly sensitive to temperature fluctuations": When temperature increases by 1 per cent, electricity usage increases by between 2 per cent and 14 per cent in the long run.

"This suggests that temperature aspects of electricity usage - for instance incorporating ventilation considerations in home designs - could be an effective focus for conservation efforts," the study added.

Time to bring back scheduled blackouts?

In line with the Government's plans to reduce carbon emissions by between 7 per cent and 11 per cent below the country's 2020 business-as-usual levels, households have to contribute between 10 per cent and 16 per cent of the reduction.

Experts TODAY spoke to felt that the target is feasible but they reiterated that consumer habits might be difficult to change.

A concerted public education campaign is needed to make energy conservation a regular topic of discussion, they said.

SIM University's Dr Luke Peh suggested: "Communication can be personalised to household types and allow the public to discover for themselves how easy it could be to save on utility/electricity bills with simple actions."

Nanyang Technological University Energy Research Institute Programme Manager Nilesh Jadhav added: "Consumers need to be more engaged by other means such as social networking, food-court and shopping mall advertising as most of us spend time here. Other ways would be to create a helpline or help desk to call and seek advice on saving electricity."

Mr Jadhav also suggested that domestic helpers should be educated on conserving electricity, while Sustainable Energy Association of Singapore Chairman Edwin Khew reiterated the need to instil environmental awareness from young, starting in schools.

Singapore Environment Council Executive Director Jose Raymond told TODAY that his council had suggested to the authorities to bring back electricity and water rationing exercises. "Due to the relatively shocking nature of such measures, they would be successful in getting a wider dialogue going on energy and resource conservation," he said.

But Mr Jadhav felt that scheduled blackouts "are absolutely not acceptable". "We are a rather developed economy, and quality of life is associated to access to energy when required," he said.

Agreeing, Mr Khew felt such a method is "too draconian". Instead, he suggested that warnings be given to households that are consuming a lot of electricity. "Perhaps audits can be done in such households to show them the areas of high electricity and what can they do to reduce consumption," he added.

Government still studying carbon tax possibility
SINGAPORE - The Government is still mulling over a possible carbon tax - about 19 months after it had first floated the possibility if a global deal on climate change is reached.

Yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean told reporters: "We are still studying if (a carbon tax) is appropriate, what is the best way of doing so, looking at the experiences of other countries as well."

To encourage the industry sector to improve energy efficiency, the Government is also considering a contracting model where a third-party energy services company (ESCO) bears the upfront cost of energy efficiency investments.

The ESCO will then take a fixed proportion of the money saved over time by the client.

Alternatively, the client pays for a project proposed by the ESCO, which guarantees a specified level of cost savings.

If the guaranteed level is not achieved, the ESCO makes up the difference to the client.

Why Singapore green targets are 'smaller'
DPM explains disparity with other states: We've been eco-friendly for many years
Feng Zengkun Straits Times 15 Jun 12;

DESPITE its small size, which limits the use of renewable energy, Singapore has been a green country for many years.

That is why its targets for the environment are smaller than those in some other countries, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday.

'If you were a heavy polluter in the past, you would have a lot more scope to cut emissions. But Singapore has been a very green country for many years,' he said.

He said this at the launch of a book at Ngee Ann Polytechnic on the Republic's green goals and efforts to achieve them. While the strategies outlined are not new, this is the first time they have been consolidated into a book.

The National Climate Change Strategy 2012 also includes the nation's target to trim its projected greenhouse gas emissions - by as much as 11 per cent by 2020.

It will raise this target to 16 per cent if a global, legally binding deal is reached.

By comparison, Taiwan and South Korea have pledged to attain a target of 30 per cent.

Mr Teo said Singapore did not pledge a higher cut because there were already several initiatives in place to protect the environment - it has long controlled its vehicle population growth, for example.

Also, about 80 per cent of its electricity is generated from natural gas, which is more environmentally friendly than coal or oil.

It is currently estimated that Singapore will produce about 77.2 million tonnes of greenhouse gases in 2020, if it had done nothing more to reduce them since 2005. Taiwan's emissions by 2020 are estimated at 257 million tonnes even with a 30 per cent cut.

