End 2009 by interesting field work

I managed to visit Pulau Kalumpang near Kuala Gula, Taiping, A Heaven For Migratory Birds on 29&30 December 2009. Thousands of migratory shore birds and over 120 species of birds can be observed in the island. How ever there will be a conflict later between human and birds, intergovernmental agencies such as Forest Department, Wildlife Department, Fisheries Department, Drainage Department and Local Authorities if no immediate actions taken. Even within the departments sections may have conflict opinion and implementations between conservation and recreation, ecotourisms and educations, security and economic, poverty and development, etc. An urgent discussion and planning needed. Universiti Putra Malaysia, Forest Department and Wildlife Department have long history of collaborations in conservation, rehabilitation, training, research and sustainable use of this world popular Matang Forest Reserve. Further effective collaboration including many other departments is urgently needed before it is too late. Increasing of interest among public, business, conservationist, naturalist and others, nationally and internationally, will invite a lot of inconsistency ideas with conservation and forest protection.

Beside intergovernmental agencies agreement in managing and conserve this island and whole Matang Forest Reserve, an urgent integrated, organised and systematic research are needed. A lot more information needed not only on the list of flora and fauna but the ecology of the forests, balance ecosystems and use the information in managing the forest reserve. The authorities such as Forest Department, Wildlife Department especially need to lead in this idea and probably Universiti Putra Malaysia can help and Fisheries Deparment, Drainage Department and Local Authorities can support the activities.

Happy New Year 2010 with more active participation for science

Raptor Watch 2009 with UPM students From Faculty of Environmental Studies at Tanjung Tuan, Port Dickson, Malaysia.

We will have four meetings soon!!

1. Annual Alumni Seminar. All Alumni from Biology Department UPM who involve in research will meet and present their findings. The actual dates will be determined soon. There are many alumni are now in research institutes, post graduate students, teachers and others who can present their opinion and results of their research that can be shared for our future besides meeting each others and having cup of tea or talking about past story.
2. Seminar and workshop on "vertebrates in coastal environment of Peninsular Malaysia". This seminar and workshop is close to those actively involve in the subject. The objectives of this meeting are for biodiversity, management and conservation of coastal wildlife in Peninsular Malaysia.
3. Next is seminar on "heavy metals pollution in coastal environment of Malaysia". This is also a close meeting for those who are active in the subject.
4. Raptor watch 2010 in Port Dickson from mid-February until mid-April. The peak period will be 13-14 March 2010. This is an annual event. Students should participate. Be there at Tanjung Tuan or UPM Marine Station. Bring your binocular for the best time at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. because the birds need warm air to go high.

I really hope for those related will support and participate in the activities planned for future sciences.

Thank you.
Ahmad Ismail

Why We Need to Collaborate with Ocean Research Institute (ORI) The Tokyo University?

UPM already signed MoU with ORI the Tokyo University, Japan in May 2009.
The Tokyo University is one of the top universities in Asia and top 20 in the world for many years.They have very good research culture and technology. They are leading in marine science studies in Asia and among the top in the world. Among their research focus are related to Malaysian marine ecosystems. If Malaysian scientists like to collaborate with their marine scientists there will be a lot of common interests. There fore institution such as ORI is good to collaborate with.

Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for Internationalisation of University

How to produce effective and active MoU?

1. Focus on our objectives and strength that we like to develop in line with our vision of the university.
2. Looking for our counterpart (experts, laboratory, institutions) that may help us to achieve our mission and vision.
3. Provide relevant facilities and research grants to attract our identified counterpart.
4. Make a plan/strategies for MoU; research topics, collaboration, budget, visits, exchange experts,symposium, workshops, etc.
5. Develop our expertise and position them at an international level with a proper branding suitable with related university. Eg. Since Malaysia as one of the top mega biodiversity in the world, biodiversity can be one of the attraction. Strategic activities, publicity, promotion and branding needed such as tropical wildlife, tropical ecology, tropical rain forest, best mangrove forest management, fisheries products and technologies.
6. Provide a specific budget for promotion and marketing strategies through visits, symposium & workshops, research attachment, academic exchange, student exchange, etc.
7. Monitor established MoU and its success.

