New Caledonia bans shark fishing

(AFP) Google News 24 Apr 13;

NOUMEA, New Caledonia — The government of the Pacific paradise of New Caledonia said Wednesday it had decided to ban fishing of sharks, which are being decimated to feed growing demand for luxury goods.

"New Caledonia took the decision to ban the fishing, capture, detention or commercialisation of all species of sharks" in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) -- an area roughly the size of South Africa, authorities in the French territory said.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), humans kill about 100 million sharks each year, mostly for their fins, which are used for expensive, luxury soups in China.

Conservationists warn that dozens of species are under threat. Over the past 100 years, 90 percent of the world's sharks have disappeared, mostly because of overfishing, the FAO says.

Shark-fin soup was once a luxury enjoyed just by China's elite, but as the country's 1.3 billion people have grown wealthier and incorporated it into their festivities, shark populations have been increasingly decimated.

The government of New Caledonia also banned so-called "shark-feeding", a popular adrenalin-fuelled tourist activity that consists in giving food to the animals to observe them from a close vantage point.

The territory joins other countries in the region to have created shark sanctuaries, including French Polynesia, Palau and Cook Islands.

"Asian flotillas don't come to New Caledonia's EEZ but this will stop any attempt to do so. It's a really good decision, as it affects all species," said Thea Jacob of the WWF.

New Caledonia's decision joins a growing trend of protecting shark species worldwide, despite opposition from countries such as Japan and China that support shark fishing.

Last month, a decision to restrict exports of the oceanic whitetip shark, the porbeagle, three types of hammerhead and the manta ray won final approval by the 178-member Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).

The species now join the great white shark, the whale shark and the basking shark, which already enjoy international trade controls.

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Long-term global cooling ended in 19th century: study

Ian Simpson PlanetArk 23 Apr 13;

A global long-term cooling trend ended late in the 19th century and was followed decades later by the warmest temperatures in nearly 1,400 years, a sweeping study of temperature change showed.

The study, by a consortium of 78 authors in 24 countries, said its 2,000 years of data made it harder to discount the impact on higher temperatures of increased greenhouse gases due to human activity.

"Global warming that has occurred since the end of the 19th century reversed a persistent long-term global cooling trend," the National Science Foundation, one of the study's sponsors, quoted the report as saying.

Researchers found that various factors, including fluctuations in the amount and distribution of heat from the Sun and increases in volcanic activity, fed an overall change in temperature patterns.

The researchers were part of 2K Network of the International Geosphere Biosphere Program's Past Global Changes (PAGES) project. The research was published online on Sunday by the Nature Geoscience journal.

The National Science Foundation and the Swiss National Science Foundation jointly support the PAGES office. The U.S. agency called the study the most comprehensive evaluation of temperature change on the Earth's continents over the last 1,000 to 2,000 years.

The PAGES study relied mainly on analysis of tree growth rings, pollen, skeletons of coral that register sea surface temperatures, polar and glacier ice samples and lake sediments, the National Science Foundation said.

The 20th century ranked as the warmest or nearly the warmest century on all the continents except Antarctica. Africa lacked enough data to be included in the analysis.

An abstract of the report on the Nature Geoscience website said that reconstructions of temperature showed generally cold conditions between 1580 and 1880. The trend was punctuated in some areas by warm decades in the 18th century.

From 1971 to 2000, the weighted average temperature was higher than any other time in nearly 1,400 years, it said.

(Reporting by Ian Simpson; Editing by Greg McCune and Dan Grebler)

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Best of our wild blogs: 24 Apr 13

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Slides for Collaborative Consumption in Singapore
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Why do some soft corals pulsate? We know now!
from wild shores of singapore

Malaysia may be home to more Asian tapirs than previously thought (photos) from Mongabay.com news by Jeremy Hance

RSPO failing to meet sustainability objectives for palm oil production, says WWF from Mongabay.com news by Rhett Butler

Read more!

From garden city to urban farmland

In land scarce Singapore, a new crop of farmers and gardeners are proving that we are not too small to grow our own food
Annette Tan Today Online 20 Apr 13;

Singapore — It’s not often in Singapore that one can boast about sharing a meal with the farmer who grew the vegetables that are on your plate. Yet there we were, breaking bread with Singapore’s new crop of urban farmers, all bent on proving that it is possible to grow and eat our own produce in this concrete jungle.

On our plates were a mix of locally- grown abalone and willow mushrooms tossed with red spinach gleaned from the very first harvest by Comcrop, an urban farming initiative whose pilot plot is a 400 square foot aquaponics test farm in the National Youth Council Academy Greens.

Having successfully grown this maiden crop of edible vegetables, Comcrop will soon move into a 6,000 square foot commercial farm in the heart of Orchard Road, on the rooftop of *SCAPE. Here, the plan is to grow up to 15,000 fresh vegetables each month, which will be sold to restaurants across the island. So much then, for the old excuse that there isn’t enough land in Singapore to grow our own food.

