Understanding water, climate and nature in Asia
The intake section of a hydroelectric dam on a river
infrastructure

Indian developers replace Chinese on some of Nepal’s largest hydro projects

India’s power purchasing rules prevent it from buying electricity produced in Nepal by Chinese companies, which is changing the dynamics of investment in Nepal’s energy infrastructure

Latest news

Solar panels against a background of houses and mountains Explainer
climate talks

What is COP27, and why is it so important?

A woman bails water from the doorway of a flooded building Article
climate resilience

4 innovations that can be part of India and Bangladesh’s flood defences

postage stamp depicting Kouprey Article
endangered species

The kouprey: On the trail of Cambodia’s elusive wild cattle

A tarmacked section of the Pamir Highway in Darvoz district, Tajikistan, photographed in April 2022 before the start of renovation work Article
Belt and Road

Pamir Highway upgrade in Tajikistan a test of green BRI guidelines

Article
health

Dengue surges in waterlogged Pakistan in wake of floods

white smoke from coal-fired power plant Article
Energy transition

China the ‘biggest player’ in Bangladesh’s energy transition

fires burning in hilly area Article
wildfires

Long-term impacts of ‘terrible’ fire season in Pakistan’s mountains

Brightly coloured flower Lantana camara, an invasive plant native to Mexico, growing in Nepal Article
biodiversity

Invasive species inch northwards in Nepal, threatening mountain ecosystems

backhoe digging in mountainous area Article
Belt and Road

Extension of CPEC to Afghanistan could link infrastructure across continent

Flood affected people are facing difficulties after submerged into flooded and rainwater, due to poor sewerage system, creating problems for residents, Opinion
floods

Opinion: Working with local knowledge only way to save Pakistan from flood disasters

A group of people travel in a boat as it passes submerged houses amid flood waters, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Mehar, Pakista Opinion
floods

Opinion: Pakistan must get rid of colonial mindset on water

Article
Belt and Road

Nepal and China take step towards one of ‘world’s toughest railways’

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Top stories

  1. Extension of CPEC to Afghanistan could link infrastructure across continent
  2. Dengue surges in waterlogged Pakistan in wake of floods
  3. China the ‘biggest player’ in Bangladesh’s energy transition
  4. Pamir Highway upgrade in Tajikistan a test of green BRI guidelines
  5. Invasive species inch northwards in Nepal, threatening mountain ecosystems
  6. Long-term impacts of ‘terrible’ fire season in Pakistan’s mountains
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Changing lives: An archive photograph (left) of women wearing traditional festival attire in Milam village in what is now Uttarakhand; Damyanti Pangti (right), a weaver in Darkot village works on a traditional ‘khaddi’, or loom, in June 2022. (Image: Shikha Tripathi / The Third Pole)</span></p>
Photo story

Glimpses of a fading culture in Uttarakhand’s mountains

As glaciers shrink and streams dry up, Bhutia communities are struggling to keep their cultural heritage alive in the Indian Himalayas

Highlights

Article
Climate disasters

Climate scientists explain Pakistan’s ‘unprecedented’ floods

Unlike the 2010 floods, this year’s disaster is a result of rain-triggered floods amplified by the La Niña weather pattern. As the link with climate change becomes clearer, Pakistan’s government is preparing to demand reparations at this year’s UN climate summit
https://www.thethirdpole.net/en/?p=98635 Article
health

What melting Tibetan glaciers reveal about disease and global warming

Researchers have discovered new microbes on retreating glaciers, hinting that climate change may lead to their release and potential future disease outbreaks
Boats waiting to be loaded with illegally mined sand on the banks of the Sone River in the Bhojpur district, Bihar Article
crime

‘Digging your own grave’: Illegal sand mining devastates Bihar’s rivers

This year, Bihar extended a seasonal ban on mining sand from its rivers. But illegal sand mining continues every day across the eastern Indian state
submerged temple and hydropower dam in mountainous area Opinion
hydropower

Opinion: Energy importers must consider true ‘sustainability’ of Laos hydropower

Proponents describe regional power grids as a way to promote economic growth, energy security and renewables in Southeast Asia, but this might come at a heavy cost
Explore our award-winning features on the music of the Brahmaputra, winners at the 2022 Covering Climate Now Journalism Awards Read the stories

Editorial Series

The struggle to save Asia’s wildlife The struggle to save Asia’s wildlife 10 Articles
Science

New frogs and pandas: How genetics can aid conservation in the Himalayas

The team from Thanamir village on the way to set up camera traps to monitor wildlife in the community forest, Ramya Nair
conservation

Interview: Indigenous-led conservation in Nagaland preserves rare wildlife

White-bellied heron in Bhutan
endangered species

World’s rarest heron on the brink in its last Himalayan stronghold

More from this series

Life in the shadow of a cement plant in Kazakhstan from The Third Pole on Vimeo.

Video

Life in the shadow of a cement plant in Kazakhstan

Local residents and activists say that the Gezhouba Shieli cement plant, part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, is polluting the air, water and soil of a village less than a kilometre away

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    The Third Pole is a multilingual platform dedicated to promoting information and discussion about the Himalayan watershed and the rivers that originate there.

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    China Dialogue is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting a common understanding of China’s environmental challenges.

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    Diálogo Chino is the only independent journalism platform dedicated to better understanding the China-Latin America relationship and its sustainable development challenges

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    China Dialogue Ocean is a bilingual platform dedicated to illuminating, analysing and helping to resolve our ocean crisis.

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The Third Pole is a multilingual platform dedicated to promoting information and discussion about the Himalayan watershed and the rivers that originate there.

Latest news

China Dialogue is an independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting a common understanding of China’s environmental challenges.

Latest news

Diálogo Chino is the only independent journalism platform dedicated to better understanding the China-Latin America relationship and its sustainable development challenges

Latest news

China Dialogue Ocean is a bilingual platform dedicated to illuminating, analysing and helping to resolve our ocean crisis.

Latest news