International: Asia
South Korea aims to cut carbon emissions by 40% in 2030
19 Oct 2021
South Korea set a new goal on Monday for fighting climate change over the next decade, saying it will aim to cut its greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 2018 levels by 2030.
Indian teen inventor's solar-powered ironing cart
15 Oct 2021
Ironing vendors are common across India. The irons are heated using charcoal, a fuel that contributes to air pollution. But Vinisha Umashankar, a 14-year-old girl from Tamil Nadu, has found a clean solution.
Japan eyes international carbon offsets to deliver 2030 emission cuts
14 Oct 2021
The Japanese government will use international offsets as part of a plan to cut emissions 46% between 2013 and 2030, it said in a document to the UN.
1 degree rise in temperature may shrink India’s GDP by 3%
8 Oct 2021
India’s gross domestic product (GDP) could shrink by three per cent a year if climate change leads to rise in temperature by one degree Celsius, a new study has found.
Climate change is threatening Komodo dragons
6 Sep 2021
Scaly and with forked tongues, Komodo dragons are the largest lizards to still walk the Earth. But their days here may be numbered because of climate change a new report claims.
Solar ‘boom’ times as Lebanon’s fossil fuels run dry
3 Sep 2021
With electricity becoming a scarce commodity, thousands of well-off Lebanese are rushing to alternative energy.
Singapore exchange to tighten climate rules
31 Aug 2021
The Singapore Exchange will ask all companies listed on its exchange to disclose climate-related information or explain why they cannot do so.
Climate change will lead to changes in crop diseases
24 Aug 2021
A new study that looked at climate change models has predicted that with rising temperatures, the burden of crop diseases will increase in some parts of the world and fall in others.
Steelmaker ArcelorMittal's $10 billion climate plan
17 Aug 2021
Steelmaking giant ArcelorMittal has announced plans to cut its carbon intensity by a quarter by 2030 from 2018 levels, backed by $10 billion investment over the next decade to help support its transition away from fossil fuels towards greener manufacturing technologies and clean energy sources.
Indonesia urged to ban new oil palm plantations forever
12 Aug 2021
Indonesia should make permanent its temporary ban on new permits for oil palm plantations to advance progress on tackling deforestation and meet its climate goals, environmentalists say.
The IPCC environmental warning India cannot ignore
11 Aug 2021
If the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was just about rushing countries to cut their carbon emissions to avoid a climate catastrophe, India could perhaps afford to look the other way.
South Korea sets 3 options for carbon reduction
6 Aug 2021
The Korean Presidential Committee on Carbon Neutrality yesterday unveiled three options for reducing carbon emissions by 2050, but only one of them achieves carbon neutrality.
Israel announces carbon tax
4 Aug 2021
Israel has announced it will introduce a carbon tax from 2023, with the tax initially applying to just coal, liquified petroleum gas, fuel oil, petcoke and gas.
China and India miss UN deadline to update targets
2 Aug 2021
China and India, among the world's worst offenders for emissions, have failed to submit updated target proposals to curb the release of carbon dioxide.
Climate change threatens pomegranates in their land of origin
28 Jul 2021
Climate change is threatening to end Afghanistan's 'historical cradle' of world pomegranate production.
India urges rich countries to slash per capita emissions
26 Jul 2021
India has urged the G20 countries to bring down per capita emissions to the global average by 2030 in view of the “fast-depleting available carbon space”.
Bangladesh ditches coal-fired power plant plans
2 Jul 2021
Bangladesh has cancelled plans to build 10 coal-fired power plants, a government official said on Monday, amid rising costs for the fuel and increasing calls from activists to base more of the nation's power on renewable energy.
5000 burgers a day produced at world's first cultured-meat plant
28 Jun 2021
The world’s first industrial cultured meat facility has opened in the city of Rehovot, Israel.
US cuts Cambodian aid over climate concerns
18 Jun 2021
The United States is ending a Cambodian aid programme aimed at protecting one of its biggest wildlife sanctuaries, citing worsening deforestation and harassment of those who speak out about destruction of natural resources.
