Online Library

GMS Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP): The proposed TA will build on accomplishments of the two phases of the Core Agriculture Support Program and support the implementation of Strategy for Promoting Safe and Environment-Friendly Agro-Based Value Chains in the GMS and Siem Reap Action Plan, which was endorsed by the GMS Agr...

The 24^th Annual Meeting of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Working Group (WG) on Environment reviewed the achievements of the GMS Core Environment Program Phase II and discussed the way forward. WGE AM-24 was hosted by the People’s Republic of China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) with support from ADB through the GMS Environment ...

Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Climate Change and Environment Sustainability Program (CCESP): The proposed knowledge and support technical assistance (TA) on CCESP will build on the key achievements of two phases of the Core Environment Program and support the implementation of the GMS Core Environment Program Strategic Framework and Action Plan 2018-2022, which was endorsed at the Fifth GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting held in 2018. The CCESP will focus on creating enabling conditions to leverage additional investment in priority areas such as (i) green technologies and sustainable infrastructure; (ii) natural resources and ecosystem services; and (iii) green growth, climate resilience and disaster risk management.

To assess current status of application of digital technologies in four areas:

1.Sustainable agriculture

2.Food traceability

3.Climate action (mitigation and adaptation)

4.Environmental sustainability

To solicit views from the ...

Cambodia’s National Environment Strategy and Action Plan, 2016–2023 (NESAP) aims to ensure that environmental protection and sustainable natural resource management are pillars of the country’s socioeconomic development.

This publication shows how strategic environmental assessments can help the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries create sustainable national power development plans.

This brochure overviews the achievements of the GMS Core Environment Program during 2012-2018 and introduces its new 5-year strategy and action plan.

This report examines the environmental situation in the Greater Mekong Subregion based on a 10-year environmental performance assessment.

Drawing on a decade of CEP experience, this brief provides an overview of land use planning challenges and opportunities in the subregion.

This publication highlights how the Greater Mekong Subregion Core Environment Program (CEP) has contributed to sustainable development over the last decade.

This brief summarizes the diverse pollutants and their sources that are harming the natural environment and people’s well-being in the Greater Mekong Subregion. It looks at how the Industrial Pollution Projection System (IPPS) has been used in the subregion to help identify current and future pollution risks, and makes recommendations for its future application.

These guidelines aim to help GMS climate change practitioners and planners to embrace more robust, participatory, and integrated watershed planning processes that anticipate climate change vulnerabilities and identify opportunities to minimize them. The guidelines introduce the basic concepts of watershed vulnerability and adaptation assessments (W-VAAs), key principles and steps to conduct them, and overviews the tools that can be used.

This report discusses opportunities for safe and environment-friendly agriculture products in the Greater Mekong Subregion and highlights the Siem Reap Action Plan, 2018–2022.

The GMS Core Environment Program (CEP) has been working with China's Guangxi Environmental Protection Department (GEPD) since 2006 to pilot biodiversity conservation initiatives in the Sino-Viet Nam Transboundary Bi...

This publication outlines the strategic priorities and actions for the third phase of the GMS Core Environment Program, from 2018-2022. It was endorsed by environment leaders at the 5th GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting on 1 February 2018.

This video introduces how green freight approaches can provide environmental and economic win-wins for the transport sector in the GMS.

Government and development partners talk about the importance of regional environmental cooperation in the Greater Mekong Subregion, with a focus on the GMS Core Environment Program. The film was launched at the Fifth GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on 1 February 2018.

Environment ministers from the six GMS countries gathered in Chiang Mai, Thailand on 1 February 2018 to review the Core Environment Program’s (CEP) progress and achievements and endorse its new Strategic Framework and Action Plan, 2018-2022.

On 31 Jan, regional development partners discussed potential areas of collaboration under the Core Environment Program’s Strategic Framework and Action Plan, 2018–2022 and drafted statements to present to enviroment leaders at the 5th GMS Environment Ministers' Meeting.

