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These strategies include developing and implementing policies to “enable all Singaporeans to age with purpose and dignity”, says Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean.
Kevin Kwang Channel NewsAsia 9 May 19;
SINGAPORE: Three broad strategies by the Government to maintain a population profile in Singapore that “improves the lives of each generation” were outlined by Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean on Wednesday (May 9).
In the Prime Minister’s Office (Strategy Group) addendum to the President’s address, Mr Teo said the country is entering a new phase of nation building in a more complex landscape that will require policy responses to challenges that are “still emerging and therefore not yet well defined”.
“It will require Government agencies to work more closely together because solutions to policy challenges will increasingly cut across ministry domains,” the Minister-in-charge of the Strategy Group said.
One of these issues is the country’s population policy, and Mr Teo said the country’s changing demography has wide-ranging effects on many Government policies including the economy, healthcare, infrastructure, defence planning and social cohesion.
For instance, in the medium term, Singapore’s ageing population presents both challenges and opportunities to sustain a dynamic economy, he said.
“The slower growth of our local workforce provides a strong impetus to press on with economic restructuring,” the deputy prime minister explained. “In the long term, our fertility rates and our openness to others who are willing and able to contribute to Singapore will shape the type of society that future generations of Singaporeans will live in.”
As such, the Strategy Group will focus on three broad strategies: Develop and implement policies to enable all Singaporeans to age with purpose and dignity; make Singapore a great place for families where marriage and parenthood are achievable, enjoyable and celebrated; and maintain a careful balance in foreign worker as well as immigrant flows.
These policies, he said, will support a cohesive society and vibrant economy, and the country will continue to be a place “where Singaporeans are proud to call home”.
CLIMATE CHANGE MUST BE ADDRESSED
Another issue that cuts across ministries is climate change, the deputy prime minister highlighted.
“Singapore must address climate change and safeguard our collective future,” Mr Teo said.
“As a low-lying, tropical island state, we must develop plans to address the impact of climate change such as rising sea levels, higher temperatures, and more extreme rainfall patterns. At the same time, we need to work as part of the international community to reduce our collective carbon footprint.”
To tackle this issue, the minister said Singapore will fulfil its commitment to the Paris Agreement and implement the carbon tax, as well as work to reduce energy use, increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gases.
In fact, 2018 has been designated as the Year of Climate Action to raise awareness and intensify the national effort to bring down emissions and adopt sustainable practices, Mr Teo said.
Singapore had previously stated that it aims to reduce its emissions intensity by 36 per cent from 2005 levels by 2030, and to stabilise its emissions with the aim of peaking around 2030.
Source: CNA/kk
Antara 9 May 18;
Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) launched an oil palm replanting program in Rokan Hilir district, Riau, marking the start of the program in the Sumatran province, covering 25,423 hectares for this year.
Thousands of people welcomed the arrival of the President on Wednesday and entourage with warm greeting and many of them sought an opportunity to shake hands with him.
His arrival at the village of Kepenghuluan Pelita, Bakan Sinembah, marked the start of the replanting program in eight districts in the province.
The same program was earlier launched in Musi Banyuasin, South Sumatra, on October 13, 2017 and Serdang Bedagai in North Sumatra on November 27, 2017 and so Riau becomes the third province undergoing the program.
A total of 25,423 hectares of people`s plantations will be refurbished spreading in eight districts - Rokan Hulu, Rokan Hilir, Kampar, Siak, Pelalawan, Kuantan Sengingi, Indragiri Hulu and Bengkalis.
The president said the program was urgent as most oil palm plantations out of a total of 1,58 million hectares in the province have been very old.
He said the government conducted the program so that the production of the people`s plantations would be more productive to increase twice or three times per hectare.
Reported by Angi Romadhoni
(H-YH/a014)
(T.SYS/B/KR-BSR/A014)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
Matt McGrath BBC 10 May 18;
UN negotiations in Bonn are set to end in stalemate today as delegates have become bogged down in technical arguments about the Paris climate pact.
Poorer nations say they are fed up with foot dragging by richer countries on finance and carbon cutting commitments.
