Environment

Asia’s Environmental Challenge

As the fastest growing region in the world, Asia faces unprecedented environmental challenges with disproportionate impacts on the urban poor and women. Due to the transnational nature of environmental challenges, regional cooperation on global climate change, illegal logging, wildlife trafficking, fisheries management, energy security, and conflict resolution is crucial to an effective response.

USAID Response

The USAID/RDMA Regional Environment Office addresses transnational environmental challenges in Asia through activities that promote regional cooperation as well as through targeted bilateral activities in USAID non-presence countries. In implementing regional activities, USAID demonstrates innovation and best practice at the country level and shares successes at the regional level.  Programs are designed to maximize country-level development impact through support for government reforms, capacity building, and, in some cases, technology cooperation.  USAID also works closely with international development partners to strengthen regional institutions and networks that can further sustain and multiply environmental improvements.

Environmental Cooperation-Asia

To address regional environmental challenges, USAID established Environmental Cooperation-Asia, or ECO-Asia, a regional platform that promotes a range of initiatives designed to:

• Improve access to clean water and sanitation;
• Promote clean energy and mitigate climate change impacts;
• Improve sustainable management of natural resources and biodiversity conservation; and;
• Strengthen environmental governance.

ECO-Asia provides a platform for sharing and replicating experiences, technical innovations and expertise, and for improving cooperation between Asian countries, cities, and communities. Partners in promoting regional dialogue include Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Association of South East Asian Nations, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the Mekong River Commission,  and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Key program countries include: Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor Leste, and Vietnam.

See http://usaid.eco-asia.org/ for further information on ECO-Asia.

Reports and Publications

• Global Climate Change in the Asia-Pacific Region: An Analysis and Road Map for the USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia (July 2008)

Current Activities

• ASEAN-Wildlife Enforcement Network Support Program
• Promoting Regional Cooperation in the Mekong River Basin
• Asia Regional Biodiversity Conservation Program
• Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network (AECEN)
• Responsible Asia Forestry and Trade (RAFT)
• ECO-Asia Clean Development and Climate Program (CDCP)
• ECO-Asia Sustainable Water Services
• US Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System (IOTWS) Program
• Post-Tsunami Sustainable Coastal Livelihoods Program
• China: University Partnership for Environment
• China Environmental Health Project

Environment Articles

• Action Needed Now To Cut Greenhouse Gases and Meet Future Energy Demand in Asia
• With Massive Tsunami Drill, Thailand Seeks Good, and Bad, Results
• USAID Promoting Biodiversity While Raising Incomes of Rural Poor
• International Partners Weigh Long-term Challenges as Tsunami Warning System Meets Initial Targets
• USAID Highlights Regional Cooperation in Training for Environmental Inspectors
• Tsunami Reconstruction, Three Years Later
• Leading Lighting Companies Sign Quality-Assurance Pact
• Agreement Signed with WaterLinks To Accelerate the Delivery of Safe Drinking Water and Sanitation to the People of Asia
• Cleaner Coal Technologies Crucial for Meeting Energy Demand and Reducing Carbon Emissions in Asia
• RDMA to Pledge Support for Coral Triangle Initiative at Manila Meeting
• RDMA Launches Program to Improve Water, Sanitation in SE Asia
• ASEAN Wildlife Enforcement Network Trains Vietnamese Forest Rangers
• RDMA Funds Project to Promote Energy Efficiency in Buildings in China