Climate change already damaging health of millions globally, report finds

Heatwaves, pollution and disease are the main health issues linked to global warming but action to halt emissions would deliver huge benefits
Damian Carrington The Guardian 30 Oct 17;

The health of hundreds of millions of people around the world is already being damaged by climate change, a major report has revealed.

Heatwaves are affecting many more vulnerable people and global warming is boosting the transmission of deadly diseases such as dengue fever, the world’s most rapidly spreading disease. Air pollution from fossil fuel burning is also causing millions of early deaths each year, while damage to crops from extreme weather threatens hunger for millions of children.

The findings, published in the Lancet journal, come from researchers at 26 institutions around the world, including many universities, the World Health Organization, World Bank and the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The WMO reported on Monday that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere made a record jump in 2016 to hit a concentration not seen for more than three million years.

“Climate change is happening and it’s a health issue today for millions worldwide,” said Prof Anthony Costello, at the World Health Organization and co-chair of the group behind the new report. It follows a related report in 2009 that warned that climate change was the biggest danger to global health in the 21st century, an assessment repeated in the new report.

But Costello said acting to halt global warming would also deliver a huge benefit for health: “The outlook is challenging, but we still have an opportunity to turn a looming medical emergency into the most significant advance for public health this century.”

“Our scientists have been telling us for some time that we’ve got a bad case of climate change. Now our doctors are telling us it’s bad for our health,” said Christiana Figueres, who as the UN’s climate chief negotiated the Paris climate change agreement and also co-chaired the new report.

“Hundreds of millions of people are already suffering health impacts as a result of climate change,” she told the Guardian. “Tackling climate change directly, unequivocally, and immediately improves global health. It’s as simple as that.”

One of the most striking of the 40 indicators assessed by the researchers was a huge increase in the number of people over 65 exposed to extreme heat. This rose by 125 million between 2000 and 2016 and worries doctors because older people are especially vulnerable to heat.

“There is no crystal ball gazing here, these are the actual observations,” said Prof Peter Cox, at the University of Exeter, UK. He said the 70,000 deaths that resulted from the 2003 heatwave in Europe looked small compared to the long-term trends: “We were alarmed when we saw this.”

Most of the increase in exposed people resulted from rising temperatures, but the number of older people is also rising, creating a “perfect storm”, Cox said. The report also found that hotter and more humid weather was increasingly creating conditions in which it is impossible to work outside. In 2016, this caused work equivalent to almost a million people to be lost, half in India alone.

The report also found that climate change has increased the ability of dengue fever to spread, because the mosquitoes and the virus they carry breed more quickly. Dengue is also known as “breakbone fever” due to the pain it causes and infections have doubled in each decade since 1990, now reaching up to 100m infections a year now. Dengue was used as an example in the report and the researchers suggest global warming will also increase the spread of other diseases such as schistosomiasis.

Air pollution is known to cause millions of early deaths every year but the new report highlights the 800,000 annual deaths related solely to coal burning. The good news here, said Prof Paul Wilkinson, is that coal production peaked in 2013 and is now falling. “We are seeing the first turn [in the trend] but we have a long way to go,” he said. “It is a health dividend we are ignoring if we do not act.”

The impacts of climate change are not limited to poorer nations, said Dr Toby Hillman, at the Royal College of Physicians, but also affect developed nations like the UK. He said air pollution kills about 40,000 in the UK each year and criticised low government funding levels for cycling and walking. Hillman also noted other impacts, such as sharp increases in mental health problems after extreme weather events like flooding.

The new report highlighted imminent threats as well, such as the loss of crops to increasingly hot and extreme weather. “We are going to see millions more undernourished children as a result of that,” said Prof Hugh Montgomery, at University College London (UCL).

Montgomery said the potential benefits of climate change appeared to be small in comparison to the damages: “We are not ducking the potential benefits, we just find it hard to see what they are.”

Cox said it was not clear that global warming will actually reduce winter cold spells, which cause early deaths in higher latitude countries, because changes happening in the Arctic can exacerbate cold snaps. Prof Georgina Mace, also at UCL, said the evidence for a warmer climate increasing food production was often very localised and short term: ”Overall the overwhelming pattern is negative.”

Clare Goodess, a climate researcher at the University of East Anglia and not part of the Lancet report, said: “The indicators reveal some stark warnings for human health, as well as some glimmers of hope, [and] the key messages appear robust. The attribution of [climate change] temperature trends to human activities is now unequivocal, so the urgency of addressing the issues raised by this report is not in doubt.”

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Global atmospheric CO2 levels hit record high

UN warns that drastic action is needed to meet climate targets set in the Paris agreement
Jonathan Watts and agencies The Guardian 30 Oct 17;

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere increased at record speed last year to hit a level not seen for more than three million years, the UN has warned.

The new report has raised alarm among scientists and prompted calls for nations to consider more drastic emissions reductions at the upcoming climate negotiations in Bonn.

“Globally averaged concentrations of CO2 reached 403.3 parts per million (ppm) in 2016, up from 400.00 ppm in 2015 because of a combination of human activities and a strong El Niño event,” according to The Greenhouse Gas Bulletin, the UN weather agency’s annual flagship report.

This acceleration occurred despite a slowdown – and perhaps even a plateauing – of emissions because El Niño intensified droughts and weakened the ability of vegetation to absorb carbon dioxide. As the planet warms, El Niños are expected to become more frequent.

The increase of 3.3 ppm is considerably higher than both the 2.3 ppm rise of the previous 12 months and the average annual increase over the past decade of 2.08ppm. It is also well above the previous big El Niño year of 1998, when the rise was 2.7 ppm.

