The ASEAN Infrastructure Fund will finance the development of road, rail, power, water and other critical infrastructure needs, which are estimated at about $60 billion a year.

“This is a watershed moment for ASEAN nations working together to finance infrastructure projects that will boost trade, foster economic growth and create more job opportunities for the half a billion people who call ASEAN home,” said Rajat Nag, Managing Director General of ADB.

ASEAN member countries and ADB have provided initial equity of $485 million for the AIF. The Fund will be domiciled in Malaysia.

ADB will provide additional co-financing for every AIF project. ADB will also administer the Fund.

The ASEAN Infrastructure Fund will finance approximately six projects a year, with a $75 million lending cap per project. Criteria for investments include their potential to cut poverty, increase trade and bolster investment.

The ASEAN Infrastructure Fund’s total lending commitment through 2020 is anticipated to be approximately $4 billion which, with co-financing by ADB and other financiers, could be leveraged to more than $13 billion.

One unique feature of the Fund is that it plans to issue debt, which is designed to target the use of the region’s foreign exchange reserves in the future. With ASEAN countries holding over $700 billion in reserves, the Fund could offer an avenue for recycling the region’s resources for its growing infrastructure requirements.

Source: http://www.adb.org/news/asean-launches-biggest-ever-fund-meet-critical-infrastructure-needs

“Asia is at a crossroads. The region’s rapid economic growth has often come with concerns over environmental degradation. We are increasingly using resources at the cost of environment,” ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda said in opening remarks at the Climate Change and Green Asia seminar. “Unless we change, the hard-won gains in reducing poverty and improving the quality of life for Asian people could be reversed.”

According to an ADB and Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) study, which was presented at the seminar, regional governments must create a carbon market, phase out pervasive fossil fuel subsidies, and establish an Asian free-trade zone for high-impact, low-carbon technologies and services to promote green growth in Asia. The study notes that actions taken by Asia so far have been impressive, replicable, and could be up-scaled.

Low-carbon growth is not just about climate change mitigation, the study says. It also makes economic sense as green infrastructure development opens vast new business opportunities, while steering nations away from dependence on the highly volatile fossil fuel market. It is estimated that Asia and the Pacific will need more than $6 trillion worth of investments in new energy infrastructure by 2030.

“The low-carbon development agenda needs to expand beyond energy to cover all sectors,” said ADBI Dean Masahiro Kawai. “Innovation at the economy-wide level holds the key for developing Asia to decouple future economic growth from high carbon emissions and a high rate of resource use.”

The countries of Asia and the Pacific have been the world’s largest resource users since the mid-1990s, and if current trends continue, their CO2 emissions are likely to more than triple by 2050, putting an unbearable strain on the earth’s ecosystems. The problem is urgent; there is a risk that infrastructure built in the next few years will commit Asia to a long-term future of high greenhouse gas emissions, if it follows past development patterns.

Leveraging and catalyzing low-carbon financing also requires special attention, seminar participants heard. Developing countries need to create an appropriate policy and legal environment to attract more private sector participation, while international development institutions should promote the use of risk-mitigating products such as political risk and credit risk guarantees to encourage private sector investment in low-carbon infrastructure.

Speakers at the seminar included Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; Professor Jeffery Sachs, Director of The Earth Institute, Columbia University; Emil Salim, former Minister of Environment of Indonesia; and Bindu N. Lohani, ADB Vice President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development.

Source: http://www.adb.org/news/time-running-out-low-carbon-growth-asia-adb-seminar

“King Abdullah inaugurated in Mecca the start of the expansion… which is the largest of all previous expansions combined,” SPA said.

It did not say how much it will cost to add 400,000 square metres to the mosque’s area or how long the project will take.

The Grand Mosque is the main attraction for over 6 million pilgrims who enter Mecca each year and is the focal point for a transformation is modernising one of the oldest cities in the region with high-rise skyscrapers and residential blocks.

The mosque is built around the Kaaba shrine, which existed centuries before Islam emerged over 1,400 years ago. Muslims around the world turn towards it for daily prayers.

The expansion project will include pedestrian bridges as well as more shaded space to protect worshippers from the sun.

Saudi Arabia has invested billions of dollars in recent years in safety and comfort for the millions of pilgrims who flock to Mecca to fulfil their religious duties of Haj and Umra.

