International: Asia
Taiwan’s Presidential Hackathon keen for Kiwi participants
19 Apr 2023
When you open your Uber app in Taiwan the first thing you notice is that you not only get to choose between different Uber drivers you can opt for a traditional taxi as well - often it’s the cheaper option.
Japanese climate group urges more renewable energy and effective carbon pricing
13 Apr 2023
Japanese companies and climate groups called on the government on Wednesday to step up the introduction of renewable energy and quickly adopt carbon pricing to tackle global warming.
Thailand to impose a carbon tax on three major economic sectors
11 Apr 2023
BANGKOK – The Excise Department plans to impose a carbon tax on the energy, transport and industrial sectors to help Thailand achieve its goals of carbon neutrality by 2050 and net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2063, as well as cut the cost of imported fuel.
Rich countries could learn from Bangladesh
5 Apr 2023
For anyone who has sweated through record-high temperatures or waded through floodwater, it will come as no surprise that Britain is “strikingly unprepared" for the effects of climate change. That’s the conclusion of a recent report published by the Climate Change Committee, the UK’s independent advisory body on climate policy to the government.
Taiwan diary: The e-scooter kingdom
30 Mar 2023
By Jeremy Rose | If I needed confirmation that Taiwan has morphed from the Bicycle Kingdom to the Scooter Kingdom I got it at the at the Net Zero City Expo that opened in Taipei this week.
Taiwan diary: Renewable energy 101
29 Mar 2023
Yi-Ting Lu and Ching-Wen Huang both started out as activists in Taiwan’s environmental movement.
Taiwan diary: The activists
28 Mar 2023
By Jeremy Rose | In 2018 climate activists in Taiwan occupied the site of a planned coal-fired power plant and stopped it being built.
Taiwan diary: fast trains, slow bikes and silent scooters
27 Mar 2023
By Jeremy Rose | The fastest I’ve ever travelled in a car is 200km/h - hitch-hiking in Germany; my top speed on a bicycle is about 90km - hurtling down the Ngauranga Gorge; this weekend I smashed those records on Taiwan ’s High Speed Rail reaching nearly 300km/h travelling between Taipei and Taichung,
Taiwan diary: Bicycle Kingdom
24 Mar 2023
Jeremy Rose | Just as the People’s Republic of China and Taiwan - formally known as the Republic of China - once competed for the title of Middle Kingdom the phrase Bicycle Kingdom has been liberally applied to both.
Weathering the storm: How Japan is factoring climate change into defence policy
20 Mar 2023
Storm surges, flooding, more powerful typhoons and scorching temperatures — climate change will bring more of all to Japan, endangering military sites, personnel and gear, but also putting Tokyo and the Indo-Pacific at greater risk of geopolitical shocks.
Lawyers and activists build pressure on Korean court to rule on climate
16 Mar 2023
Kim Seo-kyung was a teenager in March 2020, when she and 18 other members of campaign group Youth4ClimateAction filed the first climate lawsuit in Korea’s constitutional court, arguing that their government’s efforts to curb emissions fell far short of what was required.
Threat of rising seas to Asian megacities could be way worse than we thought, study warns
9 Mar 2023
Parts of Asia’s largest cities could be under water by 2100 thanks to rising sea levels, according to a new study that combines both the impact of climate change with natural oceanic fluctuations.
Eleven Asian countries agree to pursue 'practical' carbon neutrality
6 Mar 2023
Japan and a group of 10 other countries in Asia have agreed to pursue "practical pathways" for carbon neutrality through coordinated steps such as developing hydrogen supply chains and setting decarbonization standards while ensuring energy security
Is climate change killing the haiku?
2 Mar 2023
Even amid relentless modernisation and urbannisation, Japan offers many daily moments that remind us of the seasons. Pop songs celebrate love and, with the advent of spring, sakura (cherry blossoms); restaurants advertise seasonal delicacies, and formal letters open with references to the golden beauty of trees under the autumn sun or snow flurrying in the winter air.
Japan researchers working to reduce climate impact of cow burps
27 Feb 2023
The project led by Yasuo Kobayashi, a specially appointed professor in the Graduate School of Agriculture at Hokkaido University, aims to reduce cows' methane emissions by 80 percent by 2050.
The right way to repair a mountain
15 Feb 2023
A locally driven push to restore a Himalayan paradise preserved an economy, a community and an ecosystem all at once.
How India is battling deadly rain storms as climate change bites
9 Feb 2023
The rains did not let up all summer in 2018. By 14 August, most reservoirs had filled up and the people had grown weary of the monsoon.
Indonesia turns focus to floating solar with new 100MW tender
2 Feb 2023
Indonesian power company PLN Nusantara Power has launched a tender to develop a 100MW floating solar project in central East Java.
