Hazy sky for Singapore as hotspots detected

By Sheralyn Tay, TODAY
25 February 2008

SINGAPORE: Don't rub your eyes, it's not your vision blurring. It's just the haze which returned this weekend.

On Sunday, Singapore experienced its haziest day this year, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading hitting a peak of 56 at 4pm. This is the highest reading since December last year.

Sunday was also the third consecutive day that the 24-PSI reading has crept past the good range into the moderate range of 50-100. On Saturday, the 24-hour PSI reading hit 52, up from 51 on Friday.

According to the National Environment Agency's (NEA) hot spot map, there are "numerous" hotspots over Thailand and Laos. Hot spots indicate areas with fires or hot smoke and are detected by infrared images captured by weather satellites.

While isolated hotspots have been detected over Myanmar, Cambodia, Vietnam, western Borneo and parts of Sumatra, it was Riau in Sumatra that had been enveloped in thick smoke over the weekend as land-clearing fires created a choking haze that reduced visibility in some parts to 20 metres.

But the number of hot spots in Riau appears to be dropping, as Sunday's hot spot count was four, compared to 100 on Thursday and 50 on Friday.

According to NEA, the moderate haze is due, in part, to drier conditions. So far prevailing winds have kept most of the smoke away from Singapore, although changes in wind direction could account for hazier days ahead. - TODAY/sh

新马加强环境课题合作

25 August 2007 (Lianhe Zaobao)

新加坡将同马来西亚在能力建设(capacity building)方面的培训进行合作，以便更有效地使用能源。

　　环境及水源部长雅国博士昨天应邀走访马来西亚，同该国天然资源与环境部长阿兹米卡立会谈，讨论新马在环境方面的合作，以及针对区域环境课题交换意见。这包括：国界的区域烟雾问题、车辆废气排放控制、士古来集水区的污染、柔佛海峡的水质、应付化学物质污染的紧急应对措施等课题、气候变化以及新加坡环境学院和马来西亚环境学院之间的培训合作。

　　在气候问题上，新马两国都同意气候变化已经成为区域和国际的重要课题，双方同意分享缓和气候变化的资讯和所研究的解决方案。双方将把重点放在能源效益和能力建设的联合培训计划上。

　　两位部长举行会谈后，我国环境及水源部和马国天然资源与环境部联合发表文告，宣布会谈中双方商讨的内容。

　　除了气候问题，两国也同意分享同印尼合作处理烟雾问题的经验，双方重申通过部长级指导委员会加强应对区域烟雾问题的重要性。

　　陪同雅国出访的包括环境及水源部高级政务次长许连碹博士，以及环境及水源部、国家环境局和公用事业局的官员。

　　这是新马两国环境部的第21次常年互访活动。

　　雅国博士一行人昨天也在会谈后参加了两国环境部联合举行的竞技友谊赛。这项比赛让双方官员能够加强联系，培养友谊。

Are Indonesia's Plans To Prevent Haze Enough?

Tiffany Tan
tiffany@mediacorp.com.sg
Aug 21 2007 (TODAY)

IF THE Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) wishes, it can
muscle Indonesia into solving its notorious haze problem.

Asean needs to penalise member states that do not comply with regional
agreements such as its anti-haze pact, suggested Dr Rizal Sukma, deputy
executive director of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies,
a Jakarta-based think tank.

"Unless we have this instrument that can actually force member states to
follow all these agreements, then it would be difficult to push for better
implementation," he said on the sidelines of the Second Regional Dialogue
on Haze yesterday in Singapore.

Members may be banned from certain meetings, for example, he said. "You
can't just expel Indonesia from Asean, because we can't expel Burma even
though they violate human rights," he added.

In a statement, the delegates welcomed the intention of Asean leaders to
focus on environmental issues at their summit in Singapore in November,
hoping "that this would provide political will" to address the problem.

Indonesia, which is the main source of South-east Asia's annual haze, is
one of two remaining member states that have yet to ratify Asean's 2002
Agreement on Transboundary Haze. The Philippines is the other.

Mr Heddy Mukna, Assistant Deputy at Indonesia's Ministry of Environment,
said his country is likely to ratify the treaty by next year.

Asked to comment on Dr Sukma's call to sanction countries that produce
haze, Mr Mukna would not speak on behalf of the government. But in his
personal capacity, he said of the plan: "I think it's good."

The anti-haze agreement binds Asean countries to minimise open burning,
volunteer information and allow firefighters from member nations into
their country.

