Morning Walk @ Pulau Ubin And A Passing Of One Of Her Pioneers
from colourful clouds
Last of our Pioneers
from Pulau Ubin Stories
Things that you should not teach your children to do
from Life's Indulgences
DIY walking guides issued by NParks
from Celebrating Singapore's BioDiversity!
Farms cash in on fish and chips
Planned cooperative is bringing new technology to an age-old profession
Neo Chai Chin Today Online 6 Nov 10;
From a distance, the handful of quaint wooden kelongs off Pasir Ris Beach look more a throwback to a rustic past than part of a modern revolution. But that they are.
Nearly a year after losing an estimated $4.5 million to plankton bloom off Pasir and Pulau Ubin, some fish farmers in Singapore have banded together to set up a cooperative. On their minds: A renaissance for local fisheries, of which consumers could be a part.
Plans afoot include tagging fish with groundbreaking radio frequency identification technology (RFID) to ensure quality, an early-warning system to monitor water conditions, and the search for land to build a state-of-the-art hatchery, storage and research facility.
What this means for consumers: An assurance of safety and quality, and competitive fish prices kept low when farmers buy in bulk the fry and equipment.
City-weary folks could also have a new weekend getaway - if plans to develop the farms to be more tourist-friendly bear fruit.
Led by E Marine Bay director Phillip Lim, the 18 founding members of the proposed Singapore Marine Aquaculture Cooperative (SMAC) submitted their application to the Registry of Cooperative Societies in June and are awaiting the green light.
By uniting, the 14 fish farm and their four partners (including an insurer and RFID technology provider ST LogiTrack) hope to support their peers who may have lost confidence after the plankton-bloom blow, fight for better operating conditions, and do research to grow know-how of fish-rearing technology.
"Fisheries should change - the attitude of farmers, design of farms. The concept of rearing fish should change," said Mr Lim, 47, a former diver who has been running his farm for five years.
'MAGIC' TECH TOOLS
There are 109 coastal fish farms in Singapore, mostly off the shores of Pasir Ris, Changi and Lim Chu Kang, which provide about 4 per cent of fish supply here. The industry's economic potential is far from realised, said Mr Lim, the SMAC's protem chief executive.
With traditional rearing methods, for instance, farmers can harvest fish only once or twice a year. With improved technology, monthly harvests are possible.
For instance, Mr Lim began using RFID three months ago on his farm, where he rears golden trevally, seabass, tiger grouper and red snapper. The rice-sized chips are implanted in fish when they are three to four months old.
With the chips, which cost "just under $5" each, information on each fish - how much it is fed, what it eats, how it has grown, the level of dissolved oxygen in the water when the fish was harvested (which affects quality) - can be tracked online. RFID can also help if the farmers export their fish overseas, by assuring food safety and traceability.
Light is also a magic tool the farmers will employ. "If you turn on the light, the fish will be active. They treat it as 'daytime', and you can feed them (more)," said Mr Lim. A fish that might otherwise take nine months to harvest, could now take six or seven months.
Then, there is the early warning system to track water quality and hopefully prevent a repeat of last December's losses to the plankton bloom.
Mr Lim tested the system he developed earlier this year, and said the group hopes for Government funding to roll it out.
The Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) said it is still testing early warning systems at waters off Pasir Ris, Changi and Lim Chu Kang, and "seasonal fluctuations and variations in water conditions" should be taken into account.
The AVA has also linked farmers up with reputable fish fry suppliers to facilitate bulk buys, and provided technical advice among other things.
TRAINED FARMHANDS
The co-op hopes to secure a two-hectare plot behind Changi Sailing Club to build its hatchery, storage and research facility. The five-storey hatchery Mr Lim designed to produce fingerlings (young fish the length of a finger) could be the first of its kind in Asia, he said.
The SMAC - which has pumped in about $2 million in capital - hopes to offer credit to help farmers get started. It can supply the bulk-bought fingerlings for the farmer to rear, lending him their expertise and advice. Once the fish are harvested, the dividends, minus the cost of the fingerlings and management fee, will be shared with the farmer.
Manpower can also be trained and streamlined with the SMAC in place, said Ms Tang Kwai Leng, general manager of ST LogiTrack. "Farmhands to feed fish, clean nets, do manual work - all that can be centrally supplied and managed by the co-op," she said.
It's not just the industry and consumers who could benefit from SMAC's initiatives. It also intends to impart expertise to underprivileged youth, said fellow founding member Pastor Andrew Choo.
The co-op is finalising details of a marine biology programme, and the girls from the Andrew and Grace Home - which Pastor Choo founded - are set to be its pioneer beneficiaries. "Once the programme is finalised, we will invite other homes. We want to avail our expertise to underprivileged kids in Singapore," he said.
