AI-powered system in the works to help new Tengah town save energy

KELLY NG Today Online 10 Jul 18;

SINGAPORE — In a future "smart energy town" that city planners here are dreaming up, an artifical intelligence-powered system will detect power failures in residential blocks, traffic lights and street lamps, then channel energy from alternative sources to revive them.

Excess energy generated by solar panels mounted on top of public flats would also be stored and used later for servicing the estate, such as in operating lifts or water pumps.

With the vision of transforming the new Tengah town into Singapore's first "smart sustainable town", the Housing and Development Board (HDB) and utility provider SP Group signed an agreement on Tuesday (July 10) to study the development and testing of a centralised energy software system, envisioned to work like a "brain" that will collect and process data to analyse how each household, each neighbourhood, and the entire town use energy.

Dubbed the "smart energy concierge", this system will tap artificial intelligence to spot patterns and anomalies in energy flows to minimise disruption to services and optimise the use of energy.

It will be connected to the energy grid, energy storage systems and solar photovoltaic generators, the HDB said in a statement on three research agreements it signed on Tuesday.

This project will also explore a mobile application for future Tengah residents to pay utility bills, subscribe to "smart" household products and services, and track their energy usage.

The HDB-SP Power study, which will enable a more efficient and sustainable model of energy management, is expected to complete within a year.

The project will also explore the development of centralised cooling system in a housing development. This is envisaged as a more energy-efficient service that residents can subscribe to, instead of using the conventional air-conditioning systems.

On Tuesday, at the World Cities Summit, the HDB inked another two more research agreements with external partners to enhance the construction efficiency and design capabilities of future estates.

The first — which involves a three-year partnership with prefabrication firm Robin Village Development, consulting agency Witteveen+Bos and Nanyang Technological University — explores the use of a 3D concrete printer to create full-scale building elements.

Currently, customised mould sets are used in designing precast architectural building forms. Depending on the intricacy of the design, fabricating a set of large, volumetric moulds could take up to two months.

If successful, the new concrete printer will improve productivity and reduce dependency on precast fabrication workers. This collaboration is expected to cost S$3 million.

Finally, HDB signed the partnership with landscaping firm ISO Landscape to explore setting up floating solar panels in the open sea.

Looking to the sea is one way to further harvest solar energy given the Republic's land constraints, said National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, who was at the signing ceremonies on Tuesday.

New technologies offer "much potential" for transforming and improving the living environment, said the minister.

"While we have done well in building a green and liveable city in Singapore, we also recognise that we must never rest on our laurels. There is still much more we must do to make Singapore more liveable and sustainable," he said.

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Malaysia: Baby elephant found wandering alone in estate

stephanie lee The Star 12 Jul 18;

KOTA KINABALU: Wildlife rangers have taken in an elephant calf, the youngest ever found, under their care after it was spotted wandering alone at an oil palm estate in Tawau.

The calf, believed to be barely three months old and still in need of feeding by its mother, was found by estate workers at the Brumas Oil Palm area on Tuesday.

The workers then alerted their manager, who immediately called the wildlife rangers.

Sabah Wildlife Department director Augustine Tuuga said their officials found that the calf was in weak condition.

He added that they had tried searching for its mother or herd, but found no trace of either.

Tuuga said they would continue the search, although they would probably need to take the calf under their care for good if they failed to locate its herd within the next few days.

“It is quite surprising how the calf could have wandered off alone without its mother or herd searching for it,” he said.

Tuuga said the calf had been taken back to the base in Tawau, adding that they hoped to give it the care it needed as it was still very young.

“We have begun treatment and feeding to make sure that it will be all right,” he added.

The Brumas area is considered a high-risk human-animal conflict zone.

A rogue bull elephant killed a plantation worker and seriously injured a couple there two years ago. Wildlife rangers eventually culled the bull.

Human-animal conflict, especially in the east coast and interiors of Sabah, is increasing due to rapid development and land clearing.

In April and May alone, six elephants were found dead in Sabah’s east coast, most likely due to diseases.

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Malaysia: The Malaysian Nature Society calls on hotels to eliminate single-use plastic materials

Borneo Post 11 Jul 18;

MIRI: The Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) has called on hotels to eliminate single-use plastic such as bottled water and straws.

