tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46975827772044233212012-01-12T10:37:53.520+08:00Peak Oil And Our Limits to Growth From A Singapore Perspective.TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.comBlogger891100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-89751941732658951012012-01-11T13:12:00.009+08:002012-01-12T08:24:41.258+08:00

Finance and Deputy Prime Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam recently warned of "Sub-par global growth for at least 2 years" (References: Reuters, Straits Times). I think he is being optimistic. The Singapore government is underestimating or ignorant of how peak oil and a planet with finite natural resources can and will limit our industrial production and severely disrupt our modern way of living.

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-5531669994369976982011-11-06T07:07:00.000+08:002011-11-06T07:27:43.292+08:00

ClubOrlov: Hubbert's Third Prophecy 1st Prophecy: US oil peak would be sometime between 1969 and 1971. It peaked in 1970. 2nd Prophecy: Hubbert predicted the world oil peak to happen about 1998. However he DID say that if OPEC were to restrict the supply, then the peak would be delayed by 10-15 years which would put it at 2008-2013 3rd Prophecy: A cultural crisis (Arab Spring and Occupy Wall

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-34032836207011351522011-10-17T10:29:00.001+08:002011-10-17T10:29:47.020+08:00

The Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) invested 11 billion Swiss Francs in UBS in Dec 2007 (LINK) and USD$6.88 billion in Citigroup in Jan 2008 (LINK). GIC plans to hold on to these banks for a long time or, in Tony Tan's words, "many years": We look to continue to hold on to our stakes in UBS and Citigroup for many years to come. - Tony Tan, GIC's former executive director (

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-43164073656769701262011-10-11T20:30:00.001+08:002011-10-11T20:40:41.010+08:00

With the recent flooding situation in Thailand (Link), the price of rice is going to increase. This is only the beginning of a multi-decade long increase in the price of food as climate change, peak oil and a growing population make it increasingly difficult to feed everyone satisfactorily (850 million people are chronically hungry according to FAO). Mr Lee KY thinks that it is no problem because

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-31459866838077966212011-04-23T12:40:00.003+08:002011-04-24T07:58:18.605+08:00

But on the supply side, it is not all pessimistic news. There is hope for new sources of supply. Time and again experts have warned that oil and gas deposits will soon be depleted and they calculate the year beyond which mankind will be out of oil and gas. But such talk of peak oil has been proven wrong many times in the past. And they may yet proved mistaken again because each time you

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-27562827461703541552010-04-22T00:05:00.006+08:002011-03-19T07:27:47.893+08:00

In a 2006 speech, Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry, S.Iswaran, readily accepted the EIA's projections that oil will not peak before 2030.The EIA estimates that oil production will not peak before 2030. World reserves-to-production ratio for natural gas is 67 years, and 180 years for coal. Rising energy prices will also spur more oil and gas exploration and increasingly render

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-79515738607664836332010-04-21T23:51:00.000+08:002010-04-21T23:52:15.886+08:00

A great read from Guardian.co.uk:Last March, Tim Jackson put forward the idea of prosperity without growth in a report published by the United Kingdom's Sustainable Development Commission and followed up with a book of the same name released last November. The book is a best seller (ranked 1,729 on Amazon) and in it he argues convincingly that we can still prosper without adhering to the

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-71036553747096647102010-04-21T23:30:00.001+08:002010-04-29T08:00:39.744+08:00

I notice that the Singapore media has been awfully silent on these important reports. The silence is deafening. Why? It makes me wonder if there is a goverment directive to keep this news away from the public - don't rock the boat; don't alarm the public. Or are the media just plain ignorant?I shall be grateful if anyone can point me to a recent link where the Singapore media reported on these

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-85045523139600181992010-01-19T08:30:00.006+08:002011-04-25T09:56:10.960+08:00

MM Lee Kuan Yew first mentioned the phrase "Golden Period"of economic growth in 2007, but he qualified that with this sentence:If there are no wars or oil crises, this golden period can stretch out over many years. Speech LINKWell, MM Lee was right about the oil crises part. The "Golden Period" of economic growth that he foresaw was derailed in the 2008 oil shock when prices hit $147/barrel.