“We need to build our food resilience as a country. We shouldn’t have to be so dependent on importing our food supplies,” said Allan Lim, co-founder of The Living Project, the social enterprise that sponsors Comcrop.

Land redevelopment schemes

To that end, the heart of Comcrop’s approach is to use what it calls “marginalised land”. “Places and things that people don’t see as useful and turn them into commodities rather than waste,” said Jeremy Chua, who oversees Comcrop’s agricultural technologies.

Run entirely by volunteers such as Chua, Comcrop is hoping to extend its green spaces to other such areas. It is studying the viability of farming atop JTC food factory buildings to supply the food companies housed within them. Around 20 per cent of all profits will go to other social causes that have yet to be determined.

“What we will yield is fresh pesticide- and chemical-free vegetables that are delivered on the same day that they are harvested,” said Lim. “Consumers get greens that are fresher and with better flavour at the same prices that they are already paying now.”

One of the restaurants that Comcrop will supply when it generates its first commercial harvest is Artichoke at Sculpture Square. The restaurant’s chef-owner Bjorn Shen is a pioneer in the local farm-to-table movement. Over the years, he has worked closely with local farmers and producers to source for ingredients such as eggs, fish, quail and wheatgrass to use in his menu of rustic Moorish-style dishes.

“We would like to believe that it is a valuable experience for our customers to know where their food comes from,” explained Shen. “Most of the time, food tastes better when it didn’t have to endure the long journey across the seas in a container. And local produce is of the same quality as imported products, which is more expensive.

“As restaurateurs, using local produce makes us feel better about ourselves and gives us joy. We also hope that the locavore movement will make Singapore culture just a little more sophisticated — one small step at a time.”

Fresh veggies at your door

Farm-fresh produce isn’t just the domain of restaurants. Local farms such as Quan Fa Organic Farm purvey organically grown produce that it delivers to homes across the island. Started in 1999 by Liao Quan Fa, 62, the farm in the Lim Chu Kang area cultivates a vast range of vegetables such as kai lan, sweet potato leaves, watercress and various species of lettuce, as well as eggplant, gourds, beans and herbs. It also imports organic produce such as potatoes, corn, cauliflower and beets daily from neighbouring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia.

The farms harvest their crops in the mornings, pack and send them out in refrigerated delivery trucks by noon.

“The food reaches our customers that same day,” emphasised Junjie, Liao’s 25-year-old son, who handles the farm’s business development.

The prices of organically grown produce are a little higher compared to their conventionally grown cousins. To wit: A 250-gram packet of Quan Fa’s kai lan retails at S$2.50 compared to S$1.20 for the same conventionally grown vegetable in the wet market. A kilogram of organically grown eggplant sells for S$10 compared to the S$6.90 it costs for regular eggplants sold through a local supermarket’s website.

Still, it is a premium that many health-conscious Singaporeans, such as 40-year-old homemaker Jennifer Chen, are willing to pay for the produce.

“The freshness and convenience of having the produce delivered to my door on the same day it is harvested is definitely a draw,” said the mother of two toddlers. “And the prices are not so high that they are unaffordable. I don’t mind paying that little bit more because it means that my family eats fresh fruit and vegetables that are not genetically modified or treated with chemicals.”

Accountant Lisa Tan, 38, who has been buying and eating organic products for the last 10 years points out that the price of local, organically grown produce is still significantly cheaper than imported organic fare.

“I used to pay S$7 for 300 grams of organic kai lan from Thailand. With the option of local farms, I now pay half that price,” she said.

Kin Yan Agrotech is another local farm along Neo Tiew Crescent that grows and delivers wheatgrass, mushrooms, roselle fruit, edible cacti and aloe vera products. Like Quan Fa, most of Kin Yan’s organically grown vegetables are harvested, packed and shipped on the same day. They cost a bit more than their regularly grown counterparts.

“It costs a bit more because organically grown produce takes a longer time to grow,” explained Liao. “We don’t use chemicals to speed up the growth process as non-organic farms tend to do. That’s why production levels at farms like ours are about 30 to 40 per cent lower than conventional farms.”

Staying clear of chemicals also means that the crops are at the weather’s mercy. “If there is too much rain, you get root rot, which means the vegetables cannot absorb the soil’s nutrients properly,” he added. “If the weather is too hot, then the plants suffer too. The best conditions for our vegetables is when it is hot and windy.”

There are plenty of other such farms in the Kranji Countryside, though they don’t deliver their produce door-to-door as Quan Fa and Kin Yan do. More than anything, they serve as a testament to Singapore’s encouraging evolution towards its growing food resilience.

