Asia-Pacific Future Ready Friday News Round Up
It's been a busy week in the Asia-Pacific region. Please take a few minutes to catch up on the news from around the region...
#Climate
▶Shipping Off Track To Meet Zero-Emission Fuel Target, Study Warns (forbes.com)
The international shipping industry is not on track to meet its goal of having zero-emission fuels account for 5% of all fuels by 2030, according to a new report. The study by UCL Energy Institute, UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, and the Getting to Zero Coalition warns the next 12 months are critical to avoid shipping falling behind its climate goals.
▶ Sea level rise inevitable for Pacific Islands despite future greenhouse gas emissions reduction, NASA finds - ABC News New research from NASA has found sea level rise is inevitable for Pacific Island countries even if greenhouse gas emissions are reduced in the short term. The analysis projects a significant increase in flooding in low-lying nations like Tuvalu and Kiribati by the 2050s.
▶ How hot is Hong Kong? Climate change is heating city up (hongkongfp.com)
Since the Hong Kong Observatory began conducting meteorological observations in 1884, the city’s hot and humid summers have only become more uncomfortable, particularly for vulnerable residents. HKFP examines the data, and the impact of the climate crisis on Hong Kong.
▶ ESG is dead. Long live ESG (ft.com)
The business case for sustainability is clear: companies cannot thrive on a planet suffering from cascading crises and unmanageable risks.
▶ Australia Needs to Step up Its Climate Advocacy at the UN Summit of the Future – The Diplomat
The Pacific needs Australia to do more on climate change, and the upcoming summit in New York might be Canberra’s next best opportunity.
▶ XRB may change NZ’s climate reporting standards - NZ Herald
The board said it will publish a consultation document exploring options for transitional adjustments to the standards, which are aimed at supporting the allocation of capital towards activities consistent with a transition to a low-emissions, climate-resilient future.
▶ Why are we seeing more pandemics? Our impact on the planet has a lot to do with it
Human activities that disrupt ecosystems, such as climate change and biodiversity loss, are significantly increasing the risk of pandemics.
#Society
▶ China to issue 2 trillion yuan of sovereign debt this year to help revive economy: sources (businesstimes.com.sg) CHINA plans to issue special sovereign bonds worth about two trillion yuan (S$366.6 billion) this year as part of a fresh fiscal stimulus, said two sources with knowledge of the matter.
▶ The Rise of Social Shopping | Marcus by Goldman Sachs®
More and more consumers are shopping online, driving global ecommerce sales to $3.6 trillion in 2023, and this number is about to get bigger. Goldman Sachs Research analysts expect sales to grow at a 7% compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) and could potentially reach $5 trillion in 2028 with the US and China in the lead to drive two-thirds of the global ecommerce growth through that period.
The town of Avoca in regional Victoria faces a temporary reprieve from a GP shortage with the arrival of Dr. Michael Veal, highlighting a broader national crisis in general practice availability.
▶ Mixing it up: hybrid work models can offer the best of both worlds for worker wellbeing and productivity (theconversation.com)
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon sparked debate on the future of work in New Zealand this week when he ordered public service employees back to the office. But Luxon’s edict neglects a broader transformation in work culture.
▶Ngāpuhi revealed as largest iwi, new census data says – Te Ao Māori News (teaonews.co.nz)
Ngāpuhi becomes the largest iwi by population with Ngāti Porou following close behind according to newly released data. The data iwi leaders group Te Kāhui Raraunga, has released new census data providing a more accurate insight for iwi.
#Technology
▶ China’s EV makers pull out all the stops to beat Tesla in autonomous driving race | South China Morning Post (scmp.com)
A battle for supremacy in autonomous driving is escalating in mainland China, as major electric vehicle (EV) makers speed up development of cars with advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) to lure buyers.
▶ Fortescue's 6MW electric vehicle charger stuns the EV and mining industries (thedriven.io)
Fortescue Metals grabbed some headlines this week with news that it would invest $4 billion for hundreds of giant electric haul trucks, electric dozers and electric excavators. But what really caught many people’s attention was its revelation that it has developed an EV fast charger with a rated capacity of 6 megawatts (MW).
▶ Tasmania to spend on EV charging and education, and promote public and active transport (thedriven.io) The island state of Tasmania – already blessed with a near 100 per cent renewable electricity grid thanks to its hydro and wind resources – has outlined a new emissions plan for its transport sector, with a focus on its ageing car fleet and encouraging public and active transport.
▶ New Zealand braille technology made by users touches community - NZ Herald Chantelle Griffiths of the Tactile and Tech Literacy Centre talks to Tom Raynel about how she wants to foster a thriving braille community through technology that’s made by the people who use it, beginning with the development of a braille music curriculum.
▶ Government announcement about NIWA and MetService | NIWA
The Government has agreed to start work on how we might bring together the significant capabilities and resources of NIWA and MetService. This follows the findings of the independent review and aims to ensure that our weather forecasting system is more integrated and better able to prepare for and respond to severe weather events and climate change.
#Resources
▶ The Hidden Environmental Costs of Food - The New York Times (nytimes.com)
Damage to the natural world isn’t factored into the price of food. But some governments are experimenting with a new way of exposing the larger costs of what we eat.
▶ Starting from seed: nurturing a water savvy idea - CSIRO
Australia needs ideas to help farmers prosper in hotter, drier climates, and build greater resilience to more frequent and prolonged droughts. The Emerge program aims to develop ideas that help mitigate the impact of drought.
▶ After long drought, China plots ambitious water infrastructure push | Reuters
After a record heatwave parched large areas of the Yangtze basin, Chinese provinces are planning to spend billions of dollars on new water infrastructure as they try to fend off the growing impact of extreme weather on agriculture and hydropower.
▶ Where do we stash the equivalent of 110 Sydney harbour bridges? That’s the conundrum Australia faces as oil and gas rigs close (theconversation.com) Most of Australia’s offshore oil and gas projects will be decommissioned in the next 30 years – some in the next decade. An estimated 5.7 million tonnes of material will need to be removed – the equivalent of 110 Sydney harbour bridges.
▶ Dutton’s nuclear plan would mean propping up coal for at least 12 more years – and we don’t know what it would cost (theconversation.com)
Aussie Opposition leader Peter Dutton has revealed the Coalition’s nuclear energy plan relies on many of Australia’s coal-fired power stations running for at least another 12 years – far beyond the time frame officials expect the ageing facilities to last.
▶ Forever Chemicals on the family farm?
Pastures were fertilized with toxic sewage decades ago. Nobody knew, until the cows’ milk was tested.
▶ The common raupō once kept NZ’s wetlands and lakes thriving – now it could help restore them (theconversation.com)
With about 90% of New Zealand’s natural wetlands drained or severely damaged during the past decades, we need to understand the role of native plants in the restoration of these important habitats.