Malaysia Comitment in Climate Change II

(Pictures of Kuala Gula and V-Point Ipoh, Perak)

Malaysia is adopting a voluntary national reduction indicator of up to 40% in terms of GDP emission intensity by 2020 compared with 2005 levels. The Kyoto Protocol has set emissions reductions targets for the period 2008 to 2012. New greenhouse gas emissions reductions targets for subsequent years is negotiated in Copenhagen now.
Malaysia was committed to doing its best to combat climate change.
But how?
Is it enough by reducing greenhouse emission gas, maintaining 75% green forested areas, transfer of technology from advance research and practice from developed countries and adequate financing?
More actions needed. Including country's ambition to increase scientists and engineers in the country either by training locals or import from outside (?), identify climate change related items and focus in administration, governance, training, research and financial allocation. It is not an easy task for the country if not seriously conducted and managed.

Malaysia Commitment in Climate Change Issues

COP15 among the largest summits ever
The 119 heads of state and government participating at the climate summit in Copenhagen represent countries that account for 89 percent of the world's GDP.

A UN report said that Malaysia’s carbon emissions in 2006 stood at 187 million tonnes or 7.2 tonnes from each Malaysian, compared to Indonesia, the world’s third largest emitter with 2.3 billion tonnes. Malaysia has seen a temperature rise of between 0.5 degrees and 1.5 degrees Celsius while its coastal line has been narrowed due to a rise the sea level.

A strong political commitment needed from the heads of state and government in order to help reducing the effects of global warming which is threatening mankind.

Two main issues need to be tackled are the reduction of greenhouse emissions and providing financial aid to developing nations to shift to greener growth and adapt to a warmer world.

Malaysia had already made the global climate a priority in the national budget for 2010, pledging a RM1.5bil fund to promote green technology besides several incentives to encourage the construction of green buildings.

Internalisation of University

Internationalisation has become a catchword of the times in higher education. Its wider use is due to an increasing interest in the international dimension of higher education, particularly during the past few years, which in turn has led to its emergence as a research area in its own right.
Later crate confusion between modern university, nationalisation, regionalisation, internationalisation and Internalisation. All these can be blended together for the internationalisation.
The present world is becoming more multi-polarised, so too is academia. This provides some universities in developing countries with more possibilities to avoid marginalisation
English language, which has been regarded as an obstacle to university development in developing countries. More and more academic research papers written in English are published in international journals.
Internationalisation and university development are linked to each other. Nowadays, the institutional standing of the chair, department and institute have become one of the main tests of a university as a research and teaching organisation.

The Internationalisation Strategy may cover:

Research and partnerships
Curriculum
The student experience
Staff development
Transnational programs
Standards and quality assurance

Copenhagen Summit On Climate Change 2009 Updates

United Nations’ Climate Summit, which has started from December 7, 2009 and will continue till December 19, 2009, will have a great significance for the entire world. Climate researchers from different nations have attended this summit to find some effective measures that will help in reducing the effects of greenhouse gas and carbon emission.

Will Salary Encourage Us to Work Harder and Achieve More?

Above are the example of professor's salary in several countries. How much Malaysian Professor earned? Equal to France, Sweden, Germany? We have to look at their culture, job specification, facilities, working environment, achievement, research grants, etc. and compare to ours. Or we compare to USA, Switzerland, Japan or UK Top Universities. We have brain gain programme, mobility programme, academic exchange programme, sandwich programme and many other programmes. How to go about it?

Together we aspire, together we achieve

One bed, one pillow, one dream then we can excell together!!

Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

Night heron only produce 2 to 3 eggs and 2 or three will hatch BUT their survival rates no body know depending to many environmental factors including human being.


Every year we are assessing our self or our company or our institution achievement. During the assessment and reporting our achievement we usually celebrate by giving awards and some entertaiment similar to our encestors celebrating their hardwork after harvesting season. They are many ways to assess our achievement. How many letters we typed, how many envelops were posted, how many meeting reports we write, how may papers we published, how many lectures and seminars were presented, how many students we produced, how much money we bring to the company. how many people we satisfied, etc..... But how to tell people about our achievement. We need to quantify them according to where we are, our position, responsibility, duties, etc. May be this items may help us;
1.What Are Key Performance Indicators (KPI)
2.Key Performance Indicators Reflect The Organizational Goals
3.Key Performance Indicators Must Be Quantifiable
4.Key Performance Indicators Must be Key To Organizational Success
5.What Do I Do With Key Performance Indicators?
6.How Do We Manage Our Key Performance Indicators?

A lot more we need to do before we adopt any KPI systems and effectively measure our achievement.

What is our contribution or worries about United Nations Climate Change Conference 7-18 Dec 2009

Published: Saturday November 28, 2009 MYT 10:03:00 AM
Legal treaty for climate change wanted


Commonwealth countries, including Malaysia, have agreed to press for a legally binding treaty to be implemented during the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen.