During the dialogue, Mr Mukna highlighted what Indonesia has done since
last October's inaugural meeting.

In 10 fire-prone provinces, there are now 1,560 personnel in fire
brigades. The authorities have also identified three palm oil firms that
practise open burning, and they are now under investigation.

With help from the German government, Indonesia is developing a fire
control centre in East Kalimantan. It is also developing an early-warning
system with the help of a Japanese institution. This year, said Mr Mukna,
it aims to reduce its forest fire areas by half, compared to last year.

As last year's haze episodes were the worst since 1997 and 1998, some
non-government organisations at the dialogue said the goal seemed
unrealistic. But Mr Mukna told Today that "targets should be high, that
will make all the parties work hard".

Indonesia has shown it is trying to respond to calls made in last year's
dialogue, said Mrs Maricar Muzones, a policy researcher for Japan's
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies. But "what is yet to be seen
is actually how far these policies are performing".

Dr David Glover of Canada's International Development Research Centre, who
has followed the haze issue since 1997, said Indonesia has taken "some
positive steps", but their implementation of laws on burning was
disappointing.

Regional Haze Dialogue works on new strategies to fight climate change

20 August 2007 (CNA)

SINGAPORE : Representatives from five South East Asian countries along with Japan and Australia took part in a Regional Haze Dialogue in Singapore on Monday.

The Dialogue was co-organised by the Singapore Institute of International Affairs with the Centre for Strategic and International Studies of Indonesia and the Institute of Strategic and International Studies of Malaysia.

They are coming up with fresh strategies they hope their governments can adopt to address the global climate change issue.

This month marks the 10th anniversary of the record haze that blanketed much of Southeast Asia.

And thanks partially to luck with wet weather, forecasts of another bad fog-out have failed to materialise so far this year.

But experts are warning against complacency.

Drawing links between forest fires and global climate change, the experts emphasised how the recurrence of carbon-rich haze caused by illegal fires in Indonesia's vast tropical peatlands may help fuel global warming if left unchecked.

The meeting comes ahead of November's ASEAN Leaders Summit in Singapore and the UN-sponsored Bali Climate Change conference in December.

In a statement following a one-day dialogue here, the delegates acknowledged some "positive steps" taken by Indonesia to deal with the problem, but said Jakarta and the region needed to do more.

Associate Professor Simon Tay, Chairman, Singapore Institute of International Affairs, says: "All the participants at the dialogue really welcomed ASEAN's focus on the environment. They were quick to say that if we look at our region, there are many issues on the table.

"But the haze and the underlying causes of deforestation and unsustainable development of the economy like palm oil - these really are issues that must be first and foremost when the ASEAN summit talks about the environment. Because when the summit meets, this gives us the opportunity for leaders at the very top to really set a very strong political tone and help coordinate the different agencies of forestry, agriculture, economics with this environment issue."

Whip Up Dinner, Melt A Glacier

Aug 3 2007 (TODAY)

BANGKOK - Huge haze clouds over the Indian Ocean contribute as much to
atmospheric warming as greenhouse gases and play a significant role in the
melting of the Himalayan glaciers, according to a study published
yesterday.

Scientist Veerabhadran Ramanathan and his colleagues sent unmanned
measuring devices into the haze pollution - known as atmospheric brown
clouds - over the Indian Ocean last year.

Measuring aerosol concentrations, soot levels and solar radiation, the
team concluded that the pollution - mostly caused by the burning of wood
and plant matter for cooking in South Asia - enhanced heating of the
atmosphere by around 50 per cent, and contributed to about half of the
temperature increases blamed in recent decades for the glacial retreat.

Mr Ramanathan, a chief scientist at the University of California San
Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, said his team's research
shows that the clouds are an additional factor in the melting of glaciers,
along with overall global warming caused by greenhouse gas emissions.

Until this study, published in the British journal Nature, scientists
believed the brown clouds mostly deflected sunlight and cooled the
atmosphere. But as the study now shows, the particles also absorb sunlight
and warm the atmosphere much more than previously believed. - Agencies

Singapore may be spared from haze this year: NEA

By Foo Siew Shyan, Channel NewsAsia
06 July 2007

SINGAPORE: Singapore may be spared from the peak of the haze that is currently shrouding Sumatra and northern Malaysia because favourable weather conditions are expected for the rest of the year, said the National Environment Agency (NEA).

NEA is forecasting a slightly wetter-than-usual weather from now till September.

The El Nino situation, which brought with it drier days last year, is not expected to kick in this time round.

