Signing ceremony Thursday 11:30, 17 December at ESCAP Building
The Economic and Social Commission in Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) – the regional arm of the United Nations - and the Russian Federation will sign an agreement this Thursday to strengthen cooperation, with a view to promoting inclusive and sustainable economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific.
Under the agreement, the Russian Federation provides a voluntary
contribution of US$ 1.2 million annually during the period 2009-2010 to support key programme activities of ESCAP.
ESCAP will be hosting a signing ceremony where Mr. Gennady Gatilov of the Russian Federation Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP will formalize the agreement.
In response to the regional development priorities, the Russian contribution will be used for technical cooperation projects to develop capacities and improve development in key areas such as environment, energy, regional transport connectivity, disaster risk reduction, statistics and migration.
The ceremony will take place Thursday 17 December 2009, 11:30 on the 15th floor of the ESCAP Secretariat building. Media are welcome to cover the ceremony. Please register in advance for building access at unisbkk.unescap@un.org.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Collaboration between Genencor and Goodyear results in breakthrough technology for tires made with renewable biomass
Collaboration between Genencor and Goodyear results in breakthrough technology for tires made with renewable biomass
The world’s first Goodyear concept tires made with BioIsoprenea technology arrive in Copenhagen in time for United Nations Climate Change Conference
The world’s first Goodyear concept demonstration tires made with BioIsopreneä technology made their debut in Copenhagen, Denmark, this week. BioIsopreneä is a breakthrough alternative to replace a petrochemically produced ingredient in the manufacture of synthetic rubber with renewable biomass. One Goodyear tire will be on display at a lounge in the common departure area at the Copenhagen International Airport throughout December 21, while the other tire will make appearances at several special events during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP 15) through December. The tires made with BioIsopreneä are the result of a collaboration between Genencor, a division of Danisco, and Goodyear, one of the world’s largest tire companies and a leader in innovation.
“We are literally rolling out an important milestone in our collaboration with Goodyear on a breakthrough biochemical,” says Tom Knutzen, CEO of Danisco. “BioIsopreneä is an excellent example of Danisco’s leadership in industrial biotechnology through our Genencor division.”
“Goodyear’s first concept tire manufactured with BioIsopreneä shows the enormous progress we have made in using a bio-based alternative to the petroleum-derived raw material isoprene in our production process,” says Jesse Roeck, Director, Global Materials Science at Goodyear. “The development of BioIsopreneä could help us reduce industry impact on the environment by applying renewable raw materials in the supply chain and making Goodyear less dependent on oil-derived products.”
BioIsoprene product is derived from renewable raw materials, and represents a significant development within the biochemical and rubber industries. Aside from synthetic rubber for tire production, traditional isoprene is used for the production of a wide range of products, such as surgical gloves, golf balls and adhesives. Thus, the potential for BioIsoprene product is substantial.
Schedule of events for the world’s first Goodyear concept tires made from BioIsopreneä technology in Copenhagen, Denmark:
Through December 21 there will be a tire in the common departure area at The Copenhagen International AirportDecember 12-13 there will be a tire at the Bright Green exhibition in the Danisco boothDecember 17 a tire will be on display at the “Solutions of Industrial Biotechnology” Conference & Showcase, Confederation of Danish Industry (DI)A tire will also be on display in the Danisco headquarters’ reception area through December, please contact Danisco for an appointment (jennifer.hutchins@danisco.com)
Genencor and Goodyear first announced their research collaboration on the technology and integrated production system for BioIsoprene™ product in September 2008. The two organizations collaborate on designing an integrated production system for BioIsoprene™ product, and are on schedule to meet both technological and commercial milestones within the agreement. Commercial availability of the product is planned for 2013.
About Goodyear
Goodyear employs approximately 70,000 people and manufactures its products in more than 60 facilities in 25 countries around the world.
Goodyear’s innovations have set automotive standards for more than 100 years. Goodyear has been the pioneer of the innovative safety technology known as RunOnFlat, which allows a driver to continue on a journey with a punctured tire. Goodyear is the world’s leading manufacturer of RunOnFlat tires, with applications on various BMWs, the award winning Mini, Mercedes-Benz high performance cars, Opel and other brands. Additional Goodyear RunOnFlat fitments are on the horizon, as the company’s designers are working with multiple automobile manufacturers on more than 150 RunOnFlat projects.
The world’s first Goodyear concept tires made with BioIsoprenea technology arrive in Copenhagen in time for United Nations Climate Change Conference
The world’s first Goodyear concept demonstration tires made with BioIsopreneä technology made their debut in Copenhagen, Denmark, this week. BioIsopreneä is a breakthrough alternative to replace a petrochemically produced ingredient in the manufacture of synthetic rubber with renewable biomass. One Goodyear tire will be on display at a lounge in the common departure area at the Copenhagen International Airport throughout December 21, while the other tire will make appearances at several special events during the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen (COP 15) through December. The tires made with BioIsopreneä are the result of a collaboration between Genencor, a division of Danisco, and Goodyear, one of the world’s largest tire companies and a leader in innovation.
“We are literally rolling out an important milestone in our collaboration with Goodyear on a breakthrough biochemical,” says Tom Knutzen, CEO of Danisco. “BioIsopreneä is an excellent example of Danisco’s leadership in industrial biotechnology through our Genencor division.”
“Goodyear’s first concept tire manufactured with BioIsopreneä shows the enormous progress we have made in using a bio-based alternative to the petroleum-derived raw material isoprene in our production process,” says Jesse Roeck, Director, Global Materials Science at Goodyear. “The development of BioIsopreneä could help us reduce industry impact on the environment by applying renewable raw materials in the supply chain and making Goodyear less dependent on oil-derived products.”
BioIsoprene product is derived from renewable raw materials, and represents a significant development within the biochemical and rubber industries. Aside from synthetic rubber for tire production, traditional isoprene is used for the production of a wide range of products, such as surgical gloves, golf balls and adhesives. Thus, the potential for BioIsoprene product is substantial.
Schedule of events for the world’s first Goodyear concept tires made from BioIsopreneä technology in Copenhagen, Denmark:
Through December 21 there will be a tire in the common departure area at The Copenhagen International AirportDecember 12-13 there will be a tire at the Bright Green exhibition in the Danisco boothDecember 17 a tire will be on display at the “Solutions of Industrial Biotechnology” Conference & Showcase, Confederation of Danish Industry (DI)A tire will also be on display in the Danisco headquarters’ reception area through December, please contact Danisco for an appointment (jennifer.hutchins@danisco.com)
Genencor and Goodyear first announced their research collaboration on the technology and integrated production system for BioIsoprene™ product in September 2008. The two organizations collaborate on designing an integrated production system for BioIsoprene™ product, and are on schedule to meet both technological and commercial milestones within the agreement. Commercial availability of the product is planned for 2013.
About Goodyear
Goodyear employs approximately 70,000 people and manufactures its products in more than 60 facilities in 25 countries around the world.
Goodyear’s innovations have set automotive standards for more than 100 years. Goodyear has been the pioneer of the innovative safety technology known as RunOnFlat, which allows a driver to continue on a journey with a punctured tire. Goodyear is the world’s leading manufacturer of RunOnFlat tires, with applications on various BMWs, the award winning Mini, Mercedes-Benz high performance cars, Opel and other brands. Additional Goodyear RunOnFlat fitments are on the horizon, as the company’s designers are working with multiple automobile manufacturers on more than 150 RunOnFlat projects.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC CHANNEL, SHANGRI-LA AND ZHANG ZIYI INVITE VIEWERS ON AN INCREDIBLE ECO-ADVENTURE
A Personal Journey of Exploration to Wild Places with International Movie Star Zhang Ziyi
How do people develop their cities while honouring their history and preserving the natural environment? Can those with an ancient connection to the land nurture their distinct art, music and culture in the modern world?
Premiering on National Geographic Channel at 10pm on Saturday, 14 November 2009 in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Zhang Ziyi Travel Series begins an exciting travel series in which the Beijing-born International movie star takes us on a personal journey of discovery with the help of local guides and famous friends such as globally acclaimed photographer Yu Tsai.
Originally created by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Zhang Ziyi Travel Series is a local National Geographic co-production with the hotel group to unveil the exceptional landscape of Oman and Inner Mongolia, and to show us the determination of local people to nurture their heritage, culture, history, music art, and preserve Mother Nature. The new travel series continues Ziyi’s longstanding association with the world’s leading Asia-based hotel group. As global brand ambassador, she helps Shangri-La communicate the importance of preserving nature and cultural heritage.
“National Geographic Channel and Shangri-La share a commitment to showcasing and preserving the natural beauty of the world. This unique documentary series is a result of this joint aim,” says Choylin Mok, Supervising Producer, National Geographic Channel Asia. “In these documentaries, Ziyi is more of a central character than a traditional host by opening her heart as she takes us from glittering metropolises to the very edge of the world.”
In episode one, we journey with Ziyi to watch endangered turtles hatch on a beach in Oman and see her dance with Bedouin warrior-musicians. In a highlight of episode two, she stars in a stunning high-fashion photo shoot on the wild steppes of Inner Mongolia, and follows a herd of wild horses at dawn. Through it all, we are entranced by Ziyi’s ability to embrace the cultures she encounters and make real connections with the people she meets.
“Thanks to Shangri La that provided tremendous support on this National Geographic Channel project as part of their contribution to protect the environment, nature and wild life, I am thrilled to have this unique opportunity to visit Oman and learn about how local people protect sea turtles and dolphins as part of their lives. Through this project, I fully appreciate how much nature gives us, which is why it is so important we give it back our care,” said Zhang Ziyi, Global Ambassador of Shangri-La.
“This opportunity for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts to create a series with Zhang Ziyi on issues that will determine the fate of the earth and its people is a precious one. Partnering with National Geographic Channel is undoubtedly the best way to bring this awareness to the public. We are delighted to contribute to environmental awareness and conservation that makes people sit up and think about what they can do to care for the planet. These issues remain at the heart of Shangri-La’s social agenda,” said Madhu Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.
Filmed in high-definition, Zhang Ziyi’s Travel Series presents a variety of visuals and stills of art and historical images of the most stunning natural landscape in Ziyi’s unique perspective.
Episodes include:
Episode 1: Zhang Ziyi’s Oman
In Zhang Ziyi’s Oman, Zhang Ziyi explores themes of heritage and conservation. Landing in Muscat, the capital of this Arabian nation, Ziyi meets local guide- Hafidh and visits the city’s old Souq, or marketplace, to learn about its social and economic functions. Oman is an Islamic nation, and local guide Khalfan Al-Esry hosts a tour of the impressively modern Grand Mosque. The sultanate’s coastline and natural history is also featured, as Ziyi joins Mohammed, resident turtle ranger from Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa on the water, where they encounter hundreds of dolphins, and on the beach, where they watch baby sea turtles hatching and making their way to the sea. She also meets the Sultan’s niece, Her Highness Sayyedha Tania Al-Said, who explains other conservation efforts underway in Oman. Finally, Ziyi ventures into the stunning Wahibi sands for an encounter with the nomadic Bedouin, where she learns about life in the desert, rides a camel on the dunes, and dances to the music the musicians perform for her.
Episode 2: Zhang Ziyi’s Inner Mongolia
Award-winning Chinese actress and global celebrity Zhang Ziyi explores the frontiers of high fashion on the steppes of Inner Mongolia with internationally renowned photographer Yu Tsai in Zhang Ziyi’s Inner Mongolia.
We preview the ensemble design of emerging couturier Jason Wu, famous for the Inaugural Ball gown worn by the U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama; and fashion-forward Gucci, D&G, Hermes, Dries van Noten, Helmut Lang, Armani, Prada and Marc Jacobs – accented with an eclectic mix of indigenous accessories, against the stunning backdrop of Inner Mongolia’s rolling plains.
We watch as Ziyi, Yu Tsai and his team search for the perfect locations, lighting, and pose for this high-fashion shoot. Together, they explore the grasslands, battle the elements, and learn about local customs and traditions. Filmed in high-definition and presented with a sound track of powerful and emotive local music, Zhang Ziyi’s Inner Mongolia combines fashion, photography, travel and culture, with one of China’s most beautiful and charismatic stars at its centre.
About National Geographic Channels International
National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) invites viewers to re-think the way they see television - and the world - with smart, innovative programming. A business enterprise owned by National Geographic Television (NGT) and FOX Entertainment Group, NGCI contributes to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education through its six channels: National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Channel HD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Wild HD, Nat Geo Adventure and Nat Geo Music.
Globally, National Geographic Channel (including NGC U.S. which is a joint venture of NGT and Fox Cable Networks Group) is available in 305 million homes in 165 countries and 34 languages. For more information, please visit www.natgeotv.com
About Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, currently owns and/or manages 65 hotels under the deluxe Shangri-La and mid-market Traders brands, with a rooms inventory of over 28,000. The group has over 40 projects under development in Austria, Canada, mainland China, France, India, Macau, Philippines, Qatar, Seychelles, United Kingdom and the United States. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.
How do people develop their cities while honouring their history and preserving the natural environment? Can those with an ancient connection to the land nurture their distinct art, music and culture in the modern world?
Premiering on National Geographic Channel at 10pm on Saturday, 14 November 2009 in Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, Zhang Ziyi Travel Series begins an exciting travel series in which the Beijing-born International movie star takes us on a personal journey of discovery with the help of local guides and famous friends such as globally acclaimed photographer Yu Tsai.
Originally created by Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Zhang Ziyi Travel Series is a local National Geographic co-production with the hotel group to unveil the exceptional landscape of Oman and Inner Mongolia, and to show us the determination of local people to nurture their heritage, culture, history, music art, and preserve Mother Nature. The new travel series continues Ziyi’s longstanding association with the world’s leading Asia-based hotel group. As global brand ambassador, she helps Shangri-La communicate the importance of preserving nature and cultural heritage.
“National Geographic Channel and Shangri-La share a commitment to showcasing and preserving the natural beauty of the world. This unique documentary series is a result of this joint aim,” says Choylin Mok, Supervising Producer, National Geographic Channel Asia. “In these documentaries, Ziyi is more of a central character than a traditional host by opening her heart as she takes us from glittering metropolises to the very edge of the world.”
In episode one, we journey with Ziyi to watch endangered turtles hatch on a beach in Oman and see her dance with Bedouin warrior-musicians. In a highlight of episode two, she stars in a stunning high-fashion photo shoot on the wild steppes of Inner Mongolia, and follows a herd of wild horses at dawn. Through it all, we are entranced by Ziyi’s ability to embrace the cultures she encounters and make real connections with the people she meets.
“Thanks to Shangri La that provided tremendous support on this National Geographic Channel project as part of their contribution to protect the environment, nature and wild life, I am thrilled to have this unique opportunity to visit Oman and learn about how local people protect sea turtles and dolphins as part of their lives. Through this project, I fully appreciate how much nature gives us, which is why it is so important we give it back our care,” said Zhang Ziyi, Global Ambassador of Shangri-La.
“This opportunity for Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts to create a series with Zhang Ziyi on issues that will determine the fate of the earth and its people is a precious one. Partnering with National Geographic Channel is undoubtedly the best way to bring this awareness to the public. We are delighted to contribute to environmental awareness and conservation that makes people sit up and think about what they can do to care for the planet. These issues remain at the heart of Shangri-La’s social agenda,” said Madhu Rao, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.
Filmed in high-definition, Zhang Ziyi’s Travel Series presents a variety of visuals and stills of art and historical images of the most stunning natural landscape in Ziyi’s unique perspective.
