Environment

Asia represents 30% of the world’s land area yet is home to 60% of the world’s population. Even with declining growth rates, Asia still adds approximately 40 million people to the region every year— creating higher demand for an ever-shrinking natural resource base. As natural resource extraction and exploitation intensifies to meet growing demands for food, water, energy, and other essential inputs for economic growth, the underlying ecosystems upon which these environmental services depend become ever weaker. Water, arable land, fish stocks, and other necessities for rural dwellers are becoming increasingly scarce—problems that are significantly exacerbated by droughts, floods, and ecosystem disruptions brought on by a changing climate. There is a growing concern that access to basic natural resources, especially water, are fast becoming national security concerns, and will soon be the basis for conflict both within countries as well as between them.

GOVERNANCE: THE CRITICAL ELEMENT policy formation, decision-making, and public OUR Tackling environmental problems requires strong scrutiny of governance standards. Using political PROGRAMMING governance structures that enable each country’s economy analyses, we balance demand-side inputs AREAS leaders, practitioners, and affected stakeholders to that organize and document community participa- understand root causes, evaluate short-and long- tion, oversight, and claims for justice, while offering term trade-offs of response options, and engage in supply-side technical inputs to improve government Natural constructive dialogue within and between govern- processes and performance. resources ment, the private sector, research institutions, and management civil society as a whole to forge a shared vision for BREADTH, DEPTH, AND INTEGRATION progressive reforms, and build the collective politi- The Asia Foundation’s long-standing presence Disaster risk cal will to see them through. The Asia Founda- and networks throughout the Asia-Pacific region reduction tion utilizes politically informed, evidence-based enable us to work across a wide range of sectors and and climate programming approaches to help Asian countries boundaries, employing unique capabilities in multi- resilience address critical national and regional environmental stakeholder engagement; public participation, challenges. We employ a systemic approach that transparency, and accountability; and transbound- Green promotes the active engagement of key actors and ary cooperation. Our reputation and capacity as a stakeholders to advance progressive change on neutral convener, moreover, allows us to play a criti- growth and complex environmental challenges. Informed by cal role in building consensus and developing stake- climate a deep understanding of the political, social and holder-driven solutions. Recognizing the integrated change economic dynamics that shape governance reform, nature of environmental challenges, the Founda- mitigation the Foundation cultivates change agents, facili- tion’s environment programs intersect with other tates partnerships, conducts research, and helps Asia Foundation program areas in governance and to build stakeholder networks-to inform public law, economic development, and women’s empowerment. linking the regions in codependence on this scarce resource. Indeed, gender equity represents an especially significant and Decision-making on water governance issues in this region growing segment of the Foundation’s work, as environmental is dominated by technologically-centered, top-down programming consistently employs a comprehensive gender approaches while civil society and other non-state actors’ lens in program design, development, implementation, and voices are largely underrepresented. The exclusion of local evaluation to ensure interventions are both sustainable and and civil society stakeholders serves to exacerbate risks for responsive to the needs of all stakeholders. vulnerable communities, including amplifying negative eco- nomic impacts and reducing resilience to a changing climate. PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS Through the Civil Society Fund (CSF) of its South Asia Water Governance Program, the Foundation improved Facing Asia’s mounting environmental challenges, The Asia understanding of transboundary water issues among civil Foundation’s environmental program leads initiatives that society organizations and communities across , help countries to improve the management of their natu- Bhutan, , , and . Over the past year, CSF ral resources, reduce risks from natural disasters, increase mobilized more than 40 community service organizations on resilience to climate change, and advance environmentally cross-border collaboration and consultative decision-making sustainable economic development strategies to support a with governments. It also supported a range of initiatives, safe, resilient, and prosperous Asia. including engaging the governments of India and Bangladesh to refine transboundary inland waterway policy; enable local NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT women leaders to improve community’s flood resilience; and Natural resources are the basis of local livelihoods and established frameworks for transboundary river treaties. To national economies across Asia. Population growth, rapid date, the program has reached 19,000 direct beneficiaries economic development, poor resource management, and through the support of nearly 800 strategic dialogue plat- corruption, however, have had devastating impacts on the forms engaging stakeholders from governments, communi- region’s ecological systems. These impacts are compounded ties, and civil society organizations. by transboundary environmental problems such as pollution and climate change. There is a pressing need for improved Promoting Sustainable Fisheries Management and Safe- governance of natural resources across the region. The Foun- guarding Food Security in Southeast Asia: Fisheries are a dation approaches these challenges by facilitating