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World’s biggest commercial EV trial accelerates move to all-electric fleets

LONDON, Jan 20, 2023 - (JCN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - The trials for Optimise Prime, the world's biggest trial of commercial electric vehicles (EVs) have come to an end, and demonstrated how barriers, such as cost and energy demand, can be overcome through digitisation and new product offerings. The outcomes of this landmark study follow a year-long trial, and could help unlock the mass rollout of EV fleets across UK and beyond.The fast roll out of electric vehicle fleets is vital for the UK to meet its net zero goals. The sixth carbon budget requires that all new cars and vans are low-carbon and largely electric by the early 2030s 1. The Climate Change Committee also advises that companies lead the transition to electric vehicles in the UK by switching their vehicle fleets to EVs in the 2020s.The Optimise Prime trials began in July 2021 and have been led by Hitachi Europe and electricity distributor UK Power Networks. The trial saw over 8,000 electric vehicles from Centrica, Uber and a large UK depot based parcel carrier take to the roads across the UK, supported by distribution networks including Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks, and partners Hitachi Vantara and Novuna Vehicle Solutions. The trials included depot, home, and on-the-road charging.The project delivered an end-to-end overview of what the switch to EVs means for the cables and substations that deliver electricity to the community, for the businesses that need to invest in new infrastructure, and for the fleet owners that need to power their vehicles.Advice was also provided to fleet operators to ensure they were getting the most out of the project.Key interim findings of the trial found that:- EV models can cover the typical range requirements for all three types of fleets, making electrification feasible and achievable- To enable the private hire EV transition, a London Borough such as Tower Hamlets alone will need around 3,200 more chargers by 2025- In the longer term, the trials highlight how EV fleets can generate revenue and support network operators by offering "turn-down" services where fleets can be charged only when needed, and stop charging during peak times on the electricity network - Digitalisation can allow for charging to be forecast by fleet and network operators to help manage demand at peak times on the network"With road vehicles being the biggest producer of the UK's transport emissions, it is clear that individuals and businesses need to make the move to more sustainable transport," said John Whybrow, Optimise Prime Business Lead at Hitachi Europe Ltd. "Our work alongside key partners in this trial has shown that the ambitious EV rollout is possible, and with the use of data, we can overcome the challenges being faced by businesses such as costs and charging availability. Making the transition to EVs easier and cheaper is key in accelerating the road to net zero, not just in the UK but globally."Ian Cameron, Director of Customer Service and Innovation at UK Power Networks said: "Electrifying your vehicle fleet is a big step to take, but we are making it cheaper, quicker and easier than you ever thought possible; our project has proved that. We set out to come up with practical solutions to cut the cost of fleets going electric and that's exactly what we have done - along with a mass of insights and learnings to help fleet managers. Just one example is how using smart charging can go a long way to lowering your up-front costs. And perhaps the best feedback we've had is from a fleet manager in the trial who said they had no idea of all the clever things happening in the background because it happened seamlessly without impacting on operations."Careful planning is essential for fleet managers as they consider transitioning to EVs. Hitachi has put together a comprehensive guide based on the experiences of Optimise Prime which considers business needs, site constraints (both physical and electrical) and the management of changes to business processes.This, plus the final results and datasets on commercial EV charging and use will be shared openly on the UK Power Networks' open data platform in the coming months to help the wider industry be better prepared for making the switch.To find out more about Hitachi's Zero Carbon offerings for Fleet Optimisation visit: https://zerocarbon.hitachi.com/.(1) bit.ly/3Wnby0rAbout the partners: About Hitachi Europe Ltd:Hitachi Europe Ltd., a subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., is headquartered in Stoke Poges, UK. The company is focused on its Social Innovation Business - delivering innovations that answer society's challenges. Hitachi Europe and its subsidiary companies offers a broad range of information & telecommunication systems; rail systems, power and industrial systems; industrial components & equipment; automotive systems, digital media & consumer products and others with operations and research & development Laboratories across EMEA. For more information, visit www.hitachi.eu.About Hitachi Vantara:Hitachi Vantara, a wholly owned subsidiary of Hitachi, Ltd., helps data-driven leaders find and use the value in their data to innovate intelligently and reach outcomes that matter for business and society. We combine technology, intellectual property