STB reply: Sensitive approach to Mandai revamp

STB-NParks' wildlife studies to feature in plans
Today Online 5 Dec 07;

Letter from MUHAMAD ROSTAM UMAR
Director, Communications
Singapore Tourism Board

I refer to the letter, "Beware the wildlife trade-off" (Nov 22). I thank Ms Marianne Maes for her comments.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) shares her concerns about the eco-balance of the Mandai area. In formulating the plans for the area, the STB had consulted various interest groups such as the Nature Society, the Singapore Environment Council and the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, and relevant government agencies such as the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The STB held two consultations in January and September with the interest groups and government agencies. Their feedback was taken into account in plans to launch the site. For instance, the STB had commissioned wildlife studies to log various fauna species found at the proposed development site. This was in addition to the baseline environmental studies and tree surveys already undertaken.

The STB, in consultation with NParks, had also incorporated a buffer zone to step down the level of development towards the nature reserve. The environmental studies will be provided to potential tender bidders when we call for a request for proposals next year.

Interested investors and developers will have to factor in mitigating measures from the outset to minimise any impact on the eco-balance and demonstrate that care is taken to ensure that the development is in line with our aim to preserve the environment.

We are also keenly aware of the need to maintain the tranquillity and unique character of the Mandai area. Our aim is to create a nature-based cluster, which will be a celebration of environmental sustainability, allowing Singaporeans and visitors to enjoy nature in an immersive tropical rainforest setting.

The Mandai nature cluster will add a new facet to visitors' experience that complements the urban attractions in Singapore and strengthen our overall appeal as a unique tourist destination.

The STB will continue to engage and consult with the interest groups together with NParks and other relevant agencies to ensure that any environmental impact is managed with care.

In the meantime, we look forward to receiving further feedback on this project at feedback@stb.com.sg.


Sensitive approach to Mandai development
Straits Times 5 Dec 07;

I REFER to the article, 'Nature Society expresses concerns about plans' (ST, Nov 21), and the letter, 'Leave the beautiful Mandai rainforest alone' (ST, Nov 27). I thank Dr Ho Hua Chew and Mr George Pasqual for their comments.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) shares their concerns on the eco-balance of the Mandai area. In formulating the plans for the area, STB had consulted various interest groups, such as the Nature Society, the Singapore Environment Council and the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, as well as government agencies such as the National Parks Board (NParks) and the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

STB held two consultations in January and September with the interest groups and government agencies. Their feedback was taken into account in the plans for the launch of the site. For instance, STB commissioned wildlife studies to log the various fauna species found in the proposed development site. This was in addition to baseline environmental studies and tree surveys already undertaken.

STB, in consultation with NParks, had also incorporated a buffer zone to step down the level of development towards the nature reserve.

The environmental studies will be provided to potential tender bidders when we call for a Request for Proposals next year. Interested investors and developers will have to factor in mitigating measures from the outset to minimise any impact on the eco-balance and demonstrate that care will be taken to ensure that the development is in line with our aim to preserve the environment.

We are also keenly aware of the need to maintain the tranquillity and unique character of the Mandai area. Our aim is to create a nature-based cluster which will be a celebration of environmental sustainability, allowing Singaporeans and visitors to enjoy nature in an immersive tropical-rainforest setting.

The Mandai nature cluster will add a new facet to visitors' experience that complements the urban attractions in Singapore and strengthens our overall appeal as a unique tourist destination.

STB will continue to engage and consult the interest groups, together with NParks and other agencies, to ensure that any environmental impact is managed with care.

We look forward to receiving further feedback on this project at feedback@stbcom.sg..