Rearing fish is 'more stressful than caring for a child'
by Neo Chai Chin
"Watch him 'sayang' the fish," Ms Tang Kwai Leng, general manager of ST LogiTrack, told this reporter on a recent visit to Mr Philip Lim's farm.
It is clear that rearing fish is about more than just a way to make profits for Mr Lim, who began running E Marine Bay five years ago after 25 years as a professional diver.
The 48-year-old was demonstrating how a radio frequency identification chip - supplied by ST LogiTrack - was implanted in a seabass.
As Mr Lim stroked the fish, which thrashed furiously inside the styrofoam box, it calmed under his seasoned touch. It didn't flinch when Mr Lim lifted it and flipped it on its side on a dry table to insert the chip, before returning it to the submerged net.
"That's why I can't live on the farm," joked Mr Lim. "It would be like having thousands of lives in my hands. It's even more stressful than caring for a child."
Incidentally, Mr Lim happens to keep an 80-kg "pet" grouper on the farm.
Running a fish farm does not come cheap - and returns take over a year to materialise.
For instance, a farm that aims to harvest 40 tonnes of fish would have to sink in about $3 million in start-up capital - and should the fish die from an event like plankton bloom, the losses could hit $7 million, according to Mr Lim.
It's no wonder it takes a certain hardy breed of person to run one of the fish farms off the shores of Pasir Ris, Changi and Lim Chu Kang, far away from the city bustle.
"When you live on the sea, you've got to help yourself," Mr Lim said.
Unfortunately, this sense of independence is also why some stick staunchly to traditional rearing methods.
Asked why only a fraction of the 109 fish farms have opted to join the proposed cooperative, Mr Lim said the hope is that more will come on board when they see the benefits it can offer.
Some are concerned that alien species may threaten native species
Victoria Vaughan Straits Times 6 Nov 10;
ALIENS are among us, curling their tendrils around the edges of our forests, peering out of ponds and skittering up trees.
But they are not from outer space. They are plants and animals from across the world that have become permanent residents in Singapore.
Alien species refer to plants and animals which are non-native or exotic to a country.
And their numbers are growing, according to a recent study, Introduced Species In Singapore: An Overview, by Assistant Professor Darren Yeo of the National University of Singapore and Ms Cheryl Chia of National Parks Board (NParks).
The study recorded 142 alien species here - an 84 per cent jump from a previous study in 2003. However, this seemingly huge increase is likely to reflect the fact that little attention has been paid to these visitors until now.
Prof Yeo, 39, said: 'Concern about alien species has been growing worldwide and we are catching up now.'
More than 60 per cent of these 'aliens' are from Asia and 19 per cent are from Central and South America. More than 70 per cent have made Singapore home, the study found.
But not all alien species are considered invasive.
Invasive species - a major cause of the loss of biodiversity - are defined by experts as those which become self-sustaining in an ecosystem, changing it and threatening native plant and animal life.
Singapore has no species which are considered invasive.
Still, scientists say alien species could have an adverse impact on native species, as they compete for food and space or make prey out of local species.
Among the 'aliens' here, 117 are vertebrate species and 25 are invertebrate, according to the study. Freshwater fish and reptiles make up the bulk of the non-native species known here so far.
The pet and live food trade is one route of their introduction; the release of unwanted pets or mercy releases especially around Vesak Day, a Buddhist festival, is another.
Some alien species hitch a ride in the ballast tanks of container ships which take on water at foreign ports to balance the weight of the ship and then dump it in other ports.
The majority of the 'aliens' here are found in man-made habitats such as parks, gardens, wasteland, canals, reclaimed land and ponds.
Many of the non-native fish find their way into reservoirs and drains as they prefer the water there which is less acidic than natural forest streams.
According to the study, there are also 34 potentially invasive plant species that were brought here as ornamental plants.
While some of the alien species are not yet established in Singapore, they have a history of being invasive and posing a threat to the local species and ecosystems elsewhere.
There are eight such species here and they should be monitored closely because there can be a delay before an alien species becomes established and/or turns invasive, says Prof Yeo.
These species include the snakewood plant found at the edge of forests, as well as the red claw tropical freshwater crayfish from Australia and New Guinea which has established itself in reservoirs near Nee Soon Swamp Forest - an important refuge for native biodiversity.
Prof Yeo suggests a broadening of the definition of invasive species to include nuisance or pest species such as the African giant land snail, the Javan mynah, the house crow and the American cockroach.
His paper also recommends studies on the alien species here and risk assessments to manage potentially invasive species.
Mr Alan Ow Yong, chairman of the bird group Nature Society of Singapore, pointed out that non-native birds, such as the Javan mynah and white-crested laughing thrush from Java, lineated barbet ranging from Nepal to northern peninsular Malaysia, and the house crow found across Asia, have caused problems for the local species.
