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The report analyzes water insecurities in the Mekong region, driven by environmental pressures, socio-economic inequalities, and governance failures. It evaluates interventions such as community-based infrastructure, adaptive agricultural practices, and inclusive governance models, while recommending decentralized management and strengthened transboundary cooperation.

The report identifies several climate-smart water technologies for rice cultivation in the Mekong Region, such as Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) and Modern Irrigation Systems (MIS), which can significantly reduce water consumption. It analyzes the policy landscapes of Cambodia, China, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam, noting that while national strategies exist, adoption is hindered by financial barriers, technical gaps, and insecure land tenure. The document recommends strengthening policy frameworks, increasing access to credit, and fostering public-private partnerships to enhance agricultural resilience and food security.

Experts from the Office of National Water Resources, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, and the Stockholm Environment Institute visited Nakhon Ratchasima from August 15-17, 2023, to evaluate climate-smart agricultural technologies. The visit included observations of field levelling, soil moisture measurement, and the use of calcium carbonate at the Rice Research Centre, as well as a grassroots valve control tool at the Land Development Station. The team also visited a smart farm utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) technology and the alternating wetting and drying method for rice cultivation, and reviewed low-cost weather monitoring tools developed by RMUTI.

The Mekong Thought Leadership and Think Tanks Network is a three-year initiative supported by the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). It aims to improve water and energy security and climate resilience in the Mekong Subregion by strengthening the capacity of knowledge-based policy influence organisations (KBPIOs). The program focuses on inclusive knowledge co-production and the engagement of vulnerable and marginalised groups. It is managed by a consortium of eight organisations led by the Stockholm Environment Institute - Asia Centre. The program funds flagship studies (up to AUD 250,000) and rapid response projects (up to AUD 50,000) addressing specific issues such as transboundary water disaster risks, urban heat resilience, and gender-sensitizing infrastructure in the Mekong Delta.

The report finds that the 2020 target of restoring 150 million hectares of forest was not met, with only 18% achieved by 2019. It highlights the difficulty of monitoring restoration progress due to the limitations of satellite data and notes that in regions like Central America, gross tree cover gains have been offset by higher rates of loss. The document argues that achieving the 2030 goal requires transforming the enabling environment through quantified targets, strengthened policy and finance, and more consistent monitoring frameworks.

The project aims to protect the health of the Lao population from climate-related risks through a USD 41.92 million investment. It focuses on upgrading 180 health facilities in 60 vulnerable districts, integrating climate data into health information systems, and enhancing the capacity of health workers and communities to manage climate-driven disease burdens.

The 2020 assessment concludes that the goal of restoring 150 million hectares of forest by 2020 is not on track, with global forest cover gain meeting only one fifth of the target. While political will is evident through 63 Bonn Challenge pledges totaling 172.82 million hectares, biophysical progress is hindered by data gaps and the fact that tree cover gains are often offset by ongoing deforestation. A case study of Central America highlights this dynamic, showing a net loss of 320 million hectares of tree cover between 2011 and 2018 despite significant gross gains. The report notes a growing trend of private-sector restoration pledges from companies like Amazon and Nestle, though financial transparency and systematic planning remain significant hurdles for scaling forest landscape restoration (FLR).

The SEI Asia Strategy 2020-24 establishes a framework to bridge science, policy, and practice to achieve environmental sustainability and inclusive development in Asia. The strategy is organized around three primary impact areas: reduced climate risk, sustainable resource use and resilient ecosystems, and improved health and well-being. To achieve these, SEI Asia focuses on five core research and policy clusters: Gender, Environment and Development; Water; Climate Change, Disasters and Development; Urban; and Policy. The document also highlights specialized programs for the Mekong Region and Myanmar, and identifies evolving areas of work including ecological economics, sustainable finance, and the environment-health nexus.

The guide outlines five strategies for implementing 'green meetings' in Asia, focusing on overcoming cultural barriers where offering less can be seen as 'poor'. Key recommendations include engaging leadership early, reforming travel cultures to reduce flights, supporting local communities through sustainable tourism, eliminating single-use plastics and disposables, and using digital tools like event apps to reduce printing and encourage participation.

The 2019 executive summary reports that the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) is unlikely to meet its 2020 targets, as tropical deforestation continues at an unsustainable rate. While political will for restoration has increased, implementation is slow and often occurs outside natural forests. The report highlights that agricultural expansion remains the primary driver of forest loss, and that current financial and policy interventions are insufficient to catalyze systemic change.