A new railway, costing $1.8bn, was launched last year to link the holy sites around Mecca to ease pilgrim transport.

Another project, the high-speed Haramain Railway, will link the holy cities of Mecca and Medina to the Red Sea port of Jeddah, an entry point for millions of pilgrims, to relieve road congestion.

The Saudi Railway Organization is studying bids for the second and final phase of the Haramain Railway project, which includes the construction of tracks and installation of signal systems, as well as the procurement of rolling stock.

The announcement of the winning bidder is expected by October and negotiations are under way with a consortium that includes Spanish firms, pan-Arab Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported on Saturday, quoting unnamed sources.

The paper also said one consortium, which it did not identify, had bid SR46.8bn ($12.5bn).

Source: http://www.arabianbusiness.com August 20, 2011

Recognizing the lack of uniformity and complete compaction of concrete by vibration, researchers at the University of Tokyo, Japan, started out in late 1980’s to develop SCC. By the early 1990’s, Japan has developed and used SCC that does not require vibration to achieve full compaction. More and more applications of SCC in construction have been reported in Japan as shown in Fig. 1. As of the year 2000, the amount of SCC used for prefabricated products (precast members) and ready-mixed concrete (cast-in-place) in Japan was about 400,000 m3.
SCC offers many advantages for the precast, prestressed concrete industry and for cast-in-place construction:
Low noise-level in the plants and construction sites.
Eliminated problems associated with vibration.
Less labor involved.
Faster construction.
Improved quality and durability.
Higher strength.

Several European countries were interested in exploring the significance and potentials of SCC developed in Japan. These European countries formed a large consortium in 1996 to embark on a project aimed at developing SCC for practical applications in Europe. The title of the project is “Rational Production and Improved Working Environment through using Self-compacting Concrete.” In the last six years, a number of SCC bridges, walls and tunnel linings have been constructed in Europe.

In the United States, SCC is beginning to gain interest, especially by the precast concrete industry and admixture manufacturers. The precast concrete industry is beginning to apply the technology to commercial projects when specifications permit. The applications range from architectural concrete to complex private bridges.

Developing SCC Mixes

SCC mixes must meet three key properties:
Ability to flow into and completely fill intricate and complex forms under its own weight.
Ability to pass through and bond to congested reinforcement under its own weight.
High resistance to aggregate segregation.

The SCC mixes are designed and tested to meet the demands of the projects. For example, the mix for mass concrete is designed for pumping and depositing at a fairly high rate. SCC was used in the construction of the anchorages of the Akashi-Kaikyo Suspension Bridge. The SCC was mixed at a batch plant at the job site and pumped through a piping system to the location of the anchorages 200 m away. The SCC was dropped from a height of as much as 5 m without aggregate segregation. For mass concrete, the maximum size of coarse aggregates may be as large as 50 mm. The SCC construction reduced the construction time for the anchorages from 2.5 years to 2 years. Similarly, SCC mixes can be designed and placed successfully for concrete members with normal and congested reinforcement. The coarse aggregate size for reinforced concrete generally varies from 10 mm to 20 mm.

Properties of Fresh SCC

The main characteristics of SCC are the properties in the fresh state. SCC mix design is focused on the ability to flow under its own weight without vibration, the ability to flow through heavily congested reinforcement under its own weight, and the ability to obtain homogeneity without segregation of aggregates.

Several test methods are available to evaluate these main characteristics of SCC. The tests have not been standardized by national or international organizations. The more common tests used for evaluating the compacting characteristics of fresh SCC in accordance with the draft standards of the Japan Society of Civil Engineers are described below.

Test Methods for Fresh SCC

The Slump Flow Test

This is a test method for evaluating the flowability of SCC, where the slump flow of SCC with coarse aggregates having the maximum size of less than 40 mm is measured (See Fig. 2). The basic equipment is the same as for the conventional slump test. However, the concrete placed into the mold is not rodded. When the slump cone has been lifted and the sample has collapsed, the diameter of the spread is measured rather than the vertical distance of the collapse.
Funnel Test

A test method for evaluating the material segregation resistance of SCC, using a funnel as shown in Fig. 3, where the efflux time of SCC with coarse aggregates having the maximum size of less than 25 mm is measured.
T50 Test

A test method for evaluating the material segregation resistance of SCC, where the 500-mm flow reach time is measured in the slump flow test above, that is, the time for the flow to reach 500 mm is measured in the slump flow test. SCC should give T50 = 2 – 5 seconds.