The white-crested laughing thrush, which was brought in as a pet in 1925 and has since bred in the wild, has been competing with native species such as babblers, which also live and feed in the lower branches and on the ground.
'It obviously competes with native birds that are near the ground,' said Mr Ow Yong. 'But these birds are not as aggressive as the Javan and Indian mynahs which are not afraid of humans and push other birds away.'
NParks is also keeping a close watch on alien plant species.
Mr Wong Tuan Wah, director of conservation at NParks, said the authorities are mindful of the potential adverse impact of these species.
'Our urban environment comprises many introduced species. These species include trees and ornamental plants that make up our Garden City, such as the rain tree, originally from the tropical American region,' he said.
'For example, the Dioscorea sansibarensis (Zanzibar yam), a fast-growing climber, can potentially smother the forest canopy if allowed to invade and proliferate in our rainforests.'
NParks manages the situation by actively clearing certain introduced plant species from the nature reserves in Singapore. It has also introduced community outreach programmes to encourage the public not to release non-native animals here or take native flora and fauna out of the country.
The Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority of Singapore also has regulations on the import, export and transshipment of plants and animals.
Victoria Vaughan Straits Times 6 Nov 10;
TOP conservation experts have come up with the world's first free online textbook on the subject, in the hope that greater public knowledge can help save plant and animal life.
Conservation Biology For All, a 101 guide, edited by Professor Navjot Sodhi of the National University of Singapore's Department of Biology, will go online in January.
It can then be accessed through Prof Sodhi's website www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/staff/sodhi.htm and through a link on the Oxford University Press website.
By launching the project, the authors hope to address complaints from conservationists in developing Asian countries, such as the Philippines, India and Thailand, about the lack of related information.
'We are in dire straits in terms of biodiversity. We have to give people basic knowledge on how to conserve, as most of the biodiversity is in poor countries,' said Prof Sodhi, 48. 'We wanted to bring the best knowledge, get the best guys in the field to contribute to this charitable project,' he said, adding that he hoped the big names involved in the project would generate interest.
The book has 16 chapters and is written by 75 leading scientists.
Rebecca Kessler livescience.com 5 Nov 10;
Less than an inch long with white spots on its back and antennae longer than its body, the Asian longhorn beetle would seem benign scuttling along the forest floor. But the plant-eating insect leaves behind a trail of woody carnage.
Every year, exotic insects like the Asian longhorn beetle and the emerald ash borer, aka the Green Menace, kill millions of trees across the United States. And every year inspectors intercept a few new would-be invaders at the nation's ports of entry - but they can't stop every single one.
Now researchers are trying to get a step ahead of the insect influx by quantifying the rate of invasion and pinpointing Los Angeles and New York area ports as insect entry hot spots. [Image Gallery: Invasive Species]
National number
Each year, about two exotic, forest-dwelling insect species take hold in the United States, according to a new paper published online Oct. 1 and to set appear in a forthcoming print issue of the journal Biological Invasions by Frank Koch of North Carolina State University and four co-authors. To calculate that number, the team developed a computer model that incorporated historical data on foreign trade, insect invasions and interceptions at U.S. ports.
Not every one of those incoming insects is likely to wreak havoc on U.S. forests, but taking a cue from the ecological literature the team assumed that one in 10 are. "You would expect to see a significant forest insect species [become established here] approximately every five to six years," Koch said, and that's right in line with the historical record. "We've seen four major forest insect pests over the past 25 years."
That rate may not seem especially high, but even a single species can be devastating. Take the emerald ash borer, a jewel-toned beetle native to Asia and Russia that was first identified in Michigan and Ontario in 2002. It has since spread to at least 15 U.S. states, including its latest conquest this summer - Tennessee. Feeding larvae have girdled and killed tens of millions of ash trees, and damages could top $20 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Urban breakdown
To find out exactly where forest pests are likely to enter the United States, Koch's team examined data for more than 3,000 urban areas. Insects often arrive concealed in wood products or packing material, and the researchers accounted for the likelihood that various imported products harbor forest pests, their regions of origin, their points of entry into the country and their final destinations.
The team identified the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana region as the top point of entry, estimating that a new insect invader becomes established there every four or five years. New York-Newark was second, with a new invader settling in every eight or nine years, then Houston with one every 13 to 15 years. Most other urban areas had much lower rates.
Koch doesn't expect the flood of insects to slow down anytime soon, and hopes his results will help direct prevention resources where they can do the most good. West Coast ports have the biggest share of trade with Asia, which is predicted to boom, so Western authorities should be increasingly vigilant for insect hitchhikers. East Coast ports have more commerce with Europe, and the researchers expect new establishments there to remain roughly stable.
