Most affected countries by climate change

DUBAI: US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate John Kerry said the United States was hopeful it could work with China to tackle climate change, despite longstanding disagreements that have affected the bilateral relationship. "Our hope is that we're going to be able to deal with yes, China," Kerry told reporters during a visit to the United Arab Emirates capital Abu Dhabi on Saturday. "President Biden has made it clear and I've made it clear: none of the other issues we have with China - and there are issues - is held hostage to or is engaged in a trade for what we need to do on climate." Sino-US relations have been strained in recent years by disagreements about trade, China's treatment of its Uighur minority, as well as China's actions in Taiwan and Hong Kong. China has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2060 while US President Joe Biden's administration is expected to announce a new target for reducing emissions at a global climate summit on Apr 22. Kerry will take part ... » Learn More about Kerry: US ‘hopeful’ it can work with China to tackle climate change

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia is clearly not seen as a “strategic environmental partner on climate action” by the United States, said Democratic Action Party's secretary-general Lim Guan Eng on Thursday (Apr 8). This came after environment minister Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man explained that Malaysia is not involved in a US-led virtual leaders summit for climate change as it is not among top greenhouse gas emitters and those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. In a statement, Mr Lim said: “Tuan Ibrahim’s explanation why Malaysia was not invited has shown him to be no different from former US President Donald Trump’s lack of knowledge and enthusiasm for climate change activism." Mr Lim stated that the reasoning by the minister was unacceptable. “Tuan Ibrahim’s rationale for Malaysia’s exclusion is that Malaysia is not climate-vulnerable like Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as not a big country contributor to 80 per cent of greenhouse gases (GHG) to limit global warming to 1.5 ... » Learn More about Malaysia not seen as ‘strategic environmental partner’ by US, says DAP leader on climate summit snub

LONDON: A new algorithm-based study by a group of UK universities has predicted that 63 countries – roughly half the number rated by the likes of S&P Global, Moody's and Fitch: could see their credit ratings cut because of climate change by 2030. Researchers from Cambridge University, the University of East Anglia and London-based SOAS looked at a "realistic scenario" known as RCP 8.5, where carbon and other polluting emissions continue rising in coming decades. They then looked at how the likely negative impact of rising temperatures, sea levels and other climate change effects on countries' economies and finances might affect their credit ratings. "We find that 63 sovereigns suffer climate-induced downgrades of approximately 1.02 notches by 2030, rising to 80 sovereigns facing an average downgrade of 2.48 notches by 2100," the study released on Thursday said. READ: China generated more than half of world's coal-fired power in 2020: Study The hardest-hit countries ... » Learn More about Global warming could cut credit ratings of more than 60 countries by 2030, study warns

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) is encouraging all Filipinos to join in the global call for strengthened and unified actions to nurture the Earth in celebration of the Month of Planet Earth this April. April of every year is declared as the Month of Planet Earth by virtue of Proclamation 1482, s. 2008, and throughout the month, various sectors celebrate with activities aimed at raising awareness and strengthening programs to protect and save the planet from environmental degradation and to ensure a sustainable future for all. With the theme, “Doing our Fair Share to Restore the Earth,” this year’s celebration calls for sustainable and resilient recovery not only from coronavirus disease (Covid-19), but also from the escalating climate-related disaster risks. While looking for efficient ways to put a stop to the rise of Covid-19 cases and providing aid to the Filipinos who were severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, we must not pull back from continued climate action. ... » Learn More about Climate body asks Filipinos to help save Earth

SCIENCE diplomacy plays a vital role in the implementation of “Climate Smart Philippines,” the flagship program of the Environmental and Climate Change Research Institute. It is a platform that provides elucidations in reducing disaster risks and preventing potential damage and losses through scientific wide-ranging assessment, capacity development, project management, and multilateral cooperation among stakeholders. It is an avenue for all the actors to understand, plan, develop and implement not only the best science and evidence-based strategic solutions but also the most humane and gender-responsive schemes in the most diplomatic way. It is also a stratagem designed to bring out the best in every individual to solve the most pressing conundrum regardless of culture, gender, and nationality. And it is also a bridge that influences and impacts public policy, which deals with matters of fretfulness, peevishness and sensitivity. But despite the solutions that this program has ... » Learn More about Implementation challenges of science diplomacy in ‘Climate Smart Philippines’

