https://www.scmp.com/rss/27288/feed The Earth is warming at an alarming rate in recent years due to cumulative excessive heat-trapping emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane to the atmosphere. Agriculture and other human activities that require fossil fuels combustion since industrialisation started in the mid-1850s were the main drivers for the emissions. This has contributed to more frequent extreme weather events like rainstorms, heatwaves and hurricanes, posing major environmental and social damages... en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Clothes seller Lata Solanki used to face a devastating choice when India’s summer heat hit dangerous levels: risk her health going door-to-door for sales, or lose her income? But now the 42-year-old is part of an insurance scheme that pays out when temperatures hit a threshold, so she can stay home without jeopardising her finances. The “parametric” model pays out automatically when specific triggers are breached, in Solanki’s case after two consecutive days at 43.72 degrees Celsius (110 degrees... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353097/new-insurance-pays-indian-workers-stay-home-when-heat-turns-deadly?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3353097/new-insurance-pays-indian-workers-stay-home-when-heat-turns-deadly?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 11 May 2026 05:02:04 +0000 Christine Loh Christine Loh There is growing unease in how we describe political systems today. Words that once seemed clear no longer illuminate as they should. “Free”, “democratic”, “liberal” and “authoritarian” are among the most commonly used terms in political discourse, yet their meanings have become increasingly blurred and contested. This is not simply a matter of semantics. It reflects a deeper mismatch between the language we use and the realities we are trying to describe. The problem is not new. In George... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352499/rise-china-complicates-authoritarian-vs-democratic-binary?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3352499/rise-china-complicates-authoritarian-vs-democratic-binary?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 10 May 2026 01:30:05 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji A US$30 million carbon credit deal by tech giant Amazon with India’s Good Rice Alliance will boost carbon markets globally, according to experts, potentially showing agriculture – as well as industry – can be at the heart of emission reductions. The organisation, primarily backed by Bayer and in collaboration with GenZero and Shell, is designed to transform emissions-heavy rice cultivation in India through scientific advances. It helps thousands of smallholder farmers adopt climate-smart growing... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352930/can-indias-rice-farmers-reap-us30-million-amazon-carbon-credit-deal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352930/can-indias-rice-farmers-reap-us30-million-amazon-carbon-credit-deal?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 May 2026 11:16:01 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele The death of a runner from heatstroke after a Penang hill run event has put a spotlight on the rising risks of soaring temperatures in Malaysia, as authorities report a spike in heat-related illnesses and are seeding clouds to trigger rains in the country’s drought-hit northern region. The death of the 41-year-old, the island’s first-ever confirmed heatstroke fatality linked to a sporting event, comes as temperatures in Malaysia soar to the mid-30s degrees Celsius. The man from Tampin, Negeri... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352468/malaysia-warns-health-risks-heatwave-2-related-deaths-recorded-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3352468/malaysia-warns-health-risks-heatwave-2-related-deaths-recorded-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 07:06:03 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo Fuminori Arita once farmed iyokan, a Japanese citrus variety, but about 10 years ago he switched to growing avocados, revelling in the challenge of producing crops of what he describes as a “sensitive and difficult to grow” fruit. The 67-year-old is symbolic of efforts by the western Japanese city of Matsuyama in Ehime prefecture, long known primarily for citrus cultivation, to shift more to avocados, partly as a strategy to adapt to rising temperatures amid climate change. Given the challenge... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352441/japanese-citrus-farmers-switch-avocados-climate-change-warms-soil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3352441/japanese-citrus-farmers-switch-avocados-climate-change-warms-soil?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 05 May 2026 04:20:44 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The pace of tropical forest destruction slowed in 2025 after record losses the year before but remained at worrying levels equivalent to 11 football fields per minute, researchers said Wednesday. The world lost 4.3 million hectares (10.6 million acres) of tropical primary rainforest last year, down 36 per cent from 2024, said researchers from the World Resources Institute (WRI) and the University of Maryland. “A drop of this scale in a single year is encouraging – it shows what decisive... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3351895/tropical-rainforest-loss-eases-after-record-year-still-11-football-fields-minute?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3351895/tropical-rainforest-loss-eases-after-record-year-still-11-football-fields-minute?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 13:35:31 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu The Hong Kong Observatory should step up efforts to explain decisions for issuing typhoon warnings to address public concerns amid a rise in extreme weather events, the Audit Commission has urged. Citing the forecaster, a report issued by the public sector watchdog on Wednesday noted “increasing public demand” for signal change notification well in advance over the years for timely preparation as extreme weather events became more frequent in light of climate change. “Audit acknowledges that the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351869/watchdog-urges-hong-kong-observatory-better-explain-typhoon-warning-decisions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351869/watchdog-urges-hong-kong-observatory-better-explain-typhoon-warning-decisions?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 29 Apr 2026 10:38:13 +0000 Reuters Reuters At least ⁠14 people ⁠were killed after lightning ⁠strikes hit several parts of Bangladesh, officials said on Monday, as seasonal thunderstorms swept across the country. The deaths were ‌reported from several districts after sudden storms brought heavy rain and intense lightning on Sunday. Most of the victims were farmers working in open fields and labourers caught in ⁠exposed areas, local authorities said. Several other people were ‌injured and taken to nearby hospitals, with some in critical... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351543/lightning-strikes-kill-14-day-seasonal-storms-hit-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3351543/lightning-strikes-kill-14-day-seasonal-storms-hit-bangladesh?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 Apr 2026 07:26:48 +0000 Reuters Reuters Japan has deployed 1,400 firefighters and dozens of Self-Defence Force personnel to battle mountain blazes that have been raging in the north for five days and threaten to reach homes in the ‌picturesque coastal town of Otsuchi, officials said on Sunday. Fanned by dry, windy weather, two more wildfires broke out elsewhere in the north on Sunday – one in Kitakata city and the other in Nagaoka, potentially stretching firefighting resources thin as local authorities send personnel to neighbouring... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351496/wildfires-japans-north-worsen-1400-firefighters-deployed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351496/wildfires-japans-north-worsen-1400-firefighters-deployed?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 14:04:13 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong Chinese scientists have developed a way to generate electricity and achieve higher energy efficiency than conventional burning methods, while producing zero carbon dioxide emissions, by placing coal inside a “battery”. “Coal-fired power” conjures images of heavy pollution, steep carbon footprints and modest efficiency. But a novel, direct coal power technology challenges that stereotype by eliminating combustion entirely and sidestepping the carbon dioxide emissions that have long defined coal... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351241/china-unveils-worlds-first-coal-fuel-cell-can-produce-electricity-zero-emission?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3351241/china-unveils-worlds-first-coal-fuel-cell-can-produce-electricity-zero-emission?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 10:00:15 +0000 Theodora Yu Theodora Yu A citywide study should be launched to examine how global warming is affecting plants in Hong Kong and the knock-on effect on the rest of the ecosystem, botanists have urged after witnessing clear changes in leaf-shedding and flowering patterns. Some species, such as the red kapok tree, commonly known as the cotton tree, and the flame tree, which should shed all leaves during winter, had shown signs of incomplete leaf drop by spring or early flowering in recent years, the experts said, stressing... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351437/some-hong-kong-trees-are-behaving-strangely-and-botanists-want-know-why?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3351437/some-hong-kong-trees-are-behaving-strangely-and-botanists-want-know-why?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 Apr 2026 01:00:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Hundreds of firefighters were battling wildfires in the forests of northern Japan on Saturday, as authorities urged more than 3,200 people to evacuate their homes, government officials said. As of Saturday morning, blazes in the mountainous areas of Iwate region had burned about 700 hectares (1,730 acres) since breaking out three days ago, local government officials said in a statement. A large column of smoke, which could be smelled 30km (20 miles) away, was seen rising up the valley near the... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351432/japan-evacuates-thousands-hundreds-firefighters-battle-wildfires?