Biofuels in ASEAN - Energy Opportunity or Food Thief?

"Do you know what my favourite renewable fuel is? An ecosystem of innovation."

Thomas Friedman

Renewables guru Per Dahlen once commented that Southeast Asia has the potential to produce 14 million barrels / day, which is more than Saudi Arabia (For more info, visit here). However, what will unlocking this potential cost the region? When I encountered this statistic, one disturbing idea that came off my head was the diversion of edible food crops away from the plates of citizens into machines guzzling out fuel by the barrel, or plots of land that could be used for the growth of food to be eaten being taken away by big businesses to grow biofuel crops instead. Classified into ethanol and biodiesel based on the crops used (ethanol uses starchy crops, biodiesel uses natural oils), biofuels remain a controversial topic across the world and while I have been interested by food vs fuel debate, I have never actually looked into it in-depth. Well, today that ends!

In our search for alternative fuels, have we forgotten biofuel takes land away from subsistence farmers and food away from the hungry?

(Source: http://globalenergyscenario.blogspot.sg/)

To learn more about the importance of biofuels in the ASEAN region, I will be discussing 2 journal articles that I have read over the week. One article (A review of biofuel policies in the major biofuel producing countries of ASEAN:Production, targets, policy drivers and impacts) covers trends and motivations for biofuel production and usage in 4 countries, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines, whilst the other article (Palm oil-based biofuels and sustainability in SoutheastAsia: A review of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand) zooms in on palm oil biodiesel and the environmental considerations that are concerned with biofuels, using Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand as case studies.

Evidence from both articles suggest biofuel production is a rapidly growing energy sector in ASEAN. With the flexibility of biomass to supply both heat and power, we observe more food crops such as sugarcane, palm oil and cassava being grown, only to be used to produce biofuels (Kumar, Shrestha & Abdul Salam, 2013). Below are graphs showing indicate the steady upward trend for production of biofuels in the region (except Malaysia, which has decreased)

Graphs show steady increases in production of biofuels in the ASEAN region 
(Source: Kumar, Shrestha & Abdul Salam (2013))

Both articles also suggest that governments in the ASEAN region support biofuel development despite the potential environmental costs. The biofuel industry is defended because it provides greater energy security by relying less on overseas sources and creating jobs for their citizens. Although the burning of biofuels is also determined to release far less CO₂ emissions than conventional fossil fuels, concerns for the environment are highlighted in Kumar, Shrestha & Abdul Salam (2013)’s report to be less of a driver for most ASEAN countries, as they are not required to lower their emissions under the Kyoto Protocol. In fact, environmental problems have stemmed out in recent years from palm oil production instead, such as excessive deforestation and transboundary haze (Mukherjee & Sovacool, 2014).

While biofuels can resolve energy insecurity and even lower greenhouse gas emissions, instances of environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and poor air quality remain a primary concern amongst environmental groups and governments. 

(Source: Watts, 2011; Chua, 2014)

It is not wrong for policymakers to be considering the energy needs for these rapidly developing countries, but my biggest qualms after reading these two reports is whether alternative energy production should be the biggest priority, considering food security for many citizens in these countries fluctuates fairly often. Many people in these countries live below the poverty line, and rely on subsistence farmers for their food. However, the diversion of food crops away from markets has made prices rise, causing even more economic pressures for citizens who choose to grow hungry to afford other daily necessities such as rent. Majority of biofuels in ASEAN aren’t even used domestically, rather it is exported out to Europe and North America (Kumar, Shrestha & Abdul Salam, 2013), where the demand for biofuels has risen drastically. This makes it more controversial, as this suggests that the motivations for ASEAN countries to produce biofuels are economically driven to the production demands of more developed nations, rather than their own personal needs. Given biofuel is not a unique good to ASEAN and can be grown in other areas, what comes across as a simple business transaction between producer and consumer might actually be an outsourcing of environmental costs by developed regions to lesser developed nations so as to create opportunity for higher value services to be established in their own regions.

