New data published by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) reveals that the overall 2023 air pollution levels in Jakarta were arguably the worst since 2019. Despite improvements between 2020 and 2022, the rise of pollution in 2023 is a notable setback. Over 29 million people …
Singapore’s air quality reached “very unhealthy” levels on Thursday as thick smog from forest fires in Indonesia’s neighbouring island of Sumatra choked the city-state. Thick grey smoke blown in by southerly winds smothered the island, shrouding the skyline and creeping into homes, with many residents avoiding going outdoors. Thursday is …
The government has announced the revocation of permits for four firms whose concessions in Sumatra and Kalimantan have burned up recently, adding to the haze fire disaster that has engulfed the nation. One of the firms, PT Hutani Sola Lestari (HSL), is alleged to have supplied timber to PT Riau …
The world may not be well prepared for the next significant tsunami, reports Northwestern University tsunami expert Emile A. Okal in a new study that includes a “wisdom index” for 17 tsunamis since 2004. The 2004 Sumatra-Andaman tsunami was the most devastating in recorded history, killing more than 225,000 people, …
Conservation group IUCN wants Indonesia and international donors to take urgent action to save ‘weirdest of all rhinos’ Earth’s last remaining Sumatran rhinos are edging perilously close to extinction, according to one of the world’s top conservation bodies. There are fewer than 100 of the animals left in the rainforests …
Indonesia's Central Kalimantan province saw increased demonstrations Tuesday over the stinging haze that has engulfed the region in recent days due to recurring forest fires. About 150 protesters threatened to enter the governor's office in Central Kalimantan province to publicly denounce the Indonesian government’s inaction against forest fires, which have …
JAKARTA – A worsening haze across northern Indonesia, neighboring Singapore and parts of Malaysia on Tuesday forced some schools to close and airlines to delay flights, while Indonesia ordered a crackdown against lighting fires to clear forested land. Southeast Asia has suffered for years from annual bouts of smog caused …
Norway will make a final $100-million payment to Brazil this year to complete a $1-billion project that rewards a slowdown in forest loss in the Amazon basin, Norway's Environment Ministry said on Tuesday. Brazil had more than achieved a goal of reducing the rate of deforestation by 75 percent, the …
India is emerging as a major driver of wealth creation among the high net worth individuals (HNWI) and recorded the largest percentage point gains - in the Asia Pacific region and globally - in HNWI population (26.3 per cent to 1.98 lakh) and wealth (28.2 per cent to $785 billion). …
Indonesian President Joko Widodo called late on Monday for strong action against anyone caught lighting fires to clear forested land, as a worsening haze blanketed the north of the country and neighboring Singapore and Malaysia. Southeast Asia has suffered for years from annual bouts of smog caused by slash-and-burn practices …
Indonesia has agreed to share with Singapore the names of companies suspected of causing forest fires that have led to a deterioration of air quality in the city state. Indonesia's Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya Bakar, told Singapore's Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Vivian Balakrishnan, that …
Smog-affected ASEAN countries, especially Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, should allocate up to US$10 billion to cope with unending forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, a scientist said. “The cost is equal to the estimated total economic losses resulting from the recent smog,” Herry Purnomo, a scientist at CIFOR and professor …
Global cosmetics giant L’Oréal has announced a target to reduce its carbon footprint while continuing to increase production. The company plans to become “carbon balanced” by 2020 by offsetting greenhouse gas emissions from its operations. Since 2005 the company has reduced its absolute emissions by 50% while increasing its production …
Smog caused by slash-and-burn agriculture in Indonesia is continuing to foul air quality as far away as Singapore, with readings in some parts of Sumatra island deemed “very unhealthy.” A gauge of tiny air-pollution particles was at 344.90 as of 10 a.m. in Palembang, in the southern part of Sumatra, …
Indonesia is investigating 10 firms over worsening forest fires that have created a blanket of smog over Southeast Asia, threatening them with sanctions if they are found responsible, a government minister said on Tuesday. The thick haze from Indonesia's Sumatra and Kalimantan islands has forced the repeated cancellation of flights …
Smog from forest fires in Indonesia on Tuesday prompted the cancellation of flights and warnings for people to stay indoors, while pushing air quality to unhealthy levels in neighbouring Singapore and Malaysia. The thick haze came from blazes on western Sumatra island and the Indonesian part of Borneo island, which …
The removal of the world's tree cover remains a concern but deforestation rates are slowing, says the UN report The world's forests face a "decisive year" as nations prepare to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals and gather for key climate talks. In a UN report on forests, senior official Jose …
The intensity of pollution produced by land and forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan continued to fluctuate over the weekend, putting the health of local residents at risk and disrupting activities in a number of airports on the two major islands. On Sunday, as of 10 a.m. local time, the …
Contributions to historical climate change have varied substantially among nations. These differences reflect underlying inequalities in wealth and development, and pose a fundamental challenge to the implementation of a globally equitable climate mitigation strategy. This Letter presents a new way to quantify historical inequalities among nations using carbon and climate …
Details of pledge remain unclear for country that is likely to play a key role in Paris climate talks Indonesia will pledge to cut its greenhouse gas emissions 29% by 2030 the environment and forestry minister said on Wednesday, but gave few details on how this would be done. Indonesia, …
Global plans to curb carbon dioxide are well below what's needed to keep temperatures from rising above 2 degrees according to a new analysis. It is the work of researchers from the Climate Action Tracker (CAT), a consortium of research institutions. They examined the commitments already made by governments to …