Episodes include:
Episode 1: Zhang Ziyi’s Oman
In Zhang Ziyi’s Oman, Zhang Ziyi explores themes of heritage and conservation. Landing in Muscat, the capital of this Arabian nation, Ziyi meets local guide- Hafidh and visits the city’s old Souq, or marketplace, to learn about its social and economic functions. Oman is an Islamic nation, and local guide Khalfan Al-Esry hosts a tour of the impressively modern Grand Mosque. The sultanate’s coastline and natural history is also featured, as Ziyi joins Mohammed, resident turtle ranger from Shangri-La’s Barr Al Jissah Resort and Spa on the water, where they encounter hundreds of dolphins, and on the beach, where they watch baby sea turtles hatching and making their way to the sea. She also meets the Sultan’s niece, Her Highness Sayyedha Tania Al-Said, who explains other conservation efforts underway in Oman. Finally, Ziyi ventures into the stunning Wahibi sands for an encounter with the nomadic Bedouin, where she learns about life in the desert, rides a camel on the dunes, and dances to the music the musicians perform for her.
Episode 2: Zhang Ziyi’s Inner Mongolia
Award-winning Chinese actress and global celebrity Zhang Ziyi explores the frontiers of high fashion on the steppes of Inner Mongolia with internationally renowned photographer Yu Tsai in Zhang Ziyi’s Inner Mongolia.
We preview the ensemble design of emerging couturier Jason Wu, famous for the Inaugural Ball gown worn by the U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama; and fashion-forward Gucci, D&G, Hermes, Dries van Noten, Helmut Lang, Armani, Prada and Marc Jacobs – accented with an eclectic mix of indigenous accessories, against the stunning backdrop of Inner Mongolia’s rolling plains.
We watch as Ziyi, Yu Tsai and his team search for the perfect locations, lighting, and pose for this high-fashion shoot. Together, they explore the grasslands, battle the elements, and learn about local customs and traditions. Filmed in high-definition and presented with a sound track of powerful and emotive local music, Zhang Ziyi’s Inner Mongolia combines fashion, photography, travel and culture, with one of China’s most beautiful and charismatic stars at its centre.
About National Geographic Channels International
National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) invites viewers to re-think the way they see television - and the world - with smart, innovative programming. A business enterprise owned by National Geographic Television (NGT) and FOX Entertainment Group, NGCI contributes to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education through its six channels: National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Channel HD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Wild HD, Nat Geo Adventure and Nat Geo Music.
Globally, National Geographic Channel (including NGC U.S. which is a joint venture of NGT and Fox Cable Networks Group) is available in 305 million homes in 165 countries and 34 languages. For more information, please visit www.natgeotv.com
About Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts
Hong Kong-based Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts, Asia Pacific’s leading luxury hotel group, currently owns and/or manages 65 hotels under the deluxe Shangri-La and mid-market Traders brands, with a rooms inventory of over 28,000. The group has over 40 projects under development in Austria, Canada, mainland China, France, India, Macau, Philippines, Qatar, Seychelles, United Kingdom and the United States. For more information and reservations, please contact a travel professional or access the website at www.shangri-la.com.
IRASIA 3 NEW INDIA ROUTES TO KOLKATA, KOCHI AND THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (TRIVANDRUM) FROM KUALA LUMPUR
World’s Best Low Cost Airline all set to expand its network in India with all in fares from as low as INR1499(RM 129)
SEPANG – Skytrax “World’s Best Low Cost Airline” and Asia’s largest and leading low-cost carrier, AirAsia has announced that it will commence its daily direct flights to Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November 2009 respectively. Following a successful launch from the South Indian city of Trichy last year, AirAsia now offers the people of Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram the pleasure of flying to Kuala Lumpur for an unbeatable all-inclusive fare from as low as INR 1499 (RM 129) all in fares one way respectively for the booking period from 15th to 20th October, 2009 for the travel period from 12th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Kochi, from 16th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and from 19th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Kolkata. Promotional seats are limited and available on first-come, first-served basis and made exclusively available online via www.airasia.com and mobile.airasia.com.
AirAsia launched its first route to Trichy, India which is situated in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu on December 1, 2008, and is the first airline in South East Asia to fly direct to the city. The launch of the first frequency to the city recorded an overwhelming response with an average load factor of 85% which led the airline to increase its 2nd frequency to the city with AirAsia’s 2nd direct daily flight on 1st September, 2009. To date, AirAsia have carried over 100,000 guests to and from Trichy.
AirAsia Regional Head of Commercial, Kathleen Tan said, “Today, AirAsia is reiterating its commitment to the Indian market with the launch of three new routes- Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the first airline to launch 3 cities in India in one day. While most airlines are cutting back during these tough economic times, AirAsia is aggressively expanding its India route network as we believe there is robust demand in low fare travel. The three new India destinations are colourful cities with rich historical and cultural traditions. We believe our low fares and outstanding innovative services, will definitely open up new markets, stimulate new travel demand and enable more people to fly with us; thus promoting tourism which is beneficial for the economies of both countries.”
“It has been an ongoing and sustained effort for AirAsia to provide the best service with unbelievable low fares to our guests. With the introduction of the three new routes, connectivity to the three cities to and from Kuala Lumpur direct will bridge social ties and promote new connectivity via our hub in Kuala Lumpur as a gateway to over 130 routes in Asia, including the ones served by Airasia X, its long haul affiliate to Australia (Gold Coast, Perth, Melbourne), China (Hangzhou, Tianjin, Chengdu), Taipei, London and Abu Dhabi, bringing the well known brand on to a global stage” concluded Kathleen.
It is now more convenient than ever to fly to Kuala Lumpur from Kolkata, located in the East Indian State of West Bengal and Kochi & Thiruvananthapuram, both located in the South Indian State of Kerala. Moreover as compared to other budget carriers, the route network offered by this award-winning airline is the most extensive in the region. This will translate into a low-cost yet efficient travel experience for guests who would benefit from using the LCC Terminal in Kuala Lumpur to connect to other regional ASEAN cities or long haul sectors serviced by AirAsia X. To add value, under GoHoliday at goholiday.airasia.com, guests may choose their holiday lodgings from over 50,000 hotels across Asia, Europe, India, Australia, Sri Lanka and China including ground transfer options and fantastic tour packages.
Kuala Lumpur is an exciting and bustling metropolitan city and the center and symbol of Malaysia's rapid rise as an economic powerhouse. This includes amongst others the modern buildings of the Golden Triangle, massive shopping malls, rocket-like Petronas towers which rise above the city and driverless trains that glide across the city. Yet nestled amidst the high-rises, it still offers a glimpse of its colorful heritage and a taste of traditional, exotic Asia. With a blend of unique cultures, great variety of food and world-renowned attractions such as KLCC Twin Towers, Genting City of Entertainment often frequented by families, Sunway Lagoon water park, the Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls located in the Langkawi islands, Taman Negara National Park, a major wildlife reserve, both Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur are renowned as perfect year-round holiday and business destinations. Guests are also spoilt for choice as there’s more than just Malaysia under the AirAsia network, with flights to exotic destinations across the ASEAN countries and beyond via our hubs in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu), Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket), and Indonesia (Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Bali).
SEPANG – Skytrax “World’s Best Low Cost Airline” and Asia’s largest and leading low-cost carrier, AirAsia has announced that it will commence its daily direct flights to Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in November 2009 respectively. Following a successful launch from the South Indian city of Trichy last year, AirAsia now offers the people of Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram the pleasure of flying to Kuala Lumpur for an unbeatable all-inclusive fare from as low as INR 1499 (RM 129) all in fares one way respectively for the booking period from 15th to 20th October, 2009 for the travel period from 12th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Kochi, from 16th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum) and from 19th November 2009 to 31st July 2010 for Kolkata. Promotional seats are limited and available on first-come, first-served basis and made exclusively available online via www.airasia.com and mobile.airasia.com.
AirAsia launched its first route to Trichy, India which is situated in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu on December 1, 2008, and is the first airline in South East Asia to fly direct to the city. The launch of the first frequency to the city recorded an overwhelming response with an average load factor of 85% which led the airline to increase its 2nd frequency to the city with AirAsia’s 2nd direct daily flight on 1st September, 2009. To date, AirAsia have carried over 100,000 guests to and from Trichy.
AirAsia Regional Head of Commercial, Kathleen Tan said, “Today, AirAsia is reiterating its commitment to the Indian market with the launch of three new routes- Kolkata, Kochi and Thiruvananthapuram (Trivandrum), the first airline to launch 3 cities in India in one day. While most airlines are cutting back during these tough economic times, AirAsia is aggressively expanding its India route network as we believe there is robust demand in low fare travel. The three new India destinations are colourful cities with rich historical and cultural traditions. We believe our low fares and outstanding innovative services, will definitely open up new markets, stimulate new travel demand and enable more people to fly with us; thus promoting tourism which is beneficial for the economies of both countries.”
“It has been an ongoing and sustained effort for AirAsia to provide the best service with unbelievable low fares to our guests. With the introduction of the three new routes, connectivity to the three cities to and from Kuala Lumpur direct will bridge social ties and promote new connectivity via our hub in Kuala Lumpur as a gateway to over 130 routes in Asia, including the ones served by Airasia X, its long haul affiliate to Australia (Gold Coast, Perth, Melbourne), China (Hangzhou, Tianjin, Chengdu), Taipei, London and Abu Dhabi, bringing the well known brand on to a global stage” concluded Kathleen.
It is now more convenient than ever to fly to Kuala Lumpur from Kolkata, located in the East Indian State of West Bengal and Kochi & Thiruvananthapuram, both located in the South Indian State of Kerala. Moreover as compared to other budget carriers, the route network offered by this award-winning airline is the most extensive in the region. This will translate into a low-cost yet efficient travel experience for guests who would benefit from using the LCC Terminal in Kuala Lumpur to connect to other regional ASEAN cities or long haul sectors serviced by AirAsia X. To add value, under GoHoliday at goholiday.airasia.com, guests may choose their holiday lodgings from over 50,000 hotels across Asia, Europe, India, Australia, Sri Lanka and China including ground transfer options and fantastic tour packages.
Kuala Lumpur is an exciting and bustling metropolitan city and the center and symbol of Malaysia's rapid rise as an economic powerhouse. This includes amongst others the modern buildings of the Golden Triangle, massive shopping malls, rocket-like Petronas towers which rise above the city and driverless trains that glide across the city. Yet nestled amidst the high-rises, it still offers a glimpse of its colorful heritage and a taste of traditional, exotic Asia. With a blend of unique cultures, great variety of food and world-renowned attractions such as KLCC Twin Towers, Genting City of Entertainment often frequented by families, Sunway Lagoon water park, the Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls located in the Langkawi islands, Taman Negara National Park, a major wildlife reserve, both Malaysia and Kuala Lumpur are renowned as perfect year-round holiday and business destinations. Guests are also spoilt for choice as there’s more than just Malaysia under the AirAsia network, with flights to exotic destinations across the ASEAN countries and beyond via our hubs in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Kota Kinabalu), Thailand (Bangkok, Phuket), and Indonesia (Jakarta, Surabaya, Bandung, Bali).
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Economy vehicle or ecology car?
I hope more people will change their perception of a vehicle, seeing it as ameans of transport and not a reflection of the driver's status.
The long-awaited dream of an eco-car will become a reality next year. The possibility has given hope to many middleincome earners that they may this time be able to afford a low-priced eco-friendly car.
Some carmakers, however, seem to start from scratch by trying to explain that the word "eco" does not come from "economy" but is short for "ecology".
What that means is this type of car will have less CO2 emission, stipulated at no more than 120 grammes per kilometre. Moreover, fuel consumption will not exceed 5 litres per 100km.
To achieve that level of "greenness",the car engine must be smaller than those popular in the Thai market, meaning that it would not exceed 1,300cc for petrol and 1,400cc for diesel.
Automobile firms have invested at least 5 billion baht in the eco-car project in Thailand. If they are able to manufacture 100,000 units of the above criteria by the fifth year, they will get tax and tariff incentives from the Board of Investment. Six firms have been approved for the project, but currently only Nissan has announced that it will move ahead according to plan, rolling out its first eco-car on to the Thai market in March next year.
The government wants to see ecocars available at prices starting below 400,000 baht, lower than the current offers on the market, but carmakers insist that the price would not be that low because the cost of high technology and research and development required to produce the cleaner car is very expensive.
It's true that a little bit of help from everyone to save the environment is essential for the overall public amidst rising concern about global warming.The eco-car should be one way that an individual - a member of the middleclass, to be specific - in Thailand can make their contribution. The problem is that consumers in the current sluggish economy may see only the "eco" as in the economy side of things, not ecology,as their first priority when considering buying a new car. If the price is not attractive enough, consumers may opt for a cheaper vehicle that provides them with mobility despite being much less green. Is it possible for both the government and the private sector to cooperate in adjusting an "economy" price into the upcoming "ecology" car?
With the launch of the eco-car project,I hope that my dream of seeing many models of small-engine cars available in the market will come true. I always envy people in some European countries or Japan where people can have a variety of choice when it comes to small cars from different brands.
Here in Thailand, the lowest possible engine that consumers can find is 1,500cc.Smaller cars have faced many episodes of unsuccessful introduction. The 1,300cc Ford Aspire hit the market over a decade ago but its sale lasted only a few years.Toyota launched its Indonesia-made 1,300cc Avanza about five years ago but the small-engine vehicle could not survive in the Thai market so the company had to replace it with the 1,500cc Avanza. An earlier model with the smallest-engine,the 900cc Daihatsu Mira, faced the same fate. I don't know if the disappearance of small-engine cars in Thailand was the result of insincerity on the manufacturers' or dealers' part to maintain continuous sales and service, or a genuine lack of consumer interest in low-engine models. There is an observation in Thailand that many times people are judged by the type of vehicle they drive. Those going about in fancy European brands may get better recognition than those who drive about in general Asian brands.The same person gets a different treatment from others only because that person changes his/her car. A painful reality!
I hope that the government-backed eco-car project will be a success when the launch time arrives. I hope that more and more people will change their perception towards the image of the vehicle,seeing it as a means of transport and not a reflection of the driver's status, so people driving small cars can rest assured that they will still receive equal treatment in society. Let's drive a small car and help save our planet.
The long-awaited dream of an eco-car will become a reality next year. The possibility has given hope to many middleincome earners that they may this time be able to afford a low-priced eco-friendly car.
Some carmakers, however, seem to start from scratch by trying to explain that the word "eco" does not come from "economy" but is short for "ecology".
What that means is this type of car will have less CO2 emission, stipulated at no more than 120 grammes per kilometre. Moreover, fuel consumption will not exceed 5 litres per 100km.
To achieve that level of "greenness",the car engine must be smaller than those popular in the Thai market, meaning that it would not exceed 1,300cc for petrol and 1,400cc for diesel.
Automobile firms have invested at least 5 billion baht in the eco-car project in Thailand. If they are able to manufacture 100,000 units of the above criteria by the fifth year, they will get tax and tariff incentives from the Board of Investment. Six firms have been approved for the project, but currently only Nissan has announced that it will move ahead according to plan, rolling out its first eco-car on to the Thai market in March next year.
The government wants to see ecocars available at prices starting below 400,000 baht, lower than the current offers on the market, but carmakers insist that the price would not be that low because the cost of high technology and research and development required to produce the cleaner car is very expensive.
It's true that a little bit of help from everyone to save the environment is essential for the overall public amidst rising concern about global warming.The eco-car should be one way that an individual - a member of the middleclass, to be specific - in Thailand can make their contribution. The problem is that consumers in the current sluggish economy may see only the "eco" as in the economy side of things, not ecology,as their first priority when considering buying a new car. If the price is not attractive enough, consumers may opt for a cheaper vehicle that provides them with mobility despite being much less green. Is it possible for both the government and the private sector to cooperate in adjusting an "economy" price into the upcoming "ecology" car?
