Development Asia features development issues important to the Asia and Pacific region. It is published twice a year by the Asian Development Bank and Pressgroup Holdings Europe S.A. The views expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and do not reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development Bank.

Analyzing issues That Matter

Asia is one of the world’s most dynamic regions, marked by spectacular growth rates in countries whose economies are setting the pace for the rest of the globe. At the same time, wide swaths of Asia remain scarred by abject poverty and deep economic and social disparities, where 600 million people struggle to survive on $1 a day or less.

Asia is also one of the most varied regions of the world in other ways. From the mountains of Central Asia to the islands of the Pacific, people face a host of challenges in different ways, under a variety of political and economic systems.

And yet, across Asia, people share the same hopes for peace, prosperity, and progress that underlie the idea of human development. Experiences can be shared, successes replicated across countries, and common solutions forged to problems— such as climate change—that threaten people everywhere.

Development Asia aims to make a significant contribution to raising awareness and understanding of the issues that matter most today. It is not an academic journal; nor is it a publication that presents the views of the Asian Development Bank. It is intended as a forum for debate and discussion, refl ecting different views of the most topical and complex development issues in the region.

In this launch issue, we focus on four such issues: climate change, biofuels, genetically modified foods, and food security. Our cover story features a candid interview with Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, who shares his views on the impact of climate change and the role of development institutions in addressing the problem.

In guest columns, two pre-eminent experts on the subject suggest ways of dealing with climate change. Lord Nicholas Stern, author of the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, says global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must satisfy the principles of effectiveness, efficiency, and equity. Emil Salim, adviser to the Indonesian president, calls for a sustainable development model for Asia that eradicates poverty while fighting climate change.

We ask whether biofuels are the panacea for the world’s energy problems or if they pose a threat to longer-term environmental sustainability. We look at genetically modified foods and whether they really hold the key to eradicating global hunger. We also consider the impact of soaring food prices on the poor and the need for agricultural reforms.

Also, in this twice-yearly magazine, you will find sophisticated but accessible analyses of issues, and reportage that goes beyond the standard jargon and rhetoric of development work. The articles are the work of independent contributors—reputed journalists with an understanding of the Asia and Pacific region—presented with a premium on objectivity, balance, and accuracy. Besides interviews and opinion pieces from top experts in their fields, we also bring you news, reviews, and development highlights from across the region.

We hope you will enjoy Development Asia and that it will enrich and inform your perspective on the opportunities and challenges facing the Asia and Pacifi c region. We welcome your views on Development Asia and what you would like to see in future issues. Address your letters to the editor, and e-mail devasia@adb.org. Visit us on the Web at www.developmentasia.org.

Ann Quon
Publisher

Visit Development Asia, June 2008 Download Page

You can download full publication in PDF format.

COVER STORIES
12 Climate Change: The Fight for Asia’s Future
The skeptics are diminishing but the challenges are mounting, says Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

16 Rising Seas, Melting Glaciers
Across Asia, up to a billion people could be adversely affected by climate change, writes Floyd Whaley

22 Rich Countries Must Lead the Way
Lord Nicholas Stern of Brentford writes that global action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions must follow three basic principles: effectiveness, efficiency, and equity

24 Carbon Trading 101
The basic idea behind carbon trading is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at the lowest possible cost to society

28 Miracle or Menace?
Despite the buzz surrounding them, Joe Cochrane writes that biofuels are not a long-term solution to the problems posed by fossil fuels

32 Mainstreaming Climate Change
Sustainable development should eradicate poverty while combating climate change, says Emil Salim

FEATURES
34 Voices of the Poor
Thanks to a pioneering study, the people of the Tonle Sap in Cambodia are making their voices heard, writes A. Lin Neumann

38 Genetically Modified Foods Gain Ground
Eric Healy discovers that doubts persist in Europe even as some Asian countries embrace GMO technology as a critical force for development

42 Soaring Prices Triger Food Security Concerns
The UN warns of a humanitarian crisis as food prices continue their upward spiral

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