Today’s news:
- Asia is most climate disaster-impacted region
- How to balance the environmental perils and promises of Generative AI
- A fund for toxic waste
- Groups work to bring environmental education to schools
- Four companies to jointly invest in 15 ‘green’ power plants
- How Thailand’s wellness capital became the world’s most polluted city/
- Burning waste warehouses raise pollution fears/
- UN committee debates plastics and microplastics
- CP Foods Steps Up Environmental Initiatives Against Plastic Waste
- Plant & Bean To Build New Solar-powered Factory in Thailand
- World’s electric car fleet continues to grow, with 2024 sales set to reach 17 million
Asia is most climate disaster-impacted region
Asia was the world’s most disaster-hit region by climate-related hazards last year, the United Nations’ (UN) World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said, with floods and storms causing the highest number of casualties. #asiaclimate
In a report published on Tuesday, WMO said that 79 disasters linked to hydro-meteorological events had been reported in Asia in 2023. More than 80% of these were related to floods and storms that caused more than 2,000 deaths. Continued …
How to balance the environmental perils and promises of Generative AI
The rapid adoption of ChatGPT has elevated the negative environmental impacts of generative AI from a hyped new technology to an immediate concern for organizations.
Plenty of seemingly good use cases powered by this emerging technology will do more harm than good in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and electricity and water consumption. Continued …
A fund for toxic waste
Accidents involving toxic waste are not unusual in Thailand. With weak law enforcement and irresponsible operators, Thai society has been affected by a number of accidents and threats caused by toxic waste management or the lack thereof. #thailandtoxicwaste Continued …
Groups work to bring environmental education to schools
Sustainability starts in the mind. The Ferry Porsche Foundation, the Audi Environmental Foundation, the Bentley Environmental Foundation and the green start-up everwave are committed to that idea. With an innovative educational initiative for schools in Bangkok, this quartet is working to raise awareness of how to act sustainably.
The program complements the cleanup activities of the environmental partnership launched in 2023. The goal is to reduce the amount of waste flowing into the Chao Phraya River via its side channels and to establish a stable waste-processing infrastructure around the Thai capital. Continued …
Four companies to jointly invest in 15 ‘green’ power plants
Local power and waste-management companies have teamed up to co-invest in 12 waste-to-energy power plants and three refuse-derived fuel production facilities in a move to support the state’s bio-, circular and green economic policy. #wastetoenergy
The collaboration aims to develop facilities with large power generation capacity, as well as help the country better manage waste from the industrial sector, said Supawat Khunvoravinij, acting managing director of Earth Tech Environment, a waste recycling and disposal service provider. Continued …
How Thailand’s wellness capital became the world’s most polluted city
Six years ago this April, I was lying on the stage of a community village hall on the outskirts of Chiang Mai while an old man massaged my back with his feet, which happened to be on fire. #chiangmaismog
This practice, known as yam kang, is one of a number of unusual treatments only found in and around Chiang Mai, the Thai city where mental and physical health is woven into the culture like the roots of a banyan tree. Continued …
Burning waste warehouses raise pollution fears
Fires continued to burn at the hazardous waste site owned by Win Process Co. in Rayong on Tuesday, amid concerns over the environmental impact of the blaze.
Firefighters were spraying foam on the blackened remains of the warehouses, in tambon Bang But of Ban Khai district, where flames were still visible in some spots. White and black smoke continued to spread from the warehouse compound. The unpleasant smell was noticeable up to 10 kilometers downwind, reports said. Continued …
UN committee debates plastics and microplastics. Here’s why
On the eve of an international meeting to debate a global treaty on plastic pollution, Earth Day 2024 on Monday highlighted the planet’s growing problem with plastics in events ranging from beach cleanups and seminars to an environmental demonstration in Seoul, Korea. #plasticpollution
Since the first Earth Day in 1970, plastic has become more ubiquitous in our environment. It’s now considered “a crisis of global proportion,” according to the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Committee to Develop an International Legally Binding Instrument on Plastic Pollution, including in the marine environment. Continued …
CP Foods Steps Up Environmental Initiatives Against Plastic Waste
Charoen Pokphand Foods Public Co. (CP Foods) is stepping up its environmental conservation efforts, reaffirming its dedication to sustainable practices by decreasing plastic usage throughout its operations. #cpfoods
Aligned with the Earth Day 2024 theme “Planet vs. Plastics”, this initiative focuses on gradually eliminating single-use plastics and advocating for recyclable packaging across CP Foods’ supply chain. Continued …
Plant & Bean To Build New Solar-powered Factory in Thailand
Much like its counterparts, 2023 was a turbulent year for Plant & Bean, the British co-manufacturer of plant proteins that once set out to open Europe’s largest plant-based meat factory. In June, it called in administration after facing operational issues and bearing the brunt of food and energy inflation. #plantandbean
A few weeks later, the company’s UK production facility and assets were purchased out of administration by VBites founder Heather Mills, with the factory continuing production. Plant & Bean owed creditors over £6M, but it had also been brewing up its new manufacturing site in Thailand, a result of a joint venture that could signal a revival of fortunes. Continued …
World’s electric car fleet continues to grow, with 2024 sales set to reach 17 million
More than one in five cars sold worldwide this year is expected to be electric, with surging demand projected over the next decade set to remake the global auto industry and significantly reduce oil consumption for road transport, according to the new edition of the IEA’s annual Global EV Outlook. #electricvehicles
The latest Outlook finds that global electric car sales are set to remain robust in 2024, reaching around 17 million by the end of the year. In the first quarter, sales grew by about 25% compared with the same period in 2023 – similar to the growth rate seen in the same period a year earlier, but from a larger base. The number of electric cars sold globally in the first three months of this year is roughly equivalent to the number sold in all of 2020. Continued …