The study, which uses monitoring ships, aircraft and stations on the land to track emissions trends since 1750, said carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is now increasing 100 times faster than at the end of the last ice age due to population growth, intensive agriculture, deforestation and industrialisation.

The last time Earth experienced similar CO2 concentration rates was during the Pliocene era (three to five million years ago), when the sea level was up to 20m higher than now.

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The authors urged policymakers to step up countermeasures to reduce the risk of global warming exceeding the Paris climate target of between 1.5C and 2C.

“Without rapid cuts in CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions, we will be heading for dangerous temperature increases by the end of this century, well above the target set by the Paris climate change agreement,” World Meteorological Organisation chief Petteri Taalas said in a statement.

The momentum from the Paris accord in 2015 is faltering due to the failure of national governments to live up to their promises. In a report to be released on Tuesday, UN Environment will show the gap between international goals and domestic commitments leaves the world on course for warming well beyond the 2C target and probably beyond 3C. International efforts to act have also been weakened by US president Donald Trump’s decision to quit the accord.

Prof Dave Reay, professor of carbon management at the University of Edinburgh, said: “This should set alarm bells ringing in the corridors of power. We know that, as climate change intensifies, the ability of the land and oceans to mop up our carbon emissions will weaken. There’s still time to steer these emissions down and so keep some control, but if we wait too long humankind will become a passenger on a one-way street to dangerous climate change.”

“The numbers don’t lie. We are still emitting far too much and this needs to be reversed,” the head of UN Environment Erik Solheim said in reaction to the new report. “What we need now is global political will and a new sense of urgency.”

The report comes amid growing concerns that nature’s ability to deal with CO2 is weakening. Recent studies show forest regions are being cleared and degraded so rapidly that they are now emitting more carbon than they absorb.

“These large increase show it is more important than ever to reduce our emissions to zero – and as soon as possible,” said Piers Forster, director of the Priestley International Centre for Climate at the University of Leeds. “If vegetation can no longer help out absorbing our emissions in these hot years we could be in trouble.”

The World Meteorological Organisation predicted 2017 will again break records for concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane, but the growth rate will not be as fast because there is no El Niño effect.


Record surge in atmospheric CO2 seen in 2016
Matt McGrath BBC 30 Oct 17;

Concentrations of CO2 in the Earth's atmosphere surged to a record high in 2016, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

Last year's increase was 50% higher than the average of the past 10 years.

Researchers say a combination of human activities and the El Niño weather phenomenon drove CO2 to a level not seen in 800,000 years.

Scientists say this risks making global temperature targets largely unattainable.

This year's greenhouse gas bulletin produced by the WMO is based on measurements taken in 51 countries. Research stations dotted around the globe measure concentrations of warming gases including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

The figures published by the WMO are what's left in the atmosphere after significant amounts are absorbed by the Earth's "sinks", which include the oceans and the biosphere.

2016 saw average concentrations of CO2 hit 403.3 parts per million, up from 400ppm in 2015.

"It is the largest increase we have ever seen in the 30 years we have had this network," Dr Oksana Tarasova, chief of WMO's global atmosphere watch programme, told BBC News.

"The largest increase was in the previous El Niño, in 1997-1998, and it was 2.7ppm; and now it is 3.3ppm. It is also 50% higher than the average of the last 10 years."

El Niño impacts the amount of carbon in the atmosphere by causing droughts that limit the uptake of CO2 by plants and trees.

Emissions from human sources have slowed down in the last couple of years according to research, but according to Dr Tarasova, it is the cumulative total in the atmosphere that really matters as CO2 stays aloft and active for centuries.

Over the past 70 years, says the report, the increase in CO2 in the atmosphere is nearly 100 times larger than it was at the end of the last ice age.

Rapidly increasing atmospheric levels of CO2 and other gases have the potential, according to the study, to "initiate unpredictable changes in the climate system... leading to severe ecological and economic disruptions".

The study notes that since 1990 there has been a 40% increase in total radiative forcing. That's the warming effect on our climate of all greenhouse gases.

"Geological-wise, it is like an injection of a huge amount of heat," said Dr Tarasova.

"The changes will not take 10,000 years, like they used to take before; they will happen fast. We don't have the knowledge of the system in this state; that is a bit worrisome!"

According to experts, the last time the Earth experienced a comparable concentration of CO2 was three to five million years ago, in the mid-Pliocene Epoch. The climate then was 2-3C warmer, and sea levels were 10-20m higher due to the melting of Greenland and the West Antarctic ice sheets.

Other experts in the field of atmospheric research agreed that the WMO findings were a cause for concern.

"The 3ppm CO2 growth rate in 2015 and 2016 is extreme - double the growth rate in the 1990-2000 decade," Prof Euan Nisbet from Royal Holloway University of London, UK, told BBC News.

"It is urgent that we follow the Paris agreement and switch rapidly away from fossil fuels. There are signs this is beginning to happen, but so far the air is not yet recording the change."

Another concern in the report is the continuing, mysterious rise of methane levels in the atmosphere, which were also larger than the average over the past 10 years. Prof Nisbet says there is a fear of a vicious cycle, where methane drives up temperatures which in turn releases more methane from natural sources.

"The rapid increase in methane since 2007, especially in 2014, 2015, and 2016, is different. This was not expected in the Paris agreement. Methane growth is strongest in the tropics and sub-tropics. The carbon isotopes in the methane show that growth is not being driven by fossil fuels. We do not understand why methane is rising. It may be a climate change feedback. It is very worrying."

The implications of these new atmospheric measurements for the targets agreed under the Paris climate pact are quite negative, say observers.

"The numbers don't lie. We are still emitting far too much and this needs to be reversed," said Erik Solheim, head of UN Environment.

"We have many of the solutions already to address this challenge. What we need now is global political will and a new sense of urgency."

