The conversations rumbling around Australia about nuclear power are a small victory for pro-nuclear advocacy. Long dormant, the nuclear debate, has recently reinvented itself for a new era. This time, it is to fix climate change. The win is only “small” because Australia is a long way from building and operating a nuclear power facility. … Read more
Amid escalating climate concerns and pressing environmental challenges, South Asia stands at a critical juncture. Recent initiatives, such as commitments forged at COP28 and ongoing efforts to combat air pollution, underscore the region’s steadfast commitment to steering toward a sustainable future. Internationally, endeavors persist to ensure coherence between last year’s COP28, this year’s COP29 in … Read more
China has long held a key position in the global electronics supply chain, from manufacturing of iPhones to home appliances. However, in recent years, some electronics manufacturers have diversified the geographic distribution of their production capacity in response to rising costs and geopolitical uncertainty, a trend that was accelerated by COVID-related supply chain disruptions. The … Read more
A group of mostly tribal protesters in Leh, the capital of Ladakh and one of India’s highest towns at an altitude of 3,500 meters, are braving sub-zero temperatures for a month to draw the government’s attention to two issues that have the potential to upset Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s electoral campaign — national security and promise fulfillment. Campaigning … Read more
Taiwan’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century rocked the island during the morning rush hour on Wednesday, damaging buildings and causing the deaths of four people. Taiwan’s national fire agency said four people died in Hualien County. Hualien was the epicenter of the quake that struck around 8 a.m. Wednesday. The local United Daily News … Read more
The electric vehicle transition is well underway in China: Last year, roughly one-third of all new cars sold in the country were electric. One EV company predicts the share will pass 50 percent by June 2024. More broadly, around half of China’s total installed electricity generation capacity comes from non-fossil fuel sources, including hydro, solar, … Read more
Malaysia and Singapore have been locked in a culinary showdown over nasi lemak, each claiming their version reigns supreme. But beneath this entertaining gastronomic rivalry a bigger battle rumbles away: one over water. Singapore’s water scarcity issues force it to rely on imported water for a large part of its day-to-day supply. Singapore’s water agreements … Read more
The battle lines have been drawn over Australia’s energy future. With the nation committed to net zero emissions by 2050, the Albanese Labor government is committed to renewables. The Coalition wants nuclear. Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s vision for meeting Australia’s energy needs would include large-scale nuclear power plants and small modular reactors, a technology that … Read more
Thailand’s Chiang Mai now has airborne pollutants that are 20 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) standard. Last week, Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin declined to designate the northern city as a disaster area in order to protect the country’s tourism sector. In an announcement on X (formerly Twitter), Srettha expressed worries that … Read more
Sixteen major rivers originate in China that supply fresh water to nearly 3 billion people in 14 Asian countries – more than a third of the world’s population. As “Asia’s water tower,” China has often been depicted as the upstream bully when it comes to water politics – taking what it needs for itself with … Read more