Brunei

Climate change laws around the world

There has been a 20-fold increase in the number of global climate change laws since 1997, according to the most comprehensive database of relevant policy and legislation.

The database, produced by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Sabin Center on Climate Change Law, includes more than 1,200 relevant policies across 164 countries, which account for 95% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Brunei Darussalam Year in Review 2016

Asia Economic Roundup: July 2016

Without a doubt Britain’s decision to abandon the European project will be remembered globally as a wake-up call for political elites around the world. It seems the people chose to go against immediate economic interest and accept an extra financial turmoil in order to address deeply seated social and identity issues.

Although Asia’s exposure to the UK is relatively limited and this is not exactly a “Lehman Moment”, nonetheless we can expect a lively debate as policymakers in Asia look for an appropriate response to address the needs of vulnerable households.

Towards A Transboundary Haze-Free ASEAN By 2020: Prevention And Collaboration

To sustain the efforts of a transboundary haze-free ASEAN, it is significant to remain vigilant and be prepared early enough to prevent any occurrence of fires. This calls for better early warning systems and swift deployment of fire-fighting resources even before the fires starts.

Indonesia poised for agricultural reform

Hopes are rising that long-awaited reforms of national-owned enterprises and government initiatives can help Indonesia’s agriculture sector rebound from a year of commodity price shocks, which have taken their toll on the country’s biggest exports, particularly palm oil.

Indonesia tops the world inventory for crude palm oil (CPO) production and is as well a major producer of several other commodities, inclunding rubber, cocoa and coffee. Confidence amongst palm oil and rubber producers plummeted this summer, at the same time as prices hit near five-year lows. With increase at a standstill across much of the agricultural sector, industry insiders are calling on Jakarta to do additional to help.

Brunei Darussalam Year in Review 2014

A string of major international trade agreements, due to be implemented in 2015, promise to strengthen and diversify Brunei Darussalam’s exports as it ramps up efforts to reduce its dependency on crude oil sales in the wake of plummeting prices.

The price of exports slumped 23.2% in October, due to lower shipments of oil, according to the new figures from the Department of Economic Planning and Development. A 7.3% decline in oil exports was due caused by the fall in average oil prices, it noted.