Global demand for wood pellets and pulp is fuelling a resurgence in deforestation in Kalimantan, home to the Indigenous Dayak community and critically-endangered orangutans. The firm responsible has murky ties to Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysian entities, NGOs claim.
The El Niño weather phenomenon, smouldering peatlands, coal power and vehicular pollution caused a big drop in air quality in Southeast Asia in 2023. In Indonesia, Southeast Asia's most polluted country, air quality fell by 20 per cent.
The international trade body backed the EU’s decision to impose rules against palm oil as a biofuel due to emission risks but said the bloc failed to properly implement them, validating complaints by trade partner Malaysia.
Non-profit RimbaWatch says Grab's scheme is based on questionable forest carbon projects. The ride-hailer argues that carbon credits can be a credible means to cut emissions.