More than two decades of sustained economic growth across most of South Asia have raised living standards and brought about significant poverty reduction. But the region is facing severe and rising environmental pollution, with major adverse impacts on health and productivity, and on livelihood opportunities for the poor.
South Asia is also very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, with some South Asian countries being among those most affected by climate change-induced increase in weather shocks worldwide. This too has grave implications for growth and poverty alleviation. Poor households and the small, informal firms (including agricultural ones) in which they tend to work are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and pollution. The poor may be affected disproportionately more than the rest, and may also be less likely to benefit from the green jobs without well designed and targeted support. There is a need for concerted policy action to address these challenges.
Against this backdrop, the World Bank, BIGD and the South Asia Economic Policy Network invite papers addressing one of the following (or related) questions:
- What are the health and productivity impacts of pollution and climate-change induced rise in temperatures and extreme weather events?
- Are poor and socio-economically deprived segments of the population more vulnerable to these impacts and why?
- How can households and firms adapt to climate change and protect themselves from pollution?
- What factors constrain households and firms from adopting green technologies and adapting to climate change?
- What type of public policies and interventions can help accelerate green technology adoption and adaptation to climate change?