Architects design flood-resilient U-House near Japanese lake
31 Jan 2023
Japanese studio Ushijima Architects has completed a small wood-clad house in Shiga Prefecture, with living spaces raised on a concrete base to help mitigate the risk of flooding.
From China to Japan, extreme cold is gripping East Asia. Experts say it’s the ‘new norm’
26 Jan 2023
Tens of millions of people across East Asia braved a severe cold snap Wednesday as subzero temperatures and heavy snow brought travel chaos during the Lunar New Year holiday, with climate experts warning that such extreme weather events had become the “new norm.”
Pakistan’s climate migrants face tough odds
22 Dec 2022
When floodwaters submerged their farm in 2011, Kashif Abro and his family sought refuge in Karachi, Pakistan’s largest city, around 250 miles away.
Indonesia’s renewed climate targets still critically insufficient: research group
21 Dec 2022
Indonesia’s climate targets are “critically insufficient,” a global climate research consortium has said, despite the country’s renewed emission target.
Climate action delivers air quality & health gains in India
20 Dec 2022
New research shows how city actions to address climate change in India can deliver health benefits from cleaner air.
Facing headwinds at home, Europe and Japan are pushing waste-to-energy technology across South East Asia
20 Dec 2022
For decades, waste-to-energy has been a key waste management tool in developed countries. Now, they are looking to developing markets. There are dozens of waste-to-energy incineration plants planned or under construction across South East Asia using Japanese and European technology and framed as clean or renewable.
Tokyo's solar panel mandate a major shift in a country where fossil fuels reign
19 Dec 2022
Chisan chishō — meaning locally grown, locally consumed — is a phrase traditionally associated with agricultural products. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government, however, is now trying to do the same for the city’s energy sources.
How Bhutan could provide the blueprint for climate-smart forest economies
16 Dec 2022
Sandwiched between Tibet and India in Southern Asia, the Kingdom of Bhutan is a rapidly developing country with a fast-growing population that is creating an increasing demand for urban housing.
EV charging facility owners in Hong Kong can soon make money by selling carbon credits
13 Dec 2022
Hong Kong owners of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure will soon be able to earn revenue by selling carbon credits generated by their facilities through the city’s bourse, according to a local provider of charging equipment and software.
Developed countries not sincere about climate justice, says India's foreign minister
13 Dec 2022
Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has criticised developed countries for backtracking on promises to help nations vulnerable to the effects of climate change.
Egypt’s Great Pyramids and the Sphinx could be lost to climate change: experts
8 Dec 2022
Egypt’s world-famous antiquities, including the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids of Giza, could be lost to climate change by the end of the century, experts warn.
Indian Railways aims to achieve net zero carbon cmission By 2030
8 Dec 2022
Indian Railways (IR) on Wednesday said it has envisioned to achieve net zero carbon emission by 2030.
Indonesia to build coal plants despite $20b deal on clean energy transition
5 Dec 2022
Indonesia will continue building new coal-fired power plants, despite a recent $20 billion deal with the G7 group of industrialized countries to help it transition to clean energy.
China petrochemicals sector likely to miss 2030 peak carbon target
29 Nov 2022
China’s petrochemical sector may reach peak carbon emissions only by 2035 – five years later than the national target – a Peking University report has found.
Decarbonising real estate: How to price the net zero transition to avoid a 'carbon bubble'
29 Nov 2022
Real estate is the largest asset class in the world and it’s also one of the most significant contributors to global carbon emissions.
Sri Lanka university aims to be the country’s first to go carbon neutral
28 Nov 2022
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura (USJ) in Sri Lanka has assessed its carbon footprint under ISO standards and has now become the country’s first university to be carbon audited.
The World Cup in Qatar is a climate catastrophe
24 Nov 2022
When the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the world’s governing body for soccer, proclaimed that the 2022 World Cup in Qatar would be “a fully carbon-neutral event,” the collective chortle that emerged from environmentalists could have powered a wind farm.
How Japan is preparing for the global energy crisis
23 Nov 2022
The global energy crisis impacts everything from our daily lives to corporate activities. In Japan, there are growing fears that the supply and demand of electricity will be strained this winter.
How herbivores can help tackle climate change
22 Nov 2022
Large grass-eating mammals such as yak and ibex play a crucial role in stabilising the pool of soil carbon in grazing ecosystems that are a big part of the Earth’s land surface, new research shows.
Indonesia forest loss released carbon equal to Ukraine fossil-fuel use in 2021
21 Nov 2022
Destruction of forests in Indonesia released more greenhouse gases than Ukraine’s consumption of fossil fuels last year, even after taking into account newly sequestered carbon in the Southeast Asian nation’s trees, according to data non-profit CTrees released at the COP27 summit in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Who will pay for Indonesia's clean energy bill?
16 Nov 2022
Celukan Bawang power station is one of a growing network of coal-fired power plants in Indonesia that are now the subject of complex negotiations to reduce the country's emissions.
