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The document identifies rice cultivation, animal husbandry, and synthetic fertilizers as the primary sources of on-farm emissions in the Greater Mekong Subregion, accounting for 63% of the region's 1.1 Gt CO2-eq emissions in 2020. It highlights barriers to the adoption of low-emission innovations, including food insecurity, knowledge gaps, lack of training, and insufficient policy support. The briefing proposes high-impact solutions such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), direct-seeded rice, precision livestock feeding, and site-specific nutrient management, while recommending policy interventions like targeted subsidies, verifiable emission targets, and the establishment of multi-stakeholder learning networks.

In 2023, 234 new species of vascular plants and vertebrate animals were discovered in the Greater Mekong region, which includes Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam. These discoveries, which bring the total since 1997 to 3,624, underscore the region's status as a biodiversity hotspot and the critical role of natural history museums and citizen science in taxonomic research. However, many of these species, such as the critically endangered Truongsonia lecongkietii palm and the Chiloschista quangdangii orchid, face immediate threats from habitat destruction, illegal trade, and climate change.

The report details the discovery of 380 new species in the Greater Mekong region (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam) across 2021 and 2022. It highlights the region's status as a biodiversity hotspot and emphasizes the role of genetic sequencing and bioacoustics in these findings. The document provides specific case studies of new flora and fauna, noting that many are endemic to small ranges and face threats from habitat destruction, climate change, and illegal trade.

The document explores the application of Robust Decision Making (RDM) to address the 'super wicked' problem of climate adaptation in the Greater Mekong Subregion, where decision-making is often hindered by mistrust of national governments and unequal power dynamics. It suggests that while full RDM is technically intensive, a simplified 'RDM lite' approach could better suit local needs by preserving core principles of participation and robustness. The study also identifies critical needs for capacity building, strengthening informal networks, and ensuring 'meaningful' participation through transparent information access and digital inclusion.

The document identifies agriculture and infrastructure as primary threats to nature, noting that 70% of biodiversity loss and 80% of deforestation are caused by agriculture, while 63% of the world's longest rivers are obstructed by dams. WWF's strategy is organized around four pillars: innovation and influence, conservation of critical landscapes, regenerative and resilient systems, and thriving people and communities. Key initiatives include promoting free-flowing rivers, sustainable protein systems, and reducing global food loss and waste. By 2030, WWF aims to achieve zero land conversion of native habitat in priority landscapes and protect the world's remaining free-flowing rivers.

In 2020, 224 new species were discovered in the Greater Mekong region, including 155 plants, 35 reptiles, 17 amphibians, 16 fishes, and one mammal. The report details specific discoveries across Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam, emphasizing that high discovery rates underscore the region's status as a biodiversity hotspot. It argues that many of these species are range-restricted and vulnerable to habitat destruction, illegal wildlife trade, and human encroachment, calling for accelerated international cooperation and the use of the IUCN 'One Plan Approach' to link in situ and ex situ conservation.

The Greater Mekong region, comprising Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, has lost a third of its tree cover since the 1970s and faces further loss due to industrial agriculture and infrastructure. The report highlights the critical role of forests in providing ecosystem services, such as water filtration and climate regulation, and their importance for biodiversity, including tigers and elephants. WWF advocates for a 'landscape model' that balances economic development with conservation. Key solutions include establishing Community Protected Areas (CPAs), promoting FSC-certified sustainable products like rattan and acacia, and transitioning to deforestation-free rubber supply chains. The report emphasizes that empowering local communities and integrating natural capital into government policy are essential for long-term forest stability.

The executive summary outlines how water-driven stresses—caused by both human mismanagement and climate change—undermine governance and livelihoods, leading to migration, conflict, and the rise of insurgencies, which in turn destabilize U.S. foreign interests.

The SUT project estimated greenhouse gas emissions from tourism service providers in Chiang Mai and Hue using the Bilan Carbone® tool. In Chiang Mai, transport was the dominant emission source, leading the city to prioritize non-motorised transport (NMT) to reduce CO2eq. In Hue, the project identified the promotion of traditional garden houses as a low-carbon strategy that acts as a carbon sink and creates employment for the poor, particularly middle-aged women. The report highlights that participatory research and strong political will from city leaders were critical enabling factors, while a lack of technical skills for scientific assessment and high maintenance costs for heritage sites posed significant challenges.

Between 2012 and 2013, 367 new species were discovered in the Greater Mekong region, including 290 plants, 24 fish, 21 amphibians, 28 reptiles, 1 bird, and 3 mammals. The report details specific discoveries such as the Cambodian Tailorbird, the Laotian giant flying squirrel, and the eyeless huntsman spider. It argues that the region is one of the five most threatened biodiversity hotspots globally, facing pressures from unsustainable infrastructure, extractive activities, agricultural expansion, and an illicit wildlife trade valued at at least 16 billion US dollars annually. Between 1973 and 2009, the region lost 42.4 million hectares of forest, or 30 per cent of its cover. WWF advocates for a transition to a green economy and regional collaboration, such as the Core Environment Program-Biodiversity Conservation Corridors Initiative (CEP-BCI), to safeguard natural capital and ensure the well-being of over 70 million people.