Many Commonwealth countries are victims of climate change. Some have said that if global warming continues, small island states might totally sink. For many of them, this is a matter of life and death.

The environmental threat was now a global challenge which would affect security and stability in the years ahead.

Most of the countries under threat were the most vulnerable and least able to withstand the adverse effects of climate change.

Failure in Copenhagen is not an option

If the world fails to deliver a political agreement at the UN climate conference in December, it will be “the whole global democratic system not being able to deliver results in one of the defining challenges of our century"

SELAMAT HARI RAYA AIDILADHA

Tentu sekali yang pernah mengerjakan haji masih teringat suasana di Tanah Suci, MasjidilHaram, Arafah, Mudzalifah, Mina, Sae, dan Madinah.
________________________________________________
Kepada semua Muslimin dan Muslimat saya dan isteri saya ucapkan selamat menyambut Hari Raya Aidil Adha.


Marilah kita berdoa agar kesemua jemaah kita dapat mengerjakan ibadah Haji dengan sempurna dan agar amal ibadat mereka diberkati Allah s.w.t. serta dapat pulang ke tanahair dengan selamat.

Aktiviti Ibadat Qurban di Subang Jaya, USJ4

Ibadat Qurban memang terbukti dapat mengeratkan hubungan antara masyarakat dan Islam itu memang antarabangsa. Aktiviti Qurban di USJ4 misalnya melibatkan gabungan kumpulan masyarakat Indonesia, Bangladesh dan tempatan.
Kumpulan Indonesia menurunkan lembu dari lori, mengikat dan membawa ke tempat penyembelihan, kumpulan Bangladesh pula mengikat kemas kaki dan kepala lembu sedia untuk di sembelih oleh Pak Imam, manakala masyarakat tempatan melapah dan memotong daging. Kumpulan melapah profesional dijemput khas untuk melapah 16 ekor lembu yang kebanyakannya jantan.
Daging, hati, limpa dan tulang yang dipotong dibahagikan dan dibungkus oleh kumpulan wanita dibawah penyeliaan sekumpulan lelaki yang ditugaskan. Itulah antara keistimewaan ibadat Qurban. Mungkin di tahun hadapan apabila ramai kaum belia sudah matang dan bersemangat tinggi mereka sendiri mampu mengikat, menumbangkan, menyembelih, melapah dan memotong serta membahagikan daging-daging qurban berkenaan.
Namun begitu seperti di tempat-tempat lain juga ramai yang menjadi pemerhati, pengarah dan jurukomen.
Walau apa pun generasi muda tempatan terutama anak-anak masyarakat kelas menengah dan atasan perlu membina jatidiri masing-masing agar budaya dan maruah bangsa sentiasa dijaga.

Dean Faculty of Science Serious about the Future of Marine Science Station in Port Dickson

The Station need to establish its;
1. Structure of organisation and competent staff
2. Enough fascilities for education, research and extension activities
3. Detail content and planning for teaching, research and extension activities
4. Special budget to promote its existence and function

Some parts of the existing building need to be repaired, shortage of water supply need to overcome immediately, station's border need to be fenced, accommodation for short stay students or course participants, and many others need to look after.

Huge newly completed areas for aquaculture activities need to be activated soon. Main existing research related to algae, medaka fishes, marine commercial fishes and prawns, seaweeds-corals-seagrass, coastal ecotourism need to increase their activities for better impact and products.

Universiti Putra Malaysia (may be through their research fund) should allocate some budget to support the Dean of Faculty Science intention to activate research in Marine Science Station Port Dickson and to make the station fully functional. The station's location at the central of the Straits of Malacca and tourism spot make this station need an urgent attention. As the Straits of Malacca is the busiest shipping lane in the world supporting more than 70,000 ships and super tankers every year, many coastal population depending on it and ecologically important, therefore more scientific research are needed. Port Dickson Marine Science Station can be an International Institute of Straits of Malacca Studies. Past series of seminars and conferences related to the Straits of Malacca show that UPM is leading all the time in research on the straits. The station more than deserve to be developed and activate to the international standard. Further more in November 2011 an International Symposium on Oryzias fishes will be held here in Port Dickson. This international recognition through Prof Dr, Ahmad Ismail, should be responded positively by UPM and Malaysia in general.

Need More Studies to Avoid Confusion on Green Issues

Some are very extreme and cannot contribute to the sustainable development. Malaysia is a green country (?) and young need to look into this GREEN issues seriously. Time is running out competing with the greedy and needy. Read Star 28 November 2009.

