Category Archives: Conservation Science

Photo by Marjan Blan on Unsplash Master plan of the land is under way. Last week, we had an up and coming landscape architect – Christina Ting – visiting the land in Wethalawa. We were able to walk through all the lands and discuss development options. Brainstorming, sketches and discussions are underway. A master plan[…]

This treaty will not solve climate change, but sets us on a path to solve it.

Climate change is the mother of all Tragedies of the Commons. It applies to the whole world and everyone in it.
It is unlike SO2 emissions in the US and haze in SE Asia, which are regional issues and can be mitigated with regional solutions.

“We have had haze in 1983, 1997-98, 2006, 2013 and now today, but there have been no studies on its effects on biodiversity and ecosystems. The current fires are pumping more emissions than the U.S., yet we have absolutely no clue about its wider effects.”

Five interesting Indonesian speakers who have been on the ground in the worst hit provinces of Indonesia. The following are my notes and interpretation. The most important message: 

Every few years El-Niño and land-use conversion-related peatland fires blanket Southeast Asian population centres with smoke (called haze). The result is globally significant carbon emissions, species extinctions, adverse health impacts and billion dollar losses1–3. While regional governments argue over the root causes and optimal responses to haze2, and the recent Transboundary Haze Pollution Act passed by Singapore has tried to penalize errant companies, it is direct consumer pressure brought about by the prolonged recent haze event that has finally brought errant companies, NGOs and governments to the table in search of a long-term solution.