Publications

Microplastic pollution poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems, with land-based activities being the primary source. Wastewater treatment plants (STPs) and river systems act as key pathways, concentrating and transporting these plastics from urban areas to the sea. This presentation establishes a direct link between these sources and their...

Microplastic pollution poses a significant threat to marine ecosystems, with land-based activities being the primary source. Wastewater treatment plants (STPs) and river systems act as key pathways, concentrating and transporting these plastics from urban areas to the sea. This presentation establishes a direct link between these sources and their...

This presentation outlines an initiative applying behavioral insights (BI) to reduce single-use plastics (SUPs) across the Asia-Pacific region. Phase I (2022-2024) implemented pilot projects in Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Departing from traditional "rational choice" theories, the project utilized the "Levers of Behaviour...

This paper examines the interplay between pro-growth and smart shrinkage planning approaches to persistent population decline in three small-sized Japanese municipalities: Yubari, Hokkaido; Suzu, Ishikawa Prefecture; and Manazuru, Kanagawa Prefecture. To articulate the extent to which shrinking cities deviate from historically normative pro-growth...

Solar energy systems, either land- or water-based, have a huge potential for net-zero transition and generate multiple co-benefits despite the possible risks of not being designed or installed properly. Existing literature has revealed both positive and negative impacts of solar photovoltaic (PV) from the viewpoints of engineering design, energy...

Tropical peatlands in Indonesia are increasingly degraded by conventional oil palm practices involving drainage and chemical fertilizers. This study evaluates AeroHydro Culture (AHC), a method applying microbe-enriched organic media aboveground, as a sustainable alternative that maintains high groundwater levels while supporting plant productivity...

This study examines the water-energy-food nexus (WEFN) at the household level in rural Zimbabwe, focusing on how sugarcane farming affects local communities’ access to and management of essential resources. The research addresses a critical knowledge gap in understanding household-level WEFN dynamics in developing countries, where resource...

Forest fires are integral to forest ecosystems as they influence nutrient cycling, plant regeneration, tree density, and biodiversity. However, human-induced climate change and activities have made forest fires more frequent, more intense, and more widespread, exacerbating their ecological and socioeconomic impact. Forest fires shape Tamil Nadu's...

Many deindustrialised cities pivoted to services and tech, but Kitakyushu, Japan, took another path. Spurred by women-led “blue skies” activism, it leveraged its manufacturing heritage and pollution-control know-how to build a green industrial economy. The case shows how cities can turn crisis into advantage by building on local strengths and...

The Asia-Pacific region stands at the forefront of climate vulnerability, grappling with complex risks such as sea-level rise and extreme weather events that disproportionately impact its communities. Despite the urgent need for action, developing countries in the region often face significant capacity gaps in navigating the intricate processes...