Every 3 years the environment ministers from the six Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries gather to review progress and set the agenda for environmental cooperation in the subregion under the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.

The forum aimed to identify barriers and opportunities, including for financing and technologies, to scale up green growth approaches in the GMS.

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.

The 23rd Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Environment reviewed Core Environment Program achievements and challenges during 2016 and discuss progress and priorities for CEP Phase III planning.

This workshop brought together environment and other GMS officials with international experts to explore green growth opportunities in the subregion.

Topics included:

• Green Growth Opportunities in the GMS: Setting the Context
• Environmental Technological Innovation
• Promoting a Transition Toward a Green Economy
• Financial Innovation

The ...

At this Roundtable, the edited version of the Watershed-scale Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment guidelines will be reviewed.

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.

Environment officials from the six GMS countries met in Jinghong, PRC, to share biodiversity conservation experiences and to plan initiatives for increased cooperation in transboundary areas.

Under the theme "Discover GMS - Asia’s Natural Hub," the Greater Mekong Subregion Working Group on Agriculture is organizing a pavilion, chef shows, coffee and tea demonstrations, and two policy forum events at THAIFEX-World of Food Asia 2017.

The GMS Core Environment Program has been working with China's Yunnan Environmental Protection Department (YEPD) since 2006 to pilot biodiversity conservation initiatives in the province.

A forum for decision makers and experts to deliberate and draft guiding principles for planning, designing and financing climate-resilient and ecologically sound transport infrastructure.

Rural communities in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) are vulnerable to climate-related disasters. In 2008, tropical cyclone Nargis killed 84,500 people and impacted the livelihoods of 2.4 million people. In 2011, large-scale floods in Thailand affected 14 million people and caused $45.7 billion in damages.

Viet Nam is a country with rich biodiversity, possessing natural ecosystems from tropical jungles to dry forests, mountains, wetlands, and marine ecosystems. Forests cover 43% of the land and provide ecosystem goods and services that are essential to sustain the livelihoods of much of the population.

Every three years the environment ministers from the six GMS countries gather to review progress and set the agenda for environmental cooperation in the region under the GMS Economic Cooperation Program.

This two-day workshop was the first in a series of three events that will feed into the 5^th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled for early 2018.

Led by the Institute of Strategy and Policy on Natural Resources and Environment, Viet Nam’s Natural Capital Platform aims to integrate natural capital considerations into development planning.

Examining the SDGs goal by goal shows that governments will confront many common and fundamental challenges as they work to advance sustainable development.

Local authorities, forest owners, and development partners met to initiate a new project to develop and test an M&E framework for payments for environmental services in Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue provinces.

This two-part workshop brought together government and private sector transport sector representatives to discuss the results, challenges and opportunities of the Core Environment Program’s GMS Green Freight Initiative.

This workshop brought together members of the GMS land-use change modeling network to share project results and develop proposals for future work.

The third and final workshop in CEP’s training module on integrating climate change adaptation into local planning focused on identifying and implementing adaptation options.

Information on how future development may unfold is essential for land use change modeling.

This ADB Working Paper assesses the low-carbon economy in Asia: how large it is today and how well it will fare in the future.

Green infrastructure can play a significant role in offsetting losses from climate-related disasters and contribute to building resilience through rehabilitation and expansion of natural ecosystems within built areas.

Key stakeholders overseeing Cambodia’s National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) met to review the latest draft in preparation for its submittal to the government for approval.

With the first joint knowledge product on Watershed-scale Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessment guidelines now finalized, this 12^th Roundtable event will discuss a dissemination plan and capacity building plan.

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.

The People’s Republic of China practices “eco-compensation” to promote environmental protection and restoration. This study examines the theory, practice, and legislation governing this in selected ecological areas.

This workshop will look at how Thailand's first biodiversity conservation corridor - in the Western Forest Complex - has made a difference to biodiversity and local livelihoods over the past decade. 