In a press statement yesterday, MNS Miri chairman Iqbal Abdollah said this is one way to cut down on plastic pollution in the ocean.

“The hotel industry buys and distributes huge numbers of single-use plastic water bottles for the convenience of their customers either during their stays or meetings.

“However, seeing how the single-use plastic water bottles have impacted our oceans, I strongly believe that more sustainable methods could be used and which could also save costs and, probably, bring more profit to the hotels,” he said.

He pointed out that Miri, which is being promoted as a resort city, is known for its long coastline.

“However, the trash that washes ashore on beaches here is giving tourists and the community the wrong impression,” he said.

He stressed the community needs to have sustainability in mind and make the effort to reduce rubbish in the oceans.

“To be honest, it is never-ending work, seeing more trash is being washed up and pulled in. The main issue is that we have yet gotten to the root of this problem. It would be good if we incorporate the effort from private entities such as hotels and resorts,” he said.

He stressed that single-use plastic bottles take up to 450 years to decompose, while plastic straws require up to 200 years or longer.

“To make things worse, plastic breaking up into smaller pieces and becoming micro-plastics will enter our food chain, which will eventually end up in our bodies,” he said.

In March, the World Health Organisation (WHO) found more than 90 per cent of the world’s most popular bottled water brands contained traces of plastic.

“What is more worrying is that, according to World Economic Forum (WEF), there will be more plastic than fish in our ocean by 2050 judging from the current rate of plastic pollution worldwide.

“Perhaps it is time local hoteliers adapt initiatives by international hotels by offering their guests glass refillable water bottles, filtered water stations and dispensers, reusable bottles, and straws made out of recycled aluminium,” he added.

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Indonesia: Forest Fire Begins to Occur in Areas of Kalimantan

Netral News 12 Jul 18;

SAMPIT, NNC - Land fires began to occur in Sampit, East Kotawaringin District, Central Kalimantan, which allegedly was cauesd by a reduce in rain intensity.

"Land fire occurred at Jenderal Sudirman St. KM 10 with two hotspots," East Kotawaringin Fire and Rescue Department Chief Rihel said in Sampit.

The fire occured on empty land on the side of the highway. Personnels received information from the public at around 4 p.m and immediately rushed to the location.

The East Kotawaringin Fire and Rescue Department deployed one firetruck. Personnels from the East Kotawaringin Police Resort also rushed to the scene by deploying motorcycles equipped with an extinguisher. East Kotawaringin Resort Police Operational Division Chief Adj. Commissioner Boni Ariefianto came to the scene along with several armed forces and East Kotawaringin Regional Disaster Management Agency personnels.

"We urge the people to take part in preventing land fires. The lack of rainfall has increased the chances of forest and land fire," Rihel said.

Head of East Kotawaringin Regional Disaster Management Agency Muhammad Yusuf said according to the information from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, the peak of dry season is expected to happen in August.

The people of East Kotawaringin must stay alert as the district is included as an area prone to forest and land fires.

"Drought is predicted to start on the third week of this July, possibly somewhere around July 20. Inorder to anticipate it, a forest and land fire emergency alert status is planned to be set mid-July," Yusuf said Thursday, July 12.

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Indonesia: Sighting of Tapanuli orangutan twins raises hope for saving species

The Jakarta Post 11 Jul 18;

Two wildlife conservationists spotted a Tapanuli orangutan with her twin babies in Batang Toru forest in Tapanuli, North Sumatra,raising hopes for saving the critically endangered species.

The three Tapanuli orangutans were spotted in May in a tree at a height of around 15 meters in the early afternoon.

The staff members of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP), Andayani Oerta G. and Ulil Amri Silitonga, who are both based at the Batang Toru forest observation post, were on their regular patrol round when they spotted the orangutan family.

“The babies looked identical, although one seemed quite bold while the other was very shy and stayed close to the mother,” recalled Andayani.She added that the female orangutan remained in the tree for about an hour before she left the area, the twins clinging to her.

Rare sighting: Twin babies of the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan species hang onto their mother in a tree in Batang Toru forest, North Sumatra. According to the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP), twin births generally happen in captivity and rarely in the wild.
Rare sighting: Twin babies of the critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan species hang onto their mother in a tree in Batang Toru forest, North Sumatra. According to the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program (SOCP), twin births generally happen in captivity and rarely in the wild. (Courtesy of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Program/File)

SOCP biological diversity monitoring head Matius Nowak said he once documented twin orangutans in the wild, but they were not Tapanuli orangutans.

