The United Nations Environment Programme warns that 11 million metric tons of plastics are dumped into the oceans annually and without urgent action, this amount could triple in the next 20 years.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic pummeled Southeast Asian economies, leading to major job losses across many sectors due to government lockdowns and movement restrictions in 2020, says a new report from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Program (CCESP) seeks to support the six countries of the GMS in realizing economic development that is environmentally sound and climate resilient.

This report explores how regional cooperation and integration (RCI) can be enhanced in Asia and the Pacific to help the region build back resiliently and sustainably from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

If the world wants to beat back the COVID-19 pandemic and ensure no one is left behind in the recovery, two issues thrown into sharp relief by the pandemic need attention: digitalization and regional cooperation.

This is the inaugural newsletter issue for the GMS Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability Program. It features the Inception Workshop and the key findings from the draft Inception Report as it awaits final approval from ADB. The newsletter also focuses on the recent UN conferences on biodiversity (COP15) and climate change (COP26), and how these relate to the CCESP and the GMS countries' respective goals.

This newsletter by the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP) presents the latest activities and developments in GMS agriculture cooperation. Read about how the ADB funded TA 9916 Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Program (SAFSP) has been designed to assist the GMS countries to tackle key climate change challenges to their agricultural sectors, the latest knowledge product on COVID-19 Food Security Response and Recovery Actions in the GMS, progress on harmonized FSQ standards, and more.

The ASEAN High-level Forum on Subregional Cooperation for Sustainable Development and Inclusive Growth initiated by the Government of Viet Nam on 30 November 2021 provided a platform for ASEAN Member States, subregional frameworks, external partners, international organizations, and the private sector to discuss opportunities and challenges in subregions in the ASEAN. The Forum held the following sessions: