Five minutes to the end

Aug 25, 2007 04:30 AM
Eric Ye Special to the Star

The world is collapsing and it's all because of us. Cutting down trees and pollution are only a few things that threaten our world.
Global warming is a terrible thing no one seems to care about.
Every time we use a car or fly on an airplane we are creating harmful CO{-2} emissions that go to the top of our atmosphere and stop heat from escaping.
By 2020, the Earth's temperature will go up 1.6C higher than it was before the fossil fuel age started.
If we keep on going like this, the world's snow and ice could melt very soon. Almost everyone knows this, and yet people aren't even slightly reluctant to start their car, burn up gas that takes millions of years to make, and then turn it into carbon and carbon dioxide emissions that bring us another second closer to Doomsday.
Humans are very greedy; we seem to take every piece of land we can live on, without giving any thought to what we might be killing. People are thinking, "They're animals, so they can survive." They may be animals, but they still have lives and are afraid of death as much as we are, but we still kill animals and think it's not a big deal. Whereas, if a person got killed we have to make investigations and imprison people, and make a big deal out of it.
Tornados and other natural disasters are nature's way of saying, "You have taken too much, and you must give some back."
We are living in a delicate ecosystem and humans just keep on corrupting it. Water is very important to humans and animals, and we pollute it.
We dump waste and whatever's in the sewers into it, and no one remembers this is the water we – and all animals – drink. We have treatment systems, but the animals don't. They are drinking everything from oil waste to human waste.
Humans and animals are lucky enough to even have a planet with the perfect temperatures for life, and when the animals are using it perfectly, we tear it apart

Hundreds pose nude to protest global warming

Aug 18, 2007 11:17 AM

Associated Press

BETTMERALP, Switzerland – Hundreds of naked people formed a "living sculpture" on Switzerland's Aletsch glacier today aimed at raising awareness about climate change.
The photo shoot by New York artist Spencer Tunick, famous for his pictures of nude gatherings in public settings worldwide, was designed to draw attention to the effects of global warming on Switzerland's shrinking glaciers.
"The melting of the glaciers is an indisputable sign of global climate change," said the environmental group Greenpeace, which co-organized the event.
It said most Swiss glaciers will disappear by 2080 if global warming continues at its current pace.
The event, which followed Tunick's previous shoots in London, Mexico City and Amsterdam, was designed to minimize any impact on the environment, Greenpeace said.
Temperatures during the shoot hovered around 10 Celsius.

‘Focus on impact of climate changes’

KUALA LUMPUR: Strong Asian leaders who are committed to addressing the impact of climate change on the region are needed.
"Climate change is not an issue that environmental ministers can deal with on their own," said Singapore Institute of International Affairs chairman Simon S.C. Tay.The broader issues like displacement of people, the deterioration of land and water resources for food production and the increased spread of diseases must also be addressed, he said. "Issues like energy use, industrialisation, trade, public transport, the planning of cities are all implicated in climate change, and government leaders must set the right direction and co-ordinate policies coherently. "If we don’t treat it from a political angle, there’s no way this matter can be dealt with effectively," he said at the 21st Asia-Pacific Roundtable discussion organised by the Institute of Strategic and International Studies.
He was speaking at a plenary session on "Climate change: The security impact and responses in the short, medium and long term".Most Asian states, he said, are avoiding deeper engagement and any obligations under a climate change regime."The Cebu Declaration, for example, avoids talk about binding commitments or caps on emissions. The parties stress voluntary measures that involve the private sector and introduction of more efficient and innovative technologies." Tay also fears that in the rush to find solutions, the problems could be made worse. He said the problems include increasing competition and conflict for oil and gas, the dangers of pursuing nuclear energy, and some types of biofuels which cause more harm to the environment than traditional energy sources. The Roundtable also discussed Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) and whether they promote economic integration. Dr Andrew Elek, executive director of Bellendena Partners Australia, said that looking at the experience in Western Europe, FTAs do not necessarily create a genuine, integrated economic community. The former senior economist with the World Bank said in his paper on "The Asia Pacific Region: Economic Integration in the 21st century" that several groups have looked at the prospects for Asean+3 and they all see a grand FTA as the ultimate dream.Malaysian ambassador-at-large Tan Sri Ahmad Fuzi Abdul Razak said in his paper entitled "Asean+3, East Asia Summit and Apec: Ensuring Productive Synergy" that a decision must be made in order to ensure productive synergy from Asean+3, the East Asian Summit and Apec.The five-day forum has attracted 450 delegates from over 20 countries.

World Environment Day : Cars choking and killing us with ozone

KUALA LUMPUR: Look out of your window. On a good day, you’ll have a nice view, but chances are your view will be obscured by smog, caused largely by vehicle emissions.

From the first day a car is on the road till it is abandoned, usually about 20 years later, it gulps 80,000 to 100,000 litres of fuel. While the emissions from one car might not be much, multiply this by the seven million cars on the road every day and the results are horrific.Add to this, the 500,000 new cars that hit the roads each year, increasing the ground-level ozone produced by their exhaust fumes.

Experts say the only way to reduce hazardous ground level ozone is to switch to public transportation. Just doing that reduces ground level pollution by a factor of 10 for those travelling by bus, and 200 by LRT.A study by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia transport expert Prof Dr Rahim Mat Noor showed that ground level ozone in Kuala Lumpur increased by 203 per cent over nine years.

"If motorists, especially in the Klang Valley, do not switch to public transportation, then the level of ground level ozone will become harmful to humans," he said, adding that levels were on the rise in other parts of the country as well. Unlike ozone depletion in the upper atmosphere, caused by greenhouse gases, ground level ozone is caused by air pollution at ground level. It is a by-product of the chemicals released from car exhausts, and it is the prime ingredient of urban smog.

Heat and sun play a crucial role in the formation of ground level ozone, a particular danger in tropical cities like Kuala Lumpur. His analysis showed ground level ozone was increasing at a rate of 22.6 per cent per year. "Our estimates show that ground level ozone will soon increase from 30 parts per billion (ppb) to 91 ppb. By 2010, it will go up to 114 ppb."Each part per billion represents a dot out of a billion dots of sand. He added that health problems such as asthma and other upper respiratory tract problems could increase when the ground ozone level hits 50 ppb.

Ground level ozone is highly caustic, and prolonged exposure to elevated levels can damage lung tissues, causing respiratory problems and decreasing lung function. "Short-term exposure can result in choking, coughing, burning eyes, and nasal and respiratory irritation," Rahim said. "Repeated exposure can diminish the body’s ability to fight off respiratory infections, and may be linked to the scarring of lung tissue." Using public transport would help to reduce the production of ground level ozone, he added."Global warming is here and the effects are scary. People should sacrifice a small bit of comfort to save the earth."

Environment: Teach green values to kids

By : MASHHOR MANSOR, School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia
GLOBAL warming plus environmental degradation spell trouble for all life on earth. These pressing environmental issues are difficult to overcome, especially since environmental awareness is superficial and environmental knowledge is limited among the public.
Environmental education is not being addressed. For example, global warning is related to human activities. With the massive developments in China and India, the two nations with the highest populations, nobody can deny that carbon emissions are on the increase.The increase in carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has led to a greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect will result in global warming. An increase of the atmospheric temperature by 1°C or 2°C will melt the ice in the Antarctic and Arctic regions. The increase in sea levels will drown most of the great cities in the world. Perhaps, Bangladesh and the Maldives will be gone. George Town and Johor Baru could also be under water.
The increase in invasive species is reportedly taking place at a tremendous rate due to global warming. Insects, especially mosquitoes, are moving northward and mosquito-borne diseases like malaria are more pronounced in some poor nations. Weedy species are also on the increase, for example, a grassy species, Poa annua, found in Cameron Highlands, was recently recorded in Antarctica. The unique evolutionary characteristics of this species, which can adapt to various ranges of temperatures, has brought about a successful species in the world. Certain insect and grass species can take advantage of such harsh and extreme conditions. This phenomenon is also known as biological pollution. The newly-introduced species can colonise an area quickly. Within a year, their population creates a big problem for native species. Another example is the warming of our coastal waters. This can lead to an algal bloom, which has vast implications on the fishing industry. In view of all this, our children should be exposed to environmental education as early as possible. Nature camps and expeditions should be organised to make them realise the importance of safeguarding ecosystems. Those people armed with ecological and taxonomical knowledge should be involved. Unfortunately, most of our students are weak in taxonomical knowledge. For example, some students cannot even differentiate between an eagle and a crow, a rice plant and a lallang. How can we protect our biodiversity if we don’t know pests and endemic species? We should emphasise this aspect more, because our country is rich in biodiversity. Local communities can protect the habitats of wildlife in their areas. Every school should establish or at least have herbariums and collections of living species from their areas.

