WWF - Conservation News & Publications: Singapore

Asia governors call for forest focus in climate deal

2009-11-13

Singapore: Asian governors from forest-rich countries, gathering in Singapore on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting this week, are urging world leaders to place forests at the forefront of climate change discussions.

The participating governors, convened by the Asian Development Bank, are discussing compensation under the emerging global forest carbon market – including the Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) mechanism – to support local development in their regions and protect forests.

Specifically, the Heart of Borneo (HoB) Initiative was raised as a prime example of the sort of action needed in the region to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The HoB was established in 2007 by joint declaration of the three Bornean governments - Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei - and commits to the preservation and sustainable development of around 240,000 km2 area of continuous forest in the Heart of Borneo.

Speaking at the meeting, Indonesia’s governor of central Kalimantan (on the island of Borneo), the Honourable Augustin Teras Narang, said:

“The Heart of Borneo Initiative is an opportunity to address climate change through REDD, sustainable forest management and payment for environmental services, but we need real incentives and equitable financing mechanisms to realise the ambitious goals of the Heart of Borneo.”

Large scale carbon-rich forest landscapes such as the Heart of Borneo can play a major role in achieving emission reduction targets while conserving and sustainably managing the forests of Borneo.

The Heart of Borneo is one of the most important centres of biodiversity with record rates of endemism. In addition, the tropical forest and important peatlands of the region hold significant amounts of carbon and play a vital role in mitigating global warming.

"The Heart of Borneo is a global treasure chest of ecosystem goods and services, but these life-sustaining functions are not valued or properly compensated,” said Adam J. Tomasek, WWF's Leader for the Heart of Borneo Initiative. “It is important that the bold commitments made by the three governments under the Heart of Borneo are met with new and viable financing mechanisms for large-scale forest conservation and sustainable management. Equitable compensation for REDD is not just a good idea, it is absolutely necessary,” he said.

At the closing reception, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda highlighted the importance of initiatives such as REDD in addressing climate change.

“Addressing climate change, via reducing emissions from deforestation and degradation, is one of the central goals of the ADB,” he said.

The ADB and WWF are jointly supporting the Heart of Borneo initiative by mobilizing much needed financial and technical resources to deliver the goals agreed by the three Bornean governments.

Talk climate and money, not climate vs money, WWF tells APEC

2009-11-13

Singapore – Leaders gathering in Singapore for the APEC summit this weekend must commit to strong and ambitious climate actions if they want to achieve sustainable growth for their region and help their countries to avoid disastrous consequences of global warming.

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation – bringing together world leaders like US President Barack Obama, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama – must look beyond the group’s usual areas of interest and focus on the common challenges posed by climate change.

“Solving problems of protectionism, trade zones, banks and exchange rates is very important, but what is all of this worth if the world slips into chaos because of devastating climate change?” said Kim Carstensen, Leader of the WWF Global Climate Initiative.

“APEC leaders must open their eyes and look into the real threats and challenges of this world and their region. We cannot talk about sustainable growth without solving the most intractable problem the planet is facing.”

UN climate talks are floundering due to attempts by some governments to lower expectations for a new treaty and efforts to delay the deal.

The production of a legally binding framework at Copenhagen together with an amended Kyoto Protocol will help secure the survival of countries, cultures and ecosystems and clear the way towards a low carbon economy.

“If APEC countries would tackle the climate crisis with the same rigor they showed in protecting their economies from the financial meltdown, the world wouldn’t have to worry about a lack of political will or insufficient levels of ambition in the UN climate talks”, said Carstensen.

“We urge APEC leaders to bring economic recovery and climate recovery in sync, so that money spent on keeping growth levels high also helps bringing emission levels down.”

In WWF’s view, the Pacific region should become a model of technology cooperation, where developed APEC countries assist their developing country partners with adaptation and mitigation, through clean technologies, financial support and capacity building.

“Many want the APEC region to become a free trade zone, but they should also exploit its potential as a clean tech zone”, said Carstensen.

“There is probably no better regional network of countries in the world for piloting smart concepts for technology cooperation like those discussed in the UN climate talks. To boost the international negotiations, we urgently need pioneers who show what’s possible and how to make it happen.”

Dhaka, Manila and Jakarta top list of Asian cities facing brutal climate future

2009-11-12

Hong Kong – Dhaka, Manila and Jakarta are topping a WWF ranking of the climate vulnerability of 11 major cities in Asia.

As Heads of States gather in Singapore for the APEC summit, WWF says that developed and developing countries must cooperate to prepare these cities for a brutal climate future, highlighting that their vulnerability is yet another compelling reason for a fair, ambitious and binding deal at the Copenhagen Climate Summit in December.

According to Mega-Stress For Mega-Cities, many of the cities analyzed are extremely exposed to threats such as storms and flooding, while huge numbers of people and assets at stake result in worrying levels of socio-economic sensitivity. At the same time, the cities often lack capacity to protect themselves from devastating impacts.

“Climate change is already shattering cities across developing Asia and will be even more brutal in the future”, said Kim Carstensen, Leader of the WWF Global Climate Initiative. “These cities are vulnerable and need urgent help to adapt, in order to protect the lives of millions of citizens, a massive amount of assets, and their large contributions to the national GDP.”

“The APEC summit this week in Singapore provides an opportunity to exploit the true win-win potential offered by low carbon growth strategies for countries in the Asia Pacific region, with benefits for both the economy and the climate.”

The WWF report covers 11 urban centers across Asia, all located in coastal areas or river deltas. Following Dhaka (9 out of 10 possible vulnerability points), other cities at high risk are Manila and Jakarta (8 each), Calcutta and Phnom Penh (7 each), Ho Chi Minh City and Shanghai (6 each), Bangkok (5), and Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Singapore (4 each).

“Asia is urbanizing rapidly, and we can be certain that urban areas will be crucial battlegrounds in the fight against climate change”, said Carstensen.

“Cities are responsible for most of the world’s energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, but they are also pioneers when it comes to developing innovative solutions. We can’t afford to surrender them to climate change. Instead, we must empower them to become change agents and protect both rural and urban areas from devastating impacts.”

