Bats in my porch: 21. Hanging CDs
from Bird Ecology Study Group
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Public engagement on ways to reduce carbon emission to take place in 2015
Sara Grosse Channel NewsAsia 14 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE: The National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) plans to engage key stakeholders and members of the public in early 2015 to solicit feedback on existing and possible measures by Singapore to reduce its carbon emissions.
Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean, who is also the Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change, announced this at the opening of a new climate change exhibition at the Science Centre Singapore on Friday (Nov 14).
Mr Teo said: "Ahead of the new international agreement in 2015, countries will be expected to put forth new commitments to reduce emissions from year 2020 and beyond. Singapore has started preparations on our contributions for the post-2020 agreement.
"Even though we are a small island state with limited access to renewable energy sources, Singapore will do our part as a responsible member of the international community to manage our carbon emissions."
Yuen Sai Kuan, Director, 3P Network, National Climate Change Secretariat, added that the public engagement will include consultations on ways to improve energy efficiency in areas such transport and housing.
Singapore has pledged to cut emissions by 7 per cent to 11 per cent below 2020 business-as-usual (BAU) levels, and in case of a binding international agreement, by 16 per cent below BAU.
S$3 MILLION CLIMATE CHANGE EXHIBITION LAUNCHED
Mr Teo on Friday launched the Climate Change Climate Challenge Exhibition, built at a cost of S$3 million. The interactive exhibition replaces the previous display built in 2008.
The centrepiece of the new exhibition is the Climate Machine, which allows visitors to understand how their daily actions, such as choosing to drive a car instead of using public transport, contribute to the release of greenhouse gases that warm the atmosphere and cause climate change. The giant balls represent carbon dioxide entering and leaving the Earth's atmosphere.
Visitors can also learn more about Singapore's strategy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The exhibition opens to the public on Saturday.
- CNA/kk
Public to share its ideas on creating greener Singapore: Teo
LAURA ELIZABETH PHILOMIN Today Online 15 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE — As the Government prepares to commit to a global pact on climate change next year, it will be asking for public feedback on how the nation can reduce its carbon emissions and promote green growth, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean at the launch of a new climate change exhibition at the Science Centre Singapore yesterday.
The National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) will lead the feedback exercise, which will start next year.
International efforts to reach a global agreement on reducing emissions beyond 2020 are scheduled to take place at a United Nations meeting in Paris next year. Ahead of that, Mr Teo, who also chairs the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Climate Change, said countries will be expected to put forth new commitments to reduce emissions from year 2020.
“Even though we are a small island state with limited access to renewable energy sources, Singapore will do our part as a responsible member of the international community to manage our carbon emissions,” he said.
Since this could entail changes in industry practices and individual lifestyle habits, Mr Yuen Sai Kuan, director of the 3P Network Division in NCCS, said the public consultation aims to seek views from stakeholders who might be affected by emission reduction measures early on.
Noting that Singapore has already pledged to cut emissions by 7 per cent to 11 per cent below 2020 business-as-usual (BAU) levels — and, in the case of a binding international agreement, by 16 per cent — Mr Yuen said Singapore would still have to review its post-2020 targets.
“A key thrust of our emission-reduction efforts will be energy efficiency, so we’ll be looking at existing measures to improve our energy efficiency, as well as new measures,” he said.
In addition to getting more people to use less energy or use energy wisely, the public consultation will also seek feedback on possible new measures, such as lowering the threshold of the existing Energy Conservation Act, to encourage more companies to improve their energy management practices.
The Government may also look into sectors such as households and transport, he added.
Even while countries struggle to meet their 2020 targets set in the Kyoto Protocol, negotiations for the new 2015 international agreement are already under way.
“The US-China agreement announced a few days ago is certainly a positive step because (they are) the largest carbon emitters in the world. So, if both of them agree to commit and do their part to reduce carbon emissions, I think it sets the pace or open the doors for more agreement,” said Mr Yuen.
CLIMATE CHANGE EXHIBITION
Amid growing concerns over climate change and its impacts, Mr Teo officially launched the new S$3 million Climate Change Climate Challenge Exhibition at the Science Centre yesterday.