“Twin births happen among animals bred in captivity. In the wild, it’s very rare for both babies to survive,” Nowak said in a statement on Wednesday.

The Tapanuli orangutan, which is distinguished by their smaller head and frizzier cinnamon-red hair, was identified as a distinct species in 2017 and was immediately listed as a critically endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Around 800 Tapanuli orangutans currently live in Batang Toru, but the IUCN has estimated that at the current rate of deforestation, the population would drop to just 275 by 2060. (nor/ebf)

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Indonesia: Papua indigenous communities declare 'customary fishing area' in Raja Ampat

Kharishar Kahfi The Jakarta Post 11 Jul 18;

Indigenous communities from 19 villages at the Dampier Strait Marine Protection Area (MPA) in Raja Ampat Islands, West Papua, declared on Tuesday the customary fishing area in the regency, asserting their commitment to conserve marine ecosystems and utilize resources sustainably.

“The customary fishing area in Raja Ampat is a system that regulates members of the indigenous Maya tribe in maintaining and utilizing the sea and its fishery resources wisely and responsibly,” said Kristian Thebu, the chief of the Maya Tribe Council, in a statement on Wednesday.

The declaration will lead people of eight villages living on Batanta Island as well as 11 others on Salawati Island to agree to protect the 211,000 hectares of marine area, securing sustainably the livelihoods of 2,000 households on both islands.

Such a declaration is considered helpful for the MPA management in managing the area thanks to “community involvement in planning and management,” according to Raja Ampat MPA technical implementation unit head Syafri.

The Marine Protected Area in Raja Ampat was determined through a 2014 decree from the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry.

However, damage to marine ecosystems and fishery resources in the region continued to threaten the region in the form of irregular and unsustainable fishing practices as well as a growing number of fishermen from outside Raja Ampat.

Nongovernmental organization RARE, with support from the USAID Sustainable Ecosystem Advanced (SEA) project, will assist with the implementation of the declaration, as well as other attempts at conservation and sustainable resource utilization in the region. (ebf)

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Best of our wild blogs: 11 Jul 18

Ferry runs aground on reclaimed land at Tekong 9 July 2018
wild shores of singapore

Wormy Wednesday: marine science work on worms
Celebrating Singapore Shores!

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Indonesian ferry carrying 45 people runs aground at Pulau Tekong

Channel NewsAsia 10 Jul 18;

SINGAPORE: A ferry carrying 45 people ran aground at Pulau Tekong within Singapore port waters on Monday (Jul 9), according to a Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) press release.

MPA said it received a report at about 11.40pm that the Indonesian-flagged ferry Sri Kandi 99 had run aground on a rock bund at the southern tip of Pulau Tekong.

The ferry was making a return trip from Panama-registered passenger vessel Aegean Paradise, anchored south of Pengerang, Johor, to Pasir Gudang, Johor when the incident happened.

It was carrying 34 passengers - 33 Malaysians and one Vietnamese - as well as 11 Indonesian crew members at the time.

"All 45 people on board were safe and accounted for," said MPA.

The passengers were transferred to another ferry, Camara Samudra, and disembarked at Tanjong Pengelih, Johor at 5.15am. Crew members are assisting with investigations.

There were no reports of injury or oil pollution, said MPA, adding that the owner is making arrangements to "re-float" the ferry.

MPA is investigating the incident.

Source: CNA/nc

All 45 aboard Indonesia-flagged ferry stranded off Pulau Tekong rescued by Police Coast Guard
Cheow Sue-Ann Straits Times 10 Jul 18;

SINGAPORE - All 45 passengers and crew on board an Indonesia-flagged ferry which had run aground in Singapore waters late on Monday night (July 9) were rescued by the Police Coast Guard in an operation.

Crew Commander Lee Kuan Seng, 37, of PT78, one of three Police Coast Guard vessels activated for the rescue at the southern tip of Pulau Tekong, said the operation was a tricky one as the ferry, Sri Kandi 99, was at risk of capsizing and visibility was low.

“The closeness to shore meant that we too ran a risk of being grounded ourselves,” he added.