MPOB tubuh Institut Tanah Tropika

BANGI: Lembaga Minyak Sawit Malaysia (MPOB) bersedia menubuhkan Institut Tanah Tropika (Tropical Peat Institute - TROPI) bagi memastikan tanaman sawit yang ditanam di tanah berkenaan tidak merosakkan alam sekitar dan tidak menyumbang kepada pemanasan global.
“Institut itu berperanan menjalankan penyelidikan secara terperinci mengenai penanaman sawit di atas tanah gambut,” katanya pada mesyuarat bulanan saintifik dan profesional bersama pegawai kanan di ibu pejabat MPOB di sini baru-baru ini.Beliau berkata, Menteri Perusahaan Perladangan dan Komoditi, Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui, ketika lawatan beliau ke Negara Kesatuan Eropah (EU) bulan lalu menyarankan supaya ditubuhkan institut seumpama itu selepas NGO negara berkenaan menuduh tanaman sawit di tanah gambut menyumbangkan kepada pemanasan global. “NGO Barat menuduh melalui penggunaan tanah gambut sedalam satu meter untuk tanaman sawit boleh menyebabkan pelepasan sebanyak 90 tan gas karbon dioksida ke udara dan menyebabkan pemanasan atmosphera.“Tuduhan itu dibuat tanpa bukti saintifik dan penyelidikan yang menyeluruh. Tanaman sawit di Malaysia yang ditanam di tanah gambut adalah kurang daripada 10 peratus dan ia ditanam sejak dulu dan sebelum isu pelepasan gas rumah hijau ini ditimbulkan,” katanya.
Beliau berkata, melalui penubuhan pusat itu, kerajaan dan industri berupaya menyediakan maklumat yang lebih saintifik bagi menangkis tanggapan negatif dan tuduhan liar NGO negara barat itu dan pada masa sama dapat membangunkan tanah gambut dengan tanaman sawit secara teratur,” katanya.Beliau menjelaskan tanaman sawit di tanah gambut berupaya mengeluarkan hasil setanding dengan tanaman sawit di tanah mineral sekiranya dilakukan pengurusan air dan mengamalkan penyelenggaraan ladang dengan baik. “Menanam sawit di tanah gambut adalah pilihan terakhir dilakukan peladang kerana membabitkan kos lebih 40 peratus tinggi daripada kos penanaman di tanah mineral,” katanya.

Spotlight: Are we in for stormy weather?

A single degree rise in temperature will lead to an increase in extreme weather events — from bad floods to longer droughts. And Malaysia is unlikely to be spared.
MALAYSIA can expect more extreme weather in coming years and being prepared isn’t an option — it’s a necessity, say experts.From bad floods to longer droughts — extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent and more intense.And adaptation measures to climate change, including extreme weather events, must be taken over the next 20 to 30 years regardless of whether this is caused by global warming brought on by human activities, or simply by natural changes in the climate.This was the stark message from scientists and planners at a two-day national seminar on the socio-economic impact of extreme weather and climate change.
According to the findings of the latest assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a single degree rise in global average temperature can lead to an increase in extreme weather events, explains Meteorology Department director-general Dr Yap Kok Seng. Over the next two to three decades in the tropical region, where Malaysia lies, the temperature is expected to rise by half or 1°C."So, over that period, we must enhance efforts in disaster risk reduction and find ways to adapt to the coming changes," Yap told delegates.Che Moin Umar, director of the Crisis and Disaster Management Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Department, also stressed the importance of making disaster risk reduction policy, planning and implementation, a part of all development.If surface temperatures increase, Malaysians can also expect thunderstorms to have more energy, Yap says.And in the recent past, the country has also seen growing reports of waterspouts — small weak tornadoes that form over water."The reason for this is yet unknown. Is it global warming or climate variability? Or is it just more people with digital cameras capturing these phenomena? "The fact remains that the phenomenon exists in the country and there is photographic evidence of it."Yap also told delegates that rainfall patterns will change over the coming decades.In the projections towards the end of the century, we will see less rainfall — by about five to 10 per cent — during the wetter months when the Northeast monsoon drenches the country.On the other hand, we’ll see more rainfall in June, July and August, which are traditionally dry months for the country.A study by the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (Nahrim) also supports a future of more weather extremes.Nahrim found that there is likely to be a substantial increase in mean monthly rainfall over the north-east coastal regions and over Kelantan and a decrease over Selangor and Johor.Overall, the future outlook study also showed higher maximum and lower minimum rainfall in many sub-regions.This could mean more extreme hydrological conditions, said Nahrim,In terms of river flow, Nahrim also found from its study, that the extremes will be most pronounced in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Pahang watersheds.These are changes Malaysia can expect to see by the year 2050, the Nahrim study said. Most importantly, the findings point to the need for a review of water resources in peninsular Malaysia.This is because previous studies, which were used as the basis of the current wa ter resources development master plan, had not taken climate change into account. Without adequate measures to deal with floods and droughts, said speakers at the conference, the impact could be severe.

USM cipta produk kurangkan pencemaran.

UNIVERSITI Sains Malaysia (USM) terus menempa sejarah apabila penyelidiknya berjaya mencipta produk yang mampu mengurangkan pencemaran udara dan hujan asid menerusi sisa buangan dihasilkan daripada sekam padi dan kelapa sawit.
Kejayaan itu diraih empat penyelidik dari Pusat Pengajian Kejuruteraan Kimia USM iaitu Dr Lee Keat Teong, Prof Abdul Rahman Mohamed, Prof Madya Dr Azlina Harun dan Irvan Dahlan.Penyelidikan selama 10 tahun membabitkan kos lebih RM400,000 itu menerima pingat emas dan Anugerah Menteri Pengajian Tinggi dalam Eskpo Penyelidikan dan Ciptaan Institusi Pengajian Tinggi Antarabangsa (Ekspo Pecipta 2007) pada 10 Ogos lalu.Ketika ditemui pada sidang media di sini, semalam, Lee, berkata produk itu terbukti berjaya menyelesaikan masalah pencemaran alam sekitar di negara ini dengan menggunakan kapsul penyerap daripada bahan terbuang itu.Beliau berkata, hanya menggunakan kapsul dalam jumlah tertentu, syarikat yang terbabit dalam industri memproses tidak lagi mencemarkan udara kerana segala bahan dikeluarkan dari kilang itu sudah bersih.
Selain itu, katanya, usaha itu dapat mengatasi masalah hujan asid dan pemanasan global yang lebih serius pada masa depan akibat pencemaran udara tanpa batasan.“Negara kita banyak menghasilkan bahan terbuang daripada sektor pertanian, dan penyelidikan ini membantu negara kita dan dunia mengatasi masalah pencemaran udara.“Hanya menggunakan sedikit kapsul yang diproses menerusi teknologi terkini, syarikat yang banyak mengeluarkan asap kotor ini kini boleh mengeluarkan asap bersih ke udara,” katanya yang akan mengkomersilkan produk itu secepat mungkin.Turut hadir pada sidang media itu Naib Canselornya, Prof Datuk Dzulkifli Abd Razak.Pada majlis itu, Dzulkifli mengumumkan USM meraih kejayaan cemerlang apabila menggondol lima emas, empat perak, enam gangsa dan dua anugerah khas menerusi 16 penyertaan dalam Ekspo Pencipta 2007.Sebanyak 19 institut pengajian tinggi awam (IPTA) dan swasta (IPTS) menyertai ekspo itu dengan mempamerkan 528 reka cipta.

Kesan pemanasan global

Oleh Muhd Izawan Baharin

RAMAI mengeluh cuaca sekarang semakin panas. Kepanasan matahari semakin terik terutama pada tengah hari. Mereka turut mengaitkan kemungkinan kepanasan itu balasan kepada manusia kerana sering melakukan kerosakan di muka bumi.

Pandangannya itu mungkin benar dan tidak tetapi apa yang nyata kerosakan yang dilakukan manusia ke atas bumi memang tidak dapat dinafikan sejak berabad lalu. Penebangan hutan secara tidak terkawal, pencemaran industri, penggunaan bahan bakar fosil secara berleluasa dan pelepasan gas rumah hijau antara contoh ‘kerosakan’ yang dilakukan manusia hingga memberi kesan terhadap bumi.

Berdasarkan laporan Panel Antara Kerajaan Mengenai Perubahan Iklim (IPCC), suhu dunia diramal meningkat daripada 1.1 darjah Selsius kepada 6.4 darjah Selsius antara 1990 dan 2100. Jika ramalan itu menjadi kenyataan, bumi akan semakin panas dalam tempoh seabad lagi dan mungkin tidak selamat lagi.

Ini berikutan pemanasan global mempunyai banyak kaitan dengan pelbagai bencana alam. Kenaikan suhu itu boleh mencairkan ais di kutub dan meningkatkan paras air laut. Risiko banjir besar boleh berlaku jika perkara itu berlaku, malah beberapa kepulauan kecil boleh tenggelam.

Beberapa kawasan lain yang beriklim panas pula menerima taburan hujan yang banyak tetapi tanah di situ menjadi lebih cepat kering disebabkan penyejatan air yang berlaku dengan cepat.Kerosakan akan berlaku ke atas tanaman dan haiwan menyebabkan bekalan makanan berkurangan di beberapa tempat di dunia.

Akhbar melaporkan kajian terbaru IPCC mendapati suhu purata Malaysia dianggarkan meningkat antara 0.6 darjah Selsius hingga 4.5 darjah Selsius menjelang 2060.Kajian itu turut menyebut kawasan pantai dan penempatan seluas 1,200 kilometer persegi akan tenggelam jika langkah pencegahan awal diabaikan berikutan pemanasan global yang menyebabkan peningkatan paras laut.

Dalam ucapan perasmian Forum Kesan Pemanasan Global Ke atas Strategi Pengairan di Malaysia, Menteri Sumber Asli dan Alam Sekitar, Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid, dilaporkan berkata secara kasar, senario pemanasan global dijangka meningkatkan suhu 4.5 darjah Selsius dengan pengurangan 10 peratus hujan sekali gus mengurangkan kadar penerimaan air antara 13 peratus dalam musim tengkujuh dan 53 peratus musim kemarau.