Biofuels seems to present itself as an emerging alternative energy in the region from the reports, but little breakthrough has been made at a national or regional level to ensure continued food security in ASEAN, suggesting that in the eyes of our policymakers, biofuels will always result in a trade-off. Is this necessarily true? Or is there that magical win-win situation for this food vs fuel debate? In my next post, I shall stay on the topic of biofuels, focusing on their production and usage locally and globally, as well as explore innovations in the biofuel industry that have addressed food security.

References

Kumar, S., Shrestha, P., & Abdul Salam, P. (2013). A review of biofuel policies in the major biofuel  producing countries of ASEAN: Production, targets, policy drivers and impacts. Renewable And Sustainable Energy Reviews, 26, 822--836.

Chua, G. (2014). Parliament: Transboundary Haze Bill penalties too small, say MPs - See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/environment/story/parliament-transboundary-haze-bill-penalties-too-small-say-mps-2014#sthash.I5ns5yMG.dpuf. The Straits Times. [online] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/news/singapore/environment/story/parliament-transboundary-haze-bill-penalties-too-small-say-mps-2014 [Accessed 25 Sep. 2014].

Mukherjee, I., & Sovacool, B. (2014). Palm oil-based biofuels and sustainability in southeast Asia: A review of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand. Renewable And Sustainable Energy Reviews, 37, 1--12. 

Watts, J. (2011). Norway accused of hypocrisy over Indonesian deforestation funding. The Guardian. [online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2011/dec/01/norway-accused-hypocrisy-deforestation-funding [Accessed 25 Sep. 2014].

Green Space Conflict(s): Bringing in the Animal Perspective (Part 2)

“The Clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”

John Muir

In this continuation from my previous post, I will resume looking into food sources for animals, but focus on what happens should their food sources disappear.

Food is one of the most important necessities for any organism, being sources of energy and essentially necessary for organisms to survive. For animals, almost all their food originates from the natural environment. However, as explained with my last post, natural environments all around the world are experiencing increased stress, coming as a result of changes in human needs such that more resources are required, and less is left for animals to consume.

Singapore today is driven to develop not by the need for food, but the need to address an increasing population (which has grown by 1.6% in 2013), brought about by both natural increase and by in-migration (Population Trends 2013, 2013). As commented by various authors writing on Singapore history, to create more space to house people in urban environments, development has come at expense of existing forests, which would get deforested. Flora and fauna residing in these forests then either get chased away to other nearby forests, or die because they lose their food source and habitat (Chong, 2010; Wong, Yuen and Goldblum, 2008).

“Our metaphorical hunger for space leads us into eating our forests” 

(Source: http://www.cartoonmovement.com/cartoon/1173)

Perhaps the bigger question to ponder about is where these animals will go for their food should green spaces in Singapore dwindle with time? As our small island geography makes many animals unable to leave, one extreme end of animal adaptation stems from this satirical video I have found online, as a polar bear is depicted to be adapting to the city’s lifestyle. 

A more probable scenario would be animals searching for food from human environments. Termed as urban wildlife, the residential areas of cityscapes presents many sources of food for fauna, ranging from fresh food stored in homes to garbage left outside for disposal (Cecil, n.d.). In Singapore we might be familiar with crows and pigeons taking shelter within our HDB flats or hawker centres, but one particular story I would wish to highlight would be the tale of macaques, monkeys residing in our Bukit Timah and Central Catchment Reserves.

Long-tailed macaques – once peaceful dwellers of our reserves, now the latest inhabitants in our neighborhoods
(Source(s): http://mygreenspace.nparks.gov.sg/long-tailed-macaque/; http://travelfish-sg.s3.amazonaws.com/)

Just a year back, these creatures were portrayed as pesky villains as they pillaged nearby homes and were rumored to have attacked peaceful trekkers, leaving much complains and calls for their culling to restore peace for homeowners living near forests (for more info click here). However, this came under fire by the online community, who believed that the encroachment of such property near wildlife habitats suggests that homeowners had it coming, and rather than merely calling for their culling to solve their problems, they could have found ways to integrate monkeys into their home environment. However, it is becoming easier to suggest such reductionist approaches, whereby little care for our surrounding biodiversity is justified by our own circumstances of scarcity.  

