Sustainability Momentum Sdn Bhd

Airbus and RT-Biotekhprom, a subsidiary of the Rostec Group, signed an agreement on developing and commercializing sustainable biofuels for aviation. The partnership will assess the feedstock in Russia, aiming to get local sources of materials that comply with sustainability criteria and suitable for production of aviation biofuels. The full sustainability study is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2014, with Airbus playing the key role to share their experiences and technologies with regards to energy conservation and emissions reduction in aviation industry.

Sustainable Energy Development Authority Malaysia (SEDA Malaysia) has announced that they will 1,500kW of solar photovoltaic (PV) quota for the individuals in three batches. The first 500kW quota for individual under the Solar Home Rooftop Programme will be released on 28th August 2013, followed by another 500kW on 4th September 2013 and 11th September 2013 at 12 noon. According to Datin Badriyah Abdul Malek, Chief Executive Officer of SEDA Malaysia, “there will be no more release of any solar PV quota for the individuals for 2013 after 11th September because it is not realistic for these individual Feed-In Approvals Holders (FiAHs) to be able to achieve commercial operation of their PV system by year end”.

Photo Credit: The Star Online

During their visit to the Kinabatangan Region, 14 students of St Bart’s College in Newbury scooped up more than 270 kg of rubbish out of Sabah’s major waterway, the Kinabatangan River. 37 garbage bags filled with plastic bottles, polystyrene packaging, petrol jerry cans, glass bottles, aerosol cans, cosmetic products, a rubber tire and two bags of dirty nappies were collected. The five-hour clean-up showed the extent and enormity of the garbage issue along the river which is also home to many species of wildlife. The pollution would directly and indirectly affect wildlife and habitats found in the region. NGO - Danau Girang Field Centre (DGFC) director Dr Benoit Goosens said that “Sabah needed to come up with a plan for waste disposal and increase awareness and enforcement in the State, if we want to improve the conditions of the state’s rivers.”

Using the 2014 FIFA World Cup to showcase to the world its green energy potential, Brazil recently unveiled a 1.4 MW solar array on the Estádio Governador Magalhães Pinto Stadium, or Mineirão for short. This stadium is just one of Brazil’s many sporting facilities which will be fitted with solar arrays. The Mané Garrincha stadium will have a 2.5 MWp solar array (enough to power half of the stadium), the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro is already equipped with a 1,500 solar panel rooftop and Pernambuco Stadium will be outfitted with solar heating for kitchens, toilets and locker rooms.

Photo Credit: The Star Online

According to a study by wildlife trade networking network Traffic, Malaysia was amongst the top ten importers and exporters of shark fin globally from 2000-2009. It ranked fourth highest importer globally and eight highest in terms of total global shark catch, amounting to 231,212 tonnes of shark caught from 2002 to 2011. The top shark catchers were Indonesia and India who are responsible for over 20% of global catches. There are currently no bans on shark trading in Malaysia, even though it has an international obligation to ensure that shark species under the CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is protected. The State of Sabah is considering banning shark hunting and ‘finning’ under its wildlife conservation laws and wants the same legal provision to be included in the federal Fisheries Act 1985.

Photos Credit: www.teslamotors.com

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk has unveiled an open-source plan for a solar-powered high-speed train that travels at speeds of up to 700 mph, transporting passengers from Los Angeles to San Francisco in 30 minutes flat. The $6 billion Hyperloop design consists of a long tube and capsules or pods that are propelled through them in a vacuum-like condition. The concept is similar to that of old pneumatic tubes for mail. Musk has proposed to power the train with an external electric motor similar to the one used in the Tesla Model S. The Hyperloop will have solar panels mounted on top of the tube generating more than the energy it needs. The system is to be built on pylons (above ground) as this requires less land and makes it easier to mitigate earthquake damage.

In a remarkable act founded from a new environmental consciousness that questions humanity’s dominion over all other creatures, the Costa Rican government has announced plans to close its zoos and freeing creatures from their long captivity. Its Environment Minister René Castro said “We are getting rid of the cages and reinforcing the idea of interacting with biodiversity in botanical parks in a natural way. We don't want animals in captivity or enclosed in any way unless it is to rescue or save them.” The closures will take effect in March 2014, when the government's contract with the organization that operates its two zoos is set to expire. Costa Rica was also the first country in the region to completely ban hunting for sport.

The health of glaciers in the Himalayans have always been closely watched; a recent study by Dutch scientists led by Walter Immerzel at Utrecht University has revealed that by 2100, the two glaciers Baltoro and Lantang which respectively drains into the Indus and Ganges will be critically shrinking. A high tech computer simulation predicts that both glaciers will lose roughly half their volumes under the higher warming scenario. However, scientists predict that during this century, water needs will be met regardless, due to the extra melt water which will coincide with the monsoon rain season.

A team of scientists led by Dr Poloczanska, of the University of Queensland found that global warming has led to marine life shifting its natural habitats to colder depths closer to the poles. The scientists found that the average marine species’ rate of migration of 72 kilometres per decade is alarming when compared to terrestrial species which move pole-ward at an average rate of only 6 kilometres per decade. The study is based on 1,735 marine biological responses around the world. These findings suggest significant repercussions to fishers.

Japan’s leading automakers Toyota, Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi Motors have come together to work on a massive installation of electric vehicle charging stations within their nation. In a bid to jointly increase the number of EV changing stations in Japan, in order to boost market demands of electric-powered vehicles, US$1.025 billion will be invested to increase the number of existing EV charging stations. The initiative will increase Japan’s fast chargers from 1700 to 4000 units and increase its normal chargers from 3000 to 8000 units. The collaboration between the carmakers will help in achieving Japan’s national goal to increase the percentage of plug-in vehicles to 15 -20 of new car sales by 2020.