Suchergebnisse

The Philippines and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Cooperation on Oil and Gas Development, demonstrating their willingness to explore joint development as a pathway to collaboration, notwithstanding their territorial disputes. Recent commentaries on joint development are mostly framed on legal challenges, South China Sea (SCS) rows, geopolitics, and state-centric security issues. However, there have been no extensive discussions on the potential contributions from non-state stakeholders that can make joint development agreements environmentally sound, sustainable, and less political. These stakeholders are the oil companies, fishermen and coastal communities. In this regard, this NTS Insight explores potential roles of these stakeholders in promoting joint initiatives to share and develop resources in the SCS. It argues that the engagement and participation of non-state stakeholders in resource sharing and joint management must be pursued to address key non-traditional security challenges in the SCS. It also examines mechanisms to integrate marine environmental protection and sustainable fishing management into joint development agreements.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been issuing its Sustainability Report since 2007. The Sustainability Report allows stakeholders to assess ADB's operational and organizational sustainability performance, providing them with a single point of reference to understand ADB's commitment to sustainable development. For 2018, this biennial Sustainability Report highlights the integration of sustainability into ADB's operations and organizational activities during 2016–2017. A separate detailed Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Content Index sets out ADB's management approaches to material topics and responses to general and specific disclosures in the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards. The Sustainability Report and detailed GRI Content Index are prepared in accordance with the core option of the GRI Sustainability Reporting Standards and are available online at www.adb.org/documents/asian-development-bank-sustainability-report-2018.

Since 2006, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has been providing technical assistance through the GMS Core Environment Program (CEP) to help mainstream the use of SEAs in the GMS countries, including for power development planning. This publication outlines the key characteristics of SEA, discusses global trends in energy technologies and markets, and looks at how Viet Nam, with support from the CEP, has integrated SEAs into its power development planning process. It also identifies priority steps for further mainstreaming SEAs in power sector planning in the GMS countries.

This publication presents the integration of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in the revised Power Development Plan VII of Viet Nam. It demonstrates how incorporating an SEA into the planning process will produce plans that are based on a more thorough understanding of their implications for the economy, society, and environment of the country. Viet Nam's revised Power Development Plan VII is a model of good practice in integrating an SEA in the preparation of a strategic plan for the power sector of other countries, particularly in the Greater Mekong Subregion.

This study analyses essential elements to increase the effectiveness of emissions control regulations for coal-fired power plants in developing countries in ASEAN. In the power sector, air pollution concerns can become a barrier for developing necessary power stations. As such, the appropriate implementation of air polution control regulations is crucial for the sustainable development of the economy, and hence the study will highlight it.

Water and energy are both valuable resources and indispensable for human society and economic development. By nature, water and energy are interlinked. Water plays a critical role in the generation of electricity for cooling of thermal power plants and in hydropower, as well as in the production of fossil fuels such as coal; energy is required to treat, distribute, and for wastewater treatment. Choices made in either of the sectors may have unintended and often negative implications on the other sector. This report analyzes the trade-off between the two sectors in the context of the People's Republic of China and proposes recommendations to ensure that the choices made are sustainable in the long run.

The Philippines currently has a low level of per capita greenhouse gas emissions. However, emission levels are growing at an increasing rate, with 4% annual growth between 2006 and 2012. The country's energy system is becoming more carbon intensive to satisfy escalating energy demand caused by strong economic growth. This study assesses how the Philippines can take a low-carbon pathway by drawing on detailed modeling of the power, residential, and transport sectors. It identifies low-carbon development options that can be deployed at approximately zero net cost to reduce energy sector greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2050. With energy use levels still low, the country has an opportunity to follow a low-carbon development trajectory—if action is taken soon.

Viet Nam has had rapid economic growth in recent years, but this growth has been energy dependent, even as the energy system has become more carbon intensive. This study uses a bottom-up model to evaluate 63 measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from household electricity, industry, power generation, and transport. It finds potential for emissions reduction by 53% in 2050, and that much of this reduction can occur at low or negative financial costs. Moreover, these measures are found to ultimately lead to faster and more inclusive economy-wide growth. Policy measures are identified to help realize the modeled potential.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and East Asia region has been experiencing a rapid growth in urbanisation in the last few years which is likely to continue for some time. In particular, the increase in urbanisation has been remarkable, among others, in China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam. Such growth has seen overall energy demand rise, driven by the increase in energy for the power sector and the transport sector (Kutani, 2013). The total primary energy demand in the ASEAN region is projected to increase by 80 percent by 2040 (IEA, 2015). Energy efficiency and conservation (EEC) has been given top priority in the Energy White Paper (2014) of Brunei Darussalam, and this has further been stressed no less by the decree of the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam at the United Nations 2014 Climate Summit held in New York. In his speech, he stated that the country is targeting to reduce total primary energy consumption by 63 percent from its 2009 baseline. One path towards energy sustainability is a low-carbon path to energy security. The introduction of low-carbon or energy technologies in the town planning of Brunei to boost energy efficiency and reduce fossil energy use is vital to manage rapidly growing energy consumption levels in urban areas to achieve a more secure and sustainable energy future for the country. The concept here is called the eco town.