Scarcity however, can be an impetus for innovation in Singapore as well. Mentioned in URA's Master Plan (2014), many places in Singapore today are planned with the intention to serve multiple purposes. Green spaces are no exception, with many being used as recreational sites and some even seek to educate visitors on our historical past. (NParks has a list of parks based on their secondary purpose, to learn more click here). This way, flora and fauna in these forests and parks do not necessarily lose their home at expense of human development. 

Labrador Nature Reserve, situated at the southwestern shores of Singapore, combines nature with history, showcasing remnants of our colonial and ancient past, yet also being a hangout for human recreational activities, such as fishing. 

(Source(s): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labrador_Nature_Reserve; Choo Yut Shing (2008) - https://www.flickr.com/photos/25802865@N08/sets/72157606775753395)

Such seems suggestive of an Environmental Kuznets Curve set into motion, where Singapore has grown to consider more for its environment once living standards and income per capita has improved. However, innovation alone will be but a means to buy time, and measures to promote environmentally friendly development strategies have to be in place as well, to recover our green spaces even if it leads to human inconvenience. One such strategy being considered in Singapore is the clear demarcation of man-made environments from natural environments, which would be left untouched. This was recently discussed on TODAY (2014), whereby nature groups in Singapore have called for ‘buffer zones’ to be created between man-made environments and natural ecosystems, relating this to the upcoming development into the Mandai area, one of Singapore's few remaining forests. (for more information see here).

In my opinion, the human populations of today might have made much progress, but even this does not entitle us to have complete ownership of our environment's remaining resources, just because we possess greater intelligence. If anything, we need to develop greater stewardship for our environment, precisely because our intelligence would allow humans to have life-changing impacts onto our environments. While animals have no voices that can be comprehended by us, let us have the courage to be their voice, to be morally responsible for them and factor our rich biodiversity into our planning better. The sooner we embrace the reality of co-existing with them in the same ecosystem and environment, the better we will fare for our future.

References

Cecil, K. (n.d.). Urban Wildlife: Challenges and Opportunities - Other Resources - Local Community Resources - University of Illinois Extension. [online] Available at: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/lcr/wildlife.cfm [Accessed 20 Sep. 2014].

Chong, T. (2010). Management of success. 1st ed. Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, pp.387-400.

Population Trends 2013. (2013). 1st ed. [ebook] Singapore. Available at: http://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/publications_and_papers/population_and_population_structure/population2013.pdf [Accessed 21 Sep. 2014].

TODAY, (2014). Buffer zones should be part of Mandai redevelopment, say green groups. [online] Available at: http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/buffer-zones-should-be-part-mandai-redevelopment-say-green-groups [Accessed 19 Sep. 2014].

Urban Redevelopment Authority, (2014). Master Plan. [online] Available at: http://www.ura.gov.sg/uol/master-plan/View-Master-Plan/master-plan-2014/master-plan.aspx [Accessed 20 Sep. 2014].

Wong, T., Yuen, B. and Goldblum, C. (2008). Spatial planning for a sustainable Singapore. 1st ed. New York: Springer, pp.183-205..    

From MacRitchie Nature Trail: Bringing in the Animal Perspective (Part 1)

"The good man is the friend of all living things"

Mahatma Gandhi

On what was a breezy and warm Sunday morning, I had the opportunity to go on a nature walk along MacRitchie's Prunus-Petai Trail with BES's very own Drongos, a guiding interest group featuring awesome BES seniors! (find out more about what they do here!!!).

A breezy Sunday - taken just before the start of the walk

A relaxing walk of ~2.5hrs, the focus of this series of walks is to educate others on the biodiversity present in Singapore's nature reserve, and the impending threats they face should the development of the Cross-Island Line proceed. (to learn more about the saga, follow the Love MacRitchie movement here)

What got me thinking was when my guide, Judy, started to talk about how the fruits and flowers of plants along the boardwalk were food sources for wildlife residing in the area. Hearing her prompted me to think about my entry for this blog.  