With the launch of the eco-car project,I hope that my dream of seeing many models of small-engine cars available in the market will come true. I always envy people in some European countries or Japan where people can have a variety of choice when it comes to small cars from different brands.
Here in Thailand, the lowest possible engine that consumers can find is 1,500cc.Smaller cars have faced many episodes of unsuccessful introduction. The 1,300cc Ford Aspire hit the market over a decade ago but its sale lasted only a few years.Toyota launched its Indonesia-made 1,300cc Avanza about five years ago but the small-engine vehicle could not survive in the Thai market so the company had to replace it with the 1,500cc Avanza. An earlier model with the smallest-engine,the 900cc Daihatsu Mira, faced the same fate. I don't know if the disappearance of small-engine cars in Thailand was the result of insincerity on the manufacturers' or dealers' part to maintain continuous sales and service, or a genuine lack of consumer interest in low-engine models. There is an observation in Thailand that many times people are judged by the type of vehicle they drive. Those going about in fancy European brands may get better recognition than those who drive about in general Asian brands.The same person gets a different treatment from others only because that person changes his/her car. A painful reality!
I hope that the government-backed eco-car project will be a success when the launch time arrives. I hope that more and more people will change their perception towards the image of the vehicle,seeing it as a means of transport and not a reflection of the driver's status, so people driving small cars can rest assured that they will still receive equal treatment in society. Let's drive a small car and help save our planet.
Magnificent seven
In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
SOLAR HOMES COMPETE IN WASHINGTON
For the past week on the National Mall in Washington, international crews have been dusy putting up structures for an event showcasing a radiant source of energy that some once revered as a god.
The Solar Decathlon, a biennial event that began last Thursday, puts modular, solar-powered homes through 10 tests to determine which is the new sun king.
Over the course of a week, teams of students from Canada, Germany, Spain and the United States will take part in competitions judging the houses they designed and built for everything from aesthetics to engineering to whether the water heating system can meet a couple's hot water needs.
Judges will determine whether the houses are properly fitted out with the modern conveniences most Westerners cannot live without, and whether the appliances consume less energy than those in the average US home.
The houses displayed on the Mall, the sprawling grassy esplanade between the US Capitol and the Washington Monument, are restricted to a footprint of 800 square feet or 74.3 square metres and are supposed to target a specific market.
Scores of teams applied to compete in this year's decathlon, but only 20 were accepted, including Team Beausoleil from the University of Louisiana which built a house inspired by Cajun culture and facts of life in the southern US state, such as hurricanes. The 14-centimetre insulated walls can resist winds of 209 kilometres per hour, and the insulation would also "cut your energy rate by about half if the house's solar panels were not producing for the home," said Catherine Guidry, one of the sutdents working on the home.
The house featured a porch - almost a requirement in laid-back Louisiana - with moveable doors so it can be closed off on all sides or open on two sides. Plants indigenous to Louisiana thrived in planters in the small garden.
"We wanted it to feel like Louisiana from the inside and outside," Guidry said.
Team Germany, winner of the 2007 decathlon, has reconstructed a house whose exterior walls and louvered windows are covered with small integrated solar panels.
Like the Spanish team's abode, which features a large, raised moveable solar panel on the roof, the house was shipped across the Atlantic Ocean for the competition.
The entry from Cornell University students in New York state features three corrugated steel cylinders and walls insulated with five inches of soy-based foam and sy-lights in all three cylindrical rooms.
The house is visually striking and, according to Cornell architecture student Chris Werner, can hold its own in a new category in this year's decathlon - the "net metering" contest, which measures the energy a house produces for or takes from the electricity grid during the competition.
Even the heat that gets trapped in the structure's steel exterior is used to heat water, said Werner.
And when Cornell put its house through its paces at last month's New York state fair, it achieved "net-zero or better the entire time", meaning it is efficient enough to not require energy from the grid, according to Werner.
After two years of work on their houses plus nearly two weeks of constructing and competing, the winners will take home "bragging rights and lots of good feelings about the last two years of our lives", he said.
They will also take home a little culinary insight into the regions represented by other competitors because the "home entertainment" category of the decathlon requires teams to cook dinner for members of rival line-ups.
The German team's menu will feature dumplings known as knoedeln, but no sauerkraut, said Sardika Meyer, a spokeswoman for the team.
No German beer either - alcohol is banned at the competition.
The University of Arizona team, whose house is made up of four modules that look like glass-domed funicular railway cars, plans to treat guests to tamales - the Mexican answer to chapatis - filled with dried, sharedded beef known as "machaca" and a cactus salsa.
Team Beausoleil will serve up Louisiana specialities, including gumbo and bread pudding - but has ditched the idea of serving fried alligator.
"We thought it might scare away the neighbours," said Geoff Gjertson, the team's faculty advisor.
The Solar Decathlon, a biennial event that began last Thursday, puts modular, solar-powered homes through 10 tests to determine which is the new sun king.
Over the course of a week, teams of students from Canada, Germany, Spain and the United States will take part in competitions judging the houses they designed and built for everything from aesthetics to engineering to whether the water heating system can meet a couple's hot water needs.
Judges will determine whether the houses are properly fitted out with the modern conveniences most Westerners cannot live without, and whether the appliances consume less energy than those in the average US home.
The houses displayed on the Mall, the sprawling grassy esplanade between the US Capitol and the Washington Monument, are restricted to a footprint of 800 square feet or 74.3 square metres and are supposed to target a specific market.
Scores of teams applied to compete in this year's decathlon, but only 20 were accepted, including Team Beausoleil from the University of Louisiana which built a house inspired by Cajun culture and facts of life in the southern US state, such as hurricanes. The 14-centimetre insulated walls can resist winds of 209 kilometres per hour, and the insulation would also "cut your energy rate by about half if the house's solar panels were not producing for the home," said Catherine Guidry, one of the sutdents working on the home.
The house featured a porch - almost a requirement in laid-back Louisiana - with moveable doors so it can be closed off on all sides or open on two sides. Plants indigenous to Louisiana thrived in planters in the small garden.
"We wanted it to feel like Louisiana from the inside and outside," Guidry said.
Team Germany, winner of the 2007 decathlon, has reconstructed a house whose exterior walls and louvered windows are covered with small integrated solar panels.
Like the Spanish team's abode, which features a large, raised moveable solar panel on the roof, the house was shipped across the Atlantic Ocean for the competition.
The entry from Cornell University students in New York state features three corrugated steel cylinders and walls insulated with five inches of soy-based foam and sy-lights in all three cylindrical rooms.
The house is visually striking and, according to Cornell architecture student Chris Werner, can hold its own in a new category in this year's decathlon - the "net metering" contest, which measures the energy a house produces for or takes from the electricity grid during the competition.
Even the heat that gets trapped in the structure's steel exterior is used to heat water, said Werner.
And when Cornell put its house through its paces at last month's New York state fair, it achieved "net-zero or better the entire time", meaning it is efficient enough to not require energy from the grid, according to Werner.
After two years of work on their houses plus nearly two weeks of constructing and competing, the winners will take home "bragging rights and lots of good feelings about the last two years of our lives", he said.
They will also take home a little culinary insight into the regions represented by other competitors because the "home entertainment" category of the decathlon requires teams to cook dinner for members of rival line-ups.
The German team's menu will feature dumplings known as knoedeln, but no sauerkraut, said Sardika Meyer, a spokeswoman for the team.
No German beer either - alcohol is banned at the competition.
The University of Arizona team, whose house is made up of four modules that look like glass-domed funicular railway cars, plans to treat guests to tamales - the Mexican answer to chapatis - filled with dried, sharedded beef known as "machaca" and a cactus salsa.
Team Beausoleil will serve up Louisiana specialities, including gumbo and bread pudding - but has ditched the idea of serving fried alligator.
"We thought it might scare away the neighbours," said Geoff Gjertson, the team's faculty advisor.
Monday, October 12, 2009
"Alien" star promotes gorilla rescue project in DR Congo
Actress Sigourney Weaver said on Saturday that orphaned gorillas desperately need a permanent rescue and rehabilitation centre that's currently being built in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
The Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (Grace) is set to open in March, about a year after construction began. It's a joint project of the Atlanta-based Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and several other organisations.
Fossey, a Californian who was killed in 1985, made researching and rescuing the African gorilla population her life's mission. She lived among the rare mountain gorillas and observed their behaviour over roughly 10 years at Karisoke, a research camp she established in Rwanda.
Ms Weaver played Fossey in the 1988 movie Gorillas in the Mist and is honorary chair of the fund. While filming, Ms Weaver said she spent many days with gorillas.
"These little gorillas just steal your heart. They're very sensitive creatures,"she said."So it's no surprise that this is a very demanding and ambitious project,the Grace Center, but we need it."
Ms Weaver was at Atlanta's Woodruff Arts Center Saturday to talk about the project.Gorilla's in the Mist will be shown on a big screen for the first time in about 20 years at Woodruff on Oct 17 as part of fundraising efforts.
The centre will house orphaned gorillas who may have behavioural, develop mental, physical or psychological problems after being rescued from poachers.
Ms Weaver said the centre aims to care for and rehabilitate the gorillas to the point that they may be able to survive in the wild, instead of living out their lives in captivity.
The other organisations partnering with the gorilla fund in this project are the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, Disney's Animal Kingdom, the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the national park authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
The Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education Center (Grace) is set to open in March, about a year after construction began. It's a joint project of the Atlanta-based Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and several other organisations.
Fossey, a Californian who was killed in 1985, made researching and rescuing the African gorilla population her life's mission. She lived among the rare mountain gorillas and observed their behaviour over roughly 10 years at Karisoke, a research camp she established in Rwanda.
Ms Weaver played Fossey in the 1988 movie Gorillas in the Mist and is honorary chair of the fund. While filming, Ms Weaver said she spent many days with gorillas.
"These little gorillas just steal your heart. They're very sensitive creatures,"she said."So it's no surprise that this is a very demanding and ambitious project,the Grace Center, but we need it."
Ms Weaver was at Atlanta's Woodruff Arts Center Saturday to talk about the project.Gorilla's in the Mist will be shown on a big screen for the first time in about 20 years at Woodruff on Oct 17 as part of fundraising efforts.
The centre will house orphaned gorillas who may have behavioural, develop mental, physical or psychological problems after being rescued from poachers.
Ms Weaver said the centre aims to care for and rehabilitate the gorillas to the point that they may be able to survive in the wild, instead of living out their lives in captivity.
The other organisations partnering with the gorilla fund in this project are the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, Disney's Animal Kingdom, the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the national park authorities of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
PRESERVING THREE NATURAL LEGACIES
Vichit Phanumphai, a traffic/highway engineer specialising in safety, wrote to ask my opinion concerning the 100-year-old trees in the Sanam Chandra Palace compound in Nakhon Pathom.of proper care," he wrote."According to the gardeners I talked to a few weeks ago,the trees are not allowed to be pruned.
"One large tree in particular near the dog sta
tue needs some urgent remedial care."
Sanam Chandra Palace is about one kilometre from Nakhon Pathom's majestic golden pagoda, the Phra Pathom Chedi.King Rama VI had the palace built so he could have a place to stay when he visited the pagoda and watch the combat practice of his elite Wild Tigers Corps, a paramilitary troop.
The palace comprises five buildings and a shrine for the Hindu god, Ganesh. In front of King Rama VI's Chaleemongkolasana residence, a tiny castle built in combined French and English styles, is a statue of the king's loyal dog, Yalae. Silpakorn University now uses part of the 136-hectare compound as its campus, but the palace grounds and its buildings, which have been turned into museums, are open to the public.
To have an idea of what Mr Vichit was talking about, my son drove me down to Nakhon Pathom, some 56km south of Bangkok, last Sunday. The Sanam Chandra Palace compound is shaded by many trees,mostly rain trees and mahoganies, several of which were planted when the palace was built 100 years ago. Many showed signs of proper pruning, but as I went deeper into the compound I saw huge, old trees that had been taken over by strangler figs, or had dead branches or trunks that needed urgent surgery work. One tree was still standing but already dead.
The palace compound has 35 gardeners,and four of them were pruning a mediumsize Lagerstroemia tree. When asked why the Lagerstroemia was being pruned while the old rain trees which needed proper attention seemed to be neglected, they said they were allowed to prune the young trees, but not the old ones.
"We are waiting for the go-ahead from our boss. He has already asked for permission from Bangkok, but so far hasn't received any reply," one of them answered."We dare not cut down even that dead tree without permission."
The tree that Mr Vichit was most con-cerned about is a huge rain tree, one of three that flank the Chaleemongkolasana residence. But it is not alone, as two, and possibly all three, need urgent remedial care.
Two of the trees have been eaten to the core by termites, which have built anthills inside the trees' cavities. A more concerned caretaker would not have allowed the trees to deteriorate this far, and when asked what they thought about it, the gardeners said they had no choice but to let the trees die.
Not many people in Thailand see the aesthetic if not the historical value of old trees. The palace grounds, and certainly the Chaleemongkolasana residence, would not be the same without the trees, which have provided them shade for more than 100 years.
The rain trees heralded a different era,when Thailand was still called Siam, and without the trees the old atmosphere of the palace grounds would be gone; it would be akin to an old palace museum showing modern things that do not have a historical meaning.
In fact, the trees are still holding out and need not die if they are given proper care and maintenance now. First, the termites must be eradicated. There are a number of do-it-yourself termite control products -termiticides, baits, aerosols,insecticides, dusts - but it might be better to seek the services of a termite control professional.
After the termites have been eradicated,scrub out the termite mound and dead wood from the trees' cavities before applying a fungicide such as copper sulphate on the wound. Fill up the hollow cavity with brick and mortar; it might be necessary to use a piece of chicken wire mesh to strengthen the structure. Fill up the mesh's holes with cement until the tree's cavity is fully covered and then apply paint, if desired, to make the cemented part blend with the colour of the bark.
The trunks of old trees sometimes have fissures where rainwater and old leaves collect until they rot, killing the surrounding wood and forming a hollow cavity. These should be treated the same way, whether they contain termites or not.
The work does not stop there. The trees must be monitored regularly to make sure the termites have not come back and invaded the roots instead.
Actually, termites feed on dead wood and for them to establish clay mounds in the cavities of trees means that the old trees at the palace compound have been neglected for a long time. To be fair, one of the trees beside the Chaleemongkolasana residence showed signs of surgery, but the mortar had been pushed out by the clay mound or anthill.
It's as if there had been a change of caretaker; one looked after the trees well,but after he left he was replaced by someone who couldn't care less, or who needed someone else's permission before he did anything, to the detriment of the trees.
"One large tree in particular near the dog sta
tue needs some urgent remedial care."
Sanam Chandra Palace is about one kilometre from Nakhon Pathom's majestic golden pagoda, the Phra Pathom Chedi.King Rama VI had the palace built so he could have a place to stay when he visited the pagoda and watch the combat practice of his elite Wild Tigers Corps, a paramilitary troop.
The palace comprises five buildings and a shrine for the Hindu god, Ganesh. In front of King Rama VI's Chaleemongkolasana residence, a tiny castle built in combined French and English styles, is a statue of the king's loyal dog, Yalae. Silpakorn University now uses part of the 136-hectare compound as its campus, but the palace grounds and its buildings, which have been turned into museums, are open to the public.
To have an idea of what Mr Vichit was talking about, my son drove me down to Nakhon Pathom, some 56km south of Bangkok, last Sunday. The Sanam Chandra Palace compound is shaded by many trees,mostly rain trees and mahoganies, several of which were planted when the palace was built 100 years ago. Many showed signs of proper pruning, but as I went deeper into the compound I saw huge, old trees that had been taken over by strangler figs, or had dead branches or trunks that needed urgent surgery work. One tree was still standing but already dead.