stakeholder vital source of food and livelihoods for millions of people engagement, policy dialogues, and regional cooperation. throughout Southeast Asia. Yet this shared resource is under severe risk of overfishing and destructive fishing practices. Promoting Community-based Forest Management in Sustainable management of Southeast Asia’s fisheries re- : Deforestation and land use change are directly quires effective domestic policies and legislation to manage linked to Indonesia’s globally high level of greenhouse gas resources within each country’s exclusive economic zone, as emissions, accounting for 80 percent of the country’s current well as cooperation and commitment at the regional level to emissions. Poor governance of key sectors such as mining, create strategies and ensure effective enforcement. In March palm oil, pulp, paper, and logging have enabled deforestation 2018, the Foundation hosted an ASEAN Regional workshop and land degradation in Indonesia to continue at alarming on sustainable fisheries management and food security. The rates. The Foundation’s program in Indonesia helps to ensure workshop drew 91 policy makers, researchers, and practi- that forest and peatlands are managed sustainably and in tioners from 16 countries to assess the state of the region’s partnership with local communities. As of 2018,the Foun- fisheries, identify key management issues, and explore next dation’s advocacy and technical assistance efforts protected steps to improve coordination within the ASEAN context. more than 4.3 million hectares of forest and land from defor- Workshop participants identified aquaculture as an impor- estation and degradation. We helped 15 villages gain formal tant trend that can help reduce pressures on wild catch fish recognition by the government to carry out Community- stocks, contribute to increased employment and incomes of Based Forest Management schemes, and 222,385 ha of fishermen, and help safeguard regional food security. forest has transitioned to effective local community manage- ment. The program, which began in Kalimantan, has since DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND expanded to provinces in the Papua region. CLIMATE RESILIENCE

Engaging Civil Society in Transboundary Water Gover- The Asia-Pacific region experiences more natural disasters nance in South Asia: Transboundary river systems play a than any other region. Its vulnerability is exacerbated by crucial role in meeting water resource needs in South Asia, rapidly growing but poorly planned urban centers located in coastal regions and river deltas vulnerable to cyclones, flooding, storm surges, and more. Disasters claim lives and have lasting negative cascading effects on livelihoods, education, health, and economic opportunities. For over 20 years, The Asia Foundation has been helping com- munities to strengthen their resilience through effective planning and rapid response to these challenges. We cultivate leadership within local and national governments, build capacity of vulnerable communities, particularly women, and engage the private sector in disaster risk reduc- tion and management.

Climate Resilience for ’s Businesses: Disasters in Vietnam have caused more than 13,000 deaths and more than $6.4 billion in property damage over the past share disaster risk management practices in neighboring two decades. Efforts to mitigate disasters primarily focus countries. For example, in the Foundation drew on rural, agricultural, and community-based needs, but too upon ’s CERT program to train national and local often ignore the role of the private sector. Studies show that officials, which subsequently paid dividends in preparedness the post-disaster recovery of businesses is integral to broader with a dam collapse that caused severe flooding in the recovery efforts. The Foundation is addressing this gap in Attapeu province. Vietnam. Drawing upon findings of a survey it conducted in Long An province, we found the corporate sector there Strengthening Women’s Resilience to Disaster and was almost wholly unprepared to deal with climate risks. Climate Change: Women, particularly poor women, suf- In response, the Foundation developed and implemented fer disproportionately from the impact of climate change an online climate change risk assessment toolkit that assists and natural disasters. Their role in managing climate and enterprises to conduct climate change risk self-assessments, disaster risks remain undervalued in climate policies and and develop informed adaptation plans to mitigate these finance. Empowering women to serve as agents of change risks. The toolkit also provides a database on business-related and supporting their participation in climate change and climate change risks to provincial government agencies to disaster risk management (CCDRM) policy and planning is be used to assist in developing and implementing provincial a fundamental requirement of sustainable development. The climate change action plans. The Foundation now works in Da Foundation is implementing a multi-country project funded Dang and Quang Nam provinces to similarly help enterprises by the Asian Development Bank to strengthen Women’s build their disaster risk management and climate change resil- Resilience to Climate Change and Disaster Risk in Fiji, ience capacities, and is supporting the creation of a business- Laos, and , where countries are facing a significant led network for resilience in Vietnam and regionally. range of climate change impacts including desertification, floods, droughts, and tropical cyclones. This project aims to China: from National Capacity to Regional Support: In demonstrate the potential for green jobs for women, advance China, where natural disasters have long posed a threat, the gender-responsive national and sector policies and actions on Foundation is working with national and local governments CCDRM and integrate women’s rights into relevant environ- and communities to foster a culture of disaster preparedness. mental law. Similarly, in , research on the gender At the national