Grow it yourself

Outside of these farms, the “grow your own food” movement is a burgeoning one championed by social enterprises like the year-old Edible Gardens. The group is made up of several passionate individuals who believe that every urbanite can grow their own fruit and vegetables.

Edible Gardens’ pilot community garden at the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall is already a hit, drawing Singaporeans of all ages and walks of life who come to plant and nurture vegetables that anyone and everyone enjoy. The group’s co-founder Bjorn Low, said that the plot, though small, is meant to serve as an educational space.

“It is where we can impart our skills to the people who come here so that they can grow their own urban gardens at home, and in turn, pass on their knowledge to friends and family,” said the agricultural consultant.

Living up to its name, the group has also helped set up edible gardens for restaurants including Artichoke, which now has its own supply of herbs that range from more common varieties of mint, thyme and basil, to more unusual ones like borage and stevia. The gardens are often set in carefully stacked wooden crates that eliminate the need to plant directly in the ground.

“We no longer need to buy mint and thyme,” said Shen. “We are self-sufficient on those fronts. But more than that, the edible garden is really a symbol of where our products come from and what can be done with limited spaces when it comes to growing food.”

Another proponent of urban farming is 32-year-old Catherine Cheng, who founded Small Space Sprouts, selling pre-planted containers or D-I-Y kits that contain plants, organic potting soil and everything needed to grow edible herbs and vegetables in a small, urban space.

“All too often, we buy a package of herbs from the supermarket and then use only a little. The rest gets thrown away,” she said. “These are things that we can easily grow ourselves and I want to show people that you can be part of the cycle of growing something even if you live in a small urban space.”

Who knows? It may only be a matter of time before Singapore transforms itself from a garden city into a farming one.

BOX

HYDROPHONICS 101

While local farms have upped the ante, some of them have opted to grow produce using hydroponics — or growing vegetables without soil. But just how successful has it been? We roped in Neo Ai Ling, project manager of Oh Chin Huat Hydroponic Farms, one of Singapore’s pioneering hydroponics farms, to give us the low-down.

What is hydroponics farming?

Ai Ling: Unlike organic farming, crops are grown without the use of soil and in a controlled environment. Hydroponics farming uses only water and mineral nutrient solutions.

What is the difference between hydroponics and organic farming?

Besides the lack of soil, hydroponics farming uses salt-based fertilisers (think nitrogen, phosphorus etc mixed for optimal growth) while organic farming uses fertilisers made of organic botanical remains. The nutrients availability in organic farming depends on the source, environment and the microbial population. In hydroponics, the amount of nutrients are controlled and provided directly to the plants.

What are some advantages of hydroponics vegetables?

Cleaner and more hygienic in the way crops were grown: The absence of soil rids the risks of weeds and soil-borne diseases. Our crops are different because it’s 100 per cent free of pesticide. However, there are some hydroponics farms that still use pesticides when growing their crops because it depends on the technique that was applied and the kind of crop that is growing.

Why the trend towards hydroponics?

Hydroponics is especially relevant in Singapore because we are short of land. For most Singaporeans, hydroponics is a soilless method that is clean and easy to manage. As compared to plants that are grown in soil, hydroponics gardening uses only water and don’t require any fertilisers. This is useful for Singaporeans when they travel as the plant doesn’t need to be tended to.

Is there a significant difference in nutritional value?

Comparatively speaking, most methods of growth produce about the same nutritional values.

Are hydroponics vegetables cheaper than those that are imported?

Not necessarily. Beyond the high set-up and running costs, hydroponics vegetables might be even more expensive depending on the weather. However, we are very constant with the prices available in the market.

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Hourly updates of haze situation now available on NEA website

Woo Sian Boon Today Online 24 Apr 13;

SINGAPORE — Hourly updates of the haze situation here are now being made available by the National Environment Agency (NEA) — more than a month ahead of the traditional dry season when the region’s burning activities are more pronounced. The service, which began yesterday, comes after forest fires in Sumatra over the past few days.

Air quality remained good yesterday, as the three-hourly Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings between 7am and 7pm fluctuated between 40 and 46, reaching the peak at 2pm. As at 7pm, the reading was 44. Readings below 50 are classified as “good”, higher than 50 is “moderate” while anything above 100 is “unhealthy”. The level of PM2.5, or very fine particulate matter, was between 24 to 28 micrograms per cubic metre, yesterday.

Although air quality has mostly remained good since the beginning of this year, the smoggy conditions and burning smell experienced across the island last Friday led to many concerns that the haze was back.

According to the NEA yesterday, Singapore is “unlikely to be affected by significant trans-boundary haze” as the increase in rainfall over the last few days which has “helped to suppress hotspot activities” is expected to continue “for the next few days”. However, it added that “brief slight haziness” is possible, especially during the mornings. “This is due to the accumulation of particulate matter and/or mist as the low-level winds are forecast to be light and variable,” said the agency.