and industry knowledge to deliver data-managing solutions that help enterprises improve their customers' experiences, develop new revenue streams, and lower the costs of business. Only Hitachi Vantara elevates your innovation advantage by combining deep information technology (IT), operational technology (OT) and domain expertise. We work with organizations everywhere to drive data to meaningful outcomes. Visit us at www.hitachivantara.com.About Novuna Vehicle Solutions:Novuna Vehicle Solutions is one of the UK's top 10 largest leasing companies and has more than 25 years' experience in providing bespoke fleet finance and fleet management services for businesses across the UK. Novuna Vehicle Solutions has a fleet size of over 67,000 vehicles ranging from cars, small, medium and large vans to HGVs, with a combined asset value of more than EUR880m. The business provides all forms of funding, maintenance, accident and daily rental management, supporting customers across every stage of the vehicle life cycle. Novuna Vehicle Solutions is unique in the market in being able to offer every kind of asset, including large trucks and plant machinery, as well as car-based employee benefits for employees of medium and large corporates and a market-leading personal lease offering both directly and via a network of brokers.About UK Power Networks:UK Power Networks is the country's biggest electricity distributor, making sure the lights stay on for more than eight million homes and businesses across London, the South East and the East of England. Network operators aren't the same as energy suppliers; network operators manage local power lines and substations, while energy suppliers sell the electricity that runs through the power lines. UK Power Networks is the first electricity distributor to be named in the Sunday Times' 'Top 25 Best Companies to Work For', and made industry history by becoming first company to win Utility of the Year two years running (2015 and 2016, also 2012). We are committed to providing excellent service to the over 18m people who use our network every day. We plan to invest more than EUR600m a year in our network, and spend over EUR6.6bn over eight years to 2023 to maintain a safe and reliable electricity supply. We also offer extra help to vulnerable customers at times of need, are undertaking trials to ensure that electricity networks support the transition to a low carbon future, move cables and connect new electricity supplies. If you have a power cut ring 105, see www.ukpowernetworks.co.uk or tweet us @UKPowerNetworksAbout Centrica:Centrica is a leading energy services and solutions provider founded on a 200-year heritage of serving people. We are the UK's biggest retailer of zero carbon electricity, serving around 10 million customers across the UK, Ireland and Continental Europe through brands such as British Gas, supported by around 9,000 highly trained engineers and technicians. Centrica's purpose of helping customers live sustainably, simply and affordably drives our strategy and our People and Planet Plan.About Uber:Uber's mission is to create opportunity through movement. We started in 2010 to solve a simple problem: how do you get access to a ride at the touch of a button? More than 25 billion trips later, we're building products to get people closer to where they want to be. By changing how people, food, and things move through cities, Uber is a platform that opens up the world to new possibilities. About Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks:Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN), operating as Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution (SHEPD) and Southern Electric Power Distribution (SEPD) under license, is responsible for operating and maintaining the electricity distribution networks supplying over 3.7 million homes and businesses across central southern England and north of the central belt of Scotland, the Mull of Kintyre and the Scottish islands. Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks is the trading name of Scottish and Southern Energy Power Distribution Limited, Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission plc, Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution plc and Southern Electric Power Distribution plc Copyright 2023 JCN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Southern Score Builders Berhad Completes Regularisation Plan

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 9, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Southern Score Builders Berhad (Bursa: SSB8, 0045), a former Guidance Note 3 (GN3) company, has completed its regularisation plan which involves, amongst others, the acquisition of Southern Score Sdn Bhd (SSSB), a G7 contractor. Following the acquisition, Southern Score Builders will be involved the provision of construction management services mainly for high-rise residential buildings. Shares of the Company also resumed trading after being suspended since December 2020.Gan Yee Hin, ED and CEO of Southern Score BuildersLed by an experienced and technically strong management team, SSSB adopts construction practices that support the efficiency optimisation of its construction projects. It adopts industrialised building system (IBS) in most of its development and construction projects which is aimed at increasing productivity and improving quality of its projects. Besides that, by leveraging on its asset-light and