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This SEI briefing synthesizes research from 2011-2014 on the expansion of the oil palm and biofuels industry in Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It finds that while governments promote these industries for energy security and poverty reduction, the actual benefits to local communities are often skewed or unsubstantiated. Key issues identified include unclear land tenure leading to disputes, the vulnerability of small-scale producers who struggle with certification and market access, and systemic failures in the implementation of environmental laws and dispute resolution mechanisms. The report argues that investments often precede inclusive development planning and recommends prioritizing 'upstream' social and economic planning to ensure sustainable outcomes.

This policy brief recommends that the Chiang Mai Municipality implement a two-phase Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) bicycle route project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector and create local employment. Based on a GHG inventory and tourist surveys, the proposal suggests starting with a 607-meter route at Three Kings Monument Square before expanding to a 6,000-meter route around the city moat.

This policy brief discusses the integration of community-based participatory carbon measurement and monitoring with satellite remote sensing and GIS within Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) systems for REDD+ and agroforestry carbon sequestration activities, focusing on Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam.

A 2011 inventory of greenhouse gas emissions from tourism in Chiang Mai, Thailand, found total emissions of 4,417,510 tons of CO2 equivalent, with travel as the dominant source (4,228,702 tons). Large hotels, restaurants, and local transportation were identified as the top three business contributors to these emissions.

This report provides a general introduction to Hue City, Vietnam, and presents an inventory of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from tourism-related activities in 2011, based on data collected from fifty tourism-engaged entities.

This report reviews Myanmar's investment treaty landscape as of June 2014, analyzing the legal implications of its bilateral investment treaties (BITs) and agreements negotiated through ASEAN. It highlights significant variations in drafting and provisions across these treaties, which increase the complexity of government compliance and the risk of costly investor-state arbitration claims.

This case study describes the implementation of a non-motorised transport (NMT) system in Chiang Mai, Thailand, as a strategy to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and address the environmental strains caused by rapid urban growth and tourism.

This case study examines the 'Sustainable Urban Tourism through Low Carbon Initiatives' project in Hue, Vietnam, which aimed to reduce the carbon footprint of the city's tourism sector while promoting local economic development. The initiative identified the promotion of traditional 'garden houses' as a primary strategy for climate mitigation and job creation, leveraging their role as carbon sinks and their ability to support non-motorised transport.

This research paper, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) in April 2014, examines strategies for implementing climate compatible development at the subnational level (cities, districts, and provinces) across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It identifies specific challenges, such as scientific uncertainty and limited resources, and highlights opportunities for local innovation and the use of indigenous knowledge. The paper provides a framework of effective strategies, including the use of knowledge partnerships and participatory processes, and discusses the necessity of scaling these local successes up to national levels and out to other jurisdictions to achieve global transformational change.

This report summarizes the outcomes of the SDplanNet-Asia Pacific Regional Workshop Series held in Nairobi, Kenya, in April 2014. It analyzes existing governance practices for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region, identifies gaps in vertical and horizontal integration, and proposes a capacity-building agenda for 2014–2015 to help national and subnational planners implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

An open letter from a coalition of social movements, NGOs, and activists to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, urging a revision of the official definition of 'forests' to better reflect the biological diversity and the needs of forest-dependent communities.

This informational brochure examines the development of nanotechnology in the Asia-Pacific region, noting that while countries like China, Japan, and South Korea have invested heavily in the sector, there is a critical lack of funding for evaluating health and environmental risks. Consequently, nanoproducts are entering the market unregulated and unlabeled, despite the technology's promotion as a solution for regional challenges such as energy diversification and disease treatment.

This guidebook, produced by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN BAC), provides practical guidance for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to utilize free trade agreements (FTAs) within and outside the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). It details the mechanisms of internal agreements like the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATiGA) and external partnerships with China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia, and New Zealand, while providing country-specific export procedures and support facilities for ASEAN member states.

This research synthesis brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) outlines the organization's work on climate change adaptation and vulnerability. It emphasizes that vulnerability is primarily driven by socioeconomic and political conditions rather than climate exposure alone, and argues that adaptation and development are inextricably linked. The document details SEI's technical support, capacity-building initiatives like weADAPT, and regional projects across Asia and the Nordic countries, while highlighting the inherent limits of adaptation.

This research synthesis brief from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) examines the challenges of managing chemicals for sustainable development, focusing on the gap in chemical safety between developed and developing nations, the role of international agreements like SAICM, and the need for new hazard assessments to address planetary boundary threats.

This report by the Center for International Environmental Law provides an overview of cases from 2013 involving the harassment, criminalization, and killing of land and environmental rights defenders globally. It highlights the systemic risks faced by individuals opposing extractive industries, large-scale development projects, and land grabbing, noting that these defenders are often targeted by both state forces and non-state actors, including corporations.

This research paper by GreenCape examines the use of Performance-Based Contracts (PBCs) to reduce Non-Revenue Water (NRW), drawing on international experiences from countries such as Brazil, Malaysia, Thailand, and Ireland. It outlines the technical, financial, and managerial challenges of NRW reduction and provides guidance on scoping, risk-reward balancing, and ensuring the sustainability of water savings for public utilities, with a particular focus on the South African context.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues that fossil-fuel subsidy reform is a ready-to-deploy measure that can help UNFCCC Parties increase pre-2020 mitigation ambition to limit global temperature rise to 2°C. It provides specific recommendations for Parties to integrate subsidy reform into UNFCCC workstreams, national actions, and reporting mechanisms.

Friends of the Earth Asia Pacific (FoE APac) expresses concern that the South Korean government is promoting the 'Four Rivers Project' model for a similar water management contract in Thailand, despite the project's ecological damage and the suppression of critical civil society voices in Korea.

This case study describes Thailand's 'Low Carbon City' initiative, a systematic approach developed by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization (TGO) to help local governments reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It focuses on the pilot implementation in Muangklang Municipality, detailing the nine-step process used to identify emission sources, set voluntary reduction targets, and implement mitigation measures across sectors such as waste, transport, and agriculture.