Muhamad Rostam Umar
Director, Communications
Singapore Tourism Board

RELATED ARTICLES

Mandai at risk?
Straits Times 25 Nov 07

Do we need another nature-themed attraction?
NO: Nature Society thinks it will cause greater damage to nature reserve
YES: A nature escape will add to Singapore's attraction as a tourist destination, say travel agents
Lim Wei Chean, Straits Times 22 Nov 07

Mandai to be turned into Asia's top nature spot
Channel NewsAsia 20 Nov 07

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Singapore's South Beach project

CDL chief won over by Norman Foster's eco-friendly approach
Jessica Cheam, Straits Times 5 Dec 07;

IT ALL began with an inspiring speech by celebrated architect Norman Foster two years ago in Monaco.

City Developments (CDL) executive chairman Kwek Leng Beng was there to hear it and vowed that one day he would team up with the renowned Briton, who designed Singapore's Supreme Court.

'I was fascinated by his speech on creating eco-friendly buildings. I thought to myself that, someday, I would work with him as he has great in-depth knowledge and expertise, which complement CDL's green philosophy,' said Mr Kwek.

That dream was realised yesterday when CDL and two partners - Dubai World's Istithmar and United States-based Elad Group - signed a contract to build the landmark South Beach project.

The 3.5ha site with a gross floor area of 146,827 sq m sits on an entire block bounded by Nicoll Highway and Beach, Bras Basah and Middle roads.

Designed by Lord Foster's architectural firm, Foster & Partners, South Beach won over the authorities with a design that incorporated comprehensive, cutting-edge green features without compromising on aesthetics.

While CDL's $1.69 billion bid was not the highest, the group clinched the deal based on 'an impressive use of green technologies' and striking designs, said Minister of State for National Development Grace Fu yesterday.

South Beach will be made up of two towers, 45 and 42 storeys high, with slanting facades that will allow them to maximise ventilation and to channel air flow to ground-level spaces. A huge, wave-shaped 'environmental filter' canopy will cover the open areas that integrate the towers with the low-rise conserved buildings.

CDL, which already has several Green Mark awards under its belt, will be gunning for the highest accolade - the platinum Green Mark - with this project, said Mr Kwek.

The Green Mark scheme, launched in 2005, rates buildings for their environmental impact and performance.

South Beach will cost more than $2.5 billion to build, including the land price, and will be completed in 2012.

Construction will begin next year.

Read more!

Yuletide greening starts with you: Green Christmas in Singapore

Liang Dingzi, Today Online 5 Dec 07;

SOME PEOPLE dream of a White Christmas. The late Elvis Presley once sang about the dread of a Blue Christmas. But all of us can have a Green Christmas this year.

In the flurry to send out Christmas greetings, you can pick a card made from recycled paper. Many websites also offer free electronic cards. For those who want to get creative and add a personal touch, making your own card is another idea. You could use recycled materials, such as beads, buttons, dried leaves, twigs, ribbons and unwanted cloth. If you give your imagination free rein, anything goes.

A Canadian friend told me that in the spirit of doing something environmentally-friendly, his family has decided to buy one another a basic sweater — for the traditional exchange of gifts — and adorn it with recycled materials. It's fun and inexpensive, and they are looking forward to wearing the sweaters when they meet to celebrate Christmas.

And if you're comfortable with the idea — as we are still very much a "use-and-throw" society that believes in all things first-hand — don't be shy about recycling gifts.

Of course, they should be in a good condition, unused, and should be something the recipient might like. We may have stashed away too many gifts that we already have — such as neckties or scarves — or crystal vases that we don't have room for but might be appreciated by someone else.

What is Christmas without a Christmas tree? Personally, I prefer the real trees to plastic ones, but not when they have been hewn.

You can recycle the plastic trees, which can be dressed up differently each year for a fresh, new look. And again, if you want to let those creative juices flow, you could make decorations from materials such as wire or used bottles. I must say that the little chicken essence bottles are easy to arrange and look beautiful with lit candles inside them.

Some people may think I am suggesting unnecessary penny-pinching during a bumper year. Not really — I still look forward to the mesmerising Orchard Road light-up. We don't need to deprive ourselves of this annual fiesta that has become the talk of many tourists who have visited during this time of the year.