Singapore launches new carbon marketplace for nature conservancy projects
17 Jun 2021
Singapore is launching a carbon trading marketplace focused on nature conservancy projects, a move that could protect at-risk tropical forests in the region while unlocking a ready source of carbon credits for businesses.
'No time to waste' warns Japan climate activist
17 Jun 2021
Kimiko Hirata has spent nearly half her life fighting to wean Japan off its dependence on coal, and now isn't the time to slow down, the award-winning activist warns.
Switzerland to offset in Thailand
16 Jun 2021
Switzerland has agreed in principle to offset part of its carbon emissions reduction target by supporting green projects in Thailand.
Kyrgyzstan aims to increase meat production and cut emissions
15 Jun 2021
Kyrgyzstan has plans to increase meat production by 4 per cent while cutting GHG emissions by 17 per cent.
Traditional Indian housing well suited to climate change
14 Jun 2021
Traditional Indian housing is more suitable to climate change than its modern replacements, a new study has found.
Climate change could cost India 10% of GDP by century's end
10 Jun 2021
India may lose anywhere around 3 to 10 per cent of its GDP annually by 2100 and its poverty rate may rise by 3.5 per cent in 2040 due to climate change, according to a new report.
Carbon tax planned for Indonesia
9 Jun 2021
The Indonesian government is working on amending the country's tax law, which will include a new carbon tax scheme aimed at increasing state revenue from several industries.
Climate change contributes to food wastage
3 Jun 2021
Climate Change is contributing to the five to six per cent of food wasted in New Zealand and Australia and the 20 to 21 per cent wasted in central and southern Asia, according to the Food and Agricultural Organisation.
Melting Himalayas point to problems worldwide
3 Jun 2021
In April, mountaineers began tackling Everest for the first time since the pandemic began, but climate change in the Himalayas and other mountain ranges around the globe is making climbing more dangerous.
Seoul climate summit kicks off with call for cleaner planet
31 May 2021
A virtual climate summit got underway in South Korea on Sunday with pledges to play a bigger role in the drive towards a greener global economy.
Singapore to launch global carbon exchange
24 May 2021
A new Singapore-based global exchange for high-quality carbon credits will be launched by the end of the year.
Indonesian president slammed for ‘wait-and-see’ approach on climate
21 May 2021
Experts have criticized Indonesian President Joko Widodo for not announcing a more ambitious climate target at last month’s leaders’ summit.
Asia’s cities are worst hit in warming world
18 May 2021
Climate change, water shortage and pollution are worst for Asia’s cities, researchers say. The rest of us have a lucky escape.
Funeral smoke adds to South Asia’s woes
11 May 2021
With the sub-continent battling a vicious Covid onslaught, the worst fires in years are adding to South Asia’s woes.
Shareholders chide Toyota president over climate comments
11 May 2021
Some Toyota Motor shareholders have criticized its President Akio Toyoda for questioning Japan's plans to ban conventional cars only days after the firm said it was reviewing its climate lobbying and aimed for carbon neutrality by 205
NGOs call on Asian Development Bank to end fossil-fuel loans
3 May 2021
A group of non-governmental organisations called on the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on Monday to end loans to the fossil-fuels sector, as the international lender holds its annual meeting this week with a focus on a green economic recovery.
Japan's visionary climate target
3 May 2021
Japan has just raised its target for reducing carbon emissions from 26 percent to 46 percent (by 2030 from 2013 levels). But how was this figure arrived at, environment minister Shinjiro Koizumi was asked? Through a careful analysis of the threat and a realistic assessment of what could be achieved, taking all relevant factors into consideration? Well, er no, according to Koizumi, the number 46 just appeared to him in ‘silhouette’ in a sort of vision.
Monsoon changes set to cause havoc
20 Apr 2021
As the world warms, monsoon changes are set to cause havoc across a huge and densely populated swathe of the planet. The great South Asian summer monsoon will become both stronger and less reliable.
Indian government country's biggest investor in coal-fired generators
19 Apr 2021
Government support and public money investment into coal is the only factor keeping India away from shrinking its coal capacity. The latest data shows that private sector has taken a step back and almost all coal-fired power plants which are under construction belong to the public sector.