“Peningkatan aras laut pula mampu menghasilkan gelombang ganas yang mengancam garis pantai dan struktur hakisan pantai, pemusnahan zon penampan paya bakau yang mengakibatkan kerosakan habitat asli serta kehidupan akuatik seperti ketam, ikan, udang, flora dan fauna.“Cendekiawan juga menganggarkan lebih ramai orang akan terkena penyakit atau mati kerana tekanan cuaca panas dengan wabak penyakit yang biasa ditemui di daerah tropika seperti disebabkan nyamuk atau haiwan pembawa penyakit lain,” katanya.

Kebimbangan sama turut disuarakan Pengarah Hal Ehwal Iklim Universiti Malaya (UMCCA), Profesor Dr Khairulmaini Osman Salleh, ketika membentangkan kertas kerja Fenomena El Nino di Masjid Kariah Sikamat, Seremban, Negeri Sembilan baru-baru ini.Beliau berkata, suhu bumi yang kian meningkat mengakibatkan kehidupan menghadapi satu ancaman besar berikutan berlakunya bencana alam lebih kerap dengan tempoh semakin meluas.

Menurutnya, sebanyak 95 peratus punca suhu bumi yang semakin meningkat itu mempunyai kaitan dengan aktiviti manusia, terutama membabitkan penggunaan bahan bakar fosil.“Sejak 10 tahun kebelakangan ini, manusia semakin terancam berikutan bencana kerap berlaku. Taufan, banjir, kemarau dan wabak penyakit berkaitan alam sekitar semakin kerap dan ancamannya bertambah meluas.

“Senario pemanasan global turut menggiatkan kesan El Nino, terutama membabitkan kejadian kemarau dan banjir. El Nino akan mempengaruhi iklim dunia mengakibatkan sesetengah tempat kemarau manakala sesetengah lagi banjir,” katanya.Beliau berkata, El Nino merujuk kepada pemanasan tempatan di pinggir Peru dan Equador di Amerika Selatan serta perubahan suhu permukaan laut di Lautan Pasifik Khatulistiwa.

“El Nino berlaku dalam selangan tiga ke tujuh tahun apabila suhu permukaan laut di bahagian barat Lautan Pasifik jatuh beberapa darjah Selsius manakala di timur Lautan Pasifik naik beberapa darjah Selsius. Tempoh berlaku El Nino antara 12 hingga 18 bulan merangkumi permulaan, pertumbuhan, kematangan dan kereputan.“Kejadian itu adalah peristiwa semula jadi di Lautan Pasifik dan kebiasaannya selepas El Nino, La Nina atau musim sejuk atau musim biasa akan datang,” katanya yang juga Profesor Jabatan Geografi Universiti Malaya.

El Nino yang berlaku pada 1997 dan 1998 dikatakan paling besar pada kurun ke-20 apabila suhu permukaan lautan naik lima hingga enam darjah Selsius.“Pada 2006, El Nino tidak kuat, bagaimanapun ia bukan bermakna kejadian lebih besar tidak boleh berlaku tetapi kita tidak tahu bila masanya kerana teknologi sekarang hanya mampu meramal untuk jangka masa pendek.“Lebih membimbangkan, trend kejadian El Nino sejak 50 tahun kebelakangan ini menunjukkan sifat peningkatan suhu permukaan laut,” katanya.

Dr Khairulmaini berkata, pengkaji juga bimbang dengan pola kejadian El Nino yang semakin bertambah kuat dan tidak dapat menjangkakan bila ia akan berlaku.Menurutnya, berdasarkan maklumat terkini, ramalan mendapati kekuatan El Nino menurun sehingga lewat Mac ini saja.“Selepas itu kita tidak tahu, mungkin ia seteruk 1997 atau lebih buruk lagi kerana senario kepanasan bumi yang semakin meningkat. Peristiwa semula jadi itu akan memberi kesan kepada kesihatan, pertanian, perhutanan, sumber air, pinggir laut dan ekosistem serta habitat,” katanya.

Menurutnya, kesedaran mengenai ancaman itu perlu disampaikan kepada masyarakat supaya mereka bersedia dan dapat bertindak berdasarkan keadaan tertentu. “Masyarakat perlu diingatkan supaya berhati-hati dan bersedia menerima kesan El Nino. Masalah komunikasi dan tindakan susulan perlu diatasi agar orang ramai sedar dan mampu bertindak jika berada dalam situasi tertentu,” katanya.

Mufti Negeri Sembilan, Datuk Mohd Murtadza Ahmad, pula berpendapat, doa adalah persediaan terbaik dalam menghadapi apa jua ujian Allah seperti bencana alam.“Rasulullah sendiri membuktikan bahawa solat, doa dan dengan izin Allah, masalah kemarau dan banjir dapat diatasi,” katanya.

Menurutnya, maksud Surah al-Taghabun 64:11 iaitu ‘Tidak ada kesusahan (atau bala bencana) yang menimpa (seseorang) melainkan dengan izin Allah; dan sesiapa yang beriman kepada Allah, Allah akan memimpin hatinya (untuk menerima apa yang telah berlaku dengan tenang dan sabar); dan (ingatlah), Allah maha mengetahui akan tiap-tiap sesuatu’ memberi kesimpulan nyata kepada umat Islam.

“Umat Islam perlu kembali mentaati agama dan menjauhi maksiat. Melakukan ibadat berterusan dan banyak berdoa kepada Allah dalam menghadapi ujian,” katanya.

Global warming explained

Last Updated February 21, 2007
CBC News

An explorer looks on in the Pastoruri glacier in Huaraz in November 2006. Ice atop the Cordillera Blanca, the largest glacier chain in the tropics, is melting quickly because of rising temperatures. (Karel Navarro/Associated Press)
Public interest in global warming tends to rise during unseasonably warm weather, or during flashpoint moments like droughts or the collapse of a piece of Antarctic ice shelf in 2006. But the everyday reality of the trend is perhaps even more startling: Eleven of the highest average global annual temperatures recorded since 1861 have come in the past 12 years.
Few issues have galvanized the scientific community like climate change has in the last decade. In 2007, scientists from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, to name two, have called on world leaders to take action to curb global warming.
But before action can be taken, it helps to have some understanding of the process itself and what part humans have had in its recent development.

How it works

Global warming is the increase over time of the Earth's average surface temperature. Although the term "global warming" may conjure up images of coal-fired plants and yuppies in SUVs, the climate of the Earth has always been in flux, including periods of sustained warming and cooling.
In general, it works like this: The sun shines on the Earth. Most of those rays pass through the Earth's atmosphere, although some are reflected back into space. The surface of the Earth absorbs the energy. Some of that heat energy is re-emitted. The heat reflected from the surface travels back up into the atmosphere.

While on its way back up, this heat can be absorbed by the gases like carbon dioxide and methane, commonly known as greenhouse gases. These are naturally occurring gases as well as those from burning fossil fuels; they trap the heat, warming up the Earth's surface even more. Without naturally occurring greenhouse gases, the Earth would be about 33 C colder than it is, a temperature hostile to human life.
Over thousands of years, changes in atmospheric conditions, such as gas concentrations, and singular events – volcanic eruptions, for instance – have caused climate change. Most of those changes have taken hundreds or thousands of years to play out.
But climatologists now agree that the world appears to be in a sustained, relatively rapid period of warming.

Links to extreme weather

also suggest global warming will increase the severity – though not the number – of extreme weather events such as El Nino and hurricanes. Many researchers note the increase in temperature coincides with the Industrial Revolution, and the resulting increase of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere from the burning of fossil fuels and the cutting of forests.
According to research cited by the IPCC in 2007, the Earth's average surface temperature has gone up about 0.6 C since the start of the 20th century. That may not sound like much, and many climatologists will agree that it isn't. But some say it's a sign of things to come.
The IPCC projects an average global temperature increase between 1.8 and 4 C in the next 100 years, with sea levels rising between 18 and 59 cm over the same period.
Warming the Earth doesn't necessarily sound like a bad thing, but climate change, especially when it's more rapid than the Earth normally experiences, could have significant effects on animal, plant and human life.
Climate change will not happen uniformly. A global temperature increase of 1 C could mean some areas will warm by half a degree, some by three or four, and some may actually get cooler. Scientists tend to point to the Arctic and the Antarctic climates as the signs of things to come.
Climate change in those areas could rise as high as six degrees in the winter months, according to some projections from the IPCC. That could lead to glacier melts, rising sea levels and endangered Arctic wildlife

Cool planet by growing plankton in oceans?

