Publications

Lakes are critical resources that support the ecological balance and provide essential services for human and environmental well-being. However, their quality is being increasingly threatened by both natural and anthropogenic processes. This study aimed to assess the water quality and the presence of heavy metals in 15 lakes in the Vidarbha and...

This policy brief examines the implications for ASEAN Member States (AMS) of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and suggests an overall direction for responses. The EU’s CBAM aims to minimize carbon leakage and the loss of the EU’s trade competitiveness due to its more ambitious climate mitigation policies, particularly...

Net primary productivity (NPP) reflects the carbon sequestration capacity of terrestrial ecosystems, serving as a crucial indicator of ecosystem health. Arid and semiarid regions, which are ecologically fragile, respond strongly to climate change and human activities, necessitating adequate NPP monitoring. However, large-scale NPP studies for...

The National Climate Policy-GST Alignment Checklist is desgined to assist countries or other stakeholders in assessing the extent of alignment between national climate policies and the outcomes of the first global stocktake (GST1) under the Paris Agreement. These policies includes Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation...

Climate change is profoundly impacting snow-dependent regions, altering hydrological cycles and threatening water security. This study examines the relationships between snow water equivalent (SWE), snow cover, temperature, and wind speed in Jammu and Kashmir, India, over five decades (1974–2024). Using ERA5 reanalysis and Indian Meteorological...

Open waste burning (OWB) is a prevalent waste management practice in many parts of Asia, contributing significantly to air pollution and undermining efforts towards climate mitigation. This paper examines the nexus of waste management, pollution control, and health while providing policy recommendations to address policy gaps and implementation...

In the final quarter of 2024 four major environment meetings were convened. These included the “triple COP” – separate meetings of the 16 th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP-16), the 29 th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP-29), and the 16 th...

This assessment explored the extent to which Timor-Leste’s nationally determined contribution (NDC) and national adaptation plan (NAP) align with the outcomes of the first global stocktake (GST), using a systematic review based on a structured checklist. The alignment between the NDC and GST outcomes on mitigation was limited, as Timor-Leste’s NDC...

Main Messages This briefing note identifies factors which may reduce some of the negative impacts of the Trump Administration’s expected efforts to undermine climate policies as well as a few potential areas for positive bipartisan climate cooperation. Policies based on laws, such as the climate initiatives in the Inflation Reduction Act, will be...

Although water is a vital finite resource for sustaining life, it is under constant pressure from anthropogenic activities. Among the different types of surface water, lakes are particularly difficult to restore once water quality deteriorates due to their hydrological cycles and complex dynamics. This study compares policy implementation and its...