By Xiaoli Zhang, Qi Qin; Data scientist: Danny Hartono; with contributions from Lauri Myllyvirta, Lead Analyst Sixteen provincial capitals remained above China’s annual PM2.5 standard at the end of July. July also brought a broad year-on-year rebound: PM2.5 rose in 18 capitals and ozone in 19, while five capitals exceeded the annual ozone limit. NO₂…
China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the world’s largest ongoing infrastructure program, has a substantial climate impact. More than half its emissions stem from steel, the majority of which was produced in China. Cutting the emissions will require stronger environmental policies and major investment in cleaner manufacturing technologies, two new studies concluded. More than 130 million…
This is welcome. However, as climate ambition becomes the norm, a more uncomfortable question comes into focus: how many of these commitments are grounded in a serious understanding of what decarbonisation actually entails? What remains largely missing from Hong Kong’s climate conversation is analytical depth. Targets are plentiful; pathways are not. We talk often about…
(Bloomberg) — Chinese investors hunting for the next artificial intelligence winners are looking beyond high-flying chipmakers to the utilities and metal producers that form the industry’s physical backbone. The shift toward the sector’s supply chain — from power generators to materials used in data centers — reflects growing concern over lofty valuations in pure-play AI…
A Hong Kong-based start-up has developed an artificial intelligence-powered system that detects the origin and size of factory emissions, which could be applied for monitoring purposes in mainland China and other countries, according to its founder. ANTEI AI Innovation Hub created the AURA framework for real-time detection of industrial smoke emissions with an eye toward…
(Bloomberg) — Asian equities came under pressure after a tech selloff hit Wall Street Friday, with chip shares among the losers. Hong Kong was an outlier as Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. surged. The MSCI Asia Pacific Index slipped 0.2% with chipmakers pushing the Nikkei-225 index down by 1.8%. Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc….
It’s the “transition technology” that isn’t going away. For years, sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), which can burn fuel or run off a battery, have been tipped to fall as full-battery electric vehicles (BEVs) take their place. But in Australia, another story is unfolding. PHEV sales are booming. One year ago, not a…
Despite loud calls to make the fashion industry more sustainable—and ambitious commitments from brands—the sector’s climate impact just hit record highs, jumping over 7 percent from the year prior. After several years of flat—and even declining—environmental impact for the fashion industry, this sudden spike is a true wake-up call. Fashion’s climate footprint already drives a…