Cities and towns are increasingly becoming the primary locus of poverty in many countries. Rural-urban migration and low urban mortality rates have contributed to the rapid population growth of cities in many parts of the world. With such rapid growth comes an increasing concentration of poverty...

In recent months, there has been a steep increase in the number of daily new cases and, more disturbingly, in the number of deaths. While it took almost one year for Malaysia to record its first 100,000 cases, the increase in the number of new cases between April to May 2021 alone amounted to...

Iran's GDP growth in 2017/18 eased considerably as the effect of large surge in oil revenues in the previous year dissipated. After undergoing an oil-based bounce in the economy in 2016/17, the economy registered a 3.8 percent growth in 2017/18 with the overwhelming majority of growth coming...

The Iranian economy entered a third consecutive year of recession following the triple-shock of sanctions, oil market collapse and Coronavirus (COVID-19). High inflation placed additional economic stress on lower income households following a sharp depreciation of the currency. As Coronavirus...

This report provides an assessment of the current state of poverty and inequality in Lebanon. It documents the impact of a protracted economic crisis on households, that is well into its fifth year, along with their responses and investigates how the crisis has potentially affected labor market...

Air pollution caused by motor vehicles is a major environmental problem in many Latin American urban centers. If appropriate measures are not taken soon, vehicular air pollution in the region is likely to worsen, posing a great threat to human health and welfare. This report analyzes the...

Mangroves provide essential ecosystem functions and services that support coastal communities. Despite their importance, they have been degraded and removed globally resulting in loss of resilience of coastlines, their communities, and economies. Myanmar in particular has suffered from high...

Productive natural ecosystems are being lost and degraded by poorly planned and managed commercial and small-scale livelihood activities in Zimbabwe, and threats will be further exacerbated by climate change. This report identifies the drivers of ecosystem degradation and assesses the value of...