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-21543272077961883572009-11-04T10:08:00.002+08:002009-11-29T05:33:54.956+08:00

Joseph Tainter is an anthropologist and author of the seminal book, The Collapse of Complex Societies. (BitTorrent)http://varnelis.net/blog/interview_with_joseph_tainter_on_collapseJoseph Tainter: Diminishing returns to complexity are probably inevitable, but collapse doesn’t necessarily follow. Collapses are actually not that common. There are several ways to cope with diminishing returns to

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-44583629744381356642009-10-25T07:32:00.008+08:002009-11-03T07:41:05.681+08:00

Government leaders and economists don't like to question our economic growth paradigm. It upsets the status quo and nobody likes that. Could you imagine the board of directors and CEOs of Singapore's most established companies (SIA, NOL, PSA, etc.) telling their employees and shareholders that their days of growth and profit are unsustainable? That they have reached "peak profits"? And that in 10

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-61978584070584881152009-09-23T21:38:00.001+08:002009-09-27T08:10:27.163+08:00

"Pernicious" - a very appropriate description of present-day economists.“Economists live completely within a false world,” he says. “If I had one wave of a wand – and I could make one decision for the government to implement – I would press for the compulsory re-education of economists. I’d force them to learn about the law of thermodynamics, to understand how the natural world works, and then

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-924628954663186062009-09-02T05:58:00.005+08:002009-09-02T07:20:47.467+08:00

PM Lee Hsien Loong said:Our basic attitude has been that environmental sustainability is not incompatible with economic development. We have systematically and resolutely tackled used water and other issues faced by cities all over the world.Speech LinkMay I ask the Prime Minister: How would you consider this externality? Positive or negative for the environment?Vietnam’s prime minister has asked

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-49599467087459126622009-09-01T20:25:00.001+08:002009-09-02T05:02:39.143+08:00

Revisiting the Limits to Growth After Peak Oil

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-11760157308581681122009-08-10T11:23:00.002+08:002009-08-10T19:47:55.498+08:00

Economic growth is all about production and consumption. Economists and politicians love a growing population of consumers because it adds to economic growth. A greying population would slow our growth and so the current 4.6 million on this island is not enough, we need 6.5 million in the coming decades. Now this cycle of growth is vicious and self-perpetuating. In 2030, the government will say

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-29369588194234448992009-08-08T09:43:00.003+08:002011-09-25T10:21:23.805+08:00

The Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) published in Nov 2007 (p.13): For oil and gas, proven reserves are estimated to be sufficient for only around 40 and 63 years of 2006 levels of consumption respectively. Nevertheless, oil and gas production is not expected to peak within the next two to three decades. With more exploration and improvements in extraction technologies, substantial new

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-3078965316008013392009-06-07T10:58:00.002+08:002009-06-07T11:08:19.574+08:00

Relocalization, not globalization, is the way forward for Singapore and the rest of the world. However, I doubt that relocalization efforts will take place until we enter the collapse phase of panarchy theory (see article below), but then it might be too late to prevent a societal breakdown. The 2008 oil crisis and financial panic ought to have awaken us to the fragility of a globalized world.

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-64196240240228584272009-06-03T11:00:00.007+08:002009-06-03T13:51:32.547+08:00

To sustain growth and vitality in our economy, we need a growing population in Singapore with talents in every field. -- PM Lee Hsien Loong in the 2006 National Day RallyContrast the above statement with an interesting speech given by former Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Dr. Ow Chin Hock, in 1978 at the opening of the Family Planning Association.At the national level,

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-3583267652534715872009-06-01T13:25:00.006+08:002009-10-24T18:41:52.558+08:00

Geologist Colin Campbell made a number of astute observations in this 2005 video interview (below) about oil and the financial system. We have to wake up to the fact that we are nearing or at the end of growth.The boom time of the last 50 years was based on cheap oil which is now coming to an end. The end of growth threatens to bring down our debt-based monetary system which is founded on

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-16113246530889859852009-05-13T13:15:00.008+08:002009-05-13T18:50:12.033+08:00

It is not unthinkable that we may soon say goodbye to the era of 1500 mile Thai rice, 3000 mile Australian lamb loin chops, 4000 mile New Zealand strip loins, 9000 mile Namibian seafood, and 10,000 mile Norwegian Salmon Fillet in Cold Storage and NTUC Fairprice. Why? Because triple-digit oil prices are going to drive up transportation costs to such an extent that it will be more sensible and

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-13957051761692287312009-05-07T11:12:00.005+08:002009-05-08T07:13:29.285+08:00

After years of encouraging and pursuing a policy of higher birth rates for Singapore, I was a little surprised to read these comments by MM Lee at a dinner marking the Botanic Gardens' 150th anniversary in TODAYonline (see below). Apparently, even he understands our "sunshine limits to growth". So the question to ask, why does Singapore continue to pursue those very policies of economic and

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-48632933790400272402009-05-04T08:59:00.006+08:002009-05-04T09:31:48.623+08:00

A brilliant article which explains how and why the dominant economic paradigm is rooted in unreality and fantasy. The financial "wizards" and economic "high priests" of today rightly deserve to be castigated not only for the current worldwide credit crunch but also for our environmental woes. Our current model of relentless economic growth and accumulation of goods and capital is a recipe for