But I will do my part and not contribute to the pollution (and the congestion) by driving into the city to catch the sights. I will take a train instead.

Let us all, if we can help it, have a Green Christmas in the little things we do, so that mankind will benefit from a cleaner world for many more Christmases to come.

The writer is a management consultant with more than 25 years of experience.

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LPG-powered cabs could hit Singapore roads

One cab brought in by LPG supplier Union Energy is awaiting approval
Christopher Tan, Straits Times 5 Dec 07;

PLANS to put cooking gas on the road are in the pipeline, with the arrival of the first LPG-powered taxi.

The cab, a two-litre Toyota Crown ordered by taxi operator Trans-Cab - a unit of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottler Union Energy - is awaiting green light from the authorities before it can be put on the road.

The Straits Times understands a multi-ministerial team will soon visit Hong Kong - one place in the region where LPG cabs ply - to study safety implications of using the gas for transport.

The gas is deemed more volatile than compressed natural gas - the other alternative fuel used by some taxis here.

A Land Transport Authority spokesman said the authority and the Singapore Civil Defence Force 'are currently evaluating the feasibility of allowing the use of LPG taxis in Singapore'.

The solitary LPG taxi will be part of the evaluation. It will be refuelled at Union Energy's gas bottling plant in Jalan Buroh, Jurong.

If it passes muster, the newcomer to the taxi trade plans to ply a fleet of 100 LPG cabs.

Union Energy managing director, Mr Teo Kiang Ang, said that the LPG taxi can take 70 litres worth of gas and can cover about 600km. Mr Teo said one litre of LPG costs '75 to 80 cents' which works out to be nine cents per kilometre, compared with 11 cents for diesel and seven cents for CNG.

Another attraction is that the cabs could be eligible for Singapore's green rebate which CNG vehicle buyers currently enjoy. This roughly equates to 40 per cent of the car's open market value and can be a difference of a few thousand dollars per vehicle.

CNG vehicles are also not liable for 'diesel tax', which can save $5,100 per cab per year.

For Mr Teo, the biggest draw is perhaps that an LPG fleet will have significant synergy with his core business.

Union Energy is a huge LPG supplier which delivers more than 1,500 gas cylinders a day, and owns one-third of the bottled LPG market here.

LPG is produced in the petroleum refining process, and has been used to power vehicles as early as the 1940s.

Read more!

Costs of solar power still high: Reply from MTI

But Govt doing research on how to better harness clean energy
Reply from MTI, Today Online 5 Dec 07;
Letter from Lim Bee Khim
Director, Corporate Communications for Permanent Secretary
Ministry of Trade and Industry

Lawrence Ong and Theresa Ng ('Solar energy costs too hot to handle?', Nov 29) were concerned that the Government was dismissing solar power and asked for further clarifications on the cost of solar power.

We would like to clarify that the Government has certainly not dismissed solar power.

In formulating our national energy policy, we recognise that solar energy offers potential in diversifying our energy mix and reducing emissions.

We are, for a start, enhancing our capabilities in solar energy by committing funds for research and development (R&D) in solar and other forms of clean energy.

For instance, the National Research Foundation has put aside $170 million for clean energy R&D, much of which will go into solar energy R&D, while the Economic Development Board (EDB) has recently launched the $17-million Clean Energy Research and Testbedding (Cert) Programme, to test bed various types of solar and clean energy technologies on public buildings.

The estimated cost range for solar photovoltaic (PV) power varies among different studies conducted by various groups, ranging from 40 to 90 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh).

Recognising that Singapore has relatively-high levels of solar radiation, we have taken the lower end of the cost range for solar PV power (that is, 40 to 90 cents per kWh), which works out to be about two to three times our household tariffs (21 cents per kWh for the October to December period).

As solar technologies improve over time, it is possible that solar PV energy becomes cost-competitive vis-a-vis conventional electricity.

