Asia
Adaptation Fund head laments “puzzling” lack of pledges at COP29
Even as leaders highlight the urgency of protecting people from more extreme weather and rising seas, they have been reluctant to pay up at COP29 for the measures needed
Indian coal giants pushed for lax pollution rules while ramping up production
Even as India agreed to phase down coal power at UN climate talks, state-run firms were lobbying government to weaken pollution regulations and expand the sector
How can governments tackle loss and damage at the national level?
As host of the board of the new UN L&D fund, the Philippines can set an example with its pioneering climate accountability bill
Nepal says China withholds “essential” info on bursting Himalayan glacial lakes
Beijing has not kept promises to provide data on its lakes, hampering efforts to prevent flood disasters, a senior Nepali official says
IEA calls for next national climate plans to target coal phase-down
Countries have agreed to reduce power generated from coal, but shutting down plants is an economic and social challenge, especially in emerging economies
On beaches of Gaza and Tel Aviv, two tales of one heatwave
While Palestinians in Gaza fear death from heat in makeshift tents, Israelis in Tel Aviv stay cool in air-conditioned homes – highlighting the unequal effects of extreme weather
Despite exit, EU seeks to save green reforms to energy investment treaty
EU ministers have agreed they are free to support reforms to end protection for fossil fuels at a conference in November
Developing countries need support adapting to deadly heat
Many vulnerable people in South Asia are already struggling to protect themselves from unbearably high temperatures – which are set to worsen
Days after climate talks, US slaps tariffs on Chinese EVs and solar panels
The measures are designed to increase the cost of Chinese goods needed for the energy transition – and could therefore slow the US shift away from fossil fuels
As donors dither, Indigenous funds seek to decolonise green finance
Tired of waiting for donor dollars for climate and nature protection to trickle down, Indigenous rights groups are creating new funds to do things differently
Why didn’t China and India sign Cop28 tripling renewables pledge?
China and India are on track to triple renewable capacity this decade, but were put off by anti-coal language and cost concerns
Fearing repression in Dubai, non-binary people stay away from Cop28
Non-binary and trans people have been detained and deported at Dubai airport and being gay is effectively criminalised in the UAE
Slow start for Indonesia’s much-hyped carbon market
Since President Widodo launched Indonesia’s exchange two months ago, there’s been barely any trading of carbon credits
China sets out methane plan, but no reduction target
Experts said that China didn’t want to shut down coal mines and was likely under-counting its coal mine methane emissions
The US and China’s resurgent climate cooperation is a big deal
Even though we now have the Paris agreement, cooperation between the world’s two biggest emitters, US and China, is still crucial
Indonesia delays coal closure plans after finance row with rich nations
After its pleas for grants not loans fell mostly on deaf ears, Indonesia has watered down its plans to shut coal power plants early
Rich nations offer loans not grants for Vietnam’s coal transition
The G7 has offered to mobilise $15.5 billion to get Vietnam from coal to clean energy but just 2% of this is grants
ADB set to launch first coal early retirement scheme in Indonesia
A finance tool to shut down Asian coal plants up to a decade early will swing into action “soon”, says Asian Development Bank climate envoy
Vietnamese climate activist jailed in ‘unjust’ government crackdown
Five environmentalists have been jailed in the last two years, while the government works on a clean energy partnership with rich nations
Southeast Asia must not let Japan hijack its energy transition
Japan is trying to push fossil fuel-based technologies on the region like gas, fossil hydrogen, carbon capture and so-called clean coal