'A destructive combination of earthquakes, floods, droughts and other hazards make South Asia the world's most disaster-prone region. The effects are aggravated by climate change, unsuitable social and development policies, and environmental degradation. The effect is to slow or block development and keep millions trapped in poverty.

Oxfam's experience shows that successful disaster risk reduction policies, integrated into development work, save lives and money, making vulnerable communities more...

The United Nations World Water Development Report, released every three years in conjunction with the World Water Forum, is the UN’s flagship report on water. It is a comprehensive review that gives an overall picture of the state of the world's freshwater resources and aims to provide decision-makers with the tools to implement sustainable use of our water. Reports for 2003, 2005 and 2009.

'Every year some 3.4 million people, mostly children, die from diseases associated with inadequate water supply, sanitation, and hygiene. Over half of the hospital beds in the world are filled with people suffering from water- and sanitation-related diseases.

In 2002, participants in the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa, made a commitment to reduce by half the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation by the year 2015. The United Nations Deve more...

Almost one tenth of the global disease burden could be prevented by improving water supply, sanitation, hygiene and management of water resources. WHO 2008.

'This publication, which consists of two parts, underscores the importance of population issues, including reproductive health, as a critical component of national efforts to reduce poverty and achieve the MDGs. The first part highlights key arguments on the benefits to be gained when governments make reproductive health and rights a development priority. The second part includes the 'Stockholm Call to Action', a list of practical ways to invest in reproductive health which was endorsed by a num more...

'People in Uganda, whose contribution to global warming has been minuscule, are feeling the impacts of climate change first and worst. On the one hand there is more erratic rainfall in the March to June rainy season, bringing drought and reductions in crop yields and plant varieties; on the other hand, the rainfall, especially in the later rains towards the end of the year, is reported as coming in downpours that are more intense and destructive, bringing floods, landslides, and soil erosion. Cl more...

This publication from the Independent Evaluation Group examines IFC and the World Bank's support for environmental sustainability from 1990 to 2007.

While there are difficulties in comparing the experience in the public and private sectors, the report assesses the Bank Group's effectiveness as a whole. It also attempts to identify the main constraints and suggests ways to enhance the Bank Group's effectiveness in coming years.

'Low-income families may be pushed deeper into poverty if high prices for commodities such as wheat, rice and soybeans remain persistently high and countries fail to boost agricultural output and income to the poor, according to IDB data, which estimated the impact of the crisis in 19 countries in the region.'

Rising food prices around the world are likely to drive poor women to trade sex for basic goods like fish and cooking oil, raising the risk of new AIDS infections, U.N officials said on Monday.

'The World Bank's Independent Evaluation Group (IEG) is releasing the report 'Environment Sustainability: An evaluation of World Bank Support,' which looks at the WBG's support for public and private sector clients with regard to environmental sustainability during the past decade and a half. '