The exhibition, a revamp of a previous exhibit that opened in 2008, will be a permanent feature and is a collaboration between the Science Centre, NCCS and Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS).
“One of the things we tried to do in this exhibit is, as far as possible, we wanted to base the facts (people get) on the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report,” said Dr Chris Gordon, director of the Centre for Climate Research Singapore under the MSS.
“So we’ve tried to make that part of it up-to-date, but (we’ve) also tried to make it very engaging for people.”
Visitors will be able to explore eight different zones with interactive exhibits that will take them through the causes of climate change, its impact on Singapore and the region, and how individuals have a role to play in reducing Singapore’s carbon footprint by adopting climate-friendly habits.
They will also have a chance to role-play as meteorologists and experience first-hand how the MSS uses technology to understand complex weather systems.
“Not forgetting the (nurturing of) future generations of scientists who can help tackle climate change, we hope this exhibition can pique our students’ interest and set them on course to become experts in the area,” added Mr Yuen.
Public study on cutting S'pore's carbon output
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 15 Nov 14;
Singapore will begin public consultations early next year to work on plans and targets to reduce carbon emissions after 2020, said Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean yesterday.
This will include a review of ongoing efforts and a study of possible measures to, say, improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions from power consumption.
The National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS), which co-ordinates the country's domestic and international policies on climate change, will seek the public's views on the measures and how they can contribute.
"Even though we are a small island state with limited access to renewable energy sources, Singapore will do its part as a responsible member of the international community to manage its carbon emissions," said Mr Teo at an annual competition to raise awareness about climate change.
If nothing was done to reduce emissions after 2005, Singapore would reach some 77 million tonnes of emissions in 2020.
The Government has pledged to reduce emissions by 7 to 11 per cent below this projection, and to boost its commitment to 16 per cent if there is a global, legally binding deal to reduce emissions.
DPM Teo added that Singapore is playing "an active part" in ongoing talks for a new international agreement on climate change.
Such an accord is widely expected at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting next year, especially after China and the United States announced a historic climate change agreement between them on Wednesday.
China and the US are the world's No. 1 and No. 2 carbon polluters. Their accord included China's first commitment to stop emissions from growing by 2030.
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Extra spark for electric car project
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 14 Nov 14;
SOMEDAY in the near future, you might be able to find an electric car in your neighbourhood car park, drive it to your destination and then park it for someone else to use.
Last weekend, the authorities said in a new sustainable Singapore blueprint that they are planning to lead an electric car project to make car-sharing more convenient and environmentally-friendly.
When asked, the Economic Development Board and Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a joint reply that they are still at the planning stage and could not provide more details.
But The Straits Times understands that the Government had, as recently as about two years ago, considered introducing 900 to 1,000 electric cars under such a scheme.
Industry players and transportation experts said that a project of this nature was long overdue, and that implementing it would help Singapore meet its goal of being a "car-lite" nation, as set out in the blueprint. The LTA has said "car sharing can help those who need to use a car for a few hours or over a weekend, and allow convenient access to it without having to own or maintain one".
Unlike conventional cars fuelled by petrol, electric cars do not have tailpipes that emit pollution.
National University of Singapore transport researcher Lee Der Horng said: "By having an electric car-sharing scheme we can kill two birds with one stone.
"People do not need to buy cars and they can use an even more environmentally-friendly way of sharing cars."
Mr Tom Lokenvitz, founder of hybrid car-sharing outfit Smove, said the Republic's relatively short driving distances and stable power supply make electric cars a good option.
But experts noted that Singapore still does not have enough charging stations for the cars, or parking spaces set aside for them. As of early July, there were just 68 charging stations and three quick charge stations for the whole island.
Most are on semi-public premises, which means access may be restricted.
When asked, the Housing Board (HDB) said it has about 300 car-sharing parking spaces at 105 HDB car parks.
It said the car parks are primarily for HDB residents, so their needs have to be met first before car-sharing spaces can be set aside. "(But) we will set aside car-sharing spaces in every town, so that residents in all towns can have this option," it said.
It is working with LTA and car-sharing operators to identify suitable locations.