"Published: Friday November 27, 2009 MYT 4:02:00 PM
Dams, bio-fuel plantations cannot be classified "green energy": NGO
By STEPHEN THEN


MIRI: Hydro-electric dam projects and biofuel-plantation projects that uproot tribal folks from their ancestral homes must be de-listed from their ''green energy'' tags and classified as ''people-destructive and eco-unfriendly'' projects, said the latest report from Survival International, a global organisation involved in protecting tribal people.

The organisation, with its headquarters in London, wants the international community and governments to stop classifying these energy-production projects as ''green projects'' if these projects ruined the lives of native communities........."

Seminar Hasil Ekspedisi Penyelidikan Saintifik Ke-2 Hutan Simpan Ayer Hitam, Puchong 23-25 November 2009

Seminar yang dianjurkan oleh Fakulti Perhutanan UPM dengan kerjasama Jabatan Hutan Negeri Selangor itu telah berjaya menghasilkan 30 kertas kerja merangkumi 13 kertas kerja dalam bidang alam sekitar,8 flora dan 9 fauna. Hasil kertas kerja ini akan diterbitkan dalam bentuk buku. Lebih banyak maklumat yang lengkap tentang biologi dan ekologi hutan simpan ini diperlukan bagi meyakinkan pihak masyarakat, penduduk di sekitar hutan ini dan kerajaan agar hutan ini terus disimpan selamanya untuk generasi akan datang. Keyakinan semua tentang hutan ini berperanan dalam keseimbangan ekologi, kawalan kepanasan dunia, perubahan cuaca, sumber air, ekopelancungan, pendidikan, penyelidikan, rekreasi, sumber hutan, pembekal oksigen, kawalan banjir dan segalanya perlu dipertingkatkan. UPM dan Jabatan Hutan serta semua pihak perlu bekerja kuat bagi mempertahankan hutan ini.
Kedudukan hutan ini di Lembah Kelang dan di tengah MSC, membuatkan hutan ini lebih unik dan berperanan penting dalam hal yang dinyatakan di atas. Malaysia berbangga dengan kedudukannya didunia dalam hal kepelbagaian biologi. Kedudukan Hutan Simpan Ayer Hitam ini di Lembah Kelang, MSC dan tambahan lagi diurus oleh Universiti Putra Malaysia yang unggul dalam kajian dan penyelidikan hutan semestinya memenuhi kebanggaan Malaysia tentang kepelbagaian biologi. Kepelbagaian biologi sekarang sudah termasuk dalam arus perdana semua aspek pembangunan dan mendapat perhatian pembuat dasar negara. UPM boleh laksanakan semua ini dengan baik bukan sahaja kerana kepakaran yang ada tetapi juga sokongan yang akan dapat dari ramai pegawai pelaksana, pengurusan dan pentadbiran di Jabatan Hutan yang mempunyai kuasa ke atas hutan, pegawai pertanian yang terlibat dalam pembangunan tanah dan golongan pendidik di sekolah sekitarnya yang boleh membantu mendidik dan menyampaikan maklumat. Beratus-beratus sekolah yang mempunyai puluhan ribu pelajar akan turut menyokong projek hutan ini. UPM telah lama mengeluarkan graduan dalam bidang perhutanan, pendidikan dan pertanian. Mereka boleh membantu dan menyokong aktiviti-aktiviti UPM dalam kajian , pendidikan dan konservasi Hutan Simpan Ayer Hitam ini. Dengan kata lain ALUMNI UPM boleh turut membantu usaha penyelidikan, pendidikan dan pengembangan kearah perlindungan dan konservasi Hutan Simpan Ayer Hitam, Puchong, Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Pencapaian dan Kejayaan

