Earth Day
On Earth Day, Seeing Climate Change as a Defining Geostrategic Threat
April 21, 2021
Program Snapshot Post
Earth Day is a good time to read these recommendations to U.S. President Biden from a taskforce on Southeast Asia policy, one of which is: “The U.S. must focus its attention on climate change as the defining geostrategic threat in the Indo-Pacific and work closely with Southeast Asian nations to help mitigate the damage. Southeast Asia is one of th… Read more
Climate Adaptation Strategies and the Role of Gender
April 11, 2018
Blog Post
Last week, heads of state from Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand met for the third Mekong River Commission (MRC) Summit in Siem Reap to discuss the threats to the Mekong River region, among them how to develop effective coping strategies for climate-related vulnerabilities. Cambodia is already feeling the effects: the country recently endured a… Read more
Southeast Asia’s Fisheries Near Collapse from Overfishing
March 28, 2018
Blog Post
Approximately 12 percent of the world’s population relies upon fisheries and aquaculture for their livelihood, and over half of the world’s people get a significant source of their animal protein from fish and seafood. In Southeast Asia, this proportion is significantly higher. The region’s seas not only serve as a major source of food and liveliho… Read more
Love Laos: Keep it Clean
April 19, 2017
Blog Post
Sitting beside the Mekong River, sipping a cold drink and enjoying the scenery is a welcome break for tourists and locals alike in Laos. You can usually see men out in their boats following the large seine nets that float down the river, and women dipping and then hoisting their large lift nets as they catch fish for their supper. But as one’s gaze… Read more
ASEAN Could Take Lead on Plastic Crisis in Asia
April 19, 2017
Blog Post
April 22 marks Earth Day around the globe. I was in 8th grade when Earth Day was first commemorated in 1970, and to mark the day, I participated in annual trash clean-up events at my school. At that time, my world was pretty much the town where I grew up in New Jersey and I didn’t think very much about the rest of the world, I just wanted my neighb… Read more