In the meantime, to reduce the cost of connecting solar power to our power grid, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) has removed the registration fee previously imposed on facilities selling electricity into the grid.

The EMA has also published a Handbook for Photovoltaic (PV) Systems, which explains the market and technical issues regarding the connection of PV systems to the grid, to make it easier for solar PV users to export any excess electricity to the grid.

Read more!

Singapore explores use of bio-diesel with state-of-the-art vehicles

Channel NewsAsia 4 Dec 07;

SINGAPORE: Singapore has been chosen as the site to test out a green fuel.

The project, led by German engineering firm Bosch, hopes to change the negative image of diesel-powered vehicles and promote bio-diesel as an alternative environmentally friendly fuel.

The cars in the project are powered by Palm Oil Methyl Esters (POME B5). It is a fuel mixed with conventional diesel and 5% of palm-based bio-diesel.

A visual test was set up to prove that vehicles using POME B5 emit cleaner fumes compared to those using conventional fuel and technology.

Next, tests will also be conducted to show that bio-diesel vehicles with modern technology have 33% more fuel efficiency than conventional ones.

These bio-diesel vehicles will also be tested to see if they have lower emission rates, of up to 25%.

The bio-diesel project is into its third and final testing phase. Besides Bosch, those involved in the project are car makers Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz, Shell Eastern Petroleum and bio-fuel producer Nexsol.

The Singapore government agency partners in the project are the Economic Development Board and the National Environment Agency.

By the end of October 2009, those involved in the project hope to change the negative image of diesel-powered vehicles.

When one thinks of diesel, images of old goods vans or pickup trucks emitting smoke from their exhaust come to mind.

Managing director of Bosch in Southeast Asia, Cem Peksaglam, said: "The image of diesel vehicles, I would say not only in Singapore but also in Southeast Asia and many countries in Asia Pacific is negative due to the fact that most heavy duty vehicles are using very old diesel technology.

"This is one of the main obstacles. We also need education, we need to change the image of diesel-passenger cars here and in Southeast Asia."

Despite the advantages, industry players say it is impractical for bio-diesels to fully substitute conventional fuel. To do so, the entire infrastructure of the petroleum industry must be changed.

There is also the question of the supply of alternative fuel.

Kenny Koh, head of marketing for Peter Cremer(S)GmbH, said: "Today you can have people looking at other renewal sources, like using seaweed technology. They are trying to plant non-edible oils like jathropha and camelina.

"But, at the same time, it becomes an issue. If I have available, fertile land that can be used to plant something, why would I want to plant something that is non-edible?

"I just plant something that is edible, and can be used by both segments of the market. So I don't think that it is a very practical solution to say the whole world has to be on a B100 bio-diesel situation." - CNA/ir

Biodiesel cars get a tryout
Matthew Phan, Business Times 5 Dec 07;

THE exhaust is clean and the drive is smooth. And the handling of the massive Mercedes-Benz is as light as that of a much smaller car. Nothing but the tone of the engine indicates that a diesel unit - not a petrol one - sits under the bonnet.

Road tests of 13 German cars that run partly on palm biodiesel kicked off yesterday in an attempt to prove that diesel cars can be cleaner and more fuel-efficient than even some hybrids. The cars are equipped with diesel particulate filters not yet available in Singapore and run on a biodiesel blend containing 5 per cent palm oil methyl esters (Pome B5).

Initial lab tests in Germany showed that the cars emit less than 0.002 grammes of particulate matter per kilometre - far cleaner than the average diesel vehicle in Singapore and a massive 60 per cent less than the stringent Euro V standard.

'You can take the air on an average Singapore day - the exhaust coming from the cars will be even cleaner than that,' said Odd Joergenrud, vice-president of sales for Robert Bosch (SEA), which designed the engines and is coordinating the tests.