The NEA also said that while the region’s burning activities occur throughout the year, these will be more pronounced during the traditional dry season, which typically lasts between June and October.

While the severity and duration of the dry season varies from year to year, it is characterised by prevailing winds that generally blow from the south-east and south-west.

“During periods of dry weather conditions, increased burning activities tend to occur in the region and the smoke haze from these fires can be carried over to Singapore by prevailing winds,” said the NEA.

It added that the impact of the haze is dependent on factors such as the proximity and extent of the fires, the strength and direction of the prevailing winds, and the incidence and amount of rainfall.

Given the recent forest fires in Sumatra, and in order to provide the public with timely information about the haze, the NEA has decided that it would make available three-hour PSI readings on its website and smart phone application starting yesterday.

The three-hour PSI readings will be updated from 7am to 7pm daily.

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U.N. urges crackdown on Asia-fuelled poaching boom

Derek Brooks PlanetArk 24 Apr 13;

Growing Asian demand for ivory and rhino horn as gifts and hangover cures - not for traditional medicine - is fuelling a poaching boom, international officials said on Tuesday, demanding stiffer penalties for traffickers.

Wildlife crime and illegal forestry has become the fourth- largest cross-border type of crime in the world behind the illicit trade in drugs, arms and human beings, a United Nations conference in Vienna heard.

The World Wildlife Fund estimates the category is worth $17 billion a year and includes the poaching of rhinoceros and elephants for their horns and tusks, hunting of large cat species for fur, and illegal harvesting of trees.

The UNODC, however, estimates a much larger value, with the trade in the Asia and the Pacific region alone having a total value of some $19.5 billion for the illegal trade in wildlife and wood-based products.

South Africa, home to the largest population of rhinos, is on pace to lose 812 of the animals this year. Poachers sell the horn to crime syndicates to feed swelling demand in Asia, where the horn is thought to cure cancer and have other health benefits.

Horns are sold to the newly affluent at pharmacies in places like Hanoi at prices higher than gold.

John Scanlon, director-general of the Geneva-based Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), told the conference that growing demand for ivory and rhino horn had triggered a startling increase in poaching.?

"China and Southeast Asia are the biggest destinations of these illegal products, but not because of the traditional medical uses. Growing uses in Asia include the giving of ivory as a high-value gift, drinking of rhino horn wine, and rhino horn as an aphrodisiac, a cure for cancer, and hangovers."

"Traditional Chinese medical practitioners have actually discouraged its use for conservatory reasons," he said.

Yury Fedotov, head of the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime, called on member states to increase penalties for illegal traders.

While he acknowledged the need of increased enforcement on the part of exporting countries, Fedotov noted that it is the responsibility of states to punish those who import illicit materials as is done in the case of the narcotics trade.

"Wildlife and forest crimes must be treated as serious crimes with minimum punishments of four years or more so that full force of deterrence can be used against criminals," he said. "The harder task, however, will be to curb the demand."

(Editing by Jon Hemming)

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Best of our wild blogs: 23 Apr 13

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New measures to reduce flood risks

Monica Kotwani Channel NewsAsia 22 Apr 13;

SINGAPORE: New and redevelopment building projects will have to meet stricter flood management measures from June.

National water agency PUB announced this on Monday as part of its holistic storm water management strategy for Singapore.

The strategy includes a new clause that would require projects over a certain land size to have on-site storm water management strategies.

PUB is taking a three-pronged approach to prevent heavy rain from escalating into floods.

To tackle the flooding problem at the source, it is implementing a new rule into its revised Surface Water Drainage Code of Practice.

The clause will apply to new and redevelopment projects that are of land size 0.2 hectares and more.

For example, a new residential site that has a green roof, detention tanks or ponds will collect water during heavy rain.

Once the rain stops, the water would be released over a period of several hours – thereby preventing flooding and the overflowing of the drainage system.

The new clause could mean a substantial reduction of rainwater that flows into drains immediately after a storm – from about 90 per cent to 35 per cent after green features are implemented.

PUB said developers could also design features that co-exist with public amenity spaces.

PUB’s director for catchment and waterways, Tan Nguan Sen said: “Based on the historical data that we have recorded so far in the last 30 years, there has been an increasing trend in rainfall, and projections for the future are also likely to show an increase in rainfall patterns. We are not only tackling the source, but also the pathway and the receptor, and so these features will actually help to improve the flood resilience and increase the flexibility and the adaptability of our drainage system to meet our future challenges."

As part of its 'Receptor' measures, new and redeveloped sites could also implement minimum platform and crest protection levels to protect buildings from being affected by flash floods.

PUB said if minimum levels cannot be met due to site constraints, flood barriers can also be implemented.

