Governments around the world can pursue sustainable development more effectively by embracing a whole-of-government approach in their adaptation of the institutional framework for implementation of the global sustainable development goals (SDGs). A holistic, innovative, and inclusive approach combined with participatory governance is critical for effective implementation of the SDGs at the local level.

Strategy 2020 of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) recognizes the need for Asia and the Pacific to pursue “open regionalism,” keeping trade and investment links open with the rest of the world.1 ADB’s Strategy 2020 also aims to increase regional cooperation and integration (RCI) in all operational areas, and increase assistance for RCI to at least 30% of total activities by 2020.

Educational quality, measured by cognitive skills, has a strong impact on individual earnings. More than that, however, educational quality has a strong and robust influence on economic growth. In both areas, there is credible evidence that these are truly causal relationships.

The Nam Theun 2 (NT2) Hydroelectric Power Project in the Lao People’s Democratric Republic (Lao PDR) is considered by then deputy prime minister Somsavat Lengsavad as the most powerful in Lao PDR, and a worldwide model of social and environmental responsibility. As previous chair of the NT2 Steering Committee, Lengsavad was convinced that a controlled exploitation of hydropower constitutes one of the less harmful ways, regarding climate change for instance, to produce the energy that the world needs.

In 2001, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) approved its Water for All policy to promote water as a socially vital economic good that needs increasingly careful management. One imperative of the policy was to raise awareness on water challenges and the urgent need to address them.

Two years later in 2003, as part of a bank-wide water awareness program, ADB launched the Water Voices documentary series, a set of seven compelling documentaries about people finding local solutions to important water-related problems in Asia and the Pacific.

This presentation discusses the Global Water Partnership’s strategic approach to realizing its vision of a water secure world. Through a number of country examples, the presentation shows how global challenges related to water security are effectively addressed at the local levels.

Previous country experiences have shown that natural and social ecological considerations are crucial in the move towards a holistic approach to urban flood management. This presentation discusses the Urban Watershed Framework adopted by the City of San Francisco in California, USA, as a new approach to urban water management.