PEATLANDS in Southeast Asia 

October was all about the road to COP26, leading to intensified talks about climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. Scroll down for October articles on climate change, emissions, peatlands and palm oil updates.  

Scroll down for updates

Review of Regional Haze Situation in ASEAN Region for October 2021

In mid-October 2021, Southwest Monsoon transitioned to inter-monsoon. Tropical Storm Lionrock and Typhoon Kompasu increased the rainfall over Philippines and Viet Nam. The southern ASEAN region experienced continued shower activities signaling the end of its dry season.

The overall hotspot activity in the ASEAN region was subdued in October 2021, contributed by the wet weather conditions. Based on surveillance by the NOAA-20, a total of 1,032 hotspots with high confidence level were detected in ASEAN region. While most of the hotspots in the southern ASEAN region were detected in Kalimantan, the number of hotspots for the southern ASEAN region were lower or comparable to previous years’ counts, except for Sabah and Sarawak which was slightly higher. For the northern ASEAN region, most of the hotspots were detected in Viet Nam. The number of hotspots detected in the northern ASEAN region were also lower or comparable to previous years. 

Short-lived localised smoke haze was observed for a few days from the clusters of hotspots in central Kalimantan. There was no transboundary smoke haze observed over the ASEAN region during October 2021 review period.
 

THE THREATS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

Greece suffered a series of unprecedented heatwaves last summer, defined as days when the temperature soars above 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit). “This heatwave was the longest that ever struck our country,” geophysicist Christos Zerefos told Al Jazeera.

Climate migration predicted to rise in India amid extreme weather

In a survey of more than 1,000 households across three Indian states, nearly 70 percent of respondents said they migrated immediately after weather disasters such as droughts, floods, heatwaves and hailstorms occur. 

UN: Climate change threatens more than 100mil people in Africa

"By 2030, it is estimated that up to 118 million extremely poor people will be exposed to drought, floods and extreme heat in Africa, if adequate response measures are not put in place," said Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko, commissioner for rural economy and agriculture at the African Union Commission.

Climate scientists fear tipping points

Scientists found about 15 significant tipping points in the planet’s climate system. Some are regional, while others are global, but all are interconnected. These tipping points are points of no return which many experts believe should be taken into account when assessing the economic risks associated with climate change.

Indigenous Australians sue government over climate change

Indigenous residents of low-lying islands off northern Australia filed a landmark lawsuit to protect them from potentially dire future. The rising of sea levels fears to put the community at the frontline of climate change impacts.

AHEAD OF COP26

G20 key for momentum at Glasgow climate meet

All eyes were on the G20 summit which ended on the same day COP26 started. The summit signals how committed the world’s major economies are to curbing global warming.

Ramsar Convention on Wetlands launched new resources

Leading up to COP26, Ramsar launched four new resources on 27 October 2021. The resources elevate the importance of restoring and sustainably managing blue carbon and peatland ecosystems for mitigating climate change.

UN chief ‘very worried’ over possible COP26 failure

“I hope we are still on time to avoid a failure in Glasgow, but time is running short, and things are getting more difficult and that is why I’m very worried. I’m afraid things might get wrong.”

Climate Activists Fight for Inclusive COP26 

With the pandemic restrictions may keep them from attending COP26, young activists demand their voices to be heard especially on helping lower income countries to cope with climate crisis. "We need leaders to hear our stories, they don't know what it's like to be afraid for your life because of floods," said Mitzi Jonelle Tan, a climate activist in the Philippines.

These are the countries historically responsible for the climate emergency

Research group Carbon Brief revealed the U.S. was found to have released 509 gigatons of CO2 since 1850, representing some 20% of the global total. China was second with 11%, followed by Russia (7%), Brazil (5%) and Indonesia (4%).

CARBON EMISSIONS 

Latest climate plans worlds away from 1.5°C target, UN warns

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) revealed in its annual Emissions Gap assessment that even the most up-to-date and ambitious plans from around 120 countries puts the world on track to warm 2.7°C.

Greenhouse gas levels hit record; world struggles to curb damage

A report by the UN World Meteorological Organization (WMO) showed carbon dioxide levels surged to 413.2 parts per million in 2020, rising more than the average rate over the last decade. The United Nations (UN) said the world is “way off track” in capping rising temperature. 

World's wealthiest 1% 'to blame for more carbon emissions than half the planet combined'

A stark study of carbon emissions by the World Inequality Database (WID) found the richest 1% of people in the world emitted 17% of all carbon emissions - compared to just 12% being emitted by the bottom 50%.

Counting CO2 is hard and expensive, but tech firms think they have a solution

Carbon accounting is complex, especially when accounting the process beyond a company’s direct access. But tech firms Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) is previewing a tool for calculating emissions called Microsoft Cloud for Sustainability, aiming to make it available by mid-2022. 

PEATLANDS CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION

(Virtual Conference) Peatland Management: Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change in Southeast Asia

The last instalment of Global Environment Centre’s (GEC) Virtual IGEM 2021 Conference Session was organised on 14 October 2021 on Peatland Management - Nature-based Solutions to Climate Change in Southeast Asia. Four experts presented at the session to unravel how well are we at sustainably managing peatlands in Southeast Asia.

Scientists discover how to restore carbon-rich peatlands

Monash University researchers has applied the Rapid Evidence Review method and found that “…successful restoration of peatlands required looking across the entire ecosystem because peatland hydrology, chemistry and biodiversity are intrinsically linked."

Peat protection key for UK conservationists tackling climate change

The largest carbon sinks on land in Britain, peatlands, are suffering from climate change and ecological destruction. Scientists and academicians are trying to find solutions to restore peat soils and still bringing economic income for farmers.

Female researchers in field of tropical peatland: Perseverance, grit, resilience

Dr Lulie Melling, tropical peatland researcher for over 20 years highlighted in her keynote address titled “Women in Tropical Peatland Research” that “the major challenges are at the decision-making tables. To be present and welcome is step one. To be heard and respected would be the second.” 

UPDATES ON THE PALM OIL INDUSTRY

MPIC committed to applying technology to boost oil palm, rubber yield

Malaysia’s Ministry of Plantation Industries and Commodities (MPIC) is currently applying the Internet of Things (IoT) technologies enabling systems to identify and provide geospatial information on oil palm plantations, soil types, agro-climatic conditions as well as suitable and potential areas for oil palm cultivation.

German ban on palm oil based on false information

Germany recently announced to phase out palm oil-based biofuels in 2023. The Palm Oil Monitor called on the move as signalling a wilful blindness to environmental facts as they have failed to acknowledge the dramatic drop (75%) of Indonesia’s deforestation rate. 

Malaysia to focus palm oil sales on eastern markets

To reduce the impacts of boycott campaigns by the US and European Union, Malaysia will focus on exporting palm oil to eastern markets like China, India and Central Asia. Malaysia’s plantation industries and commodities minister slams the campaign as “done in bad faith”. 

Greenpeace: Hundreds of Palm-Oil Firms Operate Illegally in Indonesian Forests

In a recent report released by Greenpeace, over 600 companies operate illegally in Indonesia’s national parks, wetlands, and U.N. world heritage sites. About 100 of them are members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).