The report has been issued just a week ahead of the next instalment of UN climate talks, in Bonn. Despite the declaration by President Trump that he intends to take the US out of the deal, negotiators meeting in Germany will be aiming to advance and clarify the rulebook of the Paris agreement.

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Best of our wild blogs: 30 Oct 17

Wed 08 Nov 2017: 2.00pm – Green Jobs Symposium & Networking 2017 for tertiary and JC students (registration required)
Otterman speaks...

Outreach October with the RUMblers
Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M.) Initiative

Awesome October at the Marine Park
Sisters' Island Marine Park

Coastal Horseshoe Crab (Tachypleus gigas) @ Coney Island (Pulau Serangoon)
Monday Morgue

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Singapore’s water supply not affected by pollution in Johor River: PUB

Today Online 29 Oct 17;

SINGAPORE – The pollution plaguing the Johor River will not affect the water supply in Singapore despite the temporary disruption in treatment operations at the Johor River Waterworks (JRWW), said national water agency PUB.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Sunday (Oct 29), the utilities board said it had stepped up production at the desalination plants and local waterworks to meet local water demand .

“Johor River Waterworks has to temporarily stop treatment operations at 11am on Oct 28 due to pollution in the Johor River with high ammonia levels,” the PUB said.

“The stoppage of treatment operations at JRWW disrupted its supply to Singapore and some parts of Johor.

“Water supply in Singapore will not be affected as PUB had stepped up production at the desalination plants and local waterworks to meet demand.”

The PUB added that it is monitoring the raw water quality in the Johor River and will “resume abstraction and treatment of raw water when the water quality is suitable”.

Malaysian media reported on Sunday that an illegal poultry farm that also makes fertiliser using chicken manure has been found to be the source of ammonia pollution in the Johor River.

The level of pollution forced the temporary shutdown of three water treatment plants since last Friday (Oct 27), and led to water supply disruptions affecting 1.8 million people in Johor Bahru.

This is not the first time the Johor River has been plagued by ammonia pollution. In July last year, the same farm had been partly responsible for another incident that affected the water supply to 600,000 people.

Johor Department of Environment (DoE) director Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh said the poultry farm on the banks of Sungai Sayong, which is a tributary of Johor River, was operating without approval his office.

But any order to close the factory must come from the Johor Veterinary Services Department or the District Land Office, he added.

Dr Ezanni revealed that, based on checks conducted by DoE staff at the farm since the previous case of pollution last year, the factory did not adhere to proper storage techniques for its fertiliser.

"The factory uses manure from the chicken to make fertiliser. Much of the fertiliser is improperly stored. The fertiliser products and chicken manure are stacked and exposed to the elements,” he said.

"When it rains, the water soaks these items and the water seeps into the ground and flows into the river. This leads to the high content of ammonia in the river.”

The PUB added that it is monitoring the raw water quality in the Johor River and will “resume abstraction and treatment of raw water when the water quality is suitable”.

Malaysian media reported on Sunday that an illegal poultry farm that also makes fertiliser using chicken manure has been found to be the source of ammonia pollution in the Johor River.

The level of pollution forced the temporary shutdown of three water treatment plants since Friday (Oct 27), and led to water supply disruptions affecting 1.8 million people in Johor Bahru.

This is not the first time the Johor River is plagued by ammonia pollution. In July last year, the same farm had been partly responsible for another incident that affected the water supply to 600,000 people.

Johor Department of Environment (DoE) director Datuk Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh said the poultry farm on the banks of Sungai Sayong, which is a tributary of Johor River, was operating without the approval from the state DoE.

He said his department had no jurisdiction over this factory as it rears chicken and, therefore, any order to close must come from the Johor Veterinary Services Department or the District Land Office.

Mr Ezanni revealed that, based on checks conducted by DoE staff at the farm since the previous case of pollution last year, the factory did not adhere to proper storage techniques for its fertiliser.

"The factory uses manure from the chicken to make fertiliser. Much of the fertiliser is improperly stored. The fertiliser products and chicken manure are stacked and exposed to the elements,” he said.

"When it rains, the water soaks these items and the water seeps into the ground and flows into the river. This leads to the high content of ammonia in the river.”


Water supply in Singapore not affected by pollution in Johor River: PUB
Channel NewsAsia 29 Oct 17;

SINGAPORE: The water supply in Singapore will not be affected by high ammonia levels in the Johor River, Singapore's national water agency PUB said in a Facebook post on Sunday (Oct 29).

Johor River Waterworks had to temporarily stop treatment operations at 11am on Saturday, PUB said.

While the water supply to Singapore and some parts of Johor was affected, PUB has stepped up production at desalination plants and local waterworks to meet demand.

Ammonia levels of 2.75 parts per million were recorded in the raw water on Friday night and three water treatment plants were closed down. Malaysia resident in Johor Baru, Kulai and Kota Tinggi were affected, The Star reported.

The ammonia pollution was traced to a chicken droppings processing factory close to the river.

Malaysia authorities have said that the factory, which uses manure from chickens to manufacture fertilizer, will be closed down.

PUB added that it is monitoring the raw water quality in the Johor River and will resume abstraction and treatment of raw water when the water quality is suitable.


Operations halted at 3 Johor water treatment plants due to high ammonia levels: Report
Channel NewsAsia 28 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: Around 1.8 million residents in Johor Baru have been affected by a major water supply disruption, after operations at three water treatment plants were stopped due to high ammonia levels found in their raw water from the Johor River, local media reported on Saturday (Oct 28).

Operations were halted at the Semangar, Johor River and Tai Hong plants on Saturday, the Star Online reported.

Residents in three districts - Johor Baru, Kulai and Kota Tinggi - have been affected and the shutdown may last for up to two days, it added.

