The year's worst climate news you have not heard about
The Straits Times|December 24, 2024
The lack of flood waters for dams, increase in coal burning and rising demand for Indonesian palm oil show that efforts to slow global warming are flagging.
David Fickling
The year's worst climate news you have not heard about

There's been no shortage of grim climate news to hit the headlines over the past year. In March, the United Nations' weather agency declared 2023 was the hottest year on record; in November, it said the current 12 months will be even more scorching. In the US, Donald Trump was re-elected, promising more petroleum production and a shredding of support for clean energy. Hype around energy-hungry artificial intelligence is prompting utilities to slow down on plans to close fossil-fuel generators, in expectation of soaring demand from data centres.

As if that wasn't bad enough, some of the most troubling trends out there have flown mostly under the radar. Here are three additional things, which mostly haven't hit the headlines in 2024, to keep you up at night.

A DRY PATCH FOR HYDRO

We hear plenty about the travails of nuclear power and the growth of wind or solar, but far too often, the biggest source of clean power, hydroelectricity, is an afterthought. That's an unfortunate oversight, because it's going through a worryingly bad patch. Hydro generation hasn't increased in five years, and in many of the places where we most needed it, the failures are even more pronounced.

Electricity production from dams is down in the US by about a fifth since it peaked in 2017. In China, the failure of late-summer rainfall in the Yangtze basin caused output to plummet to drought-like levels, forcing coal generators to ramp higher in September to make up the shortfall. Brazil has been importing record amounts of coal to offset weak production from the dams that dominate its grid.

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FLERE HISTORIER FRA THE STRAITS TIMESSe alt
Rust prosecutor withdraws appeal of dismissal of Alec Baldwin case
The Straits Times

Rust prosecutor withdraws appeal of dismissal of Alec Baldwin case

The effort to prosecute Alec Baldwin (right) for the fatal shooting of a cinematographer in 2021 ended on Dec 23, when the special prosecutor withdrew her appeal of the judge's decision to dismiss the involuntary manslaughter charge during the actor's trial.

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2 mins  |
December 25, 2024
Stray Kids' album Hop gets historic sixth Billboard 200 No. 1
The Straits Times

Stray Kids' album Hop gets historic sixth Billboard 200 No. 1

K-pop boy band Stray Kids marked a historic milestone by ranking No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart for the sixth time with their latest album, Hop.

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1 min  |
December 25, 2024
New entries to a hallowed catalogue: The holiday album
The Straits Times

New entries to a hallowed catalogue: The holiday album

NEW YORK A holiday album offers musicians a chance to adopt or reinvent a classic format and show fans a different side of themselves. Here is a sampling of 2024’s releases, from singers exploring the standards to artistes rethinking the meaning of the holidays.

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4 mins  |
December 25, 2024
‘I was upstaging myself constantly'
The Straits Times

‘I was upstaging myself constantly'

Actor Jim Carrey comes out of retirement to play dual geniuses in Sonic The Hedgehog 3

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3 mins  |
December 25, 2024
Binge-worthy Gong Yoo shows fragile, vulnerable side in The Trunk
The Straits Times

Binge-worthy Gong Yoo shows fragile, vulnerable side in The Trunk

A gunshot and sinking of the titular trunk set up this psychological-romance drama led by South Korean star Gong Yoo.

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2 mins  |
December 25, 2024
Thrills and spills abound in legal thriller Juror #2, airport actioner Carry-On
The Straits Times

Thrills and spills abound in legal thriller Juror #2, airport actioner Carry-On

The story: Hollywood icon Clint Eastwood's 40th directorial feature has a juror (Nicholas Hoult) in a high-profile murder trial weighing a crisis of conscience.

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2 mins  |
December 25, 2024
History is handled with care in Harbin
The Straits Times

History is handled with care in Harbin

The period drama directed by Woo Min-ho is a handsome but reverent account of a Korean hero

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2 mins  |
December 25, 2024
The extremely offline joy of the board game club
The Straits Times

The extremely offline joy of the board game club

When Ms Michelle Kong started a chess club in 2023, hoping to meet other players in their 20s, attendance was so meagre that she needed only one chessboard.

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4 mins  |
December 25, 2024
You may not need protein powder if you are eating right
The Straits Times

You may not need protein powder if you are eating right

But if it is necessary to use the supplement, choose one that has fewer extra ingredients

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4 mins  |
December 25, 2024
Exercise helps with almost everything, including hangovers
The Straits Times

Exercise helps with almost everything, including hangovers

Electrolyte drinks, ibuprofen, a bagel overflowing with bacon, egg and cheese - everyone has his or her own way of nursing a hangover.

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3 mins  |
December 25, 2024