Search - environment

 
 
South Korean writer Eun Seo-ran
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Oct 6, 2023

Adopt a friend: South Korean writer's unusual route to family

Single-person households now account for 41% of all households, official figures show — with that set to grow in coming decades.
A lithium mine near Itinga, Minas Gerais state, Brazil
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 6, 2023

We’re not even close to running out of green minerals

Rising reserves challenge fears of mineral shortages in green transition.
A Jera thermal power plant
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 6, 2023

Japan climate group calls for ban on top power firm's emission claims

The group says the ads may mislead consumers as Jera fails to mention that the ammonia the utility plans to use would emit CO2 during production.
The Nakamise shopping street running up to Senso-ji temple in Tokyo's Asakusa area was crowded with tourists this past summer.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 6, 2023

A year after borders fully opened, tourism vocab is also back

After tourists fully returned to Japan last October, so did a term we hadn't heard since before the pandemic: overtourism.
U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping meet on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Nusa Dua, Indonesia, last November.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 7, 2023

Biden says meeting with Xi in November is a 'possibility'

Washington and Beijing are edging closer to setting up a Biden-Xi meeting on the sidelines of the APEC summit in San Francisco from Nov. 16-17.
Pump jacks in an oil field in Midland, Texas. Big Oil is responsible for the bulk of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and pressure for action is building.
BUSINESS
Oct 7, 2023

Exxon Mobil's megadeal to test climate-aware shareholders

Negotiations between Exxon and Pioneer are advanced but have not yet led to an agreement over the acquisition.
A man carrying shovels walks along an area affected by a flood near the bank of the Teesta River in Singtam, Sikkim, India, on Thursday.
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 7, 2023

A calamitous flood shows the dangers lurking in melting glaciers

At least 26 people were killed in the tiny state of Sikkim. But as much as the disaster was a shock, it was hardly a surprise.
Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Yasutoshi Nishimura (second from right) meets with Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell (left), Resources Minister Madeleine King (second from left), and Climate and Energy Minister Chris Bowen in Melbourne on Sunday.
BUSINESS
Oct 8, 2023

Australia vows stable energy exports to Japan amid emissions cut

Australia has worked to strengthen its policies to tackle climate change, including mandating emissions cuts of 43% from 2005 levels by 2030.
Peak of fossil fuel consumption may be approaching, but the post-peak period may not lead to a rapid decline, which could impact global efforts to combat climate change.
COMMENTARY
Oct 8, 2023

With fossil fuels, ‘peak demand’ isn’t what it sounds like

Peak fossil-fuel consumption will be a cause for celebration. But we should remain skeptical it’s as near as the IEA has said, especially for gas.
Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman
WORLD
Oct 8, 2023

Saudi Arabia seeks to study small nuclear reactor technology

The kingdom is "a late-comer” to nuclear power and aims to study all types and applications of atomic generation, the Saudi energy minister said.
Bank of Japan Gov. Kazuo Ueda speaks during a news conference at the central bank's headquarters in Tokyo in September.
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 9, 2023

Wage hikes key for BOJ policy normalization

Wage growth trends during next year's spring labor-management negotiations will be closely watched for indicators.
A rocket launched from the Gaza Strip strikes an area near Sderot, southern Israel, on Monday.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics / ANALYSIS
Oct 10, 2023

Middle East crisis exposes limits of China's diplomatic ambitions

After the killings of more than 900 Israelis in coordinated assaults by the Islamic group Hamas, China's response was muted.
Trade minister Yasutoshi Nishimura speaks at a ceremony at the Tokyo Stock Exchange on Wednesday to launch a new platform for the trade of carbon credits.
BUSINESS
Oct 11, 2023

Carbon pricing platform kicks off at Tokyo Stock Exchange

More than 180 organizations, including oil firms and regional banks, have decided to participate in the platform.
European Union flags fly outside the European Commission headquarters in Brussels. European nations have been dealing with a range of geoeconomic changes.
COMMENTARY / World / Geoeconomic Briefing
Oct 12, 2023

European Union being shaken by geoeconomic changes

European countries previously did not see China as a security threat due to their geographical distance. That is starting to change.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attends a ministerial meeting on hay fever at the Prime Minister's Office on Wednesday.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 11, 2023

Japan to revitalize forestry industry to counter hay fever

“We will aim to resolve hay fever, which is a social issue, and revitalize local communities through the promotion of forestry,” Kishida said.
A view of the outside of the OSIRIS-REx sample collector, with sample material from the asteroid Bennu seen on the middle right at Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, in a recent undated photograph.
WORLD / Science & Health
Oct 12, 2023

