On Assignment
Light for a Nation
In a country like Nepal that has endured long-term political hardships, there’s nothing more devastating than for the 2015 earthquakes to rock the nation. As the country continues to struggle with the effects of the natural disasters, climate change and political instability, renewable energy is providing both light and hope for a nation of people renowned for their resilience.
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Environment
Planet Under Fire
The Paris Agreement calls for almost all countries in the world to start putting forth their commitments to help reduce their carbon emissions. The signs of climate change are clear as day, and the enormous and yet growing human population means our energy consumption is set to increase. What will the Agreement mean for our planet, and is renewable energy the answer?
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Environment
Islands in the Sky
As the planet warms, the harsh conditions of the alpine zone are shrinking; where there was once ice, now there is green life. This process, analogous to the movement of vegetation towards the poles, is one direct manifestation of climate change. In the highest moiuntains of the world, these changes will fundamentally alter the ecosystem that we have become familiar with over the last few millennia.
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Culture
The Soul of a Sailor
Atoll, which comes from the Maldivian word atolu, means a ring-shaped reef, island or chain of islands that are formed of coral. Indeed, the name is apt as the island-nation of Maldives, made up of 26 atolls, is now sending its first Atoll Sailor around the country.
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Heritage
The Village and the Dam
In recent years, China’s enthusiasm for dam building has spilled over into Southeast Asia. Hydrolancang – a Chinese state-owned enterprise already responsible for no less than seven out of 28 dams in the upper Mekong region – began to construct its very first overseas hydroelectric project in 2013, the Lower Sesan 2 (LSS2) Dam in Stung Treng province of northern Cambodia. The $800 million project, located about 100 kilometres south from the border with Laos, is among the most controversial and destructive in recent years.
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Environment
The Paris Climate Agreement
Climate change is a divisive topic. Some say that the Earth’s rising surface temperatures, also known as global warming, is due primarily to human activity, namely, the burning of fossil fuels. Others meanwhile argue that human activity has had no hand in what is the Earth’s natural climatic course. The general consensus remains that protecting the environment is the duty of mankind. In Singapore, the effects of climate change are palpable but the fight is not over.
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Environment
Sulphur, the Earth’s Coolant
Despite the association of sulphur dioxide with acid rain, the presence of sulphur in the atmosphere can help alleviate climate change. Could this be the solution to global warming? Carl-Bernd Kaehlig scales a volcano for a closer look.
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Culture
Above Sea Level
Long before the sun peeks over the horizon, artisanal fishermen across Malaysia’s Johor Strait gather at their respective jetties and beaches, looking forward to the day’s bounty. Climate change now threatens their way of life, and many locals are powerless in the fight to bring climate change to the political forefront. The future of these coastal communities is filled with uncertainty.
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