.png)
Compiled by Purnima Joshi
Climate change has been causing more erratic monsoons, and increasingly warmer and unbearable summers. Health too is severely compromised by climate change, with infectious diseases on the rise due to hotter and longer summers in Bangladesh, says a World Bank report. CSO leaders at a conference in Asia have called for a 'just and equitable transition' from fossil fuels to renewable energy as part of the Covid-19 recovery. With the IPCC Assessment Report 6 confirming the undeniable correlation between climate change and human activity, the region has also begun taking climate change more seriously, with Japan pushing for green initiatives as its energy security is dependent on countries across Asia. Banks have been also feeling the pressure to speed up green funding, and ADB to take up a stronger leadership role on climate action. All this and more, in this issue of the Asia Pacific Climate Digest.
Happy Reading!
BANGLADESH
Bangladesh Really Is a Climate Success Story
The Atlantic, 9 Oct 2021
Fifty years ago, Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan amid devastating climate disaster. The year before, in 1970, the Bhola cyclone had killed up to half a million people.
Energy sustainability: Bangladesh 3rd worst in Asia
tbsnews.com, 9 Oct 2021
Bangladesh has ranked in the third-worst position among 23 Asian countries in terms of energy sustainability, with only its South Asian neighbours Pakistan and Nepal behind, said the World Energy Council, a United Nations-accredited body.
INDIA
Using ice to battle India’s heat – BBC News
The Global Herald, 10 Oct 2021
Heatwaves are becoming more common in India as the world warms.
BBC Life at 50C looks at extreme heat, around the world in this special series.
Climate Change Is Making India's Monsoon More Erratic
IndiaSpend, 11 Oct 2021
Marked by extreme localised rainfall events, an unusually dry August and an unusually wet September, the summer monsoon in 2021 kept India guessing, even on its way out. Expect more of the same in future, say climate change
assessments.
BANKING
Indian banks must speed up green funding to tackle climate change
The Policy Times, 9 Oct 2021
Indian banks and financial organizations, such as the State Bank of India (SBI), ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, the Trust Group, and HDFC, are among the world’s top financiers of fossil-fuel projects.
Banks in Asia Use Thales’ Banking Solutions to Reduce Carbon Footprints
Korea IT Times, 9 Oct 2021
From the Green Finance Industry Taskforce convened by the Monetary Authority of Singapore to the Green Finance Action Plan 2.0 in Taiwan, governments and regulatory authorities worldwide are addressing concerns over the impact of the
sector on the environment and economy.
ADB Asian Development Bank : Should Take Stronger Leadership Role for Effective Climate Action in Asia and Pacific Region — Independent Evaluation Report
Marketscreener.com, 10 Oct 2021
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) should take a stronger leadership role on climate action in Asia and the Pacific, a region which is both a high contributor to global greenhouse gas accumulation and a casualty of the impacts of climate change and weather-related calamities, says a report released by ADB's Independent Evaluation Department (IED).
CHINA
Climate change: Tracking China's steel addiction in one city
BBC News, 9 Oct 2021
Wuzhou, in southern China, is a living example of the country's dependence on its "build, build, build" mantra to boost development. It was one of many contributors to China's record output of a staggering one billion tonnes of steel last year.
How China stumbled into a giant energy shortage
The Straits Times, 11 Oct 2021
The perfect storm that created China's worst power crunch grew out of surging energy demand amid the post-pandemic recovery at the same time that coal supply plunged under the government's emission-reduction campaign.
WILDLIFE HABITAT
Indonesia's race to preserve habitat of Javan gibbon
Reuters, 7 Oct 2021
Indonesian officials and researchers are working to preserve a small pocket of forest on the heavily populated island of Java as the habitat of the Javan gibbon, which they say is endangered by climate change and human encroachment.
AIRLINES
Airlines in Malaysia and Asia Pacific target net zero carbon emissions by 2050
The Star, 11 Oct 2021
The Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) has committed to net zero carbon emissions by 2050, surpassing the existing industry commitment to halving carbon emissions within the same period.
CLEAN ENERGY
India's Reliance swoops on solar capacity as part of net zero goal
finance.yahoo.com, 10 Oct 2021
Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries Ltd on Sunday announced two deals to buy solar capacity, as the owner of the world's biggest refining complex seeks to become net carbon zero by 2035 and make India a hub for low-cost solar manufacture.
Japan to accelerate green initiatives while ensuring emerging Asia is not left behind
Straits Times, 12 Oct 2021
Japan's energy security is dependent on that of countries across Asia, and Tokyo hopes to play a leadership role in helping emerging nations in the region shun dirty coal and reduce their carbon emissions, Japan's outgoing industry minister told an environment conference here.
What Does Global Transition To Cleaner Energy Mean? Here's The Answer
NDTV, 11 Oct 2021
Renewables are now number two source of electricity in the world with a 26 percent share in 2019 -- behind coal, but ahead of natural gas and nuclear.
Britain launches bid for 26 Pakistani companies to pledge ‘Race to Zero’
Gulf News, 2 Oct 2021
The British High Commission has launched a bid to secure 26 companies to make ‘Race to Zero’ pledges by the upcoming COP 26 Climate Change Conference
CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
'Just transition' to renewable energy central to Covid-19 recovery in Asia
Eco-Business, 11 Oct 2021
A group of civil society leaders from the environmental and labor movements, climate and energy experts and policy leaders, called for a socially just and equitable energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy as part of the Covid-19 recovery at the first-ever Just Transition Forum in Asia (JTFA) on Thursday.
Climate Change Fallout: It’s causing infectious diseases more
The Daily Star, 8 Oct 2021
Distinct weather variations like hotter and longer summers, warmer winters and extended monsoon are leading to an increase in infectious diseases in Bangladesh, reveals a World Bank report released yesterday.
ADDITIONAL READS
Who is Greta Thunberg and why she stands as a beacon of sustainability
Lifestyle Asia, 9 Oct 2021
CGM's Asia-Pacific Climate Digest is compiled by communications consultant Purnima Joshi.
With over two decades of experience in corporate communications, Purnima combines her skills in creative and communication along with her passion for working for the community. She has worked on a multitude of projects in waste management, circular economy, building active citizenship in the community, some of which have won awards.
These also include a project on building climate resilience for UNICEF as well as some award-winning projects. She has been associated with several NGOs in an advisory capacity for over 10 years.
Assuming that you are an understudy who is either intending to seek after or is now seeking after ITI courses iti result, you probably experienced one extremely irritating yet significant inquiry, i.e., 'What are the vocation possibilities later ITI?' Today, abilities of an expert matter as much as their scholarly degree.