Semua pelajar yang sedang menjawab soalan ujian ini inginkan kejayaan. Ujian adalah satu kaedah terbaik bagi memudahkan penilaian walaupun ianya tidak mengukur pencapaian sebenar pelajar. Siapa yang diukur pencapaian dan siapa pula yang diukur kejayaannya.
Pelajar mohon masuk ke universiti setelah mendapat keputusan peperiksaan yang melayakkan mereka masuk ke universiti. Tetapi tidak semua yang berjaya masuk ke universiti. Bagi yang berjaya mereka mendaftar masuk ke program yang ditawarkan dan mengharapkan mendapat ilmu dalam bdang berkaitan serta akan bergraduat selepas tempoh masa yang ditetapkan. Setiap semester mereka menduduki peperiksaan dan mengharapkan kejayaan. Dan setiap semester juga mereka mengisi borang, menghadiri kuliah,amali, membuat nota dan latihan serta menyediakan kertas kerja.Semuanya dijalankan dengan baik atau dikemukakan pada masa dan tarikh yang ditetapkan.
Cuba fikirkan yang mana satu pencapaian dan yang mana satu kejayaan?
Semasa di universiti pelajar dilatih sedemikian rupa bagi mencapai tujuan pada masa dan tarikhnya agar mereka mendapat kejayaan, lulus dan mendapat ijazah. Mereka tidak pernah dilatih menunggu kertas kerja datang sendiri, atau bilik kuliah datang ke riba dan mereka didukung ke dewan peperiksaan. Mereka tahu dan sudah menjadi budaya pelajar mereka mesti penuhi semua itu untuk mendapat kejayaan.
Malangnya apabila sudah bekerja, oleh kerana budaya setempat dan tiap bulan mendapat gaji maka budaya telah berubah, tidak perlu lagi menunjukkan pencapaian bagi mendapat gaji. Memadai membuktikan yang tiap hari datang ke tempat kerja.
Katakan seorang pegawai ditugaskan untuk mengumpul maklumat dan disampaikan kepada pihak tertentu pada tarikh yang ditetapkan. Apabila tarikh itu tiba walaupun maklumat itu tidak lengkap pegawai berkenaan akan dapat juga gaji bulanannya kerana dia hadir di tempat kerja setiap hari. Sekiranya disoal kenapa maklumat tidak lengkap mungkin ada alasan berbagai misalnya ada orang yang tidak hantar kepadanya. Padahal tugas yang diberikan kepadanya adalah mengumpul maklumat. Maknanya pegawai berkenaan tidak menjalankan tugasnya dengan lengkap. Kalau semasa belajar dahulu dia tidak boleh menyalahkan pemandu bas kerana lewat ke dewan peperiksaan atau salahkan kucing atau biawak melintas jalan menyebabkan pemandu bas brek dan bas bergerak perlahan. Pelajar juga tidak boleh salahkan hujan. Semasa belajar dahulu pelajar itu mesti datang ke dewan peperiksaan pada masa yang tepat dan menjawab soalan dengan tepat dan teliti untuk mendapatkan kejayaan yang cemerlang. Di mana budaya yang dipupuk semasa belajar dahulu tidak diamalkan semasa bekerja?
Teringat kita kepada pensyarah atau guru sekolah yang mempunyai jadual waktu untuk mengajar atau memberi kuliah, mempunyai ujian, memeriksa kertas ujian, memberikan markah dan megemukakan markar kepada pihak yang bertanggungjawab. Pensyarah pula mesti melakukan penyelidikan dan menerbitkan artikel ilmiah. Bahan kuliah atau pengajaran direkodkan, soalan, skema dan jawapan direkodkan, kehadiran kuliah direkodkan, markah pelajar terima diakhir semester atau tahun dalam buku rekod, kertas kerja yang diterbitkan juga direkodkan malah ditetapkan tahap kualitinya. Maknanya jelas pencapaian yang diukur bagi pensyarah atau guru berkenaan. Pelajar bergraduat pada masanya. Kejayaan pelajar adalah hak mereka dan mereka yang menghendakinya. Malah polis pun ada jadual kerja dan laporan harian. Bagaimana penjawat awam lain? Bagaimana pencapaian mereka diukur bagi membolehkan mereka dibayar gaji setiap bulan?. Pencapaian diutamakan!

UPM-Mitsubishi Joint Project Tree Planting

General Manager of CSR & Environmental Affair Office, Mitsubishi Corporation Japan, Minoru Akita (right) and Dato’ Prof. Dr. Nik Muhamad Abd Majid, the former Dean of UPMKB and the initiator of the project in a briefing on tree planting.

Prof Akira and Datin Paduka Prof Aini showing the technique of planting tree.

Datin Paduka Prof Dr. Aini Ideris Deputy Vice Chancellor of UPM planting Hopea auriculata during tree planting ceremony.

Prof Ahmad discuss something with the Japanese volunteer from Tokyo on the tree planting programme.

Prof Ahmad and Prof Sidek (Dean Faculty of Science) participating in tree planting activity.

More than 500 volunteers including 40 from Japan were together support tree planting activity in UPM.They planted about 5800 seedling on 5 acres land today comprises of 112 species of forest tree. This is an annual activity. This project expected to plant more than 400 species of forest trees and targeted more than 280,000 trees will be planted before the end of this project. All ecological aspects will be studied. This ambition is to fulfill the need to balance the deforestation and development activities in the UPM areas with the numbers of trees needed. Every individual need at least two trees in their life. Hopefully all will support this activity by planting more trees and reduce producing greenhouse gas emissions. UPM must start as an example to others. This project is a collaboration between Japan Mitsubishi Corporation and UPM as one of their coorporate social responsibility (CSR) to develop a model of tropical forest for future reference.