Scientists report gas emitted by creatures could create cloud cover
Updated: 4:25 p.m. ET Aug. 20, 2007

SOCORRO, N.M. - A New Mexico Tech scientist believes he has found a way to head off dangerous climate change. Oliver Wingenter said the idea is simple — fertilize the ocean so that more plankton can grow.
Plankton growing in the ocean emits a gas known as dimethyl sulfide, or DMS, that once in the atmosphere, helps spur cloud formation. That, in turn, would cool the planet and offset some of the global warming caused by human emitted greenhouse gases, he said.
World governments are looking for ways to cut emissions and head off the worst damage such change might cause. Efforts are having limited success, though, so some scientists have begun to advocate counter measures to offset the warming.
Wingenter said his idea has been a tough sell, and it has been a struggle to win funding to further pursue the research.
But as Earth inches toward a climate tipping point of runaway warming, Wingenter said his technique could be used to buy time to make societal changes necessary to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
"I'm just hoping that this is something that will give us a little more time," he said.
He and a pair of colleagues published the information last month in the scientific journal, "Atmospheric Environment."
Idea born at seaWingenter said he came up with idea while spending seven weeks at sea in early 2002, collecting atmospheric data as part of a major climate change research experiment.
At the time, DMS and cloud formation were the furthest thing from the scientists' minds. They were trying to see if fertilizing plankton in the planet's southern oceans could slow down global warming in an entirely different way — by coaxing the ocean plankton to gobble greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide coming out of the tailpipes of cars and exhaust stacks of factories, are changing Earth's climate, most scientists agree.
But the potential for using plankton to scrub greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere remains uncertain.
In pursuing his idea, Wingenter is entering a scientific political minefield known as geo-engineering.
The most widely discussed geo-engineering proposal involves a fleet of jets spewing aerosols that would deflect the sun's rays, cooling the planet in the process.
Other suggestions include launching giant mirrors into space to block some of the sun's light.
Risks citedOne risk, said Ken Caldeira, an expert in the field at the Carnegie Institution in California, is that geo-engineering might be used as an excuse to avoid cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
But by far the less risky course is to minimize greenhouse gas emissions in the first place, he said.
Caldeira said that, in principle, Wingenter's idea looks like it might work. But he suggested a cautious approach, with more research to understand the effect fertilization might have on both ocean and climate.
"It might be relatively benign," he said. "It might not. We just don't know."

Q&A: Climate change

David Adam
Guardian Unlimited
Thursday July 26 2007

Earlier springs are one of the signs that the climate is changing. Photograph: David Davies/PA

What is climate change?
The Earth's climate has always varied, so the term climate change is now generally used to describe the changes caused by human activity - specifically, greenhouse emissions such as carbon dioxide and methane, which build up in the atmosphere and trap heat.

Is it the same as global warming?
As human activity increases the concentration of these gases in the atmosphere far beyond their natural levels, much more heat is trapped. Hence, the term climate change is often used interchangeably with global warming.

Can it be explained by natural causes?
Measurements at the Earth's surface show that average temperatures have risen by some 0.4C since the 1970s. Scientists are confident this change can be blamed on human emissions because the increase is too big to be explained by natural causes.
Although natural factors such as changes in the sun and large volcanic eruptions are known to have warmed and cooled the planet in the past, these effects are not powerful enough to explain the rapid warming seen recently. Only an increased greenhouse effect caused by higher amounts of heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere can explain it.

What is the main greenhouse gas?
Water vapour in the atmosphere produces the strongest greenhouse effect, but it has been in balance for millions of years. Human emissions, though relatively small, tip that balance.
Carbon dioxide is the chief greenhouse gas produced by human activity. It is produced when we burn fossil fuels: oil, gas and coal. The level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is measured in parts per million (ppm).
Before the industrial revolution, the carbon dioxide level was about 280ppm. It is now 380ppm and rising by 2-3ppm each year. When other greenhouse gases such as methane are included, the total level in the atmosphere, known as the carbon dioxide equivalent, is closer to 440ppm.

What future temperature rise is expected?
Scientists say continued emissions will cause the planet to heat up further. To work out how much, they use computer models based on the programs used to predict the weather.
These models are not perfect, and struggle to simulate some features of the climate system such as clouds. To get around this, the scientists run many different versions and pool the results. The computer models predict that if emissions continue to rise at the present rate, average temperatures will most likely increase by 4C by 2100.
There are uncertainties, though - for example, the planet's oceans, forests and soils could release their massive stocks of carbon as the world warms, leading to much greater temperature rises than human emissions alone would cause.

Why are warmer temperatures bad?
Most plants and animals have evolved to live in a fairly narrow ecological niche. Some will move to find their desired conditions, others will be able to adapt. Those that cannot move or adapt will perish. Some animals, such as the polar bear, have nowhere to move to.
A warmer climate will affect agriculture and water availability. Increased temperatures are also expected to limit rainfall in some regions and bring more extreme weather events such as storms to others.
Sea levels will rise - gradually at first as the extra warmth works its way into the oceans and makes them expand; more quickly if the gigantic ice sheets in Greenland and west Antarctica start to break up.

How can we tackle global warming?
Scientists say the only realistic way at present is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. How to do that - and where - is a political hot potato.
Because it takes time for the heat to build up in the atmosphere, and because carbon dioxide stays in the atmosphere for a long time, there is a lag in the system, which means the effect of any changes will not be felt for decades. Put bluntly, we are headed for about another 0.5C of warming whatever we do.

What about the Kyoto Protocol?
The world's only existing treaty to limit emissions, the Kyoto Protocol, has had limited success, and expires in 2012. Politicians are working to develop a replacement that would include countries excluded from Kyoto, such as China, and those that refused to join, such as the US.

Can renewable energy help?
The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently said that we already have most of the technology we need to bring down emissions significantly. These include renewable energy sources such as windmills and solar panels, as well as more efficient cars and power stations.

What about carbon trading?
Countries such as the UK argue that binding caps are needed to restrict each country's emissions and drive the wider uptake of green technology. They also advocate carbon trading, which allows some emissions to be offset by paying someone else to reduce theirs.
Other countries, including the US, resent the idea of binding targets and argue that market mechanisms will steadily make the technology cheaper and more attractive.

What about individual carbon offsetting projects?
Offsetting is controversial because some people see it as an excuse not to change our behaviour. There are also concerns about whether it delivers the promised savings, as much of the market is unregulated.

What about blocking the sun?
Some people advocate new technologies, such as ways to trap the carbon emissions from power stations and store them underground. Others argue attempts to reduce emissions will not succeed and we need to develop large-scale measures to block the sun or suck carbon from the atmosphere.

Scientists warn on climate tipping points

Alok Jha
The Guardian
Thursday August 16 2007

Some tipping points for climate change could be closer than previously thought. Scientists are predicting that the loss of the massive Greenland ice sheet may now be unstoppable and lead to catastrophic sea-level rises around the world.
In drawing together research on tipping points, where damage due to climate change occurs irreversibly and at an increasing rate, the researchers concluded that the risks were much greater than those predicted by the latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
If the Greenland ice sheet melted completely, for example, it would raise global sea levels by seven metres. According to the IPCC report, the melting should take about 1,000 years. But the study, by Tim Lenton of the University of East Anglia, showed the break-up could happen more quickly, in 300 years. Professor Lenton said: "We know that ice sheets in the last ice age collapsed faster than any current models can capture, so our models are known to be too sluggish."
His study identified eight tipping points that could be passed by the end of this century. They include the destruction of the Amazon rainforest, the melting of the west Antarctic ice sheet, and a collapse of the global ocean current known as the thermohaline circulation. If that circulation stopped, the Indian monsoons and the gulf stream could be shut down.
Prof Lenton said the IPCC way of working, including multiple reviews, caused it to issue more conservative reports than his team's studies. He added that the inevitable collapse of the Greenland ice sheet was closer than thought because of the latency in the Earth's climate system. "If you could stabilise the greenhouse gas levels to today's level, you'll still get some further warming [by 2100]."
A global average temperature rise of just 1C would be enough to slip the Greenland ice over the edge. The IPCC's prediction for 2100 is a rise of 1.1C-6.4C.

35 maut cuaca panas di AS

NASHVILLE, Amerika Syarikat (AS) 17 Ogos – Lebih 35 orang terkorban akibat gelombang panas yang melanda kawasan Midwest di pertengahan utara dan selatan di AS sejak 10 hari lalu.
Cuaca panas yang melampau itu turut memaksa para pegawai menutup salah satu daripada tiga buah reaktor nuklear di Alabama kerana air sungai yang digunakan untuk proses penyejukan didapati melebihi had purata 32.22 darjah Celsius bagi tempoh 24 jam lalu.
Pada keseluruhannya, 37 kematian disahkan berlaku dalam insiden-insiden yang berkaitan dengan cuaca panas yang melampau ini.
Gelombang panas turut disyaki sebagai punca 10 lagi kematian yang belum disahkan di negara ini, kata pihak berkuasa.
“Keadaan di sini tidak ubah seperti satu kejadian gempa bumi di mana tiada sebarang penawar atau penyelesaian ditemui untuk menanganinya,” kata Datuk Bandar Shelby, A.C. Wharton Jr. di sini.
Para pemeriksa perubatan di Tennessee mengesahkan lapan kematian akibat gelombang panas di daerah Memphis sahaja.
Suhu di negeri itu meningkat kepada 40.5 darjah Celsius semalam, yang tertinggi untuk hari ketujuh berturut-turut.
Jabatan Kesihatan Missouri mencatatkan sembilan kematian di negeri itu manakala lapan kematian disahkan di Illinois, empat di Arkansas, empat di Georgia, dua di Carolina Selatan, satu di Mississippi dan juga satu lagi kematian di satu lagi daerah lain di Tennessee.