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-35494249419588538622009-04-29T09:36:00.016+08:002009-11-03T16:59:38.529+08:00

Singapore's Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development (IMCSD) has unveiled its blueprint for sustainable development. You can download it at: http://app.mewr.gov.sg/data/ImgCont/1292/sustainbleblueprint_forweb.pdf My impressions? In short, it is inadequate and myopic. It is another step on the road to diminishing returns on investments in social complexity. (See also: New Scientist

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-25373816319794184572009-04-28T09:33:00.004+08:002009-04-28T09:39:15.751+08:00

An email that I sent recently....To:mnd_hq@mnd.gov.sg; mewr_feedback@mewr.gov.sg; gracefu@mnd.gov.sg; jessie_liang@mnd.gov.sg; may_lim@mewr.gov.sg; amy_khor@mewr.gov.sg; maliki_osman@mnd.gov.sgSent: Monday, 27 April 2009 4:30:16Dear MND and MEWR,As a concerned Singaporean, I am alarmed to read the following in a speech by Minister Mah Bow Tan:Cities have to ensure that economic growth is not

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-10315105500516510592009-03-25T07:49:00.002+08:002009-03-25T08:00:32.939+08:00

Ecological Economics - Beyond Growth - Why Our Economy is Killing the Planet - New Scientist 18 Oct 2008 Publish at Scribd or explore others: Magazines Periodicals & Report capitalism herman daly

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-70030439999478978742009-02-19T09:24:00.001+08:002009-02-19T09:33:21.389+08:00

This is an excellent video which explains Hubbert's peak theory when applied to other natural resources besides oil - peak uranium, peak copper, peak coal, etc. Those who argue that peak oilers habour unfounded fears about the future because we have hundreds of years of coal and uranium deposits that we can rely on often overlook the principle of net energy (EROEI/EROI) and diminishing ore grades

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-1038474611508751702009-02-06T09:50:00.000+08:002009-02-06T09:50:56.983+08:00

A hundred years ago, markets ruled: fortunes were made, workers abused, bubbles blown. The Austrian School of economists, led by Ludwig von Mises, said this was fine: despite temporary messiness, the market knows best. But the messiness of markets was unacceptable to socialists, some of whom led a revolution in Russia to establish the first state-controlled, planned economy. The catastrophes of

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-67793506770799831792009-01-31T09:15:00.002+08:002009-02-04T08:27:56.551+08:00

William Choong, senior writer for The Straits Times, wrote about the need to "re-embrace the atom" (28 Jan'09, ST). I sent him a short email which you can find in part below. Let's bear in mind that nuclear power is no substitute for oil when it comes to the production of petrochemicals, plastics and pesticides, etc. (I'm not saying that the writer is implying that going nuclear is the solution

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-25798747732350424372009-01-28T11:00:00.007+08:002010-01-27T16:46:52.556+08:00

Some people think that a sustainable economy should sustain the rate of growth of GDP. According to this view, the sustainable economy is equivalent to the growth economy, and the question of whether sustained growth is biophysically possible is begged. The political purpose of this stance is to use the buzzword “sustainable” for its soothing rhetorical effect without meaning anything by it. -

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-61702293043458479012008-12-05T06:08:00.001+08:002008-12-05T06:10:02.006+08:00

Irish TimesBy John GibbonsGrowth and the pursuit of growth is the secular religion of the western world, and its dogma is infecting every society.BRIAN COWEN and Enda Kenny suffer from this. So does Gordon Brown and at least nine in 10 other world leaders. All are labouring under the same crippling psychosis. This is their shared conviction that, whatever the problem, the solution lies in

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-47760168502015860082008-09-19T19:53:00.003+08:002008-09-19T20:50:20.201+08:00

An excellent summary by George Mobus of just what is wrong with our financial and economic systems. Go to his blog for more details and read the discussions on TheOilDrum. Now if only those imbecilic bankers and economists who advise our politicians and run our financial institutions would pay greater attention to such writings, our world would be a better place.1) ALL economic activity is work

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-59772052815202609952008-08-01T07:00:00.002+08:002008-08-01T07:16:29.086+08:00

A succinct criticism of modern economics by Clive Ponting in A New Green History of the World, pp. 132-135. I heartily recommend this book which I borrowed from the Singapore National Library. It is a stimulating, concise overview of civilizations' impact on the environment. There is a fundamental flaw in classical economics and all the modern systems derived from it -- Marxist, welfare,

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-27999740895443268162008-08-01T06:52:00.000+08:002008-08-01T06:53:26.715+08:00

Excerpts from:http://resourceinsights.blogspot.com/2008/07/could-we-start-industrial-society-from.htmlThomas Homer-Dixon gets at this issue of resilience in his recent book, "The Upside of Down." His number one recommendation is to build more resilience into every system we rely on including food production, transportation, education, manufacturing and governance. But the momentum in the global

