Nithin Coca
Verified
(He/Him)
As seen in:
Gizmodo Brazil,
Medium,
OneZero,
BBC,
BBC Mundo,
Financial Times,
The Washington Post,
Yahoo News,
Earther,
Engadget
and
Covers:
Southeast Asia, Environment, Energy, Politics, Human Rights, Technology, Supply Chains
Doesn't Cover:
Donald Trump.
Inactive account, Nithin Coca is now at social.coop/@ncoca
Articles by Nithin Coca
China’s National Parks: Green Goals Through Authoritarian Measures?
In 2015 the Chinese government announced an ambitious plan to build the world’s largest national park system. China started with Sanjiangyuan, a massive park 13,000 square miles larger than Germany and 14 times the size of Yellowstone National Park in the United States, located in what the government called the Qinghai-Tibet plateau.
Why gas is still central to China’s economic plans
Analysis Asia PacificGasChina The Beijing skyline. Photo by Anthony Chong - Pixabay China’s latest five-year plan, the country’s guiding economic development and planning strategy, seeks to expand domestic gas production and increase storage and shipping capacity. It includes expansion of LNG terminals, vessels, and pipeline infrastructure as well as a surge in investments in overseas exploration.
SmartNews said to plan December Tokyo IPO as valuation craters
The Tokyo Stock Exchange. SmartNews is planning an initial public offering in December at a fraction of its previous valuation after AI hurt its business model. | Johan Brooks SmartNews is planning an initial public offering in December at a fraction of its previous valuation, according to people familiar with the matter, a sign of the news aggregator’s business being decimated by artificial intelligence.
U.S. Treasury chief Scott Bessent to skip IMF-World Bank meetings in Bangkok
DOHA – U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will skip next week’s annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Bangkok, Thailand, due to domestic engagements, a U.S. official said on Friday. The Treasury Department confirmed that Deputy Treasury Secretary Francis Brooke and Under Secretary for International Affairs Erin Browne will lead the U.S. delegation for the department, with many pressing economic issues on the agenda.
China Is Done Pretending the AIIB Is Independent
Earlier this year, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a historic change that, despite its deep significance, didn’t get much attention globally: In the bank’s first-ever leadership transition, Zou Jiayi took over from founding president Jin Liqun. It might be hard to believe that it’s already been a decade since the Beijing-based AIIB was founded.
China Is Done Pretending the AIIB Is Independent
Autos 1 hour ago Ranked: The World's Top Vehicle Producers Visual Capitalist - Gabriel Cohen • 1h Save to Inbox Sign me up for the free Visual Capitalist daily newsletter.Send Which Countries Build the Most Vehicles?
As wind power momentum slows in Japan, can tech help the industry get back on track?
In 2021, the Japanese government set out an ambitious plan for offshore wind: 10 gigawatts (GW) of power generation by 2030 and between 30 and 45 GW by 2040. Hopes were high. According to one study published in Nature, resource-poor Japan has enough potential wind power to meet all domestic energy demand eight times over. Throughout 2021, the first auctions for offshore wind sites saw significant interest from Japanese and foreign developers alike, including Mitsubishi Corp. and Norway’s Orsted.
Why China is expanding Coal-to-Chemical and Gas Expansion alongside Renewables
Home Renewable Energy Fossil Fuels byNithin Coca September 28, 2026 Reading Time: 5 mins read As China leads the world in solar and wind growth, it is also expanding elsewhere – in coal gasification and natural gas power generation. Over the past decade, backed by government policies, China has grown its coal-to-chemical and coal gasification fleets, invested heavily in domestic and overseas gas exploration, and expanded its liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage and transport infrastructure.
Who is the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank's new president?
A look at Zou Jiayi's potential priorities as the bank makes its first leadership transition. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank marked a major milestone this year: the first leadership transition in its 10-year history, with Zou Jiayi taking over as president. It was a big step for a bank with investments now topping nearly $70 billion in more than 360 projects across 40 member countries.
