Environment
Environmental, social, and governance trends in Asia
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues traditionally have not been a priority for investors and asset owners throughout Asia as compared to their Western counterparts. However, recent decisions by Japanese pension funds and Chinese policymakers may stimulate more interest throughout the region.
DRC Cobalt: A potential achilles heel of electric vehicles
With the global transition to electric vehicles (EVs), corporations are increasingly forced to rely on cobalt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where a culture of corruption, unscrupulous mining practices, and political instability threaten supply security.
The outlook for Costa Rica’s electric vehicle revolution
Costa Rica has introduced tax incentives for the electrical vehicle industry, which is likely to experience exponential growth in the next two decades. Risks to investors nonetheless remain.
ASEAN could face a crisis over its appetite for coal
Asia’s developing economies collectively need to invest $14.7 trillion just for power generation by 2030. Coal is filling that gap, with investments pouring in from China and Japan. But are ASEAN governments prepared to face the environmental costs?
The drawbacks of Arctic shipping
The Christophe de Margerie is the first vessel to navigate the Northern Sea Route without an icebreaker escort. This is exciting news for states and businesses interested in exploiting new opportunities in the Arctic. However, the NSR is not as promising at it may seem, and the speed of climate change in the region brings significant risks.
Under the Radar: Why China’s war on pollution is good for the metals industry
China announced and implemented aluminium production cuts this year as a result of anti-pollution measures, resulting in a worldwide spike in the metal’s price. Are producers from other countries ready to take advantage of this win-win situation created by China?
