Southeast Asia

Vast solar farm

Utility solar dethrones coal as the cheapest power source in Asia

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According a new analysis from Wood Mackenzie on the levelized cost of electricity for the Asia Pacific region, the cost of renewables reached a historic low in 2023. Renewable energy costs in Asia last year were 13% cheaper than coal and are expected to be 32% cheaper by 2030. Utility solar is now the cheapest power source in 11 out of 15 APAC countries. New-build solar project costs are expected to fall by another 20% by 2030.

Utility solar dethrones coal as the cheapest power source in Asia Read more

River dolphin

11 countries sign global pact to protect endangered river dolphins

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Since the 1980s, the combined populations of river dolphin species have plummeted by 73%. With the Global Declaration for River Dolphins, 14 countries are expected to join forces to protect six surviving species. So far, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Brazil, Cambodia, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Peru, and Venezuela have signed the declaration.

11 countries sign global pact to protect endangered river dolphins Read more

Person receiving nasal spray

Novel nasal COVID-19 vaccine offers longer, better immunity than jabs

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Researchers at Duke-NUS Medical School in Singapore have developed an intranasal COVID-19 vaccine that enhances the immune system’s response to the virus, providing longer-lasting, greater protection than vaccine injections, even against new and emerging variants. The novel vaccine candidate could mean fewer boosters in future.

Novel nasal COVID-19 vaccine offers longer, better immunity than jabs Read more

Buddha statue in the dark

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art to return looted ancient art to Cambodia and Thailand

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Thirteen of the works are being returned to Cambodia in concert with an investigation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York and Homeland Security. Among the works are a large head of Buddha made of stone in the seventh century, and a tenth century sandstone goddess statue from the Koh Ker archaeological site.

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art to return looted ancient art to Cambodia and Thailand Read more

Waving a pride flag

Thailand to legalize same-sex marriage

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The Southeast Asian country will become the third Asian nation, after Taiwan and Nepal, to legalize same-sex marriage. A new amendment to its Civil and Commercial Code will change the words “men and women” and “husband and wife” to “individuals” and “marriage partners.” The next step will be an amendment to the country’s pension fund law to recognize same-sex couples.

Thailand to legalize same-sex marriage Read more

Palm trees

Indonesia to reforest more than 400,000 acres of palm plantations

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Landowners with oil palm trees in designated production forests will be allowed to continue growing the crops after paying fines, while plantations found in protected forests will have to be turned over to the government for reforestation. Companies that grow oil palms illegally after the Nov. 2 deadline will be subject to legal action.

Indonesia to reforest more than 400,000 acres of palm plantations Read more

Sumatran hillside

Indonesian government recognizes ancestral forests in Aceh for first time

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The Indonesian federal government has recognized 55,700 acres of ancestral forests on the northern tip of Sumatra for the first time. Indigenous communities in the region have welcomed the recognition, saying it will give them legal protection to manage their forests in a sustainable manner.

Indonesian government recognizes ancestral forests in Aceh for first time Read more

Offshore wind farm

Offshore wind development accelerating rapidly in The Philippines following presidential executive order

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In just a span of five months since EO 21 was issued, the number of offshore wind energy service contracts awarded to qualified investors went from 38 to 78. The biggest growth in terms of gigawatts and allocation happened between August to October when the number of rose from 63 to 78 contracts with a total of 61.6 GW.

Offshore wind development accelerating rapidly in The Philippines following presidential executive order Read more

Laos flag

Laos has officially eliminated elephantiasis as a public health problem

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For centuries, this disease has afflicted millions of people worldwide, causing pain, severe disability and social stigmatization. It is now the second neglected tropical disease (NTD) that the Southeast Asian country has eliminated following the elimination of trachoma as a public health problem in 2017.

Laos has officially eliminated elephantiasis as a public health problem Read more

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