The rapid growth in microplastic pollution research is influencing funding priorities, environmental policy, and public perceptions of risks to water quality and environmental and human health. Ensuring that environmental microplastics research data are findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) is essential to inform policy and...
As in many developing countries, waste management is one of the greatest challenges faced by the Maldives. The limited or unavailbility of waste collection services, proper treatment, and disposal systems on the islands often results in dumping household waste on the beach, ocean, and forests and also open burning of waste. These activities are...
Agricultural certification schemes are increasingly requiring concession holders to prevent deforestation when they develop plantations but do not sufficiently address forest restoration, which is necessary to prevent further biodiversity loss. This policy brief recommends, by focusing on palm oil, that agricultural certification schemes strengthen...
CONSERVATION, RESTORATION AND management of forest resources are critical for addressing climate change. Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are a vehicle for targeted climate actions, including those related to forest management, by countries towards contributing global efforts agreed under the Paris Agreement. Operationalizing climate...
This mini review describes the current status and challenges regarding institutionalisation of wastewater surveillance systems against COVID-19. Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater has been proposed to be a potential tool to understand the actual prevalence of COVID-19 in the community, and it could be an effective approach to monitor the trend...
This article argues that the environment was extensively incorporated into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with broad and ambitious targets, reflecting environmental concerns throughout the SDGs. Many environment‐related targets – including some of the most important ones – were placed under ‘non‐environmental’ goals. The SDGs also...
In the beginning of the biofuel boom in the late 2000s, there were high expectations
in many Asian countries that biofuels could enhance energy security, provide jobs,
and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There were hopes that biofuels could
be produced and consumed on a large scale and high expectations of significant
biofue...
This report was prepared for the Asia EIA Conference 2016 organised on 10 May by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ). The conference was held under the theme of enhancing EIA as a sustainable development planning tool in Asia in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and in cooperation with the US Environmental Protection...
Research on short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) has been based more on air pollution and energy models than how existing policies affect the model’s recommended actions. This article analyses how Thailand’s policies influenced attempts to control a critical source of SLCPs: open burning. In 2012, Thailand’s Pollution Control Department (PCD) led...
As an invited presentation, this document gives a summary about regulation and management system for air pollution and control in China. Actions taken for air pollution control since 2013 are elaborated and the achievements in air quality improvement are summarised. Experiences, challenges and the way forward are also shared for discussing the...