International: Asia
Climate crisis made ‘bonkers’ central Asia heatwave up to 10C hotter
9 Apr 2025
Springtime heat in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan likely to become more common as planet warms, accelerating glacier loss and threatening water supplies.
World’s largest deforestation project fells forests for bioethanol fuel, sugar and rice in Indonesia
8 Apr 2025
Indonesia plans to clear forests about the size of Belgium to produce sugarcane-derived bioethanol, rice and other food crops, potentially displacing Indigenous groups who rely on the land to survive.
Indonesia confirms $20 billion climate deal despite US exit
27 Mar 2025
The Indonesian government confirmed a $20 billion commitment from rich nations to help it shut polluting coal plants and transition to cleaner energy sources remains in place, despite the US exit from the agreement.
India records severe heat weeks ahead of schedule
24 Mar 2025
Severe heatwave conditions have begun sweeping across eastern and western India unusually early in the season, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in several regions.
Why action on extreme heat in Indian cities is falling short
21 Mar 2025
Local governments face the difficult task of preparing communities and infrastructure for a warmer world - all while urbanisation accelerates and extreme weather becomes more frequent and intense.
Indonesia hands over confiscated palm oil plantations to state firm
14 Mar 2025
Indonesian prosecutors on Monday handed over more than 221,000 hectares (546,000 acres) of illegal palm oil plantations seized as part of an on-going corruption probe to a new state-owned company that will manage them.
Singapore tender signals high demand for Article 6-aligned carbon credits
12 Mar 2025
Singapore's request for proposal, or RFP, to procure high-quality, Article 6-aligned, nature-based carbon credits, received offers from 17 suppliers with prices in the $19-$41/mtCO2e range, according to multiple market participants.
Japan releases inaugural sustainability reporting standards
12 Mar 2025
The Sustainability Standards Board of Japan (SSBJ) announced the release of its finalized sustainability disclosure standards, based on the standards developed by the IFRS Foundation's International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), and anticipated to form the basis of mandatory reporting for listed Japanese companies of sustainability and climate-related information.
Coral reefs in Vietnam face collapse. Can conservation efforts turn the tide?
7 Mar 2025
The gentle waves off the coast of central Vietnam's Nha Trang obscure an open secret: The life-giving coral reefs below are dying. The waters are eerily devoid of fish. The bounty of the ocean is coming to an end.
Avalanche in India triggered by 600% surge in rain linked to climate change
6 Mar 2025
An avalanche which killed eight in India on Friday was set in motion weeks earlier by a dry winter, and triggered by a sudden 600% spike in precipitation within 24 hours, a disaster expert says.
Japan's worst wildfire in half a century spreads
5 Mar 2025
Firefighters were Tuesday battling Japan's worst wildfire in half a century, which has left one dead and forced the evacuation of nearly 4,000 local residents.
Kerala's early heat surge signals climate shift
28 Feb 2025
Kerala, known for its clear skies and balmy weather during the early part of the year, which attracts tourists, has been grappling with an early start of unusually hot weather this season. Scientists attribute this to a mix of local weather conditions and long-term climate change impacts.
The vicious cycle pushing Bangladeshi climate migrants into modern slavery
21 Feb 2025
More than nine in 10 migrants who left some of Bangladesh's most climate-affected areas to find work experienced forms of forced labour, researchers have found.
Over 100 deaths a day: UN warns of air pollution's toll on young children in East Asia, Pacific
10 Feb 2025
More than 100 children under the age of five die each day in East Asia and the Pacific from air pollution-related causes, said Unicef on Feb 6, in a call for urgent action to cut deadly emissions, toughen air quality standards and improve health systems.
Lack of financial support would force India to reduce climate ambition
5 Feb 2025
The failure of the developed countries to commit adequate amounts of climate finance at last year's climate conference in Baku might force India to temper the ambition of its climate targets for 2035, the government said Friday.
'Catastrophic' 2023 lake outburst in India driven by glacial melt and permafrost thaw
3 Feb 2025
Climate change played a key role in the "catastrophic" 2023 floods in the Himalayan state of Sikkim in India, a new study says.
Record-breaking Philippines typhoon season was ‘supercharged’ by climate change
16 Dec 2024
This year’s record-breaking typhoon season in the Philippines – which saw six consecutive storm systems hit the country in under a month – was “supercharged” by climate change, according to a rapid attribution study.