Asked about the disparity in cuts, Mr Teo said that 'different countries have different national circumstances', such as access to sources of renewable energy.

According to the National Climate Change Secretariat, Singapore's size makes it hard to harness solar and wind energy effectively, which requires large infrastructure.

Mr Teo, who also chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change, said that despite such natural limitations, the Republic's 7 per cent to 11 per cent reduction target can be achieved.

One measure that will kick in next year is an emissions-based vehicle scheme that rewards drivers of fuel-efficient cars. The Government is also studying the possibility of a carbon tax, he said.

Residents can also help - by using energy-efficient devices and public transport and turning off lights not in use. 'Everyone has a part to play - whether through lifestyle adjustments or changes to business processes,' he said.

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Hot weather may fuel dengue cases

Straits Times 15 Jun 12;

THE number of dengue cases fell to a three-year low for the first half of the year, but the current hot weather could push the figures up again.

Heat suits the Aedes mosquito and shortens its growth process, which could send it into breeding mode more quickly, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has warned.

The public should thus be vigilant about preventing the breeding of this mosquito, which carries and spreads the dengue virus, the agency said ahead of Asean Dengue Day, which kicks off today.

In the first five months of this year, 1,529 people came down with the viral illness - fewer than the 1,742 in the first five months of last year and the 1,676 in the corresponding period the year before.

Despite the dip in the number of infections, the public should continue to make sure the Aedes mosquito has no place to lay its eggs by doing what NEA calls the five-step Mozzie Wipe-out.

The steps include changing the water in vases and removing water from flowerpot plates on alternate days.

It was reported last week that temperatures here are expected to soar to 30 deg C at night in the coming weeks. Daytime temperatures could hit 34 deg C.

June is typically the hottest month of the year in Singapore. Average daily temperatures can range from 24.8 deg C to 31.3 deg C.

Studies have shown that warmer weather speeds up the development of mosquito larvae into adults. They reach adulthood in less than 10 days, compared with the usual one to two weeks.

At temperatures of 30 deg C, more female mosquitoes are produced as well. The result is a larger and predominantly female mosquito population, which has to feed in order to breed.

Further, the warm weather helps the dengue virus multiply faster and it will have a shorter incubation period in the mosquito's body.

Dengue is transmitted to humans when they are bitten by infected mosquitoes. The symptoms include a sudden onset of fever, body aches, pains in the joints, loss of appetite and skin rashes.

MELISSA PANG

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Singapore - The little Nation that could and did - has something to show the world

World's first offshore landfill and more innovative solutions at CleanEnviro Summit Singapore
GlobeNet 13 Jun 12;

GLOBE-Net, June 13, 2012 - Singapore, the tiny Asian nation that has been at the forefront of ecological change for decades, is about to show the world how to deal with a growing environmental problem - the escalation of municipal solid wastes.

Supported by key international organisations like The World Bank and UNEP, CleanEnviro Summit 2012 will be taking place from July 1 to 4 at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

Under the theme of Innovative Clean Enviro-Solutions for Asia's Growing Cities, the event will highlight such solutions as it draws attention to the role of governance, leadership and technology to meet future environmental challenges, especially in the exploitation of energy, water and waste nexus for a more efficient design of future cities.

Set against the backdrop of a population explosion, rapid industrialisation and urbanization, Asian cities are recognising the urgency of addressing environmental concerns. This need is particularly acute in the area of waste management, which has largely been neglected in favour of the more popular areas of water and carbon emission control.

Indeed, if OECD and World Bank estimates of increased municipal solid waste generation hold true, the waste management systems of most countries in the region will be taxed beyond their limits. (See GLOBE-Net article "Rising Costs of Wastes")

This year's CleanEnviro Summit thus shifts the spotlight to waste-to-resource management in order to achieve a sustainable, affordable and integrated system, for a resource-efficient society and a clean, liveable environment.

It will feature cornerstone events such as the Clean Environment Regulators Roundtable, a platform for high-level policy makers and regulators to share environmental regulatory experience, challenges faced in dealing with environmental pollution and waste management issues, with the express objective of implementing practical change when they return to their respective cities.