More pictures:
Happy after work done
Sweat and Happy
We do it together

Happy and Success
Looking forward for growing tree

Helping to achieve our mission.

India, China, European and USA are important in new climate change issues

China and the US sign deal on monitoring emissions
The US will cooperate with China on methods to collect data on China’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Marianne Bom 19/11/2009 16:05
China and the US this week signed an agreement designed to improve China's ability to monitor its greenhouse gas emissions.

The two nations will cooperate on developing an inventory of China's greenhouse gas emissions, the Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday, according to the Washington Post



Germany calls for binding climate deal in 2010
German Chancellor Angela Merkel called Thursday for all countries to fix binding climate change targets next year at the latest, acknowledging that no such deal is likely at global talks in Copenhagen next month.

Grand Mufti introduces green pilgrimage
A Muslim Seven Year Plan will turn Medina into a green model city and make the journeys of millions of worshippers to Mecca sustainable.
Muslim Association for Climate Change Action (MACCA).

Morten Andersen 20/11/2009 16:20
During the Islamic Hajj season alone, between two and three million pilgrims visit Mecca in Saudi Arabia. A Muslim Seven Year Plan introduced by Sheikh Ali Goma’a, Grand Mufti of Egypt, aims at “transforming the experience into an environmentally-friendly pilgrimage” the Environmental News Network reports.
Another key element of the plan is to transform Medina, Islam’s second most important city, into a model green city.

"We believe that all of us, all of us, not just Muslims, Muslims, Christians, Jews, everybody lives on this earth, we are in the same boat, so we have to care about this earth. All of us. Because the climate change – it will affect all of us.", Dr Akef, Director, Earth Mates Dialogue Centre."

All must involve and plan to reduce climate change and global warming problems.

Copenhagen climate change conference 2009: timeline

Here is a timeline of key dates in the climate change negotiations:
June 1992: Rio World Summit - Following years of lobbying by environmentalists on the potential danger of global warming, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is set up. The primary objective is the stabilization of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere to stop temperatures rising. Some 192 countries have signed up so far.
Dec 1997: The Kyoto Protocol - Developed nations agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least five per cent by 2012 but the US later refuses to take action. Developing nations, like China, have no formal binding targets.
1998: Warmest year in warmest decade in warmest century for at least a thousand years, according to environmental group WWF.
2003: European heat wave kills more than 30,000 people. Scientists later claim it is the first extreme weather event definitely attributable to human-induced climate change.
2006: The most comprehensive economic assessment of climate change, by Lord Stern of Brentwood for the British Government, concludes that climate change could damage global GDP by up to 20 per cent if left unchecked - but curbing it would cost about one per cent of global GDP.
2007: The UN’s scientific committee the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change concludes it is more than 90 per cent likely that humanity's emissions of greenhouse gases are responsible for modern-day climate change.
2007: Al Gore and IPCC win Nobel Peace Prize "for their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change".
Dec 2007 Bali: UN talks to decide the next stage in climate change targets after the Kyoto Protocol. The Bali Road Map sets out a two-year process to finalizing a binding agreement in 2009 in Copenhagen. Issues that must be decided on include targets for cutting emissions, money to help poor countries adapt to climate change, sharing of green technology and the future of forests.
Nov 2008: UK passes the Climate Change Act committing the country to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050
Nov 2008: President Obama comes to power, prompting hope that the US will take a greater part in climate change negotiations.
Dec 2008 Poznan: Little progress on UN negotiations as many wait for the new Obama administration to declare its hand.
2009: China overtakes the US as the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter - although the US remains well ahead on a per-capita basis.
Nov 2009: Barcelona – In the latest round of UNFCCC negotiations officials admit a legally-binding treaty is unlikely by the end of the year because rich and poor nations cannot agree on targets.
Dec 2009: Copenhagen – The UNFCCC is due to meet to agree a treaty on climate change. Rich countries must sign up to carbon cuts while developing nations like China also take action to reduce their growing emissions. The world will also have to set up finance mechanisms to stop deforestation, move to a green economy and help vulnerable countries adapt to climate change.
June 2010: Bonn and Dec 2010 Mexico – The failure of Copenhagen to come to a legally-binding agreement means there will be subsequent meetings under the UNFCCC next year.
Dec 2012: The Kyoto Protocol will come to an end.
Jan 2013: The implementation period of any new deal on tackling climate change begins…

What is the Copenhagen climate change summit?