Floods wreak havoc in Malaysia, southern Thailand with over 30 killed, tens of thousands displaced
5 Dec 2024
Severe floods caused by monsoon rains killed more than 30 people and displaced tens of thousands in Malaysia and southern Thailand, officials said Tuesday, with both countries preparing shelters and evacuation plans in anticipation of more heavy rain.
COP16: United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification kicks off
4 Dec 2024
The Indian Minister for the Environment underlined efforts on land restoration, drought resilience Forests at the UN Convention to Combat Desertification this week.
Japan eyes cutting emissions by 60% by 2035 from 2013 levels
28 Nov 2024
The Japanese government said Monday it is considering cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 60 percent by fiscal 2035 compared with fiscal 2013 levels.
Deadlock over climate finance is undermining Paris agreement, Singapore minister says
8 Nov 2024
Efforts by the United States and others to persuade more countries to contribute to a new global climate financing initiative risks undermining the Paris agreement, Singapore's Environment Minister Grace Fu told Reuters on Wednesday.
Japanese youth sue utilities over climate impact
29 Oct 2024
A group of 16 Japanese young people is suing utility firms over their carbon emissions, in the latest case worldwide of activists using courts to press for action on climate change.
Revealed: Biomass firm poised to clear Bornean rainforest for dubious ‘green’ energy
22 Oct 2024
Indonesia’s strategy for increasing renewable energy production could see Indigenous communities lose huge swathes of their forests to biomass plantations.
Woody biomass - a false climate solution and threat to Indonesia’s forests?
11 Oct 2024
A new report highlights the threat to Indonesia’s forests from industrial biomass demand.
Can carbon credits help close coal plants?
10 Oct 2024
A few dozen kilometres from the Philippine capital Manila sits a coal plant that some hope could be a model for how developing countries can quit the polluting fossil fuel.
Fossil fuel dominance of India’s power mix to end by 2030, says central bank
3 Oct 2024
India's burgeoning economy continues to be overwhelmingly powered by fossil fuels including coal, but that dominance will be consigned to the history books by end of this decade, according to the country's central bank.
This Japanese region is still recovering from a deadly earthquake. Now record rains have flooded its streets
25 Sep 2024
Record rainfall has brought deadly flooding and landslides to a coastal region of Japan still recovering from a devastating New Year’s Day earthquake.
How Indian farmers are embracing the power of floods
20 Sep 2024
As climate change causes intense and unpredictable rainfall, farmers are reviving an age-old agricultural method that sees them welcoming, rather than dreading, sudden inundations.
Financial instruments will promote carbon credit in India
19 Sep 2024
Carbon credits will play a key role in India's move towards reducing over 8,000 million tonnes of carbon dioxide and equivalent (CO2e) by 2030.
Tens of thousands in South Korea protest lack of climate progress
10 Sep 2024
More than 30,000 protesters gathered in South Korea's capital in broiling heat on Saturday, demanding more aggressive action by the government to combat global warming.
Heavy monsoon rains and floods kill at least 33 in south India and 5 children in Pakistan
5 Sep 2024
Heavy monsoon rains and floods have killed at least 33 people in southern India and five children in Pakistan over the past two days, authorities said.
Floods swamp Bangladesh as nation finds its feet after protests
27 Aug 2024
Floods triggered by torrential rains have swamped a swath of low-lying Bangladesh, adding to the new government's challenges after weeks of political turmoil.
South Korea boils in summer heat that may set new records
7 Aug 2024
As South Korea swelters under summer heat that looks set to break records, newspaper headlines are using words mostly reserved for describing high-heat culinary techniques.
Hopes of finding survivors wane after landslide deaths in India
2 Aug 2024
Hopes of finding more than 180 missing people alive waned as rescue workers searched through mud and debris for a third day in southern India.
The great climate change wealth transfer is here
29 Jul 2024
There has rarely been a better time to be a seller of fossil fuels — nor a worse time to be exposed to their effects.
Why Asia's future hinges on a collective approach to sustainable finance
25 Jul 2024
Asia is experiencing significant health crises due to climate change, causing disruptions in productivity, increasing healthcare costs and undermining workforce stability.
Can digital payments help countries adapt to climate change?
18 Jul 2024
For thousands of farmers in the Philippines, climate change is a direct threat to their livelihoods.
Flooding in northern Bangladesh displaces 40,000 people, shuts schools
11 Jul 2024
Flooding in Bangladesh has swept away homes and shug schools, displacing tens of thousands of people.
The ‘fearless young activists’ thrown in jail for climate campaigns in Cambodia
9 Jul 2024
They are young and passionate about protecting Cambodia’s rich and ecologically fragile environment.