Another consideration is whether a major tool for preventing insects from entering the country is sufficiently effective. In 2006, the United States adopted international standards known as ISPM15 (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures Guidelines for Regulating Wood Packaging Material in International Trade). The standards require all imported wood products and packing material to be fumigated or heat-treated.
"There have been studies that have shown that compliant wood still can have live insects," Koch said. "The evidence is not there yet to show that these standards have made a big dent."
Just when or where the next devastating invader may strike, no one knows, but "the one that gives people the most shivers," according to Koch, is the Asian gypsy moth.
Since 1991, several small populations have been spotted and quickly snuffed out in the Pacific Northwest and North Carolina. Unlike European gypsy moths, which have been munching away at East Coast forests for more than a century, female Asian gypsy moths can fly. If the species gains a foothold in the United States, managers fear the pests could spread quickly and far, leaving millions of acres of defoliated and dead trees behind.
Yahoo News 5 Nov 10;
BEIJING (AFP) – Climate change could trigger a 10 percent drop in China's grain harvest over the next 20 years, threatening the country's food security, a leading agriculture expert warned in comments published Friday.
Tang Huajun, deputy dean of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, warned crop production could fall by five to 10 percent by 2030 if climate change continues unchecked, in an interview with the official China Daily.
"The output of the country's three main foods -- rice, wheat and corn -- may suffer a 37 percent decline in the latter part of this century if the government fails to take effective measures to address the impact of climate change," Tang was quoted as saying.
China, which produced 530.8 million tonnes of grain in 2009, plans to increase output to 550 million tons by 2020 to ensure food security for the world's most populous country of more than 1.3 billion, the paper said.
The environmental watchdog Greenpeace said in a recent report that China's food supply would be insufficient by 2030 and its overall food production could fall by 23 percent by 2050.
Tang is the chief scientist for a government project launched in September to study the impact of climate change on China's grain production over the past 20 years at 11 research stations in the north and south of the country.
"Agriculture has been the worst hit by climate change and some negative effects have become more obvious due to rising temperatures and water shortages over the past 10 years," Tang said.
Drought is the biggest threat to China's grain harvest, causing an annual average loss of 15 to 25 million tonnes from 1995 to 2005, or four to eight percent of the country's annual output, Tang said.
Other weather-related natural disasters such as floods, hailstones and typhoons have also taken a toll on grain production, he added.
Money raised from banks, taxes, and carbon permit auctions could match the $100bn promised at Copenhagen, says report
John Vidal guardian.co.uk 5 Nov 10;
Seventeen finance ministers, leading economists and heads of state say that it is "challenging but feasible" to raise $100bn (£62bn) a year by 2020 to allow poor countries to adapt to the effects of climate change and reduce emissions. If their findings, contained in a major report handed to the UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, are politically acceptable, the chances of a new global climate agreement are substantially increased.
Money from banks, carbon taxes, carbon permit auctions and new transport taxes could raise the $100bn promised to developing countries at the Copenhagen summit last December, said the high-level advisory group which was chaired by the prime ministers of Norway and Ethiopia and included Lord Nicholas Stern, the financier George Soros, UK energy secretary, Chris Huhne, and South African, Indian and French politicians.
The authors suggested public money could be raised from carbon taxes ($30bn), possible aviation and shipping taxes ($10bn), the redirection of fossil fuel subsidies ($10bn), and by increasing the flows of money from multinational development banks such as the World Bank ($40bn). Private funding of between $30bn and $50bn could come from carbon offset markets and a further $100bn -$200bn could be generated from private sector flows. A possible "Tobin-type tax on all financial transactions was effectively ruled out by the high-level group which argued that it was complicated to implement because it would require global agreement.
"I do think it fits the bill. It's an agreed report and that is significant. A big chunk of the money, as much as $50bn, is public money," said Stern. "There was a lively discussion. You have some pretty strong people there, many of us have had direct responsibility for making public policy at a senior level. It's now for the political processes around the world to pick up. There is inertia in the international discussions, I hope this will help," he said.
Stern said that a higher price on carbon was needed. "A modest price on emissions, in the range of US$20-25 per tonne of CO2 would push incentives in the right direction and raise substantial revenues," he said.
Guaranteeing major new aid flows for developing countries has become a prerequisite for a new climate agreement, but many developing countries argue that the $100bn on offer from rich countries falls far short of the funding necessary to help 130 poor countries which face devastating climate change. Others want the money to be drawn wholly from public finance sources which they say is more predictable.
Developing countries declined to react until they had read the report in detail but non-governmental groups said that initial analysis suggested that all the money could be raised from public funds. Tracy Carty, Oxfam climate change policy adviser, said: "The $100bn committed to in the Copenhagen accord must come from public sources of funding rather than private to ensure it reaches communities desperately in need of money to help them adapt to climate change and develop in a low-carbon way. Private finance cannot meet the needs of developing countries for adaptation."