The report also includes rankings for sub-categories such as environmental exposure, socio-economic sensitivity and adaptive capacity. Poorer cities often lack sufficient adaptive capacity and generally rank higher in terms of their overall vulnerability.

“Leaders in hotspots of danger like Dhaka, Manila or Jakarta need urgent support from their counterparts in the industrialized world. Effective near-term and long-term adaptation will depend on financial support, technology cooperation, and capacity building”, said Carstensen.

According to WWF, this week’s APEC summit in Singapore provides leaders from developed and developing countries around the Pacific with a great opportunity to boost cooperation on adaptation to climate impacts as well as low carbon economic growth.

“Now we are only a couple of weeks away from the Copenhagen Climate Summit, but so far leaders have failed to clear the way for success next month in Denmark”, said Carstensen.

“APEC is the last chance before Copenhagen for leaders from a number of key countries to show that they really want to protect the planet from climate change.”

The Coral Triangle Photojournalistic Slide Show

2009-11-05

On Tuesday, 27 October WWF Singapore proudly presented Jürgen and Stella Freund, internationally renowned wildlife photographers, who gave a spectacular slide show about the unique and beautiful Coral Triangle. Nearly 200 people joined the Freunds at the Botanic Gardens Botany Centre, for a photographic kaleidoscope depicting the first 7 months of their 18-month WWF Coral Triangle photojournalistic expedition.

The Freunds, collectively known as freundfactory, internationally renowned wildlife photographers and long-time collaborators of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), have been commissioned to carry out an 18 month photojournalistic expedition investigating the connectivity between the wildlife, people and the marine environment of the Coral Triangle.

In one vast, turquoise-blue corner of this Earth, the forces of nature have crafted a truly amazing underwater tapestry of corals. One that is unrivalled in its richness, importance, and sheer beauty. This is the Coral Triangle - nursery of the seas. Born out of the collision of tropical light, warm sea temperatures and oceanic currents, the ‘Coral Triangle’ is a triangular-shaped region in the indo-pacific, covering 6 million km2 of all or part of the seas of six countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste). The Coral Triangle is defined by marine zones containing 500 or more species of reef-building coral and is referred to as the world’s centre of marine life - the diversity of coral, fish and other species in this region is higher than anywhere else on earth. Its underwater riches are equally matched by the diversity of its people, cultures and traditions – all of whom rely on the sea in one way or another for their survival.

From an economic standpoint the area sustains 120 million people, most of whom make their living from the vast oceans around them. The Coral Triangle also generates an estimated US$12 billion in annual tourism revenue from visitors who come to experience its incredible sights, both above and under the water. Naturally, such pressure has taken its toll on the area’s resources. A fast-growing population has brought intense human pressure as well as economic demand and frenzied coastal development. Tuna, sharks, turtles, and most especially live reef fish are being caught, sold, and consumed at an alarming rate, and in staggering numbers; the live reef fish trade alone is worth some US$810 million a year. “Crumbling and fading coral reefs, sea change temperatures due to climate change that is threatening the wildlife, declining fish stock due to 2.25 million fishers, and species on the brink of extinction” are the biggest challenges facing the Coral Triangle, declares the WWF website (www.panda.org).

It is in acknowledgement of the importance of the region, and the need to address the threats it faces, that WWF has established its Coral Triangle Programme, working on the ground with communities, partnering with several sectors, and formulating strategies to keep the region alive.
During their breathtaking slide show, Jürgen and Stella gave us a remarkable insight into the beauty and richness of this unique marine eco-region and illustrated WWF’s field work through stories and pictures, demonstrating the ‘connectivity’ between the people and wildlife of the Coral Triangle.

To learn more about the Coral Triangle, go to www.panda.org/coraltriangle. Follow the Freunds’ riveting expedition blog.

WWF again present at The Nike+ Human Race

2009-10-26

WWF Singapore was adopted as a charity for the Nike+ Human Race 2009 for the 2nd time! WWF is very honoured to have its Panda Mascot flagged off the very popular race with over 10,000 enthusiastic runners; thereafter the Panda Mascot gave out prizes as well!

WWF Singapore had plenty of activities at their booth. Tossing the dices made from recycled boxes, going for a "zero carbon emission" bicycle spin, taking a picture with its Panda Mascot and more! In addition, many runners supported our environmental appeal by signing up as a cool member of WWF Singapore and buying WWF Merchandise. For more information on how you can help, please click here.

WWF Director General Mr James Leape - Public Lecture in Singapore

2009-10-19

The WWF office in Singapore would like to say a big thank you to all who attended the recent public lecture by WWF Director General James Leape. The presentation titled ‘Good COP, Bad COP- Compelling Case for a Good Global Deal’ painted a clear picture of the challenges we face due to climate change and outlined what needs to be done to step up to those challenges. It was a timely reminder, ahead of the crucial Copenhagen Summit in December. The event, made possible by the Singapore International Foundation (SIF) and the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS), was a great opportunity for the media and public to have their questions on climate change and other environmental issues answered by the person at the helm of WWF. Mr. Leape is in Singapore at the invitation of SIF under its Distinguished Visitor Programme.

New species discovered in the Greater Mekong at risk of extinction due to climate change

2009-09-29

A bird eating fanged frog, a gecko that looks like it’s from another planet and a bird which would rather walk than fly, are among the 163 new species discovered in the Greater Mekong region last year that are now at risk of extinction due to climate change, says a new report launched by WWF ahead of UN climate talks in Bangkok.

During 2008 alone, scientists identified these rare and unique species within the jungles and rivers of the Greater Mekong, including a bird eating fanged frog that lies in streams waiting for prey, one of only four new species of musk shrew to be described in recent times, and a leopard gecko whose “other world” appearance – orange eyes, spindly limbs and technicolour skin – inspired the report’s title Close Encounters.

Such is the immense biodiversity of this region that some discoveries such as the tiger-striped pitviper were made by accident.

