Map outlines climate danger for Singapore

A GLOBAL average temperature rise of 4 degC could have a severe impact on Singapore, including flooding, coastal land loss and heat-related deaths.

That is according to a new map launched here yesterday by the Hadley Centre of the United Kingdom’s Met Office, one of the leading centres for climate prediction. The map shows the potential impact of climate change in South-east Asia.

Under the scenario, global average sea levels could rise by up to 80cm by the end of the century, translating to a local sea-level rise of about 65cm.

‘For a small country with a high population density and surrounded by sea, this could have implications for flooding, coastal land loss and salt water intrusion of groundwater aquifers,’ said the centre.

Water supplies could also be affected, as parts of South-east Asia could see droughts occurring more than twice as frequently, it found.

Singapore’s unique geography makes rising temperatures a further health concern, as they could lead to an ‘urban heat island’ effect, which makes a built-up area significantly warmer than its surroundings. Increased temperatures are a major factor in heat-related mortalities, the Hadley Centre said.

Singapore could also be affected by more haze pollution, as higher temperatures would increase the risk of forest fires across Indonesia.

Presenting the map to reporters at the Hilton Hotel yesterday, Dr Chris Gordon, the centre’s head of science partnerships, said this scenario was considered ‘moderate’. In a worse scenario, temperatures could go up by 6 deg C, he said.

The objective of the map is ‘an attempt to bring climate change home to people, to help people relate to it in different areas of the world’.

In preparing the map, the Hadley Centre used its in-house climate model, which was run as many as 34 times on scenarios developed by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The map predicts that a 4 deg C temperature rise would have a negative impact on Indonesia’s fishing industry, and could lead to a drop in rice production in Thailand, and more cyclones in the Philippines.

Dr Gordon said the timescale for this depends on the rate of increase of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere.

‘If we carry on at the rate we are now, it could happen perhaps by the 2060s… if action is taken, it could be delayed,’ he said.

Dr Gordon added that the Hadley Centre was collaborating with Singapore’s Meteorological Services Division on climate data and research.

The interactive map is now on Google Earth, and can be accessed at www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate-change/guide/impacts/high-end

Conservation International (CI) works to engage the private sector as a positive force for ensuring natural diversity of life, healthy ecosystems and sustainable growth. We envision that industry leaders will become champions of nature conservation by reducing the ecological impact of their operations, harnessing the power of their supply chains to drive widespread adoption of good practices, dedicating financial resources to on-the-ground conservation initiatives, and communicating about results to consumers, shareholders and employees.

• As a core staff position within the CI Singapore Office, the Director of Corporate Relations will engage directly with industry leaders to promote Conservation International and its programs in the region. The Director will cultivate and manage partnerships within Singapore and the greater Asia-Pacific region across various sectors.
• The Director will maintain and enhance relationships with the Asia-Pacific Business & Sustainability Council, a network of multinational and regional corporations established by CI, recruit new corporate members into the Council, and organize its meetings, create the programmatic agenda in conjunction with partners, and staff Council events.
• The Director will recruit corporations to a newly funded initiative in Indonesia that seeks to demonstrate the value of public-private partnerships in sustainable land practices with a focus on low-carbon business development.
• The Director will also lead efforts in raising revenue from current and new corporate partners for a symposium scheduled to be held in September 2012 in Singapore.
• The Director will help CI meet its corporate contribution goals and establish mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with leading businesses and trade associations. The director will coordinate negotiations of corporate partner agreements in program areas including climate leadership and forest carbon, field conservation projects, business tools for conservation, joint communications initiatives, involvement in leadership forums and sponsorship opportunities.
• The Director will manage multi-faceted relationships with large scale companies and interact with senior executives at those companies to establish partnerships at the 6-7 figure level.
• The Director will draw upon, synthesize and manage participation from all parts of CI to integrate input from its various divisions as well as CI’s executive leadership and legal and finance departments, from concept development, proposal writing, deal negotiation, reporting, evaluation and communications, in initiating and sustaining corporate relationships.
• The Director will provide other support to the Singapore office, the Asia-Pacific region and Conservation International as determined by the Managing Director, Singapore Office.
• Based in Singapore with frequent travel to regional corporate headquarters, CI field offices and other partners in the region as necessary