Some countries, led by China are now seeking to renegotiate key aspects of the Paris agreement.
An extra week of talks in September has been scheduled to try and get the process back on track.
The signing of the Paris climate agreement in 2015 was seen as a momentous achievement, but in retrospect doing the deal might have been the easy part.
In the intervening two and a half years, UN delegates have become increasingly stuck as they work through a welter of technical and accounting rules that will make the Paris pact operational in 2020.
Image copyrightIISD/ENB - KIARA WORTH
Poorer countries have become frustrated by what they see as the cavalier attitude of the rich to the urgency of the problem of rising seas and devastating floods and storms.
"The developed world has to lead," Amjad Abdulla, the lead negotiator for the Maldives told BBC News.
"We have a huge void - the action (by rich countries) on cutting carbon before 2020 we haven't really fulfilled that - and we are already embarking on rules for post 2020, that's unfair."
Follow the money
Climate finance is almost always the root of some of the biggest arguments in this process. Here in Bonn the developing world have pressed hard to get commitments from the richer nations about a timetable for the monies to be delivered into the future.
For many delegates like Amjad Abdulla, this question of trust on finance is critical, not just in dealing with the impacts of climate change but in helping developing countries shoulder the burden of cutting emissions and moving to renewable energy.
"The developing world's commitments are unconditional but there are limitations, you have to face the reality, we are living in a limited world. If your hands are tied up there's no way you can move, you need to unlock and money is the key."
These frustrations have led China to try and renegotiate a fundamental aspect of the Paris deal - the idea that all nations, rich and poor alike, will take on commitments to cut carbon.
"The signals they have been giving here have not been really helpful and have on the contrary been quite negative," said Ulrikka Aarnio, an observer from campaigners, the Climate Action Network.
"There are a number of countries that need finance for mitigation, adaption and for impacts and China is part of that group and may want to support them. It may be a negotiation tactic at this point."
Resistance to change?
The Chinese idea that going "back to the future" might be best for developing countries has also shown itself in a dispute over what seems the relatively trivial issue of a name change. The UN proposed last year to alter the clumsy "UN Framework Convention on Climate Change" to the simpler 'UN Climate Change'.
This proposed new wording has caused upset among some delegates because it drops the word convention from the title.
Signed back in 1992, the Framework Convention divided the world into the rich who were obliged to cut their carbon and the poor who were free to continue using fossil fuels.
"Everything we have undertaken is under the Framework Convention. I don't think we are going to change that, it has to stay - the bedrock is the convention, the foundation is the convention. We are working, we are building on that. Changing that would be a very bad idea."
The slow progress here means that an extra session of talks has now been added to the calendar been for September to try and make progress before ministers gather in Poland for the crucial Conference of the Parties in Katowice in December.
AFP Yahoo News 8 May 18;
Abu Dhabi (AFP) - The growing renewable energy industry created 500,000 new jobs globally last year, surpassing the 10 million-mark for the first time, an Abu Dhabi-based agency said on Tuesday.
Harnessing clean energy around the world had created a total of 10.3 million jobs by the end of 2017, a 5.3 percent jump on the previous year, according to the new report by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Adnan Z. Amin, director-general of IRENA, said the findings showed renewable energy "has become a pillar of low-carbon economic growth for governments all over the world".
"Fundamentally, this data supports our analysis that decarbonisation of the global energy system can grow the global economy and create up to 28 million jobs in the sector by 2050," he said.
China, Brazil, the United States, India, Germany and Japan lead the rest of the world accounting for 70 percent of the jobs, the report said.
The number of jobs represents a 47 percent jump from 2012, with over 60 percent of the jobs concentrated in Asia, mainly China, the report said.
At the end of last year, China had 3.88 million people employed in the renewable energy sector, up 12.1 percent on 2016 and representing 38 percent of jobs worldwide.
The expansion of the renewable energy sector is seen as essential to achieving the goals of a landmark climate pact signed in December 2015.
In order to accomplish the accord's aim of limiting the rise in global temperatures to below 2.0 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), IRENA said the renewables share in the global energy sector must double by 2030.
