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The study finds that rural-urban migration itself does not cause urban violence. Instead, lethal urban political violence is associated with the socioeconomic marginalization of rural-urban migrants—specifically relative deprivation in terms of household assets and access to public services—as well as unequal access to education within the city population.

The document examines the peace process in Myanmar from the perspectives of the government, the Army, non-state armed groups (NSAGs), and civil society. It identifies the current reform period under President Thein Sein as a critical window of opportunity but warns that the process is fragile due to a lack of trust in the Myanmar Army and the continuation of conflict in northern regions. The author argues for a 'deepening' of the process to include conflict-affected communities and a 'broadening' to address structural political issues rather than just security ceasefires. The paper concludes by proposing a 'framework agreement' to facilitate multilateral discussions on constitutional reform, land rights, and resource management.

This policy brief examines the impact of Chinese investments in Tanzania's plastic recycling industry and the subsequent effects of China's 2018 import ban on waste materials. It highlights how Chinese firms have facilitated technology transfer and local business growth, while also noting significant environmental and health risks and a potential decline in local waste sourcing due to the import of cleaner waste from Europe and the US.

The document examines South Africa's attempt to frame its economic and trade policies within the concept of a 'developmental state,' drawing comparisons with the 'Asian Tigers.' It argues that South Africa's unique socio-political context—specifically its status as a pluralistic democracy and the legacy of apartheid—makes the direct transplantation of authoritarian Asian models impossible. The author highlights tensions within the ruling ANC alliance between pro-poor transformative goals and the need for market-oriented growth and foreign investment. The paper traces the evolution of economic strategy from the early 1990s macroeconomic stabilization (GEAR) to a more recent focus on micro-economic efficiency and industrial policy (ASGI-SA and NIPF). It concludes that South Africa must develop a unique model that combines development with democracy, focusing on human capital, infrastructure, and a professionalized bureaucracy rather than a state-centric, authoritarian approach.

The report identifies significant energy efficiency opportunities in Thailand's dairy cold chain, particularly in pasteurised milk processing, where best practices could save up to 30% of energy. It highlights that refrigerated transport consumes over 19 million litres of diesel annually and suggests transitioning to electric trucks and optimising load weights. Additionally, ice-making for non-refrigerated distribution presents a 37% energy saving potential. While some facilities have adopted solar PV, the report notes that cold chain data remains fragmented, hindering systematic planning and monitoring.

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.

The document outlines a regional capacity gap assessment across Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal, and Thailand, identifying critical needs in international finance mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation, and GESI principles to guide future capacity development.

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 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 project established a demonstration area in Guilin, China, to test climate-smart water technologies against traditional flooding irrigation. By implementing a "thin, shallow, wet, and dry" irrigation mode supported by intelligent monitoring and control devices, the project reduced irrigation water quotas from 390mm/mu to 351mm/mu while increasing late rice yields from 418kg/mu to 437kg/mu. Key technologies deployed include intelligent water level gauges, soil moisture monitors, and integrated gates for measurement and control to enable precise water resource management under climate change.

The EU-UNDP Low Emission Capacity Building Programme is a collaborative initiative funded by the European Commission and the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety. It aims to strengthen the institutional and technical capacities of developing countries to transition toward low-emission, climate-resilient pathways by supporting the development of GHG inventories, Low-Emission Development Strategies (LEDS), and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs).

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.

This report details an interdisciplinary Environmental Flows (E-Flows) assessment of the Nam Songkhram River Basin in Northeast Thailand. The study examines the critical relationship between the Mekong River mainstream and the Nam Songkhram floodplain, emphasizing how the annual 'flood pulse' sustains high aquatic biodiversity and local livelihoods. The findings highlight a transition from natural wetland habitats to simplified ecosystems dominated by agricultural land and industrial tree plantations, specifically eucalyptus. The report argues that upstream flood control infrastructure is largely futile due to the dominance of the Mekong's hydrology and recommends a holistic, multi-stakeholder approach to basin management to prevent further ecological collapse.

The SEI strategy 2025–29 focuses on three impact areas: climate transitions, nature and resources, and health and wellbeing. It introduces 'accelerating implementation' as a new strategic outcome to move faster on global goals. The institute aims to pursue innovative research on emerging topics such as critical raw materials, the sustainability of AI, and the intersection of climate transitions and international security, while strengthening its global integration as 'One SEI'.

Thailand is promoting a bioeconomy to escape the middle-income trap and reduce social inequality, focusing heavily on the industrial processing of sugarcane and cassava into high-value products and biofuels. While integrated into national strategies like Thailand 4.0 and the 20-year National Strategy, the transition faces significant hurdles, including land and water scarcity, low wages for sugarcane workers, and environmental pollution from field burning.

SEI Asia employs a multi-channel strategic communication approach to bridge the gap between science and policy. By utilizing diverse tools—including podcasts, documentary films, online courses, and media grants—the organization aims to make complex scientific findings accessible to policymakers, media, and marginalized communities. Their efforts focus on fostering inclusive dialogue and enhancing the capacity of early-career journalists to report on environmental issues such as climate change and water insecurity.