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3351432/japan-evacuates-thousands-hundreds-firefighters-battle-wildfires?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 Apr 2026 12:16:36 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell As my wife and I quaffed our way through a sumptuous five-course South African wine tasting dinner at the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) early this week, the world food crisis and global food insecurity seemed a very long way away. Yet as the US war on Iran approached its third month, with the Strait of Hormuz still blocked and a host of critical commodities hostage to the conflict, our FCC wine dinners must surely be in jeopardy. More seriously, millions worldwide may face much... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3351187/iran-war-brewing-food-crisis-we-must-avert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3351187/iran-war-brewing-food-crisis-we-must-avert?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:30:09 +0000 Biman Mukherji Biman Mukherji The Iran war has done in two months what years of climate policy could not: make green hydrogen look economically viable. Soaring oil and gas prices since February’s outbreak of hostilities have narrowed the cost gap between the zero-emission fuel and its fossil rivals, paving the way for wider uptake across Asia. The eight-week US-Israeli war on Iran, Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and Iranian strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas (LNG) complex have sent Asian fuel... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351139/iran-war-makes-green-hydrogen-viable-asia-fossil-fuel-prices-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economics/article/3351139/iran-war-makes-green-hydrogen-viable-asia-fossil-fuel-prices-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 Apr 2026 08:33:00 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Schools in India’s capital must ring regular bells to remind schoolchildren to drink water as the megacity gears up to face heatwave conditions, a new city order has said. Summer heat in the world’s most populous nation can be brutal – putting millions of people at risk, with nearly 11,000 people dying due to heatstroke between 2012 and 2021, according to government data. A heatwave in May 2024 in New Delhi saw temperatures match the capital’s previous record high: 49.2 degrees Celsius (120... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3350972/delhi-schools-sound-alarm-and-water-bell-india-sizzles-brutal-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3350972/delhi-schools-sound-alarm-and-water-bell-india-sizzles-brutal-heatwave?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:14:07 +0000 Carol Yang Carol Yang As the US-Israel war on Iran raises global concerns about energy security, a new report has found that the clean power sector is rapidly gaining ground and emerging as a solution for nations looking to reduce their reliance on oil and gas imports. The world passed a significant turning point in 2025 as clean power generation rose faster than global demand for electricity, preventing an increase in fossil fuel generation, according to the study by London-based energy think tank Ember released on... https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350759/turning-point-clean-energy-met-100-worlds-new-power-needs-2025-report?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3350759/turning-point-clean-energy-met-100-worlds-new-power-needs-2025-report?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 23:01:07 +0000 Aidan Jones Aidan Jones Forest fires raging through Laos, Myanmar and Thailand have smothered large areas in dangerous smoke, leaving overstretched firefighters battling blazes and smog-choked communities looking to the skies for rain and their governments to fix a scourge that worsens each year. Dry season fires have brought a public health crisis to northern Thailand, including Chiang Mai, as well as much of Laos and eastern Myanmar, as parched bush provides tinderbox conditions for wildfires. Some fires are also due... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350730/worst-ive-seen-forest-fires-rage-across-thailand-mekong-region?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3350730/worst-ive-seen-forest-fires-rage-across-thailand-mekong-region?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 09:36:19 +0000 Zhang Tong Zhang Tong This year’s El Nino could increase the global demand for fossil fuels and worsen the price rises caused by the Iran crisis, Chinese government scientists have said. The climate phenomenon happens every two to seven years and causes an increase in average global temperatures. A strong El Nino can bring either droughts or torrential rains and flooding, both of which may force hydropower stations to reduce their output or shut down entirely – increasing the need for other power sources, including... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350622/china-warns-strong-el-nino-year-may-worsen-global-fossil-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3350622/china-warns-strong-el-nino-year-may-worsen-global-fossil-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Apr 2026 00:00:15 +0000 Reuters Reuters Thousands ⁠of people have been displaced after a fire destroyed around 1,000 homes in a coastal village in Malaysia’s Sabah state on Borneo island ‌on Sunday, the fire department said. Authorities were notified of the fire in Sandakan district at around 1.32am, the district’s fire and rescue chief Jimmy Lagung said in a statement. “Strong winds and ⁠the close proximity of the houses caused the fire to ‌spread rapidly, while low tide conditions also made it difficult to obtain an open ‌water... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350629/blaze-malaysias-sabah-destroys-1000-homes-displaces-over-9000?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3350629/blaze-malaysias-sabah-destroys-1000-homes-displaces-over-9000?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 Apr 2026 10:59:56 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Worsening wildfires, soaring heatwaves and rising water levels have prompted Greek officials to take a closer look at protecting priceless archaeological sites that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The monuments, scattered across the country, earn Greece millions of dollars in tourism revenue. But many of the sites are in rural areas and officials believe better planning is needed in case large crowds of tourists need to be evacuated in an emergency. After a three-year study by... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3350008/greece-moves-protect-19-ancient-sites-olympia-wildfires-and-heatwaves?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3350008/greece-moves-protect-19-ancient-sites-olympia-wildfires-and-heatwaves?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:15:50 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Hong Kong’s labour authorities have expanded heat stress monitoring to include data from 10 sites, enabling faster alerts to better safeguard outdoor workers. Deputy Commissioner for Labour Vincent Fung Hao-yin said on Monday that the department would incorporate data from the Observatory’s newly added monitoring stations at eight sites across the city. The move is intended to provide a more accurate picture of heat stress levels for issuing warnings when outdoor workers should take breaks of at... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349913/hong-kong-expands-heat-stress-monitoring-better-protect-outdoor-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3349913/hong-kong-expands-heat-stress-monitoring-better-protect-outdoor-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Apr 2026 09:40:34 +0000 Martin Brownbridge,Sudharshan Canagarajah Martin Brownbridge,Sudharshan Canagarajah The war in the Gulf has hit Asian economies hard. The shock to global energy supplies is driving up fuel prices, threatening energy shortages and has the potential to cause economic stagnation and inflation. In response, governments across the region have been implementing emergency policy measures to shield their citizens from rising prices and job losses and to maintain economic growth. Vietnam has temporarily suspended some fuel taxes, while the Philippines has declared a state of national... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349259/hormuz-crisis-chance-spur-asias-shift-clean-secure-energy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/asia-opinion/article/3349259/hormuz-crisis-chance-spur-asias-shift-clean-secure-energy?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 11 Apr 2026 21:30:09 +0000 Andrew Sheng Andrew Sheng Have you wondered why most small start-ups have to fight to survive, whereas the rich or those at the top tend to get richer? Capitalism is in trouble because the social divide is widening in terms of both income and wealth. Furthermore, the planet is being eaten alive by excessive consumption financed by huge amounts of debt. At the same time, aspirations such as dealing with climate change appear to be going nowhere. Who cares about net zero when you can bomb your way to more oil and gas? Why... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349484/despite-its-hype-ai-just-means-economic-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3349484/despite-its-hype-ai-just-means-economic-resilience?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Peter T. C. Chang Peter T. C. Chang With the coming summit between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump back on schedule for May, the two leaders present two starkly different paths for the world: one defined by a “community with a shared future” and the other driven by unpredictable impulses of rivalry and division. While Trump postponed the April summit to engage Xi without the distractions of the war he launched on Iran, a swift resolution before their meeting does not seem likely – despite the newly... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349273/can-community-shared-future-prevail-over-zero-sum-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3349273/can-community-shared-future-prevail-over-zero-sum-rivalry?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 10 Apr 2026 01:30:10 +0000 He Huifeng He Huifeng China has broken ground on a 50-megawatt concentrated solar power plant in Tibet at an altitude of 4,550 metres (14,900 feet), making it the world’s highest-altitude parabolic trough solar thermal facility. The project, located in Dangxiong County, incorporates a 400-megawatt photovoltaic system and is scheduled for full operation by 2027, Xinhua reported. Preparatory digging at the site began on Monday. Global energy supplies have grown increasingly volatile in recent years, due to climate... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349255/china-starts-work-solar-plant-built-under-extreme-conditions-amid-global-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3349255/china-starts-work-solar-plant-built-under-extreme-conditions-amid-global-energy-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:58:07 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Flooding sparked by heavy rains killed at least five people in southern Russia on Monday, while thousands of others were evacuated from their homes, authorities said. Social media videos showed flooded villages and highways engulfed by water in Russia’s Dagestan republic in the Caucasus Mountains, with overturned cars lying on the roadside. A multi-storey residential building partly collapsed in the regional capital Makhachkala. “Water levels rose after heavy rain, leading to further flooding of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349173/floods-kill-3-russia-thousands-evacuated-after-dam-wall-breaks-dagestan?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3349173/floods-kill-3-russia-thousands-evacuated-after-dam-wall-breaks-dagestan?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Apr 2026 10:46:31 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Many of Tokyo’s popular and iconic Somei Yoshino cherry blossom trees were planted during Japan’s post-war advancement in the 1960s, and are now getting old and frail. Some have fallen and many others require support, triggering safety concern as the Japanese celebrate the season of their favourite flower. Two cherry blossom trees collapsed on Thursday, one at Kinuta Park in downtown Tokyo and the other at the Chidorigafuchi greenway. The one in Kinuta Park damaged a fence while the other tree... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349018/safety-fears-bloom-japan-ageing-cherry-trees-collapse-tokyo-parks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3349018/safety-fears-bloom-japan-ageing-cherry-trees-collapse-tokyo-parks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 04 Apr 2026 04:22:26 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press As bubbles ripple across a frigid Finnish lake, diver Daan Jacobs emerges from a hole carved out of the thick, crackling ice. He had dived eight metres (26 feet) beneath the surface in a remote place few see, especially in winter, when snow blankets the ice and temperatures on land approach minus 40 degrees in both Celsius and Fahrenheit. But Jacobs, a biodiversity adviser in the Netherlands, is one of a growing number of fortunate underwater explorers getting to dive beneath the Arctic and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3348411/scientists-diving-deep-beneath-arctic-ice-discover-secrets-below?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/3348411/scientists-diving-deep-beneath-arctic-ice-discover-secrets-below?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 13:15:07 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words WWF’s Earth Hour marks 20 years since its Sydney inception and 18 in Hong Kong. What began as a symbolic lights-off event has grown into one of the world’s largest environmental movements. As we prepare to switch off on March 28, the message must evolve from symbolism to urgent... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347936/earth-hour-hong-kong-should-resolve-switch-lasting-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347936/earth-hour-hong-kong-should-resolve-switch-lasting-change?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Kolette Lim Kolette Lim In recent weeks, Singaporean Cindy has been troubled by an odour lingering in the air during her evening walks to the gym. “It’s the same situation every year, but I would say that the fogginess and burning smell have been getting stronger for the last year or so,” said the 33-year-old resident who lives in the southern estate of Telok Blangah. “I have a baby, so it concerns me a lot, and I know many other families feel the same,” she said. “I always keep our windows closed, which is not very... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348070/haze-returns-singapore-crisis-quietly-accepted-asean-inevitable?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348070/haze-returns-singapore-crisis-quietly-accepted-asean-inevitable?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 03:00:13 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The long-range weather forecast for Hong Kong may seem like good news at first. The city’s weather experts have predicted four to seven typhoons between the months of June and October, or fewer than half the record-breaking 14 recorded last year. However, complacency could be dangerous. The Hong Kong Observatory also projects above normal temperatures under the influence of the warming El Nino weather phenomenon amid intensifying global climate challenges. Hong Kong Observatory director Chan... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347836/community-preparation-key-hong-kong-braces-extreme-weather?