GPS tracking is helping tigers and humans coexist in Nepal
Significant progress has been made in wild tiger conservation in Nepal with the population doubling from 2009 to 2018.
South Asia
South Asia spans countries including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and their neighbors. This archive gathers progress stories from the region — covering public health, education, climate adaptation, economic inclusion, and more.
Nepal’s rhino population is on the rise
In the 1960s, Nepal’s rhino population hit a frightening low of fewer than 100. But it seems the government’s conservation efforts have paid off.
India likely passed peak coal in 2018, according to new report
Energy think tank Ember reports that the share of coal-based electricity in India has been on the decline since 2018.
Pakistan sees record drop in terrorism deaths in 2020
The South Asian nation has seen a reduction in terrorist attacks on home soil by 86% since 2013, and between 2019 and 2020 alone there was a 45% fall.
India is on ‘cusp of a solar-powered revolution’, according to International Energy Agency
Solar power currently makes up just 4% of the nation’s power supply, but it is set to grow 18-fold and become the new “king of India’s generation fleet” by at least 2040.
4 major Asian nations cancel 80% of planned coal power projects
Indonesia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and the Philippines have canceled nearly 45 gigawatts of proposed coal power projects, a figure equal to more than one-quarter of the total installed capacity of Germany.
Indian startup turns polluted air into climate-friendly tiles
Each new sustainable building tile contains at least 70 percent waste material and is the equivalent of cleaning 30,000 liters of air, the company website said.
Bhutan Parliament votes to decriminalize homosexuality
Sixty-three of the 69 members of the Bhutan Parliament voted in favor of making gay sex legal; the other six were absent.
India plans enormous 41.5 GW hybrid wind & solar power park
For perspective, that is almost as much solar as is currently installed in the entire United States.
Toxic sulfur dioxide emissions fell across India, Russia, and China last year– dropping 6% globally
In 2019, the levels of anthropogenic SO2 emissions fell worldwide by 6%. In only the second time ever, SO2 emissions fell in all three of the countries most responsible for emitting it: China, India, and Russia.