World Bank urges global action to save oceans – Channel NewsAsia

SINGAPORE: The World Bank on Friday said the world’s oceans were at risk and called for a coalition of governments, NGOs and other groups to protect them, aiming to raise $1.5 billion in five years.

“The world’s oceans are in danger,” from over-fishing, marine degradation and loss of habitat, World Bank president Robert Zoellick said. “Send out the S-O-S: We need to Save Our Seas.”

About 85 percent of ocean fisheries are fully exploited, over-exploited or depleted, including most of the stocks of the top 10 species, he told the World Oceans Summit in Singapore.

via World Bank urges global action to save oceans – Channel NewsAsia.

WWF welcomes new legislation to ban trawling in Hong Kong

 

 

Does anyone know if trawling is banned in Singapore waters?

Banning trawling will allow a living habitat of soft corals, sponges and numerous bottom-dwelling creatures on the seabed to regrow — which will in return support numerous seafood species popular among Hong Kong people. Top fisheries scientists have predicted that just five years after the implementation of the trawling ban (and commercial fishing in marine parks), populations of squid and cuttlefish will increase by 35 percent and that of reef fish by 20 percent. Populations of larger fish, such as groupers and croakers, will surge by 40 to 70 percent as well.

via WWF

Officials scramble to save endangered Javan rhinos

The discovery of three dead Javan rhinos has intensified efforts to save one of the world’s most endangered mammals from extinction, with an electric fence being built Monday around a new sanctuary and breeding ground.

With only about 50 of the species left in the wild — all but a handful living in one national park in western Indonesia — conservationists are even talking about taking the rare step of relocating some of the 5-ton animals to spread out the population and give the Javan rhino a better chance to survive.

Drought and proximity to an active volcano in the densely forested Ujung Kulon park have raised fears that a natural disaster could destroy almost the entire population at once. In Vietnam, the only other place the rhinos can be found, there are just four.

Read more at guardian.co.uk.

‘The Cove’ to screen in Japan despite protests

Initial screenings of the film at three other theaters were canceled after protests by nationalist groups. Those theaters still have no plans to show “The Cove,” which shows bloody scenes of a dolphin slaughter filmed by hidden cameras and portrays local fishermen as rough goons.

The cancellations prompted a group of Japanese journalists, academics and film directors to sign a letter urging the theaters not to back down, saying the issue “underlines the weakness of freedom of speech in Japan.”

Read more at The Associated Press

Rare Borneo pygmy elephant dies after 2-week struggle

An endangered Borneo pygmy elephant lost its struggle for survival after it was rescued two weeks ago.

“She had perforated ulcers in the intestines. It was a tough fight for survival,” Wildlife Department chief senior field veterinarian Dr Sen Nathan said Friday.

The orphaned two-year-old female calf died of severe internal bleeding at the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park here on Wednesday.

via Rare Borneo pygmy elephant dies after 2-week struggle.

Dredging destroying pygmy elephant, monkey habitat

Sand dredging in a Borneo wildlife sanctuary is threatening the habitats of endangered pygmy elephants and a rare species of monkey, Malaysian activists said Thursday.

Sand-laden barges were once again moving up and down rivers in the Kinabatangan wildlife sanctuary in Sabah state on Borneo island, despite having previously been stopped, they said.

via Dredging destroying pygmy elephant, monkey habitat.

Singapore’s Trash Lives in Paradise?

Previously, I never thought about discussing anything on Singapore’s waste disposal system on Green Kampong. My assumption then was that most of this stuff is common knowledge. That was until I told a friend I was going to Pulau Semakau and received a blank look and a sheepish “Umm… where’s that?” reply. I tried my luck with other friends and received more reassuring answers like “Oh that’s where our rubbish goes, right?” but also got thrown off by comments of “Why on earth would you want to visit a stinky rubbish dump?!”

If you had thought about our landfill along similar lines before, be surprised. Pulau Semakau, the place where our rubbish ends up in was called an “island paradise” by a CNN journalist, Francesca de Châtel and recently, a “haven of biodiversity” by Straits Times’ Cheong Poh Kwan. Ok, maybe the descriptions are a bit too lyrical for your taste. Nevertheless, this one of our Southern Islands is still worth a visit, if only just to clear up certain misconceptions.

Let’s be sparing on the facts and figures about P. Semakau landfill here, because there’s actually a one-stop place where you can read your fill. To know more about the history, nature, guided programs, you name it, check out WildSingapore. Just to give a really brief summary, P. Semakau is our only working landfill currently. The landfill, which was designed to be sanitary, takes up 3.5 km² and was formed by enclosing part of the sea between the original Pulau Semaku and Pulau Sakeng. The normal domestic waste gets incinerated first before it is sent there. So most of what ends up in the lagoons is ash. As such, P. Semakau really looks more like a park – odorless, with a sea view, embellished with replanted mangroves and rest shelters.

What goes on in this “island paradise” – other than filling the landfill, of course? First, it’s not quite the Hawaii beach resort if you’re getting your hopes high. And paradise is not easily accessible. You need to join activities organized by designated groups. The assortment of activities ranges from intertidal walks, bird watching to stargazing expeditions.

There are also opportunities to give back to where you have “trashed”. In October this year, Singapore Navy’s Naval Diving Unit sent a team of 96 (likely with many big, strong men?!) to pick up trash from Semakau’s northern shores under a CSR effort called Project Eco Frog. It was an impressive trash collecting operation judging from the photos – I mean, check out their mode of transport!

Also, if Singapore government’s vision comes true, the island is going to be a test bed for renewable energy technologies and a place for ‘green’ recreational and educational activities. Eventually, it may even meet its own water and energy needs. Certainly a worthy aspiration to have and definitely something exciting to look forward to!

Wait a minute…

Let’s take a step back… a big step right back to the basics.

We are in the season to be jolly and really, having a sanitary landfill is something worth rejoicing. There are many places where waste is not pre-treated, where instability can lead to collapse in the rubbish pile, where leachate may flow into the water systems and communities, including children, live near the rubbish and depend on it for a living. Payatas Dumpsite in Quezon City, nicknamed Smokey Mountains for the fumes, is one example of a waste disposal facility, worlds apart from P. Semakau.

While we count our blessings, we definitely should keep the knowledge that P. Semakau’s capacity is limited at the back of our minds. Where will we turn to after that? A second “island paradise”? What’s the economical and environmental cost we will have to pay? Besides, incinerating waste as we do still produces air emissions. So, do consider practicing the 3Rs (reduce, reuse & recycle) more in your lives and make this island paradise last!