Perubahan iklim bunuh 77,000 orang setahun

KUALA LUMPUR 28 Jun – Pertubuhan Kesihatan Sedunia (WHO) hari ini mengumumkan, pakar kesihatan antarabangsa akan bersidang di sini bulan depan bagi membincangkan ancaman terhadap kesihatan berpunca daripada pemanasan global.
Menurut WHO, perubahan iklim itu secara langsung atau tidak langsung menyebabkan kira-kira 77,000 kematian setiap tahun di rantau Asia Pasifik.
Persidangan mulai 2 hingga 5 Julai itu dijadualkan ketika terdapat ramalan bahawa suhu purata global akan meningkat 6 darjah Celsius menjelang akhir abad ini.
“Kita telah sampai ke peringkat kritikal kerana pemanasan global sudah pun menjejaskan kehidupan dan kesihatan secara serius, dan masalah ini akan menimbulkan ancaman lebih besar terhadap manusia pada dekad-dekad akan datang jika kita gagal bertindak sekarang,” kata Pengarah Serantau WHO bagi Pasifik Barat, Shigeru Omi dalam satu kenyataan.

Malaysia sedia bekerjasama atasi pemanasan global

Daripada: AZNAN BAKAR

OSAKA 25 Mei – Malaysia sedia bekerjasama dengan negara-negara maju terutama Jepun dalam menangani isu pemanasan global yang kini menjadi ancaman kepada dunia, kata Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Perdana Menteri berkata, ia termasuk mengambil bahagian secara aktif dalam apa juga perancangan berhubung perkara tersebut terutama dalam usaha mencapai matlamat bumi yang lebih sejuk pada tahun 2050.
“Malaysia sedia bekerjasama dan mengambil bahagian secara aktif, cuma kita tunggu cadangan yang akan dibawa oleh Jepun,” katanya pada sidang akhbar pada hari terakhir lawatan kerjanya ke Jepun di sini hari ini.
Menurut Abdullah, pada pertemuannya dengan Perdana Menteri Jepun, Shinzo Abe menegaskan tentang pentingnya usaha menangani isu perubahan cuaca dunia sekarang.
Untuk itu, kata Abdullah, Jepun mahukan kerjasama di peringkat global bagi sama-sama berusaha mencari pendekatan terbaik dalam berhadapan dengan isu alam sekitar yang menyumbang kepada pemanasan global.
Pada masa yang sama, katanya, Malaysia juga perlu melihat kepada penggunaan tenaga alternatif bagi mengurangkan pergantungan kepada tenaga konvensional seperti hidro, minyak dan arang batu.
Katanya, tenaga solar, misalnya, boleh dimanfaatkan bagi menggantikan tenaga terbabit kerana sumbernya yang berterusan.
Sebab itu, katanya, lebih banyak penyelidikan dan pembangunan (R&D) perlu dilakukan bagi mencari kaedah mendapatkan tenaga solar dengan cara yang lebih murah supaya ia dapat digunakan secara meluas.
Dengan itu, katanya, ia boleh diperkenalkan secara perlahan-lahan di Malaysia untuk kemudahan tertentu sepertimana yang terdapat di negara maju.
Dalam pada itu, katanya, rakyat Malaysia sendiri perlu berjimat dalam menggunakan tenaga walaupun ia masih mudah didapati sekarang.
Melalui langkah itu, kata Abdullah, ia turut menjimatkan belanja harian mereka dan memastikan pendapatan yang diterima mencukupi.
“Kalau tidak jimat, sampai bila pun pendapatan tidak cukup,” katanya.
Pada lawatannya ke Jepun kali ini juga, Perdana Menteri berkata, beliau sempat bertemu dengan beberapa pemimpin korporat negara ini yang terus memberikan komitmen untuk melabur di Malaysia.
Menurut Perdana Menteri, ini menunjukkan bahawa Malaysia masih lagi menjadi destinasi pilihan pelabur dari negara matahari terbit ini tetapi tumpuan kini lebih kepada industri berteknologi tinggi dan tidak lagi kepada yang berasaskan tenaga buruh.
Para pelabur terbabit juga, katanya, menunjukkan minat untuk melibatkan diri di Wilayah Pembangunan Iskandar dan mahukan lebih banyak maklumat mengenainya.
“Saya harap Khazanah (Khazanah Nasional) dapat datang untuk buat promosi supaya pelabur-pelabur Jepun tertarik untuk buat pelaburan di sana," katanya.
- Utusan

Are we ready for a global meltdown?

By: Elizabeth John

Monstrous storms, ravaging seas and molten heat. The scenario for these climate changes may seem like the plot of a Doomsday movie but there are three reasons why they must be taken seriously.

IT’S pretty complicated, but here are three reasons why climate change is the hottest topic around: Food, trade and a rising sea.If a warming world brings more droughts to the countries we buy our food from, what will we eat?If once frozen seas thaw, creating new sea lanes and trade routes, what happens to our ports?And when ice melts, will our thriving coastal communities and sun-kissed beachfront hotels be gobbled up by rising seas?
These are the worries many countries have been wrestling with, says meteorology professor Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah.And as science has grown more certain and the ifs of climate change have turned into when, they have begun strategising and preparing."In terms of climate change awareness, we’re quite low. If we don’t start strategising now, we’ll be left behind," he says of Malaysia.We import most of our food, says Azizan, and that doesn’t bode well for food security. This is especially so when the countries we import from could be adversely affected by climate change.Then, there are trade and economic issues to consider.South Korea and Japan have been closely studying the melting of Arctic ice that could open up the Northwest Passage, says the head of Malaysian Antarctica Research Programme.The Passage is a sea lane across the top of Alaska and Canada that is blocked by sea ice for all but one month a year. It is only passable to hulking icebreaker ships.But as global temperature rises and Arctic ice melts, it could open up the Passage and other routes like the Northern Sea Route, for commercial shipping. Recent studies say this could happen anywhere between a few decades and a few years.If it takes place, it could cut a considerable amount of travel time for trade ships from Japan that are headed to Europe, says Azizan."For so long, our ports have benefited from their central position."But if this new route can be used all-year round, would ships still need to pass through our waters? What is our plan then?"But climate change isn’t necessarily all bad news, he’s quick to add. Malaysia should study and respond to impacts facing other parts of the world that could benefit this country.For instance, how will climate change affect soya bean crops, oil palm’s main competitor? So climate change isn’t just for scare-mongering environmentalists or scientists, says Azizan, but also for policy makers. "They need to be interested in this."Making a start on the awareness front is the Maritime Institute of Malaysia.Using the predictions of existing global climate change models, the institute has begun a preliminary assessment of the likely impacts on Malaysia.It hopes to complete this by year-end and carry out a more advanced study in 2008.It will focus specifically on how rising sea levels will affect the country’s coasts and marine resources, says senior researcher Tan Kim Hooi.Working with government, NGOs and universities, the study will look at how many coastal towns and how much infrastructure will be affected by rising seas.Tan, who is with the institute’s Centre for Coastal and Marine Environment, will also study how much land and mangrove forests will be lost and how this will impact fisheries.Finally, they will assess steps the country has taken to address issues and what more needs to be done.But Azizan argues that there’s very little accurate information on regional impacts to begin with.He says the models being used to predict what happens with climate change on a global scale don't do such a good job when it comes to regional scenarios.When applied to the region, the location of increased warming and higher rainfall differ significantly from model to model.This creates a lot of uncertainty and the need for a really good regional model.The model must also be tested against historical data, he says. "If the model can accurately predict what happened with the climate in the past, we can use it to predict the future scenarios with some confidence."But this means we need historical data that stretches back a few thousand years."Countries covered in swathes of ice get this information by coring deep down and studying samples of ice frozen ages ago. The layers are like a diary of weather events of past centuries, explains Azizan.In Malaysia, stalagmites and corals store similar information and should be studied."There’s a lot more that needs to be done and we’ve a long way to go before we can say we are prepared."

Spotlight: Are we in for stormy weather?

ELIZABETH JOHN
2007/06/30

A single degree rise in temperature will lead to an increase in extreme weather events — from bad floods to longer droughts. And Malaysia is unlikely to be spared.

MALAYSIA can expect more extreme weather in coming years and being prepared isn’t an option — it’s a necessity, say experts.From bad floods to longer droughts — extreme weather events are expected to become more frequent and more intense.And adaptation measures to climate change, including extreme weather events, must be taken over the next 20 to 30 years regardless of whether this is caused by global warming brought on by human activities, or simply by natural changes in the climate.This was the stark message from scientists and planners at a two-day national seminar on the socio-economic impact of extreme weather and climate change.
According to the findings of the latest assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a single degree rise in global average temperature can lead to an increase in extreme weather events, explains Meteorology Department director-general Dr Yap Kok Seng. Over the next two to three decades in the tropical region, where Malaysia lies, the temperature is expected to rise by half or 1°C."So, over that period, we must enhance efforts in disaster risk reduction and find ways to adapt to the coming changes," Yap told delegates.Che Moin Umar, director of the Crisis and Disaster Management Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Department, also stressed the importance of making disaster risk reduction policy, planning and implementation, a part of all development.If surface temperatures increase, Malaysians can also expect thunderstorms to have more energy, Yap says.And in the recent past, the country has also seen growing reports of waterspouts — small weak tornadoes that form over water."The reason for this is yet unknown. Is it global warming or climate variability? Or is it just more people with digital cameras capturing these phenomena? "The fact remains that the phenomenon exists in the country and there is photographic evidence of it."Yap also told delegates that rainfall patterns will change over the coming decades.In the projections towards the end of the century, we will see less rainfall — by about five to 10 per cent — during the wetter months when the Northeast monsoon drenches the country.On the other hand, we’ll see more rainfall in June, July and August, which are traditionally dry months for the country.A study by the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia (Nahrim) also supports a future of more weather extremes.Nahrim found that there is likely to be a substantial increase in mean monthly rainfall over the north-east coastal regions and over Kelantan and a decrease over Selangor and Johor.Overall, the future outlook study also showed higher maximum and lower minimum rainfall in many sub-regions.This could mean more extreme hydrological conditions, said Nahrim,In terms of river flow, Nahrim also found from its study, that the extremes will be most pronounced in Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah and Pahang watersheds.These are changes Malaysia can expect to see by the year 2050, the Nahrim study said. Most importantly, the findings point to the need for a review of water resources in peninsular Malaysia.This is because previous studies, which were used as the basis of the current wa ter resources development master plan, had not taken climate change into account. Without adequate measures to deal with floods and droughts, said speakers at the conference, the impact could be severe.

