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Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Tables, Figures, and Boxes -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Definitions -- Abbreviations -- Highlights -- 1. Trade and Global Value Chains -- Recent Trends in Asia's Trade -- Asia's Intraregional Trade -- Progress of Global and Regional Value Chains -- Trade Conflict and Its Potential Impact -- Updates on Regional Trade Policy -- The Role of FTAs in Making Trade Work for All -- References -- Annex 1a: Impact of Technology on GVC Exports -- 2. Cross-Border Investment -- Trends and Patterns of Foreign Direct Investment in Asia -- Outward Foreign Direct Investment -- References -- 3. Financial Integration -- Asia's Cross-Border Financial Assets and Liabilities -- Outward Portfolio Investment -- Inward Portfolio Investment -- Subregional Portfolio Investment -- Bank Holdings -- Analysis Using Price Indicators -- References -- 4. Movement of People -- Remittances -- International Tourism and the Movement of Visitors -- International Tourism Receipts -- References -- 5. Subregional Cooperation Initiatives -- Central and West Asia: Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program -- Southeast Asia: Greater Mekong Subregion Program -- East Asia: Support for RCI Initiatives under CAREC and GMS Subregional Programs and Knowledge-Sharing Activities -- South Asia: South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation -- The Pacific: Partnering with the Private Sector to Expand Energy Access -- The Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and Integration Index -- Role of Economic Integration in Growth and Development -- References -- 6. Theme Chapter: Demographic Change, Productivity, and the Role of Technology -- Introduction -- Population Aging in Asia -- Workforce Aging, Productivity, and the Role of Technology -- Technology Options for Graying Asia -- Assessing the Technology Needs of Countries Based on Age-Education Profiles.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Figures and Boxes -- Foreword -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Executive Summary -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Article 6 of the Paris Agreement -- 1.2 Transitioning from the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement -- 1.3 Article 6: State of Negotiations -- 1.4 History of the Joint Crediting Mechanism -- 2 Joint Crediting Mechanism -- 2.1 Objectives -- 2.2 Emission Reductions under the Joint Crediting Mechanism -- Setting Conservative Reference Emissions -- Setting Conservative Project Emissions -- 2.3 Stakeholders and Governance Structure -- Project Participants -- Joint Committee -- Each Side -- Joint Crediting Mechanism Secretariat -- Third-Party Entities -- 2.4 JCM Project Development Cycle -- Methodology Development and Approval -- Project Design Document Development and Validation -- Registration -- Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification -- Issuance of Credits -- Variations in Details by Partner Countries -- 2.5. Eligible Activities -- 3 Achievements of the Joint Crediting Mechanism -- 3.1 Enhanced Mitigation Actions through the Joint Crediting Mechanism -- 3.2 Financing Options for the Joint Crediting Mechanism -- Financing Program for Joint Crediting Mechanism Model Projects -- Joint Crediting Mechanism Demonstration Projects -- The Japan Fund for the Joint Crediting Mechanism -- 3.3 Technology Transfer -- 3.4 Contribution to Sustainable Development through the Delivery of Co-Benefits -- 4 Joint Crediting Mechanism as a Forerunner for Article 6.2 -- 4.1 The Joint Crediting Mechanism as a Cooperative Approach -- 4.2 The Joint Crediting Mechanism and other Article 6 Pilots -- 4.3 Benefits of a B ilateral Cooperative Approach -- 4.4 Article 6.2: Anticipating and Adapting -- Addressing Requirements under Article 6.2 -- 4.5 Conclusion -- References -- Appendixes.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Tables, Figures, and Boxes -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Definitions -- Abbreviations -- Highlights -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Regional Trends -- Merchandise Trade Still Dominates, Services in the Ascendancy -- Disparities in Export Diversification -- Trade Costs in Gradual Decline -- Services Trade Barriers Fall Slowly -- Directions and Growth in Aid for Trade -- 3. Promoting Women's Economic Empowerment -- Trade and Women's Economic Empowerment Nexus -- Gender-Specific Constraints for Women in Trade and Global Value Chains -- Women's Participation in Work -- The Strong Economic Case for Leveraging Women's Entrepreneurship -- Targeting Gender Equality in Aid for Trade -- Gender and Social Mainstreaming in