The Urgent Need for "Smart Urban Transport" to Combat Climate Change in the People's Republic of China

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is the second largest oil consumer in the world. Its vehicles account for 30 percent of its total oil consumption, and this is projected to increase to 57 percent by 2020. Transport makes up 14 percent of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the world, and heavily contributes to climate change.

Guangdong Energy Efficiency and Environment Improvement Investment Program, Tranche 1: Providing Additional Power Capacity through Energy Savings

Rapidly growing demand has outstripped power generation capacity in Guangdong Province in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), resulting to a host of energy security and environmental concerns. In 2008, the PRC and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) embarked on an energy efficiency program that yielded energy savings and generated additional capacity.

Read about ADB's other energy projects in Knowledge and Power: Lessons from ADB Energy Projects.

Green Power Development Project: Bringing Benefits to Bhutan and Beyond

The Kingdom of Bhutan is one of a few countries in Asia with large, unexploited hydropower resources. Despite the surplus power, many rural households lacked access to electricity in the early to mid-2000s. The Government of Bhutan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) turned this challenge into an opportunity through the Green Power Development Project, which improved energy access and expanded the country’s revenue base due to income from power exports.

Coal Mine Methane Development Project: The First Large-Scale Capture and Use of Coal Mine Methane for Power Generation in Asia

The expansion of coal production and consumption in the People’s Republic of China (PRC), fueled by fast-paced economic growth, has increased environmental, health, and safety hazards at coal mines. In 2004, Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the PRC established the Coal Mine Methane Development Project to develop new technologies that will demonstrate efficient and effective coal mine methane capture, production, and utilization in power generation and also improve the environment.

Shanxi Farmers Embrace Modern Irrigation Methods to Adapt to Climate Change

“Managing groundwater is important not just because of overuse. Due to climate change, groundwater has become the solid buffer,” said Frank van Steenbergen, water resources specialist with MetaMeta Research. “Water saving is important. This project started with the idea that we would save water, and that is important because we overuse it.”

Greener Pastures from the Sun: Solar Photovoltaic-Driven Irrigation in Qinghai Province

Valuable pasture lands in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) are being degraded through overgrazing, conversion, and reduced levels of precipitation as a result of climate change. Qinghai Province is tackling this problem through the innovative use of solar photovoltaic (PV) power for irrigation; a solution that has enormous capacity for upscaling within PRC and throughout Asia.