“We were engrossed in trying to catch a new species of gecko when my son pointed out that my hand was on a rock mere inches away from the head of a pitviper! We caught the snake and the gecko and they both proved to be new species,” said Dr Lee Grismer of La Sierra University in California.

Close Encounters spotlights species newly identified by science including 100 plants, 28 fish, 18 reptiles, 14 amphibians, 2 mammals and a bird, all discovered in 2008 within the Greater Mekong region of Southeast Asia that spans Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam and the south-western Chinese province of Yunnan.

The reluctant flyer, Nonggang babbler, was observed walking longer distances than flying. It would only use its wings when frightened.

“After millennia in hiding these species are now finally in the spotlight, and there are clearly more waiting to be discovered,” said Stuart Chapman, Director of the WWF Greater Mekong Programme.

But no sooner are these new species discovered than their survival is threatened by the devastating impacts of climate change, the report warns.

Recent studies show the climate of the Greater Mekong region is already changing. Models suggest continued warming, increased variability and more frequent and damaging extreme climate events.

Rising seas and saltwater intrusion will cause major coastal impacts especially in the Mekong River delta, which is one of the three most vulnerable deltas on Earth, according to the most recent International Panel on Climate Change report.

“Some species will be able to adapt to climate change, many will not, potentially resulting in massive extinctions,” said Chapman.

“Rare, endangered and endemic species like those newly discovered are especially vulnerable because climate change will further shrink their already restricted habitats,” he said.

Often these newly discovered species are highly dependent on a limited number of species for their survival. If they respond to climate change in a way that disrupts this closely evolved relationship it puts them at greater risk of extinction.

Over the next two weeks, government delegates will meet in Bangkok, Thailand, for the next round of UN climate change talks in the lead up to the Copenhagen Climate Summit this December, where the world is scheduled to agree on a new global climate treaty.

“The treasures of nature are in trouble if governments fail to agree a fair, ambitious and binding treaty that will prevent runaway climate change,” said Kathrin Gutmann, Head of Policy and Advocacy at the WWF Global Climate Initiative.

“Protecting endangered species and vulnerable communities in the Greater Mekong and elsewhere around the world depends on fast progress at the UN talks in Bangkok - a hugely important conference that can lay the groundwork for success at the Copenhagen Climate Summit this December.”

WWF Volunteers Celebrate the Day of Peace

2009-09-29

On September 21, some 100 people gathered at Old School, Mount Sophia to celebrate The United Nations' International Day of Peace.

The event was organized by the Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore) and supported by local NGOs including UNIFEM Singapore, ACRES, WWF Singapore, SPCA, One People, Cicada Tree Eco Place, and Student Care Service.

WWF volunteers had earlier attended a workshop and made a peace dove out of recycled materials. On Monday September 21st, the peace dove was transported to the peace day event where there was a parade at Old School. Each NGO volunteer group proudly carried their doves and helped spread the message of peace.

Following the parade was a concert and film screening, further strengthening the message of peace.

Special Screening of “The End of the Line” in Singapore, 13 September 2009

2009-09-18

WWF Singapore had their first public screening of "The End of the Line" on Sunday 13th September at the Singapore Botanic Gardens Botany Centre. The film screening had an excellent response, with all 180 seats snapped up within a week.

The End of the Line is the first major feature documentary film about the impact of overfishing on our oceans. Based on the book by journalist Charles Clover, the film depicts the dramatic decline in the world’s fish stocks, and aims to raise public awareness and stimulate political will and consumer action to secure a sustainable fishing industry. A specially established UK company, The Fish Film Company Limited made the film, directed by Rupert Murray. “The End of the Line” had its world premiere on January 19th 2009 at the Sundance Film Festival, USA, in the World Cinema Documentary Competition, and since then it has been released worldwide from 2009 using multiple formats and venues.

WWF Singapore organised the event as part of their sustainable seafood campaign, in the run up to the launch of the Singapore Seafood guide, and in support of conserving the marine resources of the Coral Triangle. The film was followed by the short feature documentary film “The Coral Triangle, Nursery of the Seas”, also by award winning director Rupert Murray.

WWF Singapore was delighted have Dr Geoffrey Muldoon, Head (Live Reef Fish Trade) Coral Triangle Network Initiative – WWF attending the screening and leading the question and answer session. Geoffrey assisted the film production team for “The End of the Line” by providing expertise on the Live Reef Fish Trade and the Coral Triangle. Several enlightening questions were raised by the audience which led to some interesting discussions.

Due to an overwhelmingly positive response to the film WWF Singapore will be having another public screening later this year.

The Freunds visiting Singapore

2009-09-04

Jürgen Freund, photographer and Stella Chiu-Freund, book/documentary producer are participating in the WWF Coral Triangle Photo Expedition. The 18-month photo expedition (since April 2009) is throughout the Coral Triangle; Jürgen and Stella are documenting WWF’s field work through stories and pictures and investigating the connectivity between the wildlife and people of the region, and the threats they face.

You can read more about their fascinating expedition on the following web and blog sites.

http://blogs.panda.org/coral_triangle
http://www.freundfactory.com/

Toothless laws encourage rising demand for pangolin

2009-07-14

Singapore - Rising demand for pangolins, mostly from mainland China, compounded by lax laws is wiping out the unique toothless anteaters from their native habitats in Southeast Asia, according to a group of leading pangolin experts.

Illegal trade in Asian pangolin meat and scales has caused the scaly anteaters to disappear from large swathes of Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR, concluded a panel of experts whose findings were announced today by the wildlife trade monitoring network, TRAFFIC.

China has a long history of consuming pangolin as meat and in traditional medicine, the report states. Due to continual demand and the decreasing Chinese wild population, in the past few years pangolin smuggling from Southeast Asia has resulted in great declines in these producing countries wild populations, as well.

Although the animals are protected under national legislation in all Asian range states, and have been prohibited from international trade through the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) since 2002, this legislation is having little impact on the illicit trade.

Pangolins are the most frequently encountered mammals seized from illegal traders in Asia, and are highly unusual in not possessing teeth.

Pangolins, like the laws designed to protect them, lack bite, commented Chris R. Shepherd, Acting Director for TRAFFIC Southeast Asia.

