The world is getting warmer and natural hazards are becoming more intense, likely bringing higher economic losses in the future. Today, four major weather perils result in expected economic losses of USD 200 billion annually. With more severe weather coming, economic losses are set to rise. The study analysis finds …
Owing to its enormous construction and maintenance costs, the management of wastewater in many urban centres of developing countries via a centralised wastewater management approach is very difficult. Often, untreated wastewater is directly discharged into adjacent natural water courses, causing a grave threat to both public health and the aquatic …
Clemenceau stranded again: Citizens groups can now go to court against the French warship Le Clemenceau docking in the UK water for dismantling in the country. UK
Sustained economic growth and increasing affluence in urban areas have enabled more people to afford cars, motorcycles, and sport utility vehicles (SUVs). The preference for personal mobility has prevailed over public transportation, the latter being in a generally degenerated state. Latest research by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Clean …
Based on practical knowledge and international experience accumulated via past and ongoing World Bank operations, this Note aims to provide World Bank staff and others interested in off-grid electrification with useful guidelines for designing sustainable off-grid projects. Given the unique features of projects and country situations, the note does not …
The occurrence of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in human blood is known to be widespread; nevertheless, the sources of exposure to humans, including infants, are not well understood. In this study, breast milk collected from seven countries in Asia was analyzed (n = 184) for nine PFCs, including perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and …
A mudslide killed at least 9 people in the southern Philippines and rescue workers were scrambling to find another 14 still missing after monsoon rains loosened soil and buried about 45 makeshift houses near a mining town. Officials said on Sunday dozens of soldiers, police officers, miners and volunteers continued …
Asia is currently experiencing rapid increases in industrialization, urbanization, and vehicularization. As a result, emission trends (e.g., energy, fuel, vehicle use), population trends (e.g., degree of urbanization, urban population growth, city size), health trends (e.g., age structure, background disease rates), and other important factors (e.g., broad changes in regulatory approaches, …
This project is designed to generate insights and guidance which can contribute to the development of institutions to help the urban poor effectively resolve disputes over urban assets. Too often institutional change is initiated without a complete understanding of the social, economic and political dynamics effecting status quo institutions. The …
Side effects of banana: A legal battle between banana farmers and environmentalists has reached the Philippines Supreme Court. Residents from Davao city have filed a petition to uphold a March 2007 ban on aerial spraying of fungicide on banana plantations. The group claims the spraying has led to various health …
Nearly all of the ecologically-fragile coral reefs in the Philippines are under severe threat from economic development and climate change. This is according to an update circulated by the Southeast Asian Centre of Excellence (SEA CoE) during the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium held here. The Philippines is part of …
The Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Programme in the Philippines has made substantial progress in dealing with land reform. Much more remains to be done and Filipino society is actively engaged in critically discussing the past and the future of CARP. There are lessons here for India where policymaking circles remain obsessed …
BY PAUL ALEXANDER Rescuers considered boring a hole in an overturned ferry on Monday in a desperate attempt to find survivors among more than 800 missing passengers and crew, after Typhoon Fengshen carved its deadly swath through the Philippines. Hopes dwindled by the hour that large groups of survivors might …
BY PAUL ALEXANDER Two men who struggled to shore after a passenger ferry capsized in the Philippines during Typhoon Fengshen said on Sunday that hundreds of people may have died when they were trapped inside. The storm left at least 155 dead, submerging entire communities and setting off landslides, said …
At least 229 people are confirmed dead and at least six missing after Typhoon Fengshen ravaged the central and southern Philippines, Red Cross and civil defence officials said on Sunday. The toll does not include those dead or missing from a ferry that sank in the central Philippines with about …
CEBU : More than 700 people were missing on Sunday after a Philippine passenger ship capsized in a typhoon that has killed scores and left a trail of destruction across the archipelago. Only four people are so far known to have survived the ferry disaster and they said many passengers …
