Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions for Grassland and Livestock Management in Mongolia

Mongolia has made significant progress in identifying the technical, institutional, and policy dimensions for nationally appropriate mitigation actions.

WaterWealth? Investing in Basin Management in Asia and the Pacific

This report highlights how people work together to secure water for all through innovative approaches in basins.

Ecological Footprint and Investment in Natural Capital in Asia and the Pacific

'The challenge for countries in Asia and the Pacific is to manage their natural capital sustainably, so that they maintain ecosystem services in the interests of long-term economic development.'

- Jim Leape, Director General, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

The widespread loss of natural ecosystems and biodiversity is much more than a conservation issue. Natural ecosystems provide socially and economically valuable services - such as food and fiber resources, clean water and climate regulation - that are fundamental to human welfare, but are often overlooked in decision-making processes.

Produced through a partnership between ADB and WWF International, this report provides examples of promising approaches for sustainably managing natural capital in the region. These are based on experiences from four important regional cooperation initiatives, which demonstrate the commitment of the participating governments to protecting the integrity of natural ecosystems while improving livelihoods and reducing poverty.

Strengthening Coastal and Marine Resources Management in the Coral Triangle of the Pacific Phase II: Information Update No. 1

This brochure provides an update on the progress of the Strengthening Coastal and Marine Resources Management in the Coral Triangle of the Pacific Phase II Regional Policy and Advisory Technical Assistance provided by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) with cofinancing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Government of Finland.

Coral Triangle Initiative brochure

This brochure describes ADB's support to the Coral Tirangle Initiative.

Comprehensive Action Plans of the Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion: A Priority Seascape of the Coral Triangle Initiative

The Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion (SSME), as the apex of the Coral Triangle, is considered the center of the center of marine biodiversity where the highest number of colorful reef and marine fishes, various sizes of corals and shells, myriad shapes of algae, and protective mangrove forests are found. The SSME's marine aquarium is not only a delightful lure for tourists but is also the source of food and a natural capital for livelihoods among coastal communities.

To address threats to SSME's diversity and productivity, an ecoregion conservation plan was forged collaboratively by Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines in 2004. As the management framework to address threats to its diversity and productivity, the SSME Ecoregion Conservation Plan has spurred the development of three comprehensive action plans for 2010-2012. These plans are implemented by the subcommittees on Migratory and Threatened Species, Marine Protected Areas and Networks, and Sustainable Fisheries, and guided by the SSME's Tri-National Committee.

This publication includes business plans and cost estimates to implement the three action plans - providing useful guide on costs and activities for governments, prospective donors, and investors; valuable information from cost-benefit analyses; and lessons learned from past conservation efforts.

Dryland Ecosystems: Introducing an Integrated Management Approach in the People's Republic of China

The People's Republic of China (PRC) suffers from some large-scale land degradation problems, posing a significant threat to the lives of local residents and to the future economic welfare of the nation. The dryland areas of the western PRC, which cover approximately 40% of the country's land area, contain some of the most severely degraded land in the world. With only about 7% of the world's farmland and 6% of the world's annual water runoff, the PRC must feed 22% of the world's population.

With the assistance of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and ADB, the PRC government established the PRC-GEF Partnership on Land Degradation in Dryland Ecosystems to address land degradation issues, reduce poverty, restore dryland ecosystems, and conserve biodiversity through an effective integrated ecosystem management (IEM) approach.

Mapping the Sea: Knowledge for Natural Resources Management

When a tsunami struck Aceh, many fishers died and, as a consequence, much knowledge of coastal areas, fishing grounds, ocean currents, and navigational hazards disappeared.

Central Asia Atlas of Natural Resources

The Atlas brings readers a sense of beauty and wealth in Central Asia, the issues its people face in using and conserving natural resources, and the efforts and progress towards sustainable development.