Guest Blog by Kanyasorn Tansubhapol The recent floods in Thailand have had not only profound impacts on people’s livelihoods, but also caused lots of damage to their houses and properties, affecting over 2.5 million people nationwide. Hundreds of thousands of residents became internally displaced almost overnight. The prolonged floods since late July have ravaged 30 provinces in the North, Northeast and Central regions, including Bangkok – the capital city of … Read more »Floods and Migration in Thailand
E-ideas – innovation and creativity for a sustainable planet
I was in Jakarta recently, and lucky enough to take part in an event to celebrate the “e-ideas” project. Organised by the British Council, and generously supported by LRQA, the programme has challenged young entrepreneurs to design innovative and creative businesses that promote sustainability. I met some of the winners from countries around Asia and the Pacific. The ideas were very impressive. For example, one winner had designed a system … Read more »E-ideas – innovation and creativity for a sustainable planet
Vietnam – Storms, Floods and Food
Guest Blog by Le Bich Vietnam has had severe weather problems recently. Between 12 and 28 September, heavy rain occurred in the country, as well as in north and central Burma, Thailand, and northern Lao PDR. This, combined with high tides, resulted in water levels rising in the Mekong river, reaching critical levels in early October. Between 28 September and 5 October three tropical storms/typhoons hit the coast. Tropical Storm Haitang made landfall in the central provinces of … Read more »Vietnam – Storms, Floods and Food
Typhoon Nesat hits the Philippines – Vulnerability to Climate Hazards
Guest Blog by Ros Arayata On 26 September 2009, the Philippines made international news when Supertyphoon Ondoy (international name: Ketsana) hit Metro Manila and 16 provinces. Ondoy’s wrath affected over 900,000 families, resulted in 464 deaths and brought damage to infrastructure and agriculture at an estimated cost of £160 million. It was recorded as the worst flooding the metropolis had seen in nearly 40 years. On 27 September 2011, one … Read more »Typhoon Nesat hits the Philippines – Vulnerability to Climate Hazards
The Korean Low Carbon Experience
Guest blog by Yoona Jo, Climate Change Director at the British High Commission, Singapore. So many people write on climate change these days that I was puzzled when John asked me to contribute to his FCO blog. What could I say that might be of interest for readers? But let me first introduce myself; my name is Yoona Jo and I work as Climate Change Director at the British High … Read more »The Korean Low Carbon Experience
Cut Emissions, Make Money
I have been to a number of events recently that have discussed a low carbon economy. Many participants have expressed interest in the idea, but wanted more information. In particular, one recurrent theme was "I would like to take action to reduce my greenhouse gas emissions - but it would cost too much, and I need to remain competitive!". Yet, the view that reducing emissions will always cost money is a false one. A number … Read more »Cut Emissions, Make Money
Thailand Begins To Feel The Real Implications of Climate Change
Guest Blog by Kanyasorn Tansubhapol, Climate Change Officer, British Embassy, BangkokIn the past, natural disasters and climate change have not been a major concern in Thailand. However, a recent series of extreme events – including severe drought, unusual rainfall, heavy flooding, and unseasonal weather patterns – have led to greater understanding of the range of potential climate change impacts. These are signs for all Thai people to wake up to the real implications of climate … Read more »Thailand Begins To Feel The Real Implications of Climate Change
Guest Blog by Ros Arayata – Looking at Cancun from Manila
A package of decisions dubbed the “Cancun Agreement” was adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference in Mexico on 11 December. The Agreement represents significant progress and hopefully sets a path towards a low-emissions future and enhanced action on climate change in the developing world. Moreover, the Agreement signified a team effort of more than 190 nations that restored faith in the multilateral process. The UK was pleased about the Cancun … Read more »Guest Blog by Ros Arayata – Looking at Cancun from Manila
Climate change – Stress on freshwater resources in SE Asia
Friday October 15th was Blog Action Day: the issue for this year’s event was water, which is a key concern for many parts of the world, including South East Asia. The Asian Development Bank report on the economics of climate change in the region, published in 2009, provided a stark assessment of the problem. Inland waterways like the Chao Phraya in Thailand and the Red River in Vietnam provide a source of … Read more »Climate change – Stress on freshwater resources in SE Asia
Vietnam – the hazards of a changing climate
I visited Vietnam recently. When I arrived, colleagues in the Embassy told me how heavy rain the previous day had caused severe flooding: "the water was up to my waist", "in the end I had to put on a pair of shorts and wade through the water", and "a 20 minute journey took me 3 hours". The next morning (15 July) I opened the Vietnam News, the main English language … Read more »Vietnam – the hazards of a changing climate