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead the establishment and stewardship of 6-7 figure, multi-year partnerships with leading companies – in Singapore and the Asia-Pacific region – and other contributors (e.g., industry trade associations and private foundations) dealing with business engagement on the environment. Identify and cultivate relationships with new prospective corporate partners for CI. Recruit new businesses into the Business Sustainability Council, and plan, organize and execute programs that develop from these relationships.
• Contribute to, and manage delivery of, subject-matter expertise on implementation of joint projects with industry partners, e.g., providing information to corporate partners on decision-support tools for conservation,
• and lessons from other corporate engagements dealing with environmental strategies, best practices, financial contributions, and communications.
• Support development objectives of the Singapore office and the Asia-Pacific region in coordination with the Managing Director, CI Singapore and CI Headquarters as relevant.
• Actively manage, participate in, and, in some cases, lead CI events with corporate and other partners to promote CI activities and mission in the region.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required:

• 5+ years experience in corporate partnership development and management
• Presence and ability to establish strong relationships with senior executives in partner companies
• Ability to leverage corporate relationships and fundraising in support of CI institutional objectives for communications, marketing and branding
• Ability to create innovative strategies, partnerships, and programs without existing models
• Demonstrated fundraising experience at 6-7 figure level
• Good working knowledge of public policy and private sector developments on the environment at the international, national, state and local levels
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Collaborative spirit and ability to work in team settings across cultures and internally within a diverse institution
• Ability to deliver results while managing competing priorities under tight deadlines
• Ability to interact effectively with corporate partners and with other non-governmental organizations
• Passion for the conservation of nature and the involvement of businesses in the solution to the world’s most pressing environmental challenges

 Preferred:

• Competency in Chinese or other regional language a plus
• MBA or other relevant graduate degree also a plus, as is management experience

 Interested candidates, please apply online:

http://tbe.taleo.net/NA8/ats/careers/requisition.jsp?org=CONSERVATION&cws=1&rid=250

Closing: 5 February 2012

PUB to spend $750 million to fight flooding

National water agency PUB said on Monday it will adopt most of the flood panel’s recommendations, adding that it will spend at least $750 million on expanding canal capacity and other drainage projects.

It outlined a slew of measures aimed at reducing floods here, including immediate plans to increase the capacity of Stamford Canal, which serves the flood-hit Orchard Road area, by 10 per cent.

This includes lining the canal with a smooth material to transport water faster and removing sewage and Newater pipes within the canal to increase its capacity. These will be completed within a year. The National Environment Agency will also roll out a better flood alert system by year-end which will warn people of potential floods earlier.

In the next five years, PUB will also increase the capacity of six major canals here island-wide by 30 to 45 per cent each and revise its drainage master plan once every three years, compared to once every five years now.

Image taken from Hannaford

Newton Circus (not the hawker centre) has kindly let us use their premises for this session. Beverages will be available on the night, and affordably priced.

Date: 26 January 2012 (Thursday)
Time: 7.30pm – 9.30pm (talk will be followed by Q&A, then mingling)
Venue: Newton Circus office, 138 Cecil Street, #01-01 Cecil Court
RSVP: olivia@greendrinkssingapore.com or on our Facebook event page

We hope to see you there!

About Gouri’s talk
It’s (Not) Easy Being Green: Running Upstream with 13 Environmental Heroes

Can individuals really make a difference when it comes to the environment?

Gouri uses a simple but powerful river analogy for selecting projects which create real and sustainable change. She takes this “river challenge” on a quest, and finds 13 real Indonesian eco heroes who are making a difference. The heroes cast light on areas which urgently need attention and offer a perspective on how best to achieve results.

