Sustainability Report 2023

As a conservation organization, doing no harm to the environment is a core principle. It’s a value that guides everything Singapore Wildcat Action Group does.

To demonstrate our commitment and to help us understand where we need improvement, Susymbio was again engaged as a trusted advisor to conduct a sustainability evaluation and provide guidance so that we can continue our journey as a carbon neutral organisation.

This report focuses on the two critical areas necessary for a sustainable world:

1.    Protecting and Supporting Biodiversity

2.    Stopping Climate Change

Protecting and Supporting Biodiversity

Singapore Wildcat Action Group (SWAG) was founded to protect and support biodiversity by focusing its support to the kingdoms of our Southeast Asian wild cats. The wildcats are the apex predators of the region and by concentrating activities designed to protect these amazing wild cats we also provide protection to their prey species and on down the food chain because our forests are facing the same general threats.

The “A” in SWAG stands for “Action”! So please see the below actions that are taken by SWAG to protect and support biodiversity.

1. Action to patrol wildlife corridors to deter poaching activities

SWAG assists the Malaysian Conservation Alliance for Tigers (MYCAT) to recruit volunteers from Singapore to participate in citizen conservation CAT Walk Plus patrols at the Sungai Yu Ecological Corridor in peninsular Malaysia. These patrols benefit the rural communities living in tiger habitats and protect the Malayan tiger’s only connection from Malaysia’s Taman Negara National Park to  the Main Range (Banjaran Titiwangsa).

In 2023 these citizen patrols picked up pace to 9 groups numbering 39 volunteers. From February thru November, our level of patrolling activity reached a level of frequency greater than pre-covid levels.

2. Action to raise money for protecting wildcat habitats

SWAG raised more than SG$35,000 for MYCAT’s conservation and protection work in Malaysia. These funds go to financially supporting Orang Asli anti-poaching patrol operations in the Sungai Yu Ecological Corridor. Funds also support re-wilding and other operational support needs.

3. Actions to educate the public in Singapore to protect Southeast Asia’s biodiversity

• Organized Singapore Tiger Week 2023! Bringing together leading regional conservation, law enforcement, media, government and industry leaders to discuss tiger conservation. Together we want to find solutions to combatting illegal wildlife trade and other issues threatening our natural heritage. Events like this make collaboration and success possible.
• Organized and lead 120 people in night walks on Pulau Ubin in search of Singapore’s last remaining wild cat – the leopard cat.
• Conducted outreach activities such as hosting information booths at public events (Pesta Ubin, Festival of Biodiversity,..), storytelling at public libraries and speaking at schools and organisations here in Singapore.
• Engages in outreach via social media platforms inlcuding:
• The SWAGGER – 800 newsletter subscribers
• Facebook – 1,400 (+99 from 2022) followers
• Instagram – 2,531 (+1,496 from 2022) followers
• X – 80+ followers
• LinkedIn – 94 (+68 from 2022) followers
• SWAGCAT.ORG – thousands of unique visitors weekly

4. Action to eliminate illegal wildlife trafficking

• Monitored and advocated alongside local nature organizations for stronger protection for wildlife and stronger penalties against violations of wildlife laws.
• Posted frequently via social platforms the ongoing battle against illegal wildlife trafficking encouraging the public to get active in stopping this trade.

Stopping Climate Change

The latest climate science indicates rising global temperatures must be limited to 1.5°C to avoid the most significant impact of climate change. As a responsible organization, SWAG measures our carbon emissions to allow for control and reduction.

SWAG is graded as a Climate Positive Plus Organization.

Climate Positive Plus is defined as: activities go beyond achieving net-zero carbon emissions to create an environmental benefit by removing additional CO2 from the atmosphere. The "Positive Plus" is the level of additional capture level which must be above 50% of annual emissions.This level designation was created by Susymbio in order to better define the level of achievement attained by organisations working on sustainability.

·     Overall Environmental Impact

In 2023, our emissions were largely CAT WALK PLUS activities. The emissions estimate for all activities Scope 1, 2 and 3 stands at just over 2,950 kilograms.

The Climate Positive Plus grade was possible due to the continuing growth of trees from 2020, 2021, 2022 as well as planting projects in 2023. In comparison to prior years, SWAG emissions increased due to the increased trips to Malaysia supporting our CATWALK PLUS program.

Additional emissions in 2023 also came from the many Leopard Cat Quest night walks in Pulau Ubin. 17 Boats were hired and for this reason the transport for those round trips are in our figures for this year.

·     Offsetting

Planting trees is the primary activity SWAG undertakes to offset emissions we generate. Tree-planting is done by SWAG volunteers either in Malaysia’s Sungei Yu Corridor or in cooperation with Singapore National Parks Board’s One Million Trees Project.

SWAG began tree planting again in Malaysia during the CAT WALK Plus tours done in 2023. This alone though did not provide enough carbon off-setting for the emissions that we generated. Both tree and mangrove planting activities were therefore done in Singapore during the year. The estimated volume of carbon captured by trees planted in just this year by SWAG is 1,071 kilograms.

Though unable to fully offset 2023 emissions in the same year, SWAG trees from prior years are still continuing to drink carbon from the air. Because of those plantings, SWAG continues to keep positive – thank you trees!!

·     Operational Reduction Takes Will

As a 100-percent volunteer-run organization, SWAG operates out of private residences with no headquarter emissions!

We do not manufacture any goods ourselves. Whenever possible, we sell fundraising items that are manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner and we account for the emissions produced in the items’ production. Delivery of our goods is provided by Singapore Post, which delivers more and more using an electric vehicle fleet.

Knowing that CAT WALK Plus trips to Malaysia would require transportation to the Sungei Yu corridor, leaders of SWAG decided in early 2022 to use only ground transportation from Singapore. This reduced the carbon footprint on CAT WALK activities substantially. Previously flights were usually taken to Kuala Lumpur for all “Cat Walkers”, before a van transport would take over as transport for the rest of the journey. By reducing the use of air transport, a significant source of emissions is being cut.