The palace compound has 35 gardeners,and four of them were pruning a mediumsize Lagerstroemia tree. When asked why the Lagerstroemia was being pruned while the old rain trees which needed proper attention seemed to be neglected, they said they were allowed to prune the young trees, but not the old ones.
"We are waiting for the go-ahead from our boss. He has already asked for permission from Bangkok, but so far hasn't received any reply," one of them answered."We dare not cut down even that dead tree without permission."
The tree that Mr Vichit was most con-cerned about is a huge rain tree, one of three that flank the Chaleemongkolasana residence. But it is not alone, as two, and possibly all three, need urgent remedial care.
Two of the trees have been eaten to the core by termites, which have built anthills inside the trees' cavities. A more concerned caretaker would not have allowed the trees to deteriorate this far, and when asked what they thought about it, the gardeners said they had no choice but to let the trees die.
Not many people in Thailand see the aesthetic if not the historical value of old trees. The palace grounds, and certainly the Chaleemongkolasana residence, would not be the same without the trees, which have provided them shade for more than 100 years.
The rain trees heralded a different era,when Thailand was still called Siam, and without the trees the old atmosphere of the palace grounds would be gone; it would be akin to an old palace museum showing modern things that do not have a historical meaning.
In fact, the trees are still holding out and need not die if they are given proper care and maintenance now. First, the termites must be eradicated. There are a number of do-it-yourself termite control products -termiticides, baits, aerosols,insecticides, dusts - but it might be better to seek the services of a termite control professional.
After the termites have been eradicated,scrub out the termite mound and dead wood from the trees' cavities before applying a fungicide such as copper sulphate on the wound. Fill up the hollow cavity with brick and mortar; it might be necessary to use a piece of chicken wire mesh to strengthen the structure. Fill up the mesh's holes with cement until the tree's cavity is fully covered and then apply paint, if desired, to make the cemented part blend with the colour of the bark.
The trunks of old trees sometimes have fissures where rainwater and old leaves collect until they rot, killing the surrounding wood and forming a hollow cavity. These should be treated the same way, whether they contain termites or not.
The work does not stop there. The trees must be monitored regularly to make sure the termites have not come back and invaded the roots instead.
Actually, termites feed on dead wood and for them to establish clay mounds in the cavities of trees means that the old trees at the palace compound have been neglected for a long time. To be fair, one of the trees beside the Chaleemongkolasana residence showed signs of surgery, but the mortar had been pushed out by the clay mound or anthill.
It's as if there had been a change of caretaker; one looked after the trees well,but after he left he was replaced by someone who couldn't care less, or who needed someone else's permission before he did anything, to the detriment of the trees.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Borlaug, who saved millions from hunger, dies
Scientist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug rose from his childhood on an Iowa farm to develop a type of wheat that helped feed the world, fostering a movement that is credited with saving up to 1 billion people from starvation.
Borlaug, 95, died last week from complications of cancer at his Dallas home, said Kathleen Phillips, a spokesman for Texas A&M University where Borlaug was a distinguished professor.
"Norman E. Borlaug saved more lives than any man in human history," said Josette Sheeran, executive director of the UN World Food Programme."His heart was as big as his brilliant mind, but it was his passion and compassion that moved the world."
He was known as the father of the "green revolution", which transformed agriculture through high-yield crop varieties and other innovations,helping to more than double world food production between 1960 and 1990.Many experts credit the green revolution with averting global famine during the second half of the 20th century and saving perhaps 1 billion lives.
"He has probably done more and is known by fewer people than anybody that has done that much," said Dr Ed Runge, retired head of Texas A&M University's Department of Soil and Crop Sciences and a close friend who persuaded Borlaug teach at the school."He made the world a better place - a much better place."
Borlaug began the work that led to his Nobel in Mexico at the end of World War II. There he developed diseaseresistant varieties of wheat that produced much more grain than traditional strains.
He and others later took those varieties and similarly improved strains of rice and corn to Asia, the Middle East, South America and Africa. In Pakistan and India,two of the nations that benefited most from the new crop varieties, grain yields more than quadrupled.
His successes in the 1960s came just as experts warned that mass starvation was inevitable as the world's population boomed.
"More than any other single person of his age, he has helped to provide bread for a hungry world," Nobel Peace Prize committee chairman Aase Lionaes said in presenting the award to Borlaug in 1970."We have made this choice in the hope that providing bread will also give the world peace."
But Borlaug and the Green Revolution were also criticised in later decades for promoting practices that used fertiliser and pesticides, and focusing on a few high-yield crops that benefited large landowners.
Borlaug often said wheat was only a vehicle for his real interest, which was to improve people's lives.
"We must recognise the fact that adequate food is only the first requisite for life," he said in his Nobel acceptance speech."For a decent and humane life we must also provide an opportunity for good education, remunerative employment, comfortable housing, good clothing and effective and compassionate medical care."
Borlaug also pressed governments for farmer-friendly economic policies and improved infrastructure to make markets accessible. A 2006 book about Borlaug
is titled The Man Who Fed the World .Norman Ernest Borlaug was born March 25,1914, on a farm near Cresco, Iowa, and educated through the eighth grade in a one-room schoolhouse.
He left home during the Great Depression to study forestry at the University of Minnesota.While there he earned himself a place in the university's wrestling hall of fame and met his future wife, whom he married in 1937. Margaret Borlaug died in 2007 at the age of 95.
After a brief stint with the US Forest Service, Norman Borlaug returned to the University of Minnesota for a doctoral degree in plant pathology. He then worked as a microbiologist for DuPont, but soon left for a job with the Rockefeller Foundation. Between 1944 and 1960,Borlaug dedicated himself to increasing Mexico's wheat production.
In 1963, Borlaug was named head of the newly formed International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre in Mexico, where he trained thousands of young scientists.
Borlaug retired as head of the centre in 1979 and turned to university teaching,first at Cornell University and then at Texas A&M, which presented him with an honorary doctorate in December 2007.
He remained active well into his nineties, campaigning for the use of biotechnology to fight hunger. He also helped found and served as president of the Sasakawa Africa Foundation, an organisation funded by Japanese billionaire Ryoichi Sasakawa to introduce the green revolution to sub-Saharan Africa.
In 1986, Borlaug established the Des Moines, Iowa-based World Food Prize,a $250,000 award given each year to a person whose work improves the world's food supply.
He received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honour given by Congress, in 2007.
He is survived by daughter Jeanie Borlaug Laube and her husband Rex; son William Gibson Borlaug and his wife Barbie; five grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren.
Borlaug, 95, died last week from complications of cancer at his Dallas home, said Kathleen Phillips, a spokesman for Texas A&M University where Borlaug was a distinguished professor.
"Norman E. Borlaug saved more lives than any man in human history," said Josette Sheeran, executive director of the UN World Food Programme."His heart was as big as his brilliant mind, but it was his passion and compassion that moved the world."
He was known as the father of the "green revolution", which transformed agriculture through high-yield crop varieties and other innovations,helping to more than double world food production between 1960 and 1990.Many experts credit the green revolution with averting global famine during the second half of the 20th century and saving perhaps 1 billion lives.
"He has probably done more and is known by fewer people than anybody that has done that much," said Dr Ed Runge, retired head of Texas A&M University's Department of Soil and Crop Sciences and a close friend who persuaded Borlaug teach at the school."He made the world a better place - a much better place."
Borlaug began the work that led to his Nobel in Mexico at the end of World War II. There he developed diseaseresistant varieties of wheat that produced much more grain than traditional strains.
He and others later took those varieties and similarly improved strains of rice and corn to Asia, the Middle East, South America and Africa. In Pakistan and India,two of the nations that benefited most from the new crop varieties, grain yields more than quadrupled.
His successes in the 1960s came just as experts warned that mass starvation was inevitable as the world's population boomed.
"More than any other single person of his age, he has helped to provide bread for a hungry world," Nobel Peace Prize committee chairman Aase Lionaes said in presenting the award to Borlaug in 1970."We have made this choice in the hope that providing bread will also give the world peace."
But Borlaug and the Green Revolution were also criticised in later decades for promoting practices that used fertiliser and pesticides, and focusing on a few high-yield crops that benefited large landowners.
Borlaug often said wheat was only a vehicle for his real interest, which was to improve people's lives.
"We must recognise the fact that adequate food is only the first requisite for life," he said in his Nobel acceptance speech."For a decent and humane life we must also provide an opportunity for good education, remunerative employment, comfortable housing, good clothing and effective and compassionate medical care."
Borlaug also pressed governments for farmer-friendly economic policies and improved infrastructure to make markets accessible. A 2006 book about Borlaug
is titled The Man Who Fed the World .Norman Ernest Borlaug was born March 25,1914, on a farm near Cresco, Iowa, and educated through the eighth grade in a one-room schoolhouse.
He left home during the Great Depression to study forestry at the University of Minnesota.While there he earned himself a place in the university's wrestling hall of fame and met his future wife, whom he married in 1937. Margaret Borlaug died in 2007 at the age of 95.
After a brief stint with the US Forest Service, Norman Borlaug returned to the University of Minnesota for a doctoral degree in plant pathology. He then worked as a microbiologist for DuPont, but soon left for a job with the Rockefeller Foundation. Between 1944 and 1960,Borlaug dedicated himself to increasing Mexico's wheat production.
In 1963, Borlaug was named head of the newly formed International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre in Mexico, where he trained thousands of young scientists.
Borlaug retired as head of the centre in 1979 and turned to university teaching,first at Cornell University and then at Texas A&M, which presented him with an honorary doctorate in December 2007.
He remained active well into his nineties, campaigning for the use of biotechnology to fight hunger. He also helped found and served as president of the Sasakawa Africa Foundation, an organisation funded by Japanese billionaire Ryoichi Sasakawa to introduce the green revolution to sub-Saharan Africa.
In 1986, Borlaug established the Des Moines, Iowa-based World Food Prize,a $250,000 award given each year to a person whose work improves the world's food supply.
He received the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honour given by Congress, in 2007.
He is survived by daughter Jeanie Borlaug Laube and her husband Rex; son William Gibson Borlaug and his wife Barbie; five grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren.
Wetlands once more
Project temporarily floods agricultural fields to restore declining shorebird habitat and boost crops
The request struck Dave Hedlin,a farmer in Washington's fertile Skagit Valley, as particularly odd - conservationists wanted him to voluntarily flood his fields.
Most of us have spent our entire lifetimes trying to keep water off the land,said Hedlin, whose farmlands are nestled among inlets, bays and estuaries in the shadow of the snow-capped Mount Baker Volcano.
But he decided to take part in a pilot project run by the Nature Conservancy,which temporarily floods agricultural fields to restore shorebird habitat.
The flooding would be part of his farms regular crop rotation, and in theory would pay for itself by filling the fields with natural fertiliser, drowning diseasecausing bacteria in soil and boosting crop yields.
In turn, the wetlands would again become a rest and refuelling station for migratory shorebirds between their Arctic breeding grounds and southern winter retreats.
Of the 53 shorebirds that breed in North America, more than half are at grave risk, according to the US Shorebird Conservation Plan, a programme run by a coalition of public and private organisations.
After three years, early results suggest that the project is working: fifteen shorebird species have returned to the restored wetlands.
So far, three participating farmers have been happy with the experiment,including Hedlin, who said that he has not suffered financially.
Before the valley was converted to agriculture at the beginning of the 20th century, its wetlands had teemed with crustaceans, fish and bugs.
But since the wetlands became farmlands, most of the 50,000-some birds that visit each year feed in the nearby estuaries instead.
"We've totally changed this landscape," said Julie Morse, an ecologist with the Nature Conservancy in Mount Vernon, also in the Skagit Valley.
"It used to be tidally influenced, but now it is very much a dyked system."
The Skagit Valley project is modelled after a 10-year-old walking wetlands concept in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California, where farmland within a wildlife refuge is placed on a wetland rotation.
Laura Payne, a wildlife ecologist based at the University of Washington in Seattle,called the project an innovative collaboration between farmers and conservationists.
"This idea has the potential for wide application, and I think it is absolutely relevant," Payne said.
If the project is successful, the Nature Conservancy plans to replicate the walking wetlands concept on farms throughout migratory-shorebird flyways, which extend from the Arctic to Central and South America.
"Loss of wetlands in coastal areas for farming has happened all around the world, so it could be implemented anywhere," the Nature Conservancy's Morse said.
The three Skagit Valley farmers,including Hedlin, who signed up to participate in the project have also helped shape it.
"They asked for advice first off, instead of telling us what they wanted to do,"Hedlin said.
The team hatched a plan to flood select fields with a thin sheet of water no more than 4in.(10cm) deep - an ideal level for shorebirds for three years.The plots stayed flooded for the entire experiment.
Doing so required the farmers to build berms to prevent water from flooding their neighbours land.
Preliminary results of the first three years suggest a partial success.
In the first year,15 species of shorebirds used the flooded fields, and only two shorebird species used the grazed and green-chop fields pointing to a possible ecological benefit of the flooded parcels.
"The Nature Conservancy team has no data on how many shorebird species historically visited the wetlands, and only about three species had been spotted after the conversion to agriculture. So the team was pleased to see 15 species return," Morse said.
But by the second year, cat's tail in the flooded fields were more than 15 feet (5m) tall, which proved too difficult for the shorebirds to navigate. That year only eight shorebird species visited the fields.
"It is pretty amazing that you let nature go and it [returns to a native state] that quickly," the Nature Conservancy's Morse said.
The conservationists are now considering plans to actively manage the flooded fields to keep them primed for shorebirds.
Farmers also saw a financial benefit:Nitrogen levels in the flooded fields increased on average by 50 pounds (23kg)per acre (0.4 hectare), which means that farmers may have spent less money on fertiliser.
Hedlin, the farmer, said he used the three-year flood to transition his field to organic, as fields have to sit fallow for three years for organic certification.
"We had a positive experience and didn't go backward financially," Hedlin said. The Nature Conservancy's Morse is now comparing how much money is gained on a grazed field versus a green chop field versus a flooded field.
"The big thing that we are doing that they haven't done in the Klamath is really trying to quantify how much value it provides to the farmers and how much [shorebird] habitat it provides," Morse said.
"And were comparing the ecological benefits of those three habitats as well,"she added.
Mark Colwell, a wildlife biologist at Humboldt State University in Arcata,California, praised the projects innovation.
"But helping migratory shorebirds bounce back is not easy," Colwell said.
Habitats such as the Skagit Valley and the Klamath Basin can be thought of as links in a chain along the migratoryshorebird flyway.
You can do stuff at a series of links in the chain up and down the flyway, but if at one site there's a serious problem there, well, the whole population could plummet.
Nevertheless, Colwell added, enough of these projects spread out along the flyway could help birds find enough food over the courses of their annual migrations.
The University of Washington's Payne noted that migratory shorebirds are opportunistic, particularly along inland flyways where wetland conditions are unpredictable.
"They know a good habitat when they see one, such as a normally dry area that floods in a particularly wet year,"Payne said.
Alternative habitats such as temporarily flooded fields, she said, suits this group of species.
The request struck Dave Hedlin,a farmer in Washington's fertile Skagit Valley, as particularly odd - conservationists wanted him to voluntarily flood his fields.
Most of us have spent our entire lifetimes trying to keep water off the land,said Hedlin, whose farmlands are nestled among inlets, bays and estuaries in the shadow of the snow-capped Mount Baker Volcano.
But he decided to take part in a pilot project run by the Nature Conservancy,which temporarily floods agricultural fields to restore shorebird habitat.
