Microplastics (MPs) in the urban atmosphere have been widely reported. However, the distribution of urban atmospheric microplastics (AMPs) under the influence of the East Asia monsoon remains unknown. In this study, total suspended particle (TSP) samples were collected, and polyethene terephthalate (PET) and polycarbonate (PC) MPs concentrations were quantified using a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Higher concentrations of PET and PC were found in the dry season (176.3 ± 22.3 ng/m3 and 41.0 ± 12.6 ng/m3) compared to those in the wet season (49.6 ± 12.0 ng/m3 and 14.7 ± 6.5 ng/m3). Both the concentrations of PET and PC were negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with the frequency of southeast winds, while being positively correlated with the frequency of northwest winds (p < 0.05). Air mass trajectories of the sampling site indicate that during the wet season, a larger number of air masses originate from the oceanic direction, while more air masses come from downtown in the dry season. This further indicates the influence of atmospheric transport on the distribution of PET and PC in the air. In addition, the concentration of PET in the air was significantly correlated with the relative humidity, which may be due to the high proportion of fibrous MPs in PET.

Urban river governance is a serious challenge that affects the management and maintenance of human and ecological health under the pressures of urbanisation and climate change. Research has examined river governance in terms of complex processes requiring multi-level coordination at a basin scale. The integrated principle of water management has been promoted through basin-wide governance mechanisms, predominantly led by state institutions. Although local capacity is acknowledged as a critical ingredient of river governance, there is a dearth of knowledge on what constitutes enabling capacities for municipalities addressing urban river challenges. Our case-study-oriented review explores a suite of interrelated enablers at the municipal level, including awareness, political and financial commitments, formal authorities, leaders and front-liners, boundary spanners, and community participation. The urban cases include diverse governance systems around the globe, demonstrating the plurality of enablers for municipal river governance. The orienting framework, whilst non-exhaustive, can serve as a starting point for illustrating variations in local conditions and implementation outcomes, which may complement the basin-level governance approach. The identified municipal enablers must be viewed within their specific place-based contexts, which calls for a closer examination of the interplay between distinct socio-political conditions of given municipalities and basin-wide governance processes.

This paper offers a comprehensive synthesis of 9 research papers from the Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) project titled "Enhancing Capacities of Local Stakeholders in Coral Triangle in Managing Blue Carbon Ecosystems for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation." These papers are organised into four key thematic areas: (1) assessing the status of mangrove degradation and its underlying factors, (2) exploring community perceptions of seagrass ecosystems and their associated services, (3) analysing local perspectives on sustainable tourism and its influence on blue carbon (BC) ecosystem services, and (4) discerning trends in research and coastal management strategies for BC ecosystems. The findings presented within these papers illuminate the intricate challenges surrounding BC ecosystems in the Philippines and Indonesia, underscoring a range of human-induced pressures and natural vulnerabilities. These studies emphasise the significance of incorporating community perceptions and socio-economic dynamics into the BC ecosystems' conservation and management strategies framework. The comparative insights derived from these papers hold vital implications for local stakeholders and policymakers. Practical training in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can empower local communities to enhance their capacity-building efforts in the future. This is valuable guidance for shaping future BC ecosystem management plans and programs, particularly in a rapidly changing climate.

Marine ecosystems in the northwest Pacific are known for their high biodiversity, with many marine species, from tiny plankton to huge macroalgae. Marine biodiversity is affected by irreversible global warming, mainly the increase of greenhouse gas emissions from anthropogenic activities. For the past several decades, marine ecosystems in East Asia have been changing due to the increase in sea surface temperature (SST), which has changed some important environmental factors, including rainfall patterns, extreme weather, and ocean circulation. Such modifications in the environmental parameters have altered the physiology, phenology, and distribution pattern of marine organisms. The SST increase has also altered population and community structure, and the functioning of the ecosystem. Certain subtropical and tropical fauna and flora are now extending their range of distribution from the warm southern area to the temperate regions, disrupting or modifying the biotic interactions in the temperate ecosystem. Collaborative conservation projects and responsible policies are crucial to safeguard the environmental value of East Asia's marine ecosystems for future generations and mitigate the negative effects of global warming on marine biodiversity. Conservation and management of East Asia's marine environments hold significant implications for global biodiversity and ecological balance, making them a pivotal focus in addressing climate change challenges in marine ecosystems.

Water pollution poses a significant and escalating threat to urban environments, particularly in the rapidly expanding cities of Asia. Addressing this challenge requires implementing cost-effective solutions, and one such approach is the deployment of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to treat septic tank effluents, canals and lakes. This study represents a pivotal step in this direction by formulating a comprehensive framework to assess the effectiveness and impacts of NbS. The research draws on six case studies spanning the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, offering valuable insights into the practical application of NbS in diverse urban contexts. Furthermore, the study has yielded practical guidelines for the construction and installation of three key NbS components: Constructed Wetlands (CWs), Constructed Floating Wetlands (CFWs), and Green Roofs (GRs). These guidelines were implemented through trial implementations, enhancing our understanding of their real-world performance. Moreover, stakeholder engagement played a vital role in this endeavour, as such gatherings provided essential data on public acceptance and the influence of policies and governance structures. The knowledge and insights from these interactions contribute significantly to the collective understanding of effectively replicating and implementing NbS for water treatment in urban environments. The project successfully trained 72 early career professionals and students from project partners and stakeholders. It produced 23 publications, including a book, book chapters, journal articles, perspectives, resource materials reports and four short videos on NbS. These outcomes were achieved through the collaborative efforts of project partners and stakeholders, engaging in 29 events such as quarterly, national and regional meetings, field trips, focus group discussions, socio-economic surveys and extensive field trials.

