SDGs related activities in the Department of

Development and Sustainability

Department of Development and Sustainability is working to help achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through our research, outreach and teaching work. Below are some examples of our projects. Click the SDG to check out on our projects.

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Goal 1: No Poverty

End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

This research project, using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, focused on women’s economic empowerment and social protection projects in four Mekong countries: Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam. It involved an exploration of the gaps between the level of policy makers and intended beneficiaries in terms of their...

Groundwater plays a crucial role in the water security, poverty reduction and sustainable development of the Mekong region. However, in many countries either the groundwater is under-utilized or over exploited and at the same time affected by multiple stresses such as rapid urbanization, population growth, climate change and climate variability....

Thousands of species are threatened globally with extinction, there has been a swift decline in biodiversity and ecosystem resilience and people are being kept in poverty as trade in wildlife and agricultural commodities from low and middle-income countries has rapidly increased. The Trade Hub includes economists, trade modellers, political scientists,...

The research focuses on gender mainstreaming in the nexus of climate change, land use, and informal livelihoods in Himalayan cities. Expected activities include: 1) survey and mapping to examine how women in informal settlements use the urban spaces for their livelihoods and what the impacts of climate change on their...

The project was initiated based on the request from the Climate Technology Centre and Network (CTCN) which is the operational arm of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Technology Mechanism and hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development...

The study analyzed the impact of rubber plantation in Northern Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. It showed how different farmers are impacted and adjust in different ways, and often times, the burden of adjustment falls on women. Keywords rubber, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, gender

The project studied migration in fishing communities in Cambodia, India and Sri Lanka. It explored how migration is used as a strategy to manage diminishing fishing resources and the deprivation that fishers are facing vis a vis large players in fishing. In Cambodia, it demonstrated how women play a crucial...

The Living Deltas Research Hub is funded for five years (2019-2024) and operates across four delta systems – Red River, Mekong deltas in Vietnam; the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna system in Bangladesh and India. We call these socio-ecological systems. The Living Deltas Hub’s AIM is to tackle the problem of delta degradation in...

Thailand is the world’s No.1 exporter of processed cassava products, especially tapioca starch powder. Any other country pales in comparison. While it is well known that tapioca production and export have grown dramatically over the last several decades in Thailand, it is not widely known why this industry has grown...

Goal 2: Zero Hunger

End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

Goal 3: Good health and well-being for people

Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

There are many young migrants from Cambodia to Thailand, who migrant alone or with their family members. The study explored the opportunity cost of such decision to migrate and the advantage that they might get by migrating. The study showed the struggle that young women migrants face to balance their...

The study reviewed the laws and regulations related to human trafficking and migration in Thailand and Cambodia. It identified some limitations in laws itself, as well as in its implementation. Keywords human trafficking, migration, Thailand, Cambodia, laws

There is a large demographic change in fishing communities in Asia – either because of aging or because of out-migration. The study compared the situation in Thailand (aging society) and Cambodia (out-migration) fishing communities, and analyzed what has been the impact of demographic changes to fishing occupation, and how fishers...

Based on the request from Prefectural University of Hiroshima, AIT acts as a focal point in Thailand for this trilateral civic engagement project to address the ocean plastic pollution problem. Annually, eight million metric tons of plastic waste is discharged into the oceanic zone, causing serious damage to fisheries and...

As requested by JICA-RI, AIT acted as a technical advisor to the impact assessment of urban water supply in Myanmar. JICA has supported the effort of the Government of Myanmar to expand the access to safe water and to improve the water supply system in the managerial and the technical...

Women’s unpaid work responsibilities in Laos is restricting women to take up productive work. Access to water and electricity, as well as childcare services are essential for rural women to utilize the economic opportunities. The study called for better childcare services in the rural communities. Keywords Laos, women, childcare, unpaid work

AIT did the Thailand part of the study and analyzed housing rights of migrants (Cambodian, Burmese, Lao) in Pathumthani, Thailand. The study found that women tend to pay higher rent for the reason for better security. Keywords Migration, Thailand, Housing, Cambodia, Myanmar, Lao, security

There is a lack of comprehensive research on attitude toward LGBT people and challenges they face, making it difficult for advocates, development partners and policy makers to promote effective policies and make informed decisions. To address this the ‘Being LGBTI in Asia’ UNDP program, which is aimed at advancing the...

Goal 4: Quality Education

Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

The Sindh Resilience Project, with the Sindh Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), signed a contract with the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) on 28th June 2019, to execute a project “Capacity Building through Curriculum Development, Conduct Various Training programs and workshops for Provincial and District Disaster Management Authorities and Line...