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347836/community-preparation-key-hong-kong-braces-extreme-weather?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong will experience between four and seven typhoons from June to October, according to the city’s weather forecaster, fewer than half of last year’s record-breaking 14 tropical cyclones. The Observatory also said on Monday the city would be hotter than average this year under the influence of the warming El Nino weather phenomenon. The tropical cyclone season in Hong Kong is expected to start in June or later and end in October or before, according to Observatory director Chan... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3347619/hong-kong-projected-face-4-7-typhoons-2026?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3347619/hong-kong-projected-face-4-7-typhoons-2026?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:16:04 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The amount of heat trapped by the Earth reached record levels in 2025, with the consequences of such warming feared to last for thousands of years, the UN warned on Monday. The 11 hottest years ever recorded were all between 2015 and 2025, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) weather and climate agency confirmed, in its flagship State of the Global Climate annual report. Last year was the second or third hottest year on record, at about 1.43 degrees Celsius above the... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347542/flashing-red-un-alarmed-heat-trapped-earth-hits-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3347542/flashing-red-un-alarmed-heat-trapped-earth-hits-record-high?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 05:03:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Vietnam’s prime minister left on Sunday for an official visit to Russia during which the two nations will sign several agreements, including on oil and gas cooperation, Hanoi said. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s trip to the major oil-producing nation from Sunday to Wednesday comes as Vietnam seeks to shore up its fuel reserves amid global supply disruptions due to the war in the Middle East. His visit will focus on deepening ties with Russia and expanding cooperation in trade, investment and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347500/vietnam-pm-visits-russia-sign-energy-deal-amid-iran-war-disruption?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3347500/vietnam-pm-visits-russia-sign-energy-deal-amid-iran-war-disruption?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 13:26:32 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words On a small island in Siargao in the Philippines, women fishers are bottling sardines that now appear on the menus of Michelin-starred restaurants in Manila. Their story offered an important lesson for Asia’s food systems as leaders gathered at the Asia and the Pacific Food Systems... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347260/investing-women-farmers-and-fishers-smart-nutrition-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3347260/investing-women-farmers-and-fishers-smart-nutrition-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 03:30:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Hawaii suffered its worst flooding in more than 20 years as heavy rains fell on soil already saturated by downpours from a winter storm a week ago, officials said on Friday, while warning that more rain was expected during the weekend. Muddy floodwaters smothered vast stretches of Oahu’s North Shore, a community world renowned for its big-wave surfing. Raging waters lifted homes and cars and prompted evacuation orders for 5,500 people north of Honolulu. Authorities cautioned that a 120-year-old... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347445/hawaii-suffers-worst-flooding-20-years-more-rain-expected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347445/hawaii-suffers-worst-flooding-20-years-more-rain-expected?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 14:41:18 +0000 Emily Hung,Theodora Yu Emily Hung,Theodora Yu After decades at the front lines campaigning for environmental protection, The Green Earth founder Edwin Lau Che-feng is slowing down to focus on his health and hobbies. The 68-year-old has been one of the most vocal environmentalists championing a waste-charging scheme for more than two decades. Lau still remembers May 27, 2024, when the government abruptly paused the waste-charging bill, as if it were yesterday. The suspension was the biggest blow in his 36-year career. “It feels impossible.... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3347420/veteran-activist-warns-shrinking-space-green-advocacy-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3347420/veteran-activist-warns-shrinking-space-green-advocacy-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 09:00:20 +0000 Bibek Bhandari Bibek Bhandari Accelerating glacial retreat in the Himalayas over the past decades is threatening over 2 billion people in the region who depend on meltwater from the “water tower of Asia” for their daily needs, according to climate scientists. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region have been losing ice at twice the rate since 2000, with smaller glaciers under 0.5 sq km shrinking more rapidly than larger ones, according to two landmark reports published on Saturday to coincide with the World Day for... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347298/himalayas-glacier-loss-threatens-2-billion-people-greatest-problem-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347298/himalayas-glacier-loss-threatens-2-billion-people-greatest-problem-climate-change?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Mar 2026 07:00:10 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A punishing heatwave has been gripping the western United States, with parts of the region logging record temperatures - even though it was still winter. A desert community in southwestern Arizona reached 43.3 degrees Celsius (110 Fahrenheit) on Thursday, breaking a record for the highest March temperature recorded in the United States. The temperature was recorded just outside Martinez Lake, Arizona, in the Yuma Desert. The previous record of 42.2 degrees had been set in Rio Grande City, Texas,... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347241/record-breaking-heatwave-grips-western-us-tail-end-winter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3347241/record-breaking-heatwave-grips-western-us-tail-end-winter?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Mar 2026 03:28:23 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Tokyo’s meteorologists declared the start of the much-loved cherry blossom season in the Japanese capital on Thursday, as residents prepare to host outdoor picnics under dazzling floral displays. The cherry season for Tokyo starts when the official sample tree at Yasukuni Shrine opens at least five flowers. “Today, the blooming of the Somei Yoshino cherry blossoms was observed,” the Tokyo Regional Headquarters of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said in an eagerly awaited statement,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347166/blooming-marvellous-tokyos-cherry-blossom-season-officially-begins?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3347166/blooming-marvellous-tokyos-cherry-blossom-season-officially-begins?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:46:07 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings China is offering solar energy to Cuba, an old ally left without power amid the US oil embargo, in a show of strength for Chinese renewable-energy credentials and a sign of Beijing’s economic footprint in Latin America. Beijing’s ambassador to Cuba, Hua Xin, on Monday outlined joint energy projects in progress as part of an effort to ease a “complex power situation” in the Caribbean nation, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “China has always maintained that Latin America and the... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346978/china-help-cuba-solar-energy-amid-us-oil-blockade-and-total-power-outage?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3346978/china-help-cuba-solar-energy-amid-us-oil-blockade-and-total-power-outage?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:30:08 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson In the early 1980s, coral carpeted the seabed under the Tolo Harbour in northeastern Hong Kong. Coverage reached as high as 70 to 80 per cent in some areas, comparable to what scientists now see in the city’s marine parks. Within a few years, almost all of it was gone. “Not a lot of people actually know about this,” says Dr Apple Chui Pui-yi, assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences at Chinese University. As nearby towns such as Sha Tin and Tai Po developed, pollution and sewage... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3346172/hong-kong-scientist-trying-revive-citys-coral-reefs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/passions/article/3346172/hong-kong-scientist-trying-revive-citys-coral-reefs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 07:15:08 +0000 Reuters Reuters A total ⁠of ⁠62 ⁠people including eight children have died since heavy rains and flooding hit Kenya’s capital ‌Nairobi and other areas late last week, police said on Saturday. The capital was the worst hit with ⁠33 deaths, the force said in ‌a statement on X that updated the official ‌tally of casualties. More than 2,000 ⁠families ⁠have been displaced across Kenya and ‌intense rain was continuing in several ‌regions, it ‌added. Aid workers started pulling ‌bodies from floodwaters across Nairobi... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3346673/kenya-floods-death-toll-rises-62-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/africa/article/3346673/kenya-floods-death-toll-rises-62-police-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 12:48:32 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Powerful waves have chewed away large sections of Bali’s iconic Kuta Beach, raising fresh concern about the future of the Indonesian island’s most famous stretch of sand. Officials say the latest damage, driven by recent rough seas, has intensified a long-running problem of coastal erosion that experts warn is being worsened by extreme weather and decades of coastal development on the resort island. Abrasion along Kuta’s shoreline is not new, but officials say this year’s extreme weather has... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346510/balis-kuta-beach-disappearing-coastal-erosion-crisis-threatens-famed-shoreline?