level, we worked with China’s new Ministry dimensions of environmental management and resilience of Emergency Management to improve incident command is limited. The Foundation’s Atlas of Gender and Environ- capacity. As part of our ongoing support for disaster relief ment provides a more in-depth understanding of how gender at the national level, we introduced the U.S. Community informs environment-related vulnerabilities and the differ- Emergency Response Team (CERT) program to China. The ent impacts of climate change and disaster risks on the lives Foundation has also worked with local governments to train and livelihoods of women and men in Cambodia. The Atlas, officials and leaders to mitigate community-level disaster which produced 70 interactive maps, captured stories of vul- risks. Recognizing the potential to significantly improve nerability and explored possibilities for improving resilience, the resilience of communities against disasters, the Chinese is used by our local partners to identify target training areas government formulated standards for a national system of and develop training materials to help women become better community-based disaster reduction based on these works. equipped to adapt to a changing climate. In addition to its work in China, the Foundation works to GREEN GROWTH AND CLIMATE The Asia Foundation CHANGE MITIGATION is a nonprofit international development organization Environmental problems are almost entirely the unintended by-products of the very development committed to improving activities nations pursue to grow their economies. lives across a dynamic More governments are recognizing that they can and developing Asia. no longer afford to pursue growth strategies that Headquartered in San negatively impact the well-being of communities Francisco, The Asia and the environment. Climate change, dwindling Foundation works through resources, severely polluted air, water, and soil all a network of offices in 18 send a clear and strong message that maintaining Asian countries and in a “business-as-usual” approach for production and Washington, DC. Working consumption are no longer acceptable. Over the with public and private last decade, Asian countries have begun to integrate trading in the region, and recommended strategies partners, the Foundation the core values of social equity and environmen- for interventions, and specific opportunities to receives funding from a tal sustainability into their national development promote clean energy trading. These studies now diverse group of plans, sparking new and innovative approaches to inform ongoing efforts of national energy policy bilateral and multilateral environmentally sustainable economic develop- makers, and private sector and civil society stake- development agencies, ment. The region has begun to see a surge of new holders, to improve regional cooperation to reduce foundations, corporations, ideas and innovations to reduce greenhouse gases, the costs of energy supplies as well as regional other forms of pollution, and conserve resources, and individuals. power sector CO2 emissions while strengthening including a shift to cleaner energy sources, better energy security in these countries. urban planning, energy efficiencies in building design and manufacturing processes, non-pollution Strengthening Cooperation between Northeast electric transport, and more. Delivering these solu- Asian Cities on Green Growth: Following several tions, however, requires serious investment in new months of technical support by the Foundation, technologies and infrastructure, as well as policy the City of Ulaanbaatar rolled out its first green measures that promote social equity and efficient, growth development strategy in 2015. Keen to low-carbon practices. The Foundation is working share the significance of the green growth concept, closely with governments, the private sector, and the Mayor of Ulaanbaatar, with support from the civil society to advance sustainable approaches to Foundation, convened the Northeast Asian May- economic development. ors’ Forum (NEAMF) on Green Growth later that same year. Mayors and other municipal officials Promoting Regional Clean Power Trade in from primary and secondary cities from across the South Asia: The countries of South Asia currently subregion gathered to discuss common challenges, face significant operational, economic, environ- share best practices, and build stronger collabora- mental, and security challenges as they seek to tive relationships. So successful was the first forum keep up with rapidly growing electricity demands. that NEAMF has become an annual event, with At the same time, this region has vast potential the most recent conference held in Ulaanbaatar in in underexploited renewable energy sources such June 2018 under the theme, “Low Carbon City as micro-hydropower, wind, and solar power. Development: Improving Air Quality and Reduc- Through improved national energy planning and ing Greenhouse Gas Emissions.” The forum drew HEADQUARTERS increased regional cooperation, transboundary 465 California Street, high-level delegations from 17 cities of the region, 9th Floor power trading could contribute significantly to al- including the capital cities Beijing, Moscow, San Francisco, CA 94104 USA leviating these challenges. Over the past two years, Tel: (415) 982-4640 Pyongyang, Seoul, and Tokyo, and participants [email protected] The Asia Foundation conducted studies in Bangla- voted to draft a charter and establish a Forum sec- WASHINGTON, DC desh, Bhutan, India, and Nepal, as a foundation to retariat so that NEAMF will become a permanent 1779 Massachusetts Ave., NW understand and identify opportunities to improve Suite 815 platform for thought leadership on green growth in Washington, D.C. 20036 USA regional energy production efficiencies through the region. Tel: (202) 588-9420 progressive power trading strategies for the region. [email protected] Studies included analyses of political, regulatory, www.asiafoundation.org commercial, and other main barriers to power 02/19