Environment

COP26 in Glasgow started with a plethora of declarations. But in the end it failed to deliver on the real and immediate action needed to avoid climate catastrophe, and to address the demand for justice and equity for those most impacted by climate harms.

In line with its decision to commit to the Paris Agreement of limiting global warming to 1.5°C, New Zealand is working towards implementing a mandatory climate-related financial disclosure regime for certain financial institutions. Aiming to go into effect this year, NZ may be the first in the world to legislate such a climate-related financial disclosure regime. 

While the call for consumers to recycle plastic waste is loudly and widely proclaimed by governments and producers, it is only part of the solution to a crisis caused by the proliferation of plastic materials and their ability to endure. What else needs to be done? 

As countries around the world scramble to contain the deadly coronavirus, detritus from disposable plastic is snowballing in Asia. Experts explain how the pandemic is exacerbating the plastic waste deluge, and what consumers and governments can do to address the situation.

Plastic is a material that used to be a symbol of progress and modernity. Now it represents an industry that subordinates everything to profit, even if the world is ruined in the process.

The creation of “green jobs” has been a key focus of South Korea’s current Green New Deal policy. However, the government has made little progress in accomplishing its stated goals and ambitions, including offering decent compensation to young workers and career seekers. This article explores why this is the case. 

Both Japan and South Korea have announced that they would become carbon neutral by 2050. However, neither country has a clear roadmap or specific policies to attain this target. And, in fact, both governments are pursuing policies that are inconsistent with their pledges. 

December 12, 2020, will be the 5th anniversary of the adoption of the Paris Climate Agreement. This analysis provides important materials and pursues the questions: Where do we stand in dealing with the climate crisis? What false solutions must be avoided? And how can we push the urgently needed radical course change in pursuit of climate justice?

In former evacuation zones of the Fukushima nuclear disaster, although the government of Japan pronounced it safe to resume normal life, some returnees found such a life elusive. To make life possible on their once-abandoned land, they decided to tackle radiation in their own ways. 

How is the city you live in changing? And what does the city of your dreams look like? Recently, cities are undergoing drastic changes on two axes: smart cities and green cities. The new city of Songdo in South Korea offers insights into what is truly needed in the transformation of an Asian city.