More than 100 government planners and development partners shared experiences on how multicriterial spatial analysis (MCA) using GIS can help decision makers with environmental management.

The Key Indicators presents key statistics on development issues concerning Asia and the Pacific and includes the latest available economic, financial, social, and environmental indicators for ADB's 48 region...

The Fifth Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Chief Justices’ Roundtable on Environment provided a platform for leaders of ASEAN judiciaries to discuss, share experiences, and decide on how to further strengthen collective action in addressing transboundary environmental challenges.

Vietnamese government officials and development partners met to discuss arrangements to formalize a Natural Capital Platform (NCP).

This training workshop was the second in a series of three that aim to build the capacity of government planners in the GMS to work with communities to integrate climate change adaptation into local level development planning.

Government officials from Cambodia and Thailand met to look at ways to increase biodiversity conservation cooperation in border areas of the Cardamom and Elephant Mountains landscape.

A draft Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was tabled for discussion, outlinin...

Government officials from Thailand and Cambodia visited the Eastern Forest Complex to exchange experience on biodiversity conservation and to identify opportunities for collaboration in the Cardamon and Elephant Mountains landscape that straddles both countries. 

Specific objectives of the field visit were to:

• Discuss the establishment of a multi-sector policy and technical working group to plan and manage the Cardamom and Elephant Mountains TBL and collaboration mechanisms between relevant provinces in the two countries.
• To assess and identify the potential of a TBL management strategy, establishing biodiversity corridors, and to source investment opportunit...

Viet Nam is in the process of developing an Environmental Protection Planning (EPP) Circular to improve environmental management within the country. This workshop aimed to build stakeholder awareness of environmental protection and planning and draws on international and national best practice and experience.

Viet Nam has dramatically reduced poverty over the past two decades through rapid economic development. However, this process has included some poorly planned industrialization, urbanization, and agricultural intensification, which has led to pollution, resource depletion, and environmental degradation.

Following up on similar trainings delivered in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville in late 2015, this 3-day workshop trained 48 provincial authorities on how to commission, design, review, and report on EIA documents.

Biodiversity corridors have been introduced in threatened tropical areas of Yunnan province, People's Republic of China, with ADB support. The program is ensuring the survival of rare plant and animal species, while eco-farming practices provide local communities with sustainable livelihoods.

Asian policy makers are willing partners in the global effort against climate change. But the region can and must go beyond current national pledges to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and hold global warming short of catastrophe.

A Green Freight and Logistics Day was held as a pre-event to the 9th Better Air Quality Conference in Buson, South Korea, to highlight green freight intiatives in Asia and key lessons and opportunities for future scaling up.

Truck drivers from over 100 freight companies in Lao PDR, Thailand, and Viet Nam have undergone eco-driving training as the Green Freight Initiative tests ways to lessen the environmental impacts of freight transport in the GMS.

This workshop was the first in a series of three that aim to build the capacity of government planners in the GMS to work with communities to integrate climate change adaptation into local level development planning.

This film highlights the environmental challenges facing China's Southwestern province of Yunnan as well as ongoing efforts to protect the unique biodiversity in the province's Xishuangbanna prefecture.

The aim of this national workshop is to present and gather feedback on the first draft of Cambodia's National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP).

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic has built a new road with help from ADB linking the tourist town of Luangprabang with the country’s border with Thailand. Finished in 2014, the 367-km road provides access to goods, services and jobs and new businesses are flourishing along its length.

Watch the vi...

This ADB publication provides a snapshot of the GMS subregion's performance from 1992-2014, highlighting growth in output and merchandise trade, developments in ICT, and trends in subregional integration.

The 13th Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Agriculture (WGA AM-13) is hosted by Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

This 22nd Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Environment (WGE AM-22) was hosted by Viet Nam’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment in cooperation with the GMS Environment Operations Center (EOC).

