New research says that the health risk to mothers and newborns posed by global warming is a “blindspot” in the majority of national climate plans. It must not be sidelined by COP29 negotiators.
Indian state energy companies have been rushing to announce net zero emissions targets but many lack a clear, realistic path to move away from fossil fuels and towards net carbon neutrality.
Some climate watchers are unhappy India has dropped bold commitments made by Modi in Glasgow last year and fear the nation will burn more dirty cheap coal to provide affordable energy to its population.
Japan's transition plans have been accelerated, including in response to the Ukraine war, but the immediate focus remains on securing dispatchable supply and keeping the lights on.
While Europe is partly accelerating low-carbon programmes to wean itself off Russian energy in the light of the Ukraine war, the picture in Asia is more mixed, with many still associating reliable energy with fossil fuels.
Southeast Asia, home to the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations block, is playing catch-up in green hydrogen development. Other than Singapore, no members have included it in their respective energy policies, according to a recent report.
A massive expansion of China’s gas pipeline network threatens climate goals and creates a $89.1 billion stranded asset risk, showed a new survey, but some in the industry are not taking such warnings seriously.