https://www.scmp.com/rss/325563/feed Latest news and updates about issues impacting the global environment, including climate change, recycling, pollution and sustainable living. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com 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 CNA,Bloomberg CNA,Bloomberg Government facilities in Singapore will take steps to reduce electricity consumption to boost the nation’s energy resilience as the conflict in the Middle East tightens global energy supplies. Immediate measures include setting the air-conditioner at 25 degrees Celsius (77 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher, managing operating times for air-conditioning, lighting and lifts and unplugging or turning off non-essential equipment when not in use, the Ministry of Sustainability and Environment (MSE) and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349443/singapore-raises-air-con-temperatures-public-spaces-save-energy-amid-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3349443/singapore-raises-air-con-temperatures-public-spaces-save-energy-amid-fuel-crisis?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:12:14 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Hong Kong’s authorities are finally getting serious about enforcement against reckless behaviour threatening our precious countryside. While there is no shortage of laws for protection in this respect, our natural assets are left at the mercy of visitors with little awareness of wildlife conservation or respect for the environment. The 18 enforcement actions taken at Sai Kung East Country Park over the first four days of the Easter break may appear too little, too late, but they signal a turning... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349359/site-patrols-good-start-better-protection-hong-kongs-countryside?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3349359/site-patrols-good-start-better-protection-hong-kongs-countryside?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 22:45:07 +0000 Fran Lu Fran Lu American outdoor apparel brand Patagonia is facing significant backlash online after implementing an “earth usage fee” for online orders, aimed at curbing excessive returns. Announced on March 30, the fee applies exclusively to purchases made through its Tmall store, a premium online shopping platform operated by Alibaba, which also owns the South China Morning Post. During last year’s Double 11 shopping festival, Patagonia’s Tmall store shipped 16,179 packages, leading to a staggering return... https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3349342/patagonia-faces-criticism-earth-usage-fee-online-orders-curb-excessive-returns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/environment/article/3349342/patagonia-faces-criticism-earth-usage-fee-online-orders-curb-excessive-returns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 06:19:33 +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 Fiona Sun,Theodora Yu Fiona Sun,Theodora Yu Shortly before the evening rush hour recently, chaos erupted at Hong Kong’s Wu Kai Sha MTR station when a wild boar stormed through the concourse. The animal, about 1.2 metres long and weighing around 40kg, knocked down an elderly man. The charging boar left a trail of blood on the station floor, injuring three other residents in a frenzied dash towards a nearby bus terminus and housing estates. “I saw it rampaging at the bus terminus while residents followed, snapping photos,” a woman working... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348718/it-time-call-end-hong-kongs-boar-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3348718/it-time-call-end-hong-kongs-boar-war?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:30:10 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele The risks of environmental calamity in the Strait of Hormuz are mounting with each passing week of the Iran conflict, conservationists have warned, as giant tankers filled with fuel are trapped in a small area and Iran continues to fire missiles and drones at Gulf oil assets. The potential for catastrophe in the waterway was sharpened on Monday when a Kuwaiti crude tanker was set ablaze at Dubai Port in an Iranian attack that damaged its hull, sparking warnings of a possible oil spill. The... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348680/environmental-risks-grow-iran-war-traps-oil-tankers-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3348680/environmental-risks-grow-iran-war-traps-oil-tankers-strait-hormuz?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Authorities in Vietnam have arrested more than 70 people, including government officials, accused of falsifying data from air and waste water monitors at power plants and other major emitters, state media said Sunday. The state-run People’s Police newspaper said police had identified “nearly 160 environmental monitoring stations that had been tampered with, altered and had their data falsified” – accounting for more than half of the total number of stations nationwide. Police arrested 74 people,... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348320/vietnam-arrests-74-over-falsified-environmental-waste-water-data?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3348320/vietnam-arrests-74-over-falsified-environmental-waste-water-data?