Features

Tajikistan’s mountainous terrain and climatic extremes mean flooding is common but flood prevention infrastructure is helping provide a more secure base for rural livelihoods.

Research shows Asia and the Pacific is more vulnerable to natural hazards than other parts of the world. The growing frequency of disasters, such as devastating floods or earthquakes, could derail the region's economic growth and poverty reduction efforts unless measures are put in place to reduce disaster risk and improve preparedness.

The Asia-Pacific holds vast natural resources, which, if managed sustainably, can support economic development and livelihoods.

ADB is partnering with WWF and the governments of Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia and Malaysia to conserve the lush forests of Borneo, providing sustainable livelihood for local populations and a safe haven for thousands of animals and plant species.

Guangdong Province in the south of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) is proving a fertile testing ground for efficient and environmentally friendly power alternatives to the fossil fuels behind its extraordinary economic growth, grim pollution, and increasingly severe energy shortages.

South Asia must act now to avoid huge economic loss from climate change, ADB and other experts say.

Scientists warn that the world's climate is changing because of rising greenhouse gas emissions that might end up warming the planet by well over 2 degrees. Here are some glaring numbers that show the impacts of climate change in Asia and the Pacific.

ADB is actively participating in the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Doha, Qatar, to draw attention to key issues facing the Asia-Pacific region.

Dr. Xuedu Lu, ADB’s Advisor on climate change and carbon market, talks about the role of technology in mitigating the effects of climate change in Asia and the Pacific.

ADB.org speaks to Jiwan Acharya, Senior Climate Change Specialist (Energy) and Project Officer for ADB’s Energy for All Partnership, about the continuing problem of widespread energy poverty in Asia and the Pacific, and the recent surge in action to make access to energy universally available.