The meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development in 2019 convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council, will be held from Tuesday, 9 July, to Thursday, 18 July 2019; including the three-day ministerial meeting of the forum from Tuesday, 16 July, to Thursday, 18 July 2019.
The theme will be "Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality". The set of goals to be reviewed in depth is the following:
Seizing the opportunity of the incredible momentum of climate action, and Asia-Pacific countries being at the forefront of innovation to tackle the climate crisis, the upcoming Asia-Pacific Climate Week 2019 (APCW) is gearing up to boost the region’s response to the current climate emergency.
The wetlands of Savannakhet are crucial to the food security of Lao PDR, providing the country with most of its rice. But the area's rice farmers are facing greater flood risks since the Nam Theun 2 dam started operations further upstream. SN project researchers have supported dialogue between the dam operators, government agencies and the farmers to resolve compensation issues as well as initiating organic rice farming efforts.
Can Tho in southern Vietnam's Mekong Delta is a city often submerged under floods in the rainy season facing inundation from both sides: the Mekong River's channels and the rising sea tides. As climate risks increase, the city planners are struggling to find solutions to provide clean water to its residents. SN researchers are helping policymakers and others to better understand and address the climate risks and the clean water challenges of this rapidly urbanizing city in the Mekong Region.
The film looks at how scientific assessment is being done of the wetlands of Kulen Prom Tep in northern Cambodia. The scientists assess the ecology of the wetlands in relation to the biodiversity of the birds, soil and plants, and fish. The research includes field visits and meetings with local and national policymakers as well as the local communities to raise awareness of the importance of the wetlands and the threats to its functioning.
In northern Cambodia, the Kulen Prom Tep wetlands near Siem Reap, offer a range of benefits from water for household use and farming, to vegetables and small animals for good. But the wetlands are under threat, mostly from logging concessions that are degrading the intricate linkages of the wetland ecosystem. Local people talk of the benefits and their efforts to protect the Kulen Prom Tep wetlands.
The burning of rice straw in the fields after the harvest is causing air pollution. In central Thailand's Suphanburi province, SN researchers are conducting assessments and raising awareness to prevent rice straw burning. But for farmers, it is not so easy to just halt the burning as they face a range of problems trying to transport the straw; it's just easier, less time consuming, and more economical to burn it before the next planting.
Uncertainty is central to the lives of people living along the Ayeyarwady River. Many local communities live with the knowledge that flash floods and river bank erosion can wash their houses and boats away. Many people find new places to move, as sometimes entire villages crumble under the river’s often changing courses. Local people talk about their lives and livelihoods in their shifting grounds near the Ayeyarwady River in the central region of Myanmar.