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The paper examines the role of ivory speculators in China, distinguishing between large criminal syndicates (Type I) and private retail investors (Type II). It argues that an indefinite ban, implemented swiftly and combined with demand-reduction campaigns, is the most effective way to trigger a 'fire sale' of stockpiles, thereby crashing prices and reducing the incentive for poaching. Conversely, a finite ban could incentivize 'banking on extinction,' where speculators drive species scarcity to maximize future monopoly rents. The authors recommend that China destroy its official stockpiles and regulate the mammoth ivory trade to prevent it from being used as a cover for laundering illegal elephant ivory.

Insufficient cold chain logistics and unreliable electricity access are estimated to leave approximately 2.7 billion people without dependable vaccine access. In Sub-Saharan Africa, a significant portion of health facilities lack reliable power, undermining healthcare quality and vaccine efficacy. To mitigate these gaps, organizations like Gavi and UNICEF are deploying solar-powered refrigeration, while the World Bank provides financing for health system strengthening and cold chain equipment.

The report evaluates the extent to which gender considerations are embedded in national energy policies and the corporate practices of energy companies. It utilizes a scoring system to analyze female participation, economic empowerment, education, and labor rights across different income levels and energy sectors, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, and electrification.

SUMERNET PLUS is a transboundary programme running from July 2025 to December 2029, funded by 54 million SEK from the Swedish Government. It aims to link evidence-based research with policymakers and marginalized groups to improve climate resilience in the Mekong Region. The programme focuses on three key themes: nexus interactions and trade-offs among sectors like water and energy, building socio-ecological resilience, and supporting just sustainable transitions. To achieve these goals, it will provide 34 grants ranging from SEK 150,000 to 2,000,000, conduct capacity building for various stakeholders, and facilitate policy dialogues at regional forums such as the Mekong River Commission and ASEAN.

The Community Action Plan (CAP) for Wetlar Inn and Nar Myittar village focuses on preserving a 6.0 ha permanent swamp wetland in the Upper Chindwin Basin of Myanmar. The plan addresses threats such as deforestation, land use change, and biological resource overexploitation by implementing a community-led governance framework through Village Working Committees (VWC). Key strategies include the creation of conservation zones, the promotion of sustainable livelihoods like pig farming and groundnut cultivation to reduce dependence on wetland resources, and a comprehensive Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness (CEPA) programme. The plan includes a detailed monitoring framework to track water quality, biodiversity, and land use changes to ensure the long-term ecological integrity of the site.

The Community Action Plan (CAP) for Hman Pin village and Hman Pin inn aims to balance biodiversity conservation with local development in the Upper Chindwin Basin of Myanmar. The plan identifies high-priority threats to the 4-acre wetland, including gold mining, logging, and overfishing driven by cultural festivals. To mitigate these pressures, the CAP proposes a three-pronged approach: habitat conservation through the demarcation of zones and local regulations; the promotion of sustainable livelihoods such as groundnut cultivation, pig farming, and fish farming; and a Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness (CEPA) programme. Implementation is led by a Village Working Committee (VWC) with support from the Stockholm Environment Institute and other partners, utilizing a monitoring framework to track water quality, biodiversity, and land-use changes.

The Community Action Plan (CAP) for Maing Naung village focuses on the conservation of the Naung Taw and Naung Loam wetlands in the Upper Chindwin Basin, Myanmar. The plan addresses high-level threats such as mining, illegal fishing (electric shock and poisoning), and deforestation through a three-pronged approach: wetland habitat conservation, the promotion of sustainable livelihoods, and capacity building via Communication, Education, Participation and Public Awareness (CEPA) programs. Implementation is led by a Village Working Committee (VWC) with support from the Stockholm Environment Institute and other partners, utilizing a monitoring framework to track biodiversity, water quality, and socioeconomic impacts.

The report outlines a pathway for Lao PDR to reach net zero emissions by 2050, utilizing LEAP and NEMO modelling to compare a Baseline Scenario with a transformative Net Zero Scenario. Key findings highlight the necessity of diversifying the energy mix beyond hydropower, electrifying transport and cooking, and implementing carbon removal technologies. The analysis emphasizes that while hydropower remains dominant, the country must scale up solar, wind, and biomass to ensure resilience against climate-induced droughts. Achieving the target requires significant infrastructure upgrades, including grid modernization and the deployment of direct air capture (DAC) to offset residual industrial and agricultural emissions. The report also addresses critical economic challenges, such as high public debt and currency depreciation, and recommends strengthening regional cooperation through the ASEAN Power Grid and the APAEC framework.

The document identifies heatwaves, flooding, droughts, and tropical cyclones as primary threats to agriculture and water in the Greater Mekong Subregion, leading to crop failure and infrastructure damage. While National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) exist in various stages across the region, implementation is hindered by institutional fragmentation, knowledge gaps, and a lack of consistent financing. The brief recommends strengthening policy integration, improving knowledge dissemination, and diversifying financial instruments—including grants and inclusive insurance—to support vulnerable communities.

The document identifies a critical gap between national-level policy frameworks for climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk reduction (DRR) and their implementation at the community level in the Greater Mekong Subregion. It argues that while GMS countries have foundational laws and policies, these are often siloed, lacking consistent standards and decentralized finance. The report advocates for scaling up successful community-led models, improving the accessibility of climate finance for local actors, and integrating DRR and CCA into a single, cohesive approach to better serve vulnerable populations, including women and ethnic minorities.