To complicate matters, the accident occurred on reclaimed land, which meant that land vehicles could not directly access the area, he said.

He and his crew of five, using night vision technology and searchlights, found that five people were stuck in the ferry, which was listing to one side.

Mr Lee said: “We carefully aligned our vessel to theirs, so that these five individuals, who did not know how to swim, could simply walk over to our vessel.”

Meanwhile, the other two rescue vessels were attending to 40 of the ferry’s passengers and crew who had made it to shore.

The ferry was stranded near Pulau Tekong during low tide after it had collided with rocks along the island.

The 45 people aboard the ferry were made up of 33 Malaysian and one Vietnamese passengers and 11 Indonesian crew members.

Police Coast Guard officer Syed Abu Bakar, 38, a trained emergency medical technician, said two men sustained light injuries. One man suffered a neck abrasion while another was bruised in his left leg.

However, he said that due to the shock and the cold, some people were crying and shivering, especially some of the more elderly victims.

“But when we spoke to them and told them who we were, and that they were in safe hands, they really calmed down. We were able to distribute water and some rations while waiting for a vessel to pick them up.”

The ferry was making a return trip from Panama-registered passenger cruise liner Aegean Paradise, which was anchored south of Pengerang, Johor. The ferry was making a short trip between the cruise liner and Pasir Gudang, Johor, when the incident occurred.

The passengers were subsequently transferred to another ferry, Camara Samudra, and disembarked at Tanjong Pengelih, Johor at 5.15am on Tuesday.

All 45 of them are safe and at their destination.

The ferry's crew members are assisting with investigations.


All 45 aboard Indonesia-flagged ferry stranded off Pulau Tekong rescued by Police Coast Guard
Cheow Sue-Ann Straits Times 10 Jul 18;

SINGAPORE - All 45 passengers and crew on board an Indonesia-flagged ferry which had run aground in Singapore waters late on Monday night (July 9) were rescued by the Police Coast Guard in an operation.

Crew Commander Lee Kuan Seng, 37, of PT78, one of three Police Coast Guard vessels activated for the rescue at the southern tip of Pulau Tekong, said the operation was a tricky one as the ferry, Sri Kandi 99, was at risk of capsizing and visibility was low.

"The closeness to shore meant that we too ran a risk of being grounded ourselves," he added.

To complicate matters, the accident occurred on reclaimed land, which meant that land vehicles could not directly access the area, he said.

He and his crew of five, using night vision technology and searchlights, found that five people were stuck in the ferry, which was listing to one side.

Mr Lee said: "We carefully aligned our vessel to theirs, so that these five individuals, who did not know how to swim, could simply walk over to our vessel."

Meanwhile, the other two rescue vessels were attending to 40 of the ferry's passengers and crew who had made it to shore.

All 45 aboard Indonesia-flagged ferry stranded off Pulau Tekong rescued by Police Coast Guard

The ferry was stranded near Pulau Tekong during low tide after it had collided with rocks along the island.

The 45 people aboard the ferry were made up of 33 Malaysian and one Vietnamese passengers and 11 Indonesian crew members.

Police Coast Guard officer Syed Abu Bakar, 38, a trained emergency medical technician, said two men sustained light injuries. One man suffered a neck abrasion while another was bruised in his right leg.

However, he said that due to the shock and the cold, some people were crying and shivering, especially some of the more elderly victims.

"But when we spoke to them and told them who we were, and that they were in safe hands, they really calmed down. We were able to distribute water and some rations while waiting for a vessel to pick them up."

The ferry was making a return trip from Panama-registered passenger cruise liner Aegean Paradise, which was anchored south of Pengerang, Johor. The ferry was making a short trip between the cruise liner and Pasir Gudang, Johor, when the incident occurred.

The passengers were subsequently transferred to another ferry, Camara Samudra, and disembarked at Tanjong Pengelih, Johor at 5.15am on Tuesday.

All 45 of them are safe and at their destination.

The ferry's crew members are assisting with investigations.

Indonesian ferry runs aground at Pulau Tekong
Dhanya Lingesh The New Paper 11 Jul 18;

An Indonesian-flagged ferry, Sri Kandi 99, ran aground on a rock bund at the southern tip of Pulau Tekong late on Monday night.

There were 34 passengers - 33 Malaysians and one Vietnamese - and 11 Indonesian crew members on board.