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 14:24:55 +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 Holly Chik Holly Chik An estimated 93 million pieces of debris could be floating on the surface of the South China Sea, based on data collected by China in a projection of its marine monitoring and remote sensing prowess. Using technologies such as fixed-ship monitoring, underway surveys and satellite remote sensing, marine scientists and ecologists audited 26 spots in the central and southern parts of the disputed waters. In a report released this month, Beijing’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment said it... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347973/how-much-junk-south-china-sea-beijing-flexes-surveillance-muscle-survey?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3347973/how-much-junk-south-china-sea-beijing-flexes-surveillance-muscle-survey?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Mar 2026 09:30:09 +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 Edith Lin Edith Lin A section of Hong Kong Island’s southwest coast at Aberdeen will be revamped into a new marina with 200 berths, a clubhouse and about 250 private flats by 2032 as part of government efforts to boost yacht tourism. The Development Bureau said on Wednesday that it aimed to launch a tender in the first half of next year – the first for a marina in nearly 40 years. It also noted there was strong market interest in the project. To clear the 1.16-hectare (2.8-acre) seaside site near Po Chong Wan, the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347892/new-200-berth-marina-clubhouse-planned-hong-kong-revamp-aberdeen-site?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3347892/new-200-berth-marina-clubhouse-planned-hong-kong-revamp-aberdeen-site?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 12:51:23 +0000 Iman Muttaqin Yusof Iman Muttaqin Yusof Across peninsular Malaysia, the heat is getting unbearable and posing health risks for many, and nowhere is this felt more sharply than in Kedah and Perlis, two northern states at the centre of Malaysia’s food-growing belt. Over the start of the Eid period last weekend, the scorching sun dampened the holiday mood during the festival marking the end of the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. Families are timing visits to avoid the fierce afternoon sun, farmers are watching paddy fields – known... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347822/malaysias-weather-so-hot-it-can-warp-payment-card?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3347822/malaysias-weather-so-hot-it-can-warp-payment-card?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 06:34:50 +0000 Douglas Parkes Douglas Parkes In an increasingly globalised world, culture is the common thread that binds communities together. For over two decades, the Unesco Creative Cities Network (UCCN) has worked to weave loose local threads into a cohesive global fabric, bringing together urban centres from all over the world. Its goal is to champion creativity in a way that helps make that sometimes ambiguous force a concrete driver of sustainable development, placing it at the heart of urban policy and international... https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3347274/how-unescos-creative-cities-network-redefining-urban-development?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/native/lifestyle/100-top-tables/topics/100-top-tables-cities-gastronomy/article/3347274/how-unescos-creative-cities-network-redefining-urban-development?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 23:00:15 +0000 Xianji Wen Xianji Wen For decades, parts of Hong Kong’s border like the Frontier Closed Area have been shrouded in mystery, their natural landscapes preserved as much by policy as by their remote geography. Recent plans to relax restrictions – including discussions around the Mai Po closed area – and the establishment of the Robin’s Nest Country Park signal a new era of accessibility. Having co-managed the Mai Po nature reserve for decades, the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong (WWF) views this shift with both... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346778/hong-kongs-border-tourism-push-must-not-put-mai-po-risk?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346778/hong-kongs-border-tourism-push-must-not-put-mai-po-risk?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Mar 2026 01:30:10 +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 Charmaine Chan Charmaine Chan “Beauty is only skin deep.” That proverb has championed inner qualities so successfully that outward appearance is often dismissed as superficial. In architecture, that assumption is harder to sustain. Around the world, increasingly loud calls are being made for an end to buildings deemed boring, if not outright ugly, on the outside. But what does that mean? Who decides? And why should we care? For months, these questions led me down a rabbit hole that seemed to circle back on itself. That was... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3347097/have-architects-built-boredom-our-streetscapes-and-can-it-harm-our-health?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/design-interiors/article/3347097/have-architects-built-boredom-our-streetscapes-and-can-it-harm-our-health?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:00:12 +0000 Harvey Kong Harvey Kong Hong Kong may introduce pilot schemes for booking campsites before the National Day holiday in October, as authorities revealed that 32 people were prosecuted for offences in Sai Kung’s country parks over the Chinese New Year holiday. Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan told the Legislative Council on Wednesday that most of those prosecuted were non-locals charged with littering. Authorities had earlier said they were considering implementing a booking system and charging fees for... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3347018/hong-kong-test-new-campsite-booking-system-amid-overcrowding-litter-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3347018/hong-kong-test-new-campsite-booking-system-amid-overcrowding-litter-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 08:54:53 +0000 Sam Beltran Sam Beltran A framework proposed at an Asean ministers’ meeting is set to propel disaster management to the top of the bloc’s agenda, further easing cooperation and decision-making in a region facing nearly US$18 trillion in disaster risk exposure. Analysts say the proposal, if implemented, would strengthen anticipatory action – potentially enabling the bloc to act before a formal request from a member state is even made. At the 35th Asean Socio-Cultural Community Council Meeting in Manila on March 5, bloc... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346934/asean-bets-new-framework-remedy-uneven-disaster-response?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346934/asean-bets-new-framework-remedy-uneven-disaster-response?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 02:30:08 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Lingan bin Man pulls up to the fishing jetty in the early afternoon, guiding his small boat towards a narrow strip of wooden planks as waves crash against the dock. On board are his wife and toddler. Together, the Malaysian family inspects the day’s catch: 2kg (4.4lbs) of clams after three hours at sea. “I can sell this for US$7,” the 52-year-old said. For fishermen in Kampung Sungai Kurau, a village on Pulau Carey, an island in Selangor state, this has become the new normal. Members of the Mah... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346725/malaysias-us6-billion-megaport-imperils-mah-meri-way-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3346725/malaysias-us6-billion-megaport-imperils-mah-meri-way-life?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Mar 2026 09:00:12 +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 Kitty Tam,Calvin Au Kitty Tam,Calvin Au When people picture Hong Kong, they often imagine a relentless concrete jungle – a vertical city where glass and steel dominate the skyline. Yet a quiet revolution is beginning to reshape how our city develops. Last week, the Civil Engineering and Development Department and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department jointly launched the Hong Kong Nature-based Solutions Design Guidelines. This landmark document signals a shift in how we think about infrastructure and urban planning. It... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346141/stay-competitive-hong-kong-must-embrace-nature-based-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346141/stay-competitive-hong-kong-must-embrace-nature-based-solutions?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 01:30:07 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The crowds visiting Hong Kong’s scenic sites during Chinese New Year highlighted the value of these precious natural attractions. Ecotourism is a core component of the government’s plan to broaden the city’s appeal as a tourist destination. This will require ecologically sensitive areas to be carefully conserved. A report by environmental group Greenpeace Hong Kong this month raised concerns about the impact of an oil spill on wetlands in Pui O, South Lantau, last September. The site is home to... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346450/hong-kong-must-protect-ecological-health-its-natural-assets?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3346450/hong-kong-must-protect-ecological-health-its-natural-assets?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Mar 2026 22:45:07 +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 Kyodo Kyodo Japan on Wednesday marked 15 years since a devastating earthquake and tsunami struck the country’s northeastern areas, triggering the world’s worst nuclear disaster since the 1986 Chernobyl crisis. The triple disasters of the magnitude-9.0 earthquake, resulting tsunami and meltdown of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex led to the loss of more than 22,000 lives. The plant’s operator is still struggling to dismantle the damaged facilities by 2051. The central government stopped hosting memorial... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346154/15-years-after-fukushima-disaster-japan-struggles-rising-maintenance-costs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3346154/15-years-after-fukushima-disaster-japan-struggles-rising-maintenance-costs?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Mar 2026 01:27:05 +0000 Ambrose Li Ambrose Li A protected Hong Kong wetland on southern Lantau Island has recorded a high concentration of petroleum following an oil spill in September, with levels up to 40 times higher than those in unaffected areas, according to an environmental group’s study. Greenpeace in Hong Kong said the high concentration could threaten local ecology. It urged authorities to investigate the oil spill and include unprotected sites with high ecological value in the priority conservation projects under the Biodiversity... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3346007/hong-kong-wetland-records-40-times-more-petroleum-after-oil-spill-greenpeace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3346007/hong-kong-wetland-records-40-times-more-petroleum-after-oil-spill-greenpeace?