Singapore sand demand damaging Cambodia environment

[neddy]

Singapore sand demand damaging Cambodia environment

Singapore's thirst for sand to increase land reclamation and construction is driving an ecologically damaging sand-dredging industry in Cambodia, according to a report by a non-governmental organisation.

By Neil Chatterjee in Singapore, for Reuters
12:41PM BST 11 May 2010


London-based Global Witness said that Cambodia's sand-dredging industry threatened endangered species, fish stocks and local livelihoods, despite the government's May 2009 ban on sand-dredging.
"This situation highlights the continued failure of Cambodia's international donors to use their leverage to hold the small elite surrounding the Prime Minister to account," said George Boden, campaigner at Global Witness.
"Cambodia's natural resource wealth should be lifting its population out of poverty."
Koy Koung, the spokesman and undersecretary of state at Cambodia's Foreign Affairs Ministry, said he was unable to comment as the government had not seen the Global Witness report.
The report said Singapore was the world's largest importer of sand in 2008 and has used sand imports to increase its landmass by 22 per cent since the 1960s.
It said this development has wreaked havoc on the region's coastlines, with Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia having all announced bans on sand dredging for export due to environmental concerns.
Global Witness said it had tracked boats being loaded with sand in Cambodia to their destinations in Singapore, a regional base for manufacturers and banks that is expanding its financial centre and leisure attractions onto reclaimed land.
The Singapore government said sand imports for reclamation were done on a commercial basis by a government entity, with sand concession holders determining the source locations.
"We are committed to the protection of the global environment, and we do not condone the illegal export or smuggling of sand, or any extraction of sand that is in breach of the source countries' laws and rules on environmental protection," Singapore's Ministry of national Development said.
"The policing and enforcement of sand extraction licenses is ultimately the responsibility of the source country," it added.
In June this year, Singapore will host the World Cities Summit, which promotes 'sustainable and liveable cities'. Singapore, which calls itself the "Garden City", attracts expatriates for its clean environment.
"Singapore says that the import of sand is a purely commercial activity but it also presents itself as a regional leader on environmental issues," said Global Witness' Boden.
"If Singapore wants its environmental stance to be taken seriously, monitoring where the sand is sourced and what is being done to obtain it would be an obvious place to start."

 

[halsey02]

They will mine in from the moon soon...

 

[Windsor]

Let us be sensible and blame the source country for not managing their country's exports. We also know that Cambodia not only export sand, they are also exporting death killing drugs. Singapore cannot supervise and dictate where and how the sand is obtain.

I wonder too why the Philippine Government cannot supply Singapore the sand as they have vast quantities of useless lahar that originate from Mt. Pinatubo. Vast empty tracts of land of sand were created when lahar poured down the slopes of Mt. Pinatubo, rivers were filled and coastlines were drastically rearranged.

 

[neddy]

Let us be sensible and blame the source country for not managing their country's exports. We also know that Cambodia not only export sand, they are also exporting death killing drugs. Singapore cannot supervise and dictate where and how the sand is obtain.

I wonder too why the Philippine Government cannot supply Singapore the sand as they have vast quantities of useless lahar that originate from Mt. Pinatubo. Vast empty tracts of land of sand were created when lahar poured down the slopes of Mt. Pinatubo, rivers were filled and coastlines were drastically rearranged.

The report quote Singapore, because it is an easy target, but I suspect that the export of sand go to other countries as well, incl. China.

Getting sand from the pinoys involves too much corruption and red tape? The only export from that basket-case country are university-educated maids and entertainers.

 

[red amoeba]

ask the global witness to take a look at US of A first....what about the damage to Alaskan wildlife after that fat tanker sank?

And what about the shit in Gulf of Mexico after that Esso oil field never stop ejaculating oil? How many lifetimes of wildlife damage is that?

 

[Char_Azn]

I wonder too why the Philippine Government cannot supply Singapore the sand as they have vast quantities of useless lahar that originate from Mt. Pinatubo. Vast empty tracts of land of sand were created when lahar poured down the slopes of Mt. Pinatubo, rivers were filled and coastlines were drastically rearranged.

Think the type of sand might not be right. I'm no expert but as far as I've been told, there are many different types of sand for different purposes. If the Pinoys can sell theirs, I'm pretty sure they would have sold it already

 

[shOUTloud]

Angmohs like to whack Singapore cos we can understand English mah. We know what they are saying. Easy target.

 

[GOD IS MY DOG]

sand ???

childrens' playgrounds got a lot what...............

 

[singveld]

just ignore the west tree huggers. they are a waste of human time.

 

[middaydog]

Dun't like that la, bros,

My GF promised me Audi A8 when her next shipment unloaded in singapore.

 

[Doubblur]

The rich west is victimising Cambodia by all that greenpeace bullshit. Sell sand cannot, cut down trees cannot, industrialise also cannot - must preserve environment. Why don't they say mining is bad for environment and health?They should go and preserve their own environment. They just want to maintain some poor countries as their cheap playgrounds.