24 Jul The Haze Fighters of Sungai Tohor
Titled “The Haze Fighters of Sungai Tohor”, this eco-documentary highlights how Indonesia’s land reform push to redistribute 12.7 million hectares to be managed by local communities can also be a move to empower at-risk communities in their fight against haze. In May 2017, SIIA visited one...
11 Jul Indonesia’s palm oil ban delayed by conflicting interests: SIIA Dep. Director quoted in Eco-Business
Ms. Fawziah Selamat, Deputy Director (Sustainability), Singapore Institute of International Affairs was quoted in an article by Eco-Business on Indonesia's palm oil sector. Can the palm oil sector do more with less to save Indonesia’s forests? by Tim Daubach, Eco-Business More than two years after Indonesia announced a...
25 May S’pore and ASEAN committed to green growth, development: Ministers [5th SDSWR]
Two years since the Paris Agreement, many ASEAN countries are placing increasing emphasis on combating climate change and its adverse impacts. Governments have started to invest in improving air and water quality, low-carbon transport, and better use of resources to shift towards green growth. We...
25 May Singapore set for third straight haze free year: Indonesian Minister [5th SDSWR]
On 18 May 2018, we held our 5th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources at the Grand Hyatt Singapore. Here's some extracts from the media coverage, focusing on comments by Indonesian Minister of National Development Planning Bambang Brojonegoro about how skies in the region will remain...
11 May Commentary: Asean’s active role in the greening of growth
By Simon Tay and Fawziah Selamat For The Business Times SUSTAINABILITY issues are still often seen as long-term concerns, rather than requiring urgent attention, despite the Paris agreement to take action to address climate change. Within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), there have also been...
22 Feb SIIA Deputy Director Fawziah Selamat quoted in Lianhe Zaobao on fires in Indonesia
Ms. Fawziah Selamat, Deputy Director (Sustainability), Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) was quoted in a Lianhe Zaobao article on the current fires in Indonesia, and whether there is a chance that they might affect Singapore. Below is her original quote in English. "We are seeing...
19 Jan Commentary: Singapore goes for quiet ASEAN diplomacy
By Simon Tay and Cheryl Tan City-state seeks cooperation boost despite differences over Trump, China and Myanmar refugees Singapore is settling into its one-year rotating chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations at a time when the region's economic growth is outperforming the world. But the...
08 Nov Commentary: When the haze comes from Singapore’s own backyard
by Simon Tay and Pek Shibao for The Straits Times Looking out of the window a fortnight ago, you could be forgiven for wondering if the seasonal haze had returned. Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings across the island exceeded the "Good" range for a full week....
04 Oct Commentary: What will motivate companies to source palm oil responsibly?
Being more sustainable is good for a company’s bottom line and reputation. So why are companies, as seen in WWF’s recent Palm Oil Scorecard for Singapore and Malaysia, dragging their feet on sustainability? SIIA researchers discuss. By Fawziah Selamat and Pek Shibao For several years, the Singapore Institute of...
21 Sep Making independent smallholder farmers part of the greening process
What can the palm oil industry do to “green” its supply chain? What are some of the obstacles to greater sustainability? The SIIA travels to Riau to see what one palm oil company is doing to ensure its products are sustainable, and how independent smallholders...