Climate Focus

By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital

Hello,

The death toll from this week’s floods in Southeast Asia rose to at least 241 on Friday, with authorities working to rescue those stranded, restore power and communications and coordinate recovery efforts as the waters began to recede.

Large parts of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand were struck by cyclone-fuelled torrential rain, with a rare tropical storm forming in the Malacca Strait.

Residents in Thailand's southern city of Hat Yai told Reuters they had not received clear warnings from local authorities as the incessant rains swelled water levels, echoing wider complaints over the government’s handling of the crisis.

In previous years, announcements by local authorities warned people to evacuate ahead of possible floods, said 60-year-old Daeng, whose home was by the flood waters, bringing down the second floor, swamping rooms and sweeping away the family's television and even the water tank.

"But this time, nothing," she said, adding: "We've lost everything".

Meanwhile, Cyclone Ditwah swept across Sri Lanka on Friday, leaving 46 people dead and 23 more missing, officials said, with the weather department warning the storm could intensify as it moves across the island over the next 12 hours.

Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said across the country 43,991 people were evacuated to schools and other public shelters.

Before I go any further, Sustainable Switch will be taking a break next week. I will be back with all the latest climate news on December 7.

A huge fire that began on November 26 in a Hong Kong apartment complex has killed at least 128 people and left many missing. 

Click here for a Reuters graphics breakdown of what officers investigating the fire believe caused it to spread so rapidly. 

Wong 71, reacts after claiming his wife is trapped inside Wang Fuk Court during a major fire, in Tai Po, Hong Kong, China. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

The Kenya Wildlife Service rejected claims that a new Ritz-Carlton luxury lodge was blocking a wildebeest migration corridor between Kenya's Maasai Mara reserve and Tanzania's Serengeti National Park, amid an ongoing lawsuit filed by an activist seeking to block the hotel from opening. The case has sparked a vigorous debate in Kenya, which relies heavily on tourism, over access to benefits from the industry.

Australia is overhauling its environment laws, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said. The reforms will establish an independent National Environment Protection Agency to strengthen compliance and enforcement, impose higher penalties for major breaches of the law, and remove exemptions for "high-risk land clearing and regional forest agreements".

The news comes as Australia’s top climate advisory body released data showing that it will need to sharply accelerate emissions reductions to meet its 2035 target.

India’s renewable energy ministry urged the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC), to delay its plans for stricter rules on its wind and solar projects, warning the move could deter investment. 

Earlier this month, Reuters reported that many industry stakeholders had written to the regulator, saying that the proposed plan would slow investment in clean energy.

EDF CEO Bernard Fontana, said the French state-owned utility was considering selling "between 50% and 100%" of its U.S. renewable unit, revising an earlier plan to sell only a minority stake. Speaking to Reuters on the sidelines of the Adopt AI conference in Paris, Fontana said he is prioritizing investments to strengthen energy security as EDF focuses on building up its domestic nuclear operations.

Eusebio Ignacio wades through a flooded walkway to visit the grave of his wife at Hagonoy Public Cemetery in Hagonoy, Bulacan, Philippines. REUTERS/Noel Celis

Residents in the flood-prone province of Bulacan in the Philippines expressed outrage over alleged corruption that they say has left communities submerged and businesses shuttered. Click here for the full Reuters video.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration has been slashing spending for science services at a time of surging demand for analytics due to escalating climate change and extreme weather.

That is helping to drive a data industry boom for private data companies like Climate X that are providing everything from drought or pollution risk assessments to locations for untapped mineral reserves. Click here for the full Reuters story.

That’s what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will provide in new funding to reduce lead in drinking water.