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 …
Currently only one third of rail network in the ESCAP region is electrified -indicating substantial use of diesel for traction and non-traction purposes. And the diesel-powered trains emit at least twice as much CO2 in the atmosphere than electric ones. Railway decarbonize solutions entail (a) electrification of rail infrastructure (b) …
Weaknesses and loopholes in maritime supply chains are often exploited by traffickers to smuggle illegal wildlife and timber products to feed growing demand, predominantly in Asian markets. Together, TRAFFIC and WWF are supporting the shipping sector to detect illegalities passing through global waters. Legal wildlife trade is a complex business, …
The State of Food Waste in West Asia highlights the potential of promoting sustainable lifestyles and empowering youth to positively impact at the consumer level. Other key findings deal with the importance of raising awareness about the impact on the environment and food security, about the financial benefits of reducing …
The health and well-being of future generations are bound to the fate of the planet. A 4°C warmer world will have catastrophic and wide-ranging effects on social, ecological and economic systems, and impacts will be disproportionately felt in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the ‘Global South’. In fact, climate …
Estimates in 2020 showed that the number of hungry has been on the rise again, and is currently estimated at 690 million people.1 Obesity is also rising in all regions, reflecting a food system that produces unbalanced results. The forces yielding such simultaneous increase in hunger and obesity are directly …
This report seeks to provide useful insights for energy policymakers, to enrich discussions and pave a way forward for the post-COVID-19 energy transition. It presents analysis based on an extensive literature, expert opinions, and energy modeling to examine gaps and further efforts to accelerate the pace of change, and drive …
This supplement discusses disaster risk, resilience and risk management in Asia and the Pacific. It highlights policy lessons for disaster resilience and pandemic recovery. Asia and the Pacific has seen tremendous economic and social progress since the 1960s. Yet, the region remains vulnerable to natural hazards and to rising disaster …
Shifting cultivation is commonly perceived as a primitive agricultural practice, economically unviable and a cause of tropical deforestation and environmental degradation. Despite growing scientific evidence to the contrary and a revision of this position by several countries and international agencies, policies based on this misconception replace the practice with settled …
This publication provides an overview of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) bonds as a mechanism to help mobilize the financing required to achieve the SDGs in developing Asia. The importance of development that provides for equitable economic growth and the sustainable use of natural resources has become increasingly apparent during the …
This guidance note examines the effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on the energy sector in Asia and the Pacific and outlines key actions that stakeholders can take during the response and the recovery phases. While COVID-19 has resulted in severe global health and economic crises, it also presents an …
This guidance note assesses how the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has impacted the water sector in Asia and the Pacific and what can be done to drive its recovery and rejuvenation. The guidance note focuses on how service providers in the region—particular those involved in supply, sanitation, and wastewater treatment—have …
This report explores the links between disaster impacts and poverty levels in select countries in the Europe and Central Asia region. When a disaster strikes, it not only affects households’ physical assets, but also their income levels and ability to contribute to the local economy. Critically, these socio-economic disparities shape …
This publication explains how market-based instruments can be utilized to improve air quality, water, and waste management in Asia. Asia has experienced massive economic growth, characterized by rapid urbanization and industrialization, changing demographics, and increasing consumption and demand for resource. This has contributed to significant environmental degradation. The challenge faced …
Carbon Tracker is launching Do Not Revive Coal: Planned Asia coal plants a danger to Paris, the third annual report in Carbon Tracker's Powering Down Coal series. The report highlights that in five Asian countries (China, India, Vietnam, Indonesia and Japan), which are responsible for 80% of the world’s planned …
An estimated US$724 billion in GDP is exposed to the impact of extreme sea-level rise and coastal flooding in seven major cities in Asia by 2030, according to a new report from Greenpeace East Asia. Within this decade, coastal cities in Asia are at high risk from rising sea levels …
The purpose of this policy brief is to analyze the current situation in e-waste management in Asia and the Pacific and suggest appropriate policy options in the context of a specific set of challenges faced by the region. This policy brief will provide information on the current situation of e-waste …
SDG 7 offers a framework for decision-making in the energy sector that not only contributes to a global plan of action for people, planet and prosperity but also underpins efforts to limit the extent of global warming. It includes three targets to be achieved by 2030: 7.1, ensure universal access …
This paper provides an evaluation of the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on least developed countries (LDCs) in Asia and the Pacific. Drawing on analysis and estimates from various regional and national sources, this paper finds that these impacts are large relative to the number of COVID-19 …
The objective of this assessment is to provide an overview of good practices that have emerged in relation to the implementation, protection and promotion of procedural access rights to enable the right to a safe, clean healthy and sustainable environment. This report broadly covers the good practices, advancements, issues and …
This study examines three countries in detail – Pakistan, Fiji, and Lao PDR –through a long term energy alternatives planning (LEAP) model that is based on three different scenarios of economic response to COVID-19. The results obtained from the study indicates that a ‘green’ economic recovery with stimulus targeted toward …