flexible delivery model, SSSB is able to offer a standardised and cost-efficient building process which enables scalability and flexibility with lower exposure to cyclicality and house prices.SSSB recorded net profit of RM6.51 million, RM19.20 million and RM35.18 million in the financial years ended 31 December 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively, and realised net profit margin of 9.7%, 12.9% and 12.3% in the 3 years.The regularisation plan involved, amongst others, the acquisition of the entire equity interest in SSSB from Super Advantage Property Sdn Bhd for a purchase consideration of RM252.0 million satisfied via the issuance of 1.68 billion consideration shares. Super Advantage, being the vendor of SSSB, has provided cumulative net profit guarantee of RM80.0 million over the three-year period from 2022 to 2024.Other than the acquisition, the completed regularisation plan also entailed the following:- consolidation of every ten existing shares in Southern Score Builders into one consolidated share;- settlement of debt amounting to RM3.1 million to Mr. Chai Tham Poh, an Executive Director of Southern Score Builders, via the issuance of 20.67 million of settlement shares;- private placement of 543.05 million shares at an issue price of RM0.20 per share to identified investors; and- exemption under the take-over rules from the obligation to undertake a mandatory take-over offer for the remaining Southern Score Builders shares not already owned by Super Advantage as well as Tan Sri Datuk Seri Gan Yu Chai and Gan Yee Hin ("Exemption").The completion of the Regularisation Plan will allow the Company to return to a better and stronger financial standing and profitability. Further, the acquisition of SSSB will allow the Company to diversify its business into construction management services whereby the Company is expected to benefit from expected recovery in the construction sector.The shareholders of Super Advantage are Tan Sri Datuk Seri Gan Yu Chai, the Managing Director of Southern Score Builders, a veteran in the construction and property development industries with more than 30 years' experience as well as Gan Yee Hin, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Score Builders.Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Score Builders, Gan Yee Hin, said, "We would like to thank Bursa Securities for their guidance and support throughout the progression of regularisation plan. Our thanks also go to Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad, the principal adviser, sponsor and placement agent in relation to the regularisation plan and to Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd, the independent adviser for the Exemption. We would also like to acknowledge the work of the other professionals who worked diligently to ensure the successful completion of the regularisation plan.""As a listed entity, Southern Score Builders will be able to further expand our construction services while leveraging on our expertise and business network. We are also intensifying our venture in IBS production through the construction of a manufacturing plant as we see demand growing from the construction sector."About Southern Score Builders Berhad (formerly known as G Neptune Berhad)Southern Score Builders is principally involved in the provision of construction management services mainly in Kuala Lumpur. The scope of Southern Score Builders' construction services involves the provision of professional project management services from project initiation until the completion of construction works. These services encompass project initiation, planning and design, appointment of subcontractors, procurement; construction project management as well as inspection and completion handover. To-date, via SSSB, Southern Score Builders has completed several projects including, amongst others, the PR1MA Jalan Jubilee project. SSSB is a CIDB Grade 7 contractor. https://southernscore.com.my/Image Caption for Picture 1 https://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_SouthernScore202211109.jpgFrom L-R:Mr. Cheah Hannon, Independent Non-Executive Director of G Neptune BerhadMs. Yvonne Phe Kheng Peng, Independent Non-Executive Director of Southern Score Builders BerhadMr. Chai Tham Poh, Executive Director of G Neptune BerhadTan Sri Datuk Seri Gan Yu Chai, Managing Director of Southern Score Builders BerhadMr. Gan Yee Hin, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Score Builders BerhadDatuk Sydney Lim Tau Chin, Executive Director of Southern Score Builders BerhadDato' Haji Mohd Amran Bin Wahid, Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman of G Neptune BerhadMs. Amy Too Siew Mooi, Independent Non-Executive Director of Southern Score Builders BerhadImage Caption for Picture 2https://www.acnnewswire.com/topimg/Low_SouthernScore2022111092.jpgFrom L-R:Mr. Cheah Hannon, Independent Non-Executive Director of G Neptune BerhadDato' Haji Mohd Amran Bin Wahid, Non-Independent Non-Executive Chairman of G Neptune BerhadDatuk Sydney Lim Tau Chin, Executive Director of Southern Score Builders BerhadTan Sri Datuk Seri Gan Yu Chai, Managing Director of Southern Score Builders BerhadMr. Gan Yee Hin, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Score Builders BerhadMr. Chai Tham Poh, Executive Director of G Neptune BerhadMs. Yvonne Phe Kheng Peng, Independent Non-Executive Director of Southern Score Builders BerhadMs. Amy Too Siew Mooi, Independent Non-Executive Director of Southern Score Builders Berhad Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. 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Southern Score Honours Badminton World Champions, Aaron and Wooi Yik with RM100,000 Incentive

KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 24, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Southern Score Builders Berhad is pleased to present an incentive of RM100,000 to Malaysia's top men's doubles pair Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik, who won Malaysia's first gold at the 2022 World Badminton Championships in Tokyo last month.Soh Wooi Yik, Gan Yee Hin and Chia Teng Fong [L-R]Ian Wong Jien Sern, Gan Yee Hin, Dato Jack Koh [L-R]Aaron and Wooi Yik were presented with mock cheques by Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Score, Gan Yee Hin, at a ceremony today honouring their outstanding achievements. On hand to welcome them were guests and staff of Southern Score.Gan Yee Hin said, "We are here to celebrate the outstanding achievement of Aaron and Wooi Yik by presenting a token of appreciation for winning the world title for Malaysia. Thank you for the dedication and hard work, they are excellent and truly deserve the rewards. We believe this world title is just the beginning of their badminton journey. We hope this little token of our gratitude will further motivate them for greater achievements and bring glory to the country in the world arena.""We hope that our gesture incentive will inspire others to assist a new generation of players who have the courage to pursue the sport as their career.""At the same time, we are contributing RM200,000 to Petaling Badminton Club (PBC), the club from which our world champions were nurtured before they joined the national team. We hope that the contribution provides some support as they nurture talents to represent the country. PBC has had a history of producing several of the country's well-known players such as Chen Tang Jie, Cheam June Wei, Man Wei Chong and Goh V Shem."Aaron and Wooi Yik thanked Southern Score for the incentive and said, "We are honoured to have represented Malaysia at the World Badminton Championships and would like to thank Southern Score and all Malaysians for their support.""Support such as this incentive from Southern Score means a lot to us and motivates us as we prepare ourselves mentally and physically to win more accolades for Malaysia on the world stage, including our goal of making it to the 2024 Olympic Games."Southern Score is a certified CIDB Grade 7 builder of homes for the community and a future for the nation. The Company is always closely tied into the local community and remains active in community involvement programmes such as education, sport, environment and society.Southern Score: https://southernscore.com.my/ Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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G Neptune Seeks Shareholders’ Approval to Acquire Soutern Score, a construction Management Services Company, as part of its Proposed Regularisation Plan

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 22, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - G Neptune Berhad is pleased to announce that its circular, which includes multiple proposals as part of its proposed regularisation plan, has been issued today. Upon completion, the proposed regularisation plan is expected to address its Guidance Note 3 (GN3) status as well as to return it to a stronger financial standing and profitability that will benefit all stakeholders.Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Score Gan Yee Hin and Executive Director and Head of Group Investment Banking & Islamic Banking of Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad Datuk Roslan Hj Tik [L-R]The proposed regularisation plan includes amongst others, the proposed acquisition of the entire equity interest in Southern Score Sdn Bhd from Super Advantage Property Sdn Bhd for a purchase consideration of RM252.0 million to be satisfied through the issuance of 1.68 billion shares.Southern Score is a construction management services company with a recorded net profit of RM6.51 million, RM19.20 million and RM35.18 million in the financial year ended 31 December 2019, 2020 and 2021 respectively. Super Advantage, being the vendor of Southern Score, has provided cumulative net profit guarantee of RM80.0 million over the three-year period from 2022 to 2024. Super Advantage is held by Tan Sri Datuk Seri Gan Yu Chai, the Managing Director of Southern Score, a veteran in the construction and property development industries with more than 30 years' experience as well as Gan Yee Hin, the Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Score.Other than the proposed acquisition, the proposed regularisation plan also entails the following:- proposed consolidation of every ten existing shares in G Neptune into one consolidated share;- proposed settlement of debt amounting to RM3.1 million to Mr. Chai Tham Poh, an Executive Director of G Neptune, via the issuance of 20.67 million shares;- proposed private placement of 543.05 million shares at an issue price to be determined later but shall not be less than 20 sen per share to eligible investors to be identified later; and- proposed exemption under the take-over rules from the obligation to undertake a mandatory take-over offer for the remaining