From 7 to 18 December 2009, the leaders of the world's 180 countries -backed by a 20,000-strong army of officials, advisors, experts and journalists - will attend a United Nations meeting in Copenhagen to thrash out a new international deal to tackle climate change. Whatever is agreed at Copenhagen will come into force on 1st January 2013, and supersede the last attempt to save the environment, the Kyoto protocol.

In the long term, wealthy countries are under pressure to agree to emission cuts of greenhouse gases of up to 80 per cent by 2050 (Britain has already signed up to this) and limit global climate change to 2C.
Copenhagen must bring the USA on board. Its 250-million strong population (less than 5 per cent of the world total) gorges itself on energy producing up to 30 per cent of all emissions.

If we do nothing, scientists predict climate change will rise by 6C by the end of the century triggering a catastrophe including: extreme weather, sea level rise, water shortages, food shortages and the extinction of up to a third of known plant and animal species.

Summit in Copenhagen is one of the most important meetings in human history. It’s the best chance we’ve ever had to agree a deal to slash emissions and face down the threat of warming the planet, but the politicians seem determined to blow it.

We Malaysian also can do something IF we want! But how and when?

SIMBIOMAS 2009

Simbiomas 2009 (Symposium Biology Malaysia 2009) was succesfully organised by the Department of Biology, Universiti Putra Malaysia 17 & 18 November 2009, 9 days after Prof Ahmad Birthday. The Symposium was opened by the Vice Chancelor Prof Datuk Dr. Nik Mustapha R. Abdullah and closed by Deputy Vice Chancelor (R&I) Prof Dr. Abu Bakar Salleh. More than 120 partipants were attended in the symposium, 38 oral,94 posters and 5 plenary papers were presented. Majority of the participants were young scientists and have a great potential in their own fields. It is a trend now the conferences and symposium like this usually attended by young scientists.The seniour scientists should follow this trend and give some feed back to the outcomes of the presentations so that the continuity of reseach in basic biology is significant. The papers presented in this symposium were equally distributed among basic biology fields including biosystematic, genetic, physiology and biochemistry, and ecology. Research in basic biology is very important because there a lot more unknown species, information and knowledge on flora and fauna, as Malaysia is important in the world's biodiversity.Beside that active research in biotechnology, natural products, medicines, environment and engineering demand more research in basic biology. Grant provider and related government agencies should monitor the symposium and conference like this so that they follow the progress. They can appoint the professors in relevant fields to assess and comment what the authorities should do to improve the research and findings.At the same time we can indentify active and quality laboratories and the experts.

Night Herons Under Threat

This is the second issue after first news in Star Metro on Thursday 14 May 2009. Prof Dr. Ahmad Ismail highlighted the issue and attracted Perhilitan, local leaders and Star Journalist Lim Chia Ying. More awareness programme needed and local government must sensitive and support the programme together with positive action such as providing space for the birds
____________________________


Friday November 13, 2009
Night herons under threat
By LIM CHIA YING
Photos courtesy of Dr AHMAD ISMAIL


BLACK-crowned night herons are in danger of disappearing if the authorities do not act fast enough to do something for the birds.

These herons can be seen flying and roosting by the thousands at a plot of private land in Kuala Garing, Rawang.

Earlier, the birds had nested at a nearby site but were forced to move after sand-mining were carried out at the initial nesting ground.

A recent visit to the site by the Selangor Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) and Associate Professor Dr Ahmad Ismail from Universiti Putra Malaysia’s Biology Department, however, showed that there was a cause for concern.

Disturbing sight: A pair of legs jutting out from the ground is a stark reminder that the birds are still being hunted.

A group of Ahmad’s students who had visited the site to carry out research had been shocked to discover the mutilated carcasses of some of the birds.

Photos taken by the students prompted Ahmad and Perhilitan law and investigation unit head Ab Jalal Kasim to visit the site for themselves.

In May, StarMetro reported that three Vietnamese poachers had been caught stealing the eggs and chicks of the night heron, which is a totally protected wild bird under the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 (Act 76).

They were found guilty of three charges and were fined RM5,000 each.

Ahmad said despite Perhilitan’s efforts, there were still people bold enough to slaughter the birds.

“Perhilitan is doing what it can to raise awareness among the locals. However, after seeing what had happened, we hope that a permanent location for the birds to nest would be found.

“Areas like those under electric cables can be preserved and maintained as a habitat for the birds and we can later develop this as an eco-tourism and educational site,” Ahmand said, adding that this would help safeguard the birds.