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 12:30:18 +0000 Cat Nelson Cat Nelson Strong women run throughout this issue. It is International Women’s Day today, after all. In our cover story, Salomé Grouard meets filmmaker Elizabeth Lo, whose documentary Mistress Dispeller was shortlisted in December for the Best Documentary Feature Oscar – a first in the category for a Hong Kong director. The film explores China’s strange and little-known industry of “mistress dispellers”, professionals hired to end extramarital affairs. What I found extraordinary was the sensitivity with... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345750/week-postmag-celebration-women-film-sport-science-and-life?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3345750/week-postmag-celebration-women-film-sport-science-and-life?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 04:45:11 +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 Plastic pollution, long associated with marine degradation and contaminated soil, is increasingly recognised as a pressing urban health concern. Recent scientific findings indicate that Hong Kong’s residents may be inhaling large quantities of microscopic plastic particles daily.... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3345727/hong-kong-cannot-afford-ignore-threat-microplastic-pollution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3345727/hong-kong-cannot-afford-ignore-threat-microplastic-pollution?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Mar 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Tara Loader Wilkinson Tara Loader Wilkinson Six couples who want to start families but cannot conceive are the focus of a new Netflix documentary, The Plastic Detox. The couples – two of which have been trying to get pregnant for over two years, while one has been attempting for a decade – strip as much plastic from their lives as possible over three months to see if this will help. “Fertility worldwide is going down, and it is tightly linked to chemicals that are commonly used in plastic,” says epidemiologist Dr Shanna Swan in the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345709/microplastic-dangers-and-innovators-finding-solutions-plus-8-ways-protect-yourself?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-wellness/article/3345709/microplastic-dangers-and-innovators-finding-solutions-plus-8-ways-protect-yourself?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 04:45:07 +0000 Hei Kiu Au Hei Kiu Au In a corner of Hong Kong’s Tsuen Wan Market, a bustling indoor market where the floor is permanently damp and the air smells of wet fabric and drying fish, a sign reads Fu Kam Organic Farm. Below it, a cluster of grapes hangs from a metal pole – plump, luminous and impossibly glossy. There is no premium packaging, no branded box, no chilled display case, just bunches of shine muscat – the darling of Japanese fruit fanatics – and the woman who grew them. “Come buy our local, organic shine muscat... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345345/shine-muscat-grapes-grown-hong-kong-farmer-doing-it-using-baby-milk-formula?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-drink/article/3345345/shine-muscat-grapes-grown-hong-kong-farmer-doing-it-using-baby-milk-formula?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Mar 2026 03:15:07 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A government lawyer has said that an environmental study on the impact of building 12,000 public flats on part of Hong Kong’s oldest golf course holds “no legal effect”, as authorities appeal a court ruling that may send the project back to the consultation stage. The Court of Appeal began hearing oral arguments on Tuesday over an environmental impact assessment report for the public housing project on 9.5 of 32 hectares (23.5 acres) that the government reclaimed from the 172-hectare golf course... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345312/hong-kong-government-says-golf-course-flats-study-has-no-legal-effect-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345312/hong-kong-government-says-golf-course-flats-study-has-no-legal-effect-appeal?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 14:13:15 +0000 Kyodo Kyodo None of Japan’s prefectural governors are willing to accept soil collected in decontamination work near the disaster-stricken Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex without further safety information and support from the central government, according to a Kyodo News survey. A search for final disposal sites for 14 million cubic metres (500 million cubic feet) of removed soil and other waste in Fukushima after the March 2011 nuclear disaster is a key part of the government’s reconstruction efforts in... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345100/where-will-fukushimas-nuclear-waste-go-japanese-governors-reject-tainted-soil?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3345100/where-will-fukushimas-nuclear-waste-go-japanese-governors-reject-tainted-soil?