Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) has a comparative advantage in natural capital, which has fueled economic growth averaging around 8 percent per annum since 2000. The natural resource endowment comprises half of the country's wealth. Although forest cover declined 3.6 percent between...

Lao PDR faces a great opportunity to develop its tourism sector, in particular nature-based tourism (NBT), to create greener, more resilient economic growth and good jobs from its attractive landscapes and wildlife. Throughout the world, NBT is the fastest growing segment of tourism, and the...

Natural capital in Lao PDR is a major source of wealth for the country and becomes even more strategic in times of economic stress. While forest products directly benefit vulnerable rural communities, ecosystem services from forests support key economic sectors such as energy, agriculture,...

Natural capital is the largest form of wealth in the Lao People's Democratic Republic. Yet, natural capital is being depleted, posing a significant challenge to achieving poverty reduction and sustainable development objectives. The World Bank has long promoted natural capital accounting (NCA)...

The Lao PDR sits at the intersection of four critical ecoregions and is home to some of the world's biologically richest and most endangered terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and species. The biodiversity endowment is crucial to the Lao economy, as the goods and ecosystem services it provides...