Ab Jalal said this was the second breeding season of the year for the birds and a lot of people were out to steal the eggs and kill the birds.

“Our men are monitoring the situation, but we cannot be here throughout the day,” he said.

“We have also enlisted the help of local people we can trust, like M. Sadasivam who lives nearby, to tip us off if he notices suspicious characters trying to prey on the birds.

“Sadasivam has been a great help and we need more such people.

“We also hope that the state government will help identify a breeding site for the herons so that they do not need to continuously migrate as their breeding grounds are disturbed by human activities,” he added.

Selangor state environmental committee chairman Elizabeth Wong said she was open to suggestions and advice on how to move the birds to an appropriate location.


New home: A black-crowned night heron perching in a tree at the new nesting site.

“Space is not an issue, as we have plenty of land at the various forest reserves and state parks. The only problem is the technical and logistic side of it, as the birds might not want to move to the new site.

“It depends on the kind of habitat they need and it should not be too far away, so the birds would feel more comfortable,” Wong said, adding that she hoped Perhilitan would step up its monitoring of the site.

Wong was also ready to discuss the matter with the relevant parties to see if land under electric cables could be provided for the birds.

“I welcome any kind of feedback that the interested parties can give me so that we can start discussing the issue,” she said.

Ahmad, however, reiterated that the state government should take the lead by showing its commitment to the issue so that other related agencies would act accordingly.

“It is good if Perhilitan, the forestry department and the land office can come together for this project.

“Birds like herons are very sensitive to disturbances.

“Proper management is a must. There are also many other birds like migratory shorebirds and hornbills in various parts of the state that we hope the government can look into,” he said.

Kenapa mereka berani menambah cemar perairan kita?

KEGIATAN pemindahan minyak secara haram yang berlaku di perairan Johor dilihat semakin serius meskipun pihak berkuasa maritim negara meningkatkan penguatkuasaan sejak akhir-akhir ini.

Ini terbukti apabila 12 buah kapal ditahan di perairan Pengerang hanya dalam tempoh lapan hari atas pelbagai kesalahan termasuk memindahkan minyak kotor dari kapal ke kapal.

Hasil operasi Agensi Penguatkuasaan Maritim Malaysia (APMM) Wilayah Selatan kelmarin, dua buah kapal asing yang sedang memindahkan minyak kotor secara haram ditahan di perairan Tanjung Piai, di Pontian, Johor.

Apa kita perlu buat?

1. Permonitoran yang berkala dan data yang lengkap.
2. Meningkatkan kualiti data, teknologi analisis, tenaga mahir dan peruntukan kewangan.
3. Publisiti kepada dunia yang kita prihatin kepada pencemaran dan kita mahu Selat Melaka bebas dari pencemaran luar. Kita tahu lebih 5000 kapal minyak melintasi Selat Melaka setiap tahun dan tersibuk di dunia. Kita mempunyai data lengkap dan tahu daripada mana pencemaran perairan kita datang atau berasal. Kita ada kepakaran untuk menilai status dan sumber pencemaran perairan kita. Persekitaran pantai sangat penting untuk sumber perikanan dan kesihatan rakyat Malaysia.
4. Kekuatan, kepakaran, undang-undang dan Penguatkuasaan maritim. Tahniah pasukan berkaitan.

global warming, threatening the livelihood of many

KOKONOGI, Japan: A blood-orange blob the size of a small refrigerator emerged from the dark waters, its venomous tentacles trapped in a fishing net.
Scientists believe climate change - the warming of oceans - has allowed some of the almost 2,000 jellyfish species to expand their ranges, appear earlier in the year and increase overall numbers, much as warming has helped ticks, bark beetles and other pests to spread to new latitudes.
Increasingly polluted waters - off China, for example - boost growth of the microscopic plankton that "jellies" feed upon, while overfishing has eliminated many of the jellyfish's predators and cut down on competitors for plankton feed.
Agricultural and sewage runoff are spurring plankton growth, and fish catches are declining. The waters of the Yellow Sea, meanwhile, have warmed as much as 1.7 degrees C (3 degrees F) over the past quarter-century.
Addressing the surge in jellyfish blooms in most places will require long-term fixes, such as introducing fishing quotas and pollution controls, as well as capping greenhouse gas emissions to control global warming.

How much basic science can contribute to the global warming, ecological changes and their effects on the biodiversity. Malaysia as one of the top biodiversity country in the world should be quick enough to support knowledge in basic science. More money needed for research and capacity building. Without basic information on ecology and biota, to application and solution in managing natural disasters become inefficient.