Trade Policy and Other Aid Priorities -- 4. Integrated Support for Small Firms Promotes Inclusive Growth -- Key Role of MSMEs in Enabling Inclusive, Sustainable Development -- Economic Participation of Smaller Firms -- Helping Smaller Firms Break Barriers to International Markets -- Aid for Trade and MSME Empowerment -- 5. The Digital Economy, Diversification and Empowerment -- Trends and Patterns in E-commerce and Digital Trade -- Economic Diversification and Empowerment through Digitalization -- Digital Trade in the Service of MSMEs -- Digital Trade as a Game-Changer for Women's Empowerment -- Key Policy Interventions and the Role of Aid for Trade -- 6. Conclusion: The Rational for Targeteed Interventions -- References.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Tables and Figures -- Foreword -- Executive Summary -- Abbreviations -- I. Assessment of the Housing Market, Housing stock, and Affordability gaps -- A. Current Housing Stock, Housing Structure, and Housing Shortage Estimates -- B. Housing Aor ff dability by Income Deciles -- C. Demand and Supply Gap for Affordable Housing -- D. Estimating Aggregate Housing Need -- E. Viability and Effectiveness of Current Housing Measures -- II. Analysis of the Housing Finance Market -- A. Macroeconomic Context to Housing Finance -- B. Overview of the Finance Sector -- C. Regulatory Environment and Impact of Taxation Policies -- D. Primary Lenders and Structure of the Housing Finance Market -- E. Potential for Housing Microfinance and Micro-Mortgages -- F. Domestic Debt Market and Access to Long-Term Funding -- III. Existing Legal Frameworks and Market Practices on Housing, land, and Property in the Yangon region -- A. Relevant Laws and Regulations on the Housing Sector -- B. Land Types in Yangon -- C. Land Classific ation and Reclassification -- D. Sale and Purchase of Housing and Rental Practices -- E. Building a Vision for a Yangon Region for Everyone: Potential Lessons from Three International Best Practices -- IV. Vulnerabilities of Myanmar to climate change and disaster risks -- A. General Disaster Profile of Myanmar -- B. Vulnerability to Climate-Related Hazards -- C. Impact of Climate-Related Disasters on Housing Supply and Demand -- V. Policy recommendations for the development of the Housing Finance Market -- VI. Road Map for the Development of a Rights-Based and climate-r esilient Housing sector -- Conclusion -- References.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Tables, Figures, and Boxes -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Key Findings -- 1. Skills for Tourism Sector Overview -- 1.1 Structure of Tourism Market in Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor -- 1.2 Good Practice in Regional Tourism Cooperation -- 1.3 Jobs and Nature-Based Tourism -- 2. Skills Supply and Demand in the Tourism Industries of Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor -- 2.1 The Skills Shortage in the Sector and Employer Constraints -- 2.2 On Data Availability and Quality for Conservative Estimations -- 2.3 Findings of Supply- and Demand-Side Mapping -- 3. Key Issues for Improving Tourism Skills in Almaty-Bishkek Economic Corridor -- 3.1 Institutionalized International Cooperation for Regional Cooperation in Tourism Education -- 3.2 Education Industry and Policy -- 3.3 Tourism Labor Markets and Skill Sets Needed -- 3.4 Certification of Multiple Obtained Skill Sets and Accreditations -- 3.5 Pedagogy, Curricula, and Teacher Training -- 3.6 On the Importance of Entrepreneurship Education -- 3.7 Education Facilities and Institutional Entrepreneurship -- 3.8 Research and Statistics in Centers of Excellence -- 3.9 On the Cost of Quality Higher Education -- 4. Structures for Improving Skills for Tourism -- 4.1 Internationally Managed Private Centers of Excellence in Tourism Education (Proposal 1) -- 4.2 State-Owned Network of Centers of Excellence (Proposal 2) -- 4.3 Project Components toward a Logical Framework -- 4.4 Narrative Description of Project Components -- References -- Appendixes -- 1 Supply and Demand Mapping: Authors' Estimations -- 2 Technicalities of ADB Support and Finance -- 3 Glossary.