The Era of "Cruel Heat": Japan’s New Linguistic Shield Against a Burning Climate

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

For decades, the Japanese lexicon has meticulously charted the rising mercury of summer. There was natsubi (a "summer day") for a pleasant 25°C, manatsubi ("true summer day") for a sweltering 30°C, and the once-dreaded moshobi ("extreme heat day") for anything over 35°C.

But as the summer of 2025 tore through the history books, shattering every record held since 1898, those words lost their power. When the asphalt bubbles and the air itself feels like a physical weight, "extreme" simply isn't enough.

Last week, Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA) officially unveiled a new classification for the unthinkable: days where the temperature reaches 40°C (104°F) or higher.

The name chosen by the public? Kokushobi.

A Name Born of Fire

Translated variously as "cruelly hot," "brutally hot," or "severely hot," the term kokushobi is more than just a meteorological label. It is a linguistic white flag—an admission that the environment has shifted into a territory that is fundamentally hostile to human life.

The character koku (酷) translates to "harsh," "cruel," or "severe." It is a word usually reserved for atrocities or unbearable hardships. By pairing it with the heat, the Japanese public—who selected the term via a national survey of nearly 480,000 people—has signaled that the climate is no longer just "hot." It is aggressive.

The Summer That Changed Everything

The need for this new category wasn't theoretical. The statistics from 2025 paint a picture of a nation under atmospheric siege:

National Average: Temperatures nationwide were 2.36°C above the historical average.

The 40°C Threshold: Temperatures crossed the 40°C mark on nine separate occasions between June and August.

City in the Crosshairs: The city of Isesaki recorded a bone-dry, blistering peak of 41.8°C.

The Death of the "Average": Tokyo, which typically expects roughly four or five days above 35°C, suffered through 25 days of such heat. Kyoto fared even worse, logging 52 days—nearly triple its historical norm.

The Mechanism of Malice

This isn't a freak occurrence or a simple "hot spell." Scientists are clear: these "cruel" days are the direct byproduct of a warming planet. As human activity continues to pump greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, the baseline temperature rises, making heatwaves more frequent, more prolonged, and significantly more lethal.

When the air hits 40°C, the human body’s ability to cool itself via perspiration begins to fail, especially in Japan’s humid coastal cities. At this level, heatstroke isn't a risk—it's an inevitability for the unprotected.

Looking Into the Furnace

The introduction of kokushobi comes as a grim warning for the months ahead. The JMA has already issued forecasts for the 2026 season, predicting a high probability of above-normal temperatures from June through August.

As the sun rises on a new summer, the people of Japan are no longer just checking the weather; they are bracing for a season of "cruelty." The name has changed because the world has changed. The question now is whether a new word is enough to help a nation survive a climate that is increasingly becoming an adversary.

The Silent Revolution: Bangladesh’s Bold Leap into the Electric Age

 

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

For decades, the rhythmic thrum of internal combustion engines has been the heartbeat of Bangladesh’s bustling streets. But a quiet transformation is looming on the horizon. The Ministry of Industries has officially unveiled the Electric Vehicle (EV) Industry Development Policy 2025, a high-stakes roadmap designed to dismantle the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels and spark a multi-billion dollar industrial revolution.

This is not just a policy; it is a manifesto for a cleaner, greener, and more technologically sovereign Bangladesh.

A Nation at the Crossroads of Climate and Carbon

Bangladesh stands as one of the world's most vulnerable frontline states in the battle against climate change. With the transport sector identified as a primary culprit in greenhouse gas emissions, the status quo has become untenable.

The vision is uncompromising: to significantly slash carbon emissions by 2030. By pivoting toward electric mobility, the government isn't just swapping engines; it's fortifying the nation against the rising tides of global warming.

"This policy aims to enable domestic production of EVs and their components," says Sultana Yasmin, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Industries. "The use of electric vehicles is expected to grow significantly, and we are preparing to lead that charge."

The "Golden Carrot": Unprecedented Fiscal Incentives

To turn this vision into a reality, the government is laying out a feast of incentives designed to lure global giants and empower local entrepreneurs. The policy serves as a financial fortress for investors, offering:

Tax Havens for Innovators: Full income tax exemptions for EV manufacturers until 2040—a staggering fifteen-year window of growth.

The Battery Breakthrough: Sweeping tax exemptions for the production of both lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries, the literal heart of the EV revolution.

