In December 2021, the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) published Cambodia's Long-Term Strategy for Carbon Neutrality (LTS4CN), which outlines the country's vision in achieving a carbon-neutral economy by 2050. As part of the long-term strategies to achieve net-zero emissions, the RGC set...

This report begins with an Executive Summary, which introduces the territorial development approach and the rationale for applying it in Lesotho's development context before going on to summarize key takeaways and recommendations. It is followed by four chapters: chapter 1, Introduction, lays...

This Guidance Note represents a call to action, dedicated to enhancing access to land and unlocking the full potential of land assets for urban and infrastructure development, as well as renewable energy investments. It not only underscores the importance of improving land access but also...

This policy brief evaluates the current state of the knowledge of and plans to manage urban heat in South Asia. First, the brief examines heat in South Asian cities through the different layers of the urban environment: buildings, communities, and cities. Next, it adds the human element and...

This report provides evidence-based guidance on cost-effective and energy-efficient cooling and ventilation interventions to improve building-level thermal comfort and indoor air quality for a changing climate in South Asia. It focuses on Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan but also covers all the...

Land use planning is one of the most important policy instruments for urban and regional development aiming to meet the needs of the populations while considering various factors such as environmental sustainability, economic development, and social well-being. The process of land use planning...

Sri Lanka recognizes the crucial role of energy efficiency in advancing its development agenda, reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, and fostering a sustainable energy transition. Energy efficiency has long been integrated into the country's legislative and policy framework, with initiatives...

This study analyzes the potential for electrification of two- and three-wheelers in Sahelian cities, using Bamako and Ouagadougou as case studies. The electrification of urban mobility in the Sahel has the potential to address pressing development issues such as reducing local air pollution,...

As countries rapidly urbanize, settlements are expanding into hazardous flood zones. This study provides a global analysis of spatial urbanization patterns and the evolution of flood exposure between 1985 and 2015. Using high-resolution annual data, it shows that settlements across the world...

Cities and countries the world over are at the cusp of epochal global trends whose impacts are likely to be more intense and more far-reaching than those of similar trends in the past. The simultaneity of the demographic transition, deepening urbanization, a technological revolution, frequent...