Last year, the LTA and Energy Market Authority concluded the first phase of the Government's electric car test-bed, which started in 2011, and involved 89 cars.
Only cars registered by companies, institutes of higher learning and government agencies took part in the test-bed, but the new car-sharing scheme will be more widely available to the public, according to the blueprint.
Smove's Mr Lokenvitz said the authorities could encourage the use and sharing of electric cars through other means, such as by excluding electric vehicles' batteries - which are costly - from tax computations.
"That would make electric cars more cost-competitive, and the market would adapt. People who are early adopters can buy the cars, and companies can also get more of them to roll out their own electric car-sharing plans," he said.
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Chinese Developers' Projects in Malaysia Run into Series of Snags
The MH370 episode, changes in government polices and environmental concerns have clouded the plans of property companies like Country Garden
Chen Lixiong and Li Huiling Caixin Online 13 Nov 14;
(Johor Bahru, Malaysia) – Chinese property developers had big plans for their projects in the Malaysian city of Johor Bahru, which lies across a thin strip of water from Singapore.
Developers like Country Garden Holdings Co. Ltd., Shanghai Greenland Group and Guangzhou R&F Properties Co. Ltd. have planned projects worth US$ 6 billion in a large development area Malaysia started planning in 2006.
The government of the Southeast Asian country has predicted the development would transform Johor Bahru into an world-class metropolis by 2025. Some of these hopes were underpinned by the city's proximity to Singapore, which lies to the south across the Straits of Johor.
The high hopes have boosted Johor Bahru's property market in recent years, sending the average price for an apartment up 45 percent since 2009.
But lately the optimism has turned to frustration for the Chinese developers working in the area. Plans for home sales to Chinese buyers were complicated following the disappearance of a Malaysian Airlines flight, then complicated again another as the Malaysian government changed home buying and tax policies that cooled the market.
One developer has also run into public opposition involving a project to build islands for residential buildings in the Straits of Johor, prompting the government to suspend work.
Disaster Strikes
Country Garden, which is based in the southern province of Guangdong, spent 1.56 billion yuan on a 22 hectare waterfront plot in Johor Bahru in 2012. Then in August last year homes in the project, called Danga Bay, went on sale.
Some 6,000 homes were sold the first day they hit the market, netting Country Garden some 9 billion yuan. The Danga Bay homes sold for 14,000 yuan to 20,000 yuan per square meter.
Country Garden's success did not go unnoticed back home. In February, Shanghai Greenland bought two parcels of land in Johor Bahru and by the middle of the next month it had unveiled its development plans.
But just before Shanghai Greenland announced those plans, disaster struck. On March 8, Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing disappeared with 239 people on board – about two-thirds of them from mainland China. Many in China criticized Malaysian authorities for their handling of the incident and remain angry the plane has not been found.
The MH370 episode hurt the prospects of the developers in Johor Bahru, especially because foreigners were being counted on to be the biggest buyers. Country Garden planned to sell 30 percent of the Danga Bay homes to buyers from China, but a company salesman says the figure stands at only about 20 percent.
Greenland said the disappearance of MH370 had little impact on its projects in Malaysia, but it has postponed projects in the country several times in recent months.
Even before the Malaysian Airlines flight was lost, the Malaysian government had put in place home purchase and tax policies that alarmed developers. In a bid to slow increases in home prices, at the end of last year it put restrictions on foreign buyers.
The government said foreigners could only buy homes costing more than 1.85 million yuan, and if the properties were sold within five years, a 30 percent tax would be levied. The tax rate from the sixth year onward was 5 percent.
Banks also made it harder to get mortgages. The Country Garden salesman said prospective buyers in the Danga Bay project dropped their plans because they could not get loans.
Country Garden saw tough times coming and announced a planned to return land it had bought to the government, but Johor Bahru officials rejected the idea, sources with knowledge of the matter said.
An Island Appears
Some of the Chinese developers' projects involve reclaiming land from the sea. Area residents complained this caused a slew of problems, including flooding.
"Such flooding has never happened before at this time of year," said Cheo Yee How, a state legislator, after a road near the Danga Bay project went under water during a rainstorm on September 11.
