Background

Over the past decade, the Asia and Pacific region has shown a rapid decline in income-based poverty as a result of broad-based and largely pro-poor economic growth. In addition, social indicators of poverty in the region, as expressed in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have shown substantial improvement. Asia is currently recovering from a major economic slowdown albeit on a much lower scale than before the crisis. However the development path followed by most countries has resulted in a host of negative impacts on the environment. There has been a corresponding increase in the incidence of poverty that can be attributed to environmental causes. While the Asia-Pacific region will continue to make progress in poverty reduction both in terms of income and social dimensions, environmental poverty in Asia and Pacific is likely to increase. It is estimated that by 2020, more than two-thirds of the vulnerable and poor population in the region will suffer from environmental poverty-up from less than one-half today. Aggravated by climate change and migration, especially rural dryland and urban slum poverty are increasing.

The environment and the poverty agenda are coming together through a spatial approach. The "environmental poverty" perspective categorizes poor people in a manner that demonstrates how environmental conditions affect their well being. It draws attention to the needs of the:

• dryland poor-those living on arid and desert land areas
• flood-prone and disaster-affected poor-those frequently affected by flooding and natural disasters
• upland poor-those living in remote upland or mountainous areas
• coastal poor-those living adjacent to coasts and dependent upon coastal and/or marine resources
• slum poor-those living in substandard settlements with high exposure to urban pollutants

Two additional environmental dimensions are relevant for poverty reduction: (a) how climate change adaptation programs can be targeted more towards poverty reduction and inclusive growth outcomes, and (b) what will make the green economy technologies also pro-poor.

Course description

The regional conference is in cooperation with ADB, and organized together with 12 other development partners. We are expecting about 150 participants.

The ADBI activity shall have three major components: conduct of several studies; meetings/ conferences; and research dissemination and outreach program.

1. Studies
   The studies to be conducted by ADBI as contribution to the Delhi regional conference are:
   • Flexible incentives for inclusive and green growth
   • Reducing the vulnerability of poor through integrated adaptation strategies
   • Climate change and poverty reduction - Where does ODA money go?
   • Gender Inclusion in climate change adaptation strategies
2. Regional conference
   ADBI will present the results of the above four studies at the conference.
3. Publication of reports
   All papers will be published before the event in a conference website set up and maintained by ADB. After the conference, ADBI will finance the publication (printing costs) of a summary report with key policy messages, while ADB with its conference partners - including ADBI - will be responsible for putting this report together.

Objectives

The Delhi conference will review the linkages between the environment and poverty reduction from a spatial, climate change, and green economy perspective. It will provide knowledge sharing from country, sector and thematic studies and operational examples relevant for upscaling. It intends to influence policy makers - especially in finance and planning as well as sector experts and representatives of cities - to focus more on the environments of the poor.

Before the conference, country papers will be prepared based on new surveys, baseline, and household data. Some of the studies - along with other thematic and sector work - will be discussed in 4 country workshops, to be held end October in Nepal, India, the Philippines, and Viet Nam. Participants will be core team/panel of representatives from government (especially ministries such as the Environment, Finance, and Planning), think tank institutes, and with the support of external assistance agencies. The Delhi conference will highlight in interactive panel form and through parallel working groups the results of those country discussions for policy making.