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Mar 2026 06:27:57 +0000 Ralph Jennings Ralph Jennings Chinese companies are primed to capitalise on a vast global wave of investment in clean energy infrastructure in the coming decades, as they are able to deploy solutions at a scale and cost that few can match, analysts said. With China already rolling out green technologies – from wind and solar power to electric cars and batteries – at a massive scale domestically, its firms have the resources and know-how that other countries need to reduce their reliance on coal-fired power plants and... https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344902/china-poised-earn-vast-profits-global-energy-transition-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3344902/china-poised-earn-vast-profits-global-energy-transition-analysts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 08:00:09 +0000 Quentin Parker Quentin Parker Hong Kong sees itself as a modern, well-governed, global city that moves with the times. On finance, education, legal services and logistics, that self-image holds. But when considering the green transition, particularly transport electrification, the gap between rhetoric and reality is increasingly hard to ignore. Nowhere is this more evident than in electrifying the taxi fleet, where the quarter-century timeline floated bears little resemblance to what is standard practice in neighbouring... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344649/high-price-hong-kongs-slow-switch-electric-buses-and-taxis?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3344649/high-price-hong-kongs-slow-switch-electric-buses-and-taxis?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 01 Mar 2026 01:30:09 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Excitement about an influx of tourists during the recent Chinese New Year “golden week” was tarnished by the sight of some rural Hong Kong beaches being turned into congested tent cities. It is good that the authorities are considering fees and other solutions to counter holiday rushes. The problem was obvious on beaches in Sai Kung, where more than 900 tents were pitched along Ham Tin Wan. At nearby Sai Wan, nearly half of the campers had illegally pitched shelters outside designated... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344859/hong-kong-wants-ecotourism-not-overtourism?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3344859/hong-kong-wants-ecotourism-not-overtourism?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 22:45:08 +0000 Lo Hoi-ying Lo Hoi-ying Hong Kong environmental groups have urged the government to focus on accelerating the commercial use of electric vehicles and enhancing green infrastructure, after scrapping a tax concession scheme for private cars that has cost HK$30 billion over the past decade. Green groups said on Friday that they supported the government’s decision to end the first registration tax (FRT) concessions for private electric cars, including the “One-for-One Replacement Scheme”. The move was announced by... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3344934/commercial-ev-use-needs-boost-after-car-owner-tax-break-ends-green-groups-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3344934/commercial-ev-use-needs-boost-after-car-owner-tax-break-ends-green-groups-say?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Feb 2026 04:00:16 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse The mayor of New Zealand’s capital city took an afternoon dip on Wednesday hoping to assuage public fears after a breakdown at a local waste water treatment plant pumped raw sewage into the ocean and sprayed faecal matter on coastal homes. Millions of litres of raw sewage have flowed into the waters off Wellington’s picturesque south coast beaches since the breakdown of the Moa Point facility on February 4. Sporting swimming trunks and a rash guard shirt, Mayor Andrew Little dived face first... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3344537/wellington-mayor-takes-dip-prove-sea-safe-after-sewage-leak-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3344537/wellington-mayor-takes-dip-prove-sea-safe-after-sewage-leak-new-zealand?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Feb 2026 03:41:27 +0000 The Star The Star The 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck off the coast of Sabah early Monday morning is the strongest to hit Malaysia in over a decade. Malaysian Meteorological Depart­ment Director General Mohd Hisham Mohd Anip said that based on the department’s records, the previous strongest earthquake in the country occurred on June 5, 2015, in Ranau, Sabah. The 6.0-magnitude temblor in Ranau claimed 18 lives and is still regarded as one of the most notable earthquakes in the country’s history. According to... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344426/sabah-quake-strongest-hit-malaysia-11-years-tremors-felt-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344426/sabah-quake-strongest-hit-malaysia-11-years-tremors-felt-singapore?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 06:35:27 +0000 The Star The Star As Malaysians flock to Ramadan bazaars and breaking fast gatherings, the health ministry is reminding the public to observe tuberculosis (TB) precautions, especially in crowded and enclosed spaces. In a statement issued on Saturday, the ministry said a total of 596 new TB cases were reported nationwide during the sixth epidemiological week. The statement said the latest detections brought the cumulative number of tuberculosis cases to 3,161 across Malaysia. “Crowded, enclosed and poorly... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344216/malaysias-tuberculosis-cases-rise-above-3000-health-ministry-flags-risks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3344216/malaysias-tuberculosis-cases-rise-above-3000-health-ministry-flags-risks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:04:12 +0000 Resty Woro Yuniar Resty Woro Yuniar Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has called for a nationwide drive to replace corrugated zinc roofs with clay tiles, saying he wants to shed what he describes as a “rusty” image while cooling homes, reviving a struggling industry and boosting the country’s appeal to tourists. But analysts warn that the plan – dubbed gentengisasi, or “mass roofing” – could burden the environment, require costly structural upgrades and face resistance outside Java island. “I see in all our cities,... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344043/why-prabowos-push-clay-roofs-rusty-indonesia-may-face-brick-wall?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/lifestyle-culture/article/3344043/why-prabowos-push-clay-roofs-rusty-indonesia-may-face-brick-wall?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 08:00:13 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen A green group has called for long-term measures to tackle overtourism in Hong Kong’s scenic Sai Kung district after the number of tents at a campsite reached more than nine times its capacity on the second day of Lunar New Year, although authorities described the situation as “under control”. Greenpeace said on Thursday that it had counted 585 tents at the Ham Tin Wan and Sai Wan campsites the previous day, far exceeding the designated capacity of 50 at each location. Ham Tin Wan had 450 tents... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3344030/green-group-calls-action-after-hong-kong-campsites-packed?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3344030/green-group-calls-action-after-hong-kong-campsites-packed?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 12:25:52 +0000 Reuters Reuters Pope Leo lamented ⁠a world “in flames” ⁠due to wars and ⁠the destruction of the environment during an Ash Wednesday Mass, opening the season of Lent for the world’s Christians. Before sprinkling ashes on the heads of participants, a sign of mortality, ‌the pope said the ashes could represent “the weight of a world that is ablaze, of entire cities destroyed by war”. He also told participants the ashes could signify “the ashes of international law and justice among peoples, [and] the ashes of... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343941/pope-leo-laments-world-flames-ash-wednesday-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3343941/pope-leo-laments-world-flames-ash-wednesday-service?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Feb 2026 19:06:25 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse India’s environmental court has given the go-ahead to the strategically significant Great Nicobar infrastructure project despite widespread concerns of ecological damage to the island in the Andaman Sea. The National Green Tribunal on Monday dismissed a batch of petitions objecting to the megaproject on ecologically sensitive Great Nicobar island – around 160km (100 miles) northwest of Indonesia’s Aceh province – saying “adequate safeguards” had been taken into account. The infrastructure plan... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343811/indias-huge-new-megaport-southeast-asia-gets-green-go-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343811/indias-huge-new-megaport-southeast-asia-gets-green-go-ahead?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 07:24:59 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Garbage-choked streets, overloaded landfills and the fear of trash avalanches haunt Indonesia’s capital region, as the world’s most populous metropolis grapples with a waste crisis. Jakarta and its satellite cities, known collectively as Jabodetabek, are home to 42 million people and produce up to an estimated 14,000 tonnes of waste daily. That has placed increasing strain on the eight or so landfill sites that serve the region, which are now all close to or entirely full, according to local... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343789/indonesias-capital-drowning-waste-smell-awful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/southeast-asia/article/3343789/indonesias-capital-drowning-waste-smell-awful?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Feb 2026 03:41:07 +0000 Reuters Reuters Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push to accelerate the roll-out of rooftop solar power is falling short of targets despite heavy subsidies due to loan delays and limited support from state utilities, vendors and analysts say. The shortfalls represent the latest challenge to India’s efforts to nearly double clean energy capacity to 500 gigawatts by 2030, and come as the government plans to suspend clean energy tendering targets amid a mounting backlog of awarded projects yet to be... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343665/indias-solar-power-push-misses-targets-red-tape-loan-refusals-hamper-transition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3343665/indias-solar-power-push-misses-targets-red-tape-loan-refusals-hamper-transition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 01:48:09 +0000 Ushar Daniele Ushar Daniele Malaysia has drawn a hard line against becoming a dumping ground for the world’s toxic scrap, but enforcing that pledge means sifting through millions of shipping containers each year – a daunting challenge shared by ports across Southeast Asia. Last week, Kuala Lumpur imposed an immediate ban on e-waste imports, reclassifying the material under an “absolute prohibition” and declaring the country would not be a “dumping ground” for the world’s waste, in an effort to curb a trade that often blurs... https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343458/malaysia-says-no-e-waste-dumping-can-its-ban-stop-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3343458/malaysia-says-no-e-waste-dumping-can-its-ban-stop-global-trade?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 08:00:10 +0000