He said residents worried that the city's sewer system would have problems and more flooding would occur.
In January, Cheo got a phone call from a fisherman who told him about an island that had appeared in the sea. The islet turned out to be one of four that Country Garden was building for a development called Forest City.
The developer neither told residents about the project, nor submitted an environmental impact assessment report to the government. Country Garden said the government only requires the reports when the reclamation area exceeds 50 hectares, but the Forest City project is smaller than that.
The project will harm the livelihoods of about 200 fishermen, said Cheo, who has also questioned whether the project is outside an approved building area.
He called on the government to halt the project and for the developer to tell the public about it plans. Malaysia's environmental ministry suspended work in June.
Country Garden held a meeting with area residents to discuss the issues on September 21, but the locals were unimpressed. When Country Garden produced survey results that showed residents approved of the project, they got angry.
The residents demanded to know how the Forest City project would affect the environment and how they would benefit. The project's director, Dato Zamani Bin Kasim, had to promise them his company would submit an environmental report to authorities in September.
The development has also gotten the attention of Singapore. On September 20, its prime minister, Lee Hsien Loong, expressed concern over Forest City's impact on the Straits of Johor, which is as narrow as 1.2 kilometers in some areas. Lee demanded an environmental appraisal and said Singapore wanted to be assured the development would not cause problems for it.
(Rewritten by Guo Kai)
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Sustainable tourism in protected areas can be critical for their survival, says new IUCN report
IUCN 14 Nov 14;
Sydney, Australia, 14 November 2014 (IUCN) – Increasing the number of visitors to protected areas can be an effective tool for conservation and community development, provided well-functioning management systems are in place, according to a new report unveiled today at the IUCN World Parks Congress taking place in Sydney, Australia.
Highlighting a global collection of case studies from Machu Picchu in Peru to the Damaraland Camp in Namibia, the IUCN report, Tourism and Visitor Management in Protected Areas: Guidelines for Sustainability, includes contributions from more than 50 experts from 23 countries and territories, and examples from over 45 countries around the world.
“Unlike other industries and human-driven activities, tourism in protected areas can be a strong positive force – increasing a sense of stewardship and revenues that are vital for the long-term protection of these important conservation areas,” said Dr Yu-Fai Leung, the chief editor of the report and member of the IUCN WCPA Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group. “By contrast, reduced visitor numbers to protected areas can signal a lack of political interest or public support. The guidelines provided in this report are intended to strengthen current visitor management systems, including measures on how best to protect these key natural and cultural assets.”
International tourism is a trillion-dollar business, accounting for up to 9% of global GDP. The World Tourism Organization estimates that tourism is expected to continue to grow by 3.3% annually through 2030, generating one in twelve jobs globally. Protected areas, including National Parks and World Heritage Sites, are consistently the primary attraction for tourists interested in exploring natural areas and its wildlife across the world.
Governments, protected area agencies, tour operators, retailers and members of the local community can all benefit from tourism revenues and in some cases tourism enterprises directly support the protection or rehabilitation of key habitat areas.
For example, payments made by Wilderness Safaris – a private sector ecotourism company – for annual concession fees for ecotourism camps in Africa in 2014 totalled over USD 4.4 million, a substantial contribution to financing protected areas through tourism.
In contrast, the report finds that where visits to protected areas have dropped, such as in Canada, Japan and the United States, the parks have suffered from reduced political support and funding. For example, between 1994 and 2012, there was a 28.7% decrease in the number of visitors to national parks in Canada, which may have contributed to the government’s 2012 decision to cut budget and staff to national parks.
The report recognizes that protected area managers are grappling with a number of challenges, including climate change, illegal wildlife trade, inadequate infrastructure and competing interests for natural resources. However, with proper management systems in place, an increase in visitors can generate much needed revenues from entrance fees, guided tours, accommodation and concessions, which in turn can be invested in conservation activities.
The report highlights the need to identify and evaluate the true costs and impacts of tourism in protected areas, in order to have a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges related to the development of tourism in these areas.