According to the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the ferry was making a return trip from Panama-registered passenger vessel Aegean Paradise, anchored south of Pengerang in Johor, to Pasir Gudang, Johor, when the incident occurred.

Police Coast Guard (PCG) crew commander, Station Inspector (SI) Lee Kuan Seng, 37, was on duty on patrol boat PT 78, when he noticed the boat in distress on his surveillance system at 11.38pm.

He immediately approached the boat to offer assistance.

SI Lee also alerted MPA and called for reinforcements.

Most of the passengers and crew managed to wade to shore, but five passengers - a woman and four men - remained trapped on the boat.

SI Lee said: "The first thing that concerned me was if anyone was trapped in the water. It was so dark and we could not tell. I had to use (night-vision instruments) to check the surface of the water before I could approach the ferry."

He manoeuvred his patrol boat alongside the ferry to allow the trapped passengers to safely cross over to the patrol boat.

SI Syed Abu Bakar, 38, an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), was on the third patrol boat to arrive at the scene.

SI Bakar said: "I could not immediately tell the severity of their injuries and this was challenging as I could only assume the worst until I arrived at the scene and assessed the injured."

Two male passengers suffered minor injuries, including abrasions to the neck and right thigh. But all 45 occupants were accounted for.

SI Bakar tended to the two wounded men.

He said: "Thankfully, what I initially thought was a fractured right leg turned out to be a bruise.

"It was all about prioritising the injuries and responding quickly to make sure everyone was safe."

The passengers were given water and biscuits while they waited on shore.

According to MPA, they were later transferred to another ferry, Camara Samudra, and disembarked at Tanjong Pengelih, Johor, at 5.15am.

SI Lee said: "The way my crew responded to the incident was very admirable. With our training, we knew exactly what to do and focus on saving lives."


Ferry runs aground at southern tip of Pulau Tekong
MPA media release 10 July 2018

At 11.42pm on 9 July 2018, the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore received a report that an Indonesian-flagged ferry, SRI KANDI 99, ran aground on a rock bund at the southern tip of Pulau Tekong, within Singapore port waters.

2 The ferry was making a return trip from Panama-registered passenger vessel “AEGEAN PARADISE”, anchored south of Pengerang, Johor, to Pasir Gudang, Johor when she ran aground. She was carrying 34 passengers (33 Malaysians and 1 Vietnamese) and 11 Indonesian crew. All 45 people onboard were safe and accounted for. The passengers were subsequently transferred to another ferry, CAMARA SAMUDRA, and disembarked at Tanjong Pengelih, Johor at 5.15am. The crew are assisting with the investigations.

3 There are no reports of injury or oil pollution. The owner is making arrangements to re-float the ferry.

4 MPA is investigating the incident.

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Earlier deadline set for Singapore firms to report how much packaging waste they produce

Jose Hong Straits Times 10 Jul 18;

SINGAPORE - Companies in Singapore will have to report the packaging used in their products a year earlier than the previous deadline, in a national push to reduce waste.

By the end of 2020, firms that use packaging - from supermarkets to importers - must be ready to submit an annual report to the National Environment Agency (NEA) with information on the type and amount of packaging in their products, as well as their packaging waste reduction plans.

The announcement was made by Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli on Tuesday (July 10) at the opening ceremony of the Clean Environment Leaders' Summit at Marina Bay Sands.

He said: "We will bring forward the introduction of a mandatory reporting framework for packaging data and waste reduction plans, from 2021 as earlier announced, to 2020."

With the change, firms would have to submit their first report in 2021. Previously, firms would have needed to collect their data and submit the first report by 2022.

In his speech, Mr Masagos also said the Government is studying how feasible it is to make companies responsible for what happens to their plastic or packaging waste after they are thrown away.

The existing Extended Producer Responsibility framework will, by 2021, compel producers of electrical and electronic equipment to ensure their products are collected and recycled or disposed of when they reach the end of their lifespan.

"By making producers responsible for the 'end of life' of their products, they will be incentivised to design products that are more easily recycled, or come up with innovative circular economy business models," said Mr Masagos.

Noting that strict rules could hold back the adoption of new ideas, Mr Masagos also announced a regulatory sandbox for the environmental services sector, allowing firms to test technologies and solutions in an setting with relaxed regulations.