Jamaluddin Jamal, head of corporate communications at water supply company SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd, told the Star Online that ammonia levels of 2.75 parts per million were recorded in the raw water on Friday night and that levels had not gone down as of Saturday afternoon.

The permitted ammonia level is 1.5 parts per million according to the Star Online.

"Water quality is our priority, thus we decided to halt operations to treat raw water from the river," he told the Star Online. "This is not the first time high levels of ammonia have disrupted water supply. We have recorded three major incidents this year alone."

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Malaysia, Johor: Illegal poultry farm to be shut down for causing pollution in Sungai Johor

Rizalman Hammim and Ahmad Fairuz Othman New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: An illegal poultry farm that also makes fertiliser using chicken manure will be shut down by the Johor state government, after it was identified as the source of ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the decision was made following a recommendation made during a meeting chaired by the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) today.

The pollution in Sungai Johor, which was caused by the farm located at the border of Kulai and Kluang, has led to the temporary shut down of three water treatment plants since Friday.

The emergency meeting, Khaled said, was attended by representatives from water utility company SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd, Johor Department of Environment (DoE), Kulai Municipal Council and Johor Veterinary Services Department.

“We (state government) will close down the premises... the recommendation will be further discussed at the state executive council meeting this week.

“We have to take drastic measures to prevent this from happening again in the future,” Khaled told reporters after launching the “eRezeki and eUsahawan Bootcamp” at the Johor Baru Central Municipal Council hall in Gelang Patah today.

The pollution in Sungai Johor had forced SAJ Ranhill to shut down its Semangar water treatment plant on Friday after ammonia levels exceeded the permissible exposure limit.

The permissible exposure limit for ammonia set by the Health Ministry is 1.5 parts per million (ppm). The ammonia level in Sungai Johor reached 2.75 ppm.

SAJ Ranhill was also forced to shut down the Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants after ammonia was detected downstream.

The temporary closures affected about 1.8 million consumers in Johor Baru, Kulai, Iskandar Puteri and Kota Tinggi.

An SAJ Ranhill spokesman said this is the third time its treatment plants shut down this year due to ammonia pollution.

State Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat yesterday confirmed that the pollution was caused by a poultry farm.

Ayub had said the pollution created by the farm caused the three water treatment plants to shut down on July 12 last year, affecting some 600,000 consumers.

Meanwhile, Johor DoE director Datuk Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh said the farm was operating without the approval from the state DoE.

“The state DoE previously did not support the approval of the factory in the Preliminary Assessment Site (PAT) to proceed with the project in the area.”

“After last year’s ammonia pollution, a meeting was conducted with all stakeholders and the DoE had recommended for the factory to be relocated.

“However, no action was taken,” he said, adding that the premises fell under the purview of the Veterinary Services Department.

Johor Veterinary Services Department director Dr Dr Aida Muhid, however, said ths was not a “clear-cut case” as the department was not informed of the plan to construct a fertiliser component at the farm.

“Initial checks revealed that a licence was given to the farm to rear livestock on one plot of land.

“But the fertiliser processing plant, which may have opened more recently, is located on a different plot of land. There is no permit for this plant,” she said when contacted.

Dr Aida assured the public that her department will continue to monitor the premises to prevent untoward incidents.

Two of the three affected water treatment plants resumed operations at about 7pm yesterday.

SAJ Ranhill corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamil water supply is expected to return in stages.

The Tai Hong plant, which is operated by Singapore’s Public Utilities Board (PUB), remains closed.

Jamaluddin said he expected the plant to resume operations by tonight.


Illegal poultry farm found to be cause of ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor
Ahmad Fairuz Othman and Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: An illegal poultry farm that also makes fertiliser using chicken manure has been found to be the source of ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor that led to the temporary shut down of three water treatment plants since Friday.

The incident raised the ire of residents as water supply disruptions affected several parts of Johor Baru.

It also led to the state water utility company SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd to issue a notice saying that up to 1.8 million consumers could be affected by the incident.

However, what was troubling was that it was not the first time the same poultry farm contributed to ammonia pollution.

A previous case of ammonia pollution at Sungai Johor in July last year, which affected the water supply to 600,000 people, was partly caused by the same farm.

Johor Department of Environment (DoE) director Datuk Dr Mohammad Ezanni Mat Salleh said the poultry farm on the banks of Sungai Sayong, which is a tributary of Sungai Johor, was operating without the approval from the state DoE.

"The state DoE previously did not support the approval of the factory in the Preliminary Assessment Site (PAT) to proceed with the project in the area.

"However, it continued to operate. The farm operated under the jurisdiction of the Kulai District Land Office and Johor Veterinary Services Department, and these are the only agencies which can tell the farm to stop its operations," Ezanni told the New Straits Times.

Ezanni said that following the previous case of pollution that occurred in July last year, a meeting was conducted with all stakeholders and it was agreed upon that the factory should be relocated.

"However, there was no action taken on this, and the state DoE's notice to have the poultry farm relocated has fallen on deaf ears," said Ezanni.

He said the department had no jurisdiction over this factory as it rears chicken and therefore any order to close must come from the Johor Veterinary Services Department or the District Land Office.

He said based on checks conducted by DoE staff at the farm since the previous case of pollution last year, the factory did not adhere to proper storage techniques for its fertiliser.

"The factory uses manure from the chicken to make fertiliser. Much of the fertiliser is improperly stored. The fertiliser products and chicken manure are stacked and exposed to the elements.

"When it rains, the water soaks these items and the water seeps into the ground and flows into the river. This leads to the high content of ammonia in the river," said Ezanni.

Yesterday, Johor Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat confirmed that the ammonia pollution was caused by the premises which processed chicken manure.