PUB is also on track to construct new pathway measures such as the Stamford Detention Tanks and the Stamford Diversion Canal – to be completed by 2015 and 2017 respectively.

One developer has been implementing features such as green roofs and rainwater harvesting tanks into its residential and commercial projects for more than ten years.

Deputy general manager of projects division for green building at City Developments Limited, Allen Ang said: "It requires space planning, to incorporate water tanks – rainwater harvesting tanks – into the developments. With the new measures, developers may need to review space constraints, and allocate more spaces. For residential projects with extensive green roofs, typically it costs less than one per cent of the total construction costs to build a green roof.

Developers will be given six-month grace period to implement requirements of the new clause into their building designs.

- CNA/jc/sf/ck

New PUB code to prevent flash floods
Woo Sian Boon Today Online 22 Apr 13;

SINGAPORE — To strengthen Singapore’s resilience against floods, developers of projects with a land size of 2,000 sq m and above will have to implement on-site measures to control and slow down storm water run-off as part of national water agency PUB’s revised Code of Practice on Surface Water Drainage.

Starting June 1, developers will have to install structures such as detention tanks, retention ponds, green roofs as well as design features such as bio-retention swales, rain gardens and wetlands on-site, with the aim of retaining rainwater and slowly releasing it into the public drainage system afterwards.

For example, Waterway Ridges, a Housing and Development Board project currently under construction in Punggol, will include a detention tank and landscape design features such as a bio-retention basin. During dry weather, the basin — which is covered with grass — will serve as a recreation space for residents. During wet weather, rainwater will be channelled into the basin, and slowly drained into the public drainage system to stagger peak run-off.

Currently, the PUB estimates that 80 to 90 per cent of rainwater which falls onto a development is immediately discharged into drains during a storm. After the new rule kicks in, about 25 to 35 per cent of rainwater will be detained by the on-site measures to slow down discharge and prevent the possibility of flash floods.

Said PUB’s Director of Catchment and Waterways Tan Nguan Sen: “Based on historical data that we have recorded for the past 30 years, there has been an increasing trend in rainfall and projections for the future are also likely to show increase in rainfall patterns ... These features will help to improve flood resilience and the flexibility and adaptability of our drainage system to meet future challenges.”

The revised code will be applicable to all new industrial, commercial, institutional and residential developments and redevelopments. Developments which fall within the 2,000 sqm range include Liat Towers and Tong Building on Orchard Road, which were hit by flash floods in June 2010.

New developers will have a six-month grace period to include these initiatives in their plans. Asked about the cost on developers to implement such measures, Mr Tan replied: “This will be part of their overall development and will form less than 1 per cent of their development.”

Some developers, such as Keppel Land and City Developments Limited (CDL), said they have been incorporating water retention and holding facilities in their projects.

“The new requirement may demand even larger tanks. We need to balance the sizing with the area limitations,” said a CDL spokesperson.

To facilitate implementation, the PUB, in conjunction with the Institute of Engineers Singapore, has rolled out courses to educate and certify relevant professionals on planning and designing these features. Since 2011, about 100 professionals have been trained.

Stricter anti-flood measures for buildings
New laws to affect only new building projects and those being redeveloped
Feng Zengkun Straits Times 23 Apr 13;

NEW and redeveloped building projects will have to meet more stringent flood prevention requirements from June this year and January next year.

National water agency PUB said yesterday that from January, development projects with land sizes larger than 0.2ha - about the size of half a football field - will have to include features to slow down and retain rainwater, such as detention tanks and green roofs.

It also specified that from June, buildings must install flood barriers if they cannot meet minimum crest and platform height levels to stop them from being flooded.

The PUB announced in late 2011 that these buildings were required to have flood protection measures, but did not specify which ones.

The new laws will affect only new building projects and those that are being redeveloped. Existing buildings will not be affected until their sites are redeveloped.

The PUB estimated that the 0.2ha guideline would include more than 95 per cent of new projects, based on past land sales. It will enforce the new rules by checking building plans when they are submitted for approval.

The new measures are meant to better protect buildings against flash floods and allow them to be used to temporarily store stormwater. This will reduce the peak flow of rainwater into the public drainage system and reduce its risk of being overwhelmed.

The PUB's director of catchment and waterways Tan Nguan Sen said Singapore is likely to have more rain in future based on historical data and projections.

"PUB will continue... deepening and widening drains, but there is a limit to this measure given competing demands for land use," he said.

The agency estimated that a 0.2ha site would need a 1m-deep detention tank about the size of a parking space to meet the new requirement. Developers of larger sites can go beyond block-level features and use shared spaces such as playgrounds and carparks, it said.

Mr Jwee Quek, project manager of specialist contracting company Parafoil Design and Engineering, said the firm has installed about 30 flood barrier systems at residential and commercial properties since 2010.

