Framing Progress: Snapshots of Impact and Resilience in East Asia and Pacific (EAP)

The East Asia and Pacific (EAP) region is home to some of the countries that are most vulnerable to climate-related extreme weather events and impacts. It is also critical to global efforts to combat climate change, accounting for 39% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions and 60% of world coal consumption.

The World Bank has been a longstanding partner for the region on climate change. In FY24, the EAP region distinguished itself by securing the highest proportion of climate financing among all regions, with a remarkable 54% of new financing being allocated to climate initiatives. In October 2024, it launched two Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs), on Mongolia and the Pacific atoll countries.

We invite you to embark on a visual journey, celebrating the lives that have been transformed through our collective efforts. Each photograph tells a story of resilience, innovation, and hope, showcasing the profound impact of our work in the region.

China: Ecological Protection

The World Bank-supported Yellow River Basin Ecological Protection and Environmental Pollution Control Program (Gansu and Shandong) is helping China conserve valuable and fragile ecosystems and biodiversity of global importance, generating local development benefits while contributing to global public goods. The project will adopt an integrated management approach for ecological protection in areas of water scarcity and restore degraded forests, wetlands, rivers, and grassland, improving the lives of people in nine northern provinces.

Cambodia: Climate-Resilient Infrastructure

Financed by a $100 million IDA credit, the Road Connectivity Improvement Project improved the condition, safety, and climate resilience of selected national road corridors in Cambodia. The project enhanced rural communities’ access to critical services, such as health centers, referral hospitals, schools, and markets.

Viet Nam: Agriculture

For generations, Vietnamese farmers overused water in their fields to grow rice. This age-old practice is no longer suitable given the reduced availability of water. The World Bank-supported Viet Nam Sustainable Agriculture Transformation Project (VnSAT) equipped farmers with the knowledge and resources they needed to boost income and cut methane emissions by adopting new rice farming practices.

Indonesia: Nature-Based Solutions

Nini has been planting mangroves at one of Indonesia’s mangrove rehabilitation sites since 2020. Thanks to this job, she now has a steady income to support her family. The World Bank-backed Mangroves for Coastal Resilience Project is supporting Indonesia’s efforts to restore and rehabilitate mangroves. The project is both increasing carbon sequestration and improving the livelihoods of people in coastal communities.

Indonesia: Community-Based Engagement

Indonesia’s tropical forests are a vital source of food, fuel, shelter, and employment for more than a fifth of the country’s population—and a crucial resource in the fight against climate change. The World Bank-supported Social Forestry Program in Indonesia aims to give communities legal access to 12.7 million hectares of state forests, allowing them to sustainably manage these resources while continuing to conserve the forest.

Lao PDR: Waste Management

Rapid economic growth has led to a huge increase in waste production in Lao PDR, but systems for dealing with it have not kept pace. The government used recommendations from the World Bank on how to better control solid waste and plastic pollution as a key input in forging its National Plastic Action Plan.

Tonga: Climate-Resilient Transport

Damage to transport infrastructure can make up a large share of disaster losses, as roads, ports, and runways typically rank among a country’s most valuable assets. The World Bank-backed Pacific Climate Resilient Transport Program supports governments in six countries through eight projects that are upgrading vital transport infrastructure to help make communities more resilient to extreme weather events and climate change.

Tuvalu: Maritime Sector

The Maritime Investment in Climate Resilient Operations II (MICRO2) Project—the largest-ever World Bank project in Tuvalu—seeks to improve the resilience and safety of harbors, roads, and infrastructure vital for delivering essential cargo and services. Doing so is critical because the country is highly exposed to climate change and other natural hazards, such as floods, droughts, and tropical cyclones.

Mongolia: Renewable Energy

By the end of October 31, 2023, a solar photovoltaic power plant financed by the World Bank’s Second Energy Sector Project had generated 35.3 GWh of green electricity. The project supported the country’s energy transition and improved the reliability and sustainability of electricity services.

The Philippines: Fisheries

The World Bank-supported Philippine Fisheries and Coastal Resiliency Project (FISHCORE) aims to improve fisheries management, enhance the value of fisheries production, and raise incomes in selected coastal communities. The project will benefit over 1.15 million fisherfolk, small to medium-size businesses, and residents in coastal communities.