PEATLANDS in Southeast Asia 

Earth Day was celebrated on 22 April 2021 with dynamic participations reflecting the increasing awareness of environmental conservation. However, climate impacts are not stopping and concerns over peatland protection efforts are growing.

Scroll down for updates

In April 2021, the transition from Northeast Monsoon to inter-monsoon conditions was observed. An increase in shower activities observed in most ASEAN region as the monsoon rain band moves over the equator. Slightly higher hotspot counts were detected in Myanmar, Lao PDR, Viet Nam and Kalimantan compared to previous years for the same month of April. In other parts of the ASEAN region, the hotspot counts for March this year were lower or comparable to previous years.

Moderate haze was observed in many days over the Mekong sub-region and the situation improved by end of April along with more shower activities. Based on surveillance by the NOAA-20, a total of 33,361 hotspots with high confidence level were detected in ASEAN region in April 2021. La Niña conditions were present but weakening to neutral condition.

CELEBRATING EARTH DAY 2021

In conjunction with the Earth Day 2021, GEC urged everyone to protect and restore our home – the Earth

In conjunction with Earth Day 2021, Global Environment Centre (GEC) shared some of the achievements in restoring our Earth and called everyone to cherish the Earth and take action to protect our only home. 

In conjunction with Earth Day 2021 themed “Restore our Earth”, UN Environment Programmed joined hands with Alec Baldwin calling people to be part of the Generation Restoration. 

Kamala Harris Joins NowThis, Discovery+ for Earth Day Special on Climate Change

Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris took part in an interview for the Earth Day climate one-hour special, Action Planet: Meeting the Climate Challenge focused on informing audiences about the broader challenges of the climate crisis and examining its multidimensional impact.

THE GROWING LIST OF CLIMATE IMPACTS

Study: Warming seas could alter certain marine species' perception of colour

A research that explores the implications of fish descending into deeper cooler waters to escape the consequences of global warming found that when descending into deeper colder water, some fish lose their perception of colour to the point where they are no longer able to make sense of the world. 

A whale chorus reveals how climate change may be shifting migration

A population of bowhead whales skipped their usual migrating route during the 2018-2019 winter in the freezing Arctic waters off Canada. Scientists believe that this never-previously-detected behaviour is driven by climate change. 

As climate change thaws mountain tops, risks of rockfalls surge

As climate change warms high-altitude mountain regions, boulders and rocks long frozen into place are being loosed and tumbling downslope. A "rock test" was conducted by scientist to aims to understand the growing risk of rockfalls around the world.

India's desert salt farmers feel the heat from climate change

In western Gujarat state, India, local farmers toil in scorching heat to pump out briny water from handmade wells to harvest salts. However, farmers are noticing the hotter weather which makes salt farming become harder and more taxing. 

CLIMATE CONCERNS

Urgent methane cuts needed to rein in climate change, U.N. says

A summary of the Global Methane Assessment, seen by Reuters ahead of its publication by the United Nations Environment Programme and the Climate & Clean Air Coalition in May is urging to take actions to reduce methane emission this decade. 

WMO Launched State of the Global Climate Report

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) launched its new report in a joint press conference with the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, Monday 19 April 2021. The WMO reports that the pandemic-related economic slowdown failed to put a brake on climate change drivers and accelerating impacts. 

HAPPENINGS AROUND WETLANDS

Recording, current research findings and key messages from RRR2021 are now available 

Back for the 3rd session, RRR conference on "Renewable Resources from Wet and Rewetted Peatlands - RRR2021" took place from 9 - 11 March 2021. The conference was organised by the partners in the Greifswald Mire Centre with more than 100 scientific oral and poster presentations.  

The Restoration Factory: a business accelerator to achieve the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration goals

UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) organised a virtual side event introducing a new e-learning programme that supports ecosystem restoration business models at the 16th session of the UN Forum on Forests (UNFF) on Thursday, 29 April 2021.

Reducing haze and protecting peatlands in the digital age

At a recent workshop, 83 key stakeholders gathered with The Measurable Action for Haze-Free Sustainable Land Management in Southeast Asia (MAHFSA) Programme hosted a virtual regional workshop entitled “Regional Workshop and Consultation Meeting for Capacity Building and Knowledge Product Development”, on 16 March 2021.