A basic, manual barrier about 3m wide by 1m tall costs about $20,000, he said.

The company recently installed a 150m-long, automatic pop-up flood barrier system at Lucky Plaza that cost $500,000. Additional works such as pumps and drainage diversions pushed the total bill of the flood protection system to about $1 million.

Property developers said the costs of the new features may increase total construction costs by up to half a per cent. Said EL Development managing director Lim Yew Soon: "That may sound insignificant but it's a lot of money for just the storage of water.

"Still, it may be necessary, and having guidelines will make things more transparent, and developers can factor it into their costs."

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New energy management requirements for industry sector kick in

Channel NewsAsia 22 Apr 13;

Mandatory energy management requirements for large energy users in the industry sector came into effect Monday.

SINGAPORE: Mandatory energy management requirements for large energy users in the industry sector came into effect Monday under the Energy Conservation Act (ECA).

Large energy users are companies with business activities that consume more than 54 terajoules of energy annually in at least two years of a three-year period.

Business activities include manufacturing and manufacturing-related services, supply of electricity, gas, steam, compressed air and chilled water for air-conditioning, and water supply and sewage and waste management.

From Monday, these companies are required to register themselves with the National Environment Authority (NEA) and appoint one or more energy managers to monitor and manage their energy consumption.

The companies are required to report their energy consumption and provide information on processes resulting in greenhouse gas emissions.

They will also have to submit energy efficiency improvement plans annually from 2014 onwards.

NEA said the industry sector accounts for more than half of Singapore's energy demand.

It added that the requirements will affect some 170 companies.

- CNA/jc

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Singapore Tourism: Go-local drive needs 'stronger support'

Tourism board should identify top 10 brands, develop food districts: Experts
Melissa Lin Straits Times 23 Apr 13;

MORE must be done to develop home-grown tourism offerings if Singapore's "go local" strategy is to work, industry figures say.

Orchard Road Business Association executive director Steven Goh said there are not yet enough brands that can attract holidaymakers. "If you ask visitors from Hong Kong and Taiwan, they come here to buy Charles & Keith," he added, referring to the shoe brand.

"Singapore is lacking other brands like that. We need to groom the next Charles & Keith."

He suggested that the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) identifies the top 10 brands with potential and help them to grow in areas such as business development and franchising.

Ngee Ann Polytechnic's senior lecturer in tourism Michael Chiam said food districts in Singapore needed to have more distinct identities to attract visitors. "If you look at the hawker fare at Chinatown, whether you eat it there or at Bedok, there's no difference. We need to develop more places like Newton Circus."

Fashion designer Priscilla Shunmugam's label, Ong Shunmugam, is one local brand being touted by tourism industry players - including STB chief executive Lionel Yeo - as having the potential to lure travellers to Singapore.

Started at the end of 2010, it is known for its modern take on the cheongsam. The label's designs were presented at last year's Paris Fashion Week.

"There is definitely a decent list of us (designers) that can hold our ground," said Ms Shunmugam. "(But) the less confidence we have about our identities and origins, the harder it can be to accept that something designed and made so close to home can be of value."

Last week, Mr Yeo said the Republic is ready to showcase its "authentic" local offerings alongside its glitzy cosmopolitan attractions. The idea is to appeal to more discerning tourists, and help strengthen Singaporeans' sense of civic pride.

Speaking on the sidelines of yesterday's Tourism Industry Conference 2013, Mr Yeo said that Singapore needed a narrative.

"Good storytelling can touch people's hearts and give them a memorable experience," he said. "It's about bringing a place alive."

Even though some feel more can be done to groom local brands, there is already a market for home-grown attractions.

About six months ago, the CTC Travel agency started tours catering to travellers wishing to go off the beaten track.

There is one focusing on cuisine, where visitors learn to make local dishes such as bak kut teh, and another taking visitors around parks such as the Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.

"These are for the tourists who have been here many times and want a more in-depth experience," said CTC Travel spokesman Alicia Seah."We've seen a 10 to 15 per cent growth this year in the number of such visitors."

Mr Chiam said professionals from overseas, not just students, are opting to backpack in Singapore for the "authentic" experience. "They'll eat at hawker centres and would rather take public transport instead of tour buses."

He added that the STB's latest international marketing video - which features Singaporeans enjoying local attractions - was a change from previous films that showed mainly iconic buildings, such as Marina Bay Sands. He said: "This portrays the local way of life. Even if we don't speak perfect Queen's English, this is our heritage, this is who we are."

Meanwhile, the STB released details of its $5 million Kickstart Fund to help the industry create new concepts for tourism.

It will expire on March 31, 2016, and provide grants of up to 50 per cent of the cost of a project, capped at $75,000.