U-Type and Box-Type Tests

These are methods for testing flowability of SCC through an obstacle with coarse aggregates having the maximum size of less than 25 mm (Fig. 4 and Photo 1). Time and height to be filled in the chamber B and amount of aggregate passed through the obstacle are measured for self-compactability.
Properties of Hardened SCC

Structural Properties

The basic ingredients used in SCC mixes are practically the same as those used in the conventional HPC vibrated concrete, except they are mixed in different proportions and the addition of special admixtures to meet the project specifications for SCC. The hardened properties are expected to be similar to those obtainable with HPC concrete. Laboratory and field tests have demonstrated that the SCC hardened properties are indeed similar to those of HPC. Table 3 shows some of the structural properties of SCC.

Compressive Strength

SCC compressive strengths are comparable to those of conventional vibrated concrete made with similar mix proportions and water/cement ratio. There is no difficulty in producing SCC with compressive strengths up to 60MPa.

Tensile Strength

Tensile strengths are based on the indirect splitting test on cylinders. For SCC, the tensile strengths and the ratios of tensile and compressive strengths are in the same order of magnitude as the conventional vibrated concrete.

Bond Strength

Pull-out tests have been performed to determine the strength of the bond between concrete and reinforcement of different diameters. In general, the SCC bond strengths expressed in terms of the compressive strengths are higher than those of conventional concrete.

Modulus of Elasticity

SCC and conventional concrete bear a similar relationship between modulus of elasticity and compressive strength expressed in the form E/(fc)0.5, where E = modulus of elasticity, fc = compressive strength. This is similar to the one recommended by ACI for conventional normal weight concrete.

Source: http://www.precastedconcrete.com/technology/self-compacting-concrete

There is 35 per cent more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now than before the industrial revolution 200 years ago. This is because our recent burning of carbon-based coal, petrol and diesel releases the gas into the air. Because it is a good insulator, the atmosphere’s carbon dioxide does not let the sun’s heat escape the earth as fast as it comes in, leading to a rise in the temperature.

This warming of the atmosphere causes climate change, since weather is quite volatile and a small change in conditions can result in a storm or a drought.

Recent weather phenomena, like hurricane Katrina or last week’s unusually heavy snow in Europe and America, are thought to be the result of our actions. The second effect of the air’s warming is the melting of ice in the north and south poles, raising the level of the ocean waters. Low-lying nations like Bangladesh and the Maldives, which have little land and almost all of it by the sea, are vulnerable to this rise of the waters because they are in danger of being submerged.

If the release of carbon dioxide is so serious, why did the nations fail to agree on some solution?

Primarily because America believes it still has time before the problem becomes a crisis. Scientists think that big trouble is a century or more away. America wants to pass on the climate change problem to its next generation, or the one after that, because they will be better equipped with technology; certainly they will have more at stake. But also because those generations cannot vote in current elections.

There was another reason for the failure at Denmark, and it was that China, India and Brazil do not want to slow the pace of their industrial growth. The economy of China, the world’s biggest polluter, has been growing rapidly, helping pull its people out of poverty. China does not want to stop doing that soon. India says it will slow the rate at which its polluting is increasing, but adds, for the same reason as China, that it cannot commit to a reduction of overall pollution.

Whether human activity is responsible or not for climate change, and there is debate over this, the fact that the world is warming is not in dispute.

This means that at some point, not far off, the world’s nations will have to agree to do things to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide. There are two ways in which emissions can be restricted by a nation. The first is through government and legislation. This means the passing of laws that limit, say, the carbon dioxide emitted per ton manufactured of steel, or the banning of certain industrial processes, like electricity generation by burning coal.

The second way is through civil society and personal sacrifice. This can happen if a society acknowledges the danger to the world and a majority of individuals in that society voluntarily change their behaviour; by switching off lights, not heating their homes too much in winter or driving smaller cars. These two ways can also coincide, for instance if the government legislates to ban the manufacture of large cars.