Gouri will be presenting the background story on the 13 interesting projects and highlight how the eco-heroes’ experiences in dealing with environmental challenges present lessons for all of us.

She will end with a focus on one project that she has been spearheading, The Learning Farm (www.thelearningfarm.com).

Join Gouri for a richly illustrated talk on why its Not Easy being Green.

About Adam’s talk
LOHAS; what is it, who are the Lohasians, why does it matter?

They are all around us, affecting social change and striving to protect the natural environment through their everyday habits and purchasing decisions. They look just like everyone else, except they may be better educated, wealthier and female with children at home. they are the ones you see in shops reading the labels on the back of products for ingredients, nutrition information and what the packaging is made of. They separate their trash, respect their fellow man and nature and take care of their physical health.

They are Lohasians and they live Lifestyles Of Health And Sustainability (LOHAS).

They are also a growing economic force to be reckoned with and are driving the marketing and product development strategies of corporate behemoths, such as Coca-Cola (seriously…).

LOHAS remains a B2B marketing term in the US, but has morphed into a consumer movement in Asia, where normal people are using the term “LOHAS” as a catch-all for all things sustainable, green, eco, better quality of life.

70% of all Japanese and Taiwanese know what LOHAS is and awareness is spreading rapidly, mainly throughout the Chinese-speaking population in Asia.

LOHAS Asia interviewed 19,000 consumers in Asia in 2010 to understand the LOHAS trends in the markets and has spent two years touring the globe to understand what this all means… for your business.

The 1st LOHAS Asia Forum brings together 400 aspiring social entrepreneurs from around the region to help them target the LOHAS consumer more effectively and to give them skills in technology, branding and communications to be able to reach the LOHAS consumer and succeed.

These people and their businesses are risk-takers, believers and optimists who believe that there is a better way of doing business in Asia. They believe “Business As Usual” is not the answer.

LOHAS Asia, the organization, believes that we can have a modern, convenient life without sacrificing the Planet on the altar of consumerism, by avoiding natural resource depletion and human-induced climate change.

Come and meet Adam Horler and find out more about LOHAS, the Lohasians, the Forum and how this can help your business venture.

OK, la?

About Gouri
Gouri Mirpuri has lived in many countries over the past two decades, and currently calls Indonesia home. She is a “backyard activist” and a writer. Gouri is also the driving force behind The Learning Farm, an award-winning initiative to re-habilitate street youth through organic farming.

Gouri was recently a TEDx speaker on the series of witty, localized cartoons she developed called 50 GREEN TIPS. These tips first appeared in the Indonesian media, and are now being used in over 300 schools and organizations throughout the archipelago.

Gouri has published several books for young adults, and had a regular environmental column in Indonesia’s largest business monthly. The interview columns have been published in a book, “Eco Heroes of Indonesia”.

Gouri’s latest adventure is to help bring The HUB (www.the-hub.net) to Singapore, currently in 32 countries worldwide. This global communal space will be the first ever HUB in Asia for social enrepreneurs.

About Adam
Having charted a highly successful career path through the likes of P&G, L’Oreal, red earth (Esprit), AS Watson and Molton Brown (Kao), Adam decided to leave the “comfy armchair” of corporate life in Nov 2008.

More than half his business life has been spent working in Asia, moving to Hong Kong from England in April 1998 and then to Singapore in Sep 2006.

His personal journey has seen him:

- navigate his way through the shark-infested waters of Corporate life to become a regional CEO and international Board member
- take a year out to play full-time rugby in Hong Kong
- leave Corporate life to pursue a life trying to “do his bit” to Save The Planet, and humanity in the process

His corporate travels have taken him all over Asia; from the capital cities to the countryside; from mega malls to the smallest regional wholesale markets; from Japan to New Zealand to India; all in search of the Asian consumer and what makes them tick.