The board also plans to bring in leading global consultants to conduct a series of hands-on workshops for the local industry.

Read more!

Turning chicken poo into biofuel

Lim Wee Leng Channel NewsAsia 22 Apr 13;

SINGAPORE: Eggs are not the only cash cow for some farms in Singapore.

Chicken droppings are also being put to good use and are converted into biofuels.

At Chew’s Group's farm in Lim Chu Kang, about 700,000 chickens produce 60 tons of droppings a day.

It's building a plant, costing about S$5 million that can convert the waste.

It hopes to use this to replace the current practice of treating the fresh manure and selling it to vegetable farmers in Singapore and Malaysia as fertiliser, because the process is expensive and needs a lot of space and manpower.

The first phase of the new plant will be completed by the end of this year and can supply up to 70 per cent of energy needs.

If it succeeds, the farm hopes to scale up.

Executive chairman of Chew’s Group, Chew Chee Bin said: "We actually need to solve our chicken dung problem. Traditionally, we take 35 days to ferment the chicken dung and supply to local and Malaysia vegetable farmers. By using the biogas system, we can reduce almost 50 per cent of land use, reduce manpower use, and increase egg production.

“If we enter into the second phase, we will treat 80 tons of chicken dung, which in turn will produce almost one mega kilowatt hours, which is sufficient to supply the whole farm and supply to the power grid."

- CNA/ck

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Malaysia: Earth-friendly agendas in General Election 13?

Meng Yew Choong The Star 22 Apr 13;

Earth-friendly agendas are emerging, though they are not necessarily well-addressed.

THE decision by the chairman of Kumpulan Hijau, Wong Tack, to enter the political fray has been seen by some as a case where environmental issues have become a rallying point for the elections.

Wong is the most public face of the Stop Lynas movement that aims to halt the operations of Malaysia’s only rare earth refining facility at Gebeng, Pahang.

Of course, this is not the first time that the environment has turned into a campaigning issue. Back in the 1990 elections in Sarawak, Harrison Ngau Laing stood as an independent candidate and defeated Barisan Nasional veteran and former deputy minister Datuk Luhat Wan (and another independent candidate) in the 1990 elections to emerge as the Baram MP.

Now a lawyer, Harrison’s fodder for campaigning back then was based on the struggle to protect the rights (especially land-related issues) of the Sarawak natives and the forests they live in. Ngau was awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize that same year for his work to prevent deforestation.

So, do green issues really matter to the electorate?

Firstly, there is no universal agreement on what constitutes an environmental issue. For example, Kelana Jaya MP, Loh Gwo-Burne, thinks that Lynas is more of a public health issue, rather than an environmental issue.

Prof Jayum Jawan, a specialist on politics and government at Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Faculty of Human Ecology, says: “The environment means different things to different people. A city dweller may treasure the forest for the recreational function it provides, while a forest-dwelling person treats the forest as a place where he can find food.

“A native is not going to appreciate things like saving the ozone layer, but he will be concerned if there is no more food to be found in the forest where he used to hunt or forage.”

Jayum, a Sarawakian who is also the deputy dean for postgraduate studies, thinks that “green issues” are still associated with urban activists, as seen in the Save Bukit Gasing and Save Bukit Kiara campaigns.

“Even at the beginning, a lot of the activists against the (Sarawak) Bakun dam were actually Peninsular-based.”

Deforestation, an issue that plagues all states, represents only one end of the spectrum when it comes to environmental challenges. It should be noted that in 2009, the timber sector was the fifth largest export earner for Malaysia. In 2010, the timber sector contributed to 3.7% of the GDP, 3.2% of the country’s total merchandise export, and provided jobs to an estimated 140,000 people.

Looking at a wider angle, there are also other environmental problems, such as coastal erosion, poor air quality in urban areas, polluted rivers, unsatisfactory waste collection, sewage pollution, and an increasing reliance on fossil fuels for nearly everything.

Datuk Paul Low, chairman of Transparency International Malaysia (TI-M), shares similar sentiments: “My view is that the environment is going to be a non-issue as it is too far removed from the radar of the voters. Of course, the exception would be the orang asli as well as the Sabah and Sarawak indigenous people, which explains why Pakatan Rakyat (PR) came up with something on these communities in their manifesto.”

For Low, Malaysia is not like Europe, as far as the maturity of the democratic process is concerned.

“There, public awareness is very high, and candidates from green parties actually get elected. But I don’t think any person from a Green party here will be elected.”

As far as TI is concerned, it wants to see candidates who have better reputations and capabilities, because the quality of our Parliamentary debates can be much improved.

“What we want are lawmakers who discuss issues affecting the people, and are able to debate intelligently, pass good laws, and safeguard the interests of the public ... notthe type who just bad-mouth people and indulge in gutter politics. All this is just showmanship, and doesn’t add value to the nation.”

