The consequences of climate change in developing countries are worsening fast: many ecosystems will shortly reach points of irreversible damage, and socio-economic costs will continue to rise. To alleviate the future impacts on populations and economies, policy makers are looking for the spaces where they can make the greatest difference.

This compendium provides concrete examples of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) implemented in urban areas in India, Bangladesh and Nepal. 15 detailed case studies have been documented to assist governments at all levels as well as practitioners, NGOs, civil society and academics to plan, implement, replicate and scale NbS.

A new World Bank report estimates that India will need to invest $840 billion over the next 15 years—or an average of $55 billion per annum—into urban infrastructure if it is to effectively meet the needs of its fast-growing urban population.

Cities are at the forefront of the climate crisis. Climate risks are escalating, and climate hazards are becoming more frequent and costly. Cities account for more than 80% of the global GDP and more than half of the world’s population.

This report provides an overview on the importance of the Informal Waste and Recovery Sector (IWRS) for ending plastic pollution. It outlines how the current negotiations towards a global instrument to end plastic pollution can leverage a just transition of the IWRS.

This report shows how innovative finance solutions can bolster climate resilience in the fast-urbanizing Asia and the Pacific by helping microfinance institutions (MFIs) funnel emergency support to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Globally, 70 percent of greenhouse gas emissions emanate from cities. At the same time, cities are being hit increasingly by climate change related shocks and stresses, ranging from more frequent extreme weather events to inflows of climate migrants.

This report explains how rising climate and disaster risk can increase the vulnerability of Asia and the Pacific region’s urban poor and how engendering systemic change can strengthen their resilience. It emphasizes the need to put them at the center of decision-making and for targeted actions to tackle the drivers of vulnerability.

By 2050, nearly 7 out of 10 people globally will live in cities and other urban settings. While urbanization, overall, is expected to reduce malaria transmission, unplanned urbanization will likely result in a malaria disease burden that is disproportionately high among the urban poor.

This is the third edition of the Ecological Threat Report (ETR), which analyses ecological threats in 228 independent states and territories.