According to the high-level group, national governments would have options on how to raise some money but much of the money would depend on institutions such as the World Bank being strengthened. Members stressed that they had not been asked to advise how much individual countries should pay or the combination of revenue which could be adopted.
"So far, market responses to climate change have failed to meet the needs of the poorest people in developing countries, who are least responsible but worst affected by climate change," said Sol Oyuela, Christian Aid's senior adviser on climate change and poverty. "It is crucial that most if not all the $100bn comes from new sources of public funding, such as taxes on planes, ships and financial transactions.
"This report quite clearly sets out a system of climate financing and makes clear that concerted global action and a carbon price of at least $25 is required to achieve the necessary transformation in the global economy. But we acknowledge this isn't the end game and the real challenge lies ahead as developed and developing countries work together to ensure concrete proposals are delivered," said Huhne.
"The next steps should include the proposals on international transport being considered by the International Civil Aviation Organisation, the International Air Transport Association and the International Maritime Organisation, and the multilateral development banks working on proposals for new green funds and for enhanced collaboration with the private sector," said Stern.
Climate money can be generated, political will needs to come from Cancun
WWF 5 Nov 10;
$100 billion in climate change funding by 2020 is achievable on the conservative estimates of the high level study for the UN, but funds will only flow from the reaching of a political agreement.
New York, USA: A high level analysis of climate finance submitted to the UN today has demonstrated the feasibility of putting up by 2020 US$100 billion a year in public funding to fight climate change.
According to WWF, this conservative analysis by the special High-level Advisory Group on Climate Change Finance (AGF) sets the stage for a finance agreement to come out of the UN climate summit starting late this month in Cancun, Mexico.
“The Secretary General’s high level group has come up with the financial mechanisms, now we look to governments to come up with the political mechanisms to get the finance actually flowing,” said Gordon Shepherd, leader of WWF’s Global Climate Initiative.
Financing, agreed in principle under the Copenhagen Accord from the last UN climate summit, is needed to support action in developing countries to halt the destruction of tropical forests, speed the transition away from high-emission models of development, and to help vulnerable countries adapt to climate change impacts.
“These public funds are critical to speed up the development and implementation of new technologies, as well as for adaptation and resilience building, new energy efficient infrastructure, and for construction. It will also be used to leverage private sector finance which will contribute much of the investments needed in clean energy technologies,” said Shepherd.
“Our experience is that public investment and initiatives play key roles in mobilising and directing private investment.”
The AGF report gives strong support for financing from carbon pricing mechanisms, with one of the most promising sectors being international aviation and maritime transport, whose emissions are as yet unregulated. “We expect decisive action in Cancun to put this finance source on a fast track to implementation”, said Shepherd.
Other promising sources were downplayed because of opposition from some individual group members, with the chief casualty being the financial transaction tax (FTT).
““Financial transaction taxes have been successfully implemented in more than a dozen countries and at this point we should be examining all potential sources of finance on their merits”, said Shepherd.
Although the assumptions used by the AGF to assess the scale of potential financing generated are extremely conservative, and some members placed undue emphasis on private sector investments in meeting the $100 billion per year financing milestone, the report provides a useful starting point for moving forward.
Parties in Cancun can build upon the AGF recommendation on the way to establishing a much needed new UN Climate Fund and could contribute to host country Mexico’s wish for progress on all elements of a “balanced” Cancun package.
The AGF was set up by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in February, Co-chaired by Prime Minister Stoltenberg from Norway, and Prime Minister Zenawi from Ethiopia, to explore innovative financing sources and mobilize the financing promised for climate change during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen last December.
UN climate panel calls for carbon and transport taxes
Tim Witcher Yahoo News 5 Nov 10;
UNITED NATIONS (AFP) – A top UN panel on Friday called for increased taxes on carbon emissions and air and sea transport to raise 100 billion dollars a year for poor nations to combat climate change.
The group led by the prime ministers of Norway and Ethiopia also proposed a tax on international financial transactions for a UN fund aiming to be ready by 2020.
The panel -- which also included finance ministers and financier George Soros -- was set up at last year's acrimonious Copenhagen climate summit and its proposals will get a first international airing at the UN climate conference in Cancun, Mexico starting at the end of the month.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called the proposals "financially feasible and politically viable." Environment pressure groups said governments are duty-bound to follow the proposals.
Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg of Norway and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia said there carbon emission taxes must be used as a deterrent to producing the gases blamed for global warming and to raise revenue.
They proposed that carbon dioxide emissions should cost between 20 and 25 dollars a tonne. This, along with auctions of carbon emission allowances and new carbon taxes, could raise up to 30 billion dollars a year, they said.