True or not, the tests showed that the cars also surpass Euro V standards for nitrogen oxide and carbon monoxide emissions. According to Bosch, quoting figures from European automobile club ADAC, the vehicles has more torque and is more fuel-efficient than some hybrids.

A diesel-powered Mercedes-Benz S420 CDI has maximum torque of 720 Nm at 2,200 rpm compared to 520 Nm at 4,000 rpm for the Lexus LS600h. The Mercedes also travels 10.1 km on a litre of fuel, compared to 7.87 km for the Lexus.

Among mid-range models, versus the Toyota Prius, the Volkswagon Polo Blue Motion performed slightly worse in terms of carbon emissions and fuel consumption but has more torque and is cheaper.

Despite performance however, road tax on diesel engines penalises users, said Mr Joergenrud. The Mercedes S420 CDI would have a tax of over $18,500, compared to less than $6,000 for the Lexus LS600h, which would also qualify for more than $50,000 in green vehicle rebates. The average 2-litre diesel car would save its owner almost $2,000 in fuel cost but cost almost $5,000 more in road tax every year.

'The government needs to look at a tax system that benefits environmentally friendly cars,' said Mr Joergenrud.

Meanwhile, Bosch and its eight partners - including the National Environment Agency, Economic Development Board, Shell and Nexsol - will endurance-test the cars until October 2009. The object is to see whether the new Pome B5 fuel can run in modern diesel engines in Singapore's weather and road conditions.

Read more!

Tap the sun and plug in: solar table

Bright minds invent table that stores solar power for gadgets, no cords attached
Lin Yanqin, Today Online 5 Dec 07;

USING solar power at home could now be as simple as buying a new table for the garden.

With the solar table developed by local start-up Grenergy, one can sit in the garden and use a laptop or radio, without worrying about the power running out or having to run extension cords out of the house.

The appliance plugs into a socket at the side of the table. And, as a bonus, no carbon dioxide is released in generating the electricity — helping to reduce one's carbon footprint.

The product will be launched at this year's GardenTech fair which starts on Friday, organised by the National Parks Board (NParks).

Marketed by biodegradable plastics company Winrigo, the table features a top made up of solar panels that can power a laptop for at least five hours, or an electric fan for over 10 hours.

Said Mr Lawrence Ng, one of the directors of five-month-old Grenergy: "We got the idea when we were using a laptop in the park one day and the battery ran out. We decided to try and make something that would let us to use our gadgets outdoors."

Mr Ng, currently a Mechanical Engineering undergraduate at Nanyang Technological University, then set up the company with four partners and created a prototype of the table in July.

With four hours of charging in the sunlight, the table will supply enough power for appliances such as radios, lamps, electric fans and laptops, but not for heating products like electric stoves or power tools. "That's something we're looking into," said Mr Ng.

A full set comprising a table and four chairs — made out of wrought iron — will be sold at a promotional price of $4,500 at GardenTech, and for $5,500 after the fair.

Said NParks director Kong Yit San of the possibility of using the solar tables in local parks: "We're open to technologies and innovations that will benefit park users. We will explore the feasibility of using this innovation in our parks."

The GardenTech fair, which runs from Dec 7 to 11 at the new HortPark off Alexandra Road, will showcase the latest in plants, gardening and garden furniture. Admission is free.

Read more!

Taiwan: Trash ritual that won't go to waste

Julia Ross, Straits Times 5 Dec 07;

WHEN I planned for my year in Taiwan two summers ago, trash was the last thing on my mind. The more obvious challenges of moving abroad - finding an apartment, navigating the bus system, learning Mandarin - preoccupied me.

But strange things happen when you cross cultures. Unexpected frustrations vex you and ingrained habits suddenly come up for negotiation. So it was for me and waste disposal.

On this island of 23 million people, trash matters.

My Taipei landlady was the first to make that point, when she instructed me on how to dispose of household waste.

First, buy city-approved trash bags at the corner 7-Eleven. Then, meet the garbage truck five nights a week at the mouth of a nearby alley. Finally, heave the bags onto the truck yourself.