NASA unveils newly returned carbon-rich asteroid sample

A small quantity of the material collected by the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft from the near-Earth asteroid Bennu was unveiled at NASA's Johnson Space Center.
Whether you see it as ceremonious or a “way” of living in the moment, the tea ceremony offers a chance to relax and think about the moment you are in.
LIFE / Language / BILINGUAL
Oct 13, 2023

The linguistic influence of tea in Japan is more than ceremonial

The way of tea is one of inner peace and enjoying the moment. And it's good for understanding idioms, too.
Pudong's Lujiazui Financial District in Shanghai in August
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 13, 2023

Most Japanese companies pessimistic on China’s economy

A quarter of firms said they wouldn’t invest in China this year, while another 22% said they would reduce the amount they invest, a report has shown.
Anand Malligavad, a mechanical engineer known as “Lake Man,” stands in the clean waters of Kyalasanahalli Lake in Bengaluru, India. Malligavad, who turned to centuries-old knowledge to reclaim dozens of lakes, is now in demand across India.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Oct 13, 2023

India’s ‘lake man’ relies on ancient methods to ease water crisis

In the seven years, 35 lakes in Bengaluru with a combined water-holding capacity of about 106 million gallons have been restored.
Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa meets with her Thai counterpart, Parnpree Bahiddha-nukara, in Bangkok on Thursday.
BUSINESS
Oct 13, 2023

Japan and Thailand to cooperate to improve investment climate

Thailand's foreign minister reportedly said that he hopes his country can cooperate with Japan in new areas, including digital transformation.
Climate activists protest demanding that the World Bank stop fossil fuel financing on the first day of the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday
ENVIRONMENT / Energy / ANALYSIS
Oct 13, 2023

Why money matters when taking climate change to court

More litigation funding for climate lawsuits could mean more cases.
Asuka (left) and Mai Hatta. Their business, Hasora, near New Delhi, as partnered up with local organic vegetable farmers to sell fresh produce.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 24, 2023

Japanese sisters bring organic produce to residents in India

Mai and Asuka Hatta launched their firm after hearing from Japanese residents in India that they had difficulty obtaining fresh and safe vegetables.
A man pours water atop his head outside the Emergency Aid Coalition during a heat wave in Houston in August.
WORLD / Science & Health
Oct 14, 2023

2023 virtually certain to be warmest year on record, U.S. says

"There is a greater than 99% probability that 2023 will rank as the warmest year on record," the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said.
Hiruzen Kougei employee Moeko Hirao, craft brewer “Sugichan” and furry friend Tsubu help out with the tomato harvest at 6:37 a.m.
LIFE / Travel / Longform
Oct 16, 2023

The farmer's intern: A month in the Japanese countryside

Escaping the chaos of Tokyo for a month, our writer heads to rural Okayama Prefecture and discovers the delights of natural farming.
A Japanese research team has identified three genetically distinct populations of the Japanese honeybee.
JAPAN / Science & Health
Oct 16, 2023

Three genetically distinct groups found for Japanese honeybee

Temperature rises caused by global warming could lead to a decline in the species.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks at a government meeting to discuss measures against sexual abuse against children, on Monday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 16, 2023

Kishida seeks steps to protect children from sexual abuse

"The environment surrounding the safety and security of children has been threatened. The government needs to act quickly," the prime minister said.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida fist bumps voters in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, on Sunday.
JAPAN / Politics
Oct 16, 2023

Kishida’s popularity in free fall ahead of key political events

The government’s popularity hit a record low in four public opinion surveys over the weekend, just as the political calendar looks set to heat up.
Marshall Islands President David Kabua addresses the 78th Session of the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 20.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 17, 2023

U.S. finalizes 20-year extension of Marshall Islands ties

Washington is set to provide the Marshall Islands with $2.3 billion over the next 20 years.
Visitors walk down the main shopping street of Nanjing East Road, one of Shanghai's main commercial and tourist areas, on Sept. 30.
BUSINESS / Economy
Oct 17, 2023

China data likely to show fragile economy in need of support

Data due Wednesday will likely show gross domestic product expanded 4.5% in the July-to-September period from a year earlier.
Chinese civil servants and employees of state-linked enterprises are facing tighter constraints on private travel abroad and scrutiny of their foreign connections.
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Oct 17, 2023

China tightens curbs on foreign travel by bankers and state workers

Individuals' accounts varied but were consistent in describing heightened scrutiny of overseas travel even after China reopened borders in January.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?