Apparently we are in for a 20-30 cycle of more rain in northern China thanks to an oceanic cycle shift in the Pacific ocean from a warm to cool phase. This month we explore the implications of this shift on agriculture in ‘Food, Water & Weather Heading North’. Unfortunately, a wetter North comes with a drier South. Already, we are seeing the impact of this high up in the Himalayas where award-wining explorer Jeff Fuchs recounts ‘tales of water’ from the nomads who believe that “the sky is confused” and “the mountains are dying”. But does less water in the South mean that hydro could face tough weather ahead? Or should we turn to cloud seeding for relief? Debra Tan mulls the viability of hydro whilst Sophie le Clue expands on transboundary issues tied to cloud seeding. In the meantime, the debate about coal and water continues. ‘China Coal-Fired Economy Dying of Thirst as Mines Lack Water’ was Bloomberg’s Top 10 most read article of the day. We believe that spending on water-in-mining will help coal-miners quench the thirst but turning coal to liquid fuel is another story… Greenpeace’s Calvin Quek explains why Shenhua’s coal-to-liquids project in Inner Mongolia could be facing significant financial and environmental headwinds given rising water risks.