DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Haze hits Singapore as hot spots in Sumatra increase
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( Chen Lin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Transborder haze is a perennial problem in Southeast Asia as regulatory loopholes make it hard for authorities to eliminate Indonesia's slash-and-burn land clearing practices. Singapore's National Environment Agency said 212 hot spots were detected on Indonesia's nearby Sumatra island on Friday, up from 65 on Thursday and 15 the day before. A brief shift in the wind direction on Friday afternoon blew some of the lighter haze toward Singapore, worsening the island nation's in air quality, it said. Earlier in the week Malaysia urged Indonesia to take action on the fires within Indonesia's borders as the air quality in Malaysia hit unhealthy levels. The most severe haze conditions recorded in Singapore were in September 2015, when the 24-hour index exceeded 300 to the hazardous level, prompting school closures.

Persons: Antara, Chen Lin, William Mallard Organizations: Rights, National Environment Agency, Thomson Locations: Ogan Ilir, South Sumatra, Indonesia, Rights SINGAPORE, Singapore, Southeast Asia, Sumatra, Malaysia, Indonesia's

☆ Singapore's love affair with air conditioning shows a Catch 22 of climate change
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-09 | by ( Heather Chen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Thankfully, Chee said, his home has five air conditioners – one in each bedroom and a larger unit in the living room. “I drank plenty of water, took cold showers and kept the air conditioning on for the entire weekend. Indeed, in this city, air conditioning has become almost a way of life. But Singapore’s love affair with air conditioning has an enormous cost. Here are some possible solutions 02:39 - Source: CNNBreaking the loopStill, experts say there are ways to break the air conditioning doom-loop.

Persons: Chee Kuan Chew, ” Chee, “, Mo Kio, Chee, Lee Kuan Yew, Edgar Su, Suhaimi Abdullah, Matthias Roth, Roth, Radhika Khosla, ” Khosla, Heng Chye Kiang, Smart, Heng Organizations: CNN, Reuters, Economic, International Energy Agency, Urban, United States Environmental Protection Agency, National University of Singapore, United Nations, Montreal Protocol, Oxford University’s Smith School of Enterprise, Environment, Bloomberg, Getty, Singapore’s National Environment Agency, NEA, ”, National University of Singapore’s School of Design Locations: Singapore, New York City, Japan, United States, ”, Kigali, Montreal, Orchard

☆ Southeast Asia hit with record-breaking heat and heavy air pollution
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-15 | by ( Emma Newburger | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Several cities in Southeast Asia experienced sweltering temperatures over the weekend, with some areas hitting new all-time highs as global climate change intensifies both heat waves and air pollution in the region. Luang Prabang, a city in Laos, saw a record-high temperature of 110.3 degrees Fahrenheit (43.5 degrees Celsius) Saturday, according to the Thai Meteorological Department. Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, also experienced a record-high temperature of 105.8 degrees Fahrenheit (41 degrees Celsius) over the weekend. Singapore hit 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius) Saturday, matching its all-time record, which was recorded 40 years ago, the National Environment Agency said. Southeast Asia is one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change, which has fueled more frequent and severe heat waves and worsened the region's air pollution.

Sembcorp, which is 49.3% owned by Singapore's state investor Temasek Holdings, has hired HSBC (HSBA.L) to run the sale of SembWaste, according to the sources. First-round of non-binding bids are due by early June, said one of the sources, declining to be named as the matter is private. Last year, SembWaste's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization was S$50 million ($37.75 million), one of the sources added. Last year, Singapore's asset manager Keppel consortium bought a 80% stake in environmental services firm 800 Super Holdings for S$304 million. SembWaste is one of three public waste collectors appointed by Singapore's National Environment Agency to provide waste and recyclable collection services to residential, schools and trade premises in the city-state, according to its website.

☆ Lula’s victory in Brazil sparks optimism on deforestation, with ramifications for the world
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-31 | by ( Jenni Reid | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Da Silva, commonly known as Lula, took 50.9% of the second round vote to incumbent Jair Bolsonaro's 49.1%, according to Brazil's election authority. watch nowLula used his victory address to pledge to combat climate change and deforestation — issues observers say have not just been sidelined but severely worsened under Bolsonaro's tenure. In 2019, he told foreign journalists: "No country in the world has the moral right to talk about the Amazon. "Around 95% of deforestation in the last four years in the Amazon has had some level of illegality," he said. Norway is already looking to resume aid for anti-deforestation efforts to Brazil, which it suspended during Bolsonaro's term, local newspaper Aftenposten reported Monday.

Search resuls for: "National Environment Agency"

5 mentions found