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Tables, Figures, Boxes, and Map -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Currency Equivalents -- Executive Summary -- Motivation -- Health System Context -- Context: Healthy System Organization -- Context: Geo-demographic Country Setting -- Context: Unforeseen, External Shocks -- Overview of Health Financing Arrangements -- Selected Health Financing Issues in Focus -- Information about Health Sector Resourcing Needs -- Information about Available Health Sector Resources -- Issues with Coordinating and Securing Adequate Financing -- Lack of Predictability in Budgets and Disbursements -- Recommendations: Improving the Line of Sight -- Clear Service Delivery Responsibilities and Aligned Funding -- Understand and Secure Adequate Resourcing for Subnational Health Services -- Increase Predictability in Resource Allocation and Disbursement -- Improve Readiness to Respond to Disasters Triggered by Natural Hazards -- Critical Crosscutting Support Systems and Capacity -- Strengthen Health Sector Information Systems -- Strengthen Health Sector Capacity to Analyze and Monitor -- Strengthening Health Sector Capacity to Communicate and Influence -- Link between Issues, Recommendations, Government Reforms, and Support -- Appendix: Overview of Subnational Funding Flows.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Tables, Figures, and Box -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Executive Summary -- 1. Introduction -- 2. Distributed Ledger Technology, Blockchain, and Applications -- 2.1 About Distributed Ledger Technology -- 2.2 Blockchain Technology and Applications -- 2.3 Technology Potential and Implications -- 3. Cryptoassets -- 3.1 Cryptoassets as Alternative Currencies -- 3.2 Bitcoin and Other Cryptoassets -- 3.3 Sovereign Digital Currencies -- 3.4 Benefits and Risks of Sovereign Digital Currencies -- 3.5 Legal and Regulatory Implications -- 4. Initial Coin Offerings and Tokenization -- 4.1 Typology -- 4.2 Initial Coin Offerings in Asia and Worldwide -- 4.3 Regulation of Initial Coin Offerings in Asia -- 5. Distributed Ledger Technology: Risks and Concerns -- 5.1 Transparency Risks -- 5.2 Cyber Risks -- 5.3 Operational Risks -- 5.4 Blockchain-Specific Risks -- 6. Policy Issues and Suggestions -- 6.1 International Regulatory Context -- 6.2 A Functional Proportional Approach Balancing Risks and Opportunities -- 6.3 Core Strategy and the Role of International Regulatory Cooperation -- Appendixes -- Appendix 1: Glossary of Terms -- Appendix 2: Policy Approaches to Cryptoassets, Blockchain, and ICOs in Select Asian Economies -- Appendix 3: Major Policy and Regulatory Events Concerning Cryptoassets and Initial Coin Offerings in Selected Asian Economies, end of October 2018 -- References.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- Executive Summary -- Introduction -- Project Aims and Expected Outcomes -- Opportunities and Challenges of Gender-Inclusive Tourism Development -- Practical Approaches to Gender-Inclusive Tourism Development -- Gender Equality Results: Key Achievements -- Achievements in Human Capital and Economic Empowerment -- Achievements in Creating Spaces for Women's Voices to Be Heard -- Achievements in Promoting Equal Rights of Women and Men -- Project Features Contributing to the Achievement of Gender Equality Results -- Lessons and Ways Forward -- Appendixes -- 1 Tranche 1 Design and Monitoring Framework: Gender Targets and Gender Action Plan Achievements Matrix -- 2 Guide Questions and Methodological Framework.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Tables and Figure -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- Executive Summary -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Background to CAREC and its New Strategy and Objectives -- 1.2 The CAREC Region -- 1.3 Purpose and Structure of the Tourism Scoping Study -- 2 Current State of Tourism and Future Prospects -- 2.1 Demand Growth and Trends -- 2.2 Key Influences -- 3 Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis -- 4 Building on Strengths and Capturing Opportunities -- 5 Addressing Weaknesses and Challenges -- 5.1 Appeal: Image and Brand Perception -- 5.2 Accessibility: Air and Land Connections, and Border Regulations and Arrangements -- 5.3 Tourism Products -- 5.4 Standards and Service: Human Capacity Development and Facility Certification -- 5.5 Safety and Security: Medical and Rescue Facilities, and Policing -- 5.6 Institutional Arrangements for Tourism -- 6 Identification of Regional Tourism Cooperation Opportunities -- 6.1 National Policy and Planning Strategies and Action Plans -- 6.2 Existing Tourism Cooperation in the CAREC Region and Best Practices from Other Regions -- 6.3 Potential Regional Tourism Clusters and Partnerships -- 6.4 Range of Regional Tourism Cooperation and Integration Opportunities -- 6.5 Tourism Product Development: the Importance of Market Knowledge and Research -- 6.6 CAREC Regional Tourism Workshop: Survey Results -- 7 CAREC Regional Tourism Cooperation: Recommendations -- Appendixes -- 1 Summaries of Tourism Priorities, Strategies, and Targets for CAREC Members -- 2 Greater Mekong Subregion Strategic Direction Programs -- 3 Thailand's System of Tourism Administration -- 4 Survey Results.