U.S. investment in international reporting is shrinking, taking international journalists’ opportunities with it
Collage by James Salanga. Photo of Donald Trump by Gage Skidmore; photo of journalists at 2014 N3Con courtesy of the Asian American Journalist Association’s Asia chapter. This year’s N3Con in Bangkok was a shadow of its former self. Once attended by upwards of 300 attendees — Asia-based journalists and editors writing for American or European media — the latest conference’s attendance fell to less than half that number.
Concerns grow over ‘green’ biomass power in Japan after spate of accidents
Concerns grow over ‘green’ biomass power in Japan after spate of accidents By Nithin Coca Mongabay August 17, 2026 Category: Carbon, Climate & Bioenergy For the past decade, Japan has been expanding the use of woody biomass for power generation to replace or be mixed and burned with coal. The country is now the second-largest wood pellet consumer in the world after the U.K. But there are concerns that burning wood pellets or palm kernel shells to generate electricity might not be safe.
Concerns grow over ‘green’ biomass power in Japan after spate of accidents
In the past few years, there have been at least 14 fires, explosions and accidents at biomass power plants across Japan. Accidents, rising prices and pollution concerns have led local residents and campaigners to question the future of the country’s large biomass plants. Japan had expanded the use woody biomass as an alternative to coal, but operators are facing rising costs and no longer benefit from a government-backed fixed tariff to support the industry.
Who is AIIB’s new president?
Zou Jiayi is “widely respected,” but also has unprecedented ties to the Chinese government. In January, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank saw the first leadership transition in its 10-year history, with Zou Jiayi taking over as president. The move was seen as a big step for AIIB, which, over the past decade, has invested nearly $70 billion in more than 360 projects across 40 member countries. It’s also expanding its focus on climate financing, and many see Zou’s role as enabling this shift.
Tansa is pioneering a new model for investigative journalism in Japan
“We need more media outlets like Tansa to be established — competing as rivals where necessary, but collaborating to invigorate journalism.” On paper, Japan seems to have a thriving journalism sector.
El proyecto fruto de la Segunda Guerra Mundial que hace que los japoneses sufran cada vez más alergias Original
Fuente de la imagen, Robert Gilhooly/Bloomberg via Getty Images Pie de foto, Un plan de reforestación masivo ha terminado provocando trastornos a millones de personas en Japón. Información del artículo Autor, Nithin Coca Título del autor, BBC Future* Fecha de publicación 15 minutos Tiempo de lectura: 11 min En febrero, unos videos que mostraban lo que parecían columnas de humo saliendo de un bosque se viralizaron en Japón.
Japan is gripped by mass allergies. A 1950s project is to blame Original
By Nithin Coca19th May 2026 A decision made 70 years ago to reforest vast swathes of Japan with just two kinds of tree has come back to haunt the country. I In February, videos showing what looked like waves of smoke blowing off an evergreen forest went viral in Japan. It wasn't smoke – it was pollen, and the videos were a warning to tens of millions of residents of the archipelago nation: prepare your masks and allergy medicine.
Japan’s new emissions trading program: Key climate tool or paper tiger?
When it comes to Japan’s bid to reduce greenhouse emissions, the latest data shows a positive trend — with emissions dropping by 1.9% in 2024, the third straight annual fall and the lowest level since 1991, according to government data. Overall, emissions have dropped by 28.7% since 2013. Yet, to reach net zero by 2050, that’s not nearly enough.
The risks of China, Japan, Korea investing billions in LNG fleets
There is a construction boom at shipyards around the world, with billions from public and private financiers flowing into expanding liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier fleets, despite growing evidence that these ships will likely not be needed and could end up as stranded assets. “LNG carriers take years and millions of dollars to build; their expected life span is decades long.
Why biofuels are back Original
The News The outlook for biofuels may finally be brightening: With the de facto closure of the Strait of Hormuz choking off oil and gas deliveries to much of the world, prices for biofuels are increasing just as many countries look to up their investments in a bid to head off an energy catastrophe while not straying too far from emission-cutting commitments. But analysts say the pivot is rife with problems.