The document identifies open-pit mining, climate change, deforestation, and agricultural expansion as the primary drivers of habitat loss and resource depletion in the Chindwin River Basin. It highlights five highly affected biodiversity areas, with Pauk Inn wetlands identified as the most vulnerable. Key institutional challenges include limited financial resources, data gaps, and a lack of public participation. The report recommends that the Chindwin River Basin Committee lead integrated water resources management and that the Sagaing regional government centralize conservation activities to improve coordination.

The document introduces the FIRE framework, which consists of six dimensions—fundamental rights and equality, non-discrimination, participation and access to information, governance systems and structures, agency and empowerment, and social norms and context—designed to guide decision-makers in integrating human rights and gender equality into disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate resilience (CR). It argues that social inequality is a key driver of vulnerability and that standard data collection, such as sex-, age- and disability-disaggregated (SADD) data, is insufficient on its own to understand the root causes of risk. The brief provides specific guidance on applying these principles to risk assessments, risk-informed development and land-use planning, and emergency preparedness and response, including early warning, evacuation, and camp management.

The document outlines a partnership between the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to explore how environmental stressors drive international labour migration in Asia and increase vulnerability to forced labour. It highlights that sectors such as agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and construction are both drivers of environmental destruction and sites of migrant exploitation. The project's second phase focuses on agricultural labour supply chains in specific corridors—Cambodia and Myanmar to Thailand, and Bangladesh and Indonesia to Malaysia—to inform policymakers and businesses on protecting migrant workers and maximizing migration as an adaptation strategy.

The Stockholm Environment Institute's Water Beyond Boundaries (WBB) initiative aims to evolve water planning beyond the traditional Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM) paradigm. WBB focuses on three pillars: extending management beyond the immediate watershed to include global resource flows, implementing multi-scale participatory tools to address social inequalities (including gender and poverty), and integrating ecosystem needs throughout the planning process. The initiative is being tested through pilot studies in the Mekong River basin and the Magdalena River Basin, while reflecting on previous work in California.

The document presents a series of supplemental tables mapping the climate change adaptation landscape in ASEAN countries. It identifies key decision-making bodies, such as Cambodia's National Climate Change Committee and Vietnam's National Committee of Climate Change, and lists guiding policies like the Thailand Climate Change Master Plan 2013–2050. The tables also catalogue agricultural research efforts, including the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change Agriculture and Food Security, and detail funding sources, noting a heavy reliance on external donors in countries like Cambodia and Myanmar, while highlighting specific financial constraints in Malaysia.

The Community Action Plan (CAP) for Tharyarkone village focuses on the conservation of the Naung Sa Pin/Naung Salein wetland, a permanent swamp of approximately 1.1 hectares in the Upper Chindwin Basin. The plan addresses high-level threats including mining, logging, and overfishing by promoting sustainable livelihood alternatives such as groundnut cultivation, pig farming, and fish farming. It outlines a governance structure led by a Village Working Committee (VWC) to implement habitat conservation, boundary demarcation, and a Communication, Education, Participation and Awareness (CEPA) program. The plan includes a monitoring framework to track water quality, biodiversity, and land-use changes to ensure the long-term ecological integrity of the wetland.

The document evaluates Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), identifying successful practices such as agroforestry, mangrove rehabilitation, and circular farming. It highlights significant policy gaps in water resources and disaster risk management (DRM), alongside barriers including poverty, tenure insecurity, and a preference for 'grey' infrastructure. The study emphasizes the need for cross-sectoral coordination, innovative financing like Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES), and the integration of local and indigenous knowledge to scale resilience.

The document assesses the Chindwin River Basin in Myanmar, highlighting the impacts of climate change, deforestation, and mining on water quality, biodiversity, and livelihoods. It details the transition of local communities from river-based to groundwater-based water use and argues for an integrated, bottom-up approach to water governance through the Chindwin River Basin Organization (RBO).

The Strategic Collaborative Fund Phase 2 (SCF2), implemented by SEI Asia and funded by Sida, operated from 2018 to 2023 to advance the 2030 Agenda in Asia. The programme focused on four components: inter-regional cooperation (ASEAN, China, and Europe), regional cooperation in Asia on transboundary issues, learning and capacity development via MOOCs, and programme management. Key achievements include the support of the China-ASEAN Environment Cooperation Forum and the Asia-Europe Environment Forum, the development of courses on human rights and gender equality, and the promotion of inclusive climate finance and nature-based solutions in South and Southeast Asian cities.

The SEI Environmental Strategy for Myanmar (2019-2028) establishes a ten-year framework to support Myanmar in meeting its commitments to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, and the Paris Agreement. The strategy is organized around four primary themes: water resources management and agriculture, gender, environment and development (GED), sustainable energy, and climate change, disasters and development. SEI aims to bridge science and policy through collaborative research, capacity building for state and non-state actors, and the deployment of decision-support tools. Key priorities include improving water security in the Central Dry Zone, promoting a just transition to low-carbon energy systems, and addressing gender-based inequalities in resource access and decision-making. The strategy emphasizes a partnership-led approach to foster institutional transformation and enhance community resilience against climate-induced disasters.