Joseph Hui, Director General, Environmental Protection, NEA, said: "This year, the forecast is that we are likely to get neutral or weak La Nina. La Nina is slightly wetter than usual, so with this forecast, the likelihood is that we will get slightly more rainfall than last year."

Singapore has been spared from the smog so far as the prevailing south to southeasterly winds have kept the smoke away.

The same wind direction is also expected over the next few days.

But in the long term, other forces may come into play.

Wong Chin Ling, Chief Meteorological Officer, NEA, said: "It's difficult to know when and where the fires will occur. Fires are essentially started through human activities."

Singapore has come up with a masterplan to help Indonesia's Jambi province to tackle the haze and reduce slash-and-burn activities, and work is underway to formalise the agreement with Indonesia.

Mr Hui said: "We are actively involved in working out this letter of intent. We are waiting for them to come back to us and hopefully finalise it soon."

A meeting of environment officials from both countries may be held as early as next week.


- CNA/so

Haze in two weeks' time?

By Nazry Bahrawi in Pangkalan Kerinci, Riau, TODAY
20 June 2007

Somewhere on an open airstrip in Riau, an airplane is ready to spring into action as a fire-fighting machine. The AT602 plane, used more frequently to spray fertiliser on plantations, can also carry about 2,400 litres of water — enough to help douse fires in the haze-prone region.

But, it hasn't been busy on that front lately. Its owner, pulp and paper manufacturer Asia Pacific Resources International Limited (April), had offered to share the one-seater plane with the Riau authorities to control fires about three months ago. The firm has yet to receive a reply.

"We proposed it in March this year but they (the Riau government) haven't signed it yet. They probably will once the fire starts," said Mr Brad Sanders, head of fire and safety at the Singapore-based April.

And that would be soon — the haze period is slated to start in two weeks' time. Officials from five Asean countries, including Singapore, are in Jambi to hear how Indonesia plans to tackle the problem this year (see box).

Forest fires in parts of Indonesia, such as the Riau and Jambi provinces in Sumatra, are largely the cause of the transboundary haze that had hit Asean in the past few years. Last October, Singapore's haze situation reached unhealthy PSI (Pollutant Standards Index) levels — between 101 to 200.

With two weeks left to the dry season, farmers in Riau are preparing to clear their lands using the inexpensive slash-and-burn method — inevitably leading to forest fires — again.

Last year, the province recorded almost 9,000 hotspots, said Mr Sanders. But only about 2 per cent of these took place within April's plantation areas, which measures more than twice the size of Singapore.

And this is not solely because of their fire-fighting capabilities, which includes another 70 full-time fire-fighters, 20 pick-up trucks, an airboat and a helicopter, said Mr Sanders. This, he believes, is also due to April's active attempts to provide economically viable avenues for locals living in its jurisdiction to steer clear of slash and burn practices.

He said: "We help communities develop small profitable enterprises such as haircut shops and honey production. So, people have other sources of income other than the agrarian-based one. There will be a lesser chance of them resorting to slash and burn."

But there is only so much one company can do.

A large part of the problem in tackling the haze situation boils down to bureaucracy and a lack of political will — at all levels. "In Indonesia, there is really no system in place to respond to all the sources of fire at one time. The problem here is that the people want the fires to burn. They are lighting them on purpose to clear the land. ... It's a conundrum," said Mr Sanders.

He also cited the inefficient use of two fire-fighting airplanes that the Indonesian government leased from Russia late last year: "By the time they (the airplanes) arrived, the rainy season had already started. They spent US$5.2 million ($8 million) and it wasn't used effectively, unfortunately."

Mr Fitrian Ardiansyah, programme director of climate and energy for WWF Indonesia, believes Indonesia's commitment to reduce the number of hotspots by 50 per cent this year is a "big challenge".

He told Today: "Transforming political pledge to action on the ground requires more than just willingness. Infrastructure and coordination to prevent and fight fires need to be under one command. Nowadays, the blame game is still happening among different sectors and levels — that is, between the central and local governments." - TODAY/sh

FINGERS CROSSED IN JAMBI

It has promised to reduce its hotspots by 50 per cent this year.

And today will see Indonesia updating its immediate neighbours of its progress towards achieving this objective.

Representatives from five Asean countries – Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia – are in Jambi to attend the third meeting of the sub-regional steering committee on the transboundary haze pollution.

Singapore's Minister of Environment and Water Resources, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim – leading the Singapore delegation – told reporters last week that he hopes Indonesia can keep their promise.