Our Hot Challenge

By Elizabeth John
16 August, 2007

It’s Earth Day today and climate change takes centre stage as the theme of celebrations around the world. What’s in store for Malaysia in the coming decades? FORGET sumptuous seafood dinners.
Forget the occasional flashflood.
Forget about tanning.
Start worrying about rising sea levels gobbling up mangroves where fish and prawns shelter.
Invest in some stylish rubber “banjir” boots as flashfloods become more frequent.
And prepare an arsenal of umbrellas and sun block against rising temperatures and heat stress.
Climate change is on its way.
As the world warms over the coming decades, several challenges loom ahead for Malaysia. These include defending miles of vulnerable coastline, surviving weather extremes and protecting crops and food supply.
In its initial national report to the United Nations on climate change issues, Malaysia has identified several possible impacts: Lower crop yields As much as six per cent of land planted with oil palm and four per cent of land under rubber may be flooded and abandoned as a result of rising sea level.
And if the current mean annual temperature of 26°C to 28°C rises to 31°C, a fall in rubber crop yield is projected. Perlis, parts of Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu may experience a reduction in production.
A total of up to 15 per cent of existing rubber land may be affected under this scenario.
If higher temperatures lead to droughts, an estimated 12 per cent of existing oil palm areas will be considered close to unsuitable.
Drought-prone areas in parts of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Johor, Kedah, Perak, Negri Sembilan and Malacca are most vulnerable.
For every degree of temperature rise, rice yields may decline by 10 per cent.
If droughts are prolonged, it may be necessary to abandon flooded rice planting systems and develop dry land systems.
National food security may be threatened, says the report.
Sea level rise could inundate and destroy most coastal aquaculture activities while warmer temperatures mean livestock could suffer heat stress, leading to reduced meat production.
Stormy weather Increasing temperatures will result in higher evaporation and transpiration, reducing the amount of water available.
For every 1°C that temperature rises, about 90mm of moisture could be lost every year through these processes.
A 10 per cent reduction in rainfall coupled with a 1°C to 3°C temperature rise means less water will run off surfaces into rivers and dams.
If we lost just 20 per cent of domestic and industrial water supply, supplementing it would cost RM152 million, says the Initial National Communication report.
According to recent studies by the National Hydraulic Research Institute of Malaysia, flashfloods are likely to become more frequent. The patterns of where and when rain falls will also change.
The forecasts show that the north-eastern, easterncentral and north-western regions of peninsular Malaysia will experience a small increase in rainfall.
But the western-central and southern regions are expected to have a slight decrease in rainfall for the years 2041 to 2050.
The national report predicts that an increase in storm frequency and intensity will mean that the country may have to spend more to contain floodwaters.
The social and economic costs of changing existinginfrastructure to cope with more frequent and severe flooding are likely to be significant, it adds.
Large storms also mean that there may be a higher risk of slope failure at riverbanks and hills as well as a faster rate of sedimentation.
For instance, if the river discharge increased by 20 per centin the Kelantan river, the amount of sediment created would increase by 33 per cent.
In Sabah and Sarawak, an increase of 20 per cent will raise sediment loads by 44 per cent.
Coasts in trouble The sea level is expected rise over a long period of time.
But only in the worst case scenario — if the sea level rises at a rate of 0.9cm per year up till 2100 — will peninsular Malaysia lose its protective mangroves, says the report.
If this happens, some 1,200 km2of land along the peninsula’s coast that now lies below sea level could be inundated. This is also on the condition that protective bunds are not shored up.
As the depth of the surrounding seas increase, larger waves are projected to break along the coastline — putting at risk facilities like highways and power plants.
Erosion will account for another few hundred metres of shoreline retreat and submergence of coral under rising waters is also projected.
The concerns of climate change The main economic loss, says the report, will be felt in agriculture and fisheries. This is especially along vulnerable stretches of coastline hit by sea level rise.
If we lose just 20 per cent of mangrove areas — the nursery of juvenile fish — we will suffer RM300 million in fisheries losses along with an estimated 70,000 tonnes in prawn production.
More severe weather also promises higher repair bills.
The report even states that a relocation of flood victims is possible but only in the worst-case scenario.
Sea level rise is also a major concern to electrical power producers because most of their thermal power plants are located near the sea.
The Paka power station in Terengganu, for instance, is already experiencing the effects of severe coastal erosion and has to be defended by costly structural works such as concrete sea walls.
If the temperature of sea water —which is used to cool plants — rises, the efficiency of steam turbines will also drop.
The potential increase in severe tropical storms will escalate operational and maintenance costs of producers.
Changes in the rainfall pattern and drought could limit the capacity of hydroelectric power generation with serious repercussions.
Sea level rise and frequent tropical storms could also ultimately increase the cost of offshore oil exploration and production.
The report also lists some general predictions on the health impacts of climate change, which includes deaths due to heat stress or respiratory diseases due to air pollution.
Indirect effects could include increased food and water-borne diseases as a result of changing rainfall patterns, the report says.
Steps Malaysia is taking In preparing the country’s second report to the United Nations, the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry has set up a working group that will look into the country’s greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to the Earth’s warming.
This group will list emissions from various sectors of economy and calculate how much carbon dioxide —a greenhouse gas —is stored in intact forests.
Another group will identify areas vulnerable to the ravages of climate change and look for ways to adapt to the changes.
According to the ministry’s Conservation and Environment Management division, a third group will look into how to lessen the impacts of climate change.
The groups began work in October last year and will complete the report in 2009. The report is being prepared with a US$450,000 grant from the Global Environment Facility.
Malaysia is also assessing its ability to address environmental issues and fulfil its obligations to international conventions.
For instance, under the Convention on Biological Diversity, the country is supposed to be able to identify species that have gone extinct in the last decade or so.
Some conventions require the country to provide data it hasn’t been able to properly record, such as calculate greenhouse gas emissions and stores.
This study will tell the country which data, technical knowledge, personnel and policies it lacks in addressing environmental issues and help in planning the use of resources.
In its bid to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions, Malaysia has begun several projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).
Under this mechanism, industrialised countries invest in projects in developing countries which reduce the amount of greenhouse gasses emitted into the atmosphere.
By doing this, the industrialised countries earn “credits”. They use the credits to offset their own emissions and meet the standards they have committed to under the Kyoto Protocol.
Malaysia has 15 CDMregistered projects that keep 1.8 million tonnes of greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere, says the division.
The benefit to the Malaysian businesses is that they get paid for not emitting.
For the country, it brings in cleaner and more efficient technology and knowledge.

spesis marin mula berpindah

Berita Joran: LUAR NEGARA: Australia bingung spesies marin mula pindah

Susunan Nasir Abd Wahab06 April 2007

SYDNEY: Australia mula menerima kesan kenaikan suhu bumi apabila banyak hidupan marin dan beberapa spesies burung asal mula berpindah ke selatan benua itu manakala kawasan terumbu karang semakin terancam, lapor sebuah organisasi sains negara itu, minggu lalu.Malah kesan lebih buruk diramal melanda hidupan marin negara itu menjelang abad akan datang dengan memberi kesan kepada sektor perikanan dan pelancongan.Secara khusus, peningkatan suhu laut, perubahan arus serta perubahan musim mengawan dan pembiakan haiwan terbabit serta penghijrahan spesies burung secara keseluruhan bakal menyaksikan Australia menanggung kerugian besar terutama bahagian selatan negara itu.Ketika ini, beberapa contoh hidupan laut seperti penyu, ikan tuna sirip kuning, dugong dan sejenis obor-obor didapati berpindah ke selatan akibat kenaikan suhu laut di lokasi asal.Pertubuhan Penyelidikan Saintifik dan Perindustrian Komanwel yang mengeluarkan laporan itu, mengakui ia petanda bencana yang bakal dihadapi penduduk benua itu.“Ia bukan bencana bagi mana-mana spesies yang boleh berpindah ke selatan tetapi ia menjadi masalah apabila tiada tempat lagi di selatan untuk mereka berpindah, Jika mereka berada di hujung tanjung Tasmania, maka tiada tempat lagi hendak dituju,’’ kata ketua penyelidik organisasi itu, Dr Alistair Hobday.Menurutnya, industri ternakan ikan salmon Atlantik, yang kini diternak di Tasmania, berdepan masalah besar apabila kenaikan suhu laut dijangka meningkat antara 1 hingga 2 darjah celsius dalam tempoh 30 tahun akan datang.Australia kini menghimpunkan semua agensi pakar berkaitan perubahan suhu duduk semeja menjalankan kajian bagi mencari jalan mengurangkan kesan mendadak yang harus ditanggung mereka pada masa akan datang.Paling membimbangkan kerajaan Australia, daya tarikan utama industri pelancongan mereka - Terumbu Karang Besar mungkin terdedah kepada lebih banyak kemusnahan iaitu setiap dua atau tiga tahun sekali berbanding lima atau enam tahun sekali ketika ini.Kajian juga mendapati kandungan asid air laut di negara itu juga meningkat seiring dengan pertambahan gas karbon dioksid di udara sekali gus mengancam hidupan laut jenis cengkerang termasuk batu karang dan moluska.Penyu paling sensitif terhadap perubahan suhu laut kerana perubahan yang sedikit saja menyebabkan jantina reptilia itu tidak seimbangkan.Secara keseluruhan, stok perikanan Australia terjejas dan industrinya mungkin terpaksa meneroka sumber jauh di selatan bersempadan dengan Laut Antartika.Perkembangan itu juga mungkin mewujudkan rangkaian masalah baru apabila manusia di lokasi yang bakal terjejas turut berpindah dalam tempoh 10 hingga 20 tahun akan datang.Justeru, kata Hobday, penyelesaian terbaik waktu ini ialah kerajaan perlu segera bertindak mengurangkan jumlah pelepasan gas beracun, menghentikan pencemaran dan mengawal hakisan pantai di seluruh negara.