Japan’s changing nuclear energy policy
15 Nov 2022
On August 24, 2022, at the newly established GX (Green Transformation) Implementation Council chaired by Prime Minister Kishida Fumio, the Japanese government announced a new nuclear energy policy.
Farmers in India are fighting climate change and desertification using nature
14 Nov 2022
A handful of dirt filled with earthworms might not seem like much, but it's the result of seven years of work.
In Mongolia, a quest to democratise carbon credits
11 Nov 2022
For several years, The Asia Foundation’s Mongolia office in Ulaanbaatar has been working to reduce their carbon footprint.
Japan delays carbon tax reform to curb living costs
9 Nov 2022
Japan is delaying plans to revise how it taxes carbon, the Nikkei newspaper reported, potentially slowing efforts to wean itself off fossil fuels.
Indonesia weighs blockchain-powered carbon trading scheme
2 Nov 2022
Indonesia wants to direct the blockchain craze toward greener use. The Indonesia Stock Exchange (IDX) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Metaverse Green Exchange (MVGX), a Singaporean startup that specializes in digital exchange technology.
Singapore explores hybrid wind, solar, tidal, & wave energy system
31 Oct 2022
Singapore has lots of inhabitants but not a lot of available land for solar panels and wind turbines. It does have a lot of open ocean to the south in the Singapore Strait, however. What it wants is renewable energy to power its economy that is reliable, consistent, and dependable.
What Bangladesh can teach the World about talking about climate change
27 Oct 2022
All lights are out here in my home city of Dhaka as I write these words. Cyclone Sitrang has knocked out the electricity in Bangladesh’s capital, plunging this city of 22 million people into darkness.
India gets ready to launch a national carbon market
20 Oct 2022
The Indian government has green-lighted the creation of a national carbon market that will be key to decarbonising heavy industry and helping shape international carbon trading.
Pakistan suffered climate-induced losses worth $29bn in past three decades: World Bank
17 Oct 2022
Climate-related disasters in Pakistan have resulted in economic losses of $29 billion over the past thirty years, according to a report by the World Bank.
Gujarat: Modhera to be declared first solar-powered village by PM
10 Oct 2022
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will declare Modhera in Mehsana as the country’s first round-the-clock solar-powered village on October 9 during his three-day visit to Gujarat, stated an official release.
Forget net zero. We need ‘real zero’ – and these companies prove it’s profitable
Fri 15 Aug 2025
OPINION: Three huge global companies – IKEA, Lendlease and Fortescue Mining – are heading towards real zero. If they can do it, so can everyone.
As Canada wildfires choke US with smoke, Republicans demand action. But not on climate change
Mon 18 Aug 2025
The sternly worded statements and letters are filled with indignation and outrage: Republican U.S. lawmakers say Canada has done too little to contain wildfires and smoke that have fouled the air in several states this summer.
Why China is still building new coal – and when it might stop
Thu 14 Aug 2025
Last year, China started construction on an estimated 95 gigawatts (GW) of new coal power capacity, enough to power the entire UK twice over.
Can the EU be a climate leader and boost its economic competitiveness?
Mon 18 Aug 2025
A recent proposal by the European Commission to set an emission reduction target of 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 level is being criticised by European lawmakers, member states and environmentalists alike.
Climate scientists criticise Ireland over new ‘temperature neutrality’ proposal
Wed 13 Aug 2025
Climate scientists have criticised Ireland over proposed measures that would weaken the country’s commitments to reducing methane emissions.
Challenges persist in bid to mine the deep sea, even after boost from Trump
29 Jul 2025
After years of delay, the deep-sea mining plans of Canadian firm The Metals Company (TMC) now appear to be progressing as it pursues a controversial new path to securing a license to mine in international waters under U.S. jurisdiction.
Rise in dengue fever outbreaks across the Pacific driven by the climate crisis, experts say
Wed 13 Aug 2025
Samoa, Fiji and Tonga among the worst affected amid warning the disease and others will become ‘more common and more serious’ as the planet warms.
Smoke from boreal wildfires could cool the Arctic
Mon 18 Aug 2025
But the damage such blazes cause outweighs their benefits
African $60 billion high-speed rail project takes shape
Fri 15 Aug 2025
One of the largest infrastructure projects in Africa has received a new update that could see construction begin soon.
Brazil's Lula vetoes parts of environment bill pushed by the opposition that could harm the Amazon
Wed 13 Aug 2025
Brazil’s president has vetoed parts of a controversial congressional bill that sought to loosen the country’s environmental licensing rules.
How could the UN climate talks be reformed?
Wed 13 Aug 2025
This year marks a decade since nations successfully negotiated the Paris Agreement, a landmark treaty that has been the guiding force for international climate politics ever since.