At the event, NEA also recognised 13 signatories of the Singapore Packaging Agreement for their efforts to reduce packaging waste.

The organisations, which include Nestle Singapore and Wildlife Reserves Singapore, cumulatively reduced about 46,000 tonnes of packaging waste, enough to fill about 88 Olympic-size swimming pools. This has saved them more than $100 million.

The ideas announced on Tuesday will go into the inaugural Zero Waste Masterplan, which will be released in 2019.

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Singapore to offer programmes in climate change to Asean: Masagos

Audrey Tan Straits Times 10 Jul 18;

SINGAPORE - From raising minimum land reclamation levels to mitigate rising sea levels, to imposing a carbon tax on large emitters, Singapore has in place a comprehensive suite of measures to help it reduce its carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Now, the Republic is offering this expertise to its neighbours.

On Tuesday (July 10), Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said Singapore will offer a climate action package to Asean countries from this year.

This will include training programmes in climate change mitigation and adaptation, ranging from climate science to flood management and disaster risk reduction.

The package will run till 2020, with courses refreshed on an annual basis. Mr Masagos added that the package will be reviewed before the run-out date to see if it can be extended.

"We hope that the climate action package will be useful to Asean countries as they ramp up action to address climate change," he said at the opening of the Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action.

In attendance were Asean secretary-general Lim Jock Hoi and several ministers, including Laos' Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sommad Pholsena and Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, General Surasak Karnjanarat.

Malaysia's Acting High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Jamal Sharifuddin Johan, and Indonesia's senior adviser to the Minister of Environment and Forestry on Climate Change and International Cooperation, Dr Nur Masripatin, were also at the meeting.

The high-level meeting, which took place at the Marina Bay Sands alongside three sustainability conferences - the Singapore International Water Week, CleanEnviro Summit Singapore and the World Cities Summit - is the first involving ministers and representatives from Asean countries to discuss climate change.

The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources had earlier told The Straits Times that Singapore, as this year's Asean chairman, is hosting the meeting to galvanise regional climate action.

On Tuesday, Mr Masagos shared Singapore's other initiatives in support of regional efforts to address climate change, a key component of which involves the sharing of information and data.

Other than the programmes under the climate action package, Singapore's Meteorological Service Singapore and the Centre for Climate Research Singapore will also share their climate projection data and findings for the region with other Asean countries, Mr Masagos said.

He also reaffirmed Singapore's support for the establishment of the South-east Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility by 2019. The facility was announced by the Finance Ministry in May this year.

"As Asean's first regional catastrophe risk pool, the (facility) will provide immediate liquidity to cover emergency response costs in the aftermath of natural catastrophes," said Mr Masagos.

For starters, the insurance facility will focus on the flood risk exposures of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, said Mr Masagos, adding that it has the potential to expand in scope to other Asean countries and different natural catastrophes.

"To conclude, Singapore is committed to working with our fellow Asean countries to address the risks of climate change.

"We hope the Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action will provide a platform for Asean to demonstrate our commitment and build regional momentum in advancing climate action," he added.


Singapore to offer climate change expertise to Asean: Masagos
Climate action training to be provided until 2020, and may be extended after review
Audrey Tan Straits Times 11 Jul 18;

From imposing a carbon tax on large emitters to raising minimum land reclamation levels to mitigate rising seas, Singapore has in place a comprehensive suite of measures to reduce its carbon emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Now, the Republic is offering this expertise to its neighbours.

Yesterday, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said Singapore will offer a climate action package to Asean countries from this year.

This will include training programmes in climate change mitigation and adaptation, ranging from climate science to flood management and disaster risk reduction.

The package will run until 2020, with courses refreshed on an annual basis. Mr Masagos said the package will be reviewed before the deadline to see if it can be extended.

"We hope that the climate action package will be useful to Asean countries as they ramp up action to address climate change," he said at the opening of the Special Asean Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action.

In attendance were Asean Secretary-General Lim Jock Hoi and several ministers, including Laos' Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Sommad Pholsena and Thailand's Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, General Surasak Karnjanarat.

Malaysia's Acting High Commissioner to Singapore, Mr Jamal Sharifuddin Johan, and Indonesia's senior adviser to the Minister of Environment and Forestry on Climate Change and International Cooperation, Dr Nur Masripatin, were also present.