You'll recognise the truck, she said, because it plays music - a tinny version of the Beethoven classic Fur Elise, I soon figured out.

Understanding the mandatory recycling system was more troublesome.

In Taiwan, recycling trucks follow trash collectors but accept only certain items on certain nights. According to the strictly enforced schedule, plastic bottles must be separated from plastic wrappings and bags; flat recyclables, such as styrofoam trays and cardboard dumpling boxes, are collected only on Mondays and Fridays.

Show up with bundled newspapers on the wrong night and you'll get an earful from the sanitation worker.

Waiting for the garbage truck is one of Taiwan's liveliest communal rites. Many evenings I watched food vendors from the night markets, buckets of eggshells in hand, chat up convenience store clerks alongside Filipino nannies who traded kitchen appliances as if they were at a Sunday morning swop meet. Freelance recyclers showed up to collect cardboard and newspapers, which they would then sell back to the city. An alderman with a whistle kept traffic at bay.

These kerbside jaunts formed my initiation into Taiwan's broader waste-disposal network, made up of municipal employees and regular citizens all doing their part.

They shamed me into compliance after years as a half-hearted recycler back home. I even came to feel a peculiar solidarity with the 'ladies with tongs', the city transit and university sanitation workers who spend their days sifting through garbage bins in subway stations and on university campuses in search of aluminium cans.

Then you have nosy landlords who are sometimes tasked with sorting their tenants' trash.

One American friend, upon surrendering several bags of refuse soon after moving into a Taipei apartment, was dumbfounded when his landlady scolded him for eating too many candy bars and not enough fruit.

Humiliated, he bought oranges the next day, hoping she would notice the peels he planned to leave on top of the pile.

Taiwanese friends tell me that 10 years ago, Taipei's sidewalks were awash with rotting garbage. You'd never know it today, thanks to the introduction of a per-bag trash-collection fee, a charge for plastic bags at supermarkets and the rigorous recycling policy now in effect. These changes created an infinitely cleaner city. Even more impressive, they fuelled a sense of civic responsibility.

I've been home in the United States for three months now, and consumption looks as robust as ever, with the same limited recycling opportunities.

Reducing your personal 'carbon footprint' is a hip way to fight global warming, but what about the trash generated by last night's takeout?

Before Taiwan, I was a lazy environmentalist, dutifully recycling wine bottles and newspapers and opting for paper over plastic, but never going the extra mile if it wasn't convenient. It's no longer so easy to make excuses.

Living in a place where I was expected to use what I bought and recycle every last yogurt cup and juice box left me with a new appreciation for what clean streets mean in a civil society, and the realisation that I'm responsible for everything I consume.

That's as good a Chinese lesson as any.

WASHINGTON POST

Ms Ross, a writer, was a US Fulbright scholar in Taiwan.

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Public anger rising over tiger photo fiasco

Their trust in the authorities shaken by refusal to verify authenticity of photo
Sim Chi Yin, Straits Times 5 Dec 07;


BEIJING - PUBLIC anger is mounting over a fiasco involving a photograph of an endangered South China tiger that could possibly be fake.

The spat - fought in cyberspace and the media - has been cast as a test of Beijing's credibility.

But state forestry officials only made more Chinese see red yesterday when they refused at an eagerly anticipated press conference to verify the authenticity of the photo - even after experts declared it a fake in recent days.

The seemingly simple question of whether the image is real or not has snowballed over the past two months into a battle pitting the people against the authorities.

As one netizen put it in the flood of online postings yesterday: 'How the authorities explain the authenticity of the photo has become far more important than whether the tiger still exists or not.'

More than 90 per cent of over 71,000 users polled on a local news website yesterday said they were 'dissatisfied' with the authorities' handling of the debacle.

In October, forestry officials in north-western Shaanxi province released the photograph in question, said to have been shot by farmer Zhou Zhenglong in the wilderness of Zhenping county.