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346510/balis-kuta-beach-disappearing-coastal-erosion-crisis-threatens-famed-shoreline?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:35:38 +0000 David Dodwell David Dodwell Spare a thought for the iceberg A23a which, after an extraordinary 40-year life voyaging around the southern Atlantic Ocean, is this month expected to die unnoticed close to the island of South Georgia, a mess of “brash ice, small icebergs and bergy bits”. A23a was one of the largest “megabergs” to be spawned in our lifetimes. When it broke away from the Filchner Ice Shelf into the Weddell Sea in Western Antarctica in 1986, it covered an area of around 4,000 sq km – about the size of Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346371/how-icebergs-final-dance-tells-story-about-our-past-and-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3346371/how-icebergs-final-dance-tells-story-about-our-past-and-future?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 08:30:07 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s appointment of two Chinese companies to run waste-to-energy (WtE) projects in two cities – part of President Prabowo Subianto’s push to reduce mounting rubbish in landfills while generating power – has sparked a debate over costs, efficiency and whether the initiative will deliver on its waste-reduction goals. Danantara, the Indonesian state wealth fund, on Friday announced that it had chosen Wangneng Environment as the operator of a WtE plant in the city of Bekasi, while Zhejiang... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346252/why-indonesias-waste-energy-goal-may-not-be-quick-fix-landfill-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346252/why-indonesias-waste-energy-goal-may-not-be-quick-fix-landfill-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 12 Mar 2026 04:00:09 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse EU chief Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday said Europe’s turn away from nuclear power had been a “strategic mistake”, as soaring oil prices rekindled concerns about the bloc’s energy vulnerability. Speaking in Paris at a nuclear summit, which aims to boost the use of civilian nuclear energy, the European Commission president endorsed a return to atomic energy, saying the European Union would back investments in “innovative nuclear technologies”. “It was a strategic mistake for Europe to turn its... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346139/eu-eyes-nuclear-energy-again-oil-prices-soar?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3346139/eu-eyes-nuclear-energy-again-oil-prices-soar?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Mar 2026 14:10:06 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press A massive avalanche of garbage at Indonesia’s largest landfill site killed at least five people and left several others missing after heavy overnight rain triggered a rubbish dump collapse, officials said Monday. More than 300 search-and-rescue personnel, using heavy machinery and sniffer dogs, were deployed to the sprawling dump site late on Sunday at the Bantargebang Integrated Waste Treatment Facility in Bekasi, a city just outside the capital of Jakarta. Rescuers worked cautiously amid... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345979/5-die-indonesia-rubbish-mound-collapses-largest-landfill-several-missing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3345979/5-die-indonesia-rubbish-mound-collapses-largest-landfill-several-missing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 09:23:25 +0000 SCMP Style Reporter SCMP Style Reporter New versions of cars can sometimes be a little underwhelming – a slightly modified silhouette here, a few tweaks to the trim there. And then there’s the new BMW iX3, which doesn’t so much relaunch the vehicle as completely rewrite its design language, dramatically upgrading everything from aesthetics to electronics to sustainability. The car – the BMW iX3 50 xDrive – is the newest battery electric version of the company’s X3 compact luxury crossover SUV. But where the model it updates, the G08,... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3345495/style-edit-bmw-ix3-rewrites-ev-rule-book-range-and-sustainability?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/lifestyle/leisure/article/3345495/style-edit-bmw-ix3-rewrites-ev-rule-book-range-and-sustainability?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 02:00:10 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial An exceptionally warm February in Hong Kong does not spell the end of winters forever, yet the city’s warmest winter on record signals far more than a fleeting anomaly. Across the Pacific, meanwhile, polar vortex disruptions have unleashed Arctic blasts, burying parts of the United States under feet of snow, cutting power, closing schools and grounding flights. These extremes – from subtropical warm spells to polar chills – highlight a warming world with increasingly unpredictable weather,... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345699/wild-weather-demands-preparedness-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3345699/wild-weather-demands-preparedness-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 23:15:11 +0000