"Investments must be scaled up from some $305 billion in 2015, to an average of $900 billion per year between 2016 and 2030," the agency said last year.
Renewable energies have become drastically cheaper thanks to recent developments in technology, according to IRENA.
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Building better homes for current and future generations of Singaporeans, as well as creating a liveable and sustainable country form key thrusts of both ministries.
Fann Sim and Aqil Haziq Mahmud Channel NewsAsia 8 May 18;
SINGAPORE: The Ministry of National Development (MND) and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) on Tuesday (May 8) laid down plans to create a liveable and sustainable Singapore.
In his ministry’s addendum to President Halimah Yacob’s address in Parliament on Monday, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong reaffirmed plans to build a more inclusive city for Singaporeans of all ages and abilities.
This includes seeing to the housing needs of senior and vulnerable Singaporeans.
For seniors, MND will pilot a new model of assisted living that combines housing and care services, in order to help them live more independently and with dignity. MND will also update the existing Enhancement for Active Seniors programme to provide more accessibility solutions.
For vulnerable Singaporeans living in rental flats, MND will study how to further support their homeownership aspirations.
Mr Wong said that his ministry also plans to build a “smarter, greener, and more liveable city”. Chief among its plans is the linking of up the 24km Rail Corridor to parks, nature areas and trails such as the Coast-to-Coast Trail and 150km Round Island Route by 2021.
By 2030, he said, 90 per cent of Singaporeans will live within a 10-minute walk of a park, and Singapore’s network of green corridors will be expanded from 310km to 400km.
MEWR is also doing its part to build a liveable and sustainable Singapore by integrating and transforming “our blue and green spaces”, it said.
“Through the Active, Beautiful, Clean (ABC) Waters programme, we will continue to turn concrete drains, canals, and reservoirs into vibrant and beautiful rivers, streams, and lakes,” Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli said in his ministry’s addendum.
“Over the next few years, ABC Waters projects at locations such as the Jurong Lake and Sungei Whampoa will be completed.
The ministry will also continue to invest in climate-resilient infrastructure, such as enhancing stormwater management systems and diversifying water supply with more desalination and NEWater plants.
“In tandem, we are pursuing better management of our water demand,” Mr Masagos said. “We will also deepen our local research capabilities on climate science and weather through the Centre for Climate Research Singapore.”
When it comes to tackling climate change, using resources efficiently is critical to reducing emissions, limiting pollution and strengthening Singapore’s economic resilience, he said.
“We will strive to become a zero waste nation and extract greater value from waste as a resource, so as to achieve our vision of a circular economy,” he added, highlighting the Government's implementation of a compulsory e-waste management system and mandatory reporting of packaging data and packaging waste reduction plans by 2021.
“While the Government will continue to strengthen our regulatory regime to safeguard our environment and public health, creating a liveable and endearing home ultimately depends on everyone taking ownership of our environment,” Mr Masagos said.
Source: CNA/hz
Quality living in a connected city, three ministers pledge
WONG PEI TING Today Online 8 May 18;
SINGAPORE — Through mega aviation and port projects, as well as continued investments in rail and mobility initiatives and new housing developments, the Government will ensure a quality living environment for Singaporeans and keep Singapore one of the most connected cities in Asia.
Some 3,000 flats with shorter waiting times of two to three years — instead of the usual four years — will be launched this year and next, and the first batch of flats in the Tengah "Forest Town" will be launched in the second half of this year, said Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong on Tuesday (May 8) in his addendum to President Halimah Yacob's address at the opening of the second session of the 13th Parliament.
"Home ownership remains the key social pillar of our nation," said Mr Wong. "We are tapering the building of new flat to a more sustainable level, but we will continue to maintain a sufficient supply to meet the housing needs of Singaporeans, from young families, to seniors and singles."
For seniors, Mr Wong said a new model of assisted living that combines housing with care services will be piloted to enable them to live independently and with dignity.