It immediately stirred much interest in the Chinese and international media, but has since been relentlessly questioned, with netizens and experts saying it is fake - and possibly copied off a calendar poster.

The Shaanxi authorities have stuck to their guns.

Dodging pointed questions from local journalists yesterday, Mr Cao Qingyao, spokesman for the State Forestry Administration (SFA), said the agency would not 'exceed its administrative scope' to authenticate the picture.

Instead, it will focus on an ongoing study by a team of 10 experts dispatched to Shaanxi to check on possible sightings of the tiger and other wildlife.

'Whether the tiger in the picture is fake or a living animal, it is not helpful for evaluating the situation of the wild South China tiger in that area,' he said.

Similarly playing down the debate over the photo, SFA deputy director Zhu Lieke drew a parallel to the legendary Loch Ness Monster in Scotland.

'The museum there does not know if its pictures are real either. The question everyone is concerned about is whether the monster exists,' he said.

Beijing's fence-sitting is 'irresponsible' and simply deepens its credibility problem, said Professor Zhou Xiaozheng, a sociologist at the People's University.

'This incident has become a test of society's trust in the authorities,' he said, adding that Beijing's humming and hawing further convinces people that the picture is very likely a fake.

To avoid the embarrassment of going against the Shaanxi government's account, Beijing is probably hoping the debate will just dissipate, Prof Zhou said.

The online debate does not look likely to die down soon, with netizens charging Beijing with 'participating in a cover-up'.

One posting yesterday read: 'There is only one solution now. If the government still does not give us a verdict on the authenticity of the tiger photo, the people should hold an online referendum on the government's trustworthiness.'

RELATED ARTICLE

Rare Chinese tiger spotted for first time in decades
Yahoo News 12 Oct 07

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Cambodia, UN launch project to save dolphins: UN

Yahoo News 4 Dec 07;

Cambodia and the UN have launched a joint project aimed at saving endangered Irrawaddy dolphins from extinction, the international body's World Tourism Organization said Tuesday.

The Mekong River Discovery Trail Project encourages local fishermen to work in dolphin-watching tourism instead of fishing, the UN agency said in a statement. Fishing nets often cause the death of Irrawaddy dolphins.

"Local authorities believe fishing is depleting the dolphins' food supply. Fishermen will be encouraged to take visitors to see the dolphins and sell food and drinks instead," it said. It did not give financial details.

Conservationists estimate that fewer than 100 Irrawaddy dolphins exist in the wild, but the Cambodian government has said the number could be around around 130 and could rise to 170 within the next five years.

Thousands of the Irrawaddy dolphins, which have blunt, round heads and are almost white in colour, once swam in the Mekong -- which flows from Tibet to the South China Sea and has tributaries in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

The project, which begins this month, will teach fishermen about tourism activities, the UN agency said, adding it hopes to draw tens of thousands of visitors.

The Cambodian government said it would help build hotels in a bid to draw visitors.

"No dolphins means no tourism. No tourism means no development," Tourism Minister Thong Khon said in the statement.

Tourism is one of the few sources of foreign exchange for impoverished Cambodia, which is still recovering from decades of conflict.

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Laos plans a water-powered future
Lawrence Ong, BBC News 21 Nov 07;

World must help protect vital Mekong river: activists
Yahoo News 13 Nov 07;

Read more!

Biggest threat to Asia's prosperity: water and not oil

There's something in the water
Today Online 5 Dec 07; also in Business Times 5 Dec 07;

Andy Mukherjee

The commodity that poses the biggest threat to long-term prosperity in Asia isn't oil, it's water.

It isn't the likelihood of Asian cities running out of fresh water that should bother the region's policymakers as much as the bigger danger of being overwhelmed by waste water.

The capability to treat discharged water before it is allowed to flow into lakes, rivers and oceans isn't growing quickly enough. Unless this crucial shortcoming is immediately tackled, it may end up being a deterrent to urbanisation.

