Online Library
Safeguarding Myanmar's Environment
This publication summarizes Myanmar’s progress in building a national EIA system and how the Asian Development Bank has contributed to its development. It also overviews the basic elements of EIA, how it can will help achieve environmental sustainability in the country as well as challenges and next steps.
Building Capacity for Land Use Change Modeling (2014–2017)
Land use is constantly changing in the Greater Mekong Subregion. At the same time, land use planning processes are often poorly informed, risking decisions that may lead to social and environmental costs that outweigh intended benefits.
Regional Knowledge Sharing Event on Transboundary Biodiversity Landscape Management in the GMS
Senior environment and forestry officials from Yunnan and Guangxi met with representatives from the other five GMS countries to exchange experiences and lessons from biodiversity conservation work in transboundary landscapes.
11th Climate Change Roundtable Meeting
Green Freight and Logistics in Southeast Asia
Government officials, international experts, and private representatives from Southeast Asian countries met in Bangkok for two days to develop a regional agenda to scale up ‘green freight’ in the region.
Launch ceremony: EIA procedure and environmental quality guidelines
More than 200 government and non-government participants attended this Myanmar event which saw the launch of a new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedure and National Environmental Quality (Emissions...
Achieving Environmental Sustainability in Myanmar
Myanmar is at a critical crossroads. With many environmental assets, and industrial pressure only beginning to develop, it could effectively form policies and regulations that ensure sustainable growth and conservation of key natural resources.
Status Report on Myanmar’s Designated Ecotourism Sites
This report was produced as a key input into the Government of Myanmar’s Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy (2015-2025). It overviews the status of tourism and conservation issues in 22 pr...
Myanmar’s Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy (2015-2025)
This policy and management strategy was launched by the Government of Myanmar in May 2015 provides guidance on how the country can development ecotourism in protected areas to maximize social and econo...
Myanmar Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy
Myanmar Ecotourism Policy and Management Strategy intends to use ecotourism as a driving force to strengthen the management of Myanmar’s expanding protected areanetwork. It aims to engage all sta...
2nd Draft Environmental Quality Guidelines Consultation Workshop
Following the first consultation workshop in early January, the 2nd stakeholder consultation workshop to revise Myanmar’s draft Environmental Quality (Emission) Guidelines was held in Yangon.
EMM4
This formal gathering of ministers aimed to build a shared understanding among government and non-government environment leaders on key natural capital issues and solutions. During the meeting, the GMS Natural Capital Partnership considered and the closed door session provided a platform for Ministers to give directions and discuss approaches for addressing environment issues faced by the GMS. The 3-days of events concluded with the release of the Joint Ministerial Statement, which is expected to provide political support and direction for increasing investments in natural capital, driven by the WGE, and with continuing support from the Core Environment Program.
Natural Capital Dialogue
Increasing Investments in Natural Capital in the Greater Mekong Subregion
The Natural Capital Dialogue brought together senior GMS government officials, international experts and a wide range of stakeholders to discuss the significance of natural capital in the context of inclusive and sustainable development in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). Occurring ahead of the 4th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting (EMM4), the Natural Capital Dialogue presented an important opportunity to draw public and business sector attention to the need to increase investments in the Subregion’s natural capital.
Youth Environment Meeting
Theme: Investing in Natural Capital is Investing in Youth
Overview
As emphasized in the Future We Want outcome document from Rio+20, youth are “custodians of the future” and have an essential role in helping achieve sustainable development. If engaged and empowered, GMS youth have the potential to drive the changes needed to ensure a sustainable future for their own and future generations.
Fourth Greater Mekong Subregion Environment Ministers’ Meeting (EMM4)
Every three years, environment ministers from the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries gather to take stock of environment challenges and opportunities, and set the direction for regional responses under the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.
Biodiversity Landscapes Forum
Theme: Designing mechanisms and building partnerships for the strategic planning and management of transboundary and other biodiversity landscapes
Overview
Biodiversity landscapes constitute a large proportion of the natural capital remaining in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). They are a rich repository of globally important biodiversity, including many endemic and endangered species, and provide vital ecosystem services. This wealth of natural capital underpins the subregion’s security in terms of energy, food, and water. Seven of these landscapes cut across international borders. These transboundary biodiversity landscapes (TBLs), which are the focus of the GMS Core Environment Program, lie in juxtaposition to the GMS economic corridors, providing both challenges and opportunities for their effective management and conservation.
