The Fukushima Disaster and the Tokyo Olympics Commentary Nine years after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, fundamental issues remain unresolved. Many domestic critics saw the Olympics as a ploy to distract from the nuclear disaster. The larger question remains: Should a country with an ongoing nuclear disaster be hosting these games? By Koide Hiroaki
South Korea’s Reforms Should not be Called a Green New Deal Commentary South Korea has put forth a “Green New Deal”, whose ambiguous targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and failure to propose a just transition to clean energy make the program unworthy of its name. By Lee Yujin
We are the Champions Feature Myanmar is among Asia’s poorest countries, with limited resources to promote sports. Disabled athletes form a particularly marginal group among sports enthusiasts in the country. But they work hard and some of them have been remarkably successful in international sports competitions, especially the ASEAN Para Games. This photo story tells of their lives in training. The images were taken at various times between 2017 and 2019 at the training facility of the Myanmar Paralympic Sports Federation in North Dagon Township, Yangon, which houses about 150 athletes.
AI’s speed and innovation against Covid-19 points the way for the battle against climate change, too Commentary The Covid-19 pandemic has spurred radical measures worldwide to stem the spread of the virus, and specialists from different fields have taken up the challenge, working together to solve common problems using new technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI). This momentum is a beacon of hope for the fight against climate change. By Sasha Luccioni
Asia’s Covid-19 Response and the Road to a Green Recovery Analysis The unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic has forced governments around the world to adopt drastic fiscal responses. Moving from relief to stimulus provides an opportunity to avoid carbon-dependent, unjust, and unhealthy investments and to ensure a climate- friendly, and socially and environmentally just recovery. By C.P. Chandrasekhar
Why Japan Needs an Anti-Austerity Green New Deal After Covid-19 Opinion Covid-19 has shown us the limits of our current socio-economic structure and the neoclassical economics upon which it is based. It is time for the progressive left to put forth a Green New Deal for economic recovery and take on the climate crisis, the economic crisis and the inequalities of our time. By Hasegawa Uiko
History of Plastics: Breakthrough in three letters Analysis The first plastics imitated ivory and silk and attracted just a limited market. Things took off after World War II with the rise of PVC. Cheap plastics soon conquered the world. By Alexandra Caterbow and Olga Speranskaya
Just, Inclusive, and Sustainable Post-COVID-19 Recovery Article The last few months have been daunting with COVID-19 almost paralyzed the entire world with various countries putting different areas under their jurisdiction in lockdowns. Whether or not the different kinds of approaches have been effective or not, we will know for sure in the coming weeks. By Jed Alegado
Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Frontline Communities Resisting Internationally Financed Development Projects Article The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed how we all work and live. Governments of different countries have encouraged adoption of these measures to contain the spread of the virus which can be lethal, has no known cure yet, and is highly communicable. By Carmina Flores-Obanil