The high-level meeting, which took place at Marina Bay Sands alongside three sustainability conferences - the Singapore International Water Week, CleanEnviro Summit Singapore and the World Cities Summit - is the first involving ministers and representatives from Asean countries to discuss climate change.

The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources had earlier told The Straits Times that Singapore, as this year's Asean chairman, is hosting the meeting to galvanise regional climate action.

Yesterday, Mr Masagos shared Singapore's other initiatives in support of regional efforts to address climate change, a key component of which involves the sharing of information and data.

Other than the programmes under the climate action package, Singapore's Meteorological Service Singapore and the Centre for Climate Research Singapore will also share their climate projection data and findings for the region with other Asean countries, Mr Masagos said.

He also reaffirmed Singapore's support for the establishment of the South-east Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility.

The facility, which will be set up in Singapore by next year, was announced by the Finance Ministry in May this year.

"As Asean's first regional catastrophe risk pool, the (facility) will provide immediate liquidity to cover emergency response costs in the aftermath of natural catastrophes," said Mr Masagos.

For a start, the insurance facility will focus on the flood risk exposures of Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar, although he said it has the potential to expand in scope to other Asean countries and different natural catastrophes.

Mr Masagos said Singapore is committed to working with its Asean neighbours to address the risks of climate change.


Call for Asean to work together for low-carbon future
Audrey Tan Straits Times 11 Jul 18;

The urgent need for Asean to deal with climate change was highlighted yesterday by two Singapore ministers, who called on the regional bloc to work together for a low-carbon future.

Both Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, cited Asean's vulnerability to the changing environment as a key reason for the countries to take steps to deal with climate change.

"Asean countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam could see a 70cm rise in sea levels by 2100. There is an urgent need for all countries to take steps to be low-carbon and more climate resilient," DPM Teo said. He was quoting a report by the Asian Development Bank that also said regional temperatures could rise by about 6 deg C by 2100 if no significant actions were taken to reduce greenhouse gases.

Mr Teo also noted that while Asean member states were already taking measures to reduce their emissions, adapt to climate change and grow the green economy on their own, there was scope to work together at the regional level. "At the Asean level, we can share our experiences and work with our dialogue partners to build a low-carbon future," he said during a meeting on climate change that included ministers and representatives from Asean countries.

Yesterday evening, Mr Masagos told the media that member states agreed to work together. Reiterating that Asean was particularly vulnerable to the impact of climate change, he said Singapore will do its part. "We have proposed a climate action package where we will bring Asean members to Singapore to build up capacity and capability, and to share our experiences on how we mitigate as well as adapt against climate change," he added.

Audrey Tan


Singapore to help ASEAN better tackle climate change with new programme
Junn Loh Channel NewsAsia 10 Jul 18;

SINGAPORE: There will be a slew of Singapore-led programmes from this year until 2020 as part of efforts to help ASEAN countries tackle climate change.

Under the Climate Action Package (CAP) launched on Tuesday (Jul 10), Singapore will organise programmes to develop capacity in key areas such as disaster risk reduction, climate science, flood management and long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies.

The courses under CAP will be refreshed annually and the initiative will be reviewed prior to 2020.

"We hope that the CAP will be useful to ASEAN countries as they ramp up actions to address climate change," said Singapore's Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli at the Special ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Climate Action (SAMCA).

The special meeting, attended by delegates from ASEAN, was an initiative by Singapore, as the 2018 ASEAN Chair, to provide a regional platform to discuss climate action efforts.

The ASEAN region, whose population centres lie along low-lying coasts and river plains, is highly vulnerable to sea level rise and climate extremes, Mr Masagos noted, as he stressed the need for ASEAN to remain committed to climate action.

Citing the devastation of 2013's Super Typhoon Haiyan that swept through northern Southeast Asia, causing more than 6,000 deaths - Mr Masagos warned that worse storms may hit.

“That is what scientists are telling us can happen if we do nothing about climate change,” he said.

Apart from capacity building, Mr Masagos said Singapore will also lend its support in other areas. It is supporting the establishment of the first Southeast Asia Disaster Risk Insurance Facility (SEADRIF), which will be set up in Singapore in 2019.

The risk pool is meant to provide immediate liquidity to cover emergency response costs in the aftermath of regional catastrophes.

