In this report, ESCAP explores the future of urbanization in Asia and the Pacific, focusing on the dynamic shifts in the region’s urban landscape. It highlights the region’s demographic transformations, including population ageing, and the persistent challenges of urban poverty and inequality. The analysis covers urban areas of all sizes, …
Rapid cropland expansion is the main cause of biodiversity loss in tropical countries, a study by UNEP's (the UN Environment Programme) World Conservation Monitoring Centre and the Cambridge Conservation Initiative has found. The study, published in PLOS ONE last month (9 January), highlights maize and soybean as the most expansive …
The future of urbanization points to increasing agglomeration forces through which towns and cities merge into huge continuously built up areas with variations in the diversity of economic activity. This paper reports the results of a study of urban agglomeration trends in Eastern Africa and the implications for urban policy …
Water security in Asia and the Pacific is under threat from many sources - population growth, urbanization, increasing water pollution, the over-abstraction of groundwater, water-related disasters and climate change warns this latest edition of the Asian Water Development Outlook. Water security in Asia and the Pacific is under threat from …
India has witnessed high economic growth since the 1980s, and a reduction in the share of income poor, though the measured extent of this reduction varies, has been confirmed by different methods. Poverty, however, has multiple dimensions, hence this paper explores the improvement in other social deprivations. An analysis of …
Urban Growth and Spatial Transition in Nepal carries out an initial assessment of Nepal’s urban growth and spatial transformation, with a focus on spatial demographic and economic trends, economic growth drivers, and urban planning and infrastructure challenges. The study aims to stimulate evidence-based policy dialogue on Nepal’s urban transition and …
As sustainability and energy efficiency initiatives take hold around the world, firms are finding business value and opportunities from green building, including the opportunity for new environmentally responsible products, according to McGraw-Hill Construction’s latest SmartMarket Report, “World Green Building Trends - Business Benefits Driving New and Retrofit Market Opportunities in …
The high and volatile food prices that triggered a renewed interest in food security since the 2008–09 crisis are expected to continue due to several factors that include the impacts of climate change. Current policy prescriptions focus on food production; however, a broader approach based on food systems is more …
The main objective of this paper is to analyze the recent past trends and patterns of urbanization, urban economic growth, and urban equity measured by urban poverty and inequality in India. In addition, it reviews the different urban development policies and programmes which are undertaken in different Plan Periods in …
The main focus of the State of Environment Report, Chennai (SoER, Chennai) is to provide the baseline environment data, which will aid in the formulation of an appropriate policy for environmental management. The SoER, Chennai provides a general picture of how human activities affect the environmental conditions in the city …
Amid rapid and haphazard urbanisation, Surkhet district has decided to go the Kathmandu way when it comes to replenishing the ever dwindling greenery. Concerned over the increasing number of concrete buildings and depleting greenery due to rapid population growth, Surkhet municipality has implemented a mandatory provision requiring the allocation of …
NEW DELHI: Maharashtra would have maximum urban population by 2026, followed by Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. Quoting the population projection by the Census of India, the Union urban development ministry in a reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday stated that country's urban population will reach 53.48 crore in …
New Delhi: The UPA government is likely to reintroduce the Land Acquisition Bill with a mammoth 157 amendments in the budget session of Parliament. The 26 ‘substantive’ measures the government plans to push through include a provision that in case of acquisition for urbanization purposes, 20% of the developed land …
Construction work has come to a standstill in the Greater Noida region after a court order made it mandatory to get environmental clearance (EC) even on plots that are less than 20,000 square metres. State officials say that as getting clearance is a lengthy process, developers have stopped work due …
The Bombay High Court on Monday stayed construction at the site of the Sea Rock Hotel in Bandra even as its developer undertook not to engage in any building activity until the ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) approved a higher floor space index (FSI). The court also clarified that …
Spatially accurate, contemporary data on human population distributions are vitally important to many applied and theoretical researchers. The Southeast Asia region has undergone rapid urbanization and population growth over the past decade, yet existing spatial population distribution datasets covering the region are based principally on population count data from censuses …
A significant implication of increasing urbanization is anthropogenic noise pollution. Although noise is strongly associated with disruption of animal communication systems and negative health effects for humans, the study of these consequences at ecologically relevant spatial and temporal scales (termed soundscape ecology) is in early stages of application. In this …
Jaipur:The natural and manmade lakes in the state are at varying states of degradation and some have become history. Waking up to the crisis, the state government will now table the Rajasthan Lake Development Authority Bill, 2013 in the coming session of the assembly. The proposed bill would provide for …
NGO activists have demanded that the Regional Plan (RP) 2021 be immediately sent back to the panchayat bodies for corrections, as the government's delay in finalizing the plan is leading to further environmental damage to eco-sensitive zones. The activists pointed out adverse ramifications of delaying the process of finalizing the …
In exercise of the powers conferred under sections 381, 382, 383A, 387, 398 and 406 of Kerala Municipality Act, 1994 (20 of 1994) read with section 565 thereof, the Government of Kerala hereby make the following rules further to amend the Kerala Municipality Building Rules, 1999 issued under notification G.O. …
Asia’s ability to keep food prices in check and ensure long-term regional food security will require the region’s farm to market supply chains to become more efficient and cost-effective, says a new Asian Development Bank study. The Study titled ‘The Quiet Revolution in Staple Food Value Chains: Enter the Dragon, …