The report examines the tension between trade growth and environmental sustainability in the Mekong subregion, noting that environmental protections often take a backseat to industrialization and that regional efforts to balance these interests have seen little effectiveness.

The report examines the tension between trade growth and environmental sustainability in the Greater Mekong Subregion, highlighting how trade liberalization and infrastructure development contribute to environmental degradation. It identifies a lack of legally binding environmental commitments and weak enforcement capacities as primary obstacles. The document proposes specific measures to combat illegal wildlife and timber trade and suggests mainstreaming climate change into the ASEAN Institutional Framework for Economic Cooperation.

The document examines the tension between infrastructure and trade facilitation improvements in the Greater Mekong Subregion and the resulting increased risk of illegal wildlife and timber trafficking. It argues that while these measures ease the movement of goods, they also provide illegal traders with easier access to transport routes, potentially depleting biodiversity. The study recommends that policymakers assess risks, coordinate with customs, and negotiate stricter protocols for the Cross Border Transport Agreement to mitigate these adverse effects.

The report examines how ecolabelling, while intended as a trade-positive tool, often acts as a barrier to trade in developing countries due to high implementation costs. In the Greater Mekong Subregion, environmental standards are in early stages and are primarily driven by the requirements of developed country markets for industrial products, neglecting domestic environmental impacts. The document recommends building national standards bodies, increasing public capacity building, and improving policy-maker knowledge to balance trade growth with environmental protection.

The document examines the tension between rapid economic transition and environmental degradation in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). It highlights how trade liberalization and infrastructure development, such as economic corridors and hydropower projects, have contributed to soil erosion and illegal wildlife and timber trade. While regional frameworks like the ASEAN Regional Action Plan on Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora and the Singapore Declaration on Climate Change exist, the report argues they are often non-binding 'soft law' and lack enforcement capacity. It specifically notes that climate change is expected to increase basin-wide temperatures by 0.79C and flooding by 2030. The author recommends that GMS countries coordinate conservation laws, establish a unified greenhouse gas inventory system, and subject trading mechanisms to formal climate risk assessments to move beyond 'token commitments'.

The report examines the role of ecolabelling and environmental standards in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) and the wider ASEAN region. It argues that while these tools are intended to be 'trade-positive', they often function as barriers to trade for GMS countries due to high costs and inadequate technological infrastructure. The analysis reveals that ecolabelling in the GMS is primarily export-oriented, targeting developed markets like the EU, while intraregional trade in primary products remains largely unregulated by environmental standards. The report concludes with recommendations to build national standards bodies, foster a domestic culture of environmental consciousness, and enhance ASEAN-wide cooperation on common standards.

The report assesses the tension between economic growth through trade facilitation and the preservation of biodiversity in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). It argues that while measures to ease the movement of goods and people—such as those proposed by the WTO, ASEAN, and the GMS Cross Border Transport Agreement—can stimulate economic development, they also risk exacerbating the illegal trade in wildlife and timber by providing easier transit routes for smugglers. The author highlights that current conservation efforts are often fragmented by national borders, whereas the ecoregions they protect are transboundary. The report recommends that GMS states rationalize conservation measures, strengthen penal laws, and coordinate customs intelligence to mitigate the risks posed by trade facilitation.

The tourism sector in Lao PDR has grown significantly from 14,000 visitors in 1990 to 1.21 million in 2006, generating 173.2 million dollars. While the sector supports development objectives by providing jobs and foreign currency, the document warns that without careful planning and adherence to the 'carrying capacity of an area', the environment could be damaged. Recommendations include promoting ecotourism, strengthening the Lao National Tourism Authority's engagement with the private sector, exploring industry certification, and supporting National Protected Areas.

The report examines China's increasing influence in the Mekong region through its 'Going Global' strategy, which drives demand for natural resources. It analyzes how Chinese foreign direct investment (FDI), trade, and official development assistance (ODA) operate in Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam, highlighting a shift where Chinese financiers fill the vacuum left by International Financial Institutions. The study finds that while China is a dominant investor in Laos and Cambodia across agribusiness, hydropower, and mining, its role in Vietnam is primarily as a trading partner, with investment concentrated in mining. The report warns that poor implementation of local regulations and a lack of adherence to international social and environmental standards by Chinese state-owned enterprises pose significant risks to the region's ecosystems and communities.

The Rapid Trade and Environment Assessment (RTEA) for Lao PDR examines the intersection of trade liberalization—driven by ASEAN, WTO accession, and GMS integration—and environmental sustainability. The report identifies that while resource-intensive sectors like hydropower, mining, and forestry drive GDP growth, they place significant pressure on forests, water, and biodiversity. Conversely, 'green' niche sectors such as organic agriculture, ecotourism, and silk handicrafts offer sustainable export potential. The assessment emphasizes that the net environmental outcome depends on the government's ability to implement and enforce regulatory frameworks, strengthen institutional capacity, and engage the private sector in corporate social responsibility (CSR).