There is a problem in India with both these ways, and if it commits to a reduction in emission, the Indian government will not be able to effectively deliver.

The problem with the first way, legislation, is implementation. We have many laws in India, but they are difficult to enforce. When they are violated, it is difficult to have the violators prosecuted. This is a problem with most poor nations, but it is remarkable in India because we are also a democracy and have been making laws under one constitution for six decades.

Unlike Europe, which can legislate a law and make it effective, in India legislation does not necessarily mean a change in the way things happen.

Returning from some future climate summit with an agreement, India’s government might have to legislate some change in the way that, say, steel is made. But because of corruption and inefficiency it is certain that any manufacturer, who wants to violate this new law, will be able to do so by paying people off locally. Since restrictions on manufacturing processes usually mean an increase in cost, it is also likely that most factories would have an incentive to violate the law.

Let’s look at an example. The industrial city of Surat has 300 dyeing and printing factories. These are serious polluters and often the ground around them is stained a brilliant purple or pink because the manner of disposal of the waste water is simply to release it in the land around. The effluent looks pretty but it is pure poison.

There are laws which make this release illegal and there are processes that the plants must follow to keep the environment safe, but because treating the water is expensive, it isn’t done. And though the legislation might be quite good, it is also quite useless.

Twenty years ago, I worked in a factory in the industrial area of Ankleshwar, which is next to the port city of Bharuch. Every evening, at 6 pm, the chemical factory next door would release fumes of acid so powerful that the roads would empty at that time. The gas corroded thick metal pipes all around and will have affected the health of many people working in and around it. Why did the factory release the gas at six? Because the pollution control board’s office shut at 5:30.

Now let us look at the second way in which a nation can reduce its carbon emissions, through a change in the behaviour of civil society. Many Indians are now middle-class and consume energy and resources at levels similar to those in the west.

If these Indians are observed in traffic, we can understand that sacrifice will not be easily forthcoming in our nation. This is because we are a low-trust society and have little faith in collective well-being. Simply put, we do not trust the other person on the road to behave and so we have no incentive to change our own behaviour. Culturally, the Indian is inclined to think of himself and ignore the world around him. It is safe to say that there will be little voluntary change in our behaviour because it affects the rest of the world.

A rich Indian, if asked to sacrifice his large garden which consumed much water, would not understand why he had to do that. And a lecture on conservation would do little good.

The other problem is that the world cannot tell its poorest, of whom many are Indian, that they must sacrifice something now for tomorrow because they have so little for today.

This is not to say that no conservation happens in India. We have raddiwalas, people who deal in scrap; and glass and plastic in India is always recycled. However, this is because scrap has value here, unlike in the west, where recycling is expensive and so is disposal. The test will come when this no longer has value in India.

All of this becomes academic if the levels of the second dangerous gas, methane, increase. And some believe that this is already happening. Global warming is slowly melting long-frozen lakes in Russia. Below these ice sheets is thought to be trapped billions of tons of methane, formed by the rotting of aquatic vegetation. If this is really methane, and it is released, the carbon dioxide debate might become meaningless because the methane will accelerate global warming to a point where we cannot really change it.

So perhaps already some disaster has been set in motion. In the Book of Genesis, Noah records a rise in the water by 20 feet and that is enough to wipe out all life.

Source:www.thenews.com.pk , written by Aakar Patel, Sunday, January 10, 2010
The writer is director with Hill Road Media in Bombay. Email: aakar @hillroadmedia.com

Builders had completed 100m of the planned 300m tall chimney when it collapsed in poor weather. Twenty five people are already know to have died and it is feared that dozens more are buried under the rubble.

Union spokesman Vinod Kumar Sharma, speaking at the site in Korba, 124 miles from Raipur, the state capital of Chhattisgarh, said workers were sheltering from heavy rain in and around the structure when it collapsed.

Officials have reported difficulty in establishing exactly how many people are buried because the company has been unable to say how many workers were on the site.

But Mr Sharma said: “I expect the number of dead will exceed 100.” Nine people are believed to be recovering in hospital.

Source:  http://www.nce.co.uk/5208601.article

Despite the amount of construction projects completed in Dubai being hit significantly by the economic downturn, building work is still constantly being completed in the area.Accidents like this are not commonplace but in March this year three workers were killed when high winds caused part of a warehouse under construction to collapse.