Adam describes what he saw and how it leads to founding Asia-Pacific LOHAS:

“My business travel in Asia has taken me off the beaten track to small towns and cities, where I saw that progress is not really working. Instead of a better life for those leaving the land and chasing the Western dream, I saw environmental degradation (plastic waste, water and air pollution) and poor quality of life for the people living in these towns (bad sanitary conditions, unjust working conditions, separation from family for long periods).

I guess the knowledge that “business as usual” was not benefiting the average person in Asia sat uncomfortably with me for many years while I worked my way up the corporate ladder. As with many things in life, I shoved this feeling to the back of my mind. It wasn’t until Feb 2008, when trekking in Laos, that I finally felt that I had to change my life and do something to better the lives of people in Asia and also protect the environment and the Planet, which we are so busy wrecking in the name of progress. So, I quit my job as Regional CEO and set out on my journey to find something I could do that would have a big impact.

Asia-Pacific LOHAS is the result of this journey, so far (I do not believe my personal journey is anywhere near over yet, but I am happy with my resting place!). If we can fulfil the promise that Asia-Pacific LOHAS represents, we will be able to educate millions of consumers that consumption can be done in a better way and help facilitate the growth of the LOHAS business community to serve these consumers.”

For the full programme, see here. Days 2 & 3 begin with yoga at 7.45am for a maximum of 20 people (first come first served, with special transport arrangements from our partner hotel), followed by keynote speeches from leading and inspirational professionals, breaking out into mini-forums in the afternoons. The 1st day provides extensive networking opportunities.

The LOHAS Asia Forum is a moment in time where passionate business owners will gather to turn the wheel of change. A change that can transform the potential of your business by turning it into a more sustainable and profitable venture, that will not only benefit the work it does but the communities and environments that surround it as well.

With the help of some of the sharpest and most creative minds in the sustainable industry, participants will get a chance to see how the green road is the path BEST walked on in a world where consumers become more evolved in their demand daily.

If you wish to be part of this ground breaking event visit here to register or head over to https://www.facebook.com/LOHASians for more information on LOHAS Asia and the amazing work you can be part of.

Image taken from LOHAS Asia

Rail Corridor re-opens for public use from Monday

The Rail Corridor – the snaking, 26km tract of former Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) railway land – is open to the public from Monday, with the exception of four areas.

For the past half-year, the authorities had been removing old railway tracks and equipment as well as levelling and turfing over the land parcel, which runs from Tanjong Pagar to Woodlands.

Now, it is open for public use, except for three sites earmarked for improvement works. These are at Jalan Hang Jebat, Ghim Moh Road and Kampong Bahru Flyover. Once works are done, they will be opened for interim community use from April. The historic Tanjong Pagar Railway Station, which has been designated a national monument, remains closed as well for maintenance works and structural inspection.

KTM train services to Tanjong Pagar stopped last June. The KTM railway land was returned to Singapore in July as agreed with Malaysia, in exchange for land parcels in Marina South and Ophir-Rochor.

Image taken from Steel Wool

PUB to increase Stamford Canal capacity

SINGAPORE – National water agency PUB is studying options to increase the capacity of the Stamford Canal – which was blamed for the Orchard Road floods on Dec 23, last year – by 30 per cent, said Minister for Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan in Parliament today.

The first involves building storm water detention ponds upstream along Stamford Canal. However, this will not come cheap along Orchard Road as these ponds are about the size of 40 to 50 Olympic size pools, Dr Balakrishnan said.

PUB is also studying building a diversion canal from the upper third of the Stamford Canal drainage area, which will cut across Grange Road and flow out at Singapore River at Zion Road. In the short term, PUB has stepped up the cleaning and maintenance of drains.

Giving an update to Parliament on the flash floods which occurred last month, Dr Balakrishnan also addressed Workers’ Party MP Yaw Shin Leong’s question on the technical differences between flash floods and ponding. The Minister said PUB should not have used the term ponding, and should have called “a spade a spade”.