Ayub said this was the third incident of ammonia pollution and based on SAJ Ranhill's investigation, it was caused by the same party.

“The Department of Environment (DOE) previously did not support the approval in the PAT to proceed with the project in the area and we also regret that the local Land Office and Veterinary Department did not take stern action over the matter,” he said.

Meanwhile, SAJ Ranhill's corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamil said that two out of the three water treatment plants that were shut down had resumed operations.

"The Semanggar and Sungai Johor water treatment plants were re-opened about 7pm last night. Now, only the PUB (Public Utilities Board) Tai Hong water treatment plant remains closed," said Jamaluddin, adding that regular water supply to several areas would resume by tonight.


Call to impose heavier penalties on anyone found to have polluted water catchment areas
Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: Residents affected by the water supply disruptions in Johor want the government to be more stringent and impose heavier penalties on anyone found to have polluted the water catchment areas in the state.

These residents, who have experienced dry taps before, said it was not enough to just impose fines as these polluters could do it again.

Sahrulerman Abd Rahim, 38, said many Johoreans were forced to endure days without water supply in the past due to the shut down of water treatment plants because of excessive amount of ammonia at rivers.

He said the nightmare kept recurring and many people wondered how come nothing was done to stop the polluters from doing it again.

"It is not enough for authorities to only impose fines or compounds on those who are found to commit such offences.

"They should not be let off with just a slap on the wrist. They will continue to carry out their activities even after a fine or a compound because they can afford to pay.

"The authorities should impose a heavier penalty like shutting down the operation of any business found to be polluting rivers. Better still, ask the operator to move their factory to another place," said Sahrulerman, who lives in Taman Nusa Bestari 2 in Gelang Patah with his wife and three children.

He said it is was a nuisance for his family whenever there was a water disruption as it affected their daily lives.

"The last time the Semangar plant was closed, water supply to my house was disrupted for about three days," he said.

Sahrulerman was commenting on the move by SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd to shut down the operations of three water treatment plants along Sungai Johor, namely the Semangar, Sungai Johor and Tai Hong plants, since Friday night following the increase in the level of ammonia in the river.

The Semangar plant was closed late on Friday night when ammonia levels at its intake point at the river was recorded at 2.75 parts per million (ppm), which was higher than the permissable level of ammonia set by the Health Ministry, which was 1.5 ppm.

The situation got worse when SAJ Ranhill announced yesterday evening that high ammonia levels were also detected at the Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants, which forced the shut down of the plants.

The Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants are located further downstream from the Semangar plant.

This is the third occurrance of water treatment plants being temporarily shut down due to ammonia pollution this year.

The authorities traced the latest case of ammonia pollution to a poultry farm which processes fertiliser from chicken manure located at the banks of the river.

Meanwhile, Norazilah Ab Rasul, 36, said the water supply in her area was disrupted a day after she heard about it through SAJ Ranhill's announcement.

She said she only noticed that the water supply to her house was disrupted about 10 am today.

"I knew about the closure of the Semangar plant, but the water supply at my house was initially not affected.

"It is only this morning I found that the water supply was disrupted. By that time, I could not do anything," said Norazilah, who lives in Taman Nusantara.

The housewife agreed that more stringent action should taken against those who were found polluting the water sources.

"These polluters must be dealt with strictly by the authorities. Action must be taken against them to serve as a lesson to others not to pollute our rivers," said Norazilah.

Fertiliser factory ordered to close for polluting Sg Johor
zazali musa The Star 30 Oct 17;

GELANG PATAH: A factory processing poultry manure into fertiliser in Layang-Layang along Sungai Johor has been ordered to close as it is linked to ammonia pollution in the river.

Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said the drastic move was taken as the factory had been identified as the source that caused the rise of ammonia in the raw water.

He said operations at the Semanggar, Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants were forced to stop when the chemical content was detected in the raw water from Sungai Johor on Saturday.

Following that, water supply to some 1.8 million users in south Johor was disrupted for two days.

He said the same factory had in July last year caused a major water disruption to hundreds of thousands of consumers in south Johor due to ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor.

Khaled said a similar directive was given to a poultry farm operating near to the factory, as it also contributed to the chemical content in the raw water.

The decision to ask the factories to cease operations was made following recommendations by eight agencies including the Johor Water Regulatory Body, SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd, Department of Environment, Kulai Land Office and Veterinary Department in a special meeting yesterday.

SAJ Ranhill corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamil said water supply to some areas in three districts namely Johor Baru, Kulai and Kota Tinggi has been restored.

Operations at the three water treatment plants would back to normal today.

“We will not take any risks as water quality is top priority,” he said.

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Malaysia: All logging activities near Fraser's Hill ceased, says NGO

HIDIR REDUAN New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

KUANTAN: All logging activities near Fraser’s Hill in Raub have stopped since the imposition of a temporary cease order on Sept 8.

This was confirmed by The Protection of the Natural Heritage of Malaysia (Peka) president Puan Sri Shariffa Sabrina Syed Akil, who sent a fact-finding team to the famous eco-tourist spot earlier this month.

“(There is) no more logging and all the machines have been taken out of the area,” she said in reference to the removal of heavy machinery from the area, which measures 106.78 hectares.

On Oct 6, the New Straits Times quoted her saying that a fact-finding team would be dispatched to Fraser’s Hill to verify claims that a lorry was seen entering the Batu Talam Forest Reserve, which is in violation of the active interim cease order.

Shariffa said Peka intends to conduct a reforestation project at the hill to restore it to its pristine state.

However, she said, Peka can only do so after receiving permission from the Raub District Forestry Officer (DFO).

“We have written a letter to the DFO seeking permission to conduct the project. We are still waiting for the green light,” she said, adding that the letter was sent two weeks ago.