BES Drongos after their guiding session!
(Source: Jacqueline Chua (14 September 2014))

My blog content has presently been focused on the challenges of fulfilling human needs. But food isn't a need exclusive to humans. Aren't animals (and by extension of that idea biodiversity) part of this bigger picture? Don't they need food too and just where do they get their source of food from in Singapore? Do animals and other forms of biodiversity in Singapore have sufficient food sources to feed on?

Reports and studies indicate that Singapore is a sanctuary for many species of wildlife. Our tropical climate and multiple habitats (ranging from coastal mangroves to inland forests) lead to more forms of biodiversity in comparison to temperate and arid environments (Laurance et al., 2012). So what would these species do to procure food then? Obviously they don't visit the supermarket or the food court like we do (just imagine the social trauma people would experience should a monkey order a bowl of noodles; that'll make us all go bananas!), rather they source their food from where they live, climbing trees, entering water bodies, even foraging through the soil for smaller animals, plants and nuts to feed on.

Let me share some pictures of plants I have taken today, which are actually food sources for animals residing in the Prunus-Petai Trail of MacRitchie:

The first picture is of a Fishtail Palm (Caryota mitis). This palm's fruit is one of the foods for the common palm civet (Paradoxurus hermaphroditus)

The next one features the Common Marang (Macaranga bancana). The plant produces food for the ants, in the form of "Beccarian bodies", which are rich in lipids. In return, the ants protect the plant from prospective herbivores that might try to feed on it. 

The 3rd picture shows the Mousedeer plant (Anisophyllea disticha). Found in lowland secondary forests across the region, the fleshy red drupes produced by the plant are known to be eaten by birds, as well as the lesser mousedeer.

This last picture is the Tampinis tree (Streblus elongatus). Having a neighbourhood (Tampines) named after it, birds and squirrels are known to go after the sweet tasting fruit, whereas Long-tailed Macaques feed on their leaves as well.

Not featured (due to a lack of pictures) but also known to bear fruit are the Nibong palm, a palm with prickly needles on its stem to deter climbers (Oncosperma tigillarium) as well as the Golden Hairy Figs (Ficus aurata), a longan-like fruit in terms of its shape.

As a whole, while humans have historically been caught in strife and wars, animals seem to live their lives in peace in comparison, sure a few get eaten by others and by humans, but that's part of natural selection in action. Humans have also lived off these forests and this is continued by many ethnic tribes all around the world, such as the Batwa (which was mentioned briefly during my ENV1101 lecture). In fact, National Geographic published an article last month discussing about the interconnectedness behind human health and environmental health from assessment studies done in Madagascar. 

However, human needs seemed to have changed and drastically increased with the advancement of technology and society as a whole over these past 50-60 years. Termed the 'Great Acceleration' by some in the scientific community, we observe a sharp increase in development and urbanization across the world (Steffen et al., 2011). This is also rather evident in Singapore, where we have progressed tremendously from Third World to First, but also transformed from forest to urban jungle, losing much of our original forest cover. With our increased demand for natural resources on a global level, the availability of these resources will deplete in the future, and could be an indication of the environment reaching its carrying capacity, which is suggested in a Malthusian model for population-resource relationships. 

Comparing forest cover from 1819 to the 1990s, it is suggested that Singapore has lost close to 90% of its original forest from rapid development (Source: http://mangrove.nus.edu.sg/guidebooks/text/1004.htm) 

In this light, I would talk more about (in my subsequent post) what happens when human needs and the needs of animals residing in our natural environments clash? What happens if animals are no longer able to get their food, and what conflicts arise in satisfying human needs.

Stay tuned for the next post! And here are two more pictures of what you might be able to find during the trail, do visit Prunus-Petai Trail if you can!

Jelutong tree or the Chewing Gum tree - the tallest tree in MacRitchie reservoir park

A Riang Riang tree situated near the reservoir water

References:

Laurance, W., Useche, D., Rendeiro, J., Kalka, M., Bradshaw, C., Sloan, S., Laurance, S., Campbell, M., Abernethy, K., Alvarez, P. and others, (2012). Averting biodiversity collapse in tropical forest protected areas. Nature, 489(7415), pp.290--294.