G Neptune shares not already owned by Super Advantage as well as Tan Sri Datuk Seri Gan Yu Chai and Gan Yee Hin.Through the proposed private placement, G Neptune aims to raise at least RM108.61 million to be used for amongst others, the purchase of building materials and repayment to contractors for future construction projects, as well as for TCS SS Precast Construction Sdn Bhd (TSPC), a CIDB Grade 7 contractor in which Southern Score owns a 35% stake.Additionally, to better reflect the Company's corporate identity going forward, it is proposed that the Company name "G Neptune Berhad" be changed to "Southern Score Builders Berhad".Commenting on the proposed acquisition, Gan Yee Hin, said, "The proposed acquisition of Southern Score is an integral part of the regularisation plan as it will enable G Neptune to enter into the construction industry which is a thriving and growing industry. This will also help in regularising the Company's financial condition as it currently does not have a core business to sustain its listing status. We expect Southern Score to benefit from the growth in the construction sector which is expected to be positive in 2022 following the reopening of Malaysia's economy.""We also intend to venture into the manufacture of Industrialised Building Systems (IBS) products through TSPC as we see demand rising given that the construction sector is moving towards the adoption of IBS for better construction quality and productivity, less dependency on foreign labour as well as lower costs. Government initiatives are also supportive of this adoption."The proposed regularisation plan and the proposed change of name are subject to, amongst others, GNB shareholders' approval at the forthcoming general meeting to be held on 13 September 2022.Kenanga Investment Bank Berhad is the principal adviser and sponsor for the proposed regularisation plan as well as placement agent for the proposed private placement while Malacca Securities Sdn Bhd is the independent adviser for the proposed exemption.G Neptune Berhad: 0045 [BURSA: GNB], https://www.gneptune.com/Southern Score: https://southernscore.com.my/ Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Yang Xiaosong: The Institutional Investor’s Road to Carbon Neutrality

BEIJING, Aug 30, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Yang Xiaosong, CEO of China Southern Asset Management Co., Ltd. ("Southern Asset Management"), was asked to deliver the keynote speech at the first ESG Global Leaders Summit on August 26 in Beijing, sponsored by Sina Finance ESG Channel and CITIC Publishing Group. The Summit presented an opportunity to meet with global regulatory, business, investment and academic circles to discuss the future of ESG. The topic Yang chose for his address was The Road to Carbon Neutrality for Institutional Investors.Faced with the increasingly severe challenges of the climate crisis, China made the solemn promise of "30.60 Carbon Peak and Carbon Neutrality" at the UN Climate Summit last year. As the world's largest developing country, China has actively promoted "carbon peak and carbon neutrality", which not only demonstrates the country's broad mind and responsibility, but also points out the direction for China's economic and social comprehensive green transformation and sustainable development."Carbon peak and carbon neutrality" will promote structural changes in the economy and society, including changes in energy structure, industrial structure, and consumption structure. In this process, on the one hand, professional investment institutions will give full play to the function of optimizing resource allocation and provide long-term funding sources for green and low-carbon high-quality enterprises; on the other hand, the carbon neutral industry chain breeds huge investment opportunities. Professional investment institutions can Through the layout of new opportunities for industrial upgrading and technological breakthroughs, it will create returns for investors and create value for society.As a leading domestic institutional investor, Southern Asset Management attaches great importance to the research and practice of sustainable development finance. As early as 2018, it joined UNPRI (United Nations Responsible Investment Organization) and took the lead in establishing an ESG management structure, an ESG evaluation system and an ESG evaluation system. Investment system, implement active shareholder strategies, and explore the guiding role of investment on the real economy. "Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" is an important part of ESG investment. Regarding how institutional investors can promote "carbon peaking and carbon neutrality", we have the following thoughts and explorations:One is to build a "carbon emissions" database with the help of financial technology.Carbon emission data is an infrastructure for the financial industry to measure the climate change risks faced by enterprises, and it is also an essential part of asset pricing revaluation. Public funds need to conduct a more comprehensive and three-dimensional analysis of investment targets through big data collection, and fully integrate carbon emission databases with active research. However, the actual situation is that the ESG information disclosure data of domestic companies is incomplete. As of May 2021, there are only 1092 and 149 listed companies that actively disclose ESG data and carbon footprint