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-67782303908889524872008-07-29T07:00:00.013+08:002008-08-01T06:28:58.773+08:00

The Inter-Ministerial Committee on Sustainable Development that was set up in February this year is asking for feedback on how Singapore can continue to be "lively, liveable and sustainable." I urge you to give your feedback to them here:http://www.sustainablesingapore.gov.sg/Here's my feedback to them:Dear Singapore Government,if you want a permanent long term solution to a sustainable Singapore

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-12515756571806142292008-07-27T12:15:00.004+08:002008-07-29T00:02:27.087+08:00

This video was created by Jay Hanson - creator of www.dieoff.org and www.warsocialism.com. He explains how and why economic growth is limited by declining energy returns (EROEI).Under a one-for-one scenario, even if the price of oil reaches $5,000 a barrel, it won't make energy-sense to look for oil in the lower 48 because that would consume as much energy as it would recover.Even if one paid a

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-45185591691186746592008-07-27T11:11:00.001+08:002008-07-27T11:15:10.710+08:00

Darwinian:I sat down with a friend who works in Saudi Arabia last night and had a long conversation. For obvious reason I cannot revel his name. Also his job does not give him access to production numbers, and certainly not decline rates, so he can only tell me what he has observed in his many years in Saudi.He says there have been dramatic changes in Saudi in the last few years. He says there

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-41673633694022774432008-07-27T09:51:00.006+08:002008-07-27T10:16:47.509+08:00

The problem with the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) is that they rely too heavily on figures from EIA, CERA and BP without questioning their accuracy. All these sources have proven to be overly optimistic in their oil demand and supply projections and they cite grossly exaggerated oil reserve numbers from OPEC. These dubious sources have been consistently wrong on so many

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-43373395900374470592008-07-26T16:15:00.004+08:002008-07-26T17:28:38.561+08:00

Dr. Larry Haverkamp writes a weekly financial column, AskDrMoney, in the Singapore tabloid The New Paper.He seems to be aware of peak oil and our limits to growth. It's not often that one finds articles like these in the Singapore papers and even less so in a tabloid. Signs of the times?May 27, 2008The problem is demand from developing nations is real while the supply of resources may be more

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-53152607370078563412008-07-26T12:36:00.014+08:002008-07-26T16:56:21.334+08:00

Dr. Bartlett on "political correctness":In their writings the scientists identify the cause of the problems (climate change and peak oil) as being growing populations. But their recommendations for solving the problems caused by population growth almost never include the recommendation that we advocate stopping population growth. Political Correctness dictates that we do not address the current

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-34130035544440380892008-07-23T22:16:00.001+08:002008-07-23T22:22:06.589+08:00

Peak oil is the point in time when the maximum rate of oil extraction is reached.Peak water? Just substitute "freshwater" for "oil" above.The Ogallala Aquifer in the United States is one of the largest reservoirs of fossil water in the world. This is water that has been accumulated and trapped underground for thousands and perhaps even millions of years. Part of the aquifer lies beneath the Grain

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-69619134417560004002008-07-23T07:42:00.002+08:002008-07-27T08:15:20.200+08:00

Global population growth is looming as a bigger threat to the world's food production and water supplies than climate change, a leading scientist says.Speaking at a CSIRO public lecture in Canberra yesterday, UNESCO's chief of sustainable water resources development, Professor Shahbaz Khan, said overpopulation's impacts were potentially more economically, socially and environmentally destructive

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-6453423073426926402008-07-23T00:52:00.000+08:002008-07-23T00:52:41.531+08:00

Juxtapose these two statements.Lee Kuan Yew:Mr Lee told his 800-strong audience of industry players and economists that he was convinced that Singapore was heading into its most promising decade yet."We're going to move into a new plateau, new platform. You can see it visibly before your eyes. In 5 years, it will be good. In 10 years, wonderful," he said. LINKEnergy Watch Group:The major result

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-69869979740868308812008-07-22T23:59:00.000+08:002008-07-23T00:01:16.328+08:00

I like the way David Lamb put it:"We were deeply concerned that there may not be enough oil to go around,'' he said.Having a strong economy would not protect Australia from a global oil shortage. "It's like having a pocket full of money and going into a shop with empty shelves. "Our lifestyle is totally dependent on cheap oil.'' ReportLikewise, Singaporeans ought to ask themselves, what can the

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-84509840719783210952008-07-20T16:05:00.000+08:002008-07-20T16:06:40.810+08:00