The bulk of carbon emissions currently cost between 10 and 20 dollars, according to experts.
The group is also looking to raise 10 billion dollars a year from taxes on international transport, 10 billion dollars by switching subsidies from fossil fuels, 10 billion dollars from private capital flows linked to carbon trading and tens of billions of dollars from international financial institutions.
Stoltenberg said the International Maritime Organization was already working on a system to tax the carbon emissions of shipping. And he highlighted a system to be introduced by European nations in 2013 which will tax carbon emissions for air travel within Europe.
Jet fuel or passenger tickets could be taxed to raise money for the fund, they said.
"This is more realistic than many people believe," Stoltenberg said of the transport tax. "We need the political will to take the decisions and that is up to the governments."
The group also proposed a tax on financial transactions but admitted in their report: "diverging views will make it difficult to implement this universally." The United States has led nations opposed to a new financial tax.
The UN chief said the climate finance for poorer nations "is not about charity. It is about doing the right thing for those who are suffering most from a crisis that they did least to cause."
The UN chief said there was "a gap of trust between developed and developing countries, that is why the (climate) negotiations have not been going very well."
Stoltenberg called climate financing "a question of burden sharing, of balancing economic interests and responsibilities."
Zenawi said the pressure would now be on the leaders of the rich nations.
"As Africans we have contributed virtually nothing to the environmental mess that our planet is in. We will however suffer first and suffer most as a result of the climate changed caused by others."
Zenawi said that African nations consider climate finance "an issue of sanity and justice. The prospects for sanity and justice do not appear to be good. But I refuse to give up. I refuse to believe that our leaders lack the political will and foresight to do what is right."
Greenpeace International said that rich nations have no excuse for not meeting their financial commitments.
"Unless developed country governments keep their promise to provide long-term finance, a global agreement on climate action would be nearly impossible to reach," the group said in a statement.
Oxfam's climate change spokesperson, Tracy Carty, commented: "Money to tackle climate change and help poor communities adapt can be raised without dipping into taxpayers' pockets. The next step is for political leaders to lay out a clear roadmap for making this funding a reality."
Scarlet-backed Flowerpecker: Family outing
from Bird Ecology Study Group
Observing the Micromovements of Bugs
from Macro Photography in Singapore
Mustafa Channel NewsAsia 4 Nov 10;
SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) has launched four new Do-It-Yourself (DIY) trail guides, in conjunction with Clean and Green Singapore (CGS) 2011.
Members of the public will get more opportunities to learn about trees and appreciate their importance in making Singapore a highly liveable city through these guides.
The guides are available for trails at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin, Changi and Fort Canning Park.
They will highlight the interesting features of trees along these trails. For example, the Baobab (Adansonia digitata) at Fort Canning Park has an interesting bottle-like trunk, akin to a tree being flipped "upside-down".
The more-than-100-year-old Penaga Laut (Calophyllum inophyllum) at Singapore Botanic Gardens is more than a tree - its trunk plays host to a rich diversity of ferns, climbers and wildlife.
For those who prefer to participate in guided tours, NParks is also organising more regular tree appreciation walks in various parks in Singapore.
Simon Longman, Director (Streetscape) at NParks explained that the DIY guides and tree appreciation walks are an extension of its ongoing initiatives to reach out to the public to create awareness and appreciation of trees in shaping our Garden City.
"Besides promoting interest and understanding of trees, we also hope to share the importance of these living organisms in our environment."
The guides are currently available for downloading on the NParks website www.nparks.gov.sg/eguides
NParks also announced the dedication of Heritage Trees to Mrs Margaret Lien, ExxonMobil, FCL Pte Ltd and Kikkoman, in appreciation of their contribution to the Garden City Fund.
Collectively, they have contributed about S$3 million to the Garden City efforts.
-CNA/ac
DIY trail-guides at parks
Hannah Koh Straits Times 4 Nov 10;
The trail-guides will be available at the Singapore Botanic Gardens, Pulau Ubin, Changi and Fort Canning Park and will highlight the interesting features of trees along these trails.
For those who prefer to join in guided tours, NParks is also organising more regular tree appreciation walks in various parks in Singapore. Conducted in parks like Fort Canning Park and Yishun Park by experienced guides, the walks aim to promote interest in trees among park visitors and help them appreciate these green landmarks of our Garden City.
NParks on Thursday also announced the dedication of Heritage Tree to donors including ExxonMobil, FCL Pte Ltd (Far East Organisation and Frasers Centrepoint), and Kikkoman as a gesture of appreciation for their assistance.
Collectively, they have contributed about S$3 million to the Garden City efforts with donations ranging from more than S$300,000 to S$1 million.
The Heritage Trees Scheme was set up with the support of HSBC, to conserve significant individual trees that are part of Singapore's green heritage. Some 178 trees in Singapore have been designated as Heritage Trees since August 2001.