Asia pushes ahead on carbon markets
16 Apr 2021
Despite the economic challenges posed by Covid-19, the past year was marked by a growing number of pledges from Asian countries to reach carbon neutrality.
Japan and China back coal despite Paris pledges
22 Mar 2021
Japan and China remain among the world’s top coal industry lenders and underwriters, says a report, despite both countries declaring intent ions to go carbon-neutral as part of their commitments to climate target set out in the Paris Agreement.
Climate work suspended in wake of coup
9 Mar 2021
The United Nations has suspended climate projects that require working with Myanmar’s military government following the February 1 coup and other international donors may follow suit.
Climate legal cases on the rise in Asia
3 Mar 2021
Asian governments and industries have increasingly been facing legal action for climate change-related harms over the past two years, a report by a United States-headquartered law firm has revealed.
Japan's emissions at record low
9 Dec 2020
Japan's greenhouse gas emissions fell 2.7 per cent to a record low in the 2019 financial year that ended March 2020, government figures showed on Tuesday, thanks to growing use of renewable energy and lower energy consumption by manufacturers.
Petronas Asia's first oil company to set zero-emissions target
2 Nov 2020
Malaysian state-owned energy firm Petronas has declared that it will be carbon neutral by 2050
Philippines declares moratorium on new coal power plants
30 Oct 2020
The Philippines Government will no longer accept proposals to build new coal power plants, in a significant policy shift designed to boost the deployment of renewable energy.
South Korea joins Japan in making 2050 carbon-neutral pledge
29 Oct 2020
South Korea is the latest country to pledge to be carbon-neutral by 2050.
India's cities look to become climate-smarter
28 Oct 2020
India's southern city of Hyderabad is known as a high-tech hub - but its infrastructure is looking increasingly dated in an era of strengthening climate change impacts.
Japan to be carbon-neutral by 2050
27 Oct 2020
Japan’s prime minister, Yoshihide Suga, has said the country will become carbon neutral by 2050, heralding a bolder approach to tackling the climate emergency by the world’s third-biggest economy.
South Korea sets net-zero goal
1 Oct 2020
South Korea has declared a climate crisis, and established a non-binding goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, making it the second East Asian nation this week to set a tougher climate target.
Young activists go to court over climate change
7 Sep 2020
Six young Portuguese activists are taking a European human rights case against 33 countries in the latest legal effort to force governments to step up their fight against climate change.
“Dirty and expensive:” City of Sydney bans gas as it votes to electrify all new big buildings
Thu 6 Nov 2025
The City of Sydney has followed the example of the ACT and Victoria governments and voted unanimously to require all newly built residential buildings, medium to large commercial buildings, hotels, and serviced apartment buildings, to be all-electric.
New York climate advocates celebrate Mamdani’s victory, prepare to hold him accountable
Fri 7 Nov 2025
For the first time in years, New York’s environmental justice advocates say they’ll be working with the city’s government – rather than against it.
Why climate change now threatens China’s future
Tue 4 Nov 2025
Extreme weather is hurting its economy and worrying its leaders.
EU ministers agree to 90% emissions reduction target
Fri 7 Nov 2025
European environment ministers have reached an agreement on a contentious plan to cut the bloc's greenhouse gas emissions but with caveats.
How climate change worsens heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and floods
Thu 6 Nov 2025
Many extreme weather events are becoming more common and more intense around the world, fuelled by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels.
Canada could eliminate oil and gas emissions cap, budget plan says
Thu 6 Nov 2025
Canada could scrap a cap on oil and gas emissions in favor of other measures like strengthened industrial carbon pricing and the deployment of carbon capture and storage technology, the government said in a budget plan unveiled on Tuesday.
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
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.
Brazil’s Lula puts forward new vision for protecting the Amazon rainforest
Fri 7 Nov 2025
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva put forward his vision for how the Amazon rainforest should be protected, a future that didn’t depend on donations from wealthy nations and large philanthropies but instead included a major fund that paid countries to keep forests standing.
UN chief scolds nations for failing climate goals ahead of COP30 summit
Fri 7 Nov 2025
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres tore into nations for their failure to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as Brazil hosted world leaders for a summit ahead of the COP30 climate conference in the rainforest city of Belem.
