Investing in Natural Capital for a Sustainable Future in the Greater Mekong Subregion

Investing in Natural Capital for a Sustainable Future in the Greater Mekong Subregion
Author: Asian Development Bank
Publisher: Asian Development Bank
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2015-09-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 929257146X

This report aims to demonstrate the compelling need to increase investments in natural capital in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and identifies actions now being taken regionally and nationally to manage natural capital. It also proposes a guiding framework for promoting investments and actions by GMS countries to secure natural capital and thus ensure sustainable and inclusive growth in the subregion.

Policies for High Quality, Safe, and Sustainable Food Supply in the Greater Mekong Subregion

Policies for High Quality, Safe, and Sustainable Food Supply in the Greater Mekong Subregion
Author: Thomas R. D. Weaver
Publisher: Asian Development Bank
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2019-05-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9292613219

This book presents research into the production of safe, high-quality, and environmentally friendly agriculture products in the Greater Mekong Subregion. It also explores the actions and policy options that could be pursued. Three themes are examined: Improving Food Safety and Quality; Inclusive and Sustainable, Safe and Environment-Friendly Agriculture Products; and Value Chains for Safe and Environment-Friendly Agriculture Products. This aligns with the ASEAN Economic Community blueprint, which calls for the creation of a single market and production base for food, agriculture, forestry; and integration of the region into the global economy.

Creating Livable Cities

Creating Livable Cities
Author: African Development Bank
Publisher: Inter-American Development Bank
Total Pages: 120
Release: 2019-10-08
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:

The shift of people from rural areas to cities and urban towns in developing and emerging economies is one of the most profound demographic changes happening globally. Cities all over the world offer significant opportunities to transform human well-being, catalyze economic development, and serve as incubators for new ideas. Rapid urbanization is often linked to improved economic opportunities, better access to health and education services, and improved living conditions. However, underinvestment in infrastructure and services and weak urban governance, planning and financing frameworks can undermine urbanization’s potential to serve as the engine of green and inclusive growth and development.

Water for the Environment

Water for the Environment
Author: Avril Horne
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 760
Release: 2017-08-16
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0128039450

Water for the Environment: From Policy and Science to Implementation and Management provides a holistic view of environmental water management, offering clear links across disciplines that allow water managers to face mounting challenges. The book highlights current challenges and potential solutions, helping define the future direction for environmental water management. In addition, it includes a significant review of current literature and state of knowledge, providing a one-stop resource for environmental water managers. - Presents a multidisciplinary approach that allows water managers to make connections across related disciplines, such as hydrology, ecology, law, and economics - Links science to practice for environmental flow researchers and those that implement and manage environmental water on a daily basis - Includes case studies to demonstrate key points and address implementation issues

Water, Security and U.S. Foreign Policy

Water, Security and U.S. Foreign Policy
Author: David Reed
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 408
Release: 2017-06-26
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 1351685465

The prosperity and national security of the United States depend directly on the prosperity and stability of both partner and competing countries around the world. Today, U.S. interests are under rising pressure from water scarcity, extreme weather events and water-driven ecological change in key geographies of strategic interest to the U.S. Those water-driven stresses are undermining economic productivity, weakening governance systems and fraying social cohesion in scores of countries and, in the process, undermining the vitality of rural livelihoods, fostering local and ethnic conflicts, driving broad migratory movements and contributing to the growth of insurgencies and terrorist networks. While the U.S. intelligence community has steadily expanded natural resource concerns in their global threat analyses, our overseas development assistance remains locked into provision of water and hygienic services rather than responding to the full sweep of global water challenges including governance and policy failures, growing conflicts over water and the need for promoting sustainable transboundary water arrangements in partner countries. A fundamental departure from the past is urgently needed. Based on 18 case studies, Water, Security and U.S. Foreign Policy provides an analytical framework to help policy makers, scholars and researchers studying the intersection of U.S. foreign policy with the environment and sustainability issues, interpret the impacts of water-driven social disruptions on the stability of partner governments and U.S. interests abroad. The book also delivers specific recommendations to reorient U.S. development and diplomatic engagements that can forestall and prevent social disruptions and ensuing threats to U.S. prosperity and national security.

China-asean Relations: Cooperation And Development (Volume 2)

China-asean Relations: Cooperation And Development (Volume 2)
Author: Ying Liang
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 769
Release: 2019-10-30
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9811202958

This book is the second volume of Series on China-ASEAN Relations. This volume presents comprehensive and in-depth studies of China-ASEAN cooperation and development by Chinese scholars from the China-ASEAN Research Institute of Guangxi University and the China-ASEAN Collaborative Innovation Center for Regional Development. The book is divided into six parts. Part one is the general report including the introduction of China-ASEAN cooperation, achievements and problems in politics, economy, diplomacy, security, defense, maritime and cultural aspects. Part two studies the relation and cooperation between China and individual ASEAN nations, including the evaluation of each ASEAN nation's politics, economy, diplomacy, society and culture. Part three analyzes individual ASEAN country's response to the Belt and the Road Initiative and the implementation of the initiative. Part four and five study important issues of Southeast Asia, including South China Sea arbitration case initiated by the Philippines, the construction of the ASEAN Community, Myanmar's elections, the Bangkok explosion and Vietnam's accession to the TPP. Part six lists the major events and the data on China-ASEAN economic, trade and investment cooperation and the trade between China's provinces (autonomous regions) and ASEAN in 20 tables.

Mainstreaming Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services into Development Policy

Mainstreaming Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services into Development Policy
Author: Pushpam Kumar
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 282
Release: 2019-09-12
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1315531194

This book highlights the latest advances in the science and practice of using ecosystem services to inform decisions for economic development in the context of the developing countries. The development of the ecosystem services paradigm has enhanced our understanding of natural capital as an indispensable form of capital asset along with produced and human capital. This book addresses what could be the possible pathways to mainstream natural capital assets into development policies and what is currently known about the economic values of ecosystem services. A series of innovative tools to help policy makers and planners account for natural capital and ecosystem services in sectoral and macroeconomic policies have been explored and their application at the national and regional scale has been demonstrated. Several detailed case studies are presented in which the understanding of ecosystem services values has successfully informed decisions, including examples from Chile, South Africa, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Vietnam and the Aral Sea in Central Asia. These provide the critically important insights, lessons learned and means and mechanisms for policy makers to incentivize protection and discourage degradation of ecosystems and the services they provide. Mainstreaming Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services into Development Policy is designed to help decision makers at all levels, including governments, businesses, multilevel development banks and individuals to integrate ecosystems and their services into their decision making.

Nature-Based Solutions for Building Resilience in Towns and Cities

Nature-Based Solutions for Building Resilience in Towns and Cities
Author: Asian Development Bank
Publisher: Asian Development Bank
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2016-12-01
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9292576585

Urban populations are projected to increase from 54% to 66% of the global population by 2050, with close to 90% of the increase concentrated in Asia and Africa. Cities and towns---a growing source of greenhouse gas emissions---will need to address challenges posed by climate change. A nature-based approach in identifying climate change vulnerabilities and developing relevant adaptation options was conducted in three towns of the Greater Mekong Subregion. Working with local governments, nongovernment organizations, women's groups, and professional associations, town-wide adaptation measures were defined by overlaying climate change projections on town plans and zoning schemes for strategic infrastructure. This publication captures valuable experience and lessons from the project.