Environment Council adding 21 categories to current 45 covered
Victoria Vaughan Straits Times 5 Nov 10;
AN ECO label from the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) has become so sought-after here and around the world, that the non-profit organisation is expanding its scope and upgrading it.
SEC's Green Label, which certifies companies whose products - ranging from stationery to shaving foam - meet certain international eco-friendly standards, will have 21 more categories added to its current 45.
By September next year, it will include products such as refrigerators, air-conditioners and clothes dryers.
Each accreditation will also come with additional information, like water consumption, carbon footprint and pollutants generated during manufacture.
Companies from 13 countries, such as Germany, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia, have sought the Singapore Green Label for their products, with at least 18 more products accredited compared to last year.
All in, the council saw a jump in 80 more products certified compared to last year. The increase comes mainly from companies that produce panel boards, paints and coating and products made from at least 50 per cent recycled content such as glass and plastics.
SEC's chief executive, Mr Howard Shaw, said: 'There is an atmosphere of greater demand for third-party verification. Since environmental awareness has risen, everyone has tried to jump on the bandwagon.'
Since the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme began in 1992, 1,655 products from 526 companies here and overseas have obtained the stamp of approval.
It has become increasingly important for exporters such as South Korea and Taiwan to receive such certification as buyers in areas like the United States and Europe are demanding them.
Mr Shaw said Singapore's reputation for good governance is part of the reason the label is growing in popularity.
There are about 30 eco-labelling schemes globally.
SEC predicts it will accredit 2,500 or more products a year based on the current uptake.
The council will also increase its current charges, which range from $300 to $1,000, to a flat fee of $1,005 from Dec 1. The label needs to be renewed each year.
Other accreditation schemes, like those in Australia and South Korea, cost $3,000.
SEC hopes the additional information on the label will also help with calculating payments for a carbon tax or trading scheme if Singapore takes either route.
'Over time, I think consumers have become more discerning and they demand far more information. The new label will look more like a report card,' he added.
The Star 5 Nov 10;
SHAH ALAM: Convicted wildlife smuggler Anson Wong has been slapped with a five-year jail term, after a High Court here allowed an appeal filed by the Attorney-General's Chambers for a heavier sentence against him.
The court also ordered for a fine of RM190,000, imposed on Wong in a previous judgement by a Sessions Court judge, to be returned to him.
Justice Mohtarudin Baki said in his judgement Thursday that the Sessions Court judge did not consider the large number of snakes in Wong's possession in his ruling.
"From the charge, it was stated that there were 95 boa constrictors.
"The judge did not emphasise on the number," he said.
Justice Mohtarudin said had the snakes escaped, the safety of the airport and flight would have been in jeapordy.
"It is apparent that the accused is greedy and only thought of himself. He did not care about other people.
"Let this punishment be a deterrent for the accused and would-be offenders out there," he said.
Wong’s sentence increased to five years
TRAFFIC 4 Nov 10;
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 4th November 2010—Wildlife smuggler Anson Wong, sentenced to six months in jail in September, has seen his prison term raised to five years by a Malaysian High Court.
The change followed an appeal by the Attorney-General's Chambers over the earlier sentence.
In his judgement, Justice Mohtarudin Baki of the Shah Alam High Court said that the Sessions Court judge, who initially sentenced Wong, had not taken into account the large number of snakes in Wong's possession in his ruling.
Had the snakes escaped, the safety of the airport staff and passengers would have been in jeopardy, Justice Mohtarudin Baki said.
He added that the accused was motivated by profit and was willing to smuggle with no concern for the safety of those around him and had no regard for the law. In reaching his decision, Justice Mohtarudin also took into account public interest in the case, noting that it should always prevail.
He then said the earlier sentence of six-months jail and RM190,000 (USD61,500) in fines was overruled before going on to announce the new, increased jail term to a packed courtroom.
In addition to the longer prison sentence, the court also ordered the RM190,000 fine imposed on Wong in the previous judgment be returned to him as this was his first offence in the country.
Wong’s defence counsel Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee Abdullah immediately announced his intention to appeal the sentence.
“The message to wildlife smugglers in Malaysia is loud and clear: carry on as you are and you will be spending years of your life behind bars,” said TRAFFIC Southeast Asia senior programme officer Kanitha Krishnasamy.
TRAFFIC Southeast Asia Regional Director, William Schaedla also expressed optimism over the sentence.
“This is a great start. We hope Malaysia’s new ‘get-tough’ stance will continue with investigations and convictions of other large-scale wildlife smugglers still operating in the country.
“We also hope other nations in Southeast Asia take notice of today’s watershed ruling. For far too long, countries in this region have allowed their reputations to be tarnished and their natural treasures to be taken by thieves.