Lowering the Barrier to Entry: A 50% reduction in vehicle registration fees and the total exemption of Advance Income Tax (AIT) until 2030.

Industrial Protection: A mere 1% supplementary duty on raw materials, ensuring that "Made in Bangladesh" becomes a competitive global badge.

Infrastructure: Building the Nervous System

A vehicle is only as good as its ability to move. To combat "range anxiety," the government is planning a nationwide network of charging infrastructure. This isn't limited to public stations; the policy mandates that new building designs must incorporate EV charging facilities, effectively turning every modern home and office into a refueling hub.

Furthermore, the push for renewable energy-powered charging systems ensures that the electricity powering these cars is as green as the vehicles themselves.

From "Easy Bikes" to High-Tech Exports

The policy also brings order to the chaotic "wild west" of the three-wheeler market. The ubiquitous "Easy Bikes"—the lifeblood of rural and suburban transit—will finally be integrated into the formal economy. Under the new mandate, no EV can be handed over to a buyer without BRTA registration, ensuring safety standards, battery management, and international compliance.

But the ambition stretches far beyond domestic borders. By establishing research and innovation centers and integrating EV technology into technical education, Bangladesh is grooming a new generation of engineers. The goal? To transform the country from a consumer of technology into an exporter of electric vehicles and components.

The 2030 Mandate: Leading by Example

The government isn't just asking citizens to change; it is leading the charge. The policy dictates that by 2030, at least 30% of all vehicles procured by government, semi-government, and autonomous bodies must be electric.

To ensure this isn't just paper-deep, a high-powered Electric Vehicle Industry Development Council will be formed to oversee every bolt, wire, and charging port in this transition.

The Verdict: A New Dawn

The EV Industry Development Policy 2025 represents more than just a shift in transportation; it is a pivot toward a new identity for Bangladesh. As the world watches, the "Bengal Tiger" is preparing to trade its roar for the silent, efficient hum of a sustainable future.

The race to 2030 has begun, and Bangladesh is officially in the fast lane.

What aspect of this green transition do you think will be the biggest challenge for the country to overcome—the infrastructure rollout or the shift in consumer habits?

Covering Climate Now is a global journalism collaboration committed to improving climate coverage

Wazzup Pilipinas!? 

Covering climate, weather, and energy means cutting through more disinformation, spin, and greenwashing than ever. How are you dealing with it? Are you still figuring out what works, or do you have your own tools and tricks to spot and counter disinformation in your reporting?  

Wherever you are on the learning journey, Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD) and Covering Climate Now are developing a new, improved, and global Journalist Field Guide to Covering Climate Disinformation, building on CAAD’s existing resource — and we’d love to hear from you first.

Wherever you are in the world, we’d love your input. The information integrity community is growing globally, and you never know from where the next solution might come, or where the latest new problem may be evolving.  

The new guide we’re working on is meant to be as useful as possible for any journalist, anywhere, so we’re hoping to hear from journalists everywhere. Whether you’ve used CAAD’s guide before or not, your experience and perspective will help shape the new version.

Share your feedback here to help develop the new one

The survey is short, and your responses are completely anonymous. You can answer in English or Spanish.

Thank you in advance for helping us update this resource for colleagues all around the world.

Best,

CAAD + Covering Climate Now teams

Covering Climate Now is a global journalism collaboration committed to improving climate coverage.

The Invisible Frontline: Why the Global Press is Rebuilding the Toolkit for Climate Truth

The modern newsroom is no longer just a place of observation; it has become a high-stakes laboratory for deconstructing deception. As the planet warms, the airwaves are cooling under a different kind of pressure: a sophisticated, multi-billion-dollar deluge of disinformation, strategic greenwashing, and digital spin.

For the journalists stationed on the climate and energy beats, the mission has shifted. It is no longer enough to report the facts; they must now learn to dismantle the fictions.

The Anatomy of the Fog

Reporting on the environment in 2026 feels less like science communication and more like forensic investigation. Journalists are navigating a landscape where:

Greenwashing has evolved from simple marketing into complex corporate narratives that mimic environmental advocacy.

Coordinated Disinformation campaigns leverage bot networks to drown out localized weather alerts with climate skepticism.

The "Information Integrity" Gap leaves many reporters—particularly those in under-resourced regions—vulnerable to high-gloss, low-truth press releases.

But a global counter-offensive is mounting. Leading the charge, Climate Action Against Disinformation (CAAD) and Covering Climate Now have issued a worldwide call to arms for the journalistic community.