More people in India faced climate change-induced extreme heat in June than any other country: Study
3 Jul 2024
Around 619 million people in India bore the brunt of a severe heatwave between June 16 and June 24, followed by 579 million people in China.
How is climate change influencing voters in India's election?
28 May 2024
Voters in India, from the rain-drenched Himalayas in the north to the sweltering, dry south, are looking for politicians who promise relief, stability and resilience to the wide-ranging and damaging effects of a warming climate.
Heatwave alert for next four days in Delhi, govt tells schools to call early vacations
23 May 2024
Delhi sweltered under a heatwave as temperatures soared above 46°C, prompting a red alert extension till Friday and school closures for summer vacations.
Climate change made the deadly heatwaves across Asia more frequent and extreme
20 May 2024
Throughout April and continuing into May 2024, extreme record-breaking heat led to severe impacts across the Asian continent, hitting millions of highly vulnerable people.
India projects biggest power shortfall in 14 years in June
17 May 2024
India is projecting its biggest power shortfall in 14 years in June after a slump in hydropower generation, and is racing to avoid outages.
Pakistan records its wettest April since 1961 with above average rainfall
9 May 2024
Pakistan has recorded its wettest April since 1961, with more than double the usual rainfall for the month, the national weather centre said.
An estimated 40 people are dying each day in Myanmar as heat lingers in region
8 May 2024
Animals are at risk from a lack of water in a Cambodian wildlife sanctuary as soaring temperatures linger over most of Southeast Asia.
India reported over 75,000 forest fires in April
7 May 2024
A senior official said a warmer than usual April and a drier winter this year are the reasons for sudden surge in forest fires.
Indonesian government revokes Rimba Raya REDD project’s license
2 May 2024
The Indonesian government has revoked the license of the Rimba Raya Biodiversity Reserve Project, which has issued more than 33.6 million carbon credits since 2013, for violating local regulations.
Asia is officially the most ‘disaster-prone’ region in the world
26 Apr 2024
Asia has to cope with more disasters than any other part of the world, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
Battling climate change, Japan looks to seagrass for carbon capture
26 Apr 2024
Some 100 volunteers gathered on a popular beach in the Japanese port city of Yokohama, wading in the shallows to plant strands of light-green eelgrass on the seabed.
Australian Nationals formally abandon commitment to reach net zero emissions by 2050
Mon 3 Nov 2025
Nationals leader David Littleproud said the party would shift its focus to climate adaptation instead of being "focused solely" on reducing emissions, noting Australia's small share of the global effort.
Exxon funded thinktanks to spread climate denial in Latin America, documents reveal
Today 12:00pm
Texas-based fossil fuel company financed Atlas Network in attempt to derail UN-led climate treaty process.
Why climate change now threatens China’s future
Today 12:00pm
Extreme weather is hurting its economy and worrying its leaders.
Norway faces European Court climate ruling over oil licences
Wed 29 Oct 2025
The European Court of Human Rights will decide on Tuesday if Norway breached its climate obligations when it awarded Arctic oil exploration licenses in 2016.
Bank of England must better address climate risk to tackle inflation
Today 12:00pm
The central bank is being urged to take a series of actions to better respond to environmental risks.
Renewables are a global economic engine, not a culture war threat
2 Oct 2025
Energy companies are learning this lesson faster than Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
Mystery heatwave warms Pacific Ocean to new record
21 Oct 2025
The waters of the north Pacific have had their warmest summer on record, according to BBC analysis of a mysterious marine heatwave that has confounded climate scientists.
Scientists discovered something alarming seeping out from beneath the ocean around Antarctica
13 Oct 2025
Planet-heating methane is escaping from cracks in the Antarctic seabed as the region warms, with new seeps being discovered at an “astonishing rate".
Nigerian billionaire plans expansion of Africa’s biggest oil refinery
Fri 31 Oct 2025
The billionaire owner of Africa’s largest refinery plans to expand its capacity to 1.4 million barrels per day to meet growing fuel needs in the continent and beyond.
Police raids in Brazil’s Rio kill 64 ahead of events related to COP30 climate summit
Thu 30 Oct 2025
At least 64 people died on Oct 28 in Rio de Janeiro’s most deadly police operation ever, which targeted a major gang days before the city hosts global events related to the United Nations climate summit known as COP30.
Brazil opens three weeks of COP30-linked climate events
Today 12:00pm
Brazil on Monday opens three weeks of events linked to the COP30 climate summit, hoping to showcase a world still determined to tackle global warming