In November 2008, there was also an incident of a crane falling on to Dubai’s main highway, but it caused no injuries.

All this show that safety measures taken by the contractors or developers are not upto the standard.

The research utilize meta analysis of existing literature on global warming and public health, the central question of what global warming is all about and how does the latter impact Pakistan’s health in accordance to literature discussion, assessment and analysis. Research objective adheres to the following salient points:  impact of environmental change on health, Pakistan context, several causes which bring the changes, how can authorities or general public tackle health related problems caused by global warming. There can be scientific consensus that greenhouse gas emissions generated by human activity will change Earth’s climate. The recent warming by 0·5°C is partly attributable to such anthropogenic emissions. Climate change will affect human health in many ways mostly adversely. The need to summarize epidemiological evidence of how climate variations and trends affect various health outcomes.

Assess evidence there is that global warming affected Pakistan health, reviewing published estimates of impeding health effects of climate change at present times. Researches have focus on thermal stress, extreme weather events, and infectious diseases, with some attention to estimates of regional food yields and hunger prevalence. An emerging broader approach address wide spectrum of health risks due to social, demographic and economic disruptions of climate change. Evidence and anticipation of adverse health effects will strengthen Pakistan based case for pre-emptive policies, will guide priorities for planned adaptive strategies. Indeed, environmental change and pollutants stress individuals and populations, and may be reflected in the global resurgence of infectious disease as these stresses cascade through the community assemblages of species.

Research will suggest framework for integrating surveillance of Pakistan health outcomes with climatic monitoring. Thus, initial concern about the possible effects of global warming have declined with realization that the spread of tropical diseases is likely to be limited and controllable. However, direct effects of heat causes substantial numbers of deaths among vulnerable people such as during summer. Action to prevent deaths from rising is obvious medical challenge presented by global rise in temperature. For example, air conditioning has reduced them in the United States and technologies such as fans, shade and buildings designed to keep cool on hot days have generally done so in Europe as the energy requirements of air conditioning accelerate global warming, combination of the older methods, backed up by use of air conditioning when necessary, can provide the ideal solution.

Despite availability of technologies, occasional record high temperatures still cause sharp rises in heat related deaths as the climate warms such action at home can be effective than transporting the patient to hospital, even in tropical regions. The aggregate human impact on the environment now exceeds the limits of absorption or regeneration of biophysical systems. The resultant global environmental changes include altered atmospheric composition, widespread land degradation, depletion of fisheries, freshwater shortages and biodiversity losses. The drive for further social and economic development, plus an unavoidable substantial increase in population size will tend to augment these large-scale environmental problems. Overall, large scale environmental changes are likely to increase the range and seasonality of various infectious diseases, food inscurity, water stress, population displacement with adverse health consequences (2000).

Most directly, it can generate more, stronger and hotter heat waves, which will become especially treacherous if the evenings fail to bring cooling relief, lack of nighttime cooling seems to be in the cards; the atmosphere is heating unevenly and is showing the biggest rises at night, in winter and at latitudes higher than about 50 degrees. Prolonged heat can enhance production of smog and the dispersal of allergens and linked to respiratory symptoms. Human infections are intricately linked to the global environment by altering this environment, global warming has significant potential to intensify selected infectious diseases ( 2000). Thus, climatic effects are predicted to include crowding, famine, water contamination, human migration, and alterations in vector ecology, all of which increase infectious diseases. Global warming will cause economic strain that may divert public health resources from existing infections. Through planning and research, there can mitigate health effects of global warming by means of policy, politics, and global cooperation, Pakistan may reduce the environmental problems that cause global warming.

Global warming has serious implications for human life, effect of global warming depends on the complex interaction between the human host population and the causative infectious agent, changes in the environment may trigger human migration, causing disease patterns to shift ( 2005 ). Disease transmission may be enhanced through the scarcity and contamination of potable water sources. Importantly, significant economic and political stresses may damage the existing public health infrastructure, leaving mankind poorly prepared for unexpected epidemics.