The Summit will feature site visits to give participants a better appreciation of Singapore's comprehensive strategies in waste management and resource recovery (Singapore has set a target to achieve a 70% recycling rate by 2030), and learn about the country's initiatives to encourage environmental innovations, technology adoption and the practice of 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse & Recycle).

The site visits will showcase recycling facilities, waste-to-energy plants as well as the world's first off-shore landfill.

Singapore's only landfill made out of sea space, Semakau Landfill (pictured right) is internationally acclaimed for its unique co-existence with a thriving biodiversity of more than 300 species of plants and animals calling it home.

It was dubbed by the New Scientist Magazine as the 'Garbage of Eden', a 'paradise' for incinerated waste ash and non-incinerable waste which are transferred to the landfill from the incineration plants on the mainland. Come July, Semakau Landfill will be open as one of three fascinating site visits delegates to the CleanEnviro Summit can explore in Singapore.

The Clean Land & Cities - Integrated Solid Waste Management Tour will visit Veolia's recycling plant which incorporates a material sorting facility for an integrated approach to municipal waste recycling, and the state-of-the-art Tuas South Incineration Plant (TSIP.)

TSIP is Singapore's fourth and largest refuse incineration plant. Built at a cost of $900 million, it can incinerate 3,000 tonnes of refuse every day through its six incinerators, nearly twice the amount of refuse currently being incinerated at Tuas Incineration Plant.

TSIP is the first incineration plant in Southeast Asia to use high-quality SiC tiles as refractory materials in the furnace, which are expected to have a longer life span. Another innovation is the use of an advance Digital Control System, designed to increase the operational efficiency of the plant and reduce manpower. The plant's four high capacity rotary bulky waste crushers will help improve efficiency as well.

The Trash to Treasure - Recycling Technology Showcase will give participants a glimpse into cutting-edge recycling technology at Cimelia's facility, followed by a visit to the Keppel Seghers's Waste-to-Energy (WTE) plant. Keppel Seghers is the only private operator in Singapore to operate two municipal incineration plants with WTE capability, and treating up to almost half of the total volume of municipal waste sent for incineration in Singapore.

Another highlight of the Summit is the Clean Environment Leaders Plenary Sessions. These high-level dialogues will explore how policies and strategies, as part of a comprehensive and integrated approach to urban planning, would promote the clean environment outcomes and stimulate green growth by engaging the various stakeholders in planning, implementing effective legislative frameworks, and application of technological solutions.

Prominent speakers such as Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources of Singapore, Dr. Arab Hoballah, Chief of the Sustainable Consumption and Production Branch in the Division of Technology, Industry and Economics of UNEP, Ms. Pamela Cox, Vice President, East Asia and Pacific of The World Bank and Mr. Jerome Le Conte, Chief Executive Officer of Veolia Environmental Services will be leading discussions on the pressing challenges facing the world today.

CESS_issus _6(0606)_01And if you're looking for the current and latest innovative equipment and technologies in waste management, recycling and resource recovery solutions, go no further than the WasteMET Asia Trade Exhibition, another component of the Summit. This extensive showcase of solid waste management and environmental technology will feature government bodies, trade associations, consultants, plants and equipment companies, cleaning companies, and more.

In the face of global urbanization and climate challenges, the Summit will facilitate dialogue on the latest environmental policy thinking, market trends and technological innovations. It is held in conjunction with the World City Summit and the Singapore International Water Week at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

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Malaysia: Protecting sea turtles

The Star 15 Jun 12;

THREE locations will mark the World Sea Turtle Day (WSTD) celebrations this Saturday and WWF-Malaysia invites the public to show their support for these ancient marine creatures!

It’s three times the fun at Terengganu, Malacca and Sabah with events aimed at raising awareness on the need to protect the endangered species and their nesting beaches.

Four of the seven sea turtle species can be found in Malaysia.

In Terengganu, the campaign themed Telur Penyu: Beli Jangan, Makan Pun Tidak! (Turtle’s Egg: Don’t Buy, Don’t Even Eat!) is jointly organised with Universiti Malaysia Terengganu and will be held at Bazaar Warisan, Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu from 8.30am to 5pm.