Whether the public buys into green issues or not, some NGOs are taking the opportunity to goad politicians to declare their eco-credentials. For example, the Malaysian Nature Society recently issued a public call for all political parties and politicians to declare their commitment towards the preservation of nature in a green manifesto.

“MNS notes with concern that regardless of political alignment, Malaysia’s natural resources are still badly managed and consistently degraded and threatened. MNS hopes that the Malaysian public will support this important call to lobby for the protection of Malaysia’s natural heritage, and make the upcoming general election a truly green election,” said its president, Dr Maketab Mohamed.

Trasparency’s Low says: “The bulk of Malaysians are engrossed with corruption-related issues. Some surveys, such as those by the Merdeka Centre for Opinion Research, show that many people are concerned about corruption, which is an increase compared to five years ago. It is good that the issue of corruption is at the forefront so people will look at the character and integrity of the candidate. This is in itself a good thing.”

Low points out that people want a clean and trustworthy government. And that would indirectly touch on environmental issues, such as the issuance of logging concessions.

“But I don’t think people can directly connect the dots, so the focus is basically on corruption as well as bread-and-butter issues.” But Jayum thinks environmental issues alone will not be enough to sway voters.

“I don’t think Malaysians are ready for a party that campaigns purely on a green platform. I said that in 2008, and my view has not changed. It is unfortunate, but after 55 years of Independence, the preoccupation is still with bread-and-butter issues.”

GE13: A proper green debate
The Star 23 Apr 13;

THE problem with the environmental movement is that they are good at raising issues, but fare poorly in offering solutions. This is the assessment of Dr Hezri Adnan, senior fellow for technology, innovation, environment and sustainability at the Institute of Strategic and International Studies.

He cites the Pakatan Rakyat manifesto as an example: “I am not into partisan politics, but when I first saw it, I found it to be so populist. It said nothing about correcting the pricing of the environment (and its services) and natural resources. When it comes to things like water and energy, I am surprised that in this day and age, we are still talking about lowering the price of water, electricity and fuel. Our natural resources are already under-priced to the point of encouraging wastage, and to me, these are actually environmental issues.”

Hezri made those comments before the Selangor Barisan Nasional unveiled its manifesto last Wednesday (April 17), where it also promised 20cu.m of free treated water to each household if it succeeds in retaking Selangor.

Hezri argues that there is a need to have a more holistic definition of sustainability. One example is the treatment of the orang asli in Pahang’s Tasik Chini by the Barisan Nasional-led state government after an episode of bacterial pollution in the lake in 2003.

“The knee-jerk response was to relocate the orang asli as a means of solving an environmental problem, without considering the social dimension. Luckily, the relocation did not happen, and a sewerage system was later put in place to counter the problem.”

A quick reading of recent political manifestos will reveal there is no mention of how it will help Malaysia curb its carbon intensity, which is one of the highest among developing countries. Instead, Pakatan has pledged to shut down Lynas, stop the construction of large hydroelectric dams in Sarawak, review how forests are being managed, and make water, electricity, fuel (both petrol and diesel), toll charges and cars cheaper for consumers.

As far as public transport is concerned, Pakatan has promised to reform the ownership structure of taxis, which are mostly owned by corporations rather than the drivers themselves. Taking it at surface value, the manifesto does seem to be pro-poor. But who would want to use trains, buses or even taxis when new cars can cost as low as RM25,000 (a figure bandied by Pakatan, presumably their benchmark on what constitutes an affordable car) each? Would that turn the Klang Valley and other cities into one giant parking lot?

To be fair, Barisan also made a somewhat similar pledge to reduce the price of cars in stages, though it stopped short of coming up with a definitive figure. Whatever the case, making driving more accessible, under probably even more congested conditions, can only mean that the use of fossil fuels will go up, which will increase the levels of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Keeping fuel and energy prices low is also akin to throwing a spanner on efforts to push for greater energy efficiency and conservation. After all, why bother with fuel efficiency if the price of petrol is continually subsidised?

The weighty issues of a threatened environment require a broad and complex societal response; it cannot be solved just by, for instance, having recycling campaigns, as important as that may be. Part of the solution may even include tough policy work such as assigning a price to the services nature provides, such as: oxygen production by forest ecosystems, retention and purification of water by wetlands, and formation of crop biomass through soil.

Referring to debates and discussion on “saving” the environment, he argues that there is still a poverty, if not bankruptcy, of ideas.

“The framing of solutions is inadequate, if not done in the wrong way. Things are not substantively well-thought out, and all we are getting are these motherhood statements that are short on specifics. The idea of the interconnection of things is sadly not part of our (political) debate. People just can’t connect the dots.

“Pricing water and energy correctly will help in conservation, and need not always hurt the poor as commonly believed.”

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