"Continuation of the present trend will make available water resources increasingly more contaminated and will make provision of clean water more and more expensive as well as more complex and difficult to manage," the Manila-based Asian Development Bank said in a recent report.

The countries that rise to the challenge will create more livable cities for their people as well as exciting, new opportunities for investors; those who squander the initiative will pay a heavy price.

The problem would have been easier to tackle had it been restricted to a few large cities. That, however, isn't the case. Between now and 2025, Asia's urban population will swell by 60 per cent.

The first step toward efficient management of water is to price it correctly. It's also the most difficult thing to do.

"There is no question that the era when drinkable water could be provided to everyone free or at highly subsidised rates on a long-term basis is now over," says Mr Asit Biswas, president of Mexico City-based Third World Centre for Water Management and one of the authors of the ADB report.

Subsidised water does nothing for the poor. The utilities that aren't able to recover the cost of their services can't raise money to expand their networks or improve the management of waste water. After a while, they even fail to maintain their existing service standards.

At the behest of the Beijing government, cities in China have shown a willingness to improve the pricing. Between 1949 and 1985, the municipality of Tianjin in north-east China charged residents an unchanged fee of 0.08 yuan (less than 2 cents) per cubic metre of water. Once the city understood that these heavily-subsidised rates were a hindrance to both producing and conserving water, it raised the tariff eight times over the next 20 years.

This has seen Tianjin win much-needed investments in water treatment and distribution. In September, Paris-based Veolia Environnement, the world's leading operator of water services, won a 30-year, 2.65-billion-euro ($5.6-billion) contract to supply drinking water to 3 million people in the city. Hyflux, Singapore's largest water treatment company, is building a plant in Tianjin to recycle waste water.

India, which will need US$37 billion ($53.5 billion) over the next decade to give city dwellers access to safe water and sanitation, is also aware of the need to make tariffs more realistic.

In advocating that the state-owned utility in New Delhi allow the private sector to use its infrastructure to deliver water in the city, the World Bank recommended that tariff increases be linked to improvements in service.

The project never took off; in fact, it became a rallying point for social activists to condemn the World Bank for pushing privatisation through back-door methods.

But what other option is there? How does one even begin to fix a state-owned utility that distributes only 60 per cent of the piped water it produces and collects just 80 per cent of the bills it issues? And without such efficiency gains, how does one win popular support for price increases in a city where the utility can at best supply water for a few hours every day?

The time to answer these questions is now.

Andy Mukherjee is a Bloomberg News columnist. The opinions expressed are his own.

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Brazil slams EU-US 'green' WTO proposals as protectionist

Yahoo News 4 Dec 07;

"The exclusion of biofuels is particularly striking," Azevedo said. Brazil is a key exporter of this alternative fuel source.

Brazil on Tuesday sharply criticised joint proposals by the United States and European Union for fewer tariffs and other trade barriers on "green" goods and services as protectionist and only serving their own interests.

"Brazil is deeply disappointed. We find the proposal modest, biased and protectionist," Brazil's trade negotiatior at the WTO Roberto Azevedo told journalists.

The EU and United States on Friday proposed that all 151 WTO members cut tariffs on at least 43 types of environmentally-friendly goods and services in order to boost their use worldwide.

Brazil said the measure was "essentially protectionist," and took issue with the definition of "green" products, not least the absence of biofuels.

"The exclusion of biofuels is particularly striking," Azevedo said. Brazil is a key exporter of this alternative fuel source.

"The approach of the proponents ignores high tariffs and other barriers they impose on goods they do not produce," he added.

"Anything they don't produce is not on the list," he claimed, concluding: "We don't think this is a basis for negotiation on environmental products."

WTO member states have yet to arrive at a common definition of what should be classified as environmental products, within the wider framework of the Doha Development Round, which remains stalled over differences between developed and developing countries.

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