Singapore to host Prince William’s Earthshot Prize

Singapore has been chosen as the host for the upcoming Earthshot Prize awards ceremony, organized by Prince William. The event aims to recognize innovative efforts in tackling climate change, with winners in each category receiving £1 million. The ceremony will feature performances by renowned musicians and artists, and this year’s finalists will be announced later in the year. The Earthshot Prize was inspired by President Kennedy’s “Moonshot” project and was established by Prince William in 2020.

Myanmar port city cut off in Cyclone Mocha aftermath

Cyclone Mocha struck a major port city in Myanmar, cutting off tens of thousands of people from communication. The storm, the most powerful in the Bay of Bengal in over a decade, caused extensive damage in Myanmar and Bangladesh but spared Rohingya refugee camps. Efforts to assess the situation and provide relief were hampered by disrupted communication and infrastructure.

Climate change raising heat risks for workers, experts warn

Rising global temperatures are increasing the risk of workers dying or becoming disabled from extreme heat, according to an international conference. Tens of thousands of workers worldwide have already died from heat-related illnesses. The conference highlighted the need for countries to take action to protect workers’ health, including implementing regulations and providing rest, water, and shade. Climate change is intensifying the urgency of addressing this issue.

Thailand chokes on pollution but greens struggle to be heard in election

Green candidates in Thailand’s election struggle to gain support despite record-breaking pollution. The public acknowledges the environmental issues but lacks hope in politicians’ ability to solve them. Environmental concerns have taken a backseat to other political priorities in the election campaign.

Singapore to plant 10,000 trees to commemorate Lee Kuan Yew’s 100th birthday

Singapore plans to plant 10,000 trees to commemorate the 100th birthday of founding Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew. The initiative, part of the LKY100 series, aims to honor Lee’s values and ideals that shaped the nation.

New Zealand fights to save its flightless national bird

Wild kiwi birds have returned to Wellington’s hills after a century-long absence. Invasive predators had nearly decimated the population of native birds in New Zealand, but more than 90 community initiatives working nationwide have brought the population back. The Capital Kiwi Project, a charitable trust, laid 4,500 traps and released kiwi birds last November after “blitzing” stoats. The goal is to release 250 birds over the next five years to establish a large wild kiwi population.

China approves coal power surge despite emissions pledge: Greenpeace

China’s surge in coal power approvals has raised concerns that it will backtrack on its emissions reduction goals, with local governments in energy-hungry provinces approving at least 20.45 GW of coal-fired power in Q1 2023, more than double the same period last year. Greenpeace warns that investing in fossil fuel plants to prepare for the spike in air conditioning will create a vicious cycle and accelerate climate change. The country is also the world’s largest producer of renewable energy, but the need for short-term economic growth is diverting investment away from renewable energy projects.

Minister Grace Fu reiterates Singapore’s status as developing country and potential claimant for COP27 Fund

During a parliamentary exchange on 21 April, Workers’ Party MP Leon Perera questioned Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, on whether the country would contribute to the COP27 Biodiversity Fund or remain a claimant. Ms Fu stated that Singapore had not reached an understanding of the fund and clarified that Singapore has not decided and would take into consideration all views. Fu also noted that Singapore does not belong to the group of developed countries.

G7 faces pressure on fossil fuel pledges at Japan climate talks

G7 climate ministers face pressure to uphold fossil fuel commitments at their meeting in Japan, amid the UN’s warning of 1.5C of warming in a decade. Foreign investments in gas and domestic decarbonisation are proving contentious, with the energy crisis squeezing the bloc. Climate policy thinks tank E3G warns that backsliding risks undercutting G7’s claim to provide global leadership on confronting the climate emergency. A draft G7 statement calls for global greenhouse gas emissions to peak by 2025 at the latest and a 60% reduction by 2035 from 2019 levels.

Lapses in Earth Control Measures at Bukit Batok Build-To-Order project resulted from terrain constraints and supply issues, says MND and HDB

The lapses in earth control measures at a Build-To-Order project in Bukit Batok were the result of terrain constraints and supply issues, said the Ministry of National Development (MND) and Housing Board (HDB) in a joint statement. The statement addressed concerns about the implementation of the environmental management and monitoring plan (EMMP) for the site, which was carried out in stages due to the hilly terrain of the site. Although there were temporary supply issues that prevented the contractor from covering some areas of exposed earth in one day, the supply issue has since been resolved.