South-East Asia is a melting pot for biodiversity, as the flora and fauna of South and East Asia converge with Australasia and Oceania to produce some of the most vibrant, eclectic and unique species in the world. The warm tropical climate of the region alongside the abundant freshwater sources and rich, fertile lands have lead humanity to settle across South-East Asia and for millenia live in relative peace with the abundant biodiversity. For centuries South-East Asia has played host to waves of colonisation which has depleted natural resources and decimated its biodiversity and in the decades since independence every nation in the region has commenced plans to protect the natural world whilst balancing a need to develop and bring their populations out of poverty. Today, South-East Asia has reached a critical point as numerous species come close to extinction and natural water sources choke with the world’s waste. The coming months and years will be critical for the survival of South-East Asia’s biodiversity.

2022 was a busy year for the climate movement with peaks and troughs throughout. We saw economic volatility and war in Europe change our reliance on fossil fuels. We saw successful and unsuccessful summits, talks and conferences, bringing us 'loss and damage finance', fossil fuel lobbyists and commitments to protect biodiversity. We saw seriously questionable behaviour by governments and big business as greenwashing spreads and green commitments fall by the wayside. Importantly, we also experienced moments of sheer joy through positive developments in areas ranging from technology to rewilding, to seeing a gradual shift in public awareness of the climate crisis. As the festive season drew to a close and we stepped into a new year once again full of hope for what could be achieved it is important that we take a moment to look back and remind ourselves of those moments which have shaped sustainable finance moving into 2023.

Asia and the Pacific is one of the most expansive and diverse regions on earth. It contains some of the greatest disparities in wealth and access resources whilst being rich in culture and innovation. There are areas where you can walk for miles and never meet a soul and in others you can barely move through the hustle and bustle of densely populated cities. The sheer complexity of cultures and peoples is all at once overwhelming and at the same time a magnificent display of the human capacity to adapt and be creative. Yet, as the climate crisis worsens, and few places are left untouched by its impacts, the strengths and weaknesses of political systems and local methods of resilience will be tested in equal measure.

For centuries cobalt ore was not usually mined for the cobalt content, rather, it was often recovered as a by-product of mining for various other ores such as silver, iron, nickel, copper, zinc, manganese and arsenic. Due to the complex processing required to concentrate and extract the cobalt from these oars this metal has been considered precious throughout history, from being used for jewellery in ancient Persia, to porcelain in Ming dynasty China, humanity has long admired this malleable and at times beautiful substance. However, during the 20th and 21st centuries its uses have expanded to areas such as cancer therapy, radioactive tracers, magnetic alloys and battery materials for electric cars (Gregersen, 2022) making it one of the most in demand metals around the world. Unfortunately, as is so often the case when certain resources come to be considered as valuable, exploitation and destruction is never far behind…

We would like to dedicate this Newsletter to all those women across the world who are involved in the climate and environmental sectors. From scientists, politicians, policy makers, NGO workers and CEOs to climate activists, eco-friendly shoppers, recycle plant workers and farmers. Every one of you makes a valued contribution to the fight against climate change and we cannot hope to beat this crisis without your knowledge, strength, tenacity and most importantly numbers.

Cop26 has proven, once again, to be a disappointment for Small Island Developing States (SIDS). As leaders, politicians and activists convened in Glasgow (UK) for the United Nations Climate Change Conference the initial utopian images of green energy, reduced plastic and a world dedicated to stopping the oncoming crisis morphed into a less promising picture. For those in the know, the inner political cogs had been whirring for some time and not all for the benefit of the climate…

Coal is the most carbon intensive fossil fuel which when burned, directly leads to the production of carbon dioxide and the subsequent warming of the earth. Currently, 37% of the world’s electricity and over 70% of the world’s steel is produced using coal. In order to prevent global warming, there must be a united global effort to reduce our coal consumption.

The essential components necessary for accountability and sustainability in the lithium-ion battery supply chain could be provided by blockchain. Because, by nature, it is a decentralized, distributed and public digital ledger –