Asian Development Blog

Preserving forests and other natural areas is critical to addressing climate change. Photo: ADB.

Addressing the Risks of Climate Change: Six Strategies for Asia and the Pacific

The uncertainties of climate change call for actions driven by the best available knowledge, as well as meeting the financing needs of developing countries. Integrating adaptation into policy upfront is essential to achieve these goals.

Kenichi Yokoyama, Rabindra P. Osti

Bangladesh has been successful in keeping girls in school and improving their lives. Photo: ADB

An Innovative Girls’ Scholarship Program in Bangladesh Provides School Re-Opening Lessons

Bangladesh not only kept girls in school but improved their lives on multiple levels with a simple, low-cost stipend program. It offers valuable insights for school systems around the world struggling with the pandemic.

Sungsup Ra, Yasuyuki Sawada, Ryotaro Hayashi

Solar energy could one day replace the smokey fuels being used in many area for cooking. Photo: ADB

Asia Needs to Get Cooking When It Comes to Solar Energy

Solar power is helping Asia get electricity to people, particularly in rural and remote areas, but it has fallen behind in its use as a clean energy cooking source.

Yongping Zhai (翟永平)

Southeast Asia’s coastal areas captures and stores vast amounts of carbon. Photo: Tanushree Rao

Asia's Coastal Areas Are More Than Just Carbon Credits

The emergence of ‘blue carbon’ in the global carbon markets could help protect Southeast Asia's coastlines, but these habitats should be valued for more than their carbon.

Audrey Tan, Francesco Ricciardi

In many countries in Asia, schools have been closed for nearly two years.

Asia's Governments Need to Act Now on Scarring Effects of School Closures

Profound impacts are already being felt due to school closures in Asia. Urgent action is needed to limit further damage to students and the broader economy.

Cyn-Young Park (朴信永)

Asia’s small fashion businesses are trying new strategies to emerge from the pandemic. Photo: Burgess Milner

Asia’s Fashion Industry Looks to New Strategies to Overcome Pandemic Impacts

Business-friendly policies, and the transition to greater use of e-commerce and on-demand production, are key to helping Asia’s small and medium-sized fashion companies bounce back from the pandemic.

Bagas Adhika Putra, Pitchaya Sirivunnabood

In many parts of Asia the poor and disadvantaged receive little assistance from the government. Photo: ADB

Asia’s Poor Need Stronger Social Protection

Well-designed and targeted social protection programs, and particularly safety nets for the disadvantaged, deliver high returns in terms of poverty reduction.

Vinod Thomas