data, accounting for 25% and 3.6% respectively (Data source: "Statistical Research Report on Information Disclosure of A-Share Listed Companies in 2020", "Analysis Report on Information Disclosure of A-Share Listed Companies in Response to Climate Change 2021"). In this regard, Southern Asset Management has completed the carbon emission measurement database of all more than 4,000 listed companies in A-shares through external data collection, financial technology, and algorithms. This forms the basis for our in-depth research and investment.The second is to optimize the investment framework and reduce the carbon footprint of the asset portfolio.With the opening of the national carbon trading market, a clear carbon pricing mechanism internalizes the social costs incurred by enterprises, and also provides us with an important reference for repricing the risks and returns of enterprises. It can be expected that with the improvement of the carbon credit allocation mechanism, the impact of carbon trading on asset prices will gradually increase. In the past year, Southern Asset Management has significantly reduced the investment ratio of high-polluting and high-energy-consuming companies, and the weighted average carbon emissions of the stock portfolio have fallen by more than 40%. (Internal data of Southern Asset Management).The third is to enrich the supply of products and promote the research and development of carbon emission products.Public equity funds help investors share the growth dividends of the carbon neutral industry through investment strategies and product research and development. For example, we have conducted research on the carbon emissions of the CSI 300 component stocks in the past ten years. The low-emission component stock strategy has gradually produced excess returns in 2016, and the excess returns have increased significantly from 2019. In addition, in the future, new energy may be a long-term investment direction centered on technological progress, technological upgrading and energy efficiency improvement of "carbon neutrality". At the product level, we have deployed Southern ESG theme equity funds, Southern China Securities New Energy ETF and feeder funds, and Southern New Energy Industry Trend Hybrid Fund.The fourth is to fulfill social responsibilities and improve the carbon emission management system.Southern Asset Management has established an internal carbon emission management system to account for the company's carbon emissions in accordance with internationally accepted standards. The company headquarters building received LEED Gold Award-Energy Saving and Emission Reduction Building Certification. In addition, through voluntary carbon emission reduction certified emission reductions (VCUs/Verified Carbon Units) and international green certificates (I-REC/International Renewable Energy Certificate), we have completed the full amount of direct and indirect carbon emissions in the company's operations. Offset, achieved carbon neutrality of the company's operating system in July 2021.The fifth is to establish an ecosystem and continuously enhance the influence of ESG.We promote the establishment of the ecosystem through the following levels. First, Southern Asset Management is a 100+ member of Climate Action, and is committed to promoting the emission reduction and transformation of 161 major greenhouse gas emitting companies in the world through the implementation of an active shareholder strategy; Southern Asset Management has released the first domestic ESG investment annual report for public funds this year, improving the transparency of ESG investment and promoting industry development by improving information disclosure. At the same time, we are also a signatory member of TCFD (climate-related financial information disclosure) and invest in ESG In the annual report, detailed environmental information is disclosed in accordance with international standards."Carbon peaking and carbon neutrality" is a complex, long-term and systematic project. On the way to a "zero carbon future", Southern Asset Management will firmly focus on the goal of "carbon peak and carbon neutrality", based on its origins in the asset management industry, and is committed to providing more efficient and professional financial services for green and low-carbon development. We are willing to work with all partners to create a beautiful future in which "green water and green mountains are golden mountains and silver mountains" and harmonious coexistence of man and nature!Yang XiaosongChief Executive OfficerChina Southern Asset Management Co., Ltd.August 26, 2021As a leading mutual fund in China, Southern Asset Management honors its social responsibilities. Apart from taking an active part in environmental protection and public welfare programs, it fully integrates ESG into its operation and investment. Southern Asset Management is a signatory of UN Principles for Responsible Investment and a member of the China ESG Leaders Association and the Climate Action 100+. It was among the first to launch an ESG Equity Fund in China to encourage ESG investment across the country. Its ESG efforts have been widely recognized, as evidenced by the honors it has received over the years, including the China ESG Golden Awards by Sina.com, the Evergreen Award by Caijing and the China Green Finance Award by Asiamoney.Contact: Zhang Wanyi, Southern Asset ManagementE: zhangwanyi@southernfund.com, U: http://www.southernfund.com Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)