Livestock farms in Jiangxi Province, People's Republic of China, are converting pig waste into clean energy. This is helping to manage an environmental threat, contribute to the national energy grid, and boost the incomes of farmers.

This publication captures the proceedings of the Second Asian Judges Symposium: "Natural Capital and the Rule of Law" held 3–5 December 2013 in Manila, the Philippines.

Following the success of ...

Viet Nam’s 10-year Land Use Plans undergo revisions every 5 years, a process led by the Ministry of Natural Resource and Environment (MONRE).

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.

This report summarizes the  $2.47 billion of investments in clean energy made by ADB in 2015, condensing information from project databases and formal reports in an easy-to-reference format.

 ...

This second progress report provides the status of the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Investment Framework Implementation Plan as of 31 December 2015, for all sectors, both investment and techn...

Since 2005, responsibility for dealing with the environmental review of projects less than $2million has been delegated to Cambodia’s Provincial offices.

Provincial authorities will have a key role in implementing policies and programs that stem from Cambodia's National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP). This 2nd consultation workshop bought together government officials from the country's n...

Although Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been a legal requirement in Cambodia since 1999, many poorly planned investment projects continue to have major environmental and social consequences.

The GMS Core Environment Program hosted a session on strategic environmental assessment (SEA) at the 36^th Annual Conference of International Association of Impact Assessment.

Provincial authorities will have a key role in implementing policies and programs that stem from Cambodia's National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP).

This latest GMS e-Newsletter features updates from the GMS Economic Cooperation Program for the period October 2015 to April 2016. 

At this meeting, the Inter-Ministerial Task Force will review and comment on key draft chapters of Cambodia's National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP).

For the past 5 decades, ASEAN and ADB have both supported poverty reduction, sustainable development, and regional cooperation and integration in Southeast Asia. This ADB publication provides an overvi...

More than 68 million tons of cargo crossed Asian borders between 2011 and 2014 thanks to better regional connectivity. Sanguan Sonklinsakul of Thailand’s Chiang Rai Chamber of Commerce says trade with neighboring countries has increased markedly due to the many news roads in the Greater Mekong Subregio...

In Nanjing, People's Republic of China, a $240-million project improved the water quality of the Qinhuai River, dredging the water way of sludge, constructing sewage pipelines and pumping stations, and transforming flood-prone villages into scenic wetlands.

The Eleventh Roundtable saw partners continue reviewing and drafting regional guidelines on watershed-level climate vulnerability and adaptation assessment (VAA). The guidelines will synthesize the shared knowledge and experience of the Roundtable partners in developing frameworks for, and implementing, VAAs in the Greater Mekong Subregion over the past decade, including project experience using watersheds as an organizing principle for VAA.

The objective of the second meeting of the National Environmental Strategy and Action Plan Inter-ministerial Task Force  was to present, discuss and obtain comments on draft Chapter One of the NESAP (Brief Introduction) and Chapter Two (State of Environment).

This workshop brought together more than fifty international experts and government staff to review current PES initiatives in Cambodia and identify implementation lessons and experience as well as enabling policy conditions.

This workshop brought together environment officials in Lao PDR to initiate work to develop a National Pollution Control Strategy (2016-2025).  

At this two day meeting, Lao PDR environment officials revieweed a draft Presidential Provision on Environmental Taxation prepared by the Department of Environmental Quality.

As Lao PDR continues its impressive development trajectory, the need to strategically and systematically prevent and mitigate pollution becomes increasingly urgent. Trends such as population growth and urbanization, increased consumerism, agricultural intensification, and industrial expansion are among many drivers of pollution in the country. 

Partners at the 10^th Roundtable reviewed their recently drafted guidelines for watershed/landscape-scale vulnerability and adaptation assessments. They also discussed how the guidelines could be effectively disseminated, including the potential of developing training modules.

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...