The flooding would be part of his farms regular crop rotation, and in theory would pay for itself by filling the fields with natural fertiliser, drowning diseasecausing bacteria in soil and boosting crop yields.
In turn, the wetlands would again become a rest and refuelling station for migratory shorebirds between their Arctic breeding grounds and southern winter retreats.
Of the 53 shorebirds that breed in North America, more than half are at grave risk, according to the US Shorebird Conservation Plan, a programme run by a coalition of public and private organisations.
After three years, early results suggest that the project is working: fifteen shorebird species have returned to the restored wetlands.
So far, three participating farmers have been happy with the experiment,including Hedlin, who said that he has not suffered financially.
Before the valley was converted to agriculture at the beginning of the 20th century, its wetlands had teemed with crustaceans, fish and bugs.
But since the wetlands became farmlands, most of the 50,000-some birds that visit each year feed in the nearby estuaries instead.
"We've totally changed this landscape," said Julie Morse, an ecologist with the Nature Conservancy in Mount Vernon, also in the Skagit Valley.
"It used to be tidally influenced, but now it is very much a dyked system."
The Skagit Valley project is modelled after a 10-year-old walking wetlands concept in the Klamath Basin of southern Oregon and northern California, where farmland within a wildlife refuge is placed on a wetland rotation.
Laura Payne, a wildlife ecologist based at the University of Washington in Seattle,called the project an innovative collaboration between farmers and conservationists.
"This idea has the potential for wide application, and I think it is absolutely relevant," Payne said.
If the project is successful, the Nature Conservancy plans to replicate the walking wetlands concept on farms throughout migratory-shorebird flyways, which extend from the Arctic to Central and South America.
"Loss of wetlands in coastal areas for farming has happened all around the world, so it could be implemented anywhere," the Nature Conservancy's Morse said.
The three Skagit Valley farmers,including Hedlin, who signed up to participate in the project have also helped shape it.
"They asked for advice first off, instead of telling us what they wanted to do,"Hedlin said.
The team hatched a plan to flood select fields with a thin sheet of water no more than 4in.(10cm) deep - an ideal level for shorebirds for three years.The plots stayed flooded for the entire experiment.
Doing so required the farmers to build berms to prevent water from flooding their neighbours land.
Preliminary results of the first three years suggest a partial success.
In the first year,15 species of shorebirds used the flooded fields, and only two shorebird species used the grazed and green-chop fields pointing to a possible ecological benefit of the flooded parcels.
"The Nature Conservancy team has no data on how many shorebird species historically visited the wetlands, and only about three species had been spotted after the conversion to agriculture. So the team was pleased to see 15 species return," Morse said.
But by the second year, cat's tail in the flooded fields were more than 15 feet (5m) tall, which proved too difficult for the shorebirds to navigate. That year only eight shorebird species visited the fields.
"It is pretty amazing that you let nature go and it [returns to a native state] that quickly," the Nature Conservancy's Morse said.
The conservationists are now considering plans to actively manage the flooded fields to keep them primed for shorebirds.
Farmers also saw a financial benefit:Nitrogen levels in the flooded fields increased on average by 50 pounds (23kg)per acre (0.4 hectare), which means that farmers may have spent less money on fertiliser.
Hedlin, the farmer, said he used the three-year flood to transition his field to organic, as fields have to sit fallow for three years for organic certification.
"We had a positive experience and didn't go backward financially," Hedlin said. The Nature Conservancy's Morse is now comparing how much money is gained on a grazed field versus a green chop field versus a flooded field.
"The big thing that we are doing that they haven't done in the Klamath is really trying to quantify how much value it provides to the farmers and how much [shorebird] habitat it provides," Morse said.
"And were comparing the ecological benefits of those three habitats as well,"she added.
Mark Colwell, a wildlife biologist at Humboldt State University in Arcata,California, praised the projects innovation.
"But helping migratory shorebirds bounce back is not easy," Colwell said.
Habitats such as the Skagit Valley and the Klamath Basin can be thought of as links in a chain along the migratoryshorebird flyway.
You can do stuff at a series of links in the chain up and down the flyway, but if at one site there's a serious problem there, well, the whole population could plummet.
Nevertheless, Colwell added, enough of these projects spread out along the flyway could help birds find enough food over the courses of their annual migrations.
The University of Washington's Payne noted that migratory shorebirds are opportunistic, particularly along inland flyways where wetland conditions are unpredictable.
"They know a good habitat when they see one, such as a normally dry area that floods in a particularly wet year,"Payne said.
Alternative habitats such as temporarily flooded fields, she said, suits this group of species.
Sound familiar?
Your TOT crossed its heart and hoped to die if it fails to have actual third-generation mobile phone service in a little corner of Bangkok before New Year's Eve; Vichien Narkseenuan, the firm's senior executive president for vice, said he expects to sign a deal Real Soon Now with a socalled mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) that will carry the TOT service,although no names, please; Mr Vichien promised "about" 500,000 numbers would be available; real yuppiephone networks scoffed at the TOT offer to let them in on the deal, because they fear that if they rent a network now, the National Telecommunications Commission won't let them bid for a licence to run their own 3G services.
Vichien Narkseenuan, the senior executive president of vice for your TOT ,said that the state monopoly plans to open a third-generation (3G) phone service with 100,000 numbers, and serving the entire country; TOT has no intention of building its own base stations,though, and will rent them from real phone companies; Mr Vichien forgot to mention when this nationwide 3G service might start for the lucky 100,000.
The National Telecommunications Commission announced it will open public hearings on third generation phones next Monday; Prasert Aphipunya, secretary in charge of vice for the NTC, said you should bring along a large truck load of money if you want to start the bidding for licences, say,oh, somewhere around 10 billion-witha-"b" baht; after next weeks' hearing,there will be a notice in the Royal Gazette ,and actual bidding for four (and only four) available licences may open as early as December; rules on all of this should be up on the NTC's website by now at www.ntc.co.th.
For the third time in a row, the strug-gling TT&T company won a multibillion-baht lawsuit against your TOT and for the third time in a row your TOT told them to pound sand; this time,an agree-upon arbitrator decided that TOT owed the up-country phone provider 2.3 billion baht in misguided revenue sharing for long distance calls;but TOT president Varut Suvakorn rejected the arbitration and told TT&T,"See ya in court, boys"; in case the Administrative Court rules against TOT yet again, Mr Varut said he was pretty sure the state firm didn't have that kind of money to pay off anyhow; TT&T explained that lawsuit number four is about to be filed.
No 2 yuppiephone firm DTAC of Norway opened its new headquarters in new Chamchuri Square , bragging that it spent one billion baht on the 19-floor (!) digs; all 3,200 DTAC employees relocated from the Chai Building to the new location at the Sam Yan intersection,overlooking Chulalongkorn University;CEO Tore Johnsen signed a 10-year lease for the 61,160-square-metre office,which includes the firm's main call centre; Mr Johnsen said new staff will work harder to pay the extra rent money; the kicker is that DTAC is asking the following price for the Chai Building one billion baht; Mr Johnsen said that DTAC was pressing ahead aggressively on its 3G trials and so on and etc and zzzzzzz.
Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul, apparently unaware that you can't spell "Thaksin" without "hub", said that Asean should become the energy exporting hub of the world; no, really,his reasoning is that Southeast Asia has so much food that it can make biofuels galore and sell it to the world at Arabesque profits; not only does Southeast Asia (sic) have a lot of extra food to feed the world's cars, it's, well, better "higher yields and more commercially viable for biofuel than corn and beetroot" from the US and Europe; to coin a phrase, in the klongs there are fish and in the fields there are biofuels.
Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul called in state firms and phuyai of the private sector for a heart-to-heart joint statement that everyone would cooperate on saving energy; this year's spin is that the programme will "save"100 billion baht, and Mr Wannarat got away unchallenged with a claim that a similar project last year saved 30 billion baht; the deal is that the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and so on - 30,000 firms altogether - will work on conservation, purchase green technology and so on, and in return they will get some tax breaks and subsidies on loans taken through the energy services company fund (Esco); the minister is looking for one billion baht to fund Esco this year.
Vichien Narkseenuan, the senior executive president of vice for your TOT ,said that the state monopoly plans to open a third-generation (3G) phone service with 100,000 numbers, and serving the entire country; TOT has no intention of building its own base stations,though, and will rent them from real phone companies; Mr Vichien forgot to mention when this nationwide 3G service might start for the lucky 100,000.
The National Telecommunications Commission announced it will open public hearings on third generation phones next Monday; Prasert Aphipunya, secretary in charge of vice for the NTC, said you should bring along a large truck load of money if you want to start the bidding for licences, say,oh, somewhere around 10 billion-witha-"b" baht; after next weeks' hearing,there will be a notice in the Royal Gazette ,and actual bidding for four (and only four) available licences may open as early as December; rules on all of this should be up on the NTC's website by now at www.ntc.co.th.
For the third time in a row, the strug-gling TT&T company won a multibillion-baht lawsuit against your TOT and for the third time in a row your TOT told them to pound sand; this time,an agree-upon arbitrator decided that TOT owed the up-country phone provider 2.3 billion baht in misguided revenue sharing for long distance calls;but TOT president Varut Suvakorn rejected the arbitration and told TT&T,"See ya in court, boys"; in case the Administrative Court rules against TOT yet again, Mr Varut said he was pretty sure the state firm didn't have that kind of money to pay off anyhow; TT&T explained that lawsuit number four is about to be filed.
No 2 yuppiephone firm DTAC of Norway opened its new headquarters in new Chamchuri Square , bragging that it spent one billion baht on the 19-floor (!) digs; all 3,200 DTAC employees relocated from the Chai Building to the new location at the Sam Yan intersection,overlooking Chulalongkorn University;CEO Tore Johnsen signed a 10-year lease for the 61,160-square-metre office,which includes the firm's main call centre; Mr Johnsen said new staff will work harder to pay the extra rent money; the kicker is that DTAC is asking the following price for the Chai Building one billion baht; Mr Johnsen said that DTAC was pressing ahead aggressively on its 3G trials and so on and etc and zzzzzzz.
Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul, apparently unaware that you can't spell "Thaksin" without "hub", said that Asean should become the energy exporting hub of the world; no, really,his reasoning is that Southeast Asia has so much food that it can make biofuels galore and sell it to the world at Arabesque profits; not only does Southeast Asia (sic) have a lot of extra food to feed the world's cars, it's, well, better "higher yields and more commercially viable for biofuel than corn and beetroot" from the US and Europe; to coin a phrase, in the klongs there are fish and in the fields there are biofuels.
Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul called in state firms and phuyai of the private sector for a heart-to-heart joint statement that everyone would cooperate on saving energy; this year's spin is that the programme will "save"100 billion baht, and Mr Wannarat got away unchallenged with a claim that a similar project last year saved 30 billion baht; the deal is that the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) and so on - 30,000 firms altogether - will work on conservation, purchase green technology and so on, and in return they will get some tax breaks and subsidies on loans taken through the energy services company fund (Esco); the minister is looking for one billion baht to fund Esco this year.
Egat sells off three decommissioned Mae Moh generators
The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand has sold three decommissioned generators from its Mae Moh power station for 297 million baht.
Egat sold the 25-year-old generators so it could mine lignite coal located under the units, the assistant director for production at Mae Moh, Polrit Setthakamnerd, said.
The generators were taken out of service between nine and 10 years ago.
Thepprathanporn Construction and Recycle Co of Bangkok bought the three generators for 297 million baht on Sept 9 in an electronic auction. Eight other companies meeting Egat's selection criteria participated in the auction.
Thepprathanporn will remove the plants fromMae Moh compound in 18 months. An Egat source said the com-pany was expected to use the generators at its power plants in Indonesia.
Egat started building the three generators at the Mae Moh lignite mine in 1975. They began generating and distributing electricity in 1978,1979 and 1981, respectively, Mr Polrit said.
The first plant was decommissioned on Oct 1,1999, and the other two followed on March 1,2000.
The three units must be removed by 2011, Mr Polrit said. Mae Moh now has another 10 generating units in operation.
The power station has been at the heart of an environmental controversy for years.
Greenpeace in 2004 said the power station released 1.6 million tonnes of sulphur gas into the air every day, making it the largest source of sulphur dioxide in Thailand.
Egat sold the 25-year-old generators so it could mine lignite coal located under the units, the assistant director for production at Mae Moh, Polrit Setthakamnerd, said.
The generators were taken out of service between nine and 10 years ago.
Thepprathanporn Construction and Recycle Co of Bangkok bought the three generators for 297 million baht on Sept 9 in an electronic auction. Eight other companies meeting Egat's selection criteria participated in the auction.
Thepprathanporn will remove the plants fromMae Moh compound in 18 months. An Egat source said the com-pany was expected to use the generators at its power plants in Indonesia.
Egat started building the three generators at the Mae Moh lignite mine in 1975. They began generating and distributing electricity in 1978,1979 and 1981, respectively, Mr Polrit said.
The first plant was decommissioned on Oct 1,1999, and the other two followed on March 1,2000.
The three units must be removed by 2011, Mr Polrit said. Mae Moh now has another 10 generating units in operation.
The power station has been at the heart of an environmental controversy for years.
Greenpeace in 2004 said the power station released 1.6 million tonnes of sulphur gas into the air every day, making it the largest source of sulphur dioxide in Thailand.
Edge back from the abyss - it's time to deliver
...the draft text contains some 250 pages: a feast of alternative options, a forest of square brackets.If we don't sort this out, it risks becoming the longest and most global suicide note in history.
Climate change is happening faster than we believed only two years ago. Continuing with business as usual almost certainly means dangerous, perhaps catastrophic, climate change during the course of this century. This is the most important challenge for this generation of politicians.
I am now very concerned about the prospects for Copenhagen. The negotiations are dangerously close to deadlock at the moment - and such a deadlock may go far beyond a simple negotiating stand-off that we can fix next year. It risks being an acrimonious collapse, perhaps on the basis of a deep split between the developed and developing countries. The world right now cannot afford such a disastrous outcome.
So I hope that as world leaders peer over the edge of the abyss in New York and Pittsburgh this week, we will collectively conclude that we have to play an active part in driving the negotiations forward.
Now is not the time for poker playing.Now is the time for putting offers on the table, offers at the outer limits of our political constraints. That is exactly what Europe has done, and will continue to do.
Part of the answer lies in identifying the heart of the potential bargain that might yet bring us to a successful result, and here I think that the world leaders gathering in New York can make a real difference.
The first part of the bargain is that all developed countries need to clarify their plans on mid-term emissions reductions,and show the necessary leadership, not least in line with our responsibilities for past emissions. If we want to achieve at least an 80% reduction by 2050, developed countries must strive to achieve the necessary collective 25-40% reductions by 2020. The EU is ready to go from 20% to 30% if others make comparable efforts.
Second, developed countries must now explicitly recognise that we will all have to play a significant part in helping to finance mitigation and adaptation action by developing countries.
Our estimate is that by 2020, developing countries will need roughly an additional 100 billion euros (US$150 billion) a year to tackle climate change. Part of it will be financed from economically advanced developing countries themselves. The biggest share should come from the carbon market,if we have the courage to set up an ambitious global scheme.
But some will need to come in flows of public finance from developed to developing countries, perhaps from 22 billion to 50 billion euros ($30- $70 billion) a year by 2020. Almost half of this amount will be required to support adaptation action giving priority to the most vulnerable and poor developing countries.
Depending on the outcome of internation-al burden-sharing discussions, the EU's share of that could be anything from 10% to 30%,i.e. up to 15 billion euros ($22 billion) a year.
We will need to be ready, in other words,to make a significant contribution in the medium term, and also to look at shortterm "start up funding" for developing countries in the next year or so. I look forward to discussing this with EU leaders when we meet at the end of October.