On transport, Transport Minister and Coordinating Minister for Infrastructure Khaw Boon Wan said the rail network will expand by 130km in the next 12 years. The construction of the Thomson-East Coast Line is underway, with the Jurong Region Line and Cross Island Line to follow. This plan is "on track" to bring eight in 10 households within a 10-minute walk from a train station by 2030, Mr Khaw said.
The authorities will introduce a licensing framework for bicycle sharing operators and registration for e-scooters by the end of this year, he added. This will enhance enforcement against indiscriminate parking and reckless riding and instil a more responsible culture among users.
On a larger scale, Singapore will continue to foster its connection to the global economy with Changi Airport's expansion, the next generation Tuas Port, as well as the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail and the Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link.
Such developments continue to be important as aviation and maritime sectors continue to be the "lifelines of Singapore's economy", contributing more than 10 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product and 250,000 jobs, said Mr Khaw.
"We cannot take (Singapore's position at the heart of international trade and investment) for granted. Many in the region are working hard to replace us, with shipping and flight routes bypassing Singapore," he said.
The Government will balance economic growth with environmental protection, pledged Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli.
Singapore will undertake a voluntary national review of the United Nations' sustainable development goals in July this year, he said.
It will implement mandatory reporting of packaging data and packaging waste reduction plans by 2021, while supporting the wider use of on-site food waste digesters at commercial premises and hawker centres.
The upcoming Tuas Water Reclamation Plant and integrated waste management facility — touted as the world's first — will cut carbon emissions by more than 200,000 tonnes a year, said Mr Masagos.
Technology will increasingly feature in the environmental services industry — to manage waste collection remotely, through the use of robotics to sort recyclables at materials recovery facilities, and the use of autonomous cleaning to free up workers to perform "higher value work", he said. "We will work together to build on (our pioneers') precious legacy, and leave our children with a smart, green and livable home," he said.
Key initiatives for each ministry:
Ministry of Transport
Rail network to grow by another 130km by 2030
Rail reliability target of 1,000,000 mean km between failures by 2020; to be achieved by accelerating asset renewal and intensifying maintenance of older lines through extended engineering hours
Licensing framework for bicycle sharing operators and registration of e-scooters to be introduced by the end of 2018
Ministry of National Development
First batch of HDB flats in the new Tengah 'Forest Town', designed to be surrounded by greenery and nature, to launch in the second half of the year
90 per cent of Singaporeans to live within a 10-minute walk of a park by 2030 as network of green corridors will be expanded from 310km to 400km
New assisted living model that integrates social services with housing to be piloted for seniors
Adoption of more productive construction methods to double from the current 20 per cent of all new projects to 40 per cent by 2020
Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources
Undertake a voluntary national review of UN's sustainable development goals in July
Implement mandatory reporting of packaging data and packaging waste reduction plans by 2021
Support wider use of on-site food waste digesters at commercial premises and hawker centres
Build 13 more modern hawker centres by 2027
David Shukman BBC 9 May 18;
Indonesian scientists have launched the largest ever study into whether tiny plastic particles can affect human health.
They are investigating the presence of plastic in seafood while also tracking the diets of 2,000 people.
There is no evidence yet that ingesting small pieces of plastic is harmful but potential impacts cannot be ruled out.
Plastic pollution has become so severe in Indonesia that the army has been called in to help.
While public attention is focused on larger items like bags and bottles choking rivers and canals, there is emerging scientific concern over the long-term implications of smaller and less visible pieces known as microplastics.
The project is being undertaken in Semarang, an industrial port city of 1.7 million people, on the north coast of the Indonesian island of Java.
Led by food technologist Inneke Hantoro, the aim is understand how much plastic is contained in seafood, how much of it people eat and whether a safe level of consumption can be devised.
Her initiative is a response to US plastics researcher Jenna Jambeck and colleagues concluding that Indonesia was the world's second largest contributor of plastic waste to the oceans after China.
Ms Hantoro, of Soegijapranata Catholic University, says the lack of evidence about microplastics causing harm is not a reason to delay investigating the risks.
She told BBC News: "With the uncertain conditions right now, where the toxicological data is still limited, we cannot let the situation run as usual because we know consumers are starting to be aware of the presence of plastics – it will make them worry, so we need to do something."
