What does Sustainable Development mean in an unequal world?

Reflections from the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development 

New study shows over a third of protected areas in Asia are severely at risk of losing tigers

Southeast Asia more likely to lose tigers than South or East Asia, it says

ILO says economic growth leads to longer working hours in Asia

‘Sundarbans is no dumping ground for rejected technology’

The Rampal power plant threatens the biological wealth of Sundarbans as well as the economy of people of Bangladesh and will render the coastline …

Bird flu outbreak in Bangladesh; two separate cases reported

More than 700 Sonali breed birds died after highly contagious H5N1 virus was discovered near Dhaka

Big earthquake could hit Bangladesh, northeast India

Tremendous strain is building up due to plate convergence under Bangladesh, says a new paper. A single big rupture could cause a magnitude 9 quake

Overcoming poverty

Khar’s experimentation with Himalayan nettle brings recognition

Himalayan nettle, a fibre-yielding plant, has become an important livelihood option for people living in the remote mountainous villages of the …

The revenge of the boar

The wild pig can be a danger to humans, as some very special ones in northern Iraq found recently

Asia witnessed 63 per cent jump in e-waste generation in five years

A UN study revealed that most of these countries lack the infrastructure to recycle e-waste safely and cleanly

10 disturbing trends for Asia and the Pacific

The region is ageing rapidly, has the largest number of threatened species and more

Rodent menace

The plague of Samar Island

UNITED NATIONS

Larger spleen helps Indonesia’s Bajau people demonstrate extraordinary diving skills

They are the first humans to have genetically adapted to have larger spleens which help them dive deeper and for longer periods

Never too late to learn

Vernacular comics, literary primers, a newsletter called Leaves: that's the way to teach those in Asia who've never had the chance

Will Human Rights turn around in 2019?

Crackdowns on the Right to Freedom of Expression intensified in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Only the Maldives shone …

2018 was an Annus horribilis for human rights in South Asia

Crackdowns on the Right to Freedom of Expression intensified in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka. Only the Maldives shone …

Spurt in tourism spelling disaster for beaches in Sri Lanka

While the government sets a target of 2.5 million tourists in 2016, it is yet to focus on preventing beaches from becoming a dump yard

World awakes to new danger: use of water as weapon of war

Using water as a weapon to weaken people is a tactic used in Syria, other countries of West Asia and Africa

World's poor mostly reside in ecologically fragile areas

Looking at how poverty has reduced and where, it is clear that economic growth alone will not lead to poverty eradication. Global efforts must …

Artemisinin-resistant malaria parasites can infect African mosquitoes, says study

This could have dreadful consequences for Africa, a continent vulnerable to malaria

Indigenous or not: the Uyghurs and their claim to Xinjiang

The Chinese narrative of Uyghur history shows that China has made sustained efforts to keep Xinjiang within its orbit, which has geopolitical, …

Horses caused the ethnic makeup of Eurasia to change: Studies

The Hunnic and Mongol invasions caused people in the region to transform from Indo-European to Turkic speakers

Sweet rediscovery

A staple for many Asian and African nations, sweet potato is only now beginning to catch the attention of scientists

Societies and sustainability

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: VOICES FROM RURAL ASIA (VOL 172) Edited by Paul Mc Grath Publisher Studio Driya Media & CUSO