Exciting activities include face painting, exhibitions, pledge signing, a talk by renowned motivational speaker Dr Harlina Halizah Siraj, turtle-inspired performances and a special appearance by the players from Terengganu’s football team, Skuad Penyu.

The WSTD celebration will also be held in the historic city of Malacca, home to the largest po-pulation of Hawksbills in Peninsular Malaysia.

Themed “Malacca Our Home, Hawksbills Our Heritage”, the event is jointly organised with the State Department of Fisheries in collaboration with the Education Department, Tourism Ministry, Malacca Office and other state government agencies.

Held at Dataran Pahlawan at Jalan Merdeka from 11am to 8pm, the public will be treated to a fun-filled day featuring turtle race, face painting, pledge to save turtles using turtle origami and special performances, among others.

Joining the celebration in Semporna, Sabah this year, WWF-Malaysia will organise a two-day and one night camp tomorrow for local children.

With the theme “Celebrating World Sea Turtle Day: Sea Turtle Camp”, treasure-hunt games on the beach based on the turtle life cycle and snorkelling at seagrass beds to search for grazing turtles will be carried out.

And if the participants are lucky that night, they would be able to see a turtle laying eggs during beach patrolling as the nesting season has begun.

Details on these events are available at www.wwf.org.my.

Malaysia: Total fun on World Sea Turtle Day
Farik Zolkepli The Star 13 Jun 12;

KUALA TERENGGANU: It will be three times the fun when WWF-Malaysia celebrates World Sea Turtle Day this weekend.

Three states Terengganu, Malacca and Sabah will be the focus of the celebration with whole-day events on Saturday to raise awareness on the need to protect the endangered species and their nesting beaches.

Four of the seven sea turtle species can be found in Malaysia, said WWF-Malaysia chief executive officer Datuk Dr Dionysius Sharma.

He said the three states were chosen for their importance in turtle conservation.

“Terengganu is renowned for its turtle population, Malacca for having the largest population of hawksbill turtles in peninsular Malaysia, while Sabah has the Semporna district, which has an important project to empower people to preserve sea turtles,” Dr Dionysius said.

In Terengganu, a campaign to discourage sales and consumption of turtle eggs will be jointly organised by WWF-Malaysia and Universiti Malaysia Terengganu at Bazaar Warisan in Jalan Sultan Zainal Abidin here.

The activities would include face painting, exhibitions, pledge signing to save turtles, a talk by motivational speaker Dr Harlina Halizah Siraj, turtle-inspired performances and a special appearance by the state's Skuad Penyu football stars.

In Malacca, the event, themed Malacca Our Home, Hawksbills Our Heritage, will be jointly organised with the state fisheries and education departments and the Tourism Ministry, with the support of other state agencies.

The festivity at Dataran Pahlawan in Jalan Merdeka will also feature a host of activities, including a turtle race, face painting, pledge signing and special performances.

In Semporna, WWF-Malaysia will organise a two-day children's camp.

The activities would include a treasure hunt, snorkelling at the seagrass beds to search for grazing turtles and beach patrolling.

For enquiries, log on to www.wwf.org.my.

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Indonesia: Mangrove loss threatens community resilience

IRIN 14 Jun 12;

JAKARTA, 14 June 2012 (IRIN) - Millions of hectares of mangrove forests in Indonesia are being lost to agriculture, oil palm plantations and even fish farms, making coastal communities more vulnerable to the force of tropical storms and the loss of livelihoods and products.

“There’s quite a lot of evidence that mangroves reduce wave and wind energy in relation to storms, and also reduce the impacts of coastal erosion,” said Ben Brown, the Indonesia representative of the Mangrove Action Project (MAP), an international NGO that works to conserve and restore mangrove areas worldwide.

“Where mangroves go missing, villages and shorelines are heavily impacted in relation to storms. Some are inundated with tidal waters, whereas years ago, when mangroves were intact, these villages didn’t suffer from these effects,” he told IRIN.

Indonesia has around 17,500 islands, of which about 6,000 are inhabited by over 238 million people. In 2011 the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) detected 23 tropical cyclones off the coast, which produced high-speed winds, heavy rains and heightened tidal levels that caused flooding and structural damage to buildings and coastal infrastructure.

Brown said mangroves are adjacent to all major landmasses and big rivers in Indonesia, and mostly found on the coasts of the large islands of Sumatra, Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.

The island of Java, where approximately 130 million people live, is particularly vulnerable to tropical cyclones, according to the Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency’s 2010-2014 plan.

In January 2012, local media reported that falling trees, landslides and flooding caused by a tropical cyclone had damaged 2,300 homes and killed 16 people on the islands of Java and Bali.

Community protectors

“Mangroves can be short or tall, so waves will be more or less damaging depending upon the height of mangroves,” said Norm Duke, a mangrove expert based in the TropWATER group at James Cook University, Australia. “The only scenario where they can become overwhelmed is where storm surges are associated with a tsunami, but generally they offer protection that would not be otherwise available.”

The forests also support the livelihoods of coastal communities, the Centre for International Cooperation in the Indonesian Forestry Ministry noted. Mangrove palms are used for roofing material, and mangrove wood can be used to produce high-value charcoal and fuel for cooking and heating. Some communities use the bark of certain trees to treat various diseases and skin disorders.

Mangrove trees shelter the habitats and breeding areas of many fish species from storm conditions, making an often vital contribution to the food security and livelihoods of villagers. “The roots of mangroves tend to be stronger than other vegetation,” said Daniel Murdiyarso of the Centre for International Forestry Research (CITFOR), an Indonesia-based NGO. “This, combined with mangrove leaves giving a particular mix of nutrients to fish farms, means that mangroves can be crucial for protecting villages’ fishery habitats.”

In 2007 the Indonesian Forestry Ministry established two centres for mangrove development. During 2010 and 2011 the centre on the island of Bali put in 8,000 new mangrove plants, and the other centre, in the city of Medan on the island of Sumatra, put in 10,000 plants. A further 12,000 plants are targeted for 2012. But will this be enough?

Under threat

Despite their many benefits, the MAP’s Brown says these coastal trees are vulnerable. “The biggest threat is agricultural expansion. In the 1980s there were 4.2 million hectares of mangroves in Indonesia, but by the end of the 1990s more than half of that coverage had been lost due to agricultural expansion, and the current level is unclear.”

He said the Indonesian government’s Fisheries and Maritime Affairs department has budgeted for the conversion of a further 675,000 hectares of mangrove into land for agriculture to meet short-term economic goals, which would remove a third of the remaining mangroves.

Farid Dahdouh-Guebas, a mangrove researcher based at the Vrije Universiteit in Brussels, Belgium, who has conducted research in Southeast Asia, pointed out that “Mangroves may well protect fish farms but, conversely, they are also being deforested to house fish farms. The question is, how many mangroves can you dispose of without losing their protective function?”

Experts highlight the development of oil palm plantations, urbanization and the effects of pollution as further threats to Indonesia’s mangrove forests, and worry that these will reduce the resilience of communities.

Duke of James Cook University said, “Where mangroves have been cut or damaged through harvesting or other reasons, their capacity to protect coastal communities is compromised.”

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Indonesia's forests of corruption

Michael Bachelard Sydney Morning Herald 10 Jun 12;

As the public servants of Indonesia's Forestry Ministry stand waiting for the lifts, they are assailed by warnings against graft.

"Stop bribes, corruption," says a large sign on level three. "We officers of the Ministry of Forestry are anti-bribes," asserts another.

It would seem patronising if it were not so necessary.

"The forestry sector," said Chandra Hamzah, the deputy chairman of Indonesia's Corruption Eradication Commission, in 2010, "is a source of unlimited corruption."

The department earns $15 billion a year in revenue from selling forestry permits and the investors with the deepest pockets are those who want to log forests or turn them into plantations. The illegal trade in logging and forest concessions, fuelled by bribes, cronyism and corruption, is invisible but probably many times larger.

On climate change, Indonesia is being pulled in two directions. Politically it appears serious about the task of reducing its emissions, 60 to 80 per cent of which are due to deforestation. The President, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, has pledged to reduce emissions by 26 per cent without international help, and by 41 per cent if such help is forthcoming.

But economically, the drivers of deforestation have not changed. There is big foreign cash to be earned as a coal and timber producer and the world's largest exporter of palm oil.