“With international travel expected to rise, protected areas managers need to mitigate any negative impacts as a result of increased visits, but also identify new opportunities stemming from this potential demand that can provide revenue for conservation and the local economies. Innovative approaches and partnerships with the local communities, private enterprises and government are needed to help strike the balance in securing long-term support for these critical areas,” concluded Anna Spenceley, co-editor of the report and Chair of the IUCN WCPA Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group.
About the report
Tourism and Visitor Management in Protected Areas: Guidelines for Sustainability was coordinated by Yu-Fai Leung, Anna Spenceley, Glen Hvenegaard and Ralf Buckley of the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas’ Tourism and Protected Areas Specialist Group. The report includes contributions from 54 experts from 23 countries and territories, and examples from 44 countries around the world. The report builds on existing literature, incorporating new research, theoretical frameworks, planning management strategies, case studies and recommendations. Project site: http://iucn.oscar.ncsu.edu
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IPCC Chairman urges Singapore to do more to address climate change
Channel NewsAsia 13 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE: In a joint statement on Thursday (Nov 13), the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and the National Climate Change Secretariat (NCCS) said the Singapore scientific community has undertaken various studies and initiatives to improve the understanding of climate change and its impact on Singapore.
For example, Singapore's first National Climate Change study involved scientists and experts from the National University of Singapore's Tropical Marine Science Institute and the Institute of High Performance Computing of A*STAR.
The statement was a response to comments made by Rajendra Pachauri, the chairperson of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) at the UN.
In an exclusive interview with 938LIVE, Dr Pachauri had said he would like to see a much stronger involvement by Singapore. "Singapore is also vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and I would like to see a much stronger involvement of the scientific community over there in this decision-making."
Dr Pachauri also spoke of the need for outreach efforts by Singapore, where "the findings of the report are sent out and received all over the world".
"In that regard, I think Singapore has a stake in ensuring that there is global action on climate change. I would have been very happy if some support was provided to the IPCC for carrying out this outreach exercise," he said.
MEWR and NCCS said the Government is also taking steps to strengthen Singapore's capabilities on climate science. Last year, the Centre for Climate Research Singapore was established. It is the first research centre in the world dedicated to the study of tropical weather and climate of the region.
In tandem, a Climate Science Experts Network was set up to undertake joint educational and research efforts with local universities and research institutes. Some Singapore-based scientists and experts were also involved in the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report as authors and reviewers.
MEWR and NCCS pointed to the collaboration between Singapore and the IPCC, which resulted in a regional outreach event in July last year to raise awareness of the main conclusions of the report and to promote dialogue among the stakeholders on the implications of the report.
The agencies added that Singapore will continue to support IPCC in its endeavour to provide a clear and up-to-date view of the current state of scientific knowledge relevant to climate change. Singapore also welcomes the IPCC to form partnerships with local research institutions and non-governmental organisations to explore avenues for collaborations.
- 938LIVE/xy
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Sembawang Shopping Centre flooded
Janice Lim Channel NewsAsia 13 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE: Heavy rain fell over many parts of Singapore on Thursday (Nov 13) afternoon, causing flash floods in several areas, including Yishun Avenue 2 and Avenue 5, Macpherson Road, Lorong Ong Lye and Lorong Gambir. National water agency PUB said the floods subsided in less than half an hour.
There was also mild flooding at Sembawang Shopping Centre. The mall's Assistant Centre Manager, Mr Adrian Lai, said in a statement that the heavy rainfall over a short period of time caused rainwater to overflow from a floor trap in a service area on Level 1 of the mall.
"This floor trap helps channel rainwater collected in the Splash Park on Level 3 of our mall to the external drainage, and could not cope with the excess rainwater," he said.
Mr Lai added that mall security noticed an overflow of water measuring less than one centimetre at about 4.50pm. "We immediately redirected shoppers away from the affected areas, mobilised our staff to mop up the floor and put dryers in the common areas," he said. The mall resumed normal operations at 6:30pm, after it was cleaned up.
Daiso, which was just beside the service area, was worst-hit. Security officer, Mdm Kwong Ai Gek said the store was flooded when she arrived at 4.50pm.
Ms Joanne Tan, who is in charge of the Esprit outlet nearby, said floodwaters entered the shop around 5pm. By 6.30pm, much of the area was cleaned and none of Esprit's goods were affected.