So we need to signal our readiness to talk finance this week. The counterpart is that developing countries, at least the economically advanced amongst them, have to be much clearer on what they are ready to do to mitigate carbon emissions as part of an international agreement.
They are already putting in place domestic measures to limit carbon emissions but they clearly need to step up such efforts - particularly the most advanced developing countries. They understandably stress that the availability of carbon finance from the rich world is a pre-requisite to mitigation action on their part, as indeed agreed in Bali.
But the developed world will have nothing to finance if there is no commitment to such action.
We have less than 80 calendar days to go till Copenhagen. As of the Bonn meeting last month, the draft text contains some 250 pages: a feast of alternative options, a forest of square brackets. If we don't sort this out,it risks becoming the longest and most global suicide note in history.
This week in New York and Pittsburgh promises to be a pivotal one, if only as it will reveal how much global leaders are ready to invest in these negotiations, to push for a successful outcome. The choice is simple:no money, no deal. But no actions, no money!
Copenhagen is a critical occasion to shift,collectively, onto an emissions trajectory that keeps global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3,6 Fahrenheit]. So the fight-back has to begin this week in New York and continue in Bangkok on Sept 28,2009.
Jose Manuel Barroso is President of the European Commission.
Climate change is happening faster than we believed only two years ago. Continuing with business as usual almost certainly means dangerous, perhaps catastrophic, climate change during the course of this century. This is the most important challenge for this generation of politicians.
I am now very concerned about the prospects for Copenhagen. The negotiations are dangerously close to deadlock at the moment - and such a deadlock may go far beyond a simple negotiating stand-off that we can fix next year. It risks being an acrimonious collapse, perhaps on the basis of a deep split between the developed and developing countries. The world right now cannot afford such a disastrous outcome.
So I hope that as world leaders peer over the edge of the abyss in New York and Pittsburgh this week, we will collectively conclude that we have to play an active part in driving the negotiations forward.
Now is not the time for poker playing.Now is the time for putting offers on the table, offers at the outer limits of our political constraints. That is exactly what Europe has done, and will continue to do.
Part of the answer lies in identifying the heart of the potential bargain that might yet bring us to a successful result, and here I think that the world leaders gathering in New York can make a real difference.
The first part of the bargain is that all developed countries need to clarify their plans on mid-term emissions reductions,and show the necessary leadership, not least in line with our responsibilities for past emissions. If we want to achieve at least an 80% reduction by 2050, developed countries must strive to achieve the necessary collective 25-40% reductions by 2020. The EU is ready to go from 20% to 30% if others make comparable efforts.
Second, developed countries must now explicitly recognise that we will all have to play a significant part in helping to finance mitigation and adaptation action by developing countries.
Our estimate is that by 2020, developing countries will need roughly an additional 100 billion euros (US$150 billion) a year to tackle climate change. Part of it will be financed from economically advanced developing countries themselves. The biggest share should come from the carbon market,if we have the courage to set up an ambitious global scheme.
But some will need to come in flows of public finance from developed to developing countries, perhaps from 22 billion to 50 billion euros ($30- $70 billion) a year by 2020. Almost half of this amount will be required to support adaptation action giving priority to the most vulnerable and poor developing countries.
Depending on the outcome of internation-al burden-sharing discussions, the EU's share of that could be anything from 10% to 30%,i.e. up to 15 billion euros ($22 billion) a year.
We will need to be ready, in other words,to make a significant contribution in the medium term, and also to look at shortterm "start up funding" for developing countries in the next year or so. I look forward to discussing this with EU leaders when we meet at the end of October.
So we need to signal our readiness to talk finance this week. The counterpart is that developing countries, at least the economically advanced amongst them, have to be much clearer on what they are ready to do to mitigate carbon emissions as part of an international agreement.
They are already putting in place domestic measures to limit carbon emissions but they clearly need to step up such efforts - particularly the most advanced developing countries. They understandably stress that the availability of carbon finance from the rich world is a pre-requisite to mitigation action on their part, as indeed agreed in Bali.
But the developed world will have nothing to finance if there is no commitment to such action.
We have less than 80 calendar days to go till Copenhagen. As of the Bonn meeting last month, the draft text contains some 250 pages: a feast of alternative options, a forest of square brackets. If we don't sort this out,it risks becoming the longest and most global suicide note in history.
This week in New York and Pittsburgh promises to be a pivotal one, if only as it will reveal how much global leaders are ready to invest in these negotiations, to push for a successful outcome. The choice is simple:no money, no deal. But no actions, no money!
Copenhagen is a critical occasion to shift,collectively, onto an emissions trajectory that keeps global warming below 2 degrees Celsius (3,6 Fahrenheit]. So the fight-back has to begin this week in New York and continue in Bangkok on Sept 28,2009.
Jose Manuel Barroso is President of the European Commission.
TOGETHER WE CAN MEET THE CLIMATE-CHANGE CHALLENGE
US President Barack Obama will speak to world leaders on climate change during a special UN summit in New York on the eve of the 64th session of the UN General Assembly.
The nations of the world are working hard right now to negotiate a new international agreement to combat climate change.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our world today. Already its impacts are apparent and consequences severe. Arctic sea ice is disappearing faster than expected. Sea levels threaten to rise higher than previously anticipated. And water supplies are increasingly at risk from both melting glaciers and extreme climate events, such as droughts and floods. These changes threaten not only the environment, but also security and stability.
The science sends a simple and stark message: All countries must work together to combat climate change, and the time for action is now.
President Obama recognises that the United States must be a leader in the global effort to combat climate change. We have a responsibility as the world's largest historic emitter of greenhouse gases. We know that without US emissions reductions, no solution to climate change is possible, so the US will take the lead in building a 21 st-century clean energy economy.
When it comes to climate change, President Obama is taking the US in a new direction. The President called on the US Congress to develop comprehensive clean energy legislation to cut emissions 14 per cent from 2005 levels and 83 per cent in 2050. A bill has passed the House of Representatives and is making its way through Congress. The President's economic stimulus package includes over US$80 billion for clean energy. And recently instituted vehicle standards will increase fuel economy and reduce emissions.
But action by the US and other developed nations is not enough. To preserve a safe and liveable planet, all major emitting nations have to join together to take strong action. There is no other way to contain climate change - the International Energy Agency estimates 97 per cent of future emissions growth will come from the developing world.
The US is pursuing a global strategy to combat climate change through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiating process, the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate and key bilateral relationships. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other high-level US officials have travelled to several major developing nations to deepen the climate dialogue and explore opportunities for progress. Many of these countries have already taken steps to address climate change; yet they will need to do much more.
To achieve a strong international agreement and meet the climate challenge, all countries must be fully engaged. Developed countries need to reduce their emissions substantially by 2020 on an absolute basis, compared to a 2005 or 1990 baseline. Major developing nations must take actions that will substantially reduce their emissions by 2020 on a relative basis, compared to their so-called "business as usual" path. Other developing countries should focus on preparing low-carbon growth plans - with financial and technical assistance where needed - to guide their longer-term development path.
Ultimately, a climate change agreement must be about not only limiting carbon emissions but also about providing a safe pathway for sustainable development. Clean energy development is the only sustainable way forward. To facilitate this path, countries with advanced capabilities must stand ready to develop and disseminate technologies to countries in need.
If we work together, the effort to build a clean energy global economy can provide significant economic opportunity, driving investment, economic growth and job creation around the world. And it can be a means to bring energy services to hundreds of millions of the world's poor. With the right support, developing countries can leapfrog dirty phases of development directly to low-carbon technologies and clean energy opportunities.
We are mindful that Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations are among the most at risk from the effects of climate change. For Thailand, rising sea levels threaten Bangkok with inundation, while coastal populations face the danger of more severe natural disasters, such as tsunamis. As the world's number-one rice exporter, Thailand is a key nation for the region's food security, and projected increases in the severity of droughts and floods are a major risk. Advances in agricultural technology are one answer to such threats to food production. We are pleased to see that Thailand has taken the threat seriously, establishing a well-staffed office within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment devoted to climate change.
Though not a major emitter of greenhouse gases, Thailand is playing an important role as a regional leader in promoting clean and alternative energy technologies and practices that can help reduce emissions in other countries. While the US has supported Thailand with sustained assistance in the past, today the US and Thailand are working increasingly in partnership to meet climate change and related challenges to the environment.
Secretary of State Clinton announced in July an important engagement with the countries of the lower Mekong River, where addressing climate change impacts will be key for maintaining food security. Other US agencies, such as the US Agency for International Development, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, are actively collaborating with Thailand and other partners in the region on climate change-related issues. An exciting new programme between the US Geological Survey and the Mekong nations to establish a network for sharing scientific data on river systems will better inform decision-making relating to the Mekong River and its associated agricultural resources.
The US is clear in its intent to secure a strong international agreement, and I am confident that together we can meet the climate change challenge.
Eric G John is the US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand.
The nations of the world are working hard right now to negotiate a new international agreement to combat climate change.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing our world today. Already its impacts are apparent and consequences severe. Arctic sea ice is disappearing faster than expected. Sea levels threaten to rise higher than previously anticipated. And water supplies are increasingly at risk from both melting glaciers and extreme climate events, such as droughts and floods. These changes threaten not only the environment, but also security and stability.
The science sends a simple and stark message: All countries must work together to combat climate change, and the time for action is now.
President Obama recognises that the United States must be a leader in the global effort to combat climate change. We have a responsibility as the world's largest historic emitter of greenhouse gases. We know that without US emissions reductions, no solution to climate change is possible, so the US will take the lead in building a 21 st-century clean energy economy.
When it comes to climate change, President Obama is taking the US in a new direction. The President called on the US Congress to develop comprehensive clean energy legislation to cut emissions 14 per cent from 2005 levels and 83 per cent in 2050. A bill has passed the House of Representatives and is making its way through Congress. The President's economic stimulus package includes over US$80 billion for clean energy. And recently instituted vehicle standards will increase fuel economy and reduce emissions.
But action by the US and other developed nations is not enough. To preserve a safe and liveable planet, all major emitting nations have to join together to take strong action. There is no other way to contain climate change - the International Energy Agency estimates 97 per cent of future emissions growth will come from the developing world.
The US is pursuing a global strategy to combat climate change through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiating process, the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate and key bilateral relationships. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and other high-level US officials have travelled to several major developing nations to deepen the climate dialogue and explore opportunities for progress. Many of these countries have already taken steps to address climate change; yet they will need to do much more.
To achieve a strong international agreement and meet the climate challenge, all countries must be fully engaged. Developed countries need to reduce their emissions substantially by 2020 on an absolute basis, compared to a 2005 or 1990 baseline. Major developing nations must take actions that will substantially reduce their emissions by 2020 on a relative basis, compared to their so-called "business as usual" path. Other developing countries should focus on preparing low-carbon growth plans - with financial and technical assistance where needed - to guide their longer-term development path.
Ultimately, a climate change agreement must be about not only limiting carbon emissions but also about providing a safe pathway for sustainable development. Clean energy development is the only sustainable way forward. To facilitate this path, countries with advanced capabilities must stand ready to develop and disseminate technologies to countries in need.
If we work together, the effort to build a clean energy global economy can provide significant economic opportunity, driving investment, economic growth and job creation around the world. And it can be a means to bring energy services to hundreds of millions of the world's poor. With the right support, developing countries can leapfrog dirty phases of development directly to low-carbon technologies and clean energy opportunities.
We are mindful that Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations are among the most at risk from the effects of climate change. For Thailand, rising sea levels threaten Bangkok with inundation, while coastal populations face the danger of more severe natural disasters, such as tsunamis. As the world's number-one rice exporter, Thailand is a key nation for the region's food security, and projected increases in the severity of droughts and floods are a major risk. Advances in agricultural technology are one answer to such threats to food production. We are pleased to see that Thailand has taken the threat seriously, establishing a well-staffed office within the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment devoted to climate change.
Though not a major emitter of greenhouse gases, Thailand is playing an important role as a regional leader in promoting clean and alternative energy technologies and practices that can help reduce emissions in other countries. While the US has supported Thailand with sustained assistance in the past, today the US and Thailand are working increasingly in partnership to meet climate change and related challenges to the environment.
Secretary of State Clinton announced in July an important engagement with the countries of the lower Mekong River, where addressing climate change impacts will be key for maintaining food security. Other US agencies, such as the US Agency for International Development, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Environmental Protection Agency, are actively collaborating with Thailand and other partners in the region on climate change-related issues. An exciting new programme between the US Geological Survey and the Mekong nations to establish a network for sharing scientific data on river systems will better inform decision-making relating to the Mekong River and its associated agricultural resources.
The US is clear in its intent to secure a strong international agreement, and I am confident that together we can meet the climate change challenge.
Eric G John is the US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand.
World deltas erode as land sinks, seas rise
Two-thirds of the world's major deltas, home to nearly half a billion people, are caught in the scissors of sinking land and rising seas, according to a study published on Sunday.
The new findings, based on satellite images, show that 855 of the 33 largest delta regions experienced severe flooding over the past decade, affecting 260,000 square kilometres.
Delta land vulnerable to serious flooding could expand by 50% this century if ocean levels increase as expected under moderate climate change scenarios, the study projects.
Worst hit will be Asia, but heavily populated and farmed deltas on every continent except Australia and Antarctica are in peril, it says.
Human activities, including diversion of water and the creation of dams for hydroelectric power or to create reservoirs can radically alter delta ecosystems. Dams block sedimentation which can cause the delta to erode away. The use of water upstream can greatly increase salinity levels as less fresh water flows to meet the salty ocean water.
On a five-tier scale, three of the 11 deltas in the highest-risk category are in China: the Yellow River delta in the north, the Yangtze River delta near Shanghai, and the Pearl River delta next to Guangzhou.
The Nile in Egypt, the Chao Phraya in Thailand and the Rhone River delta in France are also in the top tier of danger.
Just below these in vulnerability are seven other highly-populated deltas,including the Ganges in Bangladesh,the Irrawaddy in Burma, the Mekong in Vietnam and the Mississippi in the United States.
These flood plains and others all face a double-barrelled threat, reports the study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience .On the one side, a range of human activity - especially over the last halfcentury -has caused many delta regions to subside.
Without human interference, deltas naturally accumulate sediment as rivers swell and spread over vast areas of land. But upstream damming and river diversions have held back the layers that would normally build up.
Intensive subsurface mining has also contributed mightily to the problem,notes the study, led by James Syvitski of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado.
The Chao Phraya delta, for example,has sunk 50 to 150 millimetres per year as a result of groundwater withdrawal,while a 3.7-metre subsidence of the Po delta in Italy during the 20th century was due to methane mining.
Indeed, oil and gas mining contribute to so-called "accelerated compaction"in many of the most vulnerable deltas,according to the study, the first to analyse a decade's worth of global daily satellite images.
The other major threat is rising sea levels driven by global warming.
In a landmark report in 2007, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted oceans would rise by 18-59cm by 2100.
More recent studies that take into account the impact of melting icesheets in Greenland and Antarctica have revised that estimate upwards to at least a metre by century's end.
The already devastating impact of such increases will be amplified by more intense storms and hurricanes, along with the loss of natural barriers such as mangroves.
In the Irrawaddy delta the coastal surge caused by Cyclone Nargis last year flooded an area up to six metres above sea level, leaving 138,000 people dead or missing.
"All trends point to ever-increasing areas of deltas sinking below mean sea level," the study said."It remains alarming how often deltas flood, whether from land or from sea, and the trends seems to be worsening."
The new findings, based on satellite images, show that 855 of the 33 largest delta regions experienced severe flooding over the past decade, affecting 260,000 square kilometres.