Into this messy context five years ago walked an experienced environment project investor, the American Todd Lemons, wanting to establish a Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) scheme to sell carbon credits to the world.

By July 2010, Lemons had jumped 11 of the 12 hurdles mandated by the Indonesian bureaucracy, spending $2 million in the process. He believed his 90,000-hectare Rimba Raya project on Kalimantan would be the first to sell carbon credits from Indonesia into the world market. Rimba Raya was intended to produce 100 million tonnes of credits over its 30-year life and he had forward contacts in place with the Russian gas company Gazprom to buy them. All he needed was the forestry minister's approval.

But on the verge of success, he was informed the ministry had halved the size of Rimba Raya, making it unviable. The rest of the land was signed over to a palm oil company, PT Best Group.

The project went into limbo, and, almost two years later, there it remains. Lemons and his business partners declined to comment.

It is understood in business circles in Indonesia that Rimba Raya fell foul of nationalist sentiment by announcing the deal with Gazprom too early.

Hadi Daryanto, the quixotic secretary-general of the forestry ministry, told The Sun-Herald that Rimba Raya was just "a big noise".

"They were here from Singapore, [asking], 'Why you kill the Rimba Raya?' I don't kill. They are stupid. They don't have the licence when they go to market."

Despite the government's support for REDD projects, private schemes in Indonesia have fallen by the wayside. Many of those surviving are run by the public sector, including Australia, but even these are foundering. The flagship program, the Kalimantan Forests and Climate Partnership, set up with money pledged in 2007 by John Howard, has been "quietly but drastically scaled back", according to a report from the Australian National University. The area now being worked on is just over 10 per cent of the original target and the Australian Department of Climate Change concedes that getting the support of local people has been difficult.

Norway has also come into Indonesia with $1 billion to try to fix its institutional problems. So far, those problems are so deep, the Nordic country has only been able to disburse $30 million of its money.

Money-makers such as Macquarie Bank and Merrill Lynch-Bank of America have not given up. Macquarie's Brer Adams is armed with a $25 million fund, "BioCarbon" and is hunting for REDD projects in Indonesia, and Merrill Lynch's Abyd Karmali said he was still keen to develop "instruments" to allow his clients to invest in REDD.

But the most prospective private REDD project is run by an Indonesian company, PT Rimba Makmur Utama. At the helm is Dharsono Hartono, an Indonesian who admits he is "crazy" to attempt it.

Born in Indonesia but educated at the US Ivy League university Cornell and a 10-year veteran of international banks in New York, Hartono has the credentials to navigate the tangle of bureaucracy, nationalism and corruption that is Indonesia. But even he has been trying for five years to get through the approvals process.

"To be successful in REDD you need time," he said. "At the moment the market [for REDD credits] is uncertain, the regulation is uncertain, the initial cost is high. You'd have to be crazy to do it."

Hartono's concession covers 200,000 hectares of forest in central Kalimantan, home to perhaps 4000 of the world's remaining 60,000 orang-utans. Just one hurdle remains - approval from the minister. It's the hurdle that tripped Rimba Raya and Todd Lemons. Hartono hopes to clear it, but he is not counting his chickens.

"I have to be realistic. I understand risk. If I'm not successful, I will have to cut my losses. The next 12 to 24 months will be a good test."

Whatever new climate change institutions have been set up in Indonesia, the real power still resides with the old, powerful economic ministries such as forestry.

Hadi Daryanto, the forestry department's secretary-general, says he is supportive of REDD.

In an interview with The Sun-Herald, he likens carbon to electricity - invisible, but a saleable commodity nonetheless. Daryanto also knows exactly how to calculate its economic value. Leaping to his feet and going to a nearby whiteboard, he sketches it out.

"If REDD is to happen, then the solution is about the payment for environmental services and the price of the carbon compared with the logs," he says.

"Logs are priced in the market at $US100 per cubic metre of log. It would have to be $US70 per tonne of carbon to compete.''

Australia's carbon tax will pay just one-third of this amount from July 1, and the European market is paying about one-seventh.

"Who will pay?" asks Daryanto. "If the price is below the [price of a] log, nobody wants to sell. They just cut the trees … It is a question of economics, not a question of conservation."

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