By Paula Uniacke and Aditya Pillai

The Asia Foundation’s Paula Uniacke and Aditya Pillai participated in Global Climate Action Summit events across San Francisco in September. Among Foundation programs they discussed are ones that improve resilience to extreme weather events.

by Michael Digregorio, Nguyen Tri Thanh and Le Quang Trung

Executive Summary

By Michael R. DiGregorio

The violent storms that swept over the Philippines, China, and the southeastern U.S. seaboard earlier this month were a harrowing preview of extreme weather events that are likely to become more common as the 21st century unfolds. Cities in the paths of the storms lost power, water, and communications. Transportation networks were blocked. Homes and businesses were destroyed. Many who were affected by the storms may have to abandon their previous lives.

September 10, 2018 — This week, Alistair Burt, the Minister of State for the Middle East at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, UK, announced Smart Peace, a new four-year, £12 million ($15.6 million USD) program which will deliver innovative conflict resolution programming.

The Smart Peace program combines the expertise of consortium members to address the challenges of building sustainable peace in some of world’s most fragile states. Smart Peace is funded through the Department for International Development’s UK Aid Connect award.

By Derin Henderson

In July, Lao PDR experienced significant increases in water levels due to heavy rains from the southwest monsoon. The adverse effects were exacerbated by Tropical Storm Son-Tinh, which blew through several provinces in the south on July 18. The tropical storm damaged one of seven dams in a large hydroelectric network along the Xe-Pian River, in Attapeu Province.