This ADB study focuses on ?ve countries of Southeast Asia that collectively account for 90% of regional GHG emissions inrecent years—Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. ...

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.

The Transport and Trade Facilitation Action Program for the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) provides advisory support and capacity building tofacilitate cross-border transport and trade in the GMS. Please download the newsletter below for updates about the program’s latest events, news, and knowledge products.

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...

A newly established Inter-Ministerial Task Force to guide the formulation process for Cambodia’s National Environment Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) met for the first time on 15 December in Phnom Penh.

Comprising representatives from 16 government ministries, the task force discussed their roles and responsibil...

This 2-day workshop brought together government and international organization representatives to share experiences, information, tools, and discuss collaborative opportunities to improve the sustainable management of important landscapes in the GMS.

Funded by CEP and co-organized with the Lao PDR Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), this workshop was designed to:

With support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the GMS Core Environment Program is strengthening regional collaboration to manage key transboundary biodiversity landscapes in the GMS.

A major challenge in promoting investments in natural capital is to produce solid evidence on the economic value of ecosystem services and ensure this evidence informs development planning and investment decisions.

More than 40 national planners and policy makers were trained on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in the context of socioeconomic development planning, during a two day workshop in late November.

The two-day program had three objectives:

• Demonstrate the importance of applying SEA to improve the mainstreaming of environmental concerns into socioeconomic plannin...

Government and development partners met in Kunming to discuss current work and future priorities to strengthen transboundary collaboration for the Mekong Headwaters transboundary landscape under the CEP-led GMS Forest and Biodiversity Regional Support Project.

The GMS Working Group on Environment, ADB, and co-financing partners have been exploring potential future institutional arrangements, funding mechanisms, and thematic focuses the Core Environment Program and GMS Environment Operations Center.

Hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the 10th Semi-Annual Meeting of the GMS Working Group on Environment (WGE) brought together WGE members with representatives from the Asian Development Bank and development partners to review implementation progress of the Core Environment Program and to discuss key priorities.

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 ...

During the Ninth Roundtable meeting, partners reviewed draft chapters of the watershed and landscape-scale vulnerability and adaptation assessment guidelines, which will become a joint knowledge product produced by the partners.

The aims of the National Environment Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP) Inception Workshop are to inform, and generate collaboration, participation and consensus among stakeholders in the formulation process of the NESAP. 

A new approach to integrated water resource management based on community participation is tapping into local knowledge to protect Thailand's territory from the increasingly severe flooding driven by climate change.

In late 2017, with lead support from the GMS Core Environment Program, Cambodia launched its new roadmap for sustainable development, the National Environment Strategy and Action Plan (NESAP).

This GMS E-updates provides information about key activities and major developments in the GMS as the six countries sharing the Mekong River strive to accelerate the region's development.

This ADB report provides the status of the overall Regional Investment Framework Implementation Plan as of 30 June 2015, for all sectors, both investment and technical assistance projects.

The Greater...

This ADB report describes the conduct of the cost-benefit analysis of climate proofing investment projects. An important message is that the presence of uncertainty about climate change does not invali...

This GMS Tourism Marketing Strategy and Action Plan 2015-2020 deliberately aligns with GMS member countries’ sharedobjectives to develop thematic multicountry tour programs and promotesecondary d...

This ADB report features Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Urban Development Strategic Framework, 2015–2022. It sets out a broad framework to encourage and facilitate a coordinated approach to the d...

Building on the seventh roundtable held in June, partners at this eighth roundtable discussed analytical tools for assessing basin-scale climate change vulnerability and looked at the processes involved and lessons learnt from application in the GMS. 

During 2014, CEP worked with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s Pollution Control Department to estimate provincial industrial emissions by applying the Industrial Pollution Projection System (IPPS).  

Under CEP’s ‘Building Capacity for Land Use Change Modeling activity,’ a training of trainers program on land use change modeling will be delivered in each of the six GMS countries during August–October.