He also said that Singapore had submitted to Indonesia a haze masterplan that covers fire prevention and suppression, legislation and enforcement as well as regional and international collaboration.

But Indonesian Forestry Minister M S Kaban was quoted by its national news Antara as saying that he had not received the proposal.

Singapore submits haze masterplan to Indonesia

By Foo Siew Shyan, Channel NewsAsia
14 June 2007

SINGAPORE: Singapore has submitted to Indonesia its masterplan on how to help the country fight its haze problem.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Dr Yaacob Ibrahim said Indonesia has been briefed and he would be going there next week to attend the third Ministerial Committee Meeting on haze.

Various initiatives covered under the masterplan include helping the Jambi province tackle and prevent forest fires.

Dr Yaacob said he hopes Indonesia can implement the masterplan soon.

To get this working, various partners like non-governmental organisations need to come on board.

Also on the agenda is to persuade Indonesia to deliver on its proposed initiatives.

Dr Yaacob said: "For example, in their plan that was announced this year, they will try to cut back on 50 percent of haze site. I hope they can keep to their promise. I think I will also impress upon other ministers to work together with our Indonesian colleagues to make sure that the masterplan gets implemented."


- CNA/so

Singapore not spared from Thailand's worst haze in 14 years

By Sheralyn Tay, TODAY
20 March 2007

As thick smoke from forest fires and slash-and-burn farming cloaks Thailand in its worst haze in 14 years. Singapore, too, has not been spared.

The Republic experienced a slightly hazy start to the week, with the overall PSI just falling out of the "good" range.

At 7pm yesterday, the PSI reading went into the "moderate" range for a reading of 52 — the highest level in March.

It was the third consecutive day of slightly hazy conditions, with the 24-hour PSI ranging from 42 to 44 over the weekend. On Sunday, the smell of smoke could be detected in areas like Orchard Road and Toa Payoh.

According to the National Environment Agency (NEA), "smoke haze particles" from fires in the northern Asean region are being carried over by mild winds, contributing to hazy conditions.

"The weakening winds, which is typical during the transition from the north-east monsoon to the inter-monsoon during this period, has not helped in dispersing the smoke haze particles," said an NEA spokesperson.

Over in northern Thailand, the choking haze has disrupted air travel, and health warnings have been issued advising children and the elderly to remain indoors or use masks. Even healthy adults have been asked to cease all exercise outdoors.

Experts believe that the extended winter is trapping smoke close to the cold ground and preventing it from dissipating into the atmosphere. The cold is also pushing the smoke down into low-lying areas. The haze has affected some five million people in Chiang Mai and parts of Laos and Myanmar. Media reports said that more than 13,000 have sought medical treatment for haze-related illness.

But here in Singapore, some did not even notice the hazy weather — although it still made its presence felt. Asthmatic Chris Dubberke, 27, had some difficulty breathing yesterday and had to use his inhaler pump, but did not realise the cause was the haze.

But still, he does not foresee a return of last October's haze — where PSI levels hit 136, a record high for the year. "It's not the first time Singapore has experienced the haze, so every time there are reports of haze I take the necessary precautions," said the psychology student.

The NEA has said that it will continue to monitor the situation closely. -TODAY/na

Jb Fire Sets Off Haze In Singapore

15 March 2007 (TODAY)

AFTER a fire broke out in Johor Baru on Tuesday night, residents living in
the eastern part of Singapore suddenly found their neighbourhood engulfed
in dense haze.

"The visibility got progressively worse by the second," said a Tampines St
72 resident - identifying herself only as Ms Chan - who called the
MediaCorp hotline. "When I opened my door, there was a strong burning
smell."

According to the Singapore Civil Defence Force, no fire broke out in
eastern Singapore last night.

The Johor Baru blaze originated at a chemical factory at Pasir Gudang,
across the Straits of Johor from the Pasir Ris-Tampines area, at 9pm. The
hotline started receiving calls from concerned residents in Tampines,
Punggol and Pasir Ris at around 10.45 pm.

By yesterday morning, virtually no trace of the haze remained. "Things
have improved this morning," said Ms Chan. "The visibility is back to
normal and the smell of smoke has gone away."

An National Environment Agency spokesman said the smoke had been blown
over by the northerly winds but did not adversely affect the overall air
quality in Singapore.

