ARTICLES

14 Apr 2022

Palm Oil Certification Schemes: Putting Some Roar into Paper Tigers

Darren Cheong|Ryan Wong

Sustainable palm oil certification schemes are necessary, as they incentivise producers to improve their environmental practices. But a different tack centred on districts rather than individual producers should be considered.

13 Apr 2022

Greenwashing: A Market Distortion Needing Serious Attention in Southeast Asia

Michael Schaper|Ryan Wong

Greenwashing is more than just a quirky marketing practice; it has the potential to seriously distort the effective expression of consumer and social concerns about environmental issues. This Long Read argues that consumers and investors can drive change through their purchasing and spending power. But this requires honest and accurate information to be made freely available so that properly informed decisions can be made.

Climate Change Environment Sustainable Development

24 Mar 2022

Resetting the Throw-Away Lifestyle

Ryan Wong

No politician in both developing and developed nations would be ready to condemn more consumption, more growth and more throw-away. But the alternative need not be anti-consumption. Innovations and nascent movements in sustainable consumption show us more options.

Environment Sustainable Development

21 Mar 2022

Slashing Methane Emissions: A Tricky Business

Ryan Wong|Qiu Jiahui

Reducing methane emissions is achievable, but there are several prickly issues.

Climate Change Environment Sustainable Development

7 Mar 2022

Malaysia’s Recent Floods Must Spur Bold and Decisive Action

Paul Lim Pau Hua

Reducing flood vulnerability not only minimises economic losses but also consolidates investor confidence. Malaysia can substantially enhance flood resiliency by implementing climate change legislation, a national insurance programme, and an affordable relocation scheme to cope with the mounting costs of more frequent and severe floods.

Climate Change Environment Malaysia

4 Mar 2022

Putting a Floor Under Asia’s Sinking Cities

Dimas Fauzi

Rising sea levels will affect many Asian countries, particularly those in Southeast Asia. There needs to be fresh approaches and policies to manage what is termed a ‘super wicked problem.'

Climate Change Environment

24 Feb 2022

Of Parachutes and Helicopters: Reconstructing the Decolonisation Agenda in Environmental Research

Patrick O'Reilly|Helena Varkkey|Shofwan Al Banna Choiruzzad

There is an intrinsic North-South divide in environmental research, which is also felt in Southeast Asia. There needs to be a mindset change to roll back some of these inequalities.

Climate Change Decolonisation Environment

11 Feb 2022

Climate Finance in Southeast Asia: Trends and Opportunities

Melinda Martinus|Qiu Jiahui

The Covid-19 crisis has stalled the delivery of much-needed climate finance to developing countries. For Southeast Asia, a region frequently cited as being one of the most vulnerable regions threatened by climate change, the broken promise of climate finance is highly disappointing.

Climate Change Environment Finance Sustainable Development

3 Feb 2022

Facing the Music with Methane

Ryan Wong|Qiu Jiahui

Apart from carbon dioxide, methane has been identified as one of the main contributors to global warming. In Southeast Asia, efforts to reduce methane emissions should focus on the agriculture and oil and gas sectors.

Agriculture Climate Change Environment Sustainable Development

1 Feb 2022

Will Green Parties Rise in Southeast Asia?

Michael Schaper

Greens often prosper in federal systems, in richer countries with service-based economies, in situations where environmental issues are part of mainstream political debates, and in electorates with large numbers of young, highly-educated members drawn from the middle class. If this is the case, then Southeast Asia may eventually see the rise of its own green movement.

Climate Change Environment Southeast Asia