Tag: Environment
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Southeast Asia haze returns as peatland fires fan global warming fears
In this photo taken on Oct. 10, 2023, a man looks at a forest fire as it approaches houses in Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra in Indonesia. Al Zulkifli | AFP | Getty Images With El Nino in full force, officials are bracing for the worst transboundary haze in southern Southeast Asia since before the pandemic…
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Global rice markets are in crisis amid ‘artificial’ shortage
Rice is a crucial staple for over half the global population and the world is bracing for its most significant shortage in 20 years. India’s export ban on rice is reverberating through global rice markets, threatening food security if developing nations cannot afford or access rice. “The only shortage out there right now would really…
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Southeast Asia looks to renewable power for energy security
The floating solar photovoltaic power plant by EDPR Sunseap Group, a unit of Energias de Portugal SA, in Woodlands, in Singapore, on Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022. Bryan van der Beek | Bloomberg | Getty Images Southeast Asia is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing economies. As energy demand grows, the region is turning to…
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Cocoa farmers face mounting challenges as El Nino rages on
A woman spreads cocoa beans during the sun-drying process in the backyard of her house in Asikasu, Ghana on December 19, 2020. Cristina Aldehuela | Afp | Getty Images El Nino is here to stay — and that’s bad news for cocoa crops which are highly sensitive to weather changes. Frequent extreme weather events caused…
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Indonesia’s China-backed high-speed train sparks concerns of debt trap
Indonesia is starting trial runs for its first high-speed train, which will connect the capital Jakarta to a neighboring city of Bandung, after years of delays and cost overruns plagued the project. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images A $7.3 billion high-speed electric rail line between Indonesia’s two biggest cities is set to be launched…
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Asia food inflation fears rise as rice prices surge
An undated stock photo of a market stall with piles of many varieties of Vietnamese rice in Ho Chi Minh city grocery. Vietnam is one of the largest exporters of quality rice, Asia’s most important staple food. Bicho_raro | Istock | Getty Images A perfect storm may be brewing in Asia. Rice prices surged to…
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Australia and Indonesia signed a ‘win-win’ EV battery deal: Analyst
Mining giants Australia and Indonesia have signed a “win-win” EV battery deal, said Sabrin Chowdhury, head of commodities analysis at BMI, a research unit of Fitch Solutions. Indonesian President Joko Widodo met his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Tuesday during a three-day state visit to Australia. In addition to their commitment to regional peace and…
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Japan signed a critical minerals deal with the U.S. — but it’s still losing the global EV race
Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno speaks at a news conference in Tokyo, on Oct. 13, 2022. Sony and Honda’s joint mobility venture unveiled a new EV prototype in January. Kiyoshi Ota | Bloomberg | Getty Images Japan is gearing up to be a larger player in the EV space by signing a critical minerals…
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El Nino weather impact to hurt Vietnam, Indonesia, Brazil coffee supply
A cup of Espresso coffee in Cascais, Portugal on October 11, 2021. Nikolas Kokovlis | Nurphoto | Getty Images Extreme weather conditions brought on by an approaching El Nino are fueling concerns that robusta beans in major coffee producers like Vietnam and Indonesia could be hit, resulting in soaring prices. “The now widely-expected transition to…
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Electric car sales surged by 55% in 2022 to hit over 10 million: IEA
Electric vehicles from Tesla photographed in China. The world’s second largest economy is a major player when it comes to the sale of electric vehicles. Vcg | Visual China Group | Getty Images Electric car sales jumped to more than 10 million last year, with China accounting for roughly 60% of the market, according to…