Natural Capital Business Forum
Theme: Investing in Natural Capital: Public Private Cooperation for Future Prosperity in the Greater Mekong Subregion
Overview
The Fourth GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting emphasized the need to strengthen collaboration between governments, development partners, business sector, and civil society in order to find ways to maintain and enhance the region’s natural capital stocks. A key step was the need to strengthen collaboration and coordination between businesses, government, and/or civil society in ways that are demonstrably good for business, local livelihoods and for the protection and enhancement of the subregion’s natural capital. In this context the Natural Capital Business Forum engaged the businesses in their capacity as a beneficiary of public sector investments as well as the investors in economic activities associated with natural capital.
Draft Environmental Quality Guidelines Consultation Workshop
In continuation of CEP support to strengthen Myanmar’s environmental safeguards system, a stakeholder consultation workshop was held in Yangon to seek feedback on the country's Draft Environmental Quality (Emission) Guidelines. The guidelines will support the country's emerging environmental impact assessment (EIA) system by specifying the environmental thresholds that must projects should not exceed.The guidelines will be finalized based on feedback from the workshop and are expected to come into effect during the next few months. The guidelines will be used as interim measure while the country develops National Environmental Quality Standards during the next few years.
9th Semi-Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Environment
Hosted by Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry, the 9th Semi-Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Environment (WGE SAM-9) brought together WGE members, ADB representatives and development partners to review the Core Environment Program’s 2014 progress and discuss upcoming priorities.
Workshop on Strengthening Partnerships for Natural Capital in the GMS
This CEP technical workshop on strengthening partnerships to increase natural capital investments in the GMS brought together government and development partners to jointly discuss the merits and potential shape of a GMS Natural Capital Partnership.
Climate Integrated Management of Transboundary Landscapes (2015–2016)
Transboundary biodiversity landscapes in the GMS are rich in natural capital, but are increasingly under threat from development and climate change pressures, leading to environmental degradation and more vulnerable local communities.
Integrated Energy Planning (2015–2016)
Growing demand for energy goes hand-in-hand with rapid economic development. Since 2005, GDP per capita in the GMS has increased 260% while electricity consumption has nearly doubled. As their economies continue to rapidly grow, all six countries need to utilize additional energy resources to meet increasing domestic demand. In addition, Lao PDR and Myanmar view energy exports as a major economic opportunity.
Animation video on the Core Environment Program in Burmese
This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.
Ecotourism Support to Myanmar (2014-2015)
Tourism in Myanmar has boomed in recent years, with the industry generating nearly $1.8 billion in revenue in 2014 as international tourist arrivals hit the 3 million mark for the first time, nearly triple the number of arrivals in 2012.
Myanmar Environment Portal (2014-2015)
Readily available environmental information and data is an essential prerequisite for government planners to make effective development decisions and realize sustainable development goals.
Capacity support for pollution modeling (2013-2016)
The industrial sectors of Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar are rapidly growing and are helping drive economic development. For example, in Lao PDR, industry has doubled its proportion of national Gross Domestic Product during the past decade (12% to 25%). While the expansion of pulp industries including paper mills, cement factories, food processing and garment manufacturing, are providing new jobs and economic benefits, there are increasing concerns over industrial pollution, particularly on water and land quality.
Investing in Landscapes – Panel at Forests Asia Summit 2014
ADB’s Sanath Ranawana (and CEP project officer) was a panelist at the Forests Asia Summit on May 6 2014 in Jakarta, Indonesia. During the ‘Investing in Landscapes for Green Returns’ panel, he discussed the role of public financing to support environmentally friendly private sector investments in Asia’s landscapes (3:35–13:25).
Training workshop: Transport, Energy Use and Climate Change in the GMS
Overview
This training is a five-day intensive program designed to enhance understanding of energy and transport practitioners on issues and challenges which arise from climate change. It is a collaborative learning program in partnership with GMS Phnom Penh Plan (PPP) for Development Management.
Animation video on the Core Environment Program
This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.
WGE 20th Annual Meeting & Natural Capital Knowledge Event
Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar
The GMS Working Groups on Agriculture and Environment (WGE, WGA) held a joint knowledge event and their respective annual meetings in Nay Pyi Taw on 25 and 26 March.
Environmental and Social Safeguards Awareness Seminar
ADB and the Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MOECAF) co-hosted a 2-day seminar in Nay Pyi Daw on 10 and 11 February to raise awareness about environmental and social safeguards.
Towards Climate Change Resilience: Integrating Urban Biodiversity with CCA
This three-day conference held in Chiang Rai was organized by the Asia-Pacific Adaptation Network to facilitate discussion and share lessons about climate change adaptation, resilience and urban biodiversity in Southeast Asia.
ADB: Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Environment Initial Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map for Myanmar
This sector assessment, strategy, and road map highlights the Government of Myanmar’s plans and strategies for addressing priority needs for the agriculture, natural resources, and environment se...
