Asia and the Pacific

Universities and Locally Led Climate Action in Nepal

Nepal is no stranger to the threats of nature. The impacts of the devastating earthquake in 2015 still ripple through the country today, as the 900,0000-some people who lost their homes continue to rebuild their lives. With the average global temperatures on an upward trajectory, other threats come sharply into focus. The Himalayas is home to a plethora of glaciers and frozen lakes, which are steadily melting due to climate change. It is estimated that a glacial lake outburst from Imja Lake alone could affect up to half a million people.

Pacific Climate Change Finance Assessment - Nauru Case Study

The purpose of this national climate change finance assessment (the Nauru Case Study) is to assist the Government of Nauru (GoN) make informed decisions on measures to improve access to and management of climate change resources. 

It has been undertaken in response to a request from the GoN, following recent decisions made by Leaders and Economic Ministers on climate change financing.

Sustainable Eco Village Development

Over two-thirds of households in India still rely on traditional biomass for cooking. Open fires and primitive stoves are rather inefficient at converting energy into heat for cooking and emit a significant amount of smoke which can have harmful effects on heath as well as on the environment. While women play a major role in family lives, being those who are cooking, collecting firewood, water, and working in agriculture, they are seldom included in decision-making processes.

The Bhungroo Irrigation Technology

Poor terrain conditions as result of climate change, made it hard for farmers to cultivate their land during the dry season. In terms of labour and indigenous knowledge women play a key role in the agricultural sector in India, but very often it is not recognised by the overall community as they lack the power to make decisions. The livelihoods of women farmers who don’t have land rights are particularly insecure in these conditions.

Wetland and Agro-Ecological Farming Recovery

Also known as the “rice bowl” of Viet Nam, the Mekong Delta experiences seasonal variations in water quality and availability, with floods in the wet season and water scarcity and high salinity in the dry season. Deepwater or floating rice is a type of rice native to this area and which requires no pesticide and low use of fertilizers to grow. However, in the past 40 years, the total area of floating rice has given way to the extensive building of dykes and high yielding rice varieties, resulting in increased water scarcity and reduced soil fertility.

Promoting Organic and Ecological Agriculture among Women Tea Farmers

A high rate of deforestation combined with an intense use of fertilisers had made the soil around the city of Deniyaya infertile and unproductive. Farmers were not acquainted with organic agricultural practices, which they feared would impact the size of their yield. Tea farms consist very often of small family businesses, in which women play a major role and tea plantations represent their main source of income.

Ghandivan

The area around Toda Ladi in Jaipur was a wasteland, totally barren and uncultivable. Because of lack of vegetation and water scarcity, land degradation and desertification were on the rise. Villagers, mainly women, would cut down the already scarce vegetation, to collect wood for cooking and fodder for their cattle, leading to worsening deforestation.

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation for Community Forestry

After the civil war, Cambodia has experienced high deforestation rates caused by illegal logging and unsustainable practices. Community forestry, a model of forest management that puts local communities at the centre of decision making, can accelerate reforestation. However, local people often lack adequate incentives and direct benefits from such engagement, and institutional bias against allocating high-value forests to communities persist. Community management of forests is a journey, which requires policy and legislative reforms.

Robust Decision Support for Water Management

Managing water resources in an equitable and sustainable manner in the context of climate change can be arduous in the Mekong region, especially in times of water scarcity. Governments often lack systematic ways to involve local communities and other stakeholders, like academia or the private sector in decision making. As part of the third phase of the Sustainable Mekong Research Network (SUMERNET 2014-2018), a regional assessment was undertaken to support water scarcity management.