B&B Furnishing Centre, which is located just beside Daiso saw its carpets soaked. The mall's management has provided them a blow dryer.
Mr Tan sent in video of the clean-up. "When the rain started, water started flowing in. I was shopping and was wondering: Why is there so much water?" he said.
He said the flood water subsided by 6pm.
Several Facebook users sent Channel NewsAsia photos of fallen trees in northern Singapore.
Muhd Easera shared pictures of a large tree that blocked a bus.
Tan Wei Yu sent photographs of an uprooted tree near a playground at Woodlands Drive 40.
Kelvin Yanto Ong spied a fallen tree at Woodlands Circle as well.
A Meteorological Service Singapore spokesman said the highest rainfall in Singapore as of 6pm on Thursday was recorded in the Yishun area, at 92.4mm.
The highest daily rainfall total recorded this month was last Saturday, with 160.8mm of rain at Ulu Pandan.
Heavy rainfall leads to flash floods in several areas
Straits Times 13 Nov 14;
PUB followed up with a series of tweets about more flash floods at MacPherson/Harvey Roads (pictured) as well as Lorongs Ong Lye and Gambir. -- PHOTO: PUB SINGAPORE
SINGAPORE - The heavy rainfall this afternoon has resulted in flash floods in various areas across the island.
The Land Transport Authority tweeted about a flash flood at Yishun Ave 5 at about 5pm. PUB followed up with a series of tweets about more flash floods at MacPherson/Harvey Roads as well as Lorongs Ong Lye and Gambir.
Within 20 minutes the flash floods had subsided at the latter locations. But PUB's tweets at 5.18pm warned of high flood risk at Ang Mo Kio Ave 3/Mayflower Avenue.
- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/more-singapore-stories/story/heavy-rainfall-leads-flash-floods-several-areas-20141113#sthash.eryGGOf8.dpuf
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Jakarta asks Singapore to help develop infrastructure
The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network AsiaOne 13 Nov 14;
The Jakarta administration has asked Singapore to help provide technical assistance for big infrastructure projects like low-cost apartments and liquid-waste management.
Acting governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama said after receiving a Singaporean business delegation accompanied by Singapore's Ambassador to Indonesia, Anil Kumar Nayar, at City Hall on Wednesday that the city needed technical assistance from countries like Singapore, a city-state that is a development success story.
"Singapore has advanced in many fields, including land reclamation. We can get much knowledge from them," he said.
The city is to carry out a giant waterfront city project dubbed the National Capital Integrated Coastal Development (NCICD) that includes land reclamation and construction of 17 artificial islets.
Ahok said after the meeting that the Singaporean business delegation would come again in the near future with more detailed proposals. "They will examine what kind of technical assistance they can provide," he said.
"We have also sent our officials to Singapore several times to learn how to manage big infrastructure projects," he said.
On Tuesday, Ahok also received a US delegation at his office and asked that country for help to develop LNG-fueled power stations and electric vehicles in the capital.
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‘Autumn’ in Singapore at East Coast Park
Today Online 13 Nov 14;
SINGAPORE — We might not have the four seasons in Singapore, but it certainly looks like autumn in parts of East Coast Park.
A post on the National Parks Board (NParks) Facebook page earlier today (Nov 13) shared some images of trees covered in red and yellow leaves, reminiscent of autumnal trees in the northern hemisphere.
The Ketapang, or Sea Almond trees, are located at Area D, and in the post NParks said that “the leaves might shed soon”, just like trees in the autumn time.
The NParks added that these coastal trees native to Singapore, have glossy leaves that turn from dark red to yellow before shedding. After shedding, the leaves grow back, forming a purplish foliage.
With an edible fruit pulp and a kernel that tastes similar to almonds, hence the name Sea Almond, it’ll be hard to miss these trees if you happen to be in the area.
NParks is also encouraging Singaporeans to share their photos with the hashtag, #sgautumn.
Shedding trees make it look like autumn in Singapore
Phoebe Low The Straits Times AsiaOne 24 Nov 14;
For the past few weeks, Singaporeans have been enjoying the beauty of autumn in the tropical country.