Excerpt from Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations, pp. 198-200. This book is available for borrowing at the Singapre National Library.From 1970 to 1990, the total number of hungry people fell by 16 percent, a decrease typically credited to the green revolution. However, the largest drop occurred in communist China, beyond the reach of the green revolution. The number of hungry Chinese fell by more

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-43745119675669022602008-07-20T15:40:00.006+08:002008-07-20T15:49:57.055+08:00

Video LinkBBC's Around the World in 80 Gardens

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-37585259042738700092008-07-20T15:05:00.006+08:002008-07-20T15:15:22.462+08:00

Mr Mah said that the AVA was encouraging imports from as many countries as possible to ensure Singapore is not too reliant on one source. Report We can diversify our food sources as much as we want, but the question is how will the food get here? Oil accounts for more than 95% of the energy used for global transportation. How are we able to transport the food produced hundreds and thousands of

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-23085381372548273692008-07-16T22:20:00.002+08:002008-07-16T22:35:40.591+08:00

Where is Singapore's White Paper on Peak Oil? Nonexistent.Where is Singapore's Peak Oil Task Force? Nonexistent.*EPIC FAIL*On the contrary, the Ministry of Trade and Industry seems to think that peak oil will not be around for the next two to three decades. They also wrongly assume that with "more exploration and improvements in extraction technologies, substantial new reserves will be added."

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-61329793896590363312008-07-12T15:37:00.005+08:002008-07-12T15:56:45.440+08:00

I never cease to be amazed at the ignorance and delusional beliefs of some of our top-level public servants when it comes to the subject of Singapore's population or carrying capacity. You will find in today's Straits Times (12 July'08), Insight, p. S8, a report about Singapore's former chief statistician, Dr Paul Cheung, and his views on Singapore's population. Here's what he said:Singapore has

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-8046071394708688262008-07-11T07:14:00.002+08:002008-07-11T18:48:51.156+08:00

The economic benefits of living in a very stable world - meaning we're not at war with China - that means that we can enjoy a lot of benefits of having them manufacture all our stuff. We're used to getting all of our household goods now from 12,000 miles away. They're "Made in China". You know everything from frying pans to underpants. What's going to happen if those supply lines to China are

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-9877332992345497922008-07-10T08:29:00.007+08:002008-07-10T10:04:03.690+08:00

If Singapore thinks it can secure its energy and food supplies through foreign ownership of food and energy resources or businesses, then we had better rethink our policies in light of the news below. Nations rich in natural resources will impose strict restrictions on foreign ownership of their resources out of security concerns. In a world with dwindling natural resources and a burgeoning

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-85392767804057005292008-07-08T23:27:00.002+08:002008-07-08T23:33:23.649+08:00

A new report by Australia's top scientists predicts that the country will be hit by a 10-fold increase in heatwaves and that droughts will almost double in frequency and become more widespread because of climate change...Yesterday, Australia's agriculture minister, Tony Burke, described the report as alarming and said: "Parts of these high-level projections read more like a disaster novel than a

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-51020618493708280802008-07-06T21:26:00.002+08:002008-07-06T21:34:27.203+08:00

Video LinkNews Reports:http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/280951_focus13.htmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/04/world/main4154650.shtmlhttp://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5ji-wFIKtfqHlfc5z3QQyZDgRB1zwD9160QN80http://www.foodfirst.org/archive/media/news/2001/cubacensored.htmlhttp://globalpublicmedia.com/articles/657http://www.cubaagriculture.com/agriculture-today.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-3268023264882147432008-07-06T20:58:00.009+08:002011-07-21T06:45:35.661+08:00

Singapore's Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA) is responsible for our food supply. Their mission: To ensure a resilient supply of safe food, safeguard the health of animals and plants and facilitate agri-trade for Singapore.Their goals: Ensure a resilient supply of safe and wholesome food. Safeguard the health of animals, fish and plants. Be a centre of excellence for tropical agritechnology

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-69321033712800032622008-07-06T08:22:00.001+08:002008-07-06T08:27:23.033+08:00

There are some great peak oil presentation slides from http://www.peakoilandhumanity.com/chapter_choice.htmThe material there are really useful for sharing the subject of peak oil with your friends and family who may be uninformed about what's to come. The slides are presented from a Canadian perspective, but they are relevant to Singaporeans for the most part.