Delta land vulnerable to serious flooding could expand by 50% this century if ocean levels increase as expected under moderate climate change scenarios, the study projects.
Worst hit will be Asia, but heavily populated and farmed deltas on every continent except Australia and Antarctica are in peril, it says.
Human activities, including diversion of water and the creation of dams for hydroelectric power or to create reservoirs can radically alter delta ecosystems. Dams block sedimentation which can cause the delta to erode away. The use of water upstream can greatly increase salinity levels as less fresh water flows to meet the salty ocean water.
On a five-tier scale, three of the 11 deltas in the highest-risk category are in China: the Yellow River delta in the north, the Yangtze River delta near Shanghai, and the Pearl River delta next to Guangzhou.
The Nile in Egypt, the Chao Phraya in Thailand and the Rhone River delta in France are also in the top tier of danger.
Just below these in vulnerability are seven other highly-populated deltas,including the Ganges in Bangladesh,the Irrawaddy in Burma, the Mekong in Vietnam and the Mississippi in the United States.
These flood plains and others all face a double-barrelled threat, reports the study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience .On the one side, a range of human activity - especially over the last halfcentury -has caused many delta regions to subside.
Without human interference, deltas naturally accumulate sediment as rivers swell and spread over vast areas of land. But upstream damming and river diversions have held back the layers that would normally build up.
Intensive subsurface mining has also contributed mightily to the problem,notes the study, led by James Syvitski of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado.
The Chao Phraya delta, for example,has sunk 50 to 150 millimetres per year as a result of groundwater withdrawal,while a 3.7-metre subsidence of the Po delta in Italy during the 20th century was due to methane mining.
Indeed, oil and gas mining contribute to so-called "accelerated compaction"in many of the most vulnerable deltas,according to the study, the first to analyse a decade's worth of global daily satellite images.
The other major threat is rising sea levels driven by global warming.
In a landmark report in 2007, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicted oceans would rise by 18-59cm by 2100.
More recent studies that take into account the impact of melting icesheets in Greenland and Antarctica have revised that estimate upwards to at least a metre by century's end.
The already devastating impact of such increases will be amplified by more intense storms and hurricanes, along with the loss of natural barriers such as mangroves.
In the Irrawaddy delta the coastal surge caused by Cyclone Nargis last year flooded an area up to six metres above sea level, leaving 138,000 people dead or missing.
"All trends point to ever-increasing areas of deltas sinking below mean sea level," the study said."It remains alarming how often deltas flood, whether from land or from sea, and the trends seems to be worsening."
Climate cloud hangs over Bang Pakong
People living in the Bang Pakong river basin need to come up with means to adapt to the inevitable effects of climate change, says Greenpeace.
Climate change would lead to a 3 to 3.5 Celsius increase in temperature and heavy rainfall in the eastern community 90 years from now, a Greenpeace study released yesterday said.
Greenpeace has selected Bang Pakong river basin in Chachoengsao province as a study site to determine the impact of climate change. The study uses a mathematical model and 30 years of statistics on rainfall and temperature to predict the effects.
Ply Pirom, Greenpeace's coordinator,said as well as rising temperatures, climate change would trigger a 15% increase in annual rainfall at today's levels.
"Bang Pakong residents will be in trouble if there is no adaptation plan to respond to global warming," Mr Ply said.
Greenpeace yesterday discussed its climate change study with villagers in the Bang Pakong river basin to educate them about global warming and encourage them to think about adapting to the changing environment.
The activity was part of Greenpeace's campaign in the lead up to the Bangkok climate change talks from Sept 28 to Oct 9.
Tara Buakamsri, Greenpeace's campaign manager, called on government agencies to assist people, especially those in the agricultural sector, to adapt to climate change. The farm sector would be hardest hit by climate change effects,which range from rising temperatures and changing rainfall volume to natural disasters.
The Bang Pakong river basin supports around 1.25 million people who rely heavily on the region's fertile soil to grow rice, fruits and other crops. Villagers also depend on fish stocks from the Bang Pakong River, which are now under threat from water pollution and seawater intrusion, he said.
Climate change would lead to a 3 to 3.5 Celsius increase in temperature and heavy rainfall in the eastern community 90 years from now, a Greenpeace study released yesterday said.
Greenpeace has selected Bang Pakong river basin in Chachoengsao province as a study site to determine the impact of climate change. The study uses a mathematical model and 30 years of statistics on rainfall and temperature to predict the effects.
Ply Pirom, Greenpeace's coordinator,said as well as rising temperatures, climate change would trigger a 15% increase in annual rainfall at today's levels.
"Bang Pakong residents will be in trouble if there is no adaptation plan to respond to global warming," Mr Ply said.
Greenpeace yesterday discussed its climate change study with villagers in the Bang Pakong river basin to educate them about global warming and encourage them to think about adapting to the changing environment.
The activity was part of Greenpeace's campaign in the lead up to the Bangkok climate change talks from Sept 28 to Oct 9.
Tara Buakamsri, Greenpeace's campaign manager, called on government agencies to assist people, especially those in the agricultural sector, to adapt to climate change. The farm sector would be hardest hit by climate change effects,which range from rising temperatures and changing rainfall volume to natural disasters.
The Bang Pakong river basin supports around 1.25 million people who rely heavily on the region's fertile soil to grow rice, fruits and other crops. Villagers also depend on fish stocks from the Bang Pakong River, which are now under threat from water pollution and seawater intrusion, he said.
Carbon Fund likely to be set up by Q1
Thailand's Carbon Fund is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2010, structured as a high net worth trust as recommended by the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The SEC is in the process of imposing regulations to facilitate establishing the Carbon Fund.
MFC Asset Management is ready to play a key role in setting up, said Sopida Luveeraphan, the company's first executive vice-president for private equity and financial advisory business.
"The SEC expects to complete the work by the first quarter of 2010 but with the clear mandate from the government, the process could be completed by the end of this year," she said yesterday at a conference hosted by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (TGO).
MFC, majority-owned by the Finance Ministry, conducted a study of the Carbon Fund for the TGO.
The plan is subjected to a final endorsement by the National Climate Change Committee chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Similar to a mutual fund, the high net worth trust will mainly raise funds from institutional or high-profile investors interested in the carbon business.
The SEC earlier this year announced that active or passive trusts may be established to facilitate investment in real estate, manage exchange-traded funds or issue Sukuk securities.
The Carbon Fund will be able to invest in the equity of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects, buy carbon credits in the form of certified emission reduction (CER), or acquire the projects under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)concept, Mrs Sopida said.
The CDM allows developed countries that have obligations under the Kyoto Protocol to make emission reductions overseas in non-Kyoto nations and count those reductions against their own legal commitments.
"The private sector, including those with obligations to cut emissions, and companies which want to buy credits to support their corporate social responsibility policies, will be major investors in the Carbon Fund. The government will also have a minor role in fund raising,"Mrs Sopida said.
The size of the fund will vary from 500 million baht to one billion baht with fewer limitations in terms of the ownerships in each project, she said.
To date, several foreign investors from Japan, including the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and Europe have expressed keen interest in taking part in Thailand's Carbon Fund.
"Local investors have limited understanding in the carbon trading business with the Export-Import Bank of Thailand the only active player to date," she said.
The TGO is hopeful the Carbon Fund could be set up this year so that Thailand can cash in on the expected greater CDM opportunities after December's climate change talks in Copenhagen, in Denmark,said deputy executive director Prasertsuk Charmornmarn.
The SEC is in the process of imposing regulations to facilitate establishing the Carbon Fund.
MFC Asset Management is ready to play a key role in setting up, said Sopida Luveeraphan, the company's first executive vice-president for private equity and financial advisory business.
"The SEC expects to complete the work by the first quarter of 2010 but with the clear mandate from the government, the process could be completed by the end of this year," she said yesterday at a conference hosted by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organisation (TGO).
MFC, majority-owned by the Finance Ministry, conducted a study of the Carbon Fund for the TGO.
The plan is subjected to a final endorsement by the National Climate Change Committee chaired by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.
Similar to a mutual fund, the high net worth trust will mainly raise funds from institutional or high-profile investors interested in the carbon business.
The SEC earlier this year announced that active or passive trusts may be established to facilitate investment in real estate, manage exchange-traded funds or issue Sukuk securities.
The Carbon Fund will be able to invest in the equity of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects, buy carbon credits in the form of certified emission reduction (CER), or acquire the projects under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT)concept, Mrs Sopida said.
The CDM allows developed countries that have obligations under the Kyoto Protocol to make emission reductions overseas in non-Kyoto nations and count those reductions against their own legal commitments.
"The private sector, including those with obligations to cut emissions, and companies which want to buy credits to support their corporate social responsibility policies, will be major investors in the Carbon Fund. The government will also have a minor role in fund raising,"Mrs Sopida said.
The size of the fund will vary from 500 million baht to one billion baht with fewer limitations in terms of the ownerships in each project, she said.
To date, several foreign investors from Japan, including the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, and Europe have expressed keen interest in taking part in Thailand's Carbon Fund.
"Local investors have limited understanding in the carbon trading business with the Export-Import Bank of Thailand the only active player to date," she said.
The TGO is hopeful the Carbon Fund could be set up this year so that Thailand can cash in on the expected greater CDM opportunities after December's climate change talks in Copenhagen, in Denmark,said deputy executive director Prasertsuk Charmornmarn.
Why the Copenhagen talks offer us one last chance
Two weeks ago, I visited the Arctic. I saw the remains of a glacier that just a few years ago was a majestic mass of ice. It had collapsed. Not slowly melted - collapsed. I travelled nine hours by ship from the world's northernmost settlement to reach the Polar ice rim. In just a few years, the same ship may be able to sail unimpeded all the way to the North Pole. The Arctic could be virtually ice-free by 2030.
Scientists told me their sobering findings. The Arctic is our canary in the coal mine for climate impacts that will affect us all. I was alarmed by the rapid pace of change there. Worse still, changes in the Arctic are now accelerating global warming. Thawing permafrost is releasing methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.Melting ice in Greenland threatens to raise sea levels.
Meanwhile, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.
I am therefore all the more convinced we must act - now.
To that end, on Sept 22 I am convening a special summit on climate change at the United Nations for some 100 world leaders - history's largest-ever such gathering of heads of state and government. Their collective challenge: transforming the climate crisis into an opportunity for safer, cleaner, sustainable green growth for all.
The key is Copenhagen, where governments will gather to negotiate a new global climate agreement in December.I will have a simple message to convey to leaders: the world needs you to actively push for a fair, effective and ambitious deal in Copenhagen. Fail to act, and we will count the cost for generations to come.
Climate change is the pre-eminent geopolitical issue of our time. It rewrites the global equation for development,peace and prosperity. It threatens markets, economies and development gains. It can deplete food and water supplies, provoke conflict and migration,destabilise fragile societies and even topple governments.
Hyperbole? Not according to the world's best scientists.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says global greenhouse gas emissions need to peak within 10 years if we are to avoid unleashing powerful, natural forces that are now slipping out of our control.
Ten years is within the political lifetime of many attending the summit. The climate crisis is occurring on their watch.
There is an alternative: sustainable growth based on green technologies and policies that favour low emissions over current carbon-intensive models. Many national stimulus packages devised in the wake of the global economic downturn feature a strong green component that creates jobs and positions countries to excel in the clean energy economy of the 21st century.
Change is in the air. The key lies in a global climate deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global temperature rise to a scientifically safe level. A deal to catalyse clean energy growth.Most urgently, an agreement must protect and assist those who are most vulnerable from inevitable climate impacts.
What is needed is political will at the highest levels - presidents, premiers and prime ministers - that translates into rapid progress in the negotiating room. It requires more trust among nations, more imagination, ambition and cooperation.
I expect leaders to roll up their sleeves and speak with - not past - each other.I expect them to intensify efforts to resolve the key political issues that have so far slowed global negotiations to a glacial pace. Ironically, that expression - until recently - connoted slowness. But the glaciers I saw a few weeks ago in the Arctic are melting faster than human progress to preserve them.
We must place the planet's long-term interests ahead of short-term political expediency. National leaders need to be global leaders who take the long view.Today's threats transcend borders. So,too, must our thinking.
Copenhagen need not resolve all the details. But a successful global climate deal must involve all countries, consistent with their capabilities, working toward a common, long-term goal. Here are my benchmarks for success.
First, every country must do its utmost to reduce emissions from all major sources. Industrialised countries have to strengthen their mitigation targets,which are currently nowhere close to what the IPCC says is needed. Developing countries, too, must slow the rise in their emissions and accelerate green growth as part of their strategies to reduce poverty.
Second, a successful deal must help the most vulnerable to adapt to the in-evitable impacts of climate change. This is an ethical imperative as well as a smart investment in a more stable, secure world.
Third, developing countries need funding and technology so they can move more quickly toward low-emissions growth. A deal must also unlock private investment, including through carbon markets.
Fourth, resources must be equitably managed and deployed in a way that all countries have a voice.
This year at Copenhagen, we have a powerful opportunity to get on the right side of history. It's an opportunity not only to avert disaster, but to launch a fundamental transformation of the global economy.
Strong new political winds now fill our sails. Millions of citizens are mobilised. Savvy businesses are charting a cleaner energy course. We must seize this moment to act boldly on climate change. It may not come again anytime soon.
Change is in the air. Let's seal the deal on a better future for us all.
This article by United National SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon originally appeared in the "International Herald Tribune" on Sept 18.
Scientists told me their sobering findings. The Arctic is our canary in the coal mine for climate impacts that will affect us all. I was alarmed by the rapid pace of change there. Worse still, changes in the Arctic are now accelerating global warming. Thawing permafrost is releasing methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more powerful than carbon dioxide.Melting ice in Greenland threatens to raise sea levels.
Meanwhile, global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise.
I am therefore all the more convinced we must act - now.
To that end, on Sept 22 I am convening a special summit on climate change at the United Nations for some 100 world leaders - history's largest-ever such gathering of heads of state and government. Their collective challenge: transforming the climate crisis into an opportunity for safer, cleaner, sustainable green growth for all.
The key is Copenhagen, where governments will gather to negotiate a new global climate agreement in December.I will have a simple message to convey to leaders: the world needs you to actively push for a fair, effective and ambitious deal in Copenhagen. Fail to act, and we will count the cost for generations to come.
Climate change is the pre-eminent geopolitical issue of our time. It rewrites the global equation for development,peace and prosperity. It threatens markets, economies and development gains. It can deplete food and water supplies, provoke conflict and migration,destabilise fragile societies and even topple governments.
Hyperbole? Not according to the world's best scientists.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says global greenhouse gas emissions need to peak within 10 years if we are to avoid unleashing powerful, natural forces that are now slipping out of our control.
Ten years is within the political lifetime of many attending the summit. The climate crisis is occurring on their watch.
There is an alternative: sustainable growth based on green technologies and policies that favour low emissions over current carbon-intensive models. Many national stimulus packages devised in the wake of the global economic downturn feature a strong green component that creates jobs and positions countries to excel in the clean energy economy of the 21st century.
Change is in the air. The key lies in a global climate deal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and limit global temperature rise to a scientifically safe level. A deal to catalyse clean energy growth.Most urgently, an agreement must protect and assist those who are most vulnerable from inevitable climate impacts.
What is needed is political will at the highest levels - presidents, premiers and prime ministers - that translates into rapid progress in the negotiating room. It requires more trust among nations, more imagination, ambition and cooperation.
I expect leaders to roll up their sleeves and speak with - not past - each other.I expect them to intensify efforts to resolve the key political issues that have so far slowed global negotiations to a glacial pace. Ironically, that expression - until recently - connoted slowness. But the glaciers I saw a few weeks ago in the Arctic are melting faster than human progress to preserve them.