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Biodiversity survey on Singapore’s Southern Islands finds endangered species

SINGAPORE - A comprehensive biodiversity survey on the Southern Islands has discovered several rare and endangered species, including the oriental magpie-robin and spotted wood owl. The Southern Islands Biodiversity survey looks at the terrestrial and marine habitats of more than 10 islands south of mainland Singapore. Preliminary findings show that while some of these islands are small and have a history of human activities on them, they are still able to support rich coastal habitats that contain rare and endangered species previously unknown to the area. These habitats range from coastal forests and mangroves to intertidal flats, subtidal reefs and shallow seafloor areas. The National Parks Board (NParks) and the Friends of Marine Park community gave this update on Sunday (Dec 13) at the halfway mark of the two-year study, which covers the islands that make up Sisters' Islands Marine Park, well known islands such as Sentosa and Pulau Semakau, as well as smaller and lesser-known islands such as Pulau Biola and Pulau Jong. The islands range from about 2.7ha to 75.1 ha in size - the equivalent of about two to 75 football fields. Some of the islands, such as Pulau Salu and Keppel Island, have never been surveyed before. The survey, which incorporates data from recent baseline studies carried out by NParks in recent years, began in January to facilitate better conservation efforts and safeguard the ecosystems for future generations. Some of the nationally endangered species found include the oriental magpie-robin, which was newly recorded on Pulau Tekukor, as well as the spotted wood owl and the great-billed heron, which were recorded on Sisters' Islands. The nationally vulnerable textile cone snail, which is highly venomous in order to quickly immobilise and kill its prey, was newly recorded on Lazarus Island this year. Once common in Singapore, cone snails are now rarely seen. The nationally vulnerable smooth-eyed ghost crab, which can be found on the higher shores of sandy beaches, was also newly recorded on Lazarus Island. Previously recorded at East Coast Park and Sentosa, its distribution in Singapore is not well understood as it is rarely sighted. A number of nationally critically endangered and endangered plant species were also newly recorded on various islands within the St John's-Sisters' Islands cluster. Many coastal plants are now rare or extinct on the mainland. For example, the locally critically endangered seashore nutmeg was newly recorded on Kusu and Sisters' Islands. It was previously known on St John's and Lazarus islands. Dr Karenne Tun, director of the coastal and marine division at NParks' National Biodiversity Centre, said studies such as the Southern Islands Biodiversity survey are essential for understanding the area and developing practical conservation strategies to protect it. These efforts will also go towards ensuring future generations can continue to enjoy and appreciate Singapore's rich biodiversity, she added. In a pilot earlier this year, NParks attached satellite trackers to the carapaces of two nesting hawksbill turtles that came ashore. PHOTO: NPARKS The nationally vulnerable smooth-eyed ghost crab was also newly recorded on Lazarus Island. PHOTO: JONATHAN TAN More on this topic   Related Story Bendera Bay on St John's Island to be opened to public via scheduled programmes Moving forward, NParks will be deploying a remotely operated vehicle for seafloor surveys within areas of biodiversity interests at depths of 20m to 50m. It will collect data via visual and acoustic mapping of the seabed through the use of side-scan and multi-beam sonars, together with photo and video footage. These surveys will add to existing data that was collected during the Comprehensive Marine Biodiversity Survey in 2010 to 2015 and enable NParks to acquire baseline data to aid in long-term monitoring of the seafloor environment. Such data will help NParks in coming up with strategies for its management and conservation. In addition, Singapore has gathered records of the global movements of a critically endangered turtle species for the first time. In a pilot earlier this year, NParks attached satellite trackers to the carapaces of two nesting hawksbill turtles that came ashore, enabling researchers to better understand the travel patterns of nesting turtles. Based on the signals recorded so far, the turtles swam along the eastern shores of Singapore before journeying to Riau in Indonesia, and are currently in their feeding grounds off Batam. NParks will install more of such trackers on nesting turtles during the next nesting season. The information collected from such trackers will be used for conservation management and land use planning in Singapore. Noting that the turtles visit Singapore more frequently than originally thought, Dr Tun said: "That would give us a better understanding of the turtles' movement, and also help us in the conservation of this particular species." More on this topic   Related Story Some migratory birds stopping over in Singapore travelled across the Himalayas, study finds   Related Story Pasir Ris residents appreciate the wildlife in their town, survey shows

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