Global warming will certainly affect the abundance and distribution of disease vectors, altitudes that are cool to sustain vectors will become more conducive to them for instance, Malaria, dengue, plague, and viruses causing encephalitic syndromes are likely to be affected. Some models suggest that vector-borne diseases will become more common as the earth warms, although caution is needed in interpreting these predictions (2005). Clearly, global warming will cause changes in the epidemiology of infectious diseases as the ability of mankind to react or adapt is dependent upon the magnitude and speed of the change. Research will depend on ability to recognize epidemics early, to contain them effectively, to provide appropriate treatment, to commit resources to prevention and further investigation.

http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/08/global-warming-and-its-impact-on-public-health.html

Television footage and photographs showed one long concrete section, which would have carried the tracks, lying at an angle with one end on the ground and the other on top of a supporting pillar. The massive section had crushed metal beams beneath it. The cause of the accident is not yet known.

In October last year, two people were killed and at least 11 injured in a similar accident. Then, mechanical failure in a launching gantry was blamed for the collapse. The gantry was in use lifting segments for the 11th precast segmental span on a new line being built to connect the city to sports grounds being prepared for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

What are the causes of collapse will be determined later on but the worries we feel are that lack of safety standards have snatched five precious lives.

It is common in Asian Countries that health and safety standards are not followed. This may be due to lack of education or resources in these countries but to thinking for engineers how they keep their projects safe and sound and can ask the concerned authorities for precautionary measures before taking the project in hand.

The impacts of higher temperatures, more variable precipitation, more extreme weather events, and sea level rise are felt in South Asia and will continue to intensify.

These changes are already having major impacts on the economic performance of South Asian countries and on the lives and livelihoods of millions of poor people.

The impacts result not only from gradual changes in temperature and sea level but also, in particular, from increased climate variability and extremes, including more intense floods, droughts, and storms.
(Source: Managing Climate Risk: Integrating Adaptation into World Bank Group Operations)

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change fourth Assessment report provided specific information for South Asia region concerning the nature of future impacts.

Some of the future impacts include,

• Glacier melting in the Himalayas is projected to increase flooding and will affect water resources within the next two to three decades.
• Climate change will compound the pressures on natural resources and the environment due to rapid urbanization, industrialization, and economic development.
• Crop yields could decrease up to 30% in South Asia by the mid-21st century.
• Mortality due to diarrhea primarily associated with floods and droughts will rise in South Asia.
• Sea-level rise will exacerbate inundation, storm surge, erosion and other coastal hazards.

Impact on South Asia’s poor

The consequences of such environmental changes include:

• decreased water availability and water quality in many arid and semiarid regions
• an increased risk of floods and droughts in many regions
• reduction in water regulation in mountain habitats
• decreases in reliability of hydropower and biomass production
• increased incidence of waterborne diseases such as malaria, dengue, and cholera
• increased damages and deaths caused by extreme weather events
• decreased agricultural productivity
• adverse impacts on fisheries
• adverse effects on many ecological systems

As a result of these changes, climate change could hamper the achievement of many of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), including those on poverty eradication, child mortality, malaria, and other diseases, and environmental sustainability.

Much of this damage would come in the form of severe economic shocks. In addition, the impacts of climate change will exacerbate existing social and environmental problems and lead to migration within and across national borders.

In sum, climate change is clearly not just an environmental issue but one with severe socioeconomic implications in South Asia.

(Source: Managing Climate Risk: Integrating Adaptation into World Bank Group Operations)

Climate Change in South Asia – A Conversation with Sir Nicholas Stern

From the Himalayas, which feed water to a billion people, to the coastal areas of Bangladesh, South Asian countries must prepare for the effects of global warming, even as they work to combat the human causes of climate change.

“You have to give examples from around the world for people to really understand what’s going on. In India and China, I think people understand the rising water stress, and how vulnerable they are to melting glaciers and snows from the Himalayas,” Stern said. He used the analogy of the Himalayas as a sponge, moderating the impact of precipitation as seasons change.

”Precipitation comes, and it’s held there. That’s how you get water in the rivers. That effect will not be there if the glaciers and snow are not there. Which means you’ll get torrents during the wet season and dry rivers in the dry season. So you’ll get a combination of flood and drought,” Stern said.

“We also don’t know what effect that will have on the monsoon, and it could have quite a strong effect. That kind of thing is being studied now,” he added. The Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology supplies climate change data to SAARC nations, and is engaged in its largest recruitment drive in a decade.