Welcome Remarks at the Second Asian Judges Symposium on Environment: Natural Capital and the Rule of Law
ADB SPEECH- 4 December 2013
Welcome remarks by ADB President Takehiko Nakao at the Second Asian Judges Symposium on Environment:
Natural Capital and the Rule of Law held in Manila, Philippines on 2 December 2013
The Second Asian Judges Symposium on Environment
An Asian Judges Network on Environment was officially launched at the Second Asian Judges Symposium on Environment to be held in Manila, 2 to 5 December.
Animation video on Payment for water ecosystem services
This animation produced by the James Hutton Institute explains why Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES) schemes are attracting increasing interest as policy mechanisms to improve conservation and achieve sustainable development outcomes. PES initiatives aim to reach mutually beneficial agreements between providers and users of ecosystem services, entailing a reward mechanism for ecosystem managers for maintaining or improving the provision of the services valued by beneficiaries.
The 4th Joint Committee Meeting for the GMS Cross-Border Transport Agreement
The 4th Joint Committee Meeting for the Greater Mekong Subregion Cross-Border Transport Agreement was held in Yangon, Myanmar on 21-22 November 2013.
The 3rd ASEAN Chief Justices Roundtable on the Environment
Chief justices from the region met last week to explore legal responses to pressing environment issues such as cross border threats from climate change, pollution, deforestation and the illegal trade in wildlife and timber.
Energy Outlook for Asia and the Pacific
This ADB book provides an energy outlook for the region up to the year 2035 to help identify policy, social, infrastructure, and technology issues that must be addressed to meet future energy needs of ...
Asian Development Outlook 2013 Update: Governance and Public Service Delivery
The ADB annual Asian Development Outlook, generally launched in April, presents an analysis of developing Asia’s recent economic performance plus its prospects for the next 2 years. This Update s...
Myanmar Safeguards (2012 onwards)
Since late 2012, CEP has supported Myanmar’s Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry (MOECAF) to establish a national environmental safeguards system.
Regional Capacity Building Workshop on Measurement of Inland Transport CO2 Emissions and Mitigation Policies
This workshop brought together government representatives and development partners to share experiences on measuring greenhouse gases from the transport sector. Naeeda Crishna Morgado, Climate Change M...
Myanmar: Urban Development and Water Sector Assessment, Strategy, and Road Map
This ADB document assesses the needs of urban development and the water sector in Myanmar, and outlines key ADB initiatives to improve access of the population, including poor urban communities, to bas...
Environmental Impact Assessment Procedures Workshop
In continuation of the Core Environment Program’s support to strengthening Myanmar’s environmental safeguards system, a Stakeholder Consultation Workshop on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Procedures was held in Yangon on 26 July 2013.
Same Energy, More Power: Accelerating Energy Efficiency in Asia
This ADB report examines prospects for ADB to ramp up efforts in the region for greater utilization of demand-side energy efficiency, the most cost-effective source of energy supply. The report further...
Myanmar Environmental Safeguards Knowledge Sharing Workshop
Background
If current reforms in Myanmar continue, ADB estimates the country’s economy could expand by 7-8% per year. While this will greatly assist poverty reduction efforts, a major challenge for the country will be balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability – particularly as growth will be largely supported by the country’s rich endowment of natural resources.
CEP Brochure
This brochure overviews the Core Environment Program; covering the development context, history of the program, areas of work and some major program results. Please find the brochure in Burmese, Chines...
A tourism SEA in the Golden Quadrangle (2011 to 2012)
In recent years, the border region around the Golden Quadrangle, involving PR China, Lao PDR, and Thailand, has received attention for potential tourism development. There is increased tourism development in the Xishuangbanna area and in Northern Lao PDR (both ecotourism and cultural tourism) and this area has been designated as a key development priority under the GMS Tourism Sector Strategy.
Carbon neutral transport corridors feasibility study (2010-2012)
With support from ADB, ‘economic corridors’ are being developed across the GMS to improve transport connectivity and facilitate trade. An upsurge in traffic and development along these corridors is leading to increased greenhouse gas emissions and environmental changes. These need to be carefully managed to ensure environmental sustainability.
APFSOS II Country Paper - Myanmar
This report outlines the state of forests and forest management in Myanmar, drawing attention to the decline in natural forest resources, focusing on plantation establishment for sustainable resources....
Myanmar National Environmental Performance Assessment Report
A report on the first environmental performance assessment (EPA) conducted in Myanmar. The assessment covers seven environmental concerns: forest resources, biodiversity, land degradation, management o...