Coal Gasification Attempts a Comeback
Coal has been in decline in many countries for two decades, thanks to escalating grassroots pressure and the drop in prices for renewable energy. Burning coal to produce power just doesn’t make environmental or economic sense anymore. The coal industry has been looking for new ways to revive coal. Their latest plan: gasification. In January, the Wabash Valley Resources coal-to-chemicals plant broke ground in West Terre Haute, Indiana, backed by a $1.5 billion loan from the Trump administration.
China Has Quietly Become a Dominant Player in Natural Gas
It’s a sudden shift that has gotten little attention: In just over a decade, China has gone from being a minor player in global gas markets to being the world’s largest importer of natural gas, one of the highest-value commodities in the world. Since 2013, China’s gas consumption has tripled. New pipelines have vastly expanded its imports of natural gas from Russia and Central Asia, and in 2022, it became the world’s biggest buyer of liquefied natural gas, or LNG.
Report exposes Japanese firms gas lobbying in Australia
For decades, a key market for Australian LNG exports has been Japan, which accounted for 21.2 million tonnes of exports in 2024, only behind China. But when the Australian government, after the 2025 election, made signs it would focus more on reducing economic dependence on resource exports as part of its plan to meet the goal of cutting emissions by 62% by 2035, Japanese companies engaged in heavy gas lobbying to continue and even expand LNG production.
As the Iran war intensifies, South Korea renewables shift accelerates
Late last year, South Korea announced a new energy transition roadmap with an ambitious goal – 100 gigawatts of renewable capacity by 2030. Now the Iran war is accelerating those plans.
As state and corporate surveillance intensifies, a new guide aims to help mutual aid organizations protect themselves
Mutual aid is not a new concept, but over the past decade, as communities across the globe face increasing threats to their wellbeing and safety—and as surveillance and oppression on communities rise—the importance of mutual aid organizations is growing. This comes as no surprise, as history shows that mutual aid organizations serve as critical community pillars, often in times of need.
Concerns as Indonesia's new power plan expands the role of gas - Gas Outlook
Indonesia’s new 10-year power grid plan, the Rencana Umum Perencanaan Tenaga Listrik (RUPTL), released last September, is, according to analysts, problematic for many reasons as it fails to put the country on a path towards net zero. But one major, new area of concern is that the plan cements a new push to expand fossil gas on the grid.
Beijing row highlights need for Japan to reduce cleantech dependence on China
Since the Fukushima nuclear disaster, Japan has been one of the world leaders in solar. Today, despite limited flat, open space, it gets about 10% of its electricity from solar panels — more than France, the United States, and, perhaps most surprisingly, China. But this solar might has mostly been generated using imported panels, as Japan has nearly no domestic production of photovoltaics (PV), despite it being a technology that Japan pioneered.
China’s green energy miracle and a conspiracy of silence
“Our forests are not for sale,” said indigenous protestors in the Amazonian city of Belém, as they blocked the entrance to the COP30 conference on its opening day. Hosts Brazil have made a point of putting indigenous and underrepresented people at the heart of the global climate summit. They have told the world about the human costs of inaction and have called for climate justice. But a glaring exception has been made for China.
Low Prices for Sustainable Palm Oil Could Harm Efforts to Clean Up the Industry
Palm oil is rarely mentioned on labels or packaging, yet it is the most consumed cooking oil in the United States. It can be found in many processed foods like instant noodles and potato chips, and also at the drugstore, a key ingredient in soaps, shampoos, and numerous cosmetic products. The palm oil industry is also one of the world’s most notoriously harmful supply chains.
Japanese bank financed more GHG emissions than France in 2024 - Gas Outlook
A new report released by Friends of the Earth (FOE) Japan ahead of COP30 in Brazil found that the Japanese government has been, via public financing, a major contributor to fossil-fuel based greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The report is focused on the state-owned Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), one of the largest export-credit agencies in the world.
