The World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Asia 2024 report warns that the region is warming nearly twice as fast as the global average, driving more extreme weather and posing serious threats to lives, ecosystems, and economies. In 2024, Asia experienced its warmest or second warmest year on …
High income inequality can engender a wide range of negative impacts. It can harm child development, increase ill-health and mortality, limit the status of women, generate distrust in government, exacerbate levels of violence and social unrest, slow the pace of poverty reduction and hinder economic growth. The Asia-Pacific region is …
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted passenger transport in Asian cities. It is accelerating the growth of private car and motorbike use and diminishing the viability of public transport as the backbone of sustainable urban development across Asia in the long run. Yet the pandemic also offers opportunities to reconsider …
Globally, Indigenous Peoples and local communities have long been custodians of biodiversity. Their customary territories are estimated to contain 36% of the world’s remaining intact forest landscapes and 80% of remaining biodiversity. Yet, just about 8.7% of territories held by Asia’s Indigenous Peoples and local communities are legally recognized. This …
Unsustainable consumption, driven by the increasing extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, and production, is contributing to environmental degradation and the acceleration of climate change. In developing Asia, consumption trends will continue to rise as populations and economies grow. Shifting from the current “take–make–dispose” linear consumption pattern to a more circular …
Southeast Asia has a strong need to decarbonise its economies and modernise its energy systems. In 2018, around 75% of primary energy demand in the region was met by fossil fuels such as oil, coal and gas. Whilst all renewable energy sources have a role to play in Southeast Asia’s …
This paper examines carbon emissions across the garment sector as counted using the two prominent methodologies for calculating emissions – the life cycle assessment (LCA) and carbon accounting in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol. The purpose of this paper is to provide insight into where and why the carbon …
Vulnerable populations in urban areas globally have been among the worst hit by the global COVID-19 crisis. In South and South-East Asia, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased levels of vulnerability and food insecurity in cities through disruptions to food supply chains, increased food prices and loss of income. In 2021, …
The paper lays out a broad framework to reimagine healthcare systems using the digital technologies as one of the core pillars in the Asia-pacific countries. It argues that the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed serious flaws in the design of traditional healthcare systems in both advanced and developing countries of the …
It's a pivotal time for energy transitions. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to overshadow global economies, and the pathway to recovery remains uncertain. Set against this backdrop and undertaken immediately following COP26, this annual edition of the World Energy Issues Monitor represents a snapshot of the views of …
Tax policy can be designed to spur both the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) and improvements in the fuel efficiency of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. This paper focuses on national-level taxation and subsidy policies for passenger vehicles across 18 Asian and Asia-Pacific countries and compares the consumer ownership costs …
This study aims to reveal the traditional relationships between various transport modes and discuss how barriers can be broken down to welcome the advent of a new paradigm for smart mobility. This will enable policymakers to make relevant policy and strategy changes that will greatly enhance the efficiency of transport …
Plastics were first developed in 1907 with the discovery of Bakelite, a synthetic polymer that could be easily massproduced. This invention led to countless innovations and new products as plastics became an essential material of the global economy. In 1989 the world produced about 100 million tonnes (Mt) of plastic …
Sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity are among the major behavioural risk factors for many noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), and quality of life and well-being. The available data show that the prevalence of physical inactivity among adults is 15% and among adolescents it is as high as 74% in the WHO South-East …
In order to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Asian countries are trying to realize the potential of energy innovation. However, several structural issues might deter the expected impact of energy innovation on GHG emissions. Given the ecologically unsustainable economic growth trajectory of …
This report identifies trends, principles, and strategies for future transport in Asia and the Pacific with a view to 2030 and 2050. Transport projects need to be designed for tomorrow's reality, not today's. They can take years to plan and build and are then in operation for a much longer …
Air pollution is increasingly understood as a global issue, requiring an understanding of pollution sources, transport, and transformation from local to regional to global scales (IPCC, 2013). Polluting gases, such as ozone (O3) and aerosols, particularly PM 2.5, are known to be major risk factors for public health (Cohen and …
This most recent report on the state of food security and nutrition in Asia and the Pacific tells a grim story. An estimated 375.8 million people in the region faced hunger in 2020, which is nearly 54 million more people than in 2019. In this region alone, more than 1.1 …
India’s economy could prove to be the “most resilient” in the subregion of South and South-West Asia over the long term, according to a report by the UN, which says a positive but lower economic growth post COVID-19 pandemic and the country’s large market will continue to attract investments. The …
The ways in which human mobilities are viewed have undergone profound changes. Many government measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic were designed to discourage and even stop people from travelling. This led to unprecedented falls in passenger levels, particularly for aviation, long distance rail travel, and public transport, while more …
While some countries in the Asia-Pacific region are adapting to climate change, countries with special needs (CSNs) with less resources and capacities face significant challenges implementing adaptation projects. Yet, CSNs are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts, and most in need of adaptation interventions. Despite this urgency to adapt to …