Sabrina said many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and volunteers are eager to take part in the restoration exercise.

On whether the interim stop order should be extended, Pahang Forestry director Datuk Indera Mohd Paiz Kamaruzaman said the department will look into the matter seriously.

“We will conduct a study to determine the suitability (of extending the stop order),” he said when contacted today.

Meanwhile, a Raub Forestry Department representative said the department has received Peka’s letter.

He said the reforestation project, if allowed to proceed, will be a joint effort by Peka and the Forestry Department.

“The department will identity suitable areas to plant the new trees and the NGOs will be in charge of planting them.”

He also confirmed that no new logging activities will take place near Fraser’s Hill while stop order is active.

He said Forestry Department officers, during their routine patrols, have not encountered any parties breaching the order.

NST on Sept 26 published a report on illegal logging activities near Fraser’s Hill, which had been gazetted as a primary forest reserve and water catchment area.

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Malaysia: Monsoon on Malaysia's doorstep, says Meteorological Dept

ADRIAN DAVID New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

KUALA TERENGGANU: The signs of the impending monsoon are here with thunderstorms, heavy rain and strong wind expected over several states in Peninsular Malaysia, today.

According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department’s forecast, the situation will persist until Thursday.

Tourism in Terengganu will be affected as access to its idyllic islands will be cut off during the monsoon season until March next year.

Continued rain is expected to cause flooding in low-lying areas in the peninsula states. The affected areas are in Perak (Manjung, Perak Tengah, Bagan Datoh and Hilir Perak), Selangor (Gombak, Petaling Jaya, Klang, Kuala Langat, Sepang and Hulu Langat), Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Negeri Sembilan (Jelebu, Jempol and Tampin), Johor (Segamat, Batu Pahat, Kluang, Mersing, Kota Tinggi, Johor Bahru, Kulai and Pontian), Pahang (Cameron Highlands, Lipis, Raub, Bentong, Rompin, Pekan and Kuantan), Kelantan (Tumpat, Pasir Mas, Kota Bharu, Bachok, Pasir Puteh, Machang and Tanah Merah) and Terengganu.

The department also forecast strong north-easterly winds of 40-50 km per hour with waves up to 3.5 metres to occur over the waters off Samui (Thailand), Tioman, Bunguran, Condore, Reef North and Layang-Layang until Thursday (Nov 2).

Similar conditions are expected off the coast of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Johor.

“This condition of strong winds and rough seas is dangerous to small crafts, recreational sea activities and sea sports,” the statement on its official website said.

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Best of our wild blogs: 29 Oct 17

Open for registration – Love MacRitchie Walk with NUS Toddycats! on 12 Nov 2017 (Sun)
Love our MacRitchie Forest

Halloween Fashion Week
BES Drongos

Night Walk At Dairy Farm Nature Park (27 Oct 2017)
Beetles@SG BLOG

The Butterfly Antennae
Butterflies of Singapore

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Malaysia: Taps in 1.8 million south Johor households run dry

kathleen ann kili The Star 28 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: Some 1.8 million residents in southern Johor have been struck by a major water supply disruption after three water treatment plants were shut down due to high ammonia levels found in raw water from Sungai Johor.

Operations at three water treatment plants – the Semangar, Sungai Johor and Tai Hong water treatment plants – were stopped Saturday after a high level of ammonia was recorded.

SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd corporate communications head Jamaluddin Jamal said that residents in at least three districts, namely Johor Baru, Kulai and Kota Tinggi, have been affected by the shutdown that may last up to two days.

He said that the ammonia level of 2.75 parts per million (ppm) recorded late Friday night had not reduced as of 4.30pm on Saturday. The level is much higher than the Health Ministry's permitted level of 1.5ppm.

"This is not the first time high levels of ammonia have disrupted water supply. We have recorded three major incidents this year alone," he said in a statement here on Saturday.

Jamaluddin said the situation could be prolonged if ammonia levels do not drop.

"We urge the public not to panic and to use water wisely," he said, adding that affected residents could contact its hotline at 1800-88-7474 for assistance.


Ammonia pollution at Sungai Johor caused by chicken droppings processing factory
Bernama New Straits Times 29 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: The ammonia pollution in Sungai Johor near Kota Tinggi, yesterday, was caused by a chicken droppings processing factory close to the river.

Johor Health, Environment, Education and Information Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat said the pollution has affected 160,000 user accounts of Semangar water treatment plant who were living in Kulai, Senai, Gelang Patah, Iskandar Puteri, Skudai, Kempas, Taman Sri Austin and Kangkar Pulai.

He said this was the third incident of ammonia pollution and based on Syarikat Air Johor (SAJ) investigation, it was caused by the same party.

“The Department of Environment (DOE) previously did not support the approval in the Preliminary Assessment Site (PAT) to proceed with the project in the area and we also regret that the local Land Office and Veterinary Department did not take stern action over the matter,” he told reporters at the Johor Talent 3 Graduation Ceremony at Warisan Sultan Abu Bakar Complex, here today.

He said the chicken droppings processing factory had to be closed immediately in order to ensure such incident does not occur again.

“The DOE does not have any authority to close (the factory) but we have referred the matter to the local Land Office and Veterinary Department for immediate action,” he said.

He added, a meeting regarding the matter would be held tomorrow, which would be chaired by the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) and related agencies including SAJ, DOE, Land Office and Veterinary Department. -- BERNAMA


160,000 homes and businesses affected after Semangar water treatment plant shuts down due to excessive ammonia
The Semangar water treatment plant was shut down due to excessive amount of ammonia in Sungai Johor. NSTP File pic.
Rizalman Hammim New Straits Times 28 Oct 17;

JOHOR BARU: SAJ Ranhill Sdn Bhd (SAJ Ranhill) has been forced to shut down the operation of the Semangar water treatment plant since late last night following the presence of excessive amount of ammonia in Sungai Johor.