Pangolin populations clearly cannot stand the incessant poaching pressure, which can only be stopped by decisive government-backed enforcement action in the region.

According to pangolin hunters and traders, there are so few pangolins left in forests throughout Cambodia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR, they are now sourcing animals from their last remaining strongholds in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Recent large seizures back up these reports. They include 24 tonnes of frozen pangolins from Sumatra, Indonesia, seized in Viet Nam, and 14 tonnes of frozen animals seized in Sumatra in 2008. There have also been recent instances of African pangolins seized in Asia.

Pangolins save us millions of dollars a year in pest destruction, says Dr Simon Stuart, Chair of the IUCN Species Survival Commission. These shy creatures provide a vital service and we cannot afford to overlook their ecological role as natural controllers of termites and ants.

The key to tackling the pangolin crisis is better enforcement of existing national and international laws designed to protect pangolins, better monitoring of the illegal trade, and basic research to find where viable pangolin populations still exist and whether ravaged populations can recover given adequate protection, according to the report.

The experts on pangolins included scientific researchers, government law enforcement officers from most Asian pangolin range States, CITES Management and Scientific Authorities and animal rescue centres, who convened at a workshop hosted by Wildlife Reserves Singapore at the Singapore National Zoo.

TRAFFIC's work on pangolins was supported by National Geographic and Sea World Bucsh Gardens.

Poaching crisis as rhino horn demand booms in Asia

2009-07-09

Geneva, Switzerland — Rhino poaching worldwide is poised to hit a 15-year-high driven by Asian demand for horns, according to new research.

Poachers in Africa and Asia are killing an ever increasing number of rhinos—an estimated two to three a week in some areas—to meet a growing demand for horns believed in some countries to have medicinal value, according to a briefing to a key international wildlife trade body by WWF, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and their affiliated wildlife trade monitoring network TRAFFIC.

The impact in Africa

An estimated three rhinos were illegally killed each month in all of Africa from 2000-05, out of a population of around 18,000. In contrast, 12 rhinoceroses now are being poached each month in South Africa and Zimbabwe alone, the three groups told the 58th meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species Standing Committee this week in Geneva.

“Illegal rhino horn trade to destinations in Asia is driving the killing, with growing evidence of involvement of Vietnamese, Chinese and Thai nationals in the illegal procurement and transport of rhino horn out of Africa,” the briefing states.

The impact in Asia

Meanwhile, rhino poaching is also problematic in Asia. About 10 rhinos have been poached in India and at least seven in Nepal since January alone—out of a combined population of only 2,400 endangered rhinos.

“Rhinos are in a desperate situation,” said Dr. Susan Lieberman, Director of the Species Programme, WWF-International. “This is the worst rhino poaching we have seen in many years and it is critical for governments to stand up and take action to stop this deadly threat to rhinos worldwide. It is time to crack down on organized criminal elements responsible for this trade, and to vastly increase assistance to range countries in their enforcement efforts.”

Almost all rhino species are listed in CITES (the Convention on Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) in Appendix I, which means that any international trade of any rhino parts for commercial purposes is illegal.

“Increased demand for rhino horn, alongside a lack of law enforcement, a low level of prosecutions for poachers who are actually arrested and increasingly daring attempts by poachers and thieves to obtain the horn is proving to be too much for rhinos and some populations are seriously declining,” said Steven Broad, Executive Director of TRAFFIC.

The situation is particularly dire in Zimbabwe where such problems are threatening the success of more than a decade’s work of bringing rhino populations back to healthy levels.

For example, earlier this week a park ranger arrested with overwhelming evidence against him for having killed three rhinos in the Chipinge Safari Area, was acquitted without any satisfactory explanation for the verdict. Similarly, in September 2008, a gang of four Zimbabwean poachers who admitted to killing 18 rhinos were also freed in a failed judiciary process.

The briefing concludes that governments need “an accurate and up-to-date picture of the status, conservation and trade in African and Asian rhinoceroses, as well as the factors driving the consumption of rhinoceros horn, so that firm international action can be taken to arrest this immediate threat to rhinoceros populations worldwide.”

“Rhino populations in both Africa and Asia are being seriously threatened by poaching and illegal trade,” said Dr Jane Smart, Director of IUCN’s Biodiversity Conservation Group. “IUCN and its African and Asian Rhino Specialist Groups are working hard to gather data and information on rhinos so that CITES parties can make informed decisions and ensure that rhinos are still here for generations to come.”

The 58th meeting of the CITES Standing Committee is being held in Geneva from 6 -10 July. This issue will be further discussed at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES, which will be held in Doha, Qatar March 13-25, 2010.

Thank You!

2009-06-11

A warm thank you to all of you who attended the charity screening of 'Trail of the Panda' on Wednesday 10th of June. WWF Singapore and WWF China are sincerely grateful for your support and your contribution to our reconstruction efforts in Sichuan. Our appreciation also goes to Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Singapore who made this preview possible.

If you want to know more about our work in China, please visit http://www.wwfchina.org/english/

Confirmed success for Earth Hour 2009

2009-05-22

Just two months after thousands of Singaporeans joined WWF’s Earth Hour, leading market research firm The Nielsen Company and figures released by the EMA have confirmed that Earth Hour Singapore was a big success with the most phenomenal levels of participation and action.

Nielsen research revealed that a massive 40% of the Singapore population took part by turning off their lights for the hour and 56% agreed that they would be making a conscious effort to save the Earth by deliberately reducing their energy consumption.

According to EMA, there has been a 42 MW drop in electricity demand during the period of 8.30pm to 9.30pm on 28 March 09. WWF infers this reduction in electricity consumption represents an equivalent participation of over 1.6 million people in Earth Hour.

These results also come the same week as the WWF hosted the “Earth Hour Singapore 2009 Corporate Participation Awards”, designed to celebrate the involvement of businesses in Singapore across three categories with the winners being:
• Earth Hour Singapore 2009 Corporate Participation Award for greatest impact –MacDonald's Restaurants
• Earth Hour Singapore 2009 Corporate Participation Award for best engagement activities - StarHill Global Reit
• Earth Hour Singapore 2009 Corporate Participation Award for "beyond 60 minutes" initiative - Jebsen&Jessen SEA and Holcim (Singapore) Pte Ltd.