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Tables, Figures, and Boxes -- Abbreviations -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Executive Summary -- 1. Introduction -- 1.1. Background on the Report -- 1.2 Background to the Sustainable Development Goals -- 1.3 The Importance of an Integrated Approach -- 1.4 Taking Advantage of the Sustainable Development Goals -- 2. ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS OF THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS -- 2.1 Background to the Environmental Dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals -- 2.2 Selected Environment-Related Goals and Targets -- 2.3 Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production -- 2.4 Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life below Water -- 2.5 Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land -- 2.6 Selected Environment-Related Targets of Other Sustainable Development Goals -- 2.7 Sustainable Development Goal 13: Climate Action -- 2.8 Progress on the Environmental Dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals in Asia and the Pacific -- 2.9 Asia and the Pacific Regional Initia tives -- 3 STOCKTAKE OBJECTIVES AND METHODS -- 3.1 Stocktake Objectives -- 3.2 Country Selection -- 3.3 Development of National Profiles -- 3.4 In-Country Interviews -- 3.5 Regional Knowledge-Sharing Workshop -- 3.6 Stocktake Limitations -- 4. STOCKTAKE FINDINGS -- 4.1 Stocktake Findings -- 4.2 Awareness of the Environmental Dimensions of the Sustainable Development Goals -- 4.3 National Environmental Priorities -- 4.4 Progress in Responding to the Sustainable Development Goals -- 4.5 Barriers to Integration -- 4.6 Analysis of Capacity Development Needs -- 4.7 Good Practices and Experiences -- 4.8 Tools, Methods, and Approaches for Integration -- 5. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS -- REFERENCES -- APPENDIXES -- 1 Environment-Related Goals and Targets -- 2 Stocktake Questionnaires -- 3 Interviewees

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Table and Boxes -- Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Abbreviations -- 1. Overview -- 2. Providing Broader Access to Economic Opportunities -- 2.1 Shanxi Integrated Agricultural Development Project: People's Republic of China -- 2.2 Dryland Sustainable Agriculture Project: People's Republic of China -- 2.3 Yunnan Integrated Road Network Development Project: People's Republic of China -- 2.4 Surkhandarya Water Supply and Sanitation Project: Uzbekistan -- 3. Promoting Resilience -- 3.1 Food and Nutrition Social Welfare Program and Project: Mongolia -- 3.2 Social Protection Support Project: Philippines -- 3.3 Lower Secondary Education for the Most Disadvantaged Regions Project: Viet Nam -- 4. Empowering Communities Through Improved Governance -- 4.1 Strengthening Public Management Program: Nepal -- 4.2 Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises Line of Credit Project: Sri Lanka -- 5. Concluding Remarks -- Bibliography.

Cover -- Title -- Contents -- POLICY BRIEFS -- Economics of climate change in the Pacific -- Vanuatu and Cyclone Pam: An update on fiscal, economic, and development impacts -- Income-Who scores highest? -- Benchmarking service delivery -- Economic empowerment of women through private sector development in the Pacific -- Realizing job needs across the Pacific.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contrents -- Tables and Figures -- Abbreviations -- Executive Summary -- I. INTRODUCTION -- II. RATIONALE -- A. Poor Market Access -- B. Limited Economic Diversification -- C. Weak Institutions for Trade -- III. IMPACT, OUTCOME, AND OUTPUTS -- A. Trade Expansion from Increased Market Access -- B. Greater Diversification -- C. Stronger Institutions for Trade -- IV. INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE -- V. IMPLEMENTATION APPROACH AND RESULTS FRAMEWORK -- APPENDIXES -- 1 Problem Tree and Objective Tree Analysis -- 2a Institutional Structure -- 2b Terms of Reference of the Regional Trade Group -- 2c Terms of Reference of the Customs Cooperation Committee -- 3 CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda Rolling Strategic Action Plan 2018-2020 -- 4 Results Framework for the CAREC Integrated Trade Agenda 2030 -- 5 Consultation Process, Timeline, and Support.

Cover -- Title -- Copyright -- Contents -- Highlights -- Executive Summary -- Introduction: Bond Yields Fall Amid Growth Moderation and Looming Downside Risks -- Bond Market Developments in the First Quarter of 2019 -- Policy, Institutional, and Regulatory Developments -- Developing the Housing Bond Market -- Market Summaries -- China, People's Republic of -- Hong Kong, China -- Indonesia -- Korea, Republic of -- Malaysia -- Philippines -- Singapore -- Thailand -- Viet Nam.