SAJ Ranhill said this is the third time this year that the plant had to be shut down because of ammonia pollution.

"When this happens, we had no choice but to stop the plant's operations in order to prevent ammonia from seeping into the treated water supply system and disrupt the water quality received by the users.

"Our main concern is the quality of the water that we supply and we have to meet the standard level of ammonia set by the Health Ministry, which is set at 1.5 parts per million (ppm).

“We have taken the decision to stop treating the raw water from the river after it was found to have a high level of ammonia, which was recorded at 2.75 ppm early this morning," said SAJ Ranhill in a statement.

The company's corporate communication head Jamaluddin Jamil said the plant will remain shut down until the ammonia level at the river dropped to the required level.

"It is difficult to say how long the plant will remained shut down because we have to wait until the ammonia level goes down. Even after the plant starts operating, we have to wait for some time in order to build up the pressure before normal supply is restored," said Jamaluddin.

The plant is the main plant that supplies treated water to parts of Johor Baru and Kulai and its closure is expected to affect 160,000 account holders in areas like Skudai, Kempas, Senai, Pulai, Gelang Patah and Tanjung Kupang.

Meanwhile, consumers were left fuming at the repeated occurance of ammonia pollution that has affected their water supply.

Sheikh Mohayuddin said residents in his neighbourhood woke up to find out that they have been hit by a water cut.

"I urge the administrator (of SAJ Ranhill's Facebook page) to update us earlier about this disruption. There has beem no water from 7am....you only put up the notice on the disruption in the afternoon," he said on Facebook.

He said that as his house was on a hilly area, whenever there is a disruption to water supply, he will be one of first few victims to experience it, and among the last last to get water supply back.

As for Jalaludin Hashim, he urged the water utility and all related state agencies to take note of how the water supply chain could be polluted.

He said a better filter system to avoid ammonia pollution was needed.

Lawrence Ho was more critical of the state's water resources and urged for the authorities to go after those polluting the river.

"Where did the ammonia come from? Industrial discharge? They should look at the source of the problem, not just wait for the level of ammonia to drop," said Ho.

SAJ Ranhill has urged consumers to contact 1800887474 for further information.

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Malaysia: Lone elephant runs wild in Kupang village, strikes fear in farming community

Safuri Kamarudin New Straits Times 28 Oct 17;

BALING: Over 600 residents at Kampung Bukit Hijau, Kupang voiced their fear over the 'unpleasant visit' from an elephant which has destroyed their crops.

Since the elephant made its presence known to the villagers, many of the locals here have stayed away from their farms, worried that they will run into the elephant.

The village's Development and Safety Committee chairman Idris Yaacob said the wild elephant had destroyed the villagers' crops including banana trees, rubber plant seedlings, coconuts as well as betel trees.

He added the elephant was also getting bolder.

"The elephant usually comes into the village late at night and goes back into the woods early in the morning.

"Many villagers are now afraid to go to the farms and this has caused them to lose their income," he said, adding that he has informed the Wildlife and National Parks Department and hopes that appropriate action will be taken soon.

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Convention of Migratory Species: Chimpanzees among 33 breeds selected for special protection

BBC 28 Oct 17;

Species like Chimpanzees seeing large reductions in numbers, there are now 50% less than three generations ago
A UN-backed wildlife conference held in the Philippines has voted for additional protections for a list of 33 endangered species including chimpanzees, leopards and giraffes.

Whale sharks, the world's largest fish, were also included on the list.

The six-day long Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) concluded on Saturday, demanding better protections for species that cross country borders.

The groups executive secretary said "everybody has to pitch in" to efforts.

"It has helped to convey the message that the future of migratory wildlife is integral to our own future and that we all have the responsibility to act," Bradney Chamber said.

Governments also made commitments to cooperate on reducing the negative impacts of marine debris, noise pollution and climate change on migratory species.

More than 1,000 delegates from 129 countries debated species' protection at the 12th conference of its kind, backed by the United Nations Environment Programme.

China is still not part of the delegation, but organisers said the country had made some advances on animal protection, such as committing to shut-down the ivory trade and banning the serving of endangered species, such as shark fin soup, at government events.

Hosts the Philippines lobbied for the inclusion of whale sharks, which have become a tourist attraction for the nation. Three other shark breeds were also included in the list.

Ten species of vultures were also singled out for special protection, alongside well-known African mammals deemed to be in danger.

Giraffes are on decline on the continent, with only 90,000 thought to be left in the wild.

Lesser-known species were also singled out for protection - including the Gobi Bear found in the Gobi desert in Mongolia and China. Organisers said only 45 of them remain in the wild.



Lions, whale sharks, other endangered species get more protection
Philippine Daily Inquirer 30 Oct 17;

ENDANGERED Lion cubs Sarah and Benjamin are shown at a circus in Stuttgart, Germany. The endangered animals are among 34 selected to receive heightened protection at the meeting of the Conservation of Migratory Species in Manila. —AFP

Lions, chimpanzees, giraffes, leopards and a wide variety of sharks, including the whale shark, received added protection at a UN wildlife conference in the Philippines, organizers said on Saturday.

Some 34 endangered species were selected to receive heightened conservation efforts at the 12th conference of state parties to the UN Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS) that just concluded in Manila.

Protecting migratory species poses particular difficulties since they cross borders, including possibly moving to countries with less stringent wildlife protection systems, said Bradnee Chambers, CMS executive secretary.

“If the species is moving around all of these countries, everybody has to pitch in,” he said at the end of the weeklong conference.

Director Theresa Mundita Lim of the Biodiversity Management Bureau said migratory animals played a critical role in the planet’s ecosystem.

