Food, Water and Livelihoods in Pacific Islands under Increasing Threat from Climate Change

Invasive Species, Waste, and Extreme Weather Events among Key Challenges

Doha (Qatar), 4 December 2012 – Island communities in the Pacific Ocean are facing unprecedented challenges to their economies and environment from the impacts of climate change, according to a new report released at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Doha, Qatar.

New Roll Back Malaria report highlights malaria burden in Asia-Pacific

Australia urges accelerated action against malaria in the region

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

During the 10th replenishment of the Asian Development Fund (ADF XI), the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and ADF donors agreed to pilot the Disaster Response Facility (DRF) in the ADF XI period, 2013–2016. ADB will report on the implementation progress of the DRF at the ADF XI midterm review, and discuss the future of the DRF with the ADB Board of Directors and ADF donors at the ADF XII negotiations.

Public Health Strategies Needed in Treaty to Address Toxic Threat

(Punta del Este, June 25, 2012) – Negotiations for an international treaty to limit the use of mercury should seek to protect the health rights of artisanal gold mining communities, Human Rights Watch said today, in advance of a new round of meetings on the treaty in Uruguay. The meetings are scheduled for June 27 to July 2, 2012, under the purview of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Governments plan to adopt the treaty in late 2013.

Six million more to go hungry because of global economic crisis, Save the Children says

Six million more people will go hungry as a result of the global economic crisis Save the Children revealed today as leaders prepared to meet at the G20 conference in Mexico. With the developed world’s finances in turmoil, the charity says the knock-on effects are stretching far beyond Europe’s borders, hitting the most vulnerable families in poorer countries hard.

Pacific Islands: Acting Today for Tomorrow will Save Lives and Reduce Economic Losses

Contact:

In Sydney:
Aleta Moriarty + 61 2 9235 6545, amoriarty@worldbank.org Laura Keenan, +61 2 9235 6547, lkeenan@worldbank.org

World Bank report looks at Building Climate and Disaster Resilience in One of World’s Most Vulnerable Regions

Progress made since the 2008 Office of Development Effectiveness report

Mary Ellsberg, Brian Heilman, Sophie Namy, Manuel Contreras, Robin Hayes

2012

This report builds on an earlier report published in 2008 by the Office of Development Effectiveness (ODE) of AusAID that assessed current approaches to addressing violence against women and girls in five of Australia’s partner countries: Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Timor-Leste.

BANGKOK, THAILAND – Climate change will cause an upward surge in migration this century, and governments in disaster-prone Asia-Pacific nations must promptly enact a broad range of measures to stave off future humanitarian crises, according to a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report released today.

Climate Change in the Pacific is a rigorously researched, peer-reviewed scientific assessment of the climate of the western Pacific region. Building on the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, this two volume publication represents a comprehensive resource on the climate of the Pacific.

Introduction and Background