She concedes that until more data is available, it will not be possible to set a definitive safety standard for plastic consumption so she’s hoping to come up with "interim guidance".
"We could propose a food safety standard to remove seafood that contains a very high level of microplastics from the market – people don’t want to buy something that contains plastic," she added.
The first stage of the work involved gathering 450 samples of six different types of seafood from local waters and also from further afield, and screening them for microplastics.
I joined her on a visit to fish farms on the coast near Semarang. To reach them we had to travel by boat through mangrove swamps that were blighted by plastic – huge loads of it hung from the branches and lay tangled in the roots.
The research has found that every species tested contained some plastic particles, including fragments and fibres – tilapia were the worst with 85% seen with plastic.
The majority of mullet, shrimp, and milk fish tested also had plastic particles. Cockles had the lowest reading with 52% containing plastic.
These findings are broadly in line with similar research conducted in the UK and elsewhere, and they confirm that plastic contamination of seafood is a global problem.
But the next phase of the work in Semarang breaks new ground with an unprecedented campaign to follow the diets of 2,000 volunteers over a period of 2-4 weeks.
As a coastal city, Semarang is known to have a relatively high consumption of seafood and a key task is to find out how people prepare it and whether they take any steps that might minimise their intake of plastic.
Milk fish, for example, can be eaten whole, including their intestines, which may be where microplastics might accumulate.
One of the co-authors of the study is a Dutch environmental scientist, Prof Ad Ragas, of Radboud University.
He plays down any fears of immediate health hazards from microplastics but says the problem does need to be understood.
"Keep in mind that it’s not as if everybody is dying from the plastics problem," he told BBC News.
"We know it's there but we don't know yet whether fish are dying or people are dying because of the microplastics, so there’s no reason or proof to be pessimistic there.
"But we don’t know for sure, so that’s the uncertainty we have to live with."
This comes as the city authorities in Semarang have organised a major clean-up - the main streets and rivers look largely clear of plastic waste.
But because the city only has one official landfill site, at least 200 illegal ones have sprung up in poorer districts and in the outskirts of Semarang.
We saw one sprawling dump on the coast, where thousands of bags of rubbish lay heaped and torn, with plastic waste blown by the wind into the ocean, all of it destined to break down into smaller fragments.
In an effort to minimise the amount of plastic reaching the environment, one major food packaging factory in the city has launched an initiative to contain waste and raise awareness.
PT Miramas, which uses plastic for sachets, bottles and other containers, is sponsoring classes in EcoBricks, a scheme that transforms plastic waste into blocks that can be used as furniture or building materials.
Harjanto Halim, director of the company, told me that at the moment he could see no alternatives to using plastic so he wanted to teach people how to make use of it and prevent it leaking into the environment.
As we spoke, dozens of people were learning how to prod old plastic bags into drinks bottles. The filled bottles are then being glued together in batches to form large "bricks" which can be stacked on top of each other.
"You cannot make a magical thing happen in a blink of an eye,” said Mr Halim, acknowledging that this project alone will not change attitudes."The people of Indonesia still consider throwing trash into the street or river is normal… but if I am able to get support from the government and schools I think we can make a difference."
KELLY NG Today Online 7 May 18;
SINGAPORE — To tackle food waste, Mr Nicholas Lim did not simply spread the word among his friends and family.
In an experiment to see if he could make a viable business out of the problem, he co-founded an online platform that allows individuals, eateries and voluntary welfare organisations to order discounted groceries that would otherwise be thrown away.
TreeDots began operations six months ago and now has about 180 business partners, which obtain discounted groceries from about 30 suppliers.
The items may be slightly defective or approaching their expiry dates, but prices are hugely marked down. For instance, 12 one-litre bottles of olive oil cost S$20, compared with about S$12 per bottle at a supermarket, while a kilogramme of Cavendish bananas can be had at S$1.75, about a third of the price elsewhere.
TreeDots offers free delivery and takes a 10 per cent cut for every successful transaction, said Mr Lim, 26, who co-founded the platform with fellow Singapore Management University graduates Tylor Jong and Lau Jiacai.
About 10 individuals also order TreeDots’ weekly “vege boxes”, which contain up to 14kg of fruits and vegetables that may look “ugly” or are blemished. The boxes’ content varies according to what the suppliers are looking to let go of. Each box costs S$40 and three boxes cost S$115.
Mr Lim said the start-up has generated enough revenue to cover its overhead costs, which includes a refrigerator truck, but the founders are still working unpaid.
“Response has been growing over the months, but still mostly on the business-to-business level…Despite growing interest in the issue of food waste, we still feel the majority of people here are not willing to accept such products,” said Mr Lim.
While eco-businesses selling items such as upcycled bags or bamboo and stainless steel straws are not new to Singapore, the experiences and ability of two fledgling ventures that deal in perishable food items could signal if a broader swathe of local consumers are ready to adopt low-waste habits in a bigger way.
On Saturday (May 5), a 1,200 sq ft grocery store opened in Sembawang Hills estate, targeting patrons keen to shop for daily necessities stripped of the usual packaging. Inspired by a video of a provision shop with the same concept operating somewhere in Europe, UnPackt’s co-founder Florence Tay, 36, is looking to help the average shopper to take small steps to reduce waste in everyday life.
For a start, the store has stocked about 70 types of toiletries, cleaning agents and dried foodstuff like cereal that are stored in self-service dispensers and priced according to weight.
Patrons are free to buy only the amount they want, and the items are a shade cheaper than what they would cost in a supermarket. For instance, UnPackt is selling 100g of raw sugar for S$0.30, the same amount of organic pasta for S$0.70 and, almonds, for S$4.50.
Customers bring their own receptacles or use the jars and containers that Ms Tay has collected, cleaned and sterilised.
UnPackt’s co-founder Jeff Lam, 38, who lives alone, said he used to throw out a lot of unfinished food that had expired and hopes to “debunk the myth that eco-friendly habits are expensive and unsustainable”.
The duo have pumped in about S$100,000 to get the business going and while they see it also playing an advocacy role, they stress the need to be financially sustainable.
“Profitability still has to come in, in order for us to keep running (the store) and prove to the man in the street that this is the one-stop shop for their low-waste lifestyle habits,” said Ms Tay.
GOOD CAUSE, BUT WILL CONSUMERS BITE?
The efforts by TreeDots’ and UnPackt’s founders come amid the growing amount of food and plastic waste generated in Singapore. A waste audit by the National Environment Agency found that over half of food waste generated by households here would not have been trashed had consumers bought the quantities they needed or cooked the right portions.
Meanwhile, packaging waste made up a third of the 1.7 million tonnes of domestic waste generated here last year. About 15 per cent of the packaging waste – or about 83,550 tonnes – is made up of plastic and paper disposables such as single-use plates and take-away food containers.
But the key ingredient determining the reach and sustainability of businesses such as TreeDots and UnPackt could ultimately be their prices, said business experts and observers.
The majority of consumers in Singapore still make their purchases based on prices, they said.
Said Associate Professor Lawrence Loh from the National University of Singapore's School of Business: “At this juncture, consumers are still very sensitive to what hits their pockets. We have not achieved a concerted vision and effort to cut waste. Economics still takes precedence.”
Assoc Prof Loh, who directs the school's Centre for Governance, Institutions & Organisations, said consumers also want to be assured that going “packaging-free” does not compromise hygiene.
Ms Ang Huan Ting, who has ordered six of TreeDots' vegetable boxes since the start of the year, said she finds their price "pretty reasonable considering the quality of the products and door to door delivery".
The 27-year-old civil servant and her husband takes up to two weeks to consume the vegetables.
"The offerings are different each time, and I like the element of surprise... Another reason why I keep subscribing (to the vegetable boxes) is because I find the founders very passionate about their vision to reduce food waste," said Ms Ang.
Dumpster diver Daniel Tay, who leads outings to “rescue” discarded edible produce and started the Freegan in Singapore Facebook page said it may be more difficult for such businesses to stay afloat here, given the cost of rentals and transport.