SINGAPORE - The city skyline turned into a sea of blue to mark World Water Day, as Singapore showed its commitment to water sustainability over the weekend. From Saturday (March 20) till Monday, a record 44 landmarks and buildings, including the ArtScience Museum, the Esplanade, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands and the Singapore Flyer, are lit up in blue in the evenings as part of the national water agency PUB's City Turns Blue initiative, which started in 2014. Among them are 10 spots that are taking part in the initiative for the first time. These include the Singapore Sports Hub, Mount Faber, One Marina Boulevard, Wisma Atria and the Keppel Marina East Desalination Plant. Last year, 39 local landmarks were bathed in blue as part of the light-up. World Water Day is held annually on March 22, a day designated by the United Nations as a reminder that water is a critical resource that should be cherished and protected. World Water Day is particularly significant this time ... » Learn More about Singapore landmarks turn blue to mark World Water Day

A virtual week exploring the issues affecting over 5 billion citizens in Asia - the built environment, access to education and reskilling, and food security. HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach - 24 March 2021 - The Economist Events hosted its inaugural Technology for Change Week Asia virtually on March 8th-12th 2021. The event brought together more than 70 cross-industry expert speakers and 1,800 delegates from both private and public sectors to discuss how technology and data-driven solutions can ensure that no adult or child is left behind in an increasingly digital world. The virtual week kicked off with a live ministerial keynote to discuss how territories in Asia can strive to be regional and global leaders in driving connectivity and digital inclusivity. S. Iswaran, Minister of communications and information, Minister-in-charge of trade relations, Republic of Singapore shared: "Digitalisation is a means to an end, and therefore, by digital inclusion, what we ... » Learn More about Technology for Change Week Asia highlights the need to close the gaps in digital inclusivity across the region

Manila Bay. INQUIRER.net stock photo The Philippines is one of eight Asian countries most threatened by coastal flooding due to increasingly higher tides in the coming mid-century, a new study found. The rising seas could affect three times more people than previously thought, and could even erase some of the world’s great coastal cities by 2050, according to a study produced by Climate Central and published on the journal Nature Communications, as per New York Times on Oct. 29. The study shows that about 150 million people currently live in areas set to be submerged by 2050, and about 70% of these people at risk are in the Philippines, China, Japan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, India and Thailand. The authors of the study found that the new estimate of land and people at risk is “far greater” than previous estimations. They learned of this after developing a more accurate way of calculating land elevation based on satellite readings. “[Global] impacts of sea-level rise ... » Learn More about Philippines among countries most threatened by rising seas, says new study

EVERY crisis seems to bring out the need to plan for the future. It is often reflective of what the current economic predicament is and what the solution can be, and it is no different for the Securities Commission (SC). What the SC has done since 2001 is develop a blueprint on how to address issues surrounding the capital market over a 10-year horizon, starting with the first iteration of the Capital Market Masterplan (CMP) in 2001. In 2011, after the first CMP had run its course, there was the follow-up vision by the SC. The first was in response to the economic devastation brought about by the Asian Financial Crisis and the need to strengthen the intermediaries. It was an overarching plan to fix the balance sheet and stability of the capital markets and the broking industry. The second CMP came on the heels of the Global Financial Crisis and it looked at elevating standards, transparency and products of the function of the capital markets. “Although the Covid-19 pandemic ... » Learn More about Investing in digital-centric climate

The coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic has exposed the sobering reality that the world is not as advanced and as resilient as we thought it to be. Despite the gains we made to address poverty, health and climate change, we remain unprepared for the life-threatening challenges it brought us. It made us realize that our societies and economic systems are fragile and we will continue to be as strong as our most vulnerable if we will not change course. The massive scale of the climate crisis has never been more evident than today. The year 2020 was dubbed as one of the warmest years on record with the average global temperature at about 1.2 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels, despite a cooling effect of the La Niña phenomenon. The six warmest years on record have all been in the past six years (2015 to 2020) and the trend is set to continue in the next years due to the increasing heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The climate crisis is even more ... » Learn More about Stronger policy measures needed to help avert future loss and damage