The 2019 five-year assessment of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) concludes that the 2020 targets for halving tropical deforestation and restoring 150 million hectares of land are likely impossible to achieve. Tropical deforestation continues at an unsustainable pace, with a 44% increase in the loss of humid tropical primary forests compared to the 2002–2013 baseline. While Indonesia saw a reduction in deforestation in 2017–2018, Latin America remains the region with the highest annual tree cover loss. Forest restoration efforts have been slow, with only 18% of the 2020 goal realized as of April 2019, and most gains occurring outside of natural forests. The report highlights a critical lack of 'green' finance, noting that development finance for agriculture is 15 times higher than climate mitigation finance for forestry. It argues that systemic change is hindered by inadequate corporate commitments, slow governance improvements, and the continued prioritization of short-term commercial profits over long-term conservation.

The 2019 five-year assessment of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) concludes that the 2020 goals to halve tropical deforestation and restore millions of hectares of forest are likely unattainable. Despite political will and some private sector commitments, tropical deforestation continues at an unsustainable rate, driven primarily by agricultural expansion. The report highlights a critical gap in 'green' financing, noting that investments in forests are dwarfed by those in renewable energy. It emphasizes that while some progress has been made in specific regions like Indonesia, systemic changes in land use, governance, and the recognition of indigenous land rights are necessary to meet 2030 targets and limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius.

The 2019 five-year assessment of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) concludes that the 2020 goals for reducing tropical deforestation and restoring landscapes are likely unattainable. Despite high political will, tropical deforestation continues at an unsustainable rate, driven primarily by agricultural commodity expansion. Restoration efforts have been slow and largely occur outside natural forests. The report highlights a critical lack of 'green' financing, inadequate corporate commitment implementation, and the need for stronger governance and recognition of indigenous land rights to achieve the 2030 targets.

The assessment finds that the world is not on track to meet the 2020 restoration goal, with only 18% of the target documented as restored since 2000. While political will is evident through Bonn Challenge pledges totaling 170.6 million hectares, actual biophysical progress is limited and difficult to quantify due to data gaps. A pilot study in the Mekong region reveals that most tree cover gain occurs outside of forests on croplands and shrublands, while natural forests in the region have seen a net loss. The report emphasizes that monoculture plantations, which make up 45% of planned commitments, provide significantly less carbon storage than natural forests. It highlights the need for coherent policies, multidisciplinary technical planning, and increased financial flows to scale up effective forest landscape restoration.

The 2019 NYDF Progress Assessment finds that the world is not on track to meet its 2020 targets to halve tropical deforestation and restore 150 million hectares of degraded land. Global gross tree cover loss increased by 43% since the declaration, with a particularly alarming 44% acceleration in the loss of irreplaceable humid tropical primary forests. While some progress is noted in Indonesia, where primary forest loss dropped by over 30% in 2017-18, overall trends are negative. Restoration efforts are largely occurring outside of natural forests, and only 18% of the 2020 restoration goal has been realized. The report highlights a critical funding gap, noting that 'grey' finance for agriculture is 15 times higher than 'green' finance for forests, and that forest-related climate finance represents only 1.5% of total multilateral commitments. Governance remains a significant barrier, with nearly half of tropical deforestation being illegal and indigenous land rights remaining largely unrecognized.

The report examines the application of FSC certification, particularly the Small and Low-Intensity Managed Forest (SLIMF) scheme, among Thai smallholder rubber farmers. It finds that certification has primarily benefited processing companies rather than farmers, who see little direct economic gain. The study highlights systemic gender inequalities, where women are active in production but excluded from governance and training, and notes that land tenure issues prevent many smallholders from achieving certification. It concludes that FSC standards must move beyond labour rights to address systemic inequalities and land rights to be effective for smallholders.

The briefing examines the risks associated with China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Southeast Asia, particularly regarding carbon-intensive energy projects and hydropower dams. It argues that current investment patterns may lead to carbon lock-in and ecological damage. To mitigate these risks, the authors propose a decision-making framework based on transparency, stakeholder participation, and adherence to international sustainable finance standards.

The review finds that while the WEF nexus concept is widely used to expand the scope of analysis, it lacks a uniting methodology and has not yet demonstrated a clear ability to improve resource management or governance outcomes.

The document argues that while agricultural insurance can provide quick financial support after sudden disasters, it is ill-suited for slow-onset events like sea-level rise and gradual temperature increases. In Viet Nam and Thailand, insurance programmes have struggled with financial sustainability, low voluntary uptake, and high compensation rates. The brief suggests moving toward holistic risk management, including micro-finance, sovereign risk sharing, and transformative agricultural adaptations.

The document details the impact of SUMERNET's research projects across the Mekong Region, focusing on flood risk reduction, urbanization, green tourism, forest conservation, and water governance. It highlights the network's growth from 14 to over 60 institutes and its shift toward cross-border collaboration and 'Outcome Mapping' to ensure research findings influence policy and improve local livelihoods.