Asia
Governments sworn to secrecy on ‘$20bn’ for Indonesia’s energy transition
They won’t reveal who is paying what or how it will be spent and one bank said their $1bn contribution is just something they’re “willing to consider”
Japan’s ‘green transformation’ would derail the energy transition in Asia
Japan plans to prolong fossil fuels across Southeast Asia, by promoting carbon capture, gas and the co-firing of ammonia at coal power plants.
UN budget cuts hindered response to Pakistan’s extreme floods
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs had only seven staff in Islamabad to assess the needs, down from 35 five years earlier
China warns of more floods and heatwaves in 2023
Last year was marked by a record-breaking heatwave and China’s weather agency has warned of more this year, as the climate crisis escalates
Taiwan’s failure to clean up industry endangers its net zero pledge
Comment: Taiwan’s industry is responsible for more than half of its emissions but the government’s new climate policies have no specific plan to tackle them.
Azerbaijan weaponises conservation law in conflict with Armenia
Azerbaijan accuses Armenia of deforesting the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region, but satellite data tells a different story
World Bank adaptation funds slept through Pakistan’s record flooding
A $100 million project was meant to protect Karachi slumdwellers from flooding, but instead made many homeless before work stalled
Donors pledge over $8bn to rebuild Pakistan after floods – official
At a Geneva summit, multilateral development banks committed the vast majority of funds, with smaller contributions from governments
Rich nations, banks pledge $20bn for Indonesia’s coal-to-clean switch
The US and Japan led on mobilising finance to retire Indonesian coal plants and scale up renewables, in a deal announced in Bali
Climate fund approves plan to speed up coal retirement in Indonesia
The Climate Investment Funds aims to mobilise $4 billion from public and private sources to start decarbonising Indonesia’s power sector
Funds for Pakistan flood relief come too little, too late
Nearly two months on from devastating floods, only $51 million of aid has been delivered, forcing humanitarian groups to make tough decisions
Pakistani prime minister promises compensation to flood victims
The government will offer financial aid to those who lost homes and crops in Pakistan’s worst-ever floods, Shahbaz Sharif said
G20 Bali meeting highlights Indonesia’s weak climate action
Campaigners are mounting a challenge against the government, arguing that insufficient climate action infringes on their human rights
Pakistan floods must be a wake up call on climate action
The colossal disaster shows why rich countries must deliver on finance for loss and damage at Cop27 international climate talks
Sri Lanka food crisis has its roots in the globalisation of the 1970s
The Rajapaksa regime deserved to be banished, but today’s hunger stems from decades of choosing global markets over self-sufficiency
UN seeks $160 million in emergency aid for Pakistan floods
One in seven Pakistanis have been affected by severe flooding after the heaviest rains in three decades swept away poorly protected housing and infrastructure
Pakistan struggles to rebuild after deadly flash floods
At least 550 people died as the wettest month in three decades washed away mud houses in rural Balochistan – and international aid is not forthcoming
US-China climate working group cancelled after Pelosi’s Taiwan visit
Talks on topics like methane cuts, forests, clean power and action in cities have been cancelled after a diplomatic spat over Taiwan
Sri Lanka can’t afford fossil fuels but can’t afford to get off them either
Reliance on imported fossil fuels has helped bankrupt Sri Lanka and now it doesn’t have the money to transition to renewables
Indonesia is learning lessons from South Africa’s tough energy transition deal talks
Talks between donor countries and South Africa on a coal-to-renewables finance deal have been slow and difficult. Indonesia wants to do things differently