Agriculture represents a fourth of India’s national income, and that sector could be seriously disrupted by changes to the monsoon. Mitigation strategies are needed to deal with the risks.

“We have to adapt how we handle water extraction, and irrigation. Water management is involved in all of this. Work has to be done on what crops would be resilient,” Stern said.

Urban areas throughout the region are also at risk, as water supplies could be disrupted over time. Infrastructure must be upgraded for sanitation and drinking water, as well as for adequate storm drainage in areas prone to flooding.

Climate Change and the World Bank

Climate change thus directly affects the World Bank Group’s mission of eradicating poverty. The World Bank has already started to address these concerns by integrating comprehensive climate risk management into development planning, programs, and projects.

The World Bank has identified the following key development areas directly affected by climate change:

Human health, Water supply and sanitation, Energy, Transport, Industry, mining and construction, Trade and tourism, Agriculture, forestry, and fisheries, Environmental protection, and Disaster management

(Source: Managing Climate Risk: Integrating Adaptation into World Bank Group Operations)

Bangladesh

Health impact of air and water pollution in Bangladesh
This report analyzes the health impact of air and water pollution in Bangladesh using the most recently available data. (Read More »)

Management of Water Quality in Dhaka
Economic cost due to poor management of water resources in Dhaka is estimated at US$ 500 million annually. (Read More »)

Expanding Renewable Energy in Bangladesh
The Government of Bangladesh has established a goal of providing electrical power to all its citizens. Renewable energy is a key component of the initiative. (Read More »)

India

Country Water Resources Assistance Strategy
This report examines the evolution of the management of India’s waters, it describes the achievements of the past, and the looming set of challenges.
(Read More »)

Unlocking Opportunities for Forest-Dependent People in India
A new World Bank report, “Unlocking Opportunities for Forest-Dependent People in India” by Grant Milne, suggests that if national and state level reforms are introduced and forest productivity improved, rural poverty can be reduced significantly and government revenues increased. (Read More »)

For a Breath of Fresh Air: Ten Years of Progress and Challenges in urban air quality management in India
The report presents a retrospective analysis of urban air pollution data with a focus on particulate air pollution from 1993 to 2002 in Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. (Read More »)

Better Crops, Higher Incomes for Farmers in Karnataka Watershed
Average annual household income for the one million people who lived in the area was approximately US$222. (Read More on IDA at Work »)

Pakistan

Pakistan: Country Water Resources Assistance Strategy
An important element of Bank support will be training a new generation of multi-disciplinary water resources specialists and support for multi-disciplinary centers of excellence for water resources natural and social sciences. (Read More »)

Pakistan Water Economy
Pakistan is one of the world’s most arid countries. The Indus River is the country’s only major river system. (Read More »)

Household use of commercial energy in Pakistan
Between 1994 and 2001, prices of electricity, natural gas, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) rose more rapidly than the consumer price index (CPI), potentially offering insights into how households might react to, and manage, sharply rising energy prices. (Read More »)

Other Reports of Interest

An Investment Framework for Clean Energy and Development
Powering economic growth using clean and renewable forms of energy is one of the most challenging topics in development today. How will we meet the burgeoning energy needs of the developing world without causing irreversible damage to the earth’s climate or exposing economies to energy shortages? (Read More »)

Clean Energy for Development Investment Framework: The World Bank Group Action Plan
This Action Plan provides an update of work undertaken to date as well as actions planned by the World Bank Group in support of the Clean Energy for Development Investment Framework. (Read More »)

Building Country Capacity to Combat Climate Change
Providing people, institutions, and developing countries with the tools and training to make choices about the environment is a critical element of Global Environment Facility (GEF) climate change projects. (Read More »)

Manage Climate Risk: Integrating adaptation into World Bank Group Operations
Climate change is already taking place, and further changes are inevitable. The way to address these concerns is not to separate climate change adaptation from other priorities but to integrate comprehensive climate risk management into development planning, programs, and projects. (Read More »)

Will Markets direct investments under Kyoto Protocol?
Under the Kyoto Protocol, countries can meet treaty obligations by investing in projects that reduce or sequester greenhouse gases elsewhere. (Read More »)

Source: http://www.worldbank.org