A special recognition was also presented to Colliers International for the Best Creative and to Baik Singapore for the Best Picture.

Winners were presented with trophies for their involvement in the campaign and thanked in person by the WWF team.

Speaking about the Nielsen and EMA results Earth Hour Campaign Manager Carine Seror said “The results reflect what we hoped and we felt to be true - that Earth Hour really captured the imagination of Singapore and was the first step towards lasting change regarding environmental awareness and action. The next step is now to keep up the good work by making long lasting behavioral changes.”

Craig Law-Smith Marketing Director Southeast Asia for Microsoft and member of the Earth Hour committee said of the results “In our experience, results such as those achieved by the WWF do not come along every day. These are participation figures that many commercial brands would be very proud of and an indication of how far reaching Earth Hour really was here in Singapore.”

Earth Hour is over for another year but the fight against climate change is not. Later this year world leaders will meet in Copenhagen for the Global Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) to decide on the agreement that will replace the Kyoto Protocol.

In participating in Earth Hour, people in Singapore voted for the planet vs global warming. WWF will take their vote to Copenhagen sending a strong message to the UNFCCC that we, in Singapore and around the world, are looking for a science based and effective new global climate change deal.

The WWF is also calling on people and companies to continue with progressive environmental commitments that help reduce their energy consumption and carbon footprint. A few suggestions could include:

1. Buy energy efficient appliances
If you're buying a washing machine, refrigerator, dish washer or oven, buy the most energy-efficient model you can afford. The same is true for office equipment like computers, copiers, printers.

2. Fluorescent lamps are cheaper in the long run
Replace your lights you use most with compact fluorescent lamps, they use only around one-quarter of the electricity to provide the same light. And they last four times as long as a normal light bulb!

3. Turn up your air conditioning
Setting your air conditioning on low temperatures not only wastes energy but also weakens your ability to adjust your body temperature. By setting your air conditioning 1 degree Celsius higher, you will already save on your energy bills while decreasing your likelihood of getting a cold.

4. Avoid stand-by and turn off lights
Turn off televisions, videos, stereos and computers when they are not in use - they can use between 10 and 60% of the power they use when on "stand by". Turn off lights when you don't need them - it saves energy already after a minute or two. Turn off computer screens when you take a break.

5. Wash economically and dry your clothes under the sun
Use the washing machine or dish washer only when you have a full load. Use washing powder suitable for low temperature washes and use economy programmes.

6. About your fridge
Don't leave fridge doors open for longer than necessary, let food cool down fully before putting it in the fridge or freezer, defrost regularly and keep at the right temperature.

7. Getting around and on your way to work and school
When you want to make short journeys, try walking! Use a bicycle for short trips and local shopping. It keeps you fit too and is fun too! Make more use of public transport, such as buses and trains, for longer journeys. Share care journeys with work colleagues or friends - up to a third of car mileage is accounted for by the drive to work.

8. About your car
If you have to buy a car, buy a fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly one. This will save you money and keep more CO2 from going into the atmosphere. Make sure that your tires are inflated correctly - this can save you 5% on the cost of your petrol. Turn off your engine when waiting in your car.

9. Reduce your air travel
When you travel to your holiday destination by plane you are contributing to significant emissions of climate change causing carbon dioxide. So take vacations nearer to home, or get there by other forms of transport such as train, bus or boat. If you have to fly, consider buying carbon offsets to compensate for the emissions caused by your flight.

10. Enjoy the sun! :-)
Fit solar panels on the roof of your home. Turn your own home into a clean power station!

For more information regarding climate change or on the WWF’s work across the region and the world see here www.wwf.org

Pulp giant APP set to assault Sumatra orangutan sanctuary

2009-05-18

Jambi, INDONESIA: A massive logging operation planned by Asian Pulp & Paper and the Sinar Mas Group (APP/SMG) and associated companies is to include large portions of the only areas that Sumatran orangutans have ever successfully been re-introduced into the wild, conservation groups active in Jambi province have learned.

Also threatened in natural forest areas around the Bukit Tigapuluh National Park are a quarter of the last critically endangered Sumatran tigers left in the wild, the Talang Mamak and Orang Rimba indigenous peoples and a significant population of endangered Sumatran elephants.

Conservation groups WARSI, the Sumatran Tiger Conservation and Protection Foundation, the Frankfurt Zoological Society, the Zoological Society of London and WWF-Indonesia learned last week that an APP/SMG joint venture had acquired the largest of the former and inactive ex PT IPA selective logging concessions in the Bukit Tigapuluh forest area - covering the orangutan reintroduction area and areas recording the most frequent sightings of tigers.

The groups have been highly critical of an APP/SMG environmental impact assessment for the neighbouring and also critically important PT Dalek Hutani Esa concession, saying it takes no account of key wildlife and indigenous peoples’ needs and should be rejected.

APP/SMG pushed a legally questionable logging road through both areas last year, opening up access for rampant illegal logging and clearing linked with increased fatalities as tigers are driven into closer contact with humans.

With the latest acquisition, APP/SMG now holds the majority of the buffer areas to the national park , including large areas the Forestry Service of Jambi and the National Park management authority agreed in 2008 to designate as the Bukit Tigapuluh Ecosystem which would be sustainably managed as natural forest.

Less than one third of the 2007 forest cover is within the National Park, with the areas most preferred by animals and indigenous peoples lying in the surrounding lowland forests now vulnerable to clearing.

“It took scientists decades to discover how to successfully reintroduce critically endangered orangutans from captivity into the wild. It could take APP just months to destroy an important part of their new habitat,” said Peter Pratje of the Frankfurt Zoological Society.

“These lowland forests are excellent habitat for orangutans, which is why we got government permission to release them here beginning in 2002. The apes are thriving now, breeding and establishing new family groups.”