Big banks backing coal backers threaten Indonesia's green plans
When Bali hosted the G20 summit in late 2022, then Indonesian President Joko Widodo seized his moment to shine on the world stage. At a summit dominated by the war in Ukraine, he committed his country to phasing out coal. Indonesia’s coal consumption has more than doubled over the past 10 years, and the country now ranks eighth in the world for carbon emissions.
Big banks’ coal money is derailing Indonesia’s green plans
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When Bali hosted the G20 summit in 2022, Indonesia’s then president Joko Widodo seized his moment to shine on the world stage. At a summit dominated by the war in Ukraine, he committed his country to phasing out coal. Indonesia is a critical test case for the world’s green transition. Its coal consumption has more than doubled over the past 10 years and it now ranks eighth in the world for planet-heating emissions.
By Josephine Moulds Verified, Nithin Coca Verified
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The Bureau of Investigative Journalism
Verified
How Japan, via AZEC, is pushing LNG across Asia - Gas Outlook
Analysis Asia PacificJapan At the third ministerial meeting for the Asia Zero Emission Community (AZEC), held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on October 17th, LNG featured prominently on the agenda, leading to concerns among some analysts. Founded in early 2023, AZEC has become the main avenue for Japan’s push to expand natural gas and LNG usage across Asia, as part of regional energy plans.
Why Japan is a rare bright spot for the global AgriFoodTech industries
JStories ー A few years ago, food tech was seen as one of the brightest areas in the entire tech industry. Plant-based meat startups like U.S.-based Beyond Meat, the U.K.’s THIS, and Singapore’s Mottainai Food Tech raised millions and launched innovative products. Alongside them, other companies sought to innovate in areas like fermentation, protein production, food-waste reduction, and even lab-made alternatives to meat, coffee, and palm oil.
Wood pellet power is under the microscope like never before Original
The News UK regulators last week opened an investigation into Drax, questioning whether the British energy firm made misleading statements about where it sourced the wood for its biomass-fueled power stations. It’s not the only controversy facing a sector that has struggled to prove its bona fides, in both the climate and the financial sense.
Si Indonesia ya tiene un plan de trabajo decente para las personas que cuidan, ¿qué más se necesita para ‘contentar’ a profesionales y familias?
Cuando el padre de Muhar Yati sufrió un derrame cerebral, le correspondió a ella la responsabilidad de cuidarle. Durante varios meses, Muhar, una treintañera que también vive con una discapacidad, tuvo que cuidar de su padre en casa, tanto física como psicológicamente, para ayudar en su rehabilitación, con un apoyo mínimo por parte del sistema sanitario nacional o de su familia.
Does Indonesia's National Roadmap and Strategy for care workers offer a fast track to decent work or will it lead to a dead end?
When Muhar Yati’s father had a stroke, the responsibility to care for him fell onto her. For several months, Muhar – in her 30s and herself living with a disability – had to provide at-home physical and mental care to help rehabilitate her father, getting only minimal support from the national healthcare system or her family. It’s a common challenge in Indonesia, where women like Muhar must bear the burden of caring for children, the elderly, the disabled or those in ill-health.
How Newsrooms are Uncovering Asia’s Climate and Environmental Crises, from Illegal Sand Mining to Sinking Cities
In the common consciousness, sand is usually shorthand for beach holidays, evoking periods of rest and relaxation. But it also plays a vital role in a major environmental issue: as a key substance in the making of concrete, huge amounts of sand are mined for urban construction schemes or for massive land reclamation projects.
Boston, not Silicon Valley, is Kansai’s model at Global Startup Expo 2025
Japan’s Kansai region positions itself as a rising hub for startups and science 19 minutes ago JStories ー The Greater Kansai region has long been seen as a poor cousin to Tokyo ー and even to Nagoya and Fukuoka ー when it comes to being a base for start-up and tech entrepreneurs.
Japan-Luxembourg startup bets on AC battery breakthrough for EVs - and beyond
With roots in Japan and Europe, the company pursues global green solutions 11 minutes ago JStories ー AC Biode has set its sights on revamping the future of electric vehicles (EVs). The Japan-Luxembourg startup has developed the world’s first standalone AC battery, a technology the company says is 15% more efficient than existing DC batteries and can last twice as long.