The sudden increase in rainfall recently caused the leaves of the Sea Almond Tree (Terminalia catappa) and the Malayan Crape Myrtle Tree (Lagerstroemia floribunda) in certain parts of the island to turn red and yellow, resulting in autumn-like scenery, much like what you see in countries with four seasons.
The beautiful foliage has been spotted along Everton Road, North Buona Vista Road, in the vicinity of the Singapore General Hospital and at East Coast Park.
WildSingapore, an online local nature guide, attributes the change to the trees shedding their leaves, which causes them to turn red or yellow. This happens twice a year.
While the colour change is rare among trees in the tropics, the monsoon period this month has led to cooler temperatures that speed up the shedding process.
Last week, the National Parks Board (NParks) posted on its Facebook page pictures of trees covered in red and yellow leaves at East Coast Park.
It has also asked Singaporeans to share images of their sightings on its Facebook page or Instagram feed @nparksbuzz using the hashtag #sgautumn.
And many people have done so, with most noting the beautiful transformation to be most prominent at East Coast Park.
Filipina Yvonne Zafara, 51, who has been visiting the park daily with her family during her week-long vacation here, says: "I think the red leaves are very nice even with the heavy rain in the past few days. I don't see this often in the Philippines. I may come back to Singapore again just to see them."
Housewife Lau Wai Kuen, 46, who goes to East Coast Park weekly with her family, says she has not seen the trees yet, but will check them out.
"The red leaves will make it feel like it's autumn and it's quite exciting. It will be a nice feeling since it's something different."
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Malaysia to ink new MoU with Indonesia to tackle haze
MARTIN CARVALHO The Star 13 Nov 14;
KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is set to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indonesia to implement measures to curb peat soil fires that have contributed to trans-border haze.
Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos Mamit said the initiative was aimed at assisting the country’s Indonesian counterparts in Riau, Sumatra in preventing peat fire outbreaks during the annual dry season.
"The time frame under the present MoU will end this year and we will be signing a new agreement soon.
"I will personally travel to Sumatra for the purpose and also to evaluate peat conditions there," he said in answer to a question by Dr Michael Jayekumar Devaraj (PSM-Sungai Siput) in the Dewan Rakyat, Thursday.
Dawos said that outbreaks of peat soil fires, particularly in the Riau province, were common during the dry spell owing to ground surface water loss.
He said that extensive peat soil studies done in Sarawak three years ago would also provided Indonesia with better know-how on dealing with the problem more effectively.
"As a preventive measure, we have helped authorities in Riau to build 10 check dams aimed at maintain ground surface water for peat soil," he added.
He said there are plans to assist Indonesia in tackling the haze problem under the proposed MoU.
Earlier this year, fires razed some 21,000ha of dried peat land swamps in Riau with 1,243 hot spots detected at the height of the fires on March 2.
MoU with Indonesia on peat fires to be renewed
YUEN MEIKENG, MARTIN CARVALHO, AND LOSHANA K. SHAGAR The Star 14 Nov 14;
MALAYSIA is set to renew a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indonesia soon to enforce measures to curb peat soil fires that contribute to trans-border haze.
“The timeframe under the present MoU will end this year and we will be signing a new agreement soon,” Deputy Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr James Dawos Mamit said.
He said there were plans to help Indonesia tackle the haze problem under the coming MoU.
“I will travel to Sumatra for this purpose and also to evaluate peat conditions there,” he said when questioned by Dr Michael Jayekumar Devaraj (PSM-Sungai Siput).
He said outbreaks of peat soil fires, particularly in the Riau province, were common during the dry spell due to ground surface water loss.
He added that extensive peat soil studies done in Sarawak three years ago would provide Indonesia with better know-how in dealing more effectively with the problem.
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Malaysia: RM1mil in losses from mini tornadoes in Kedah
OH CHIN ENG The Star 14 Nov 14;
ALOR SETAR: The mini tornadoes that occurred in Kedah recently have damaged more than 100 properties, causing losses of around RM1mil.
The state received reports of four such twisters since the first one took shape in Pendang on Oct 14, said Kedah state executive councillor Datuk Mohd Tajuddin Abdullah.