This publication presents the (i) safeguard systems of Bhutan, India and Nepal; (ii) differences in nationalsafeguard laws and institutional processes with the Asian Development Bank’s safeguards...

This ADB report was produced under the technical assistance project Promoting Renewable Energy, CleanFuels, and Energy Efficiency in the Greater Mekong Subregion (TA 7679). It focused on renewable ener...

Hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the 12^th Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Agriculture (WGA) brought together WGA members with representatives from the Asian Development Bank and development partners to review implementation progress of the Core Agricultural Support Program, Phase II (CASP II) and to discuss key ...

Building on discussions held during the GMS Working Group on Environment 21^st Annual Meeting, this workshop aims to map out the future of the Core Environment Program and Environment Operations Center. 

This knowledge event, jointly held by the GMS Working Groups on Environment and Agriculture, explored means to develop more inclusive and sustainable agricultural value chains in the GMS.

Hosted by Thailand’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, the 21^st Annual Meeting of the Working Group on Environment (WGE) brought together WGE members with representatives from the Asian Development Bank and development partners to review implementation progress of the Core Environment Program implementation and to discuss key priorities.

At this seventh roundtable, partners continued deliberations initiated at the sixth roundtable in April. These included joint visioning to specify the long-term goals of the roundtable and identifying collaborative activities arising from the Watershed Adaptation to Climate Change (WACC) Project.

Nestled in the central Hengduan Mountains of Yunnan Province and bordering Sichuan and the Tibet Autonomous Region, Deqin County is the northernmost part of the Mekong Headwaters landscape.

Addressing the many development and environmental challenges in the GMS will require finding ways for sectors to plan and work together more closely. Multisector planning approaches contribute greatly to strategic planning processes by bringing sectors together to discuss and understand core development challenges and to identify pathways to overcome these challenges. In doing so, they promote economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Multistakeholder dialogues and scenario-based modelling tools are essential to develop a shared understanding of core challenges, drivers of change, and alternative development pathways.

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...

With the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expiring, 2015 is a crucial year to further progress the global framework for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) launched at Rio +20 in 2012.

Biodiversity conservation in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is conducted under the framework of the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP), 2011–2030. The PRC has initiated ambitious conservation targets under its NBSAP and requires all provinces to prepare provincial-level BSAPs.

The CEP-supported Roundtable meetings have become a platform for development organizations with active adaptation programs in the GMS to share knowledge, brainstorm approaches, and engage in an ongoing dialogue. 

This brief promotes the value of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) to assist GMS decision makers to more effectively balance economic, social, and environmental considerations early in developme...

This brief summarizes lessons learned from green freight feasibility analyses conducted under the GMS Core Environment Program between 2010 and 2014. It presents five key messages that policymakers and...

The brief summarizes the current state of GMS knowledge and experience on ecosystem-based approaches. It draws upon work of the GMS Core Environment Program and partner institutions, including findings...

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...

Much economic growth in Asia and the Pacific has been fueled by unsustainable use of natural resources. While this has led to increased prosperity, it has also created immense pressure on natural capital. This video shines a light on regional cooperation programs that ADB has sponsored or lent weight to such as the Greater Mekong Subregion Core Environment Program and the Heart of Borneo and Coral Triangle initiatives.

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. 

This ADB e-news product  captures the highlights of a number of key events in the GMS Program related to environment, transport, power, and labor.

Space technology and geographic information systems (GIS) have now become valuable tools in helpingdevelopment organizations achieve their missions. They can be applied to various development sectorsincluding agriculture, rural development, and food security; education; energy; environment; climatechange; health; pubic management and governance (especially disaster risk management); transport; urbandevelopment; and water management. 

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.

