Indonesia has cut natural gas supplies to Singapore: the city-state’s authorities are playing down the impact, which is said to account for less than 2 per cent of daily demand. Analysts are questioning whether there might be a link to the tensions that have arisen in the region due to the wildfires.
In recent days, fresh flooding in Solo Khumbu – the gateway to Everest – has highlighted the instability of the mountain environment. Celebrations of Nepal’s most important religious festival have been subdued amongst families, partly due to the ongoing transport problems.
The Commission for Indigenous Peoples of the Bishops’ Conference calls for the energy transition not to be carried out at the expense of respect for ancestral lands. “The growing demand for critical minerals does not justify forced displacement.” Local communities must be involved in investment decisions.
Fires burning for weeks have worsened air pollution in Malaysia and Singapore. While Malaysia has called for greater regional coordination, ASEAN agreements remain contingent on the willingness of individual states to cooperate.
On 7 and 8 October, just as the Thai capital was grappling with the damage caused by the Chao Phraya River bursting its banks, 17 delegates from regional bishops’ conferences gathered for a meeting organised by the FABC. Five lines of action were defined for a shared path forward.
Marking the 800th anniversary of the saint's passing, two African tortoises became unexpected guests at a blessing of the animals in Malaysia. The Franciscan message continues to inspire communities across Asia, from Borneo to Pakistan, where the commitment to interfaith dialogue is being renewed.
In his message for the harvest festival Agera, Archbishop Rodrigues urged people to show solidarity with communities in Maharashtra who are grappling with the consequences of insufficient rainfall. Severe problems are affecting 75 per cent of the region. He called for support measures and an agricultural system that does not leave farmers behind.
Fiji, Tuvalu and Australia are organising the pre-COP31 meeting, dedicated to the Pacific’s climate challenges. Attendance by international leaders is low. The meeting aims to give a voice to island nations threatened by rising sea levels and to place the region at the centre of global diplomacy.
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay announced that his government would adopt the Gross Ecosystem Product (GEP); in 2024, this metric valued the services provided by the country's ecosystems at US$ 6.2 billion. This new measure will sit alongside GDP and Gross National Happiness (GNH) in assessing the nation's development.
The account of Sister Lenita D’Souza, an Indian doctor with the Sisters of Maria Bambina, who has been on the front line alongside a driver and three nurses in helping the victims of the disaster that struck a month ago. ‘If we don’t get the children back to school, we will soon lose an entire generation. We must rebuild not only homes but also lives.’
Nepalese Prime Minister Balendra Shah addressed the General Assembly on the tragedy of the 26 August floods, which left over 1,400 dead and thousands missing. He proposed a climate resilience mechanism for the Himalayas involving India and China, and called on the international community to reassess its priorities: “We are being hit by a climate emergency that we did not cause and by wars that we did not start.”
With the Bothekoshi Valley impassable, the only open trade route with China now runs through the Korala Pass at an altitude of 4,650 metres. Beijing is pushing for major infrastructure projects there as well. Until now, Kathmandu has preserved the environment and identity of the plateau, a region some identify with the mythical Shangri-La.
More than 60 countries have gathered in Singapore for the first Global Cooling Pledge Assembly to address extreme heat while simultaneously curbing the growth of energy consumption (and emissions). In South Asia, this problem already results in the loss of millions of workdays and disproportionately affects the most vulnerable groups.
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