Asia Environmental Daily

Asia Environmental'Daily' (also known as Asia ENV Daily, asiaenvdaily.com ), is a Hong Kong based English-language online newspaper covering environmental issues and the environmental services industry in the Asia-Pacific region. Asia Environmental Daily was founded on 25 September 2007 and is published by Asia Environmental Holdings Group (Asia ENV Group).

 Readership 

Asia Environmental Daily averages 1.2 million readers per day. In 2012, Asia Media Watch described The Asia Environmental Daily as "Asia’s most read English language daily news source covering environmental issues and environmental services across the entire continent".

 Format 

Asia Environmental Daily is considered a primary source for news on environmental issues and environmental services in the Asia-Pacific region. While the paper does report on business, politics, and other newsworthy non-environmental events, the papers content shows a clear emphasis on business developments and government initiatives in regards to the environment.

Asia Environmental Daily is published as an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_newspaper online newspaper], with sections covering both regional and industry news. Regional news covers:  China, East Asia, South Asia, Australia-New Zealand, Central Asia, and Middle East. Industry news covers:  Airports and Aviation, Chemicals, Food and Agriculture, Mining and Metals, New Energy Vehicles, Railways, Energy, and Municipal Water.

Asia Environmental Daily site consists mainly of selected hyperlinks to news websites from around Asia, with headlines written by staff. The linked stories are generally hosted on the external websites of mainstream media outlets. It occasionally includes stories and op-ed pieces written by experts in the environmental field, ranging from two or three paragraphs in length to full length academic papers.

 Editorial 

Asia Environmental Daily has had a stable editorial staff since it’s inception. Thomas Evans served as Editor from 2007 to 2014 with Jill St. John serving as Editor since 2014. Although the subject matter of the paper covers pollution and other environmental ills facing the Asia-Pacific region, the editorial slant of the paper is deemed as “business friendly” and “not overly antagonistic to local governments.”  Former editor, Thomas Evans is quoted as saying “The goal of the paper is not to attack or lay blame. Asia needs solutions. We hope to give businesses and government the information they need to solve these environmental problems.”   The paper’s current editor, Jill St. John stated in an interview at Hong Kong University that “Environmental issues face us all. To be honest, without the help of business, there is no way forward.”

 Board Membership 

Chief Executive Officer: Xinmei Liu

Chief Operating Officer: Scott Garner

Editor:  Jill St. John

Editorial Board Members:  Thomas Evans, Zhang Wei, Wang Xiu Ying, William Austin, Sudhir Patil, Tomohiro Hidaka, Pakamas Thinphanga

'''Advisory Board Members:'''  Scott Garner, Medan Bhandari Phd, Seunghyeon Kim

 Political Leanings 

While the paper rarely shows obvious or overt political views in its reporting, the environmental nature of the subject matter, editorial choices in story selection, and op-ed pieces show a centre-left political view. In the paper’s early days, many viewed the paper as far more radical in its political and activist leanings. In recent years, particularly under the ownership of Asia ENV Group, the paper is considered more neutral in its reporting. This change in political views has caused some controversy among long-term readers.

 Influence 

According to Asia Media Watch report 2019, the site had more than 1,220,000 individual readers per day. Individual page visits were 742,775,000 or 2,035,000 page visits per day. The paper has an AMW score of 8.78, one of the highest in Asia. The paper has been cited as one of the most influential news sites in Asia among business leaders and government officials for news on environmental issues and solutions across the region. While the paper’s primary readership by percentage is in Asia, it does have a significant international following.

 Readership 

[http://www.asiaenv.com/publishing/Our-Readers.html Readership break-down by region] ] is:  Asia  83%, North America 7%, South America  2%, Europe 5%, Australia  2%, Africa 1%.  The paper is also followed by regional leaders. In February 2018, the paper was cited in a Malaysia Ministry of Agriculture report on the state of palm oil exports in light of impending EU sanctions on the industry. In March 2017, Indonesia Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiastuti, in an interview with Jakarta Post, cited The 'Asia Environmental Daily' as a source of information on the problems of illegal fishing in the South China Sea. In August 2015, Director General Farzana Altaf Shah of the Pakistan EPA cited the paper when discussing positive environmental developments within the CPEC and along the One Belt One Road.

 Business Operations 

Asia Environmental Daily currently has 34 employees and has a revenue of USD 6 million per year.

 Scholarships 

Asia Environmental Holdings Group (Asia ENV Group) along with the Asia Environmental Daily offers scholarships to approximately 10 students per year for academic study and research on the environment. Scholarships are awarded to undergraduate, graduate, and PhD students based on such criteria as grades, financial need, and the completion of a personal essay. Currently, the Daily is sponsoring students at:  Hong Kong University, Beijing Institute of Technology, Nalanda University, University of Kuala Lumpur, Chulalongkorn University, Bogor Agricultural University, Vietnam National University, University of Karachi, Ateneo de Manila University, National University, Bangladesh.

 Conservation Efforts 

In 2017, Asia Environmental Daily and Asia ENV Group jointly donated more than USD 5 million to environmental causes and conservation efforts throughout Asia. Organizations supported included:

'''Project Orangutan''' for orangutan protection in Indonesia

Oceanswell, for Blue Whale conservation in Sri Lanka,

State of Maharashtra for its anti-plastic campaign in India

'''Landskap Malaysia''' for forestry protection and conservation in Malaysia

'''Nature Conservation Foundation''' for hornbill conservation in Indonesia

FORCE for clean water efforts in India

'''Farming First''' for sustainable agriculture efforts in Vietnam

'''Chulalongkorn University''' for soil erosion research in Thailand

Awards

 2017 

Malaysia Green Society – Contributions to Journalism Award

'''Thailand Clean Energy Assoc. '''for contributions to education on solar energy

Bangkok Rotary Club for reporting on Thailand’s renewable energy sector

'''Philippines Marine Preservation Society '''for reporting on carbon emissions in the oceanic shipping industry

'''The Clean Water Initiative (Pakistan) '''for contributions to environmental journalism

 2016 

India Solar Council  - Award for Outstanding Reporting on the Indian Solar Industry

Malaysia Green Society – Contributions to Journalism Award

Friends of Indonesia Wildlife for reporting on threats to the Javan rhinoceros

'''The Clean Water Initiative (Pakistan) '''for reporting on clean water initiatives in Balochistan, Pakistan

The Ruth Robb Foundation (China) for contributions to environmental education

AAESC – for contributions to education on wind energy in Vietnam

 2015 

Sri Lanka Wildlife Society for reporting on human/elephant conflicts in Sri Lanka

Green Ag Cambodia for contributions to Cambodia aquaculture education

Fauna and Flora Thailand – Outstanding Environmental Journalism

 2014 

'''Philippines Marine Preservation Society '''for reporting on the negative impacts of tourism on coral reefs

'''The Indonesia Oil and Gas Assoc. '''– Award for Environmental Journalism

 2013 

Green Ag Cambodia for contributions in education on sustainable rice production

Malaysia Green Society – Contributions to Journalism Award

Green Karachi (Pakistan) for contributions on promoting education on recycling

 2012 

Singapore Nature Society for promoting educational awareness on fresh water resources

Friends of Indonesia Wildlife for reporting on threats to the Javan rhinoceros and Sumatran elephant

Green Space (India) – Award for contributions to Indian parks and forestry in West Bengal

 2011 

The Green Council - Hong Kong for educational awareness on air quality issues on Hong Kong Island

Thailand Green Society for reporting on soil erosion problems in Khon Kaen, Northeast Thailand

  2010 

The Green Council - Hong Kong for educational awareness on air quality issues on Hong Kong Island