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 4^th 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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

4^th GMS Environment Ministers’ Meeting

27–29 January 2015, Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar

Media Advisory

Every three years environment leaders from the six Greater Mekong Subregion countries gather to assess the subregion’s environment challenges and opportunities, and set the direction for regional responses. The 4^th GMS Environment Ministers Meeting (EMM4) will bring together over 200 leading policy and decision makers from government and non-government over 3-days under the theme “Increasing Investments in Natural Capital in the GMS.” Further information, including agendas and speaker bios: www.gms-eoc.org

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.

This ADB report features the Greater Mekong Subregion Regional Investment Framework Implementation Plan, 2014-2018 (RIF-IP). It identifies a robust pipeline of 92 high priority projects from among the ...

Looking forward to the Fourth GMS Environment Ministers Meeting (EMM4) and identifying roundtable collaboration priorities in 2015

At the fourth roundtable , partners identified the natural capital themed EMM4, scheduled for January 2015, as a key opportunity to influence environment leaders and policy makers. 

The Australia, China and the Great Outdoors 2014 Forum on ‘Culture, Nature and Sustainability’ will be held in Baoshan in Yunnan, PRC. 

Climate change and climate related disasters represent a threat to vulnerable children and their communities, especially among ethnic minority groups in Northern Thailand. To make the children’s lives safer and their communities more resilient to climate change and related disasters, Plan International Thailand works in partnership with children, their communities and the government to create locally appropriate climate smart solutions to protect children, their communities, and fulfill their human rights. Key activities include empowering children to take part in pilot projects on safe schools, raising awareness of children as agents of change, and capitalizing on children’s creative ideas for disaster preparedness.

The Core Environment Program (CEP) ensured green freight issues were high on the agenda at the BAQ-EST conference, which brought together more than 1000 participants under the theme ‘Next Generation Solutions for Clean Air and Sustainable Transport.

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.

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.

This ADB report features how ADB applies climate risk management approach to investment projects in Asia and the Pacific, which aims to reduce risks resulting from climate change.

The final review meeting on PRC of Yunnan Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (YBSAP) was held in Kunming, Yunnan, PRC, from 6-8 November.

In recent years, there has been increased global recognition about the important socioeconomic contribution of ecosystem services for rural livelihoods and broader society. This has helped drive countries to make greater efforts to more sustainably manage their natural capital – forest, land, and water resources and related ecosystem services. 

Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is increasingly used by GMS countries to assess the environmental and social consequences of policies, plans and programs to achieve more sustainable development outcomes.

The National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MoNRE) will undertake a case study on assessing climate change vulnerability and adaptation options in a ridge-to-reef setting that can serve to strengthen national and regional knowledge on appropriate assessment methodologies. The proposed site of the case study is the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park (SIEP) and its environs in Petchaburi Province.  A partnership arrangement has been established between the NRCT and the United States Forest Service (USFS) to undertake part of this work.

More than 120 representatives from environmental protection authorities in Yunnan were trained on how to implement Yunnan Biodiversity Conservation Strategy and Action Plan (YBSAP). The training was organized by Yunnan Environmental Protection Department (YEPD) with support from ADB.

Rural communities throughout the world are seizing new opportunities to build livelihoods based on emerging niche markets that rely on and contribute to the sustainable management of natural resources. These include small, but growing markets for ecotourism and also non-timber forest products (NTFPs) including herbs, honey, and mushrooms, bamboo, rattan, medicines, and cosmetics.

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.

Collaboration with Roundtable Partners on the Fourth GMS Environment Ministers Meeting (EMM4) and the Regional Investment Framework (RIF)

At this fourth roundtable, partners discussed opportunities to raise the profile of climate change issues among environment leaders in the GMS and to ensure that environmental considerations are better integrated into the GMS Regional Investment Framework’s (RIF) $50 billion project pipeline.

GMS environment stakeholders met in Bangkok this week to discuss the impacts of climate change on protected areas and look at best-practice responses to safeguard biodiversity and local livelihoods.

This workshop launched a new CEP activity aiming to strengthen land-use modeling capacity in the GMS, targeting government planners and academic institutions.