Photo taken by Steven Hoey

Malaysia may sell electricity to Singapore

SINGAPORE: The Prime Ministers of Malaysia and Singapore have discussed the possibility of Malaysia selling electricity to Singapore.

This was announced by Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak during a joint news conference with his Singapore counterpart Mr Lee Hsien Loong at the end of the third leaders’ retreat between the two countries.

Mr Najib said if the plan comes to fruition, it will be a private sector-driven initiative.

Responding to this, Prime Minister Lee said Singapore is very open to importing a certain portion of electricity from Malaysia, if the terms are right and if the private sector proposes an attractive offer which Singapore cannot refuse.

Mr Lee said: “Singapore is very open to importing a certain proportion of our electricity. If the terms are right, this provides us with an attractive offer which we can’t refuse.

Of course, we’ll be happy to buy, subject to proper terms and safeguards. We’re in the process of working out a proper framework for managing these imports of electricity. And once this framework is ready, we welcome Malaysian companies to participate and bid to supply electricity to Singapore. We hope, of course, that some of them will succeed.”

However, he stressed that the offer has to be in accordance with proper safeguards.

Mr Lee said in reaching a decision on the matter, Singapore will need also need to study the environmental impact of power generation companies.

Mr Lee said: “When you supply electricity, there’s also the consideration of environmental impact of the power generation companies.

If you’re burning fossil fuels, particularly coal, you have to make sure there’s environmental controls to prevent sulphur dioxide or ash or other problems to the environment.

“That’s something we’ll be taking seriously in mind. It affects, of course, the immediate neighbours of the power station but there could be cross-border implications as well.”

The leaders also proposed that their countries explore industrial cooperation in the Iskandar Malaysia development region in Johor.

They directed a new work group on industrial cooperation to look for more ways to enhance collaboration that will benefit both sides.

The leaders said they’re pleased with the collaboration between Khazanah Nasional and Temasek Holdings through joint investments in M+S Pte Ltd.

The company has submitted the design for the Marina South and Ophir-Rochor developments for planning approval.

The delegations have completed the retreat meeting.

Image taken from durian

The Straits Times report below.

Carrefour to stop selling shark’s fin too after current stock runs out

Supermarket will pull product by year end

A day after Singapore’s biggest supermarket chain announced that it will stop selling shark’s fin, another supermarket has said it intends to do so by the end of the year.

A spokesman for Carrefour told The Straits Times on Friday it will no longer sell shark’s fin after its current stock runs out.

He said the French supermarket chain, which has outlets at Suntec City and Plaza Singapura, is doing this on its own initiative, as a socially responsible retailer.

Three other supermarket chains – Sheng Siong, Giant and Shop N Save – said they have no plans to stop selling shark’s fin. However, all three added that they do not advertise or run any promotions on their shark’s fin products.

On 8th January, 2012, we invite you to join us for a special back-to-back screening of the inspiring Spinning Dreams documentary films. For a small $10 cover charge, you can kick back with a pint of beer and a serving of fries/onion rings to enjoy 2 films! =)

We will also be accepting registrations on that day for people interested in joining us for 2012′s adventures (Laos Bike Adventure & The Great Shark Adventure).

Alongwith the transformative experience of the adventure, you will get to witness firsthand our partner charities impactful work in the region.

If you are looking for a new year’s resolution or planning a meaningful adventure for 2012, come join us to find out more and experience our past adventures through the exciting films!

Regards,

Team Gone Adventurin’

For more information on Gone Adventurin’s upcoming adventures: www.goneadventurin.com

The 1st film tells the story of how it all got started – using adventure to inspire humanity to make a difference. Watch how two amateur cyclists took on the toughest mountain bike race in the world to raise funds for women in Timor-Leste.

This film inspired people across the region and the team grew from 2 cyclists to 9 cyclists and an even bigger support team. The 2nd film tells the story of a transformative adventure across Vietnam and Cambodia over a distance of 400km.

See both documentaries here, RSVP to the event on the Facebook event page.

Image taken from hydrojeno