What is the likely scenario when demand for global housing increases amid rising global temperatures? How do we create sustainable habitats to survive in an increasingly warming planet?

Asia is at a crossroads. As the world's most populous region, with a rising share of global greenhouse gas emissions, and as the region most vulnerable to climate risks, this book recognizes low-carbon green growth is imperative for developing Asia. It reviews low-carbon policy initiatives taken by Asian countries at the national, sectoral, and local levels, while assessing the achievements, identifying the gaps, and examining new opportunities. The volume notes that actions taken by several Asian countries so far have been impressive and replicable and the region's commitment to low-carbon green growth represents a move away from the old economic thinking of "grow first and clean later." However, emerging Asia's carbon emissions remain high and failure to act swiftly could increase mitigation costs by two to five times and lock in a high-carbon footprint for decades to come. Regional cooperation is needed to develop and disseminate cost-effective cleaner technologies, develop green industries, and create jobs. A decision to act together on ten key common issues would quickly make Asia the world's most important test-bed and a role model for the rest of the world in low carbon-green growth. Such actions can also support the proactive participation of Asian countries in global negotiations on climate change.

Asia is at a crossroads. As the world's most populous region, with a rising share of global greenhouse gas emissions, and as the region most vulnerable to climate risks, this book recognizes low-carbon green growth is imperative for developing Asia. It reviews low-carbon policy initiatives taken by Asian countries at the national, sectoral, and local levels, while assessing the achievements, identifying the gaps, and examining new opportunities. The volume notes that actions taken by several Asian countries so far have been impressive and replicable and the region's commitment to low-carbon green growth represents a move away from the old economic thinking of "grow first and clean later." However, emerging Asia's carbon emissions remain high and failure to act swiftly could increase mitigation costs by two to five times and lock in a high-carbon footprint for decades to come. Regional cooperation is needed to develop and disseminate cost-effective cleaner technologies, develop green industries, and create jobs. A decision to act together on ten key common issues would quickly make Asia the world's most important test-bed and a role model for the rest of the world in low carbon-green growth. Such actions can also support the proactive participation of Asian countries in global negotiations on climate change.

The cities of South Asia are growing at an unprecedented rate, and there is potential to steer this development onto a sustainable and green path. Carbon financing serves as a valuable revenue source to help cities earn additional income to support low-carbon development. With the end of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol on 31 December 2012, a fragmented international carbon market now exists with various approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions outside the national borders of Annex I (industrialized) countries. Considering the potential for low-carbon development in South Asia, there is a need to help countries understand and navigate this new international carbon market. This guidance note (i) provides an overview of the carbon financing market in the post-2012 context, (ii) guides readers on how to access carbon finance, and (iii) highlights good practices in low-carbon urban development. It is aimed at government officials and project developers throughout South Asia, and is structured in a question-and-answer format for quick and easy reference.

The cities of South Asia are growing at an unprecedented rate, and there is potential to steer this development onto a sustainable and green path. Carbon financing serves as a valuable revenue source to help cities earn additional income to support low-carbon development. With the end of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol on 31 December 2012, a fragmented international carbon market now exists with various approaches to reducing greenhouse gas emissions outside the national borders of Annex I (industrialized) countries. Considering the potential for low-carbon development in South Asia, there is a need to help countries understand and navigate this new international carbon market. This guidance note (i) provides an overview of the carbon financing market in the post-2012 context, (ii) guides readers on how to access carbon finance, and (iii) highlights good practices in low-carbon urban development. It is aimed at government officials and project developers throughout South Asia, and is structured in a question-and-answer format for quick and easy reference.

Asia's cities have been the drivers of the economy and have lifted millions out of poverty. However, the environmental consequences of this rapid development are apparent, and the citizens of Asia's urban areas are increasingly insistent that something should be done. And there is an investment deficit in Asian cities' infrastructure spending, mostly in environmental infrastructure, of some $100 billion per annum. Asian cities can be more environmentally friendly. The resources are there to achieve this. Up to 80% of gross domestic product today comes from urban areas in Asia, and its megacities are nation-sized in population and economic product. New cities, such as the innovative "eco-towns" in Japan and "eco-cities" in the People's Republic of China (PRC), have begun to put into action a sustainable urban development model.