Representatives from the Working Group on Environment, CEP National Support Units, andthe GMS Environment Operations Center came together to assess CEP implementation progress during  the CEP Self-Evaluation Workshop, which built on an earlier results-based management event held in January 2014.

This brief summarizes major achievements, challenges, and key recommendations from a review of Viet Nam’s payments for forest environmental services (PFES) program. Led by the Center for International Forestry Research and Viet Nam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with support from the GMS Core Environment Progra...

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — Six leading multilateral development banks (MDBs) provided almost $24 billion worldwide in financing in 2013 for projects in developing and emerging economies that address the challenges of climate change, according to the third annual joint MDB report on climate finance. The report, released today, demonstrates the shared engagement expressed by the six MDBs last week to r...

Since 2011, Viet Nam’s payments for forest environmental services (PFES) program has generated $140 million for rural households to protect around 4 million hectares (40%) of the country’s forests.

This ADB e-news product provides readers with an update on activities and major developments in pursuit of accelerated development of the countries sharing the Mekong River.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES — The world’s six multilateral development banks today reaffirmed their shared commitment to lead by example by continuing to reinforce and further develop climate financing through a joint statement issued in advance of the United Nations Secretary-General’s Climate Summit being convened in New York on 23 ...

This publication features ADB's support to the provincial authorities of Quang Nam in Viet Nam to scale up the implementation of payments for forest environmental services through a technical assistance financed by the Governments of Sweden and Norway. The project pilot-tested two innovations—the group approach and the use of a geographic information system—to speed up payments for forest environmental services planning and implementation in the province. Starting with five villages in Ma Cooih commune, the initiative expanded to include two more communes in the Song Bung 4 watershed. 

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. 

Under Viet Nam’s 2011 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) decree, development plans of five years duration or more, including socioeconomic development plans (SEDP), are required to undergo an SEA. However, implementation of the decree is still relatively weak, with technical SEA capacity one of the major constraints.

EOC representatives were among eighty participants from nine countries that gathered in Jakarta to exchange best practices in land cover and land use assessments, and discuss strategies for building national land cover datasets.

CEP progress in Viet Nam during 2014 and plans for 2015 were the topic of a workshop in Hanoi held on Tuesday 19 August. Around forty participants attended, including government agriculture, environment, energy and planning officials, and international development partners from FAO, GIZ, JICA and Winrock.

This series of posters show how inefficient freight truck fleets in the GMS are impacting the environment, why greener trucks will benefit both businesses and environment, and how this will be achieved...

This ADB publication features the outcomes of a workshop on Green Freight and Logistics in Asia, co-organized by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für InternationaleZusamm...

Development planning in the GMS is often fragmented, with ministries and sectors lacking the capacity, tools, or incentives to work together to meet sustainable development goals. When competing for the same natural resources, implementing one sector plan is often to the detriment of another. As a result, resource allocation can become inefficient, costly, and ultimately unsustainable.

This poster features  the vision of the Core Environment Program in GMS.

This ADB video features coffee farmers in Viet Nam's Central Highlands joining in efforts to conserve forestland and biodiversity.

Bridging the Divide: Linking Science-based Adaptation Approaches and Climate Change Policy-making in the GMS

This third in a series of roundtable discussions bought together climate change experts and government officials to discuss how climate change adaptation science can better inform policy making in the GMS.

This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.

This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.

This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.

This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.

This paper presents the results of CEP-funded research conducted during 2011 and 2012  to assess increases in carbon dioxide caused by deforestation and emissions in Savannakhet Province in Lao PD...

This animation describes the work of CEP in securing natural capital in the GMS.

TOKYO, JAPAN  — The Asian Development Bank (ADB) announced today the establishment of a new trust fund to support the adoption of advanced low-carbon technologies in its developing member countries (DMCs), with a grant of ¥1.8 billion (about $17.65 million) from the Government of Japan.

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