Steffen, W., Persson., Deutsch, L., Zalasiewicz, J., Williams, M., Richardson, K., Crumley, C., Crutzen, P., Folke, C., Gordon, L. and others, (2011). The Anthropocene: From global change to planetary stewardship. Ambio, 40(7), pp.739--761.

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All Scientific Names for species in this post were obtained from:
The DNA of Singapore, (2014). Information Search. [online] Available at: http://137.132.71.21/dna/search/information/20/1/U2ltcG9oIEFpcg [Accessed 14 Sep. 2014].

Greening Singapore, why not Feeding Singapore too? - Food Gardens

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"

Cicero

Let me begin today’s post by sharing you this video:

Given this blog title is ‘From the Field…’, it feels strange to me on how little of the agricultural sector (i.e. the field) we see in Singapore, strategically placed away from the residential and CBD areas. Listening to Ron Finley’s inspiring story of creating a food garden movement in his city, I felt compelled into writing my views on the potential of food gardens within our neighborhoods, whether it is possible to begin with and the challenges we might face.

Singapore has a rather friendly environment to grow food and spices, given our agricultural history. Think about Orchard Road, Singapore’s shopping street, but named for previously housing plantations for nutmeg, pepper and other spices. We are in a geographical favorable location for biodiversity. While we lack seasons, our tropical climate and lack of environmental hazards such as floods and drought (Rosenzwelg and Parry, 1994), allow for a multitude of vegetables and fruits to grow, such as kang kong and tomatoes.

 Orchard Road - from agricultural hub to shopping promenade
(Source: Singapore Philatelic Museum)

What about the costs of planting your own fruits / vegetables then? Beyond the investment of time (weeks, sometimes months) required to tend the plant(s), gardening can be a rather cost-efficient activity too. A gardening shop in Singapore would sell seeds at $5 for a pack of 50 seeds and gardening tools can be purchased at a hardware store such as Home DIY. There is also a need to consider for compost and fertilizer, but you can always DIY that with your food scraps (if you cook). Just go to YouTube or Google to search for countless of methods. Here’s one which utilizes egg shells which I found fascinating!

You don’t necessarily have to have to own a plot of land to begin growing your own food either. There are many groups around Singapore that have a keen eye for gardening, and this is further supported by the National Parks’ Board ‘Community in Bloom’ initiative, which allows Singaporeans to contribute to the green ambiance in Singapore’s neighbourhoods (NParks, 2013). Below are some resources to learn more about gardening in general and food garden projects currently existing in Singapore.

“Edible 'Garden City' Project” -
One of the most prominent groups championing the 'Grow Your Own Food' movement in Singapore. They conduct consultations for F&B outlets and homes, as well as workshops on how to grow your own vegetables

“Green Culture SG” -
A forum to for local gardeners to share their knowledge and discuss about gardening. (link goes to the sub-forum on Edible Plants)

“NParks Gardening Resource Websites” -

NParks' very own resource list comprising of videos, websites and tips on Gardening

The hard truth is that we will not be able to get everything out of these gardens, and the role of markets will remain central in the lives of Singaporeans as a way to get a bulk of their cooking ingredients. Nonetheless, food gardens can have multiple purposes as well, becoming a new recreational space for communities, and more importantly provide an opportunity to bring the public closer than ever to appreciate food coming straight from the field, rather than off the shelf.

 

Just last month, over 350 community-run gardens under the Community in Bloom Programme were awarded prizes during the Singapore Garden Festival. Featured above is from Woodlands Zone 2 RC, a Platinum and Diamond award winner. Their food garden grows plants such as pandan and chilli which are condiments in cooking
(Source: Zachariah, 2014)

Gardens can be beautiful. Why not eat off them every now and then too?

References

NParks, 2013. Community in Bloom. [Online] 

Available at: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32&Itemid=145
[Accessed 7 September 2014].

Rosenzweig, C and Perry, M. (1994). Potential impact of climate change on world food supply. Nature, 367(6459), pp.133—138

Zachariah, N. (2014). Green plots for young and old among Community In Bloom award winners. The Straits Times. [Online] Available at: http://www.straitstimes.com/lifestyle/home-garden/story/green-plots-young-and-old-among-community-bloom-award-winners-20140705#5 [Accessed 7 September 2014].