Mr Jeff Cheong, president of advertising agency Tribal Worldwide Asia, said brands that championing the zero waste culture must be “actively involved in education and outreach to share ideas that ‘normal people’ can do right from their home”.
“From producing content, to holding public talks, to interacting with patrons at their stores, these advocates-cum-businessmen need to invest time to build up the community from the heartlands. Working with young children is key in shaping their minds towards responsible living in the future,” said Mr Cheong.
Other smaller outfits that operate online or as pop-up stores said challenges lie in reaching out to a wider segment of Singaporeans.
Ms Danielle Champagne, who co-founded the Green Collective, a three-month pop-up store in Paya Lebar, said: "We might feel like there is a growth (of people reducing waste) but it could be because of the circles we are in... We don't want to just be preaching to the converted."
Ms Champagne owns Zhai Eco, which sells clothing made of natural fibres like bamboo and linen. Zhai Eco is one of 15 brands found at the pop-up, which offers customers recycled bags only when they request for one.
The Green Collective also holds do-it-yourself workshops, talks and "plant swaps" (sessions to exchange seedlings, seeds or gardening tips).
Others, like online shop The Sustainability Project and pop-up store The Zero Ways hope their wares — which include beeswax wraps and straws made of bamboo or stainless steel — can help Singaporeans adopt more eco-friendly behaviour.
Said Lily Khairunnisa, who started The Zero Ways in January with her family members: "More Singaporeans, especially of the younger generation, are getting more conscious of the waste we produce. We are still quite far from having these practices ingrained in our everyday lives, but it is picking up traction."
The 30-year-old also believes there is strength in numbers. "It takes time... We have seen many other green businesses come up in the last few months. We see one another as collaborators, and I think that would make it easier to spur the movement," she said.
Aubrey Kandelila Fanani Antara 7 May 18;
The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) is now conducting rare plants. Among the rare plants in Indonesia is Bintangur (Calophyllum lanigerum). (ANTARA PHOTO/Joko Sulistyo)
Jakarta, (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI) offered training on survey methods for wild plants and wildlife on May 7-11 in Cipanas, Cianjur District, West Java, to prevent the extinction of biodiversity traded as a commodity.
As one of the countries ratifying the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the management of trade of wild plants and wildlife in Indonesia is conducted through the provisions of the conventions set forth in several laws and regulations.
"This method is designed to prevent the extinction of plant or animal species due to trade, especially international one. In addition, it is for maintaining a limit on the utilization of species," Deputy of Life Sciences of LIPI Prof. Enny Sudarmonowati stated.
Sudarmonowati said LIPI has been trusted as a scientific authority that provides recommendations to management authorities for the implementation of CITES. The recommendations include establishing a list of types, limiting trade quotas, and licensing restrictions.
As necessitated in government regulations, these recommendations should be based on scientific data and information provided by various parties but obtained by methods recognized by scientific authorities, she explained.
Meanwhile, Head of the Biology Research Center of LIPI Witjaksono noted that LIPI is also responsible for delivering to stakeholders related methods that can be used in data collection for monitoring or surveying population of traded species in natural habitat or for evaluation of production at breeding and cultivation facilities.
"In addition to the method, it is important for parties to improve the identification capabilities of TSL products circulating at home and abroad. One of the most concerned parties to both of these is the officer on the field, the Forest Ecosystem Manager (PEH) involved in granting permits and supervising the distribution of TSL," he stated.
LIPI as an institution that stores a collection of flora, fauna, and microbes of Indonesia and is a national reference for users along with playing a role in the collection and integration of data on natural resources.
Hence, the LIPI is tasked with providing a means to integrate national data and information from different sources of data providers through a portal that facilitates the interoperability of Indonesia`s databases known as the Indonesia Biodiversity Information Facility (InaBIF).
InaBIF is part of the international network of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) aimed at providing information on biodiversity to the audience. At the national level, InaBIF can facilitate the mapping of the rich biodiversity in the regions, providing an overview of the information gap, and assisting decision-making in terms of action priorities for biodiversity protection.
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