As of 4pm yesterday, PSI readings were at a healthy 34, and readings for
the east were no higher than that for other areas. - Lin Yan Qin

Thais May Declare Emergency As Haze Blankets North

14 March 2007 (TODAY)

BANGKOK - Thailand may declare an environmental emergency in tourist
hotspot Chiang Mai and two other northern provinces after thick smog
blanketed the region, the country's Environment Minister said yesterday.

Mr Kasem Snidwong Na Ayuttaya said air quality in three provinces was
double the hazardous level due to widespread forest fires and blazes
started by land-clearing farmers. The elderly and children were urged to
stay indoors, with some 5 million people in eight northern provinces
affected by the haze, the health ministry said.

Air quality is measured in micrograms per cubic metre, with 120 considered
hazardous. Measurements of 240 and 290 micrograms per cubic metre have
been recorded in the provinces of Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Lamphun, Mr
Kasem said. "If the situation does not get any better, we will have to
invoke emergency law, which will restrict people's activities," he added.

During an environmental emergency, the authorities would be empowered to
evacuate towns and villages, as well as stop farmers from starting fires.
The Cabinet is due to meet soon to decide what measures to take.

Visibility was down to 1km in the north of Chiang Mai province yesterday,
while residents in Chiang Mai city have been wearing masks, with some
reporting health problems.

Chiang Mai province is one of Thailand's top tourist destinations.
"Absolutely, the haze will affect tourism because it happened so
suddenly," said Mr Kajohnwit Boonsom, vice-president of the Chiang Mai
Tourism Business Association. - AFP

Finally, Asean Taking Serious Steps To Stop Haze

Sujadi Siswo
sujadi@mediacorp.com.sg
2 March 2007 (TODAY)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN - Environment ministers from the Association of
South-east Asian Nations (Asean) have agreed to clean up their act to stop
haze from neighbouring countries polluting the region.

Singapore's plan to collaborate directly with a province in Jambi, Sumatra
to tackle forest fires has inspired the grouping to focus on such projects
with a view of replicating it in other areas in Indonesia.

Asean Environment Ministers have had regular meetings to discuss ways to
tackle the annual haze sparked by forest fires that has been plaguing the
region for the last 12 years.

Dozens of committees and task forces were formed but very little was
achieved.

Forests, peat lands and plantations in Indonesia continue to be razed,
sending smoke annually into neighbouring Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei.

Said Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore's Environment Minister: "To put it in
simple words, we need to clean-up our act and get things going.

"First of all, reduce the number of committees and meetings, focus on the
haze agreement, develop the work plan and start implementing things on the
ground."

This renewed sense of urgency has also seen Indonesia coming out with a
plan of action to tackle forest fires in its territories.

Jakarta is confident that its US$150 million-plan ($229 million) can halve
the incidence of forest fires this year.

But there are still obstacles ahead.

Indonesia and the Philippines has yet to ratify the Trans Boundary Haze
Agreement.

The Haze Fund has also not taken off, with most member countries saying
they are still considering making the voluntary contributions.

Indonesia Aims To Cut Forest Fires By Half This Year

1 March 2007
By Sujadi Siswo
TODAY

BRUNEI - The Indonesian government said yesterday it hoped to reduce the
annual incidence of forest fires by half this year.

Mr Rahmat Witoelar, the Indonesian Environment Minister, said that his
country has come out with a multi-million dollar plan to tackle the fires.

However, he added that Indonesia could do with more assistance to tackle
the menace.

"I think it is our primary responsibility that Indonesia has funding of
its own," he told Channel NewsAsia. "But we welcome other sources of
funding, whether it is international or bilateral to supplement what we
need."

He was speaking on the first day of a two-day Association of South-east
Asian Nations environment ministers meeting here.

Indonesia is confident that the comprehensive plan, which includes
reaching out to thousands of farming communities in Sumatra and
Kalimantan, will be able to reduce the forest fires by half, he said.

Singapore will be assisting the Indonesian government by working in Jambi,
Sumatra, to help local authorities tackle the problem at its roots.

Said Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, Singapore's Water Resources and Environment
Minister: "If we are able to develop the plan and get local ownership
quickly, that means building capacity at the local area, over the long
run we are confident we can reduce the problem.

"In the short term, I think we have to be very realistic, there are gaps
especially in terms of capacity. Funding is a major concern."

Malaysia is considering a similar approach.

The haze was particularly bad last year, prompting the five affected
nations - Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Thailand - to hold a
sub-regional meeting to find a solution.

The choking haze, the result of "slash and burn" activities by farmers and
others in Sumatra and Kalimantan, usually envelops the region around the
third quarter of the year.