‘Inspiration for people’

“They act as pollinators, control pests and are a source of food and income. They are also an inspiration for people here in the Philippines and all around the world,” Lim said.

Lions, leopards and chimpanzees were singled out as needing more conservation work. The chimpanzee in particular is at risk as its numbers have dropped sharply in recent years due to habitat loss, the organizers said.

The giraffe, which is in decline throughout Africa with fewer than 90,000 animals left in the wild, was also listed.

All four of these African mammals were approved by a “wide majority” for additional protection measures, a CMS statement noted.

“Everybody in this room can identify with these animals,” Chambers remarked.

Vultures, sharks

Less popular species also received additional protection, including 10 species of vultures.

Chambers said these birds provided a vital service by cleaning out carcasses, which prevents the spread of diseases like anthrax and rabies.

Also listed was the whale shark, the largest fish in the world. The Philippines had lobbied for this creature, which had become a major tourist attraction.

Three other shark species—the angel shark, dusky shark and blue shark—were also listed along with three species of rays, the organizers said.

The Pew Charitable Trusts praised the CMS action, saying it was crucial to save these marine animals.

“In some regions, the newly protected shark species have experienced population declines of 50 percent or more,” Pew shark conservation expert KerriLynn Miller said in a statement.

Also listed was the Gobi bear, which lives in the wild regions shared by Mongolia and China. Only 45 specimens remain in the wild, the organizers said.

Compliance review

One of the breakthroughs of the meeting was the adoption of a “compliance review mechanism,” to check if member countries respect the protective lists, the organizers said.

The conference also saw agreements to create an intergovernment task force to curb the illegal killings of birds crossing the East Asian-Australasian Flyway; a conservation road map for the critically endangered African wild ass; and guidelines on assessing impact of marine noise activities

Also adopted by the convention’s 124 state-parties during the weeklong conference was the Manila Declaration on Sustainable Development and Migratory Species, and the Philippine proposals for resolutions on Marine Protected Area Networks in Southeast Asia, sustainable tourism, and the conservation of critical intertidal and coastal habitats for migratory species.

A Pew international conservation expert, Max Bello, said that even though the CMS lists did not provide for sanctions, many member countries still complied with them.

“It does work. It needs more [authority] for sure. But you can use it. It’s actually a very good tool,” Bello said.

“A year or two ago, I was helping some group in Peru in the coast of the South Pacific and we used CMS to convince the government of Peru to protect the giant mantas that come from Ecuador every year,” he recalled.

More than 120 states are party to the CMS, but this does not include China and many other Asian countries.—REPORTS FROM AFP AND JAYMEE T. GAMIL

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Nestlé, Hershey and Mars 'breaking promises over palm oil use'

This year’s Halloween confectionery will contain palm oil grown on land that should lawfully be habitat to orangutans, rhinos and clouded leopards, despite commitment to clean up supply chains
Arthur Neslen The Guardian 17 Oct 17l

Nestlé, Mars and Hershey have been accused of breaking pledges to stop using “conflict palm oil” from deforested Indonesian jungles, just days before the annual Halloween confectionery frenzy.

The Rainforest Action Network (RAN) says consumers have been “deceived” by promises from the brands to clean up their supply chains which were subsequently delayed, revised or watered down.

Laurel Sutherlin, a spokesman for the group, told the Guardian: “For too many years, Nestlé, Mars and Hershey have cherry-picked their [palm oil] targets and then moved the goalposts when they don’t achieve them. There’s just no further room for error to prevent the extinction of tigers, orangutans and elephants.”

The last parcel of Sumatran rainforest in which these three species all roam – along with rhinos, clouded leopards and sun bears – is vanishing at a dramatic pace as lucrative palm oil plantations illegally eat into tropical forestland.

The brands source palm oil from this 2.6m hectare Leuser region, via complex supply chains, some involving traders linked to suppliers illegally logging in the region.

Nestlé promised to end deforestation in its supply chain by 2015 in response to Greenpeace’s KitKat campaign of 2010. After Ran’s “Snack food 20” report, this was upgraded to a pledge of “no sourcing from areas converted from natural forests after 1 February 2013”. The target was missed.

“Four years later we can now trace over 90% of our palm oil back to the mill of origin and almost two thirds back to the plantation level,” said Nestlé spokeswoman Peggy Diby. “Our ambition is to raise this figure to 100% by 2020, back to plantation.”

In July, Nestlé told the Guardian it could only source 47% of its palm oil to plantations, suggesting a big improvement in the last three months.

Hershey’s said in 2014 that it would source all of its palm oil back to the mill level by 2015, and to plantations by 2016. But its plantation level sourcing actually fell in 2016 from 27% to 14%, and the commitment has been deferred until 2020.

Greenpeace protestors dressed as orangutans demonstrate against palm oil harvested from rainforest destruction outside a Nestle shareholders’ meeting
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Greenpeace protestors dressed as orangutans demonstrate against palm oil harvested from rainforest destruction outside a Nestle shareholders’ meeting. Photograph: Antoine Antoniol/Bloomberg/Getty Images
Jeff Beckman, Hershey’s communications director said: “While we remain deeply committed to pushing all stakeholders to accelerate traceability and bring full transparency to this supply chain along with our supplier partners, we realised it would take more time to achieve this goal than originally anticipated.”

Mars did not respond to a request for comment, despite a promise of “cutting suppliers trafficking conflict palm oil by the end of 2015,” which campaigners claim has not been met.

Gemma Tillack, Ran’s campaign director said: “It is our view that the brands have deceived consumers by continually claiming to be tackling deforestation when they have not executed the actions required to achieve a moratorium on the forest frontlines of their global supply chains.”

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