On Wednesday, 13 May, the SIIA held our second Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources, on the theme “Sustainability: A New Profit Driver?”. Below is a summary of related articles and media coverage for the event.
Videos from the dialogue are now available on YouTube.
Keynote Address by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources
“We know that technology is an important enabler. Not only does it increase business productivity, it can also transform the market and societies that we operate in,” said Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.
“Similarly, there is potential for another transformation in the future of the product supply chain tracking and monitoring. Let’s take satellite monitoring technology as an example. The World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch Fire and SIIA’s Haze Tracker use satellite monitoring technology, overlaid with company concession maps, crowd-sourced data, and on-the-ground networks to facilitate the identification of fire and haze culprits and this in turn will promote a transparent forest management across the region.”
Keynote Address by Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore Minister for the Environment and Water Resources [Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Official Text]
ASEAN regional banks and investors behind on Environmental, Social and Governance standards
Ms Jeanne Stampe, Asia Finance and Commodities Specialist, WWF International
A WWF report finds an alarming gap between regional ASEAN financial institutions and the environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards adopted by their international counterparts. Moreover, WWF reports a similar shortfall exists between regional financial regulations on responsible lending guidelines and corporate sustainability disclosure requirements as compared to their counterparts in Brazil, China, South Africa and Hong Kong.
The report, released at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs’s 2nd Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources, assesses to what degree regional capital providers are factoring sustainability issues into their lending and investment activities. It argues strongly for regional financiers to act in their own long-term interests and adopt ESG practices with urgency. It also calls for sustainable banking guidelines and more prescriptive sustainability disclosure requirements to be issued by regulatory authorities across ASEAN.
WWF: ASEAN regional banks and investors behind on Environmental, Social and Governance standards [World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Summary of Report Launched at Event]
Indonesia committed to tackle environmental challenges
Mr Arief Yuwono, Indonesian Deputy Minister for Environmental Degradation Control and Climate Change
The Joko Widodo administration is committed to addressing environmental and climate change challenges, said Indonesian Deputy Minister for Environmental Degradation Control and Climate Change Arief Yuwono today (May 13), as he announced that Indonesia would look to extend a two-year forest clearing ban and offer to host a regional coordinating centre for managing transboundary haze pollution.
At the sidelines of the Second Singapore Dialogue on Sustainable World Resources held at Ritz-Carlton Millenia Hotel where he delivered a keynote address, Mr Yuwono told reporters that the Indonesian government is working on a new draft moratorium, which may extend the ban on clearing of forests for a further two years. But despite an existing moratorium expiring today, no new licences for forest clearing activities will be issued in the meantime.
Indonesia committed to tackle environmental challenges [TODAY]
Additional News Coverage
Indonesia’s Extention of Moratorium on Forest Clearing:
Indonesia extends forest-clearing freeze [TODAY]
Indonesia seeks to continue ban on forest clearings [Free Malaysia Today]
Indonesia’s partial forest-clearing moratorium extended, but activists wanted more [Mongabay]
Jakarta mulls forest moratorium extension [Bangkok Post]
Jokowi extends moratorium on forest cleaning [AsiaOne]
Indonesia Extends Moratorium On Forest, Peatland Licences [Bernama]
Indonesia tackles deforestation issue [BBC]
Indonesia extends moratorium on forest peatland licences [Eco Business]
Other Coverage:
SGX begins consultation on sustainability reporting [Eco Business]
Walking the talk on zero deforestation [Eco Business]
Indonesia willing to help Sarawak address its labour shortage [Borneo Post]
ASEAN banks ‘lagging’ in green standards [AsiaOne]
Singapore urges SEA lenders to better screen palm oil investments [Jakarta Globe]
印尼管制环境品质副部长： 新印将共享抗烟霾知识与技术 [Lianhe Zaobao]