About 83 key stakeholders gathered with MAHFSA partners to explore and verify priorities for capacity-building and knowledge-product development on reducing haze and protecting peatlands across Southeast Asia.

World Adaptation Science Programme (WASP) launched its new website

Launched in December, 2018, the WASP is a UN-wide initiative by UNEP, WMO, UNFCCC, IPCC, GCF and the GEF, with core vision of ensuring that climate adaptation research gaps are filled, with a particular focus on policy-relevant scientific research, while giving priority to research needs in vulnerable developing countries. The WASP just recently launched a new website developed by the WASP Secretariat at the UNEP Science Division

PEATLAND PROTECTION EFFORTS AND CONCERNS

Establishment of Partnership between YP Plantation Holdings (YPPH) Sdn Bhd and Global Environment Centre (GEC)

GEC and YPPH formed a partnership to enhance the prevention of fires and the conservation of 4,800 hectares (ha) peatlands in Pekan Forest Reserve and its buffer zone that are adjacent to YPPH Bebar Utara, Pekan Barat and Pekan Timur estates, in Peninsular Malaysia.

Fast disappearing peat swamp forests

Based on the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources statistics (updated as of Nov 3, 2020), Malaysia was home to 1.030 million hectares of peat swamp forest back in 1990. However, the peat swamp forest area has been reduced to about 317,000 hectares and only 0.317 percent of it remain intact in 2018. 

Improved management of farmed peatlands could cut 500 million tons of carbon dioxide

Many peatland areas in UK have been modified for agriculture and plantations which is detrimental to the environment. To fully rewet and return to peatlands natural condition in the near future may not be realistic considering large populations rely on these peatlands for their livelihoods.

Therefore, a team of scientists, led by the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (UKCEH), analyzed the impact of halving current drainage depths in croplands and grasslands on peatland which showed that this could still bring significant benefits for climate change mitigation.

Concerns raised over new restrictions on peatlands

A new cross-compliance condition, Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC 2), will dictate there must be appropriate or minimum protection of carbon-rich soils in the next CAP.

Proposal for protecting peatland has potential to be ‘extremely detrimental’

The objective of Good Agricultural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC 2) is to protect carbon-rich soils which raised concerns towards the farmers - it would remove the area from being an agricultural area and farmers to lose Pillar II payment on this land.

Peatland fires in Indonesia can be predicted by new evaluation approach, scientists say

"Indonesia’s peatland fires are better explained by a newly developed approach that considers climate-change impacts and helps predict hotspots of carbon emissions and air pollution from the burning of peat, according to scientists."

Fire prevention pushed in Leyte Sab-a peatland forest

The International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) Leyte Sab-a Peatland Forest Restoration Initiative began in 2018 and has documented four fire incidences. Concerned, IIRR will push for stronger fire prevention, management, and post-fire restoration.

UPDATES ON THE PALM OIL INDUSTRY

RSPO releases new Practical Guidance on Gender Inclusion

"RSPO has launched a guidance manual describing the building blocks of a gender-inclusive business in the palm oil sector. The Guidance aims to assist RSPO members in adopting best practices that promote gender balance in their operations, serving as a springboard for companies to identify a gender imbalance within their organisation and to apply strategies towards a more gender inclusive workforce."

Malaysia not affected by Belgium's palm oil ban

On April 13, the international media reported that biofuels made from palm oil and soybean will no longer be allowed both in the Belgian market. Malaysia’s Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) said the country’s palm oil market is still quite large, exporting to many other countries.  

Palm Oil Ban in Sri Lanka: A Critical Analysis

In early April, the Sri Lankan Government intends to stop palm oil consumption completely. Lanka Confectionery Manufacturers Association (LCMA) has warned that the sudden palm oil ban will burden various sectors and lead to the closure of factories as well as loss of thousands of jobs.

MPOB calls for use of advanced tools to increase yields

The Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) DG Dr Ahmad Parveez Ghulam Kadir said although the productivity of palm oil has increased over the years, the national average yield has remained stagnant in comparison with other vegetable oil crops such as soybean and rapeseed.