🥥 [#37] Flying with coconuts? Coal story bro...

📹 Also, Karina's documentary on air pollution is published on CNN!

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Climate starts with SEA
August 04, 2024

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⏭️ On the heels of our deep-dive into energy transmission with Steward Redqueen in last week’s issue, we’ve got a much shorter issue for you this week because the numerous headlines largely speak for themselves…

📰 News headlines:

  1. 🥥 Jokonut-fueled aviation ✈️

  2. ⛏️ A not so coal story in Indonesian mining ♨️

  3. ⚡ Electrifyingly fast cars 🏎️

  4. 🌩️ Super typhoon KCarina (no, not our co-founder) 🌬️

  5. 💦 Malays’ water malaise 🚰

💰 Climate funding updates:

  1. 🔌 $3.3M to scale IoT-enabled EV infrastructure 🛜

  2. 🎨 $3.2M from a Vietnamese VC to a plant-based paint venture 🌱

  3. 💸 3 cases of government-linked funders prioritizing climate finance 🪙

📢 Other voices:

  1. 😷 A documentary on Jakarta’s air pollution issue for CNN by none other than our own co-founder, Karina! 📹

  2. 🌳 A visual exploration of Iloilo City’s mangrove restoration 🏝️

🌊 What’s making waves across SEA this week?

We’ve got 2 headlines from Indonesia, 1 from Singapore, 1 from the Philippines, and 1 from Malaysia; the first 3 of which are largely about mitigation and the latter 2 of which are about adaptation… Let’s dive in!

Jokowi wants coconuts as aviation biofuel

Indonesia is the world’s second largest coconut producer after the Philippines, and the country is seeking to replicate the success of downstreaming crude palm oil, of which it is the world’s largest producer.

www.thejakartapost.com/business/2024/07/23/jokowi-wants-coconuts-as-aviation-biofuel.html

Indonesia’s big coal firms overlooking methane emissions: Report

Methane is responsible for about one-third of warming from greenhouse gases. Read more at straitstimes.com.

www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/indonesia-s-big-coal-firms-overlooking-methane-emissions-report

From race to road: Is Formula E fueling the future of green transport?

Electric motorsports are helping drive the electric vehicle market, but EVs alone won't curb transport emissions.

www.eco-business.com/news/from-race-to-road-is-formula-e-fuelling-the-future-of-green-transport/

Manila is reeling after a super typhoon. We must prepare fast-growing megacities for worsening disasters

Disasters are never entirely natural. They can be far worse if they hit unprepared cities, as Manila has just found out.

www.eco-business.com/opinion/manila-is-reeling-after-a-super-typhoon-we-must-prepare-fast-growing-megacities-for-worsening-disasters

Climate change-driven heatwave causes critical water shortages in Malaysia

Experts warn the drought, brought about by El Niño, could impact agricultural yields and lead to food price instability.

www.scmp.com/week-asia/health-environment/article/3272613/heatwave-withers-lake-threatens-rice-crop-malaysias-north-climate-crisis-bites

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💸 Funding Updates

This week, we have 5 funding updates, but technically only the first is about a Southeast Asian climate venture (Beep) receiving funding, whereas the second is a bit of a rare reverse case of a Southeast Asian VC (Earth VC) investing in a European venture—capital is usually flowing the other way around!

The latter 3 articles discuss how large government-linked funders: 2 sovereign wealth funds and a DFI are deepening their focus on climate finance.

Singapore's Beep raises $3.3M Pre-Series A funding and expands to Thailand, Malaysia

Beep, a Singaporean internet of things (IoT) transaction platform startup, has announced the close of its $3.3 million Pre-Series A investment.

technode.global/2024/07/31/singapores-beep-raises-3-3m-pre-series-a-funding-and-expands-to-thailand-malaysia

Vietnam's Earth Venture Capital participates in $3.2 million funding round for UK's Sparxell

Earth Venture Capital (Earth VC), a climate tech venture capital firm based in Vietnam, has participated in a $3.2 million funding round for Sparxell, a United Kingdom-based developer of high-performance, sustainable, plant-based pigments.

technode.global/2024/07/29/vietnams-earth-venture-capital-participates-in-3-2-million-funding-round-for-uks-sparxell/

GIC doubles down on climate tech amid market slump

As climate tech funding cools, the Singapore state-owned investor has launched an investment scheme betting on long-term returns from green assets, such as early-stage decarbonisation solutions in green steel and battery storage.

www.eco-business.com/news/gic-doubles-down-on-climate-tech-amid-market-slump

Singapore's Temasek unveils S$44 billion 'sustainable living' portfolio

The state investment company launched its first sustainability report alongside its annual Temasek Review on Tuesday.

www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/temasek-investment-sustainability-portfolio-s44-billion-emissions-4464106

Asian infrastructure bank’s chief looks to fund ASEAN climate projects

ASEAN nations need to ‘ramp up efforts to finance climate change mitigation and adaptation projects’, Jin Liqun says.

www.scmp.com/business/article/3272564/asian-infrastructure-bank-aiibs-president-looks-fund-climate-linked-projects-asean

📢 Other Voices

This week, we’re thrilled to announce that a Jakarta air pollution documentary produced & directed by our very own Karina was published by CNN last week! Aside from this, we were also very impressed by reporting from Eco-Business about how Iloilo’s mangrove ecosystems are regenerating.

Choking skies: How Jakarta’s silent killer is affecting the health of the city’s residents

In the Indonesian capital, smog and smoke are not only making residents sick – they’re filling their homes with black dust. A film by CNN Academy participant Karina Basrewan.

edition.cnn.com/world/video/cnn-academy-jakarta-silent-killer

Seeing mangroves regrow: A visual story on the surprise resurgence of Iloilo's coastal forests

On International Day for the Conservation of the Mangrove Ecosystem, Eco-Business looks at the unexpected rapid growth of a thriving mangrove forest in Iloilo City, Philippines, following the completion of a man-made floodway. The archipelagic state has a

www.eco-business.com/news/seeing-mangroves-regrow-a-visual-story-on-the-surprise-resurgence-of-iloilos-coastal-forests/

❓ Did you enjoy this week’s issue? If yes, please do forward to your friends who would enjoy the read as well.

📧 Also, feel free to let us know what you thought by giving us feedback at [email protected].

🌊 SEA you next week!

Karina & Massimiliano