The Training Program on Disaster Risk Management and Governance aims to increase efficiency in disaster preparedness, mitigation and management to minimize the loss of life and properties in disaster or emergency situations. During the training workshop we will deliver case studies and best practices from international perspectives through the international...

The research project investigated the critical factors for educational continuity in the case of urban flooding in South and Southeast Asia. The research studied three countries – Bangladesh, Thailand, and Vietnam – which are recurrently affected by floods. The research specifically aimed at extrapolating the main blockers and enablers of educational continuity. Towards this goal, primary, middle...

Disaster Resilience and Business Continuity Planning at the various level for Advocating Safety of Public and Private Hospitals, Schools, and other Critical Structures are one of the key components for mainstreaming resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction in higher education. This workshop will contribute in exchange of knowledge and dialogues which...

This project contributes to capacity building of YUE for qualitative research. It consists of graduate education at AIT, curriculum development of gender and development at YUE, qualitative research training workshop and small research projects, and joint supervision of students. As the result of the project, YUE now runs a gender...

This project aims to establish a working group on Higher Education Institutions on Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development under the ProSPER.Net umbrella. Its aim is to form a robust regional network with the collective capacity to lead initiatives that protect society from shocks to physical, socio-cultural, politico-economic and natural systems...

To update the curriculum of universities in line with SDG goal on quality of education with focus on issues related to sustainability. Keywords: Sustainability, education, textile education, training

The International Symposium on “Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development” is one of the initiatives of ProSPER.Net project “Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development Education Network in Asia” lead by Asian Institute of Technology, Thailand along with the partner universities in the Asia Pacific Region. The symposium will also provide an opportunity...

Vietnam is experiencing with rapid demographic and social change including rural out migration and aging population in rural areas. Rapid economic growth and industrialization have not been friendly to the environment and natural resources; and urbanization and population growth are causing rapidly increasing waste and pollution challenges. Since every SDG...

Since 2018, Dr. Sohee M. Kim, Assistant Professor at UEM has been participated as a guest lecturer in the capacity building & training programs and student workshop on “Low-carbon Integrated Solid Wastes Management and Circular Economy”, organized and funded by United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), Green Technology...

Goal 5: Gender equality

Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

Guided by the question of whether the jobs being created within these zones are promoting decent work for women migrant workers, this study developed four case studies of SEZs: Thilawa SEZ (Yangon Region, Myanmar), Phnom Penh SEZ (Phnom Penh, Cambodia), Manhattan SEZ (Svay Rieng Province, Cambodia), and Tak SEZ (Tak...

The aim of the project is to assess the extent and forms of women’s participation in the political sphere in Myanmar, and explore barriers and enabling factors. We define participation beyond just actions that influence or support governments to taking part in collective decision-making in a broad sense. Previous research...

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy

Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.

The project will develop a database of policies, interventions and best practices in the energy sector (with focus on SDG7 targets). The database will be uploaded in the Energy Portal as a knowledge product for policymakers, energy planners and practitioners. At the...

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.

The project aims to overview the status, risks and trends of the flood disasters in the Mueang District as a case to develop a system-based multi-disciplinary framework for local level risk assessment and recommend necessary future actions for decision-makers. The specific objectives of the project are; 1. To identify critical...

Goal 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

Goal 10: Reducing inequalities

Reduce income inequality within and among countries.

Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities

Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

The project aimed at spatial and policy assessment on the future vulnerability to flood hazards in the context of urban growth for Lower Mekong region. Activities performed include: 1) development and dissemination of a flood risk assessment system combined with open-source global-scale geospatial and socioeconomic datasets on a cloud-based platform;...

Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Goal 13: Climate action

Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy.

This is project is a research collaboration project between Lund University in NRM of SERD, AIT in Thailand and the Royal University of Agriculture. Named FRAWASA, this project is aimed at identifying land cover change in Cambodia, assessing land availability for forest restoration and climate-smart agriculture. It suggests policy interventions...

This project is designed to train university lecturers, NGOs, and government officials from ASEAN member states on identifying the low-carbon business development opportunities created by forestry climate change project. Trainers were from Japan, ASEAN, and AIT. Training was held in Siem Reap in May 2019, for which more than 60...

Several Asian Countries are conducting a country-driven Technology Needs Assessment for Climate Change mitigation and adaptation following specific methodology to come up with sector/technologies prioritization to deploy, identification of barriers, and technology action plan for short/medium/long term. AIT is the regional center to provide all technical guidance related to processes...

Goal 14: Life below water

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.

Goal 15: Life on land

Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

Goal 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.