COBAM aims to provide policymakers, practitioners and local communities with the information, analysis and tools they need to implement policies and projects for adaptation to climate change and reduction of carbon emissions in the forests of the Congo Basin, with equitable impacts and co-benefits – including poverty reduction, enhancement of ecosystem services, and protection of local livelihoods and rights.  COBAM is implemented by CIFOR under the African Development Bank grant to the Economic Community of Central African States for financing the Congo Basin Ecosystems Conservation Support Program.

Visit the website: http://www.cifor.org/cobam

The small-scale farmers in Bolivia’s arid regions are very vulnerable to climate change. To meet the farmers’ needs and teach them new agricultural methods, the local authorities need to develop their capacity. This will be done through the threeyear project PROAGRO 2.

Read more: http://www.sida.se/English/Countries-and-regions/Latin-America/Bolivia/P...

The objective of the Coastal Resource for Sustainable Development Project (CRSDP) is to improve the sustainable management of coastal fisheries in selected coastal provinces of Vietnam. Negative impacts include: dust generation/air pollution, noise and vibration, water pollution, solid waste, chemical or hazardous waste, traffic management, and workers safety.

Read more: http://go.worldbank.org/DWXYUH05L0

The objective of the Effective Management of the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve Project for Malawi is to ensure effective management of the Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve through a sustainable management model focusing on its Bua watershed area. The project aims to develop and apply a new management approach with the involvement of border communities, public sector, private sector and civil society that focuses on strengthening national Protected Area (PA) management capacity.

Read more: http://go.worldbank.org/DIT36O26L0

The development objective of the Jakarta Urgent Flood Mitigation Project is to contribute to the improvement of the operations and maintenance of a priority part of the flood management system in Jakarta. Negative impacts includes: air quality, noise pollution, water quality, waste management, medical waste, and direct or indirect hazards to public traffic and pedestrians by construction activities.

Read more: http://go.worldbank.org/IBCDQ018P0

The project development objective is to enhance adaptation to climate change in agriculture and irrigation water management practices through awareness-raising, institutional and capacity strengthening, and demonstration activities in the 3H basin. The reallocation is necessary to adjust for the appreciation of the Chinese currency over the US dollar since the time of project effectiveness, and to shift resources away from slow progressing activities towards faster moving activities.

Read more: http://www.worldbank.org/projects/documents/2011/10/15532080/china-mains...

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is investing $60 million to help set up three venture capital funds dedicated to nurturing new climate change technologies. The funds will primarily target the markets of the People's Republic of China (PRC) and India, which are actively promoting clean energy and sustainable technologies.

"Climate change will hit Asia hard in coming decades. Investing in these venture capital funds will help channel finance into innovative and affordable technologies that tackle the challenge of climate change in ways that are suited to developing Asia," said Philip Erquiaga, Director General of ADB's Private Sector Operations Department.

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One of the world's most diverse and threatened marine ecosystems - the Coral Triangle - is getting Asian Development Bank (ADB) support to improve management of its rich resources and to provide job alternatives for people living in the coastal communities.

ADB has approved assistance of around $12 million for the Coastal and Marine Resources Management Project. It includes a $1 million grant from ADB's concessional Technical Assistance Special Fund, and $11.2 million in cofinancing from the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines will provide $3 million in non-cash contributions.

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ADB

Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the Asian Development Bank today signed a loan worth $57.3 million to reduce power shortages in urban areas. The Secretary for the Department of Treasury, Simon Tosali, Chief Executive Officer of PNG Power Limited Tony Koiri, and Officer-in-Charge of the Asian Development Bank's (ADB) Papua New Guinea Resident Mission Allan Lee signed the loan.

The signing ceremony was held at PNG Power's headquarters in Port Moresby. Julianna Kubak, Acting Deputy Secretary-Policy, Department of National Planning and Monitoring, was Master of Ceremonies for the event.

ADB's loan to the state power utility, PNG Power Ltd, will fund renewable energy facilities, including run-of-the-river hydropower plant and transmission systems in urban centers in PNG. Only about 10% of PNG's population of 6.5 million has access to grid power, which is largely confined to urban areas. Some provinces suffer regular outages, adversely affecting businesses and industry.

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The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide up to $150 million in credit guarantees to help India scale up its use of solar power as a major renewable energy source.

The guarantees will be available to local and foreign commercial banks that finance private sector solar power plants in the country and will cover 50% of the payment default risk on bank loans made to project developers. The guarantees will help mobilize long-term funding for solar energy development and support the Government of India's push to diversify its energy mix away from a heavy reliance on fossil fuels to lower-carbon, renewable sources.

"Solar energy is ideally suited to India because it has available land with strong sunlight. Solar plants are easy to install, even in remote communities that currently have no other access to energy, suit small-scale demand, and are relatively cheap to operate and maintain," said Philip Erquiaga, Director General of ADB's Private Sector Operations Department. "In a world of depleting fossil fuels, solar energy is a long-term, sustainable solution to India's energy needs and security."

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ADB