Swedish PM targets US over climate change --by Awanis Roslee

STOCKHOLM -- Sweden's prime minister called for more pressure on the United States and the major developing countries over climate change at the opening Monday of an international conference on water issues.

"If we really want to make a difference and tackle global warming, we must act together," Fredrik Reinfeldt told delegates in a speech to open the World Water Week conference in Stockholm.
"The EU is not enough to make a change," he added. "We need to make the US, China, India and other countries commit themselves to actions."
The conference has gathered some 2,500 experts from around the world to discuss issues such as global warming and the diversion of water for biofuels.
Reinfeldt said some 34,000 people died each day from illnesses related to lack of water or sanitation systems, and noted that more than one billion people had no access to safe drinking water.

The theme of the annual event's 17th edition is "Progress and Prospects on Water: Striving for Sustainability in a Changing World."
At a meeting later Monday, participants denounced the attitude of multinational companies on the issue.

"Consumption is increasing in the world," said Indian environmentalist and political activist Sunita Narain, adding that people were focusing on the wrong issues.
"We talk about biofuels but we don't talk about reducing the number of cars. We are playing around with words," said Narain, the director of the Centre for Science and Environment in India.
The main problem was global warming, she said: "It's real and urgent and we need to do something."

Water plays a key role in the global warming phenomenon, according to the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), which organized the conference.
In the decade between 1996 and 2005 about 80 percent of the world's natural disasters were weather- or water-related.
Between 1973 and 1997, flooding affected an average of 66 million people a year and it was this kind of natural disaster that did the most damage.
Professor Joerg Imberger, of the University of Western Australia, criticized the world's obsession with ever-increasing economic growth and consumption.

"We worship the idea that my bank account this year is bigger than it was last year."
Participants will attend seminars and workshops held by government and business representatives, water experts, non-governmental organizations and UN officials, according to the program.

Among the themes to be discussed will be investments by banks and corporations in the water sector and water management cooperation between neighboring states.
World Water Week will also discuss biofuels, destined to partially offset a coming oil shortage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but which also need huge amounts of water.
The conference will conclude on August 18.

UN Climate Change Conference in Nairobi, Kenya--by Awanis Roslee

6-17 November 2006, The year United Nations ministerial conference on climate change took place in Nairobi from 6 to 17 November. The meeting comprised two conferences held simultaneously: the 12th Conference of the 189 Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the 2nd Meeting of the 166 Parties to the Convention's Kyoto Protocol.
The European Union welcomes the solid progress made at the conference, which was the first ministerial meeting on climate change held in sub-Saharan Africa. It resulted in a series of decisions and new initiatives to support developing countries, which are the most vulnerable to climate change. These will help developing nations to adapt to climate change, thus reducing its adverse impacts, and will encourage more clean technology projects in Africa and other poorer regions. The conference gave added momentum to discussions on future global action to combat climate change which began last May. The Kyoto Protocol parties agreed on a comprehensive work plan for their talks on further commitments by developed countries for the period after 2012, when the Protocol's first commitment period ends.
The conference also carried out a first review of the Protocol and agreed to undertake a second review in 2008 as strongly requested by the EU. For the high-level segment of the conference on 15-17 November, the EU was led by the 'Troika' of Finnish Environment Minister Jan-Erik Enestam, European Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas and German Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel.

Swedish PM targets US over climate change.

++ Tired of hearing countries fight over who has the bigger fault in making our earth sicker and sicker everyday. Some leaders are aware of the need for countries to work together to preserve our one-and-only earth. Here's an article on the call made by Sweden's PM on impact of developing countries to the climate change,clean water, and global warming. However, will the call be answered? ++

13th August 2007

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Sweden's prime minister called for more pressure on the United States and the major developing countries over climate change at the opening Monday of an international conference on water issues.
"If we really want to make a difference and tackle global warming, we must act together," Fredrik Reinfeldt told delegates in a speech to open the World Water Week conference in Stockholm.
"The EU is not enough to make a change," he added. "We need to make the US, China, India and other countries commit themselves to actions."
The conference has gathered some 2,500 experts from around the world to discuss issues such as global warming and the diversion of water for biofuels.
Reinfeldt said some 34,000 people died each day from illnesses related to lack of water or sanitation systems, and noted that more than one billion people had no access to safe drinking water.
The theme of the annual event's 17th edition is "Progress and Prospects on Water: Striving for Sustainability in a Changing World."
At a meeting later Monday, participants denounced the attitude of multinational companies on the issue.
"Consumption is increasing in the world," said Indian environmentalist and political activist Sunita Narain, adding that people were focusing on the wrong issues.
"We talk about biofuels but we don't talk about reducing the number of cars. We are playing around with words," said Narain, the director of the Centre for Science and Environment in India.
The main problem was global warming, she said: "It's real and urgent and we need to do something."
Water plays a key role in the global warming phenomenon, according to the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), which organised the conference.
In the decade between 1996 and 2005 about 80 percent of the world's natural disasters were weather- or water-related.
Between 1973 and 1997, flooding affected an average of 66 million people a year and it was this kind of natural disaster that did the most damage.
Professor Joerg Imberger, of the University of Western Australia, criticised the world's obsession with ever-increasing economic growth and consumption.
"We worship the idea that my bank account this year is bigger than it was last year."
Participants will attend seminars and workshops held by government and business representatives, water experts, non-governmental organisations and UN officials, according to the programme.
Among the themes to be discussed will be investments by banks and corporations in the water sector and water management cooperation between neighbouring states.
World Water Week will also discuss biofuels, destined to partially offset a coming oil shortage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but which also need huge amounts of water.
The conference will conclude on August 18.

potential impacts of climate change-humaira

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Vital Climate Graphics : Potential Impacts of Climate Change
18. Humanity's greenhouse gas emissions are expected to lead to climatic changes in the 21st century and beyond. These changes will potentially have wide-ranging effects on the natural environment as well as on human societies and economies. Scientists have made estimates of the potential direct impacts on various socio-economic sectors, but in reality the full consequences would be more complicated because impacts on one sector can also affect other sectors indirectly. To assess potential impacts, it is necessary to estimate the extent and magnitude of climate change, especially at the national and local levels. Although much progress has been made in understanding the climate system and climate change, projections of climate change and its impacts still contain many uncertainties, particularly at the regional and local levels.

Next: The six IPCC scenarios Vital Climate Graphics : Potential Impacts of Climate Change
United Nations Environment Programme / GRID-Arendal Text and graphics may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes, provided that credit is given to the source.

The Impacts of The Climate Change

It seems a good bet that the greenhouse effect will keep the world warming for some decades to come. We are already too late to prevent at least some climate change. The only question is how much we allow. If the world continues to burn its reserves of fossil fuels over the coming millennium, recent predictions from the Tyndall Centre suggest a warming of 10 degrees or more.
Powerful weather forecasting computers are being used by scientists to model future weather patterns and other climate change impacts. These tell us that temperatures will not rise uniformly across the globe. The extra heat energy in the atmosphere will trigger greater extremes of heat and drought, of storms and wind and rain and even sometimes of more intense cold.
But, the detail is still far from predictable. Knowing how the climate is likely to change in each country and region will be important for preparing ourselves for the inevitable impacts on our lives and our environment.
All around the world, people will need to consider how to protect themselves and their homes from increased flood risk, how to ensure there is water available for drinking and bathing in the hotter summer months and how to prevent the destruction of natural habitats and the extinction of animal species.
Climate change impacts in the UK on a millennial scale (Acrobat, 732KB, 5 minutes) Report by by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research showing the decisions of this generation will leave a legacy of increasing climate change over the next millennium unless there is a major reduction in emissions.
Global impacts
Nature's responseThe effects that climate change will have on eco-systems around the world.
Impacts on human systemsCan human society survive the disruption of climate change?
Melting ice and sea level riseHow the impacts of melting glaciers and ice caps will be felt worldwide.
UK impacts
The climate is changing: time to get readyOur report on climate change impacts
How UK weather will changeMore storms, heavier rain, stronger wind... and balmy weather in Manchester.
Impacts on the British landscape and urban environmentHow climatic changes will bring alterations in our landscape and lifestyles.
Impacts on UK biodiversityWhy rare wildlife habitats and species may be threatened.
Impacts on UK land-useHow farming could suffer from more pests, worse soil erosion and a decrease in agricultural land.
Flood threatsHow more intense rain, rising sea levels and wetter soils will increase flood risk in the UK.
Threats to water resourcesHow climate change may affect our water supplies and the demands made on them.
The climate is changing: time to get ready (2005) (Acrobat, 997KB, 8 minutes) Latest Environment Agency report on climate change impacts in England and Wales.

