Consultation on Singapore's National Climate Change Strategy

This is interesting - gov.sg is asking for public feedback and opinions on countering climate change. You can almost hear the alarm bells ringing. Hmmph.

mewr.gov.sg :

Climate change is without a doubt, one of the most important environmental challenges confronting the global community today. Countries all over the world are already experiencing the effects of climate change and Singapore is not spared.

As a sign of our commitment to address climate change, Singapore has acceded to the Kyoto Protocol in Apr 2006. In addition, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) are developing a National Climate Change Strategy (NCCS) in partnership with other government agencies.

MEWR and NEA is seeking feedback on the NCCS, particularly in the following areas:

* Ideas on how our existing measures can be improved;
* Comments on our proposed climate change measures;
* Other climate change measures we should explore

If you have any questions or enquiries, you may also email to mewr_nccs@mewr.gov.sg. The deadline for responding to this consultation is 30 September 2006. We look forward to hearing from you!

(2006-05-31 14:05:47 SGT) [Env] Permalink

Markets sell-off again

news.bbc.co.uk :

World share prices have fallen sharply again, this time due to concerns over surging oil prices, rising interest rates and jittery US consumers. Share dealers across Europe had their fingers on the sell button, with the leading indexes in France, Germany and the UK all falling by nearly 2.5%. In the US leading shares had slipped 1.6% by the close of trade. Global markets have been volatile in recent weeks, worried about signs that the US economy is overheating.

Traders are worried that high oil and commodity prices and a surging US economy will send inflation higher, putting pressure on central bankers there to raise interest rates. On Tuesday crude oil prices passed $72 in New York trading and a report from the US Conference Board said consumer confidence had fallen sharply in May, although it had been at a four-year-high in April.

- And they were doing so well in the earlier part of the session. No matter, "buy on weakness" is a good way to accumulate. When people panic and sell, some of us will step up to buy. Call us contrarians, call us speculators, whatever. After all, you need a buyer and a seller in order to get a transaction to go through. Right? Seeya on the other side of $75 oil ...

(2006-05-31 11:18:47 SGT) [Biz] Permalink

Tuesday May 30, 2006

Tight Oil Supplies: Simmons

peakoil.com -> simmonsco-intl.com (pdf) :

A comprehensive PDF by Matthew Simmons

Questions We Should Have Asked:
Could end to sustainable energy supply growth be nearing?
How soon could 'peak oil and gas' arrive?
How long would peak stay at a plateau?
How fast could supply then decline?
Is peak oil more likely than peak natural gas?

World Should Assume We Are At Peak For Oil AND Gas
Optimists have no meaningful facts to bolster enthusiasm
Peaking of usable oil and gas is either
- Approaching front door
- Knocking at the world's door
- Now inside the house
Denial has created an awful global crisis
Denying peaking of modern energy creates the ultimate crisis

(2006-05-30 11:03:48 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

Blackouts plague South Asia nations as mercury boils

channelnewsasia.com :

As south Asia enjoys unprecedented economic growth, soaring summer temperatures have highlighted a chronic shortage of electricity that is crippling enterprise and leaving millions to suffer without any hope of respite. From India, the world's second fastest growing major economy after China, to impoverished Bangladesh, governments are plagued by the problem of growing demand for power combined with inadequate supply.

Earlier this month almost half of Bangladesh was plunged into darkness for several hours as the national electricity grid tripped shutting down most of the country's power generation units. The country's average shortfall is 700-800 megawatts daily rising on occasions to up to 1,800 megawatts, nearly half of output.

Experts say South Asian nations are failing to add the capacity needed to keep up with economic growth, pointing out that China adds more than 28,000 megawatts of capacity on average annually compared to only 4,500 megawatts in India.

India has been hailed for its rapid development but critics say it has no viable strategy to tackle its power problems. In parts of the Indian capital Delhi, residents are left to swelter for up to ten hours at a stretch. Temperatures hit the mid-40s Celsius (111 degrees Farenheit) during May and June. In some rural areas there is electricity for only two hours a day or none at all. Some 47 power plants are behind schedule.

Pakistan enjoyed a power surplus until last year but this year it is faced with a daily shortfall of 415 megawatts expected to rise to 1,457 megawatts next year. Although there are plans to install as many as 45 hydro and thermal power projects with a capacity of about 12,000 mw, they are expected to take years to become operational.

Experts say that without added capacity there are no quick fixes. Instead, they urge governments and private citizens to do everything they can to save power from changing working hours to avoid the hottest part of the day and closing shops and businesses by 5:00 pm.

(2006-05-30 07:11:29 SGT) [Energy] Permalink

Flat-panel TVs face competition from conventional box sets

channelnewsasia.com :

Flat-panel televisions now cost 40 percent less in Singapore than a year ago, and industry watchers are predicting a further 30 percent drop by year's end, led by LCD TVs. LCD TV sales have more than doubled in the first four months of this year to S$97 million compared to a year ago, while plasma TV sales came to S$53 million.

Still, makers of flat panel TVs are facing an unlikely competitor - the conventional box set. Price remains a stickler. A 29-inch tube TV runs at about S$800, while a similar flat panel TV set will set you back at least three times more. Analysts say the price difference is keeping consumers from going all out for flat panels. And observers predict a shake-out, with LCDs possibly pushing plasmas into low volume, high-end markets.

(2006-05-30 07:03:41 SGT) [Tech] Permalink Comments [1]

Malaysia Airlines reports 1Q2006 net loss of US$88.34m

channelnewsasia.com :

Malaysia Airlines posted a first-quarter net loss of 321.12 million ringgit (US$88.34 million), adding to the red ink which has forced it to embark on a major turn around plan. The beleaguered airline chalked up substantial losses of some 1.0 billion ringgit for the whole of the last financial year. The first quarter net loss, against a profit of 111.27 million ringgit a year ago, was mainly due to a 35 percent jump in fuel costs.

The national carrier is attempting to restructure its operations and in a crisis plan announced in March said it will surrender all but 19 major domestic routes to budget carrier AirAsia and cut out unprofitable international routes. Last week, it announced it will spend up to 850 million ringgit to lay off some 3,000 to 5,000 employees in a voluntary separation scheme.

(2006-05-30 06:57:09 SGT) [Biz] Permalink

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