“The damaged homes have been surveyed, and repair works would resume as soon as possible,” he told reporters during a visit to Kampung Nonang in Jalan Batas Paip here yesterday.
The most recent mini tornado hit Kedah on Wednesday.
It destroyed more than 20 premises, carried a car away, ripped off a goat pen and caused fear among residents. There were no fatalities.
Housewife Che Tom Ahmad, 55, whose house was damaged the most, said she was “emotionally disturbed”.
“I couldn’t sleep because I will recall that scary moment on Wednesday every time I close my eyes,” she said.
“I shake with fear whenever I hear even a gust of wind,” said Che Tom.
“And, I pray hard that the tornado would not happen again.”
The state government promised to provide counselling to the traumatised villagers, said another state exco, Datuk Suraya Yaacob.
“Doctors from the Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital psychiatric department will be speaking to the villagers,” she added.
This is the first time the department is being roped in to assist in a disaster, she said.
“I will ensure that the students who are sitting for their SPM will not be stressed more than they already are.”
The big clean-up in Kajang – again
The Star 14 nov 14;
KAJANG: Barely two months after a flash flood hit parts of the town centre, shop owners and traders around Pasar Besar Kajang are once again counting their losses.
Another round of floods struck Jalan Haroun on Wednesday.
“Water rose slowly but did not enter the shop,” said salesman Nordin Ahmad, 32, who works in a textile shop.
“We are used to this. It happens frequently.
“In fact, we continued selling carpets and resumed our business two hours after the waters subsided.
“The authorities cleared mud from the road within an hour, except at the Kajang wet market,” he said, adding that a river nearby overflowed onto the road in September.
Business owner Lee Kim Tuan, 67, said he spent about RM2,000 constructing a foot-high wall in front and at the back of his record shop that has been operating for more than 20 years.
“I built the barrier last year. I was afraid that the water would enter my shop,” he said.
“There are still many businesses that have not built such barriers, but I had no choice but to take the necessary precaution,” said Lee, adding that flood waters only reached the doorstep of his shop now.
Kajang Municipal Council (MPKj) public relations head Kamarul Izlan Sulaiman said the flash flood occurred because the river overflowed its banks.
“A clean-up crew was on-site to clear up the rubbish, silt and mud,” he said, adding that everything was in order by midnight.
Kamarul said the council was working with the Selangor Drainage and Irrigation Department for a long-term solution, including upgrading works at Sungai Jelok.
“We expect the project to help ease the heavy flow, and hopefully reduce flash floods in the area.”
Kamarul said that for the time being, MPKj would step up on the cleaning of drainage to ensure no blockages occurred.
“We appeal to the people not to throw rubbish irresponsibly.
“It is a contributing factor to the flash floods,” he said.
Orange level flood warning at few districts in Terengganu
ZARINA ABDULLAH New Straits Times 13 Nov 14;
KUALA TERENGGANU: State Security Council's portal have issued an orange level warning that heavy rains will be prolonged in six districts excluding Kemaman, from today until Saturday.
As at 4pm today, the portal have stated that several main rivers in the state were higher than the normal level and they are Sungai Besut in Jambatan Keruak is at 28.89m compared to normal level at 28.50m, while the danger level is at 35m.
Sungai Besut in Kampung La was recorded 0.41m higher than a normal level that is 14m while danger level at 19.20m.
In Setiu, Sungai Setiu in Kampung Besut is 15.04m compared to normal level at 13.30m and danger level is 18.40m.
Sungai Chalok in Jambatan Chalok is 6.50m compared to normal level at 5m and danger level at 9m.
Sungai Nerus in Kampung Langkap is 0.10m's higher than a normal level at 17m while the danger level is 21.50m.
The portal said that Sungai Dungun in Jamatna Pasir Raja is 34.48m compared to normal level at 34 while danger level is 37.50m.
The same river in Kuala Jengai is 0.89m's higher from the normal level of 14m, while danger level at 21m.
In Kemaman, Sungai Cherul at Jambatan Banho is 10.56m compared to 10m at normal level and 19m at danger level.
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