Between 1985 and 2007, Sumatra island lost 12 million hectares of natural forest, a 48 percent loss in 22 years, with the accelerating rampage provoking international concern over the loss of biodiversity, smoke hazards from forest fires and peat swamp and soil degradation from clearing that made Indonesia one of the largest sources of the emissions causing climate change.

The Indonesian Ministries of Forestry, Environment, Public Works and Interior, as well as the governors of all 10 Sumatran provinces, including Jambi, announced at the World Conservation Congress in Spain last year that they were committed to protecting areas of the island with “high conservation values.”

The Bukit Tigapuluh landscape is widely regarded as one of Indonesia’s key areas of biodiversity..

“These NGOs are ready to support the Jambi governor to implement his public commitment to protecting Sumatra’s high conservation value areas and halt APP/SMG’s plan and identify alternative financing that would provide money and still save the forests, such as credits in the emerging forest carbon market,” said Ian Kosasih of WWF Indonesia.

“Bukit Tigapuluh’s forest have great potential for earning avoided deforestation credits, due to the high co-benefits of biodiversity and an indigenous community, as well as high avoidable emissions.”

Coral climate crunch could displace millions

2009-05-13

Manado, Indonesia - If the world does not take effective action on climate change, coral reefs will disappear from the Coral Triangle by the end of the century, the ability of the region’s coastal environments to feed people will decline by 80 per cent, and the livelihoods of around 100 million people will have been lost or severely impacted.

(C) Cat Holloway / WWF-CANON

But effective global action on climate change and regional attention to problems of over-fishing and pollution would prevent catastrophe, according to a WWF-commissioned environmental, economic and social study of possible scenarios outlined to the World Oceans Conference here today.

The Coral Triangle and Climate Change: Ecosystems, People and Societies at Risk considers over 300 published scientific studies and includes the work of over 20 experts in fields such as biology, economics and fisheries science to present two different possible futures this century for the world’s richest marine environment -- the coasts, reefs and seas of the six countries of Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Timor Leste.

The Coral Triangle, just one per cent of the earth’s surface, includes 30 per cent of the world’s coral reefs, 76 per cent of its reef building coral species and more than 35 per cent of its coral reef fish species as well as vital spawning grounds for other economically important fish such as tuna. It sustains the lives of more than 100 million people.

“In one world scenario, we continue along our current climate trajectory and do little to protect coastal environments from the onslaught of local threats,” says Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg of the University of Queensland, who led the study.

“In this world, people see the biological treasures of the Coral Triangle destroyed over the course of the century by rapid increases in ocean temperature, acidity and sea level, while the resilience of coastal environments also deteriorates under faltering coastal management. Poverty increases, food security plummets, economies suffer and coastal people migrate increasingly to urban areas.”

“Tens of millions of people are forced to move from rural and coastal settings due to loss of homes, food resources and income, putting pressure on regional cities and surrounding developed nations such as Australian and New Zealand.”

(C) Jurgen Freund / WWF-CANON

However the report also shows there is an opportunity to avoid a worst-case scenario in the region and instead build a resilient and robust Coral Triangle in which economic growth, food security and natural environments are maintained if significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are backed up by international investment in strengthening the region’s natural environments.

“This leads to climate change in the Coral Triangle which is challenging but manageable and which responds well to regional action to reduce local environmental stresses from overfishing, pollution, and declining coastal water quality and health,” Professor Hoegh-Guldberg said.

Even under the best case scenario however, communities will face loss of coral, sea level rises, increased storm activity, severe droughts and reduced food availability from coastal fisheries. A key difference, however, is that communities remain reasonably intact and more resilient in the face of these hardships.

(C) Cat Holloway / WWF-CANON

“Effective management of coastal resources through a range of options including locally-managed regional networks of marine protected areas, protection of mangrove and seagrass beds and effective management of fisheries results in a slower decline in these resources,” the summary report said.

“The relationship between people and the sea in the Coral Triangle has come under extreme threat from rapid climate change and escalating local and regional environmental pressures,” said WWF International Director General James Leape.

“These pressures are increasing at such an alarming rate that urgent regional and international action must now be taken to avoid an ecological and human catastrophe.

“World leaders must support Coral Triangle countries in their efforts to protect their most vulnerable communities from rising sea levels and loss of food and livelihoods by helping them to strengthen management of their marine resources and by forging a strong agreement on greenhouse gas reductions at the UN Climate Conference at Copenhagen in December this year.”

Healthy Marine Life, Sustainable Seafood and You!

2009-05-13

Learn more about marine conservation from Katherine Short, WWF during a talk on "Healthy Marine Life, Sustainable Seafood and You! at the Botanic Gardens, 18 May at 7pm.

Most of those who love the sea love seafood! Many who've never seen the sea still connect to it through what they eat and/or via cosmetic products or other ways marine products are used in our daily lives. What can we do in our everyday lives to ensure the sustainability of the seafood we love to enjoy, and that many need to catch and eat for their livelihoods or sustenance?

Katherine Short is a Manager of the support to WWF's global marine initiatives and is excited to be back in Singapore having grown up here and had early tropical marine experiences in the region. Katherine says "it is both an honor and great fun to be supporting the development of marine conservation in South East Asia and especially in Singapore".

WWF – World Wide Fund for Nature, has a regional programme in the 'Coral Triangle' area of South East Asia that is designed to support a significant new Coral Triangle Initiative by governments in the region. This talk will highlight some of the ways this initiative is contributing to marine conservation and how, in particular, market incentives in the form of ecolabels can contribute.

This event is jointly organised by National Parks Board, Blue Water Volunteers and WWF Singapore.

Pre-registration is required by sending an email to rsvp@wwf.sg or call Jane at 63230100 (ext. 20).

Marketing the Coral Triangle & Saving the Planet - a call for partners

2009-04-17

"Marketing the Coral Triangle & Saving the Planet - a call for partners" will be the title of the seminar held by Lida Pet-Soede, Programme Leader of the Coral Triangle Network Initiative on the 23rd of April at 16:00 pm at ADEX 2009 at Marina at Keppel Bay.

