Sustainability Momentum Sdn Bhd

John Cook, Climate Communication Fellow from the Global Change Institute at the University of Queensland has asserted that about 90 percent of global warming was in the oceans, which acted like a natural thermometer along the changes in land, ice and animal species. Cook explained the phenomenon saying that all the heat-trapping greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere meant that Earth has been building up heat at the rate of about four Hiroshima bombs every second. The distribution of trees are also shifting to cooler regions like poles or mountain and animal species have responded to global warming by mating earlier than the norm.

CNN and other internet sources have recently uncovered a Chinese souvenir scheme which traps live animals in tiny plastic bags filled with coloured water and sold as decorative key chains. According to vendors, the bag contains sufficient oxygen and nutrients to keep the animals alive, however most die within a day or less due to lack of oxygen. In a cruel twist, it is reported that this shocking trade is completely legal according to China’s local laws. Animal rights advocates are outraged by these alarming live-animal keychains and petitions are already in place to stop this practice. If you care about the rights of innocent animals, please visit the site and sign the petition.

Photo credit: Inhabitat

A memorandum of agreement has been signed between University Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), UniMAP Holdings Sdn Bhd and a Germany-based company Getsol Sdn Bhd (Getsol) to develop solar technology on UniMAP’s main campus buildings’ rooftop. The photovoltaic (PV) panel system installation will be commencing soon. This is UniMAP’s first effort to use green technology by installing rooftop solar panel before developing it on 566 hectares land. If the development is successful, UniMAP will make Perlis the state for solar studies.

Scientists are trying to revive two species of giant Galapagos tortoises which have been thought to be extinct. Hybrid tortoises have been found with genes from the extinct Pinta Island tortoise and extinct Floreana Island tortoise. Through breeding of genetic relatives in captivity, scientists claim that it is possible to bring back these species. Galapagos giant tortoises have life spans of up to 180 years, growing to 1.8 meters long and nearly 400 kilograms in weight. The last giant tortoise, the famous “Lonesome George” died in 2012 and was estimated to be a century old.

Photo credit: AFP

Over 30 exotic wild animals, including highly endangered and threatened species like the slow loris, marmoset, Indian star tortoise and ball python, were seized from a Singapore flat. The seizure is said to be the largest inland seizure of wildlife since 2002 for the City. The owner of the home, if found guilty, could be jailed for two years and fined up to Singapore dollars 500,000 (USD 297,000). Singapore is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Therefore, it is an offence to be in possession or to trade in any illegally imported or acquired CITES species.

Singapore’s three-hour Pollutant Standards Index peaked at 155 on Monday night, 17th June, the highest reading since September 1997 during Southeast Asia's worst air-pollution crisis. The National Environment Agency (NEA) has advised Singaporeans to avoid prolonged exposure outdoors. Even its armed forces have “reduced physical and outdoor training accordingly” after the pollution index exceeded 100. The NEA has “urged the Indonesian authorities to look into urgent measures to mitigate the transboundary haze occurrence". Singapore’s Environment Minister, Vivian Balakrishnan, wrote on Tuesday on his Facebook page "We need to exert commercial pressure against companies causing the haze.” He has requested his Indonesian counterpart, to "name the companies responsible for the fires" and provide "concession maps" showing specific locations of plantations, which can help identify offending companies.

Link:http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-06-18/sumatra-fires-cause-worst-singapore-smog-for-16-years, http://www.nst.com.my/latest/singapore-fumes-as-air-pollution-hits-16-year-high-1.303210

Date & Source: June 18 2013, Bloomberg Businessweek and June 19 2013, New Straits Times

Smoke from forest fires in Sumatra, Indonesia has caused poor air quality levels in Malaysia and Singapore for the fifth consecutive day, prompting both nations’ government to urge people to stay indoors. The Department of Environment’s Air Pollutant Index (API) rose as high as 161 on Saturday (15th June) in Malaysia’s state of Malacca.

The haze is Malaysia's worst since 2005, when authorities declared a state of emergency in two areas. With the situation worsening and prolonged hot spells forecasted, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Najib Razak has advised Malaysians to “reduce outdoor activity and drink a lot of water during this period”.

Link: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323566804578552814001080862.html, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-06-17/air-worsens-in-malaysia-singapore-as-sumatra-forests-burn.html

Date & Source: June 18, 2013, The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg

Photo Credit: REUTERS (Bazuki Muhammad ) - http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/17/us-southeastasia-haze