Environment

A BYD Co. Dolphin electric vehicle at the Smart China Expo in Chongqing, China, on 4 September 2023. (Qilai Shen/Bloomberg)

Is China's EV rise a true success?

The EV adventure in China has been successful in some respects, not least with 5.9 million EVs sold on the Chinese market, amounting to 59% of EVs sold globally. However, as a means to reduce climate change, the effort has tended to “put the cart in front of the horse”, because EVs are not particularly environmentally friendly without a steady stream of renewable electricity supply. Academic Erik Baark lays out the factors involved.
Protestors attend a rally against Japan's plan to discharge treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant into the ocean, in front of the headquarters of Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), the operator of the nuclear plant in Tokyo, Japan, on 24 August 2023. (Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters)

Frostier Japan-China ties with Fukushima treated wastewater discharge

Japan’s discharge of treated nuclear wastewater into the sea has dealt another blow to the political, economic and trade relations between China and Japan. Zaobao correspondent Yu Zeyuan elaborates.
China's energy storage sector is experiencing rapid growth but also facing some serious challenges. (iStock)

Five factors powering China’s energy storage boom

China's energy storage sector is experiencing rapid growth due to an accelerated uptake of renewables in the country’s energy mix and other factors. But the booming industry also faces some serious challenges. Here are five things to know about China’s energy storage industry.
Nearly a hundred people gathered outside the headquarters of TEPCO, owner of the damaged Fukushima nuclear power plant, to protest the planned discharge of Fukushima wastewater into the sea, 5 July 2023. (CNS)

[Big Read] Doubts over Fukushima wastewater release hard to overcome

It has been 12 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake and the resulting tsunami that damaged a nuclear power plant at Fukushima. As plans progress to release treated wastewater from the nuclear power plant into the sea, Lianhe Zaobao journalists Tan Jet Min and Foo Choo Wei explore the challenges in the decision, as well as the difficulties facing related industries, such as fishing.
Clothes are displayed on hangers at a Chinese fashion brand Shein pop-up store in Paris, France, on 4 May 2023. (Christophe Archambault/AFP)

Chinese e-commerce's growing markets in US and beyond: Opportunities and challenges

While Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein and Temu have been doing well in achieving fast and high growth in the US market, they face commercial and regulatory challenges too and would need to undertake several risk mitigation strategies.
Workers monitor the nickel melting process at a nickel smelter of PT Vale Tbk in Sorowako, South Sulawesi province, Indonesia, 30 March 2023. (Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana/Reuters)

Indonesia's Chinese investment-dominated nickel industry: Social and environmental safeguards needed

Acknowledged as a key industry in the National Mid-Term Development Plan 2015-2019, Indonesia's nickel industry has witnessed significant investments, especially from China. While the industry faced a boom from the Russian-Ukraine conflict and the easing of China’s zero-Covid policy, the unchecked growth of Class 2 nickel production from Indonesia could cause oversupply in global markets and suppress the commodity’s price. In crafting new policies, Indonesia must also prioritise stronger social and environmental safeguards.
A woman walks on a street during a sandstorm in Shenyang, in China's northeastern Liaoning province on 11 April 2023. (AFP)

China's struggle to meet 'dual carbon' targets and stand proud at COP28 climate summit

With just about six months to go to the COP28 climate change conference in Dubai, how is China stepping up its transition to a low-carbon economy and is it on track to achieve a peak in carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and carbon neutrality before 2060?
A fuel cell charging station in Tangshan, Hebei province, China, 18 March 2023. (Xinhua)

Many challenges ahead as China promotes green hydrogen vehicles

The Chinese government has set targets for hydrogen-powered vehicles and diverse uses of hydrogen until 2035 as part of its push to get industries to shift to clean energy. However, given the processes and costs involved, it remains to be seen whether the initiative will gather enough momentum.
A farmer fills pesticide in a drone before spraying a wheat field in Taizhou, Jiangsu province, China, on 28 February 2023. (AFP)

China's declining farmland and food self-sufficiency: Should we worry?

China’s food self-sufficiency ratio has plummeted to 76% in 2020, sparking worries of a food shortage. While the government reassures the people that food reserves are plentiful, China is highly dependent on imported food and its area of arable land is declining. China clearly needs to come up with innovative economic, social, environmental and agricultural policies if it hopes to become an “agricultural power” and avoid a food crisis.