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NTS Bulletin

NTS Bulletin July 2013

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NTS VIEWPOINT

Alternative opportunities to cut through the haze

By Sofiah Jamil

The intensity of the recent haze came as a shock to many in Singapore, as the pollutant standards index (PSI) went beyond the level considered hazardous. The economic and health impacts from this episode could turn out to be the most acute ever seen. Poor visibility impeded trade and tourism, and the productivity of workers declined in tandem with rising health concerns. Outdoor businesses such as cafes also experienced reduced economic activity.

The haze in 1997–1998 was said to have cost Singapore approximately USD300 million, and the whole of Southeast Asia USD9 billion. The economic losses for Singapore could be even greater this year, particularly with the potential for the haze to recur during major events such as the Formula One Grand Prix in September.

Despite the haze’s adverse effects, there are perhaps two positive developments. The first is that Singaporeans, who are normally accustomed to a disaster-free environment, gained a better understanding of their country’s vulnerability to environmental disasters. While some have resorted to being social media ‘keyboard warriors’ with their incessant criticism of the lack of action by governments to address the issue, others have taken the opportunity to raise awareness of the socioeconomic, political and cultural challenges surrounding the haze, bringing to the fore problems that have existed for the past 30 years.

Secondly, the incident has opened up avenues for Singaporeans to formulate solutions to fill in the gaps left by government policies. Aside from solutions that focus on bilateral or trilateral efforts between Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia at the governmental level, there is the potential to explore solutions through direct people-to-people interaction.

Singapore’s existing skills in technical capacity building and humanitarian efforts can be a stepping stone to this end. Singapore has a growing research and development sector, and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) such as Mercy Relief and Lien Aid are active in rendering on-the-ground assistance to other Southeast Asian countries.

The strengths of these stakeholders in combination with financial support from the private sector or foundations could be harnessed to provide new and affordable technologies or improve forestry management to the benefit of poor communities, who are both the victims and the deemed culprits of the forest fires in Sumatra.

That said however, building trust with local communities is an involved and time-consuming process. There must, for example, be efforts to assess the long-term effectiveness of technical capacity building programmes, which conventionally would not be included in short-term project funding. Moreover, there is a need to be aware of the different needs and expectations of local communities, NGOs and governments. In this regard, becoming well-versed on how local communities operate and interact with one another is essential.

The haze is a long-term problem that requires multi-pronged approaches. Heightening the level of people-to-people contact across borders is not only a way of facilitating efforts to address the haze, but could help increase the level of understanding and inter-community trust and bonds, which could in turn be crucial in alleviating tensions that may occur between countries in the future.

Sofiah Jamil is Adjunct Research Associate with the Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) and a PhD candidate at the Australian National University.

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CLIMATE CHANGE, ENVIRONMENTAL SECURITY AND NATURAL DISASTERS

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This paper makes the case for ‘multifunctional mosaics’ of smallholder forest-farm enterprises that offer both local and distant public goods, noting that such an approach could potentially ensure that the various publics receive a share of all public goods. Looking at the example of the international Forest Connect alliance, smallholders generally favour multi-functional mosaics because they balance long- and short-term risks and returns.

This report seeks to advance the development of common definitions and metrics to better understand the quality of climate finance. The availability of comparisons of best practices across funding institutions in the climate sector could encourage performance benchmarking, foster learning across institutions and drive improvements when incorporated in the internal evaluation protocols of those institutions.

Events & Announcements

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ENERGY AND HUMAN SECURITY

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This report argues that energy efficiency is the most cost-competitive means of providing energy service in Asia. As such, the ADB has made significant investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy development through the Clean Energy Program. It also supports regional and country-specific thematic energy-efficiency programmes, utility-sponsored performance-based energy-efficiency resource programmes and initiatives aimed at raising energy-efficiency standards.

According to this report, 40 per cent of Indonesian households rely on traditional biomass fuels. Health hazards arising from the use of traditional stoves necessitate a shift to clean cookstoves. To facilitate this, supply chain players would have to be equipped with knowledge about better stove models and their benefits. A large-scale public health campaign would also be needed to encourage higher demand for clean stoves.

Events & Announcements

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FOOD SECURITY

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This article looks at the challenge of feeding the world’s population of 9 to 10 billion people by 2050. The author examines the concept of ‘sustainable intensification’ which pertains to the production of safe and nutritious food while maintaining the balance of the ecosystem.