The Meteorological Service Singapore will also contribute S$5 million in a five-year regional capability development programme, which will begin this year.

The programme aims to benefit ASEAN countries through the sharing of technical knowledge and skills in weather and climate prediction, to help the region better adapt its policies to climate change.

Source: CNA/ec/(gs)

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Indonesia: Villagers fear tiger invasion after prints found

Rizal Harahap The Jakarta Post 10 Jul 18;

Residents of Koto Tuo village in District XIII Koto Kampar, Riau, have something to fear after tiger prints were found on a rubber plantation near their residential compound last week.

As of Monday, they were still finding fresh prints along the village's roads.

Resident Usman said the first prints were found last Wednesday by a local resident identified only as Imar when he was heading to his farming estate.

“They were found some 50 meters from his house,” Usman added on Tuesday.

Usman said at first the prints did not attract Imar’s attention because they could not be clearly seen because some of them were covered by tire prints. Some, however, could still be clearly seen, according to Imar's explanations to other residents.

“Everyone later examined the prints and concluded that they were made by a tiger,” Usman said.

Worried about their safety, many residents are now reluctant to tap rubber early in the morning because the prints were not all the same size. It is believed that they belong to up to six tigers.

“We prefer to do so later, in daylight,” Usman said, adding that hopefully, the authorities would follow up on their finding.

Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency spokesperson Dian Indriati said the agency had received a report on the alleged presence of tigers in the Kampar rubber plantation area but could not give more details about the incident. (swa/ebf)


Team dispatched to track tigers in Riau
Rizal Harahap The Jakarta Post 10 Jul 18;

Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) head Suharyono said his institution had dispatched a quick response team following reports on social media about Sumatran tigers that had possibly found their way to Koto Tuo village, District XIII Koto Kampar, Riau.

“We have responded to the circulating information about the presence of tigers in Koto Tuo. Today [Tuesday], a team began to work in the field, in which as the first step, it coordinated with officials of the village,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Accompanied by Koto Tuo village officials and several witnesses, Suharyono said the team had checked several points across rubber plantation areas reported to be possible locations of the tigers.

“From the site investigation, the team’s personnel reported that they found footprints suspected to be the tracks of Sumatran tigers. It is probable that the footprints were made several days ago,” said Suharyono.

Suharyono could not yet confirm whether the footprints were from tigers, and if so, how many there were.

As reported earlier, many Koto Tuo residents are now reluctant to tap rubber early in the morning because the footprints are different sizes. It is believed that there are up to six tigers.

“To make sure of the whereabouts of the tigers, our team has asked village officials to prepare bait and place it in locations the tigers are likely to pass. Once they find that the bait has disappeared, they should immediately contact our team so we can take further steps,” said Suharyono. (ebf)

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Indonesia: Monkeys invade fields, settlements for food in Wonogiri

Ganug Nugroho Adi The Jakarta Post 10 Jul 18;

Residents of Wonogiri, Central Java, are on alert following a recent attack by long-tailed macaques, also known as crab-eating macaques, that invaded their farmland and settlements in search of food.

Several residents claimed that the monkeys came to their fields in great numbers, taking corn, peanuts and cassava. “They also took fruits such as papayas and mangoes. These monkeys even barged into chicken cages, taking eggs that were being incubated,” said Margono, 54, a local resident of Gunung Kukusan in Giriwono, Wonogiri City.

Sendang village head Budi Hardono said the primates also invaded settlement areas and looted food stalls. “Such attacks pose a threat to local residents. We have to be on guard every day,” he said.

Such attacks have been occurring since early July, prompting residents to take several measures to keep the monkeys at bay.

In addition to guarding their homes, some residents have set up nets around their fields to protect their crops. However, the method has been ineffective, as the monkeys are destroying the nets and finding ways to enter the fields.

According to the Wonogiri Disaster Mitigation Agency (BPBD), seven of 25 districts in Wonogiri and Wonogiri City are prone to the invasion of wild monkeys during the dry season. These districts are Eromoko, Jatisrono, Manyaran, Ngadirojo, Nguntoronadi, Selogiri and Wuryantoro.

BPBD Wonogiri official Bambang Haryanto said such attacks happened because of the drought, which forced monkeys to leave forested areas and enter human settlements in search of food. (kuk/ebf)

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