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-28050212859662707852008-07-05T21:04:00.001+08:002008-07-06T19:16:17.211+08:00

In 1998, Colin Campbell coauthored with Jean H. Laherrère an article about the end of cheap oil which was published in Scientific American. According to Laherrère, they were considered crazy when they published that article because oil was averaging about $12/barrel - dirt cheap. Who would have thought back then that oil would hover around $140 today? Certainly not The Economist. Afterall, they

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-64584961339173261652008-07-03T17:03:00.005+08:002009-04-07T09:24:28.933+08:00

Many people came to think that it was money that made the world go round, but in reality it was the underlying supply of cheap energy - much of it coming from oil — Colin CampbellCrude Awakening is an award-winning documentary film about peak oil. You can view it below from Google Video or download it using BitTorrent. Some central quotes from Colin Campbell in the documentary: "There isn't a

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-86750050488891404362008-06-30T21:02:00.000+08:002008-06-30T21:02:17.916+08:00

A frightening article about what peak oil means for our societies. Do our ministers realise where we are heading? So what have they done to prepare Singapore for peak oil? Let's see: Integrated Resorts, Singapore Grand Prix, investing in UBS, Citigroup and Merill Lynch, 2010 Youth Olympics, target population of 6.5 million....er...huh, go figure...By Nicolas van der Leek (Nick)http://

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-63874532245337405892008-06-27T23:23:00.005+08:002008-06-30T07:35:10.058+08:00

Kenneth S. Deffeyes, Professor Emeritus of Geology at Princeton University and author of the book Hubbert's Peak, on the current oil crisis (excerpts):May 27th, 2008http://www.princeton.edu/hubbert/current-events.htmlIn 2005, world oil production stopped growing and oil prices shot up uncontrollably. My graph of production versus price is now two weeks old and the price is already off the top of

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-79930410596655834962008-06-26T21:58:00.005+08:002009-05-13T19:07:44.070+08:00

Excerpts from a speech by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the World Cities Summit, 24 June 2008:The first element of sustainable living is to conserve resources. It is especially important to conserve energy, in the form of electricity and fuel. This is both to minimise wastage, and also because usually energy derives from fossil fuel, and saving energy also reduces carbon emissions.The idea

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-12975129843987365342008-06-26T13:24:00.003+08:002008-06-26T14:56:01.164+08:00

'Water is a precious resource, without it you will die,' Mr Lee said. 'YOU CAN LIVE WITHOUT ENERGY.'LINKNothing new, really. As we have seen in previous posts (here and here), the Minister Mentor is out of touch with reality on energy issues.TWO incidents drove home to Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew the need for Singapore to strive for self-sufficiency in water.The first was when the island fell to

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-17890987360681883772008-06-23T19:07:00.006+08:002008-06-24T21:19:30.261+08:00

Mr Mah Bow Tan, Singapore's Minister for National Development, in today's Straits Times:More than 700 policymakers, governors, urban planners and environmentalists from various countries are gathering at the Suntec Convention Centre, where the concept of 'sustainable development' will be in the limelight. It is 'one of those terms that people use without knowing the meaning', noted Mr Mah, who

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-46077355818612780652008-06-23T10:56:00.000+08:002008-06-23T10:57:43.454+08:00

Oil exporting nations have been enjoying an economic boom in recent years thanks to the 6-fold increase in oil prices since 2002. This has resulted in an increased consumption of oil domestically by the producers themselves, which means less oil for export to oil-importing nations like Singapore. Look at the table below taken from theoildrum.com. 30 of the 44 net oil exporters in 2007 exported

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-57272753786542401802008-06-22T21:51:00.003+08:002008-06-22T22:13:53.868+08:00

This is a great article by Walden Bello. National food sovereignty and security have been compromised in the name of "free trade". Excerpts:http://www.thenation.com/doc/20080602/belloThe apostles of the free market and the defenders of dumping may seem to be at different ends of the spectrum, but the policies they advocate are bringing about the same result: a globalized capitalist industrial

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-68520606195100322452008-06-22T17:17:00.001+08:002008-07-06T19:19:13.449+08:00

Robert Hirsch, principal author of the Hirsch report and Senior Energy Advisor, on CNBC. Video Link

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-49924008704096305092008-06-19T22:58:00.003+08:002008-06-20T21:22:50.070+08:00

What is capitalism?An economic system based on a free market, open competition, profit motive and private ownership of the means of production. Capitalism encourages private investment and business, compared to a government-controlled economy. Investors in these private companies (i.e. shareholders) also own the firms and are known as capitalists.http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-35769183875477314822008-06-19T07:40:00.004+08:002008-07-06T19:20:14.926+08:00

Video Link

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-67413892553765520122008-06-15T14:00:00.000+08:002008-06-15T14:01:10.130+08:00

Jay Hanson, creator of dieoff.org, commented in his killer_ape-peak_oil yahoo group as to why a soft landing to our converging crises (peak oil, overpopulation, etc.) is impossible. He attributes it to pride and social status. Is he right? You can request to join his message group by contacting him at http://warsocialism.com/contact.html.Will Singapore's leaders change our policies about

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-85313076166231491772008-06-14T15:43:00.006+08:002008-06-25T22:37:13.846+08:00