Amidst climate change, dwindling resources, and a growing population, the farming industry has faced significant pressure. Nevertheless, rapid advancements in modern agricultural technology offer substantial potential for increasing production efficiency in colder regions. The proposed Smart Greenhouse (SGH) provides a controlled environment for crops. The SGH consists of heat sources from an 8 m2 solar water heating system, weather stations to monitor the outside SGH temperature and humidity, light sensors, humidity sensors and temperature sensors inside SGH to monitor SGH performance. Several selected crops were experimented with and grown inside the developed SGH during the cold winter when cultivable land is typically left fallow due to extreme cold weather conditions. The prototype SGH results show improved environmental conditions compared to the exterior conditions of the SGH, with a temperature difference of 7°C and a relative humidity (RH) level of 25%. This paper also discusses the limitations of current SGH system designs and proposes future design improvements.

The diverse agricultural landscape in the Lower Mekong Basin (LMB) encompasses vulnerable smallholder farmers, whose livelihoods are exposed to the impacts of natural hazards, environmental degradation and climate change. This paper aims to understand the vulnerability and risk drivers to agricultural livelihoods in the LMB and the existing capacities, policies and strategies to strengthen livelihoods. The inherent capacities (capitals) of these communities have helped them withstand and cope with the impacts of natural and anthropogenic stressors on their livelihoods. Skills, training and indigenous knowledge complemented by social networks and co-operatives are crucial to human and social capital. Similarly, water management, irrigation infrastructure, and demarcation and protection of natural resources have helped reduce potential impacts on agricultural activities and outputs. These are supported through financial instruments such as grants, subsidies and loans. On the other hand, while extant policies and strategies in LMB countries acknowledge the vital role of agriculture in socioeconomic development, the utilisation of robust assessment frameworks pertaining to livelihood resilience is limited. This paper discusses the potential advantages of incorporating integrated livelihood resilience assessments in current policies, which can help in designing context-specific strategies and optimise resource allocation for sustainable livelihood development in the LMB. However, to ensure robust assessments, stakeholders must harmonise assessment frameworks, promote community engagement, enhance data availability and strengthen institutional collaboration.

This technical report describes a capacity development project for flood risk management in Indonesia. The project aimed to equip tertiary students, referred to as 'learners,' with the basic knowledge and skills for flood risk management. We adopted a holistic approach that integrated online lectures, remote coaching and locally-based activities. We implemented a wide range of field activities to foster collaborative experiential learning. Our project took place in Pekalongan, a coastal city in Central Java Province. The significance of our efforts was underscored by the formal endorsement and support provided by the City Government of Pekalongan, which actively engaged 18 government officials in our programme. The capacity development project was structured into two parts. The first part encompassed six online lectures, delving into various aspects of flood risk management. In the second part, 18 enthusiastic Indonesian students took part in our field activities, which included water quality testing, flood exposure assessment, community vulnerability evaluation and community disaster planning. The majority of participants conveyed that the project either met or surpassed their expectations, significantly altering their understanding of climate change and climate vulnerability in Indonesia, while also redefining their roles in local climate change adaptation efforts.

The Regional Circulating and Ecological Sphere (Regional-CES) is a guiding concept for environmental policies to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in urban and rural communities with maximum utilisation of local strengths and resources. To promote the Regional-CES concept as a useful guiding principle, a scoping project was designed to engage key stakeholders in selected Southeast Asian countries, namely, the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, by organising workshops in these countries. These workshops consisted of sessions to explain the Regional-CES concept, discuss and identify opportunities for applying Regional-CES based on each country’s context, and share practices that may have been conducted under similar frameworks or concepts. Common obstacles include limited scientific understanding, ignorance of local needs and reality in the top-down decision-making process, and limited capacity of local agencies and society. Participants acknowledged the potential of the Regional-CES approach to advance transformative actions towards low-carbon society, resource circulation, and living in harmony with nature at regional, national and local levels, and the importance of aligning the Regional-CES concept to specific local contexts, such as local needs, policy relevance and priorities that could address social, economic and environmental challenges.

Indonesia, one of the world’s most biodiverse countries, is undergoing mass deforestation, exacerbating climate change and leading to accelerated loss of species. This project addressed the urgent need to conserve endangered Indonesian biodiversity, specifically the potentially life-saving bioactive compounds harboured within its plants. A group of Indonesian researchers from Universitas Nasional (UNAS) in Jakarta received training in RApid Metabolome Extraction and Storage (RAMES) technology, an ethical, low-impact, field-deployable and cost-effective methodology developed by Rutgers University. The team of Indonesian scientists used this technology to create the first metabolomic library of Indonesian plant species and an easily transportable collection containing 501 metabolome samples from 296 species. This pioneering and readily shareable resource aims to foster collaborative research into plant metabolomics and natural products, reaching across Indonesia and the broader Southeast Asia region. The project also facilitated four formal discussion forums, two of which were international conferences, promoting exchange among Indonesian, Southeast Asian and USA scientists, with notable participation from the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN). These efforts culminated in the formation of a strategic partnership among UNAS, BRIN and Rutgers.