Global Enforcement Needed to Root Out Uyghur Forced Labor
It has been three years since the United States’ Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) came into force. The groundbreaking law — mandating that all products from China’s Xinjiang region be barred from entering the US, due to the inability to assess whether goods were produced with forced labor — set a new bar for human rights due diligence legislation.
As US exits Indonesia JETP, Japan pushes competing energy visions
While the United States withdrawal from Indonesia's $20 billion Just Energy Transition Partnership, or JETP, may seem alarming, Japan, which co-leads the partnership with the U.S., has quietly been stepping into the void — but not just to maintain the status quo. Japanese agencies have been advancing their own vision for Indonesia’s energy future, one that favors Japanese-developed technologies over the rapid coal phaseout originally envisioned.
How China’s LNG growth is shaping Southeast Asian energy plans
In 2021, the size of China’s liquefied natural gas imports surpassed every other country. After falling back to second place in 2022, it reclaimed the top spot in 2023 and stayed there in 2024. In addition, new data from BloombergNEF shows China also holds the most long-term contracts, with Southeast Asia – especially Malaysia and Brunei – among its key suppliers.
El crecimiento del GNL en China y su influencia en los planes energéticos del Sudeste Asiático
El aumento de los contratos de gas natural licuado a largo plazo de China está sosteniendo la producción regional y prolongando la dependencia de los combustibles fósiles. En 2021, el volumen de las importaciones de gas natural licuado de China superó a las de todos los demás países. Tras caer al segundo puesto en 2022, recuperó el primer puesto en 2023 y se mantuvo allí en 2024.
Amid fossil fuel shift in U.S., hope emerges for India and Japan tie-up on solar
The latest data has made it official — India overtook Japan in 2023 to become the world’s third-largest generator of solar energy. But at the International Solar Festival held at the Osaka Expo earlier this month, the focus wasn’t on competition but rather how India and Japan can partner to grow solar capacity together.
How China’s LNG growth is shaping Southeast Asian energy plans
In 2021, the size of China’s liquefied natural gas imports surpassed every other country. After falling back to second place in 2022, it reclaimed the top spot in 2023 and stayed there in 2024. In addition, new data from BloombergNEF shows China also holds the most long-term contracts, with Southeast Asia – especially Malaysia and Brunei – among its key suppliers.
Can We Cultivate Sustainable Supply Chains for Chocolate?
It’s no secret that chocolate, arguably the world’s most popular sweet, has a dark side. Approximately 70 percent of cacao comes from just three countries — Indonesia, and Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire in West Africa — with most of the remainder grown in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Humanoid robots, astronauts, and huge lines: Photos from China’s pavilion at the World Expo
On a sweltering June day, an artificial intelligence-powered humanoid robot built by Chinese firm Ubtech entertained a crowd of hundreds waiting to enter the China pavilion at the Osaka World Expo. Robotics is just one of several industries where Chinese companies are challenging their Western rivals — Ubtech’s latest model can speed-walk, scan barcodes, and handle receptionist tasks.
Better insulation holds key to sustainability
A Japanese startup pioneers lightweight, flexible materials with innovative design to reduce energy waste 20 minutes ago JStories ー The world is interconnected, and so is energy, the driver of the global economy.
Carbon capture projects promise a climate fix - and a fossil fuel lifeline
Governments across Southeast Asia are looking at carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) as a way to meet climate targets. Projects have been proposed in Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, with Japanese companies involved in all three countries. Critics say CCS costs too much to be commercially viable, underperforms at capturing carbon, and serves as a diversion from actually reducing emissions.
China is challenging Japan's LNG dominance. What does that mean for Japanese buyers?
Over the past four years, a big shift has taken place in the market for one of the world’s fastest growing and most important energy sources. Japan, long the world’s leading consumer, investor, and distributor of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has seen its position overtaken by China.
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