Can you think of any problem, on any scale, from microscopic to global, whose long-term solution is in any demonstrable way, aided, assisted, or advanced, by having continued population growth at the local level, the state level, the national level, or globally? ---Albert BartlettIf you have been following the news, you should be aware that Singapore ministers keep harping on the fact that our

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-70477249016627853612008-06-12T01:00:00.015+08:002008-06-25T07:38:38.037+08:00

Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) has a published a report (dated Nov 2007) on Singapore's energy policies. You can download it here: Energy For Growth - National Energy Policy ReportThere are many things to commend about the report. It touched on the need to improve energy efficiency, reduce CO2 emissions, diversify energy sources, promote public transport and to control air

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-6104944813460970042008-06-11T19:41:00.001+08:002008-06-11T19:47:12.216+08:00

If geologist Jeffrey Brown is correct, the shit will hit the fan sooner than what most people anticipate - including the pessimists. According to his calculations, Mexico, the 3rd largest exporter of oil to America, will approach zero net oil exports by 2014. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia (2nd largest oil exporter to America) have signalled that they would slow down their oil production capacity to

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-84508955786034305022008-06-11T16:56:00.003+08:002008-06-11T17:59:50.659+08:00

Diesel prices in Malaysia have gone up by 63% recently. Naturally, this will squeeze the truckers' profit margins who transport vegetables, eggs and chickens to Singapore. Elsewhere in Asia and Europe, truckers have gone on a strike.Trucks transport most of the world's food. If truckers go on strike, where will the supermarkets you shop from import their food?The recent news reports of truckers

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-37875836226954889422008-06-08T21:24:00.003+08:002008-06-08T21:34:35.373+08:00

TheOilDrumWe are now in the early stages of a full blown energy crisis that was predictable if not wholly avoidable. Politicians are awaking to the crisis now that escalating energy costs make its existence plain to see. It is highly unlikely that politicians will now grasp the gravity of the situation that the OECD and rest of the world faces and the responses will likely be ineffectual and too

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-76365387611301627762008-06-06T22:01:00.007+08:002008-07-06T17:37:39.392+08:00

Giving subsidies will not cure high prices for food and oil, and neither will a "dynamic economy" as MM Lee indicated. Will more money alone solve our problems? Will more paper dollars guarantee that we can continue to buy food at market prices as MM Lee suggested? Will Vietnam and Thailand sell any rice to us if they have a poor harvest? Can money buy you food that is not available? Can money

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-46653624421430024242008-06-04T12:33:00.005+08:002008-06-25T22:38:40.030+08:00

I compiled these axioms of sustainability from Heinberg, Feeney, Bartlett and Monbiot. The Singapore government needs to abide by these axioms if we are to tackle climate change successfully and ensure a sustainable living environment for present and future generations. Failure to conform to these axioms will render MEWR's blueprint (Green Plan 2012) towards environmental sustainability

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-76760956182287001872008-05-30T22:20:00.003+08:002008-05-30T22:22:48.364+08:00

The Gospel Of ConsumptionRather than realizing the enriched social life that Kellogg’s vision offered us, we have impoverished our human communities with a form of materialism that leaves us in relative isolation from family, friends, and neighbors. We simply don’t have time for them. Unlike our great-grandparents who passed the time, we spend it. An outside observer might conclude that we are in

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-39608551409355540312008-05-21T09:00:00.002+08:002008-06-25T22:40:10.210+08:00

Last year, I emailed several ministers and my MPs for answers to my peak oil queries. None of them responded except the Minister of Defence, Teo Chee Hean - hats off to him.Read Mindef's response below and gauge for yourself - Is Singapore prepared for peak oil? Judging from this letter alone, these plans are best described as "symptomatic treatments".In medicine, a symptomatic treatment is

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-39752437320913185752008-05-16T11:04:00.001+08:002008-05-16T16:22:30.651+08:00

First, they demand proof of identification if you want to buy subsidised fuel meant for the Malaysians.Malaysia on Sunday said it was considering using its chip-based national identity card to prevent visitors from Singapore and Thailand buying cheap subsidised fuel meant for locals.Its latest plan comes as the government begins radically reviewing its fuel subsidies, expected to cost 43 billion

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-55963792427492020542008-05-16T10:36:00.000+08:002008-05-16T10:37:03.096+08:00

When will our local papers (The Straits Times, TNP, Today, MyPaper, Business Times) touch on this subject in detail?In Malaysia, oil has been a major source of exports, government revenue and economic growth for decades. But its heyday is past. Last week Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak revealed: “If we don’t find new reserves by 2011, our oil imports will exceed exports.”

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-25437445164470613382008-05-16T10:09:00.005+08:002008-06-23T13:13:50.935+08:00

In 2007, Minister for National Development, Mah Bow Tan, explained why Singapore needs 6.5 million people:To grow and create more and better jobs, Singapore must remain open, competitive and relevant to the global market place. In such an economy, we need sufficient people with the right skills and experience. If we cannot get enough from our own people, we must supplement with skilled immigrants

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-8930731905561550422008-05-13T13:44:00.005+08:002008-05-15T21:27:47.899+08:00

Our world now faces challenging ecological and environmental problems (peak oil, climate change, energy security, food inflation, loss of biodiversity, wildlife extinctions, overpopulation). From what I have been reading, our government's solutions to these problems are more growth: 1) allow the population to increase to keep us economically competitive; 2) keep the economy growing and strong so

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-17627971313607259892008-05-06T18:21:00.007+08:002008-06-23T11:14:58.611+08:00

The geoscientist who proposed the peak oil theory in 1956, Marion King Hubbert, and correctly predicted oil production to peak in the U.S. in 1970, was also sharp enough to grasp the significance of his theory on economics, money, and industrialization. It is puzzling why our economic policymakers do not see the big picture: that the last 100 years of exponential growth in population and

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-22256570700521316602008-05-04T17:39:00.003+08:002008-05-04T21:26:57.508+08:00

In a recent Bloomberg interview, MM Lee said that the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation Pte Ltd, or GIC, may hold their stakes in western financial institutions for 20-30 years. Some of the institutions that GIC has invested in recently are Citigroup and UBS.Once again, I believe this highlights our Minister Mentor's poor sense, or lack of understanding, of the direction in which the

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-80328199241550668552008-04-29T11:16:00.002+08:002008-04-29T11:18:17.376+08:00

You have to wonder at the kind of long term thinking that goes on at the ministerial level when the government decided to give the go ahead to develop the two Integrated Resorts.PM Lee Hsien Loong's decision to go ahead with the IRs in 2005 was based on studies that they would boost Singapore's image as a global city, provide jobs, and fuel economic growth.Oppositions to the IRs were related to

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-56462587515843113932008-04-25T11:26:00.004+08:002008-04-28T14:19:39.875+08:00

Paul Krugman, an American economist and columnist for the NYT, appears to "get it" when it comes to our "Limits to Growth". Do Singapore leaders "get it"? I have much respect for our leaders, but their neoclassical economic growth model is no longer relevant in times like this. What worked well for Singapore in the last 40 years to earn us a "developed nation" status will not help us to be

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-78261515151183547292008-04-25T09:55:00.008+08:002008-04-28T07:11:49.824+08:00

LinkTHE STRAITS TIMESMarch 8, 2008Oil prices 'unlikely to rise further'OIL prices are not likely to go higher, Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew said yesterday.As crude oil prices hit US$105 (S$145) per barrel, MM Lee believes it is not likely to creep further up to US$110.'The oil suppliers are testing the limits. They believe that China and India now form a new long-term base demand. They may be

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-82021499906670704722008-04-25T09:09:00.001+08:002008-04-25T10:00:32.588+08:00

Our neighbour is planning to increase their food production. What is Singapore doing besides diversifying our food imports? I know that Singapore land is limited, but relying almost 100% on food imports is not a good long term solution to possible supply disruptions caused by peak oil, wars, or climate change. Nations are already hoarding food supplies to feed their own populations by curbing

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-4889379555208520912008-04-17T17:24:00.027+08:002008-04-25T08:22:00.475+08:00

Since Peak Oil is such an important issue with far reaching consequences, you would expect governments around the world to debate the necessary steps to take to mitigate the difficult circumstances that will befall us.Are we able to use Google to tell which governments have made serious efforts to study the Peak Oil issue?I used Google to search for the number of occurrences of the term "peak oil

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-43731656265586863332008-04-15T22:55:00.014+08:002008-06-25T22:40:59.801+08:00

I posted the following comments on a blog post by a Member of Parliament, Dr. Lam Pin Min, concerning soaring rice prices:I think the Singapore government is doing the right thing in allowing the SGD to rise, but it is not a good long term solution. Singapore and the rest of the world are not addressing the root causes of the food problem: overpopulation, limits to growth and declining

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4697582777204423321.post-76398736498298426732008-04-15T22:47:00.007+08:002008-04-25T08:43:05.504+08:00

Conventional economics tells us that commodities move in cycles: when oil is cheap, oil companies scale back on exploration and drilling. When the price of oil goes up, we should expect oil companies to increase their reserves through intensive drilling and exploration. It was not long so long ago that oil was $20/barrel. Today it's about $110/barrel, and yet the Super Oil Majors like Chevron and

TMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955364686974459672noreply@blogger.com0