Innholdsfortegnelse for 6/2021 i ASIAN Geographic

YIN-YANG REPRESENTS the changing seasons and is often recognised for its symbol, a black and white circle with two dots, denoting harmony and balance. In ancient Chinese philosophy, the yin-yang concept teaches how opposing forces are interdependent, each giving rise to the other while complementing it. This notion of duality highlights the balance of the world, and understanding this unique coexistence helps us break down why fluctuations in global temperatures and weather patterns can lead to the climate changes observed today. Understanding this unique coexistence helps us break down why fluctuations in global temperatures and weather patterns can lead to the climate changes observed today The Solar Cycle The concept of yin-yang is illustrated by eight trigrams, commonly known as ba gua. These represent the changing seasons and were used…

With 222 species of mammals, 420 bird species and 15,000 types of plants, the forest of Borneo is almost twice as old as the Amazon Rainforest and has hosted an almost incomprehensible number of animal species for more than 130 million years. For the vast majority of that time, human presence has been minimal, with only small indigenous tribes that coexisted with the native animals and paid their respects to the forest. However, with the onset of industrialisation and modernisation, the geographical landscape of Borneo has been irreversibly changed. Just over the last five decades, Borneo’s human population has doubled to around 19 million people and the island has seen rapid development in the form of high-rise apartments, five-star hotels and shopping malls shaping its largest cities. As time goes…

AS THE WORLD MOVES TO EXPLORE the exciting world of cryptocurrency and NFTs, so should conservation. The Ocean Metaverse – or Oceaverse – a digital proxy of the Earth’s vital reefs and marine ecosystems, allows asset owners to be stewards of these special habitats. Oceaverse is a limited collection of NFTs representing the world’s most endangered marine reef ecosystems, reefs and oceans. The NFTs are created by myself and a world-class roster of ocean-loving artists and photographers, including the likes of Michael DK, Peter Zuccarini, Lucie Drlikova, Lexi Laine, Enric Gener, Andy Brandy Casagrande IV, Ian Takahashi, Jenny Baumert, Jason Washington, Gutsy Tuason, and Julian Wainwright. Reef Protection Owners of Oceaverse NFTs will be the stewards of reefs in the real world: In partnership with Reef Check Foundation, every purchase…

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THE EVOLUTION OF PLASTIC revolutionised the modern world, making space travel possible, lightening cars and helmets, and creating machinery for clean drinking water. However, there is a dark side to these advancements: Namely disposable plastics, also known as single-use plastics, which are an ever-growing global concern. Single-use plastics, such as plastic bags, food wrappers, and plastic bottles, contribute significantly to the global plastic consumption crisis and may continue to do so for a hundred more years. Less developed countries have had to bear the brunt of the global crisis with underdeveloped recycling facilities coupled with inefficient garbage disposal systems. Rapid plastic development follows an increasing carbon footprint. The sources of carbon footprint in the case of plastics are the fossil fuels used for production, energy-intensive processes during manufacturing, and carbon…

SOIL. MANY OF US pay little attention to it, especially when living in urban areas. But soil is not just dirt, sand, or mud. To build a climate-resilient and sustainable planet, we must get reacquainted with the soil, a natural resource that is critical to the survival of millions of species, including humans. This precious resource is in danger, and we are to blame. Globally, an area of soil about the size of Costa Rica is lost every year. In the past 40 years, 33 percent of the Earth’s soils have been lost due to erosion or pollution. In previous regional soil assessments, it was estimated that human-induced soil degradation in Asia accounted for 31 percent of arable land, the highest share of any of the global regions. The degradation…

Source: Aron Meltzner Earth Observatory of Singapore Source: Earth Observatory of Singapore 340 MILLION PEOPLE are at risk of from flooding from sea-level rise by 2050. We know that rising sea levels affect every coastal nation. But in the coming decades, the greatest effects will be felt in the Asia region, due to the number of people living in the continent’s low-lying coastal areas. Eight Asian countries: China, Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Japan are home to the most people on land projected to be below average annual coastal flood levels by 2050. Together, these eight nations account for roughly 70 percent of the 340 million people on land facing flooding from sea-level rise by the middle of the 21st century. There is increasing awareness of the…

WALK ALONG THE SANDY BEACHES of Pasir Ris, Singapore at dawn, and a curious salad appears to wash up on the sands. A peculiar mix of red, green, brown, and black seaweeds, these native species of entangled fronds arouse the curiosity of humans and animals alike. Mathilda D’silva, a Pasir Ris resident, was captivated by these seaweeds washing ashore and also seemingly thriving on the underside of the line of blue barrels, a coastal protection initiative in place by the Singapore national coast guard. She also noticed that they appeared to grow floating in the shallow pools by the shore, while some rooted themselves to the shallow sandbanks. These curious characteristics make this trending aquaculture crop notoriously difficult to understand, cultivate, propagate and quantify. The term seaweed adds to the…