We must place the planet's long-term interests ahead of short-term political expediency. National leaders need to be global leaders who take the long view.Today's threats transcend borders. So,too, must our thinking.
Copenhagen need not resolve all the details. But a successful global climate deal must involve all countries, consistent with their capabilities, working toward a common, long-term goal. Here are my benchmarks for success.
First, every country must do its utmost to reduce emissions from all major sources. Industrialised countries have to strengthen their mitigation targets,which are currently nowhere close to what the IPCC says is needed. Developing countries, too, must slow the rise in their emissions and accelerate green growth as part of their strategies to reduce poverty.
Second, a successful deal must help the most vulnerable to adapt to the in-evitable impacts of climate change. This is an ethical imperative as well as a smart investment in a more stable, secure world.
Third, developing countries need funding and technology so they can move more quickly toward low-emissions growth. A deal must also unlock private investment, including through carbon markets.
Fourth, resources must be equitably managed and deployed in a way that all countries have a voice.
This year at Copenhagen, we have a powerful opportunity to get on the right side of history. It's an opportunity not only to avert disaster, but to launch a fundamental transformation of the global economy.
Strong new political winds now fill our sails. Millions of citizens are mobilised. Savvy businesses are charting a cleaner energy course. We must seize this moment to act boldly on climate change. It may not come again anytime soon.
Change is in the air. Let's seal the deal on a better future for us all.
This article by United National SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon originally appeared in the "International Herald Tribune" on Sept 18.
Stakes are high in climate talks
World leaders converge on New York and Pittsburgh this week for pivotal talks in the two-year effort to remake global climate rules,with success far from assured.
In New York, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is opening a top-level "Climate Summit" today, kicking off a week filled with policy debates, meetings and the informal chatter of diplomats attempting to close in on a deal.
Climate negotiators have spent the last two years working toward a makeor-break summit in Copenhagen this December, which is expected to ink new targets for global emissions beyond 2012,when the Kyoto Protocol expires.
Mr Ban has called on leaders attending this week's meetings to "publicly commit to sealing a deal in Copenhagen", amid concerns that time is running out.
Despite months of extensive talks,sharp differences still exist between rich and poor countries over a future climate change treaty, with funding for reform emerging as one the key sticking points.
Climate negotiators from the world's 17 largest developing and developed economies met in Washington last week for talks.
"I think there was some narrowing of differences," Todd Stern, the US special envoy for climate change, said after the two-day talks.
But he acknowledged "there are plenty of differences that remain".
A series of meetings this autumn,beginning with those at the United Nations and the G20 next week, aims "fundamentally to narrow differences in an effort to get us toward a successful outcome in Copenhagen", he said.
Environment expert Michael Levi of the Council on Foreign Relations warned against a "very dangerous" temptation to use the UN summit to crank up pressure for a final deal in Copenhagen.
"It will be a much better outcome if the heads of state set a realistic agenda for their negotiators," he said.
The UN negotiations are still only in their formative stages, Mr Levi added.
At the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh of the world's biggest industrialised and developing nations, which account for 80% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, leaders are expected to discuss the contentious question of who will pay for reform.
Clarification, Mr Stern said, is needed on where the money will come from,through which institutions it is channelled and how financing decisions will be determined.
On Friday, European Union leaders called on rich countries to provide at least $7.3 billion next year to help poor nations tackle climate change.
"The G20 should recognise the need to [address] urgent climate financing needs in developing countries," the EU leaders said in a statement.
In New York, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is opening a top-level "Climate Summit" today, kicking off a week filled with policy debates, meetings and the informal chatter of diplomats attempting to close in on a deal.
Climate negotiators have spent the last two years working toward a makeor-break summit in Copenhagen this December, which is expected to ink new targets for global emissions beyond 2012,when the Kyoto Protocol expires.
Mr Ban has called on leaders attending this week's meetings to "publicly commit to sealing a deal in Copenhagen", amid concerns that time is running out.
Despite months of extensive talks,sharp differences still exist between rich and poor countries over a future climate change treaty, with funding for reform emerging as one the key sticking points.
Climate negotiators from the world's 17 largest developing and developed economies met in Washington last week for talks.
"I think there was some narrowing of differences," Todd Stern, the US special envoy for climate change, said after the two-day talks.
But he acknowledged "there are plenty of differences that remain".
A series of meetings this autumn,beginning with those at the United Nations and the G20 next week, aims "fundamentally to narrow differences in an effort to get us toward a successful outcome in Copenhagen", he said.
Environment expert Michael Levi of the Council on Foreign Relations warned against a "very dangerous" temptation to use the UN summit to crank up pressure for a final deal in Copenhagen.
"It will be a much better outcome if the heads of state set a realistic agenda for their negotiators," he said.
The UN negotiations are still only in their formative stages, Mr Levi added.
At the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh of the world's biggest industrialised and developing nations, which account for 80% of the world's carbon dioxide emissions, leaders are expected to discuss the contentious question of who will pay for reform.
Clarification, Mr Stern said, is needed on where the money will come from,through which institutions it is channelled and how financing decisions will be determined.
On Friday, European Union leaders called on rich countries to provide at least $7.3 billion next year to help poor nations tackle climate change.
"The G20 should recognise the need to [address] urgent climate financing needs in developing countries," the EU leaders said in a statement.
Giant jellyfish invasion may be imminent in Japan
Giant jellyfish seem poised to invade Japan, and experts are warning local fishers to brace themselves for an inundation that could wreak havoc on their industry.
Nomura's jellyfish is one of the largest jellyfish species in the world,growing up to 198cm wide and weighing as much as 200kg. The giant jellyfish last swarmed western Japan in vast numbers in 2005. Their huge bodies damaged fishing nets, and their toxic stings poisoned the catch and even injured some fishers.
Now the jellyfish could be gearing up for a similar assault, say experts who recently conducted some of the first surveys of the giants' spawning grounds.
"We have reports of massive bloomings of young jellyfish near the Chinese coast, where the ecosystems of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea are favourable for breeding," said Shin-ichi Uye, a biological oceanographer at Hiroshima University.
Relatively little is known about Nomura's jellyfish, so Uye and colleagues across Japan have been studying the jellyfish in the lab to learn more about its habits and reproductive strategies.
Based on captive breeding, Uye's team has found that the jellyfish are extremely efficient at filtering tiny creatures called zooplankton out of the water. As long as a jellyfish is healthy,it devotes all its energy to eating. Even during the spawning season, its re-productive system remains immature.
But if the jellyfish is injured or weakened, it quickly switches to producing offspring, Uye said.
The scientists are still not sure why thousands of the creatures float across the Sea of Japan in some years but not others.
"It is possible that they have a 'rest stage' or hibernation period in their development over several years, but then their numbers shoot up given certain environmental stimuli," Uye said.
Researchers also don't know why the giant jellyfish are becoming more regular visitors to Japan's shores. In the early 1900s large numbers of the giants were reported only every 40 years or so. But in recent years the jellyfish have been appearing with alarming frequency: Japan experienced unusually large outbreaks almost every year between 2002 and 2007.
One contributing factor may be a decline in the number of jellyfish predators, including sea turtles and certain species of fish known to eat young jellyfish.
According to Uye, right now giant jellyfish outbreaks are like typhoons - they can't be controlled, but they can be predicted. He and his colleagues are currently working on a system for creating accurate jellyfish forecasts, so fishers will hopefully be able to better prepare themselves.
Nomura's jellyfish is one of the largest jellyfish species in the world,growing up to 198cm wide and weighing as much as 200kg. The giant jellyfish last swarmed western Japan in vast numbers in 2005. Their huge bodies damaged fishing nets, and their toxic stings poisoned the catch and even injured some fishers.
Now the jellyfish could be gearing up for a similar assault, say experts who recently conducted some of the first surveys of the giants' spawning grounds.
"We have reports of massive bloomings of young jellyfish near the Chinese coast, where the ecosystems of the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea are favourable for breeding," said Shin-ichi Uye, a biological oceanographer at Hiroshima University.
Relatively little is known about Nomura's jellyfish, so Uye and colleagues across Japan have been studying the jellyfish in the lab to learn more about its habits and reproductive strategies.
Based on captive breeding, Uye's team has found that the jellyfish are extremely efficient at filtering tiny creatures called zooplankton out of the water. As long as a jellyfish is healthy,it devotes all its energy to eating. Even during the spawning season, its re-productive system remains immature.
But if the jellyfish is injured or weakened, it quickly switches to producing offspring, Uye said.
The scientists are still not sure why thousands of the creatures float across the Sea of Japan in some years but not others.
"It is possible that they have a 'rest stage' or hibernation period in their development over several years, but then their numbers shoot up given certain environmental stimuli," Uye said.
Researchers also don't know why the giant jellyfish are becoming more regular visitors to Japan's shores. In the early 1900s large numbers of the giants were reported only every 40 years or so. But in recent years the jellyfish have been appearing with alarming frequency: Japan experienced unusually large outbreaks almost every year between 2002 and 2007.
One contributing factor may be a decline in the number of jellyfish predators, including sea turtles and certain species of fish known to eat young jellyfish.
According to Uye, right now giant jellyfish outbreaks are like typhoons - they can't be controlled, but they can be predicted. He and his colleagues are currently working on a system for creating accurate jellyfish forecasts, so fishers will hopefully be able to better prepare themselves.
Walruses congregate on Alaska shore
Thousands of walruses are congregating on Alaska's northwest coast,a sign that their Arctic sea ice environment has been altered by climate change.
Chad Jay, a US Geological Survey walrus researcher, said that about 3,500 walruses were near Icy Cape on the Chukchi Sea, some 225km southwest of Barrow. Animals the agency tagged with satellite transmitters also were detected on shore at Cape Lisburne about 241km farther down the coast.
Walruses for years came ashore intermittently during their fall southward migration but not so early and not in such numbers."This is actually all new,"Jay said."They did this in 2007, and it's a result of the sea ice retreating off the continental shelf."
Federal managers and researchers say walruses hauling out on shore could lead to deadly stampedes and too much pressure on prey within swimming range.Projections of continued sea ice loss means the phenomenon likely is not going away.
"It's more of the same," Jay said."What we've been seeing over the past few years with reduced sea ice conditions,we might be seeing this more and more often, and it's probably not good for the walruses," he said.
Unlike many seals, walruses cannot swim indefinitely and must rest periodically between feeding forays. They rely on sea ice as a platform for foraging for clams in the shallow waters of the outer continental shelf. They can dive up to 192m for clams and other sea floor creatures but mostly feed in waters of less than 100m, Jay said. Beyond the continental shelf, water can reach depths of 3,048m or more.
An estimated 6,000 or more walruses congregated on Alaska's shore in the fall of 2007, taking scientists by surprise.
Herds were in the tens of thousands at some locations on the Russian side of the Chukchi Sea, with an estimated 40,000 animals at Point Shmidt. Russian biologists reported 3,000 to 4,000 walruses out of population of perhaps 200,000 died, mostly young animals crushed in stampedes.
Alaska herds did not experience that sort of mortality but scientists acknowledge a concern when the marine mammals are concentrated on a rocky shore rather than hundreds of miles of sea ice edge.
"They may have a much higher predation pressure on those near-shore areas when they're using those land haul-outs than when they're using sea ice," Jay said.
The Centre for Biological Diversity has petitioned to list the Pacific walrus as an endangered or threatened because of habitat loss due to warming. The US Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to begin a detailed status review. A 60-day public comment period will precede an agency listing decision by October 2010. A final decision would be made by the Interior secretary by October 2011.
The agency is working with the Federal Aviation Administration to warn away pilots, who can cause stampedes, said walrus researcher Joel Garlich-Miller.So can polar bears or human hunters.There is no legal mechanism to keep hunters away, he said, but people have been letting the animals rest.
USGS researchers plan to head to the Chukchi coast next week to place satellite tags on up to 30 animals so their foraging habits can be studied, Jay said.
The 2007 herds prompted researchers to gear up for studies of the animals'new habits last year. However, remnant ice floating apart from the main pack ice kept walruses off shore, Jay said.Their reappearance put the research plans into motion.
"We're trying to get more information on how the walruses are responding to the loss of sea ice over the continental shelf, where do they go when they do come to shore like this, how far offshore are they foraging," he said.
On land, walruses have to swim out and return rather than diving vertically.That could lead to nutritional stress.
"We suspect that it's going to cost them more energy to do that than if they were able to stay on the sea ice," he said. Jay has not heard reports of walrus congregating on Russian shores. One animal tagged on the US side has hauled out there and herds likely are gathering,he said.
Chad Jay, a US Geological Survey walrus researcher, said that about 3,500 walruses were near Icy Cape on the Chukchi Sea, some 225km southwest of Barrow. Animals the agency tagged with satellite transmitters also were detected on shore at Cape Lisburne about 241km farther down the coast.
Walruses for years came ashore intermittently during their fall southward migration but not so early and not in such numbers."This is actually all new,"Jay said."They did this in 2007, and it's a result of the sea ice retreating off the continental shelf."
Federal managers and researchers say walruses hauling out on shore could lead to deadly stampedes and too much pressure on prey within swimming range.Projections of continued sea ice loss means the phenomenon likely is not going away.
"It's more of the same," Jay said."What we've been seeing over the past few years with reduced sea ice conditions,we might be seeing this more and more often, and it's probably not good for the walruses," he said.
Unlike many seals, walruses cannot swim indefinitely and must rest periodically between feeding forays. They rely on sea ice as a platform for foraging for clams in the shallow waters of the outer continental shelf. They can dive up to 192m for clams and other sea floor creatures but mostly feed in waters of less than 100m, Jay said. Beyond the continental shelf, water can reach depths of 3,048m or more.
An estimated 6,000 or more walruses congregated on Alaska's shore in the fall of 2007, taking scientists by surprise.
Herds were in the tens of thousands at some locations on the Russian side of the Chukchi Sea, with an estimated 40,000 animals at Point Shmidt. Russian biologists reported 3,000 to 4,000 walruses out of population of perhaps 200,000 died, mostly young animals crushed in stampedes.
Alaska herds did not experience that sort of mortality but scientists acknowledge a concern when the marine mammals are concentrated on a rocky shore rather than hundreds of miles of sea ice edge.
"They may have a much higher predation pressure on those near-shore areas when they're using those land haul-outs than when they're using sea ice," Jay said.
The Centre for Biological Diversity has petitioned to list the Pacific walrus as an endangered or threatened because of habitat loss due to warming. The US Fish and Wildlife Service agreed to begin a detailed status review. A 60-day public comment period will precede an agency listing decision by October 2010. A final decision would be made by the Interior secretary by October 2011.
The agency is working with the Federal Aviation Administration to warn away pilots, who can cause stampedes, said walrus researcher Joel Garlich-Miller.So can polar bears or human hunters.There is no legal mechanism to keep hunters away, he said, but people have been letting the animals rest.
USGS researchers plan to head to the Chukchi coast next week to place satellite tags on up to 30 animals so their foraging habits can be studied, Jay said.
The 2007 herds prompted researchers to gear up for studies of the animals'new habits last year. However, remnant ice floating apart from the main pack ice kept walruses off shore, Jay said.Their reappearance put the research plans into motion.
"We're trying to get more information on how the walruses are responding to the loss of sea ice over the continental shelf, where do they go when they do come to shore like this, how far offshore are they foraging," he said.
On land, walruses have to swim out and return rather than diving vertically.That could lead to nutritional stress.
"We suspect that it's going to cost them more energy to do that than if they were able to stay on the sea ice," he said. Jay has not heard reports of walrus congregating on Russian shores. One animal tagged on the US side has hauled out there and herds likely are gathering,he said.
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