"How can environmental groups and dive operators work together in ways that are mutually beneficial? What can dive operators do to support the survival of coral reefs in the face of dire threats like climate change and
overfishing? If you want to join forces with WWF, the world's largest conservation organisation, to promote the Coral Triangle and help protect the nursery of the seas, come and find out about vision for the region and
explore with us how we can work together."

After the lights switched back on .. what next?

2009-04-02

WWF Singapore has today confirmed that this Saturday’s Earth Hour event was indeed a major success with in excess of 500 businesses and over 25,000 individuals formally signing up in Singapore and many thousands more estimated to have taken part without having chance to formally register for the campaign.

Over 2,000 people were estimated to have come to the Esplanade Park where official festivities took place, many bringing picnics and candles with them for the occasion. The stunning visual backdrop for the event of a darkened Marina Bay and CBD area was completed with HSBC, MayBank, CapitaLand, The Fullerton, SingTel, Suntec City, Hong Leong building and of course the Merlion all taking part for the hour.

Meanwhile on Orchard Road almost much of Asia’s most famous shopping streets was plunged into darkness and in the heartlands as the people were switching of their lights, hundreds gathered at their community centres to attend cultural performances and movie screening hosted by Environmental Challenge Organisations and the CDCs.

But now the lights are back on, the WWF is calling on world leaders to take the global switch off as a ‘vote’ for the earth over climate change. Amy Ho, Managing Director of the WWF said of the event “Earth Hour had three major objectives; one – to raise awareness of the urgency for action on climate change, two to illustrate how by working together we can make a difference and three to communicate to policy makers around the globe that we care, and that we want to see changes to prevent climate change, coming into effect now.”

She continues “The action of switching off the lights was our vote – an indication of the public’s concern about climate change and something world leaders should remember when they are in Copenhagen later this year for the Global Climate Change Conference.”

Back in Singapore, WWF was delighted that Earth Hour was not only a wonderful community event, but that it helped raise the debate on climate change to a new level. Following this WWF Singapore is now asking Singapore to consider more ways in which to continue reduce their impact on climate. A few suggestions could include:

1. Buy energy efficient appliances
If you're buying a washing machine, refrigerator, dish washer or oven, buy the most energy-efficient model you can afford. The same is true for office equipment like computers, copiers, printers.

2. Fluorescent lamps are cheaper in the long run
Replace your lights you use most with compact fluorescent lamps, they use only around one-quarter of the electricity to prove the same light. And they last four times as long as a normal light bulb!

3. Turn up your air conditioning
Setting your air conditioning on low temperatures not only wastes energy but also weakens your ability to adjust your body temperature. By setting your air conditioning 1 degree Celsius higher, you will already save on your energy bills while decreasing your likelihood of getting a cold.

4. Avoid stand-by and turn off lights
Turn off televisions, videos, stereos and computers when they are not in use - they can use between 10 and 60% of the power they use when on "stand by". Turn off lights when you don't need them - it saves energy already after a minute or two. Turn off computer screens when you take a break.

5. Wash economically and dry your cloth under the sun
Use the washing machine or dish washer only when you have a full load. Use washing powder suitable for low temperature washes and use economy programmes.

6. About your fridge
Don't leave fridge doors open for longer than necessary, let food cool down fully before putting it in the fridge or freezer, defrost regularly and keep at the right temperature.

7. Getting around and on your way to work and school
When you want to make short journeys, try walking! Use a bicycle for short trips and local shopping. It keeps you fit too and is fun too! Make more use of public transport, such as buses and trains, for longer journeys. Share care journeys with work colleagues or friends - up to a third of car mileage is accounted for by the drive to work.

8. About your car
If you have to buy a car, buy a fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly one. This will save you money and keep more CO2 from going into the atmosphere. Make sure that your tires are inflated correctly - this can save you 5% on the cost of your petrol. Turn off your engine when waiting in your car.

9. Reduce your air travel
When you travel to your holiday destination by plane you are contributing to significant emissions of climate change causing carbon dioxide. So take vacations nearer to home, or get there by other forms of transport such as train, bus or boat. If you have to fly, consider buying carbon offsets to compensate for the emissions caused by your flight.

10. Enjoy the sun! :-)
Fit solar panels on the roof of your home. Turn your own home into a clean power station!

Companies seeking at reducing their environmental and carbon footprint could also engage with WWF through the Climate Savers programme, a business initiative organized by WWF to mobilize companies to cut carbon dioxide emissions.

For more information regarding climate change or on the WWF’s work across the region and the world see here www.wwf.org.

Asian nations from Philippines to India have delivered huge boost to Earth Hour

2009-03-30

News wrap from Earth Hour in Asia

Click here to download video of Earth Hour across Asia:
http://www.divshare.com/direct/6948791-a22.mov

Asian nations from the Philippines to India have delivered huge boost to the WWF Earth Hour rallying cry for decisive action on climate change from world leaders this year.

As the lights go out for one hour from 8.30 pm local time the “Vote Earth” event headed towards the Middle East, Europe and Africa it appeared participations was soaring into the hundreds of millions.

The number of cities, towns and municipalities registered to take part in the global vote continued to rise as the event was under way, reaching 3,943 communities from 88 countries spread over 25 time zones as Asia took over from Oceania as the focus of Earth Hour.

The explosive growth of the event, going from two million people from just one city in 2007 to 50 million in 371 cities in 35 countries in 2008 reflects growing global concern over climate change and the inability of the world so far to craft an effective global response, WWF said.

WWF International Director General James Leape said "Earth Hour is off to a great start with millions of people switching their lights off from tiny island communities in the Pacific to major cities like Sydney and Beijing.”

“This promises to be an amazing 24 hours - a powerful call for action on climate change."

Phillipines registers record participation

The Philippines topped the Earth Hour global register for cities, towns and districts taking part in Asia, with more than 650 communities taking part.

The event started with the darkening of the Rizal Shrine, a major Manila landmark honouring Filipino national hero Dr. José Rizal. The massive Mall of Asia in Pasay City, the world’s fourth largest mall, also went dark in a ceremony that drew several hundred people.

The ceremony was broadcast live to homes around the country by Studio 23, one of the largest television networks in the Philippines.