DEEP IN THE HEART OF BORNEO’S uncharted tropical rainforest, two ladies are engrossed in fieldwork. Under the intense afternoon heat and humidity, is focused on fulfilling her role under the Tropical Research Experience Program (TREx), a biodiversity conservation programme hosted by the Institute for Biodiversity and Environmental Research of University Brunei Darussalam (UBD). Michelle Two is a HSSE (Health, Safety, Security, Environment) professional and her co-worker, Samsiah Ching, is a cost engineer overseeing cost controls. As one of them traverses peat swamps, scouring for endemic plants, the other wades through knee-high river water looking for fish specimens. Both ladies find themselves enthralled by the Kuala Belalong rainforest in Brunei Darussalam. The mystery and beauty of these landscapes draw nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts alike. Brunei Darussalam is home to one of…

IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE how wild Singapore used to be, especially when all you seem to hear about the tiny city-state are its towering skylines, round-the-clock container ports, and efficient train system, which snakes across the entire length of the island. It might be a shock then, that up until the mid-20th century, a maze of rivers and mangroves snaked across the island in much the same way. It might be an even bigger surprise that Singapore was also a haven for huge saltwater crocodiles, which used this intricate maze of waterways to travel across the island. The Hikayat Hang Tuah, an 18th century Malay text, even mentions that the Straits of Singapore were infamous for being infested with crocodiles. Centuries ago, they were an undeniable part of everyday life…

THE ISLAND OF BORNEO, divided among Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia, is home to one of the world’s oldest rainforests – and the heart of a climate controversy. The region produces much of the world’s palm oil, a vegetable oil widely used in everything from chocolate to cosmetics. Palm oil detractors and wildlife groups have argued that palm oil production is to blame for Borneo’s disappearing fauna, as precious sections of rainforest are cut down to make way for plantations. This results in the destruction of wildlife habitats, including those of the orangutan, which has become the face of the global anti-palm oil movement. But this is a story about hope. Production of the golden crop, whose existence is a valuable source of income for local farmers, is slowly but successfully…

Global Sea Level The global average height of the ocean’s surface relative to the Earth’s centre Measured from space with satellites and radar altimeter Affected by global rising temperatures that melt ice and increase water volumes Rising globally since the 19th century Local Sea Level The height of the ocean relative to the land along the coastline Measured on land using tide gauges and GPS Affected mainly by global processes, local tectonic activities, and ocean currents Rising rate fluctuates from region to region Source:Earth Observatory of Singapore…

PRODUCER OF OXYGEN AND CAN OFFSET CARBON Seaweeds produce Around 70% the total oxygen on earth The estimated amount of carbon that seaweed can sequester is nearly 175 Million Tons of carbon around the world as it sinks into the deep sea or into submarine canyons According to the Energy Futures initiative, kelp can pull down About 1 Billion to 10 Billion Tons of carbon dioxide per year SUSTAINABLE MAINTENANCE AND USE FOR BIOFUEL Seaweed is full of oil and does not need fresh water or fertiliser. Ideal for PRODUCING BIOFUELS Between 85–95% of seaweed is water BASIS OF THE OCEAN FOOD CHAIN Many sea animals, from small crustaceans like bristle worms (Polychaeta) and snails (Gastropoda) to large mammals like manatees (Trichechus spp.), eat seaweed A CRUCIAL PART OF THE…

THE LANDSCAPES OF Halong Bay in Vietnam, Mulu in Borneo, and Krabi in Thailand hide many mysteries, as with many other places in Southeast Asia where caves are abundant. In these dark and damp chambers, white spikes of smooth rock grow from the ceiling and the ground, and sometimes intersect to form columns of diverse circumference. These unique rock formations are called speleothems: While most of us admire them for their natural beauty, they are, in fact, the key to unlocking the secrets of climate change and providing important clues about what the Earth’s future climate may hold. SEA: Speleothem Central Speleothems are sculpted by a suite of physical and chemical reactions between water and soil containing carbon dioxide and limestone – a type of rock formed by the compaction…

1. SUNGEI BULOH WETLAND RESERVE This national reserve is the hub of biodiversity in Singapore and the centre of wildlife conservation. Covering an area of 202 hectares, visitors can encounters crabs, otters, mud lobsters, and birds including kingfishers and sunbirds. Saltwater crocodiles can usually be seen sunbathing and swimming here. 2. CONEY ISLAND LOOP Coney Island is a 5.6-kilometre loop trail off the northeastern coast of Singapore that features beautiful wild flowers and an undisturbed wildlife ecosystem. Outdoor enthusiasts can hike, walk, and bike along the trail. Keep an eye out for the native macaques. 3. PASIR RIS PARK Get close to the wildlife that inhabit these mangroves on the park’s mangrove boardwalk. A three-storey bird-watching tower provides a bird’s-eye view of the park. Also explore the intertidal zone, teeming…

The Explorer was born at the top of the world in 1953, and has been strapped to the wrists of legendary mountaineers since then. The brand’s ambition to use the world as a laboratory, particularly the highest peak on Earth, Mount Everest, has evolved the Explorer to meet explorers’ needs, each time becoming more robust and easier to read. The Explorer has adapted to the most extreme environments, where time management is often key to survival. Watches in the Explorer range have mastered the extreme frontiers of exploration - from mountain tops to the depths of caves, in the biting cold of the Arctic or the searing heat of volcanoes. On all forms of adventure the Explorer II, thanks to its 24-hour display, became the watch of choice for polar…