“This bold sentence shows they can address wildlife crime when the will is there.”
Prison term of wildlife smuggler raised to 5 years
Rita Jong New Straits Times 5 Nov 10;
SHAH ALAM: Businessman Anson Wong Keng Liang, who was initially supposed to serve six months in jail for illegally exporting boa constrictors, will now have to spend five years behind bars.
This came about when High Court judge Datuk Mohtarudin Baki on Thursday allowed the prosecution's appeal against Wong for a heavier sentence.
He said Wong's counsel, Datuk Seri Muhammad Shafee, had submitted that the offence was technical in nature and that Wong was a licensed trader.
"I disagree with the counsel's submission as exporting the snakes without a permit is equivalent to smuggling.
"The respondent (Wong) had himself admitted (during sentencing at the lower court) to the concern of profits and not to the animals' welfare," Mohtarudin said when allowing the prosecution's appeal against Wong's earlier sentence, which was delivered by the Sepang Sessions Court.
On Sept 6, Wong was sentenced to six months' jail and fined RM190,000 after he pleaded guilty to illegally exporting the endangered species without a permit at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang at 8.50pm on Aug 26.
The prosecution subsequently filed an appeal for a heavier sentence following an outcry from non-governmental organisations and the public.
Yesterday, Mohtarudin said the 95 boa constrictors were crammed into a small bag and that the Sessions judge had erred when he did not take into account the numbers of the boas involved.
"According to the facts of the case, there were also two venomous rhinoceros vipers found in Wong's bag. If the animals had escaped, the people at the airport would be in danger.
"For profit, you were willing to place other people's lives at stake. Hence, you must be taught a lesson and a strong message must be sent to the public," he said.
He added that in the haste to chase wealth, consideration must be given to people and animals. "Otherwise, we might as well be animals ourselves.
"It clearly shows you (Wong) did not respect the law.
"Therefore, I find the lower court judge had erred for not considering the severity of the case."
Mohtarudin allowed the appeal and set aside the earlier sentence.
He then ordered Wong to serve five years in jail from the date of his arrest on Aug 27.
He also ordered the RM190,000 fine, which Wong had paid, to be returned to him.
"Since this was your first offence and that you had pleaded guilty, I shall not impose a fine," he said.
Shafee applied for the court to provide grounds of judgment to enable him to file an appeal as Wong's earlier sentence of six months' jail will expire in January.
Deputy public prosecutor Mohd Dusuki Mokhtar appeared for the prosecution.
Wong, 52, an international wildlife trader, was in KLIA on transit from Penang to Jakarta when the snakes were found in his suitcase.
Under the International Trade of Endangered Species Act, he was liable to a maximum fine of RM100,000 for each animal but the total fine should not exceed RM1 million, or up to seven years' jail, or both.
In 1998, Wong was arrested in Mexico City and was extradited to the United States three years later where he was sentenced to 71 months' jail.
He had pleaded guilty to 40 counts of smuggling, conspiracy, money laundering and violations of US wildlife protection laws.
It was dubbed one of the largest cases of illegal trade ever prosecuted in the US.
Henry Foy Reuters 4 Nov 10;
NEW DELHI, Nov 4 (Reuters Life!) - Die-hard fans of the best-selling Harry Potter stories are seriously threatening India's owl population, as demands for the ultimate wizarding accessory increase, a wildlife group says. Potter's snow-white owl Hedwig, his trusty messenger throughout the book and film series, is being blamed by animal groups and politicians for fuelling the trade in Indian owls, as fans look to ape every aspect of their young wizard hero.
A report released this week in New Delhi by wildlife group TRAFFIC-India, which found that 15 of the country's 30 species were for sale in markets, also blames the demand for owl parts in ancient rituals for driving the illegal trade.
The report's author, Abrar Ahmed, said that his research was sparked when a friend asked him to procure an owl for her son's Harry Potter-themed birthday party. "Although Hedwig spends much of her time in a bird cage in Harry's room, real owls do not make good pets because they need room to fly and hunt for food," said Ahmed.
"Following Harry Potter, there seems to be a strange fascination even among the urban middle classes for presenting their children with owls," India's Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh told the BBC at the launch of the report. Traditional practitioners in India, known locally as tantriks, also demand owl bones, feathers, claws and organs, as well as the bird's blood and tears, for ceremonial rituals, the report said. The heavily-coveted "ear-tufts" -- feathery extensions on the heads of larger owls -- are thought to grant the birds greater magical powers, and fetch a high price for the tribal communities that make a living from the trade. One ancient practice demands the mixing of ground ear-tufts with seeds and milk, before spraying the dried powder on a person's head in order to hypnotize them. (Editing by Kim Coghill) (del.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com, +91-783 865 0753)
Posts
visitors since Nov 07