The Philippines is one of the half dozen countries that share the Coral Triangle - a world centre of marine biodiversity - home to six of the seven marine turtle species, more than 3,000 species of fish, the heaviest bony fish of the deep (the 1,000 kg mola) and the coelacanth, a species thought until recently to have gone extinct with the dinosaurs some 65 million years ago.

But more than 18 per cent of the region's coral reefs were damaged or destroyed in a bleaching event linked to rising sea temperatures in 1998-99, underlining the immense risks climate change poses to the environment, food security and the economies of coastal and island countries and communities.

Tall towers turn off across Asia

Singapore’s Merlion statue - a cultural mainstay and popular tourist attraction - went dark, while further north the lights went out on the dominating features of the skyline of Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, the Petronas Twin Towers and the Menara Telecommunications Tower.

WWF-Malaysia reported strong household participation in the event, with residents of high rise apartment buildings passing flyers around to neighbours.

The Petronas Twin Towers, still the world’s tallest twin building, were considered the world’s tallest building from 1998 until 2004.

In Taiwan (Chinese Taipei), Taipei101, the building that eclipsed the twin towers and still remains the world’s tallest building also turned off its lights for Earth Hour. The building that will eclipse it as the officially recognised world’s tallest building later this year, the Burj Dubai tower in the United Arab Emirates, is set to turn its lights off when Earth Hour reaches the Arabian Gulf. In New York, half a world away, the famous Empire State Building was also due to make an “Empire statement” on the need to act on climate change.

In Thailand, a concert and fashion show in Bangkok will lead up to Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva personally switching off the lights. The Prime Minister stayed to turn the lights back on one hour later. Lights also switched off on Khao San road, one of Bangkok’s main tourist thoroughfares.

In Seoul, South Korea, crowds gathered at Changwon Playground Squareto watch an environmental movie in celebration of Earth Hour.

China sends its climate message

Whether it was restaurants hosting romantic dinners by candlelight or the iconic Bird’s nest in Beijing going dark, citizens of the world’s most populous country sent a bold message that action must be taken to fight climate change.

A slew of major Chinese landmarks in Beijing and Shanghai- with a combined population of more than 36 million people -- were blanketed in darkness to mark Earth Hour. In the meantime, across China lights were dimmed at bars for Earth Hour themed parties, while astronomy groups relished the rare opportunity to stargaze in a darkened sky.

China is the world’s most populous country and a major producer of greenhouse gases, mainly because of its coal burning and industrial activities that stem from its rapid economic development in recent years - but its emissions per capita remain low by western standards.

In Beijing, a series of prominent buildings in the Olympic Park went dark. In the flagship Beijing event, the lights were first switched off at Ling Long Tower, followed by Pangu Plaza, the Olympic Park streets, the Bird's Nest, and the Water Cube.

In Shanghai, lights at the Oriental Pearl Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and district and municipal government buildings across the city were turned off. The Power Valley Jin Jiang International Hotel in Baoding and the Drum Tower in Nanjing likewise flicked the switch.

Further south, buildings along Hong Kong’s world famous harbour skyline went dark, including many of its well known neon signs. Hong Kong’s Symphony of Lights, the world’s largest permanent light show, was also extinguished to mark Earth Hour.

WWF China country representative Dermot O'Gorman said the statement for action on global warming was being made “loud and clear” in China.

“What’s most impressive about Earth Hour in China is how many ordinary people across the country have signed up to switch off their lights. This sends a powerful message to the world that people in China want action on climate change now,” he said.

“We are excited to see that the Earth Hour is supplementing the government’s efforts in raising environmental awareness and energy-saving know-how among the public, and find that the enthusiasm we’ve seen from ordinary people around China for Earth Hour has far exceeded our expectations.”

Earth Hour ambassador, noted Chinese actress Li Bing Bing, said switching off lights for one hour sent “a strong signal that we all care about the vital issue of global climate change”.

Hong Kong

More than 1,800 Hong Kong buildings and landmarks including International Finance Centre, Cultural Centre Complex and Tsing Ma Bridge; over 600 companies and organizations, over 160 schools and all universities joined thousands of people across Hong Kong who switched off their lights for an hour in support of WWF’s Earth Hour as a call for action on climate change.

In Hong Kong about 40,000 people watched Earth Hour videos shown at Rugby Sevens at the Hong Kong Stadium. The Symphony of Lights in the Victoria Harbour was suspended. The city began to go into darkness at 8:30pm when neon signs and lights of buildings across Hong Kong started to go out. Businesses at commercial areas such as Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay also dimmed their lights to show support, while bars and restaurants in Lan Kwai Fong and Wanchai were lit up with candles to spread the message. At the community level, 18 District Councils switched off non-essential lights in their facilities.

“Hong Kong, together with other cities around the world, made a statement by turning off their lights for one hour. This simple action on this historic day will have reverberations into the future. WWF will take this global voice to Copenhagen in December this year, where world leaders will be coming together to make decisions about green house gas emissions and climate change,” said Trevor Yang, Chairman of WWF Hong Kong.

India (and Bollywood) rate climate action a priority

“Climate Change is undoubtedly and regrettably, the biggest immediate long-term environmental challenge we face,” famed Bollywood actor and filmmaker Aamir Khan said in a statement leading up to the country’s participation in Earth Hour.

“A failure to come to sound policy outcomes on climate change will not only have a negative environmental impact but also social and economic consequences for all of us.”

The world’s second most populated country participated enthusiastically in Earth Hour, with official activities taking place in the cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Cochin, Thiruvananthapuram, Dehradun, Shimla, Chandigarh and Hyderabad as well as numerous smaller communities.

Private citizens, businesses and government bodies took part, with an order reportedly going out today from a government ministry in New Delhi that all of the city’s public landmarks and monuments in the area should switch off their lights for Earth Hour.

Mumbai’s best known landmarks, the Reserve Bank and Air India buildings and the Indian Tourism Development Corporation’s flagship Ashok Hotel, went dark along with hundreds of other buildings across the city. Indian IT giants such as WIPRO and Infosys also joined in.