“Sijori”- an acronym for Singapore, Johor in Malaysia and Riau province in Western Indonesia was popularised in the 1990s as a growth triangle that would benefit all three countries. While it has since lost its popularity, Associate Professor Simon Tay, Chairman of the SIIA, argued...
By Simon Tay and Meixi Gan If not for the COVID-19 pandemic, most countries would be at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow this month. Governments had pledged to negotiate rules for a global carbon market and improve their nationally determined contributions (NDCs)...
At the 7th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources (SDSWR), Mr. Luhut Pandjaitan, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment invited the international community to support the Indonesian government's efforts to ensure the welfare of its population and protect the environment. He added that...
By Simon Tay and Meixi Gan For The Straits Times The world last year suffered many outsized fires, which are recurring this year in the Amazon and parts of the United States. This year, South-east Asia has largely been spared the fires and haze that often trouble...
We are just one week away from the SIIA’s flagship event, the 7th Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources (SDSWR). Happening on 3 and 4 November 2020, the conference will feature a Ministerial panel where Ms. Grace Fu, Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, and...
This week, let us take a look at the impact COVID-19 has had on the palm oil plantation sector. Indonesia’s palm oil export volume has dropped, and prices are also falling. While low export volumes and prices are a disincentive for growers to clear land and...
The COVID-19 crisis emerged on the back of what was already considered a tough year for commodities such as pulp and paper and palm oil. However, not all commodities are impacted equally. This infographic highlights the impact COVID-19 has had on the pulp and paper as...
ASEAN is on the brink of the regional wildfire season, which usually peaks in August and September, according to this article by CIFOR. There are concerns that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could boost the incidence and severity of uncontrolled fires, if mobility limitations...
The impact of COVID-19 has varied greatly, as have the responses to the pandemic. Moving ahead, each country will face their own unique challenges as the world learns to live with the 'new normal'. In the SIIA’s Special Report, “Renewed Concerns in Key ASEAN Economies:...
Southeast Asia is not a stranger to the transboundary haze, a recurring air problem that poses serious health hazards and contributes significantly to climate change. In our recent Haze Outlook report, the SIIA warns that a severe transboundary haze remains a risk this year because...