Decades of rapid economic growth and urbanisation have been marked by excessive exploitation of natural resources, particularly fossil fuels and forests, across the planet. The environmental and social consequences of such development are more evident than ever, especially in Asia.
Earth’s climate is changing substantially, with disasters of all kinds — wildfires, floods and storms — increasing in intensity and damage. The harm to the environment and biodiversity has led to other consequences, from global migration to economic loss and hunger.
Governments and businesses have become acutely aware of the higher risks, and have invested heavily in engineered solutions to address environmental challenges. But some of these costly efforts are controversial, because practices such as building dams and seawalls can destroy the…