Cover Story: Are we ready for a global meltdown?

Monstrous storms, ravaging seas and molten heat. The scenario for these climate changes may seem like the plot of a Doomsday movie but there are three reasons why they must be taken seriously.
IT’S pretty complicated, but here are three reasons why climate change is the hottest topic around: Food, trade and a rising sea.If a warming world brings more droughts to the countries we buy our food from, what will we eat?If once frozen seas thaw, creating new sea lanes and trade routes, what happens to our ports?And when ice melts, will our thriving coastal communities and sun-kissed beachfront hotels be gobbled up by rising seas?
These are the worries many countries have been wrestling with, says meteorology professor Datuk Dr Azizan Abu Samah.And as science has grown more certain and the ifs of climate change have turned into when, they have begun strategising and preparing."In terms of climate change awareness, we’re quite low. If we don’t start strategising now, we’ll be left behind," he says of Malaysia.We import most of our food, says Azizan, and that doesn’t bode well for food security. This is especially so when the countries we import from could be adversely affected by climate change.Then, there are trade and economic issues to consider.South Korea and Japan have been closely studying the melting of Arctic ice that could open up the Northwest Passage, says the head of Malaysian Antarctica Research Programme.The Passage is a sea lane across the top of Alaska and Canada that is blocked by sea ice for all but one month a year. It is only passable to hulking icebreaker ships.But as global temperature rises and Arctic ice melts, it could open up the Passage and other routes like the Northern Sea Route, for commercial shipping. Recent studies say this could happen anywhere between a few decades and a few years.If it takes place, it could cut a considerable amount of travel time for trade ships from Japan that are headed to Europe, says Azizan."For so long, our ports have benefited from their central position."But if this new route can be used all-year round, would ships still need to pass through our waters? What is our plan then?"But climate change isn’t necessarily all bad news, he’s quick to add. Malaysia should study and respond to impacts facing other parts of the world that could benefit this country.For instance, how will climate change affect soya bean crops, oil palm’s main competitor? So climate change isn’t just for scare-mongering environmentalists or scientists, says Azizan, but also for policy makers. "They need to be interested in this."Making a start on the awareness front is the Maritime Institute of Malaysia.Using the predictions of existing global climate change models, the institute has begun a preliminary assessment of the likely impacts on Malaysia.It hopes to complete this by year-end and carry out a more advanced study in 2008.It will focus specifically on how rising sea levels will affect the country’s coasts and marine resources, says senior researcher Tan Kim Hooi.Working with government, NGOs and universities, the study will look at how many coastal towns and how much infrastructure will be affected by rising seas.Tan, who is with the institute’s Centre for Coastal and Marine Environment, will also study how much land and mangrove forests will be lost and how this will impact fisheries.Finally, they will assess steps the country has taken to address issues and what more needs to be done.But Azizan argues that there’s very little accurate information on regional impacts to begin with.He says the models being used to predict what happens with climate change on a global scale don't do such a good job when it comes to regional scenarios.When applied to the region, the location of increased warming and higher rainfall differ significantly from model to model.This creates a lot of uncertainty and the need for a really good regional model.The model must also be tested against historical data, he says. "If the model can accurately predict what happened with the climate in the past, we can use it to predict the future scenarios with some confidence."But this means we need historical data that stretches back a few thousand years."Countries covered in swathes of ice get this information by coring deep down and studying samples of ice frozen ages ago. The layers are like a diary of weather events of past centuries, explains Azizan.In Malaysia, stalagmites and corals store similar information and should be studied."There’s a lot more that needs to be done and we’ve a long way to go before we can say we are prepared."

Pemantauan Jerebu Dipertingkat

BAKAR UNTUK TANAM SAWIT DILARANG

PUTRAJAYA: Penanam sawit diingatkan bahawa aktiviti pembakaran secara terbuka sama ada untuk tanaman baru atau tanam semula sawit dilarang sama sekali dan tidak boleh dilakukan.Menteri Perusahaan Perladangan dan Komoditi, Datuk Peter Chin Fah Kui mengingatkan peladang dan pekebun kecil sawit agar tidak menjalankan aktiviti itu secara terbuka kerana boleh menimbulkan masalah lebih buruk terutama pada musim panas dan kemarau.
Beliau berkata, kementerian akan mengambil langkah awal dan memantau perubahan cuaca serta laporan dari Jabatan Kaji Cuaca bagi menghadapi kemungkinan negara dilanda kemarau panjang mulai bulan depan akibat kesan fenomena El-Nino. “Perubahan iklim global semakin mendapat perhatian pelbagai pihak berikutan banyak bencana besar di luar jangkaan melanda seluruh dunia, termasuk bencana banjir luar biasa yang berlaku di Johor, baru-baru ini.
“Keadaan tidak menentu itu dikaitkan dengan pelepasan gas rumah hijau seperti karbon dioksida dan metana tidak terkawal terutama oleh negara industri utama dunia sehingga menyebabkan suhu bumi semakin panas dan berlakunya perubahan cuaca global,” katanya.Peter Chin berkata, setakat ini, Kementerian belum lagi mengeluarkan notis atau peringatan kepada sektor perladangan sawit berhubung jangkaan berlakunya perubahan cuaca akibat daripada fenomena El-Nino yang dikatakan membawa kemarau panjang.“Jika keadaan benar berlaku dan mengancam, kementerian akan tentukan apa yang perlu dilakukan kepada sektor perladangan dan saya yakin semua pihak dalam sektor komoditi itu tahu langkah perlu diambil bagi menghadapi kemungkinan kemarau,” katanya.Laporan Panel Antara Kerajaan Mengenai Perubahan Cuaca (IPCC) membabitkan 2,500 saintis dari 130 buah negara seluruh dunia pada 2 Februari lalu di Paris, Peranchis mengeluarkan amaran bahawa 90 peratus faktor berlaku perubahan iklim dunia bukan disebabkan alam, tetap angkara manusia yang melepaskan terlalu banyak gas rumah hijau ke atmosphera sehingga bumi menjadi semakin panas.Bumi diramalkan bertambah panas dengan kenaikan suhu antara 2 hingga 6.4 darjah Celsius dan Panel, Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB) meramalkan penduduk dunia terpaksa berdepan dengan lebih banyak bencana, termasuk ribut taufan, kemarau, banjir dan peningkatan aras laut.PBB menggesa supaya laporan saintifik itu dipandang serius dan mendesak masyarakat dunia bersatu menanganinya dengan mematuhi Protokol Kyoto. Negara industri utama dunia dinasihatkan supaya mengurangkan pelepasan gas karbon yang menyumbang kepada pembentukan gas rumah hijau yang menyebabkan peningkatan pemanasan suhu dunia.Bagaimanapun, peraturan itu tidak dipedulikan negara industri besar seperti Amerika, Australia, Brazil, China dan India yang mendakwa kawalan pelepasan gas karbon boleh menyebabkan kesan serius ke atas ekonomi negara masing-masing.

Groups protest against coal power plant project

LAHAD DATU: A coal-fired power plant in an area earmarked for eco-tourism in Silam is yet to get off the ground but already it is stoking up anger among several groups in this part of east coast Sabah.

The most vocal opponents to the 300MW plant, said to cost between RM1.2bil and RM1.3bil, are a group of environmentalists, social activists and local businessmen in this booming agriculture town.

They fear the plant will do more harm than good for them and the environment stretching from Darvel Bay to the pristine Danum Valley forest, some 80km away.

”We need power. But we want clean power,” said Wong Tack, the Sabah Environment Action Committee chairman in Lahad Datu district where several vehicles were seen sporting stickers which said: “No coal power plant” and “Coal-fired power plant jeopardises health.”

Wong: ‘This is an unnecessary risk. There is just so much at stake’

They came to know about the proposed coal plant in their backyard when Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd called for tenders for the Independent Power Plant project sometime in June.

The site identified for the plant is a portion of state-owned Yayasan Sabah’s 128.7ha seafront land where the abandoned Pacific Hardwood timber complex stands.

Wong's group has yet to see any detailed EIA for the project but is embarking on a public campaign to make local people aware of the dangers of coal fuel toxins.

Referring to studies done by opponents to coal-generated fuel in the United States, Wong said: “This is an unnecessary risk. There is just so much at stake,”

He cited significant amounts of birth defects caused by mercury poisoning; sulphur dioxide causing acid rain; soot particles causing visibility and respiratory problems; and carbon dioxide contributing to global warming as their main concerns.

Although experts agree that modern coal plants are much cleaner than those a generation ago, the group feels there was no environment agency sufficiently competent to ensure the enforcement of mitigating measures for coal fuel, as witnessed in many other projects in the state.

Wong argued that alternative sources of fuel should be considered - like natural gas, hydro-power, wind and biomass.

Once the RM400mil statewide power grid system is completed and commissioned early next year, Wong believes electricity could be brought in from other locations in the state to Lahad Datu district.

The group has met SESB officials but was dissatisfied with the scant details given to it on the project’s detailed EIA study.

The study has not been made public nor discussed.

“We are not against any authority’s decision but relevant agencies and elected representatives must not hastily give their consent (to such projects),” Wong said.