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 …
This study shows how transformative change can bring about sustainable development, prevent climate change from spiralling out of control and address the unavoidable consequences of climate change in a development-friendly manner. In view of the multiple crises facing the world, unprecedented efforts are required to achieve resilient, climate-compatible and sustainable …
The broad objective of this study is to undertake research on development perspectives of an integrated agro-industrial ecosystem in Africa that the African Development Bank (AfDB) has developed and termed Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZs). The SAPZ model is conceptualised by the Bank as its brand for a spatial development …
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) face a unique set of vulnerabilities which impede their ability to achieve sustainable development. Structural factors, including their size, remoteness, limited resource base, market size, exposure to climate risks and natural disasters impact socio economic outcomes and their ability to achieve the SDGs. The COVID19 …
The UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Secretariat released the first official draft of a new Global Biodiversity Framework to guide actions worldwide through 2030 to preserve and protect nature and its essential services to people. The framework includes 21 targets for 2030 that call for, among other things: At …
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 publication presents a collection of case studies by Mountain Partnership (MP) members from around the world, highlighting experiences of agroecological mountain farming systems. It aims to increase attention toward agroecological principles and approaches and showcase their potential. The MP, the only United Nations global voluntary alliance dedicated to sustainable …
The Sustainable Development Report 2021 presents the SDG Index and Dashboards for all UN member states, outlines the short-term impacts of COVID-19 on the SDGs, and describes how the SDGs can frame the recovery. It was prepared by teams of independent experts at the Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) and …
Climate economic modelling is a critical process that informs policy makers of the costs, benefits and potential trade-offs of climate risks and climate change adaptation on the economy. It can be useful to support problem framing, stakeholder engagement and awareness raising, and advocacy and communications related to climate change. This …
This report explores the new poverty reduction strategy of the People's Republic of China and focuses on the vulnerable, particularly children, the elderly, and those whose access to health care is jeopardized by urbanization and aging. The People’s Republic of China has a long and successful record of poverty reduction. …
There has been a surge in the attention to sustainable agricultural mechanization for Africa. The need to support agricultural mechanization in the value chain in order to achieve agricultural and rural development is well recognized. Therefore, it is vital to address the major challenge of ensuring that business models for …
The intention of the initiative is to identify lessons on how to strengthen urban finance, building on a range of city case studies from countries selected to represent different levels of urbanisation and structural transformation, examples, and discussions with key stakeholders. Cities can be engines of productivity, but only when …
Climate change is a major threat to the sustainability and inclusiveness of our societies, and to the planet’s habitability. A just transition to a low-carbon economy is the only viable way forward. This paper reviews the climate change challenge. It stresses the criticality of systems changes (energy, transport, urban, land …
The World Social Report 2021 points to the ways in which rural development can be reset to achieve sustainable development. It calls for moving rural development to the centre of attention, instead of relegating it as an appendage of urban development; for ending the rural-urban divide through the adoption of …
Electricity is an integral part of all modern economies, supporting a range of critical services from healthcare to banking to transportation. The secure supply of electricity is thus of paramount importance. The power sector is going through fundamental changes: decarbonisation with fast growth in variable renewable sources, digitalisation expanding the …
Electricity is an integral part of all modern economies, supporting a range of critical services from healthcare to banking to transportation. The secure supply of electricity is thus of paramount importance. The power sector is going through fundamental changes: decarbonisation with fast growth in variable renewable sources, digitalisation expanding the …
Given the salient role that electricity plays in modern economies, the task of ensuring electricity security is a top priority for policy makers. The process is an extensive and complicated one that involves careful consideration of costs and benefits. This document summarises the steps involved in developing a framework for …
Healthcare systems are at the frontline of delivering critical care during emergencies. Yet, already before the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries were struggling to meet even routine demands for health care. Climate change, disasters, pandemics, and demographic changes will increase pressures on already strained health systems. To strengthen the resilience of …
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)’s focus on energy, transportation and other types of infrastructure has the potential to make an important contribution to filling the ‘infrastructure gap’ in BRI partner countries in the Global South. But the rapid influx of infrastructure projects and other commercial activity in those countries …
This report explores ways in which trade policy can further support a transition to a more circular economy using regional trade agreements (RTAs) as a vehicle. In doing so, it suggests possible options to incorporate circular economy-related provisions in future RTAs, building on precedents with similar objectives in agreements currently …
The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, launched South Africa’s updated draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) for public consultation during a virtual stakeholder session. The updated draft NDC, the cornerstone of South Africa’s climate change response, was approved by Cabinet on 24 March 2021 to be released for public …