A Field Guide for the Future

The original Journalist Field Guide to Covering Climate Disinformation served as a vital shield for reporters. Now, in recognition that the "next solution" or "latest problem" could emerge from any corner of the globe—from a newsroom in Manila to a radio station in Nairobi—a new, global version is under construction.

This isn't just an update; it is a collaborative reconstruction. The goal is to build a resource that is as adaptive and resilient as the reporters using it.

Your Voice is the Intelligence

The intelligence gathered from the frontlines—the "tricks of the trade" developed by reporters on the ground—is the fuel for this new guide. CAAD and Covering Climate Now are seeking direct input from journalists everywhere to understand:

What’s working? Which tools are successfully spotting deepfakes or debunking energy myths?

What’s missing? Where are the current blind spots in our collective defense?

Global Nuance: How does disinformation in Spanish-speaking markets differ from English ones, and how can we bridge that gap?

The Call to Action: Whether you are a veteran investigative lead or a freelancer just starting the climate journey, your perspective is the missing piece of the puzzle.

Join the Global Collaboration

The information integrity community is growing, and its strength lies in its transparency. By contributing to this brief, anonymous survey, you aren’t just answering questions—you are helping to forge a global standard for truth.

The survey is available in both English and Spanish, ensuring that the resulting guide is a truly universal asset.

In an era of rising tides and rising lies, the most powerful tool a journalist possesses is a shared defense. Help build the manual that will protect the narrative of our planet for years to come.

______________________________________

The information age has birthed a new kind of shadow war, one fought not with weapons, but with "truth sandwiches," viral myths, and the strategic manipulation of reality. At the heart of this conflict lies climate change—a global crisis increasingly obscured by a sophisticated "misinformation supply chain" fueled by social media algorithms and deep-pocketed industry interests.

The Architecture of Deception

Climate misinformation is no longer just about denying the existence of warming; it is a complex web of "Discourses of Climate Delay". According to the Journalist Field Guide, this deceptive content often takes the form of:

Scientific Sabotage: Cherry-picking data to erode trust in experts and the scientific consensus.

Greenwashing: Falsely claiming that certain actions support climate goals when they actually contribute to warming.

The "Big Lie" Effect: Using political elites to platform unfounded accusations, pressuring media outlets into "false balance" where facts are treated as equal to fabrications.

The stakes are material. Research shows that the internet has accelerated a symbiotic growth between digital conspiracy theories and real-world violence, often outpacing our ability to coordinate solutions.

The Front Lines: A New Playbook for Truth

For the modern journalist, traditional reporting is no longer enough. To avoid "getting gamed by grifters," newsrooms are adopting a tactical defense known as the "Truth Sandwich":

Lead with the Fact: Start with a clear, pithy, and sticky truth.

Warn About the Myth: Before mentioning the misinformation, explicitly warn the audience that a myth is coming.

Explain the Fallacy: Briefly explain how the myth misleads without repeating manipulative language.

Reinforce the Fact: Finish by repeating the causal truth multiple times.

Strategic Silence and the Tipping Point

One of the most difficult decisions a reporter faces is whether to debunk a lie or ignore it. Reporting on an obscure myth can inadvertently grant it the "oxygen of amplification". Experts now advise "Strategic Silence" until a piece of misinformation reaches a "tipping point" of public circulation.

Once that threshold is crossed, the focus shifts to "Strategic Amplification"—exposing the bad actors behind the scenes rather than just the content they produce. Organizations like DeSmog and the Center for Countering Digital Hate help track the "Toxic Ten"—a small group of publishers responsible for the vast majority of climate denial content on social media.

The Human Cost of Passive Reporting

The guide also challenges journalists to rethink their language to promote accountability. Using the "Passive Voice" can invisibilize the victims of climate policy.

The Hidden Responsibility: "Marginalized communities have high incidences of asthma".

The Accountable Truth: "Politicians deciding to build power plants near marginalized communities has led to higher rates of asthma".

A Call to Inoculate

The ultimate goal is Inoculation. Much like a vaccine, journalists can "pre-bunk" myths by warning audiences about deceptive techniques before they encounter them. In an era where emotions often outpace facts, the path forward requires not just better data, but stories that center on human consequences and social justice.

As the guide concludes, climate change is a "story for every beat," and it is the responsibility of the media to ensure that story isn't written by those seeking to delay its ending.