The authors examine the historic turnaround in the policy of the Chinese government towards its farming households. Specifically, they look at the effects of grain, input, seed and machinery subsidy programmes as well as the evolving dynamics between the state and the farmers.

Events & Announcements

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HEALTH SECURITY

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This article defines how health system goals can be met through universal health coverage (UHC) and how health financing reforms can influence such objectives. It looks at reforms in collection, pooling, purchasing and benefit design to improve specific and measurable objectives at the level of the entire population.

Using multi-year comparative case studies, the authors look at how and why countries achieved improvements in health with relatively few resources. Their analysis shows that both health and non-health system factors defined low-cost but well-functioning health systems. Non-health system factors included good governance and political commitment, effective bureaucracies and institutions, as well as innovation and resilience in the health system.

Events & Announcements

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INTERNAL AND CROSS-BORDER CONFLICT

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This article examines the transitional justice processes in Aceh, Bangladesh, Cambodia and Timor-Leste. It identifies three factors key to effective efforts to redress legacies of past gross violations of human rights – the capacity and political will of the government concerned, participation of local communities and civil society, and international involvement.

This report provides up-to-date information on conflict-induced internal displacement in different regions of the world. It reviews the efforts taken by humanitarian actors to respond to large-scale humanitarian crises in 2012 and seeks durable solutions for the crises.

Events & Announcements

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TRANSNATIONAL CRIME

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This report found that between 1980 and 2009, the African economies lost between USD597 billion and USD1.4 trillion in net resource transfers away from the continent. These transfers include both licit flows, such as investment, foreign aid, debt relief and remittances moving into and out of the country, and illicit flows, such as the proceeds of crime, corruption and tax evasion moving out of the continent.

This annual report ranks 187 governments on their progress in the fight against human trafficking. This year finds 30 countries on the Tier 1 list (32 in 2012); 92 countries under Tier 2 (94 in 2012); 44 countries on the Tier 2 Watch List (41 in 2012); and 21 countries under Tier 3 (17 in 2012).

This report highlights that new psychoactive substances (NPS) – the so-called legal highs – have become a growing public health concern in recent years with significant increases globally in both supply and demand. The market for these drugs is extremely dynamic, and their increasing availability, especially over the internet, has radically changed the nature of the drug scene.

Events & Announcements

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WATER SECURITY

News & Commentaries

Selected Publications

This report examines the profound shift in global dynamics driven by the fast-rising new powers of the developing world, and the long-term implications for human development. It identifies more than 40 countries in the developing world that have done better than expected in human development terms in recent decades, with their progress accelerating markedly over the last 10 years.

This report surveyed 49 countries and found 37 facing serious water crises. Among the reasons for their plight are rising populations, urbanisation, lack of government investment and outdated policies and institutions. The report notes that the region needs USD59 billion in investments in water supply and USD71 billion in improved sanitation.

Events & Announcements

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You are free to publish this material in its entirety or only in part in your newspapers, wire services, internet-based information networks and newsletters and you may use the information in your radio-TV discussions or as a basis for discussion in different fora, provided full credit is given to the author(s) and the Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS). Kindly inform the publisher (NTS_Centre@ntu.edu.sg) and provide details of when and where the publication was used.

About the Centre:

The Centre for NTS Studies, based in the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), was inaugurated by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan in May 2008. The Centre maintains research in the fields of Climate Change, Food Security, Energy Security, Health Security, as well as Internal and Cross Border Conflict. It produces policy-relevant analyses aimed at furthering awareness and building capacity to address NTS issues and challenges in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. The Centre also provides a platform for scholars and policymakers within and outside Asia to discuss and analyse NTS issues in the region.

The Centre is the Coordinator of the ASEAN-Canada Research Partnership (2012–2015) supported by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Canada. It also serves as the Secretariat of the initiative.

In 2009, the Centre was chosen by the MacArthur Foundation as a lead institution for its three-year Asia Security Initiative (2009–2012), to develop policy research capacity and recommend policies on the critical security challenges facing the Asia-Pacific. It is also a founding member and the Secretariat for the Consortium of Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies in Asia (NTS-Asia).

More information on the Centre can be found at www.rsis.edu.sg/nts.


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