Decades of economic growth and development along with better governance and nutrition-specific programmes had lifted hundreds of millions of people in Asia out of poverty, as well as starvation and malnutrition. However, due to the uneven development, while a large segment of Asian's population had changed their eating habits to over-nutrition diets and worrying about lifestyle diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart diseases, there are still some countries and regions suffering from lack of nutrition.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a wealth of interconnections – between ecological and human wellbeing, between economic and environmental fragility, between social inequality and health outcomes, and more. The consequences of these connections are now filtering through, reshaping our society and economy.
In this setting, the need to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing has become even more critical. Institutional investors must employ ESG not just to mitigate risks and identify opportunities, but to engage with companies to bring about the positive change needed to drive a sustainable economic recovery in the post-Covid world.
In order to understand how ESG could be both a new performance marker and a growth driver in this environment, as well as how institutional investors are using ESG to make investment decisions and to assess their own performance, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by UBS, surveyed 450 institutional investors working in asset and wealth management firms, corporate pension funds, endowment funds, family offices, government agencies, hedge funds, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and reinsurers in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Download the report and infographic to learn more.
Charting the course for ocean sustainability in the Indian Ocean Rim is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi, which highlights key ocean challenges facing the Indian Ocean Rim countries and showcases initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector in the region to address these challenges.
Click here to view the report.
The urgency for change in Asia's food system comes largely from the fact that Asian populations are growing, urbanising and changing food tastes too quickly for many of the regions’ food systems to cope with. Asian cities are dense and are expected to expand by 578m people by 2030. China, Indonesia and India will account for three quarters of these new urban dwellers.
To study what are the biggest challenges for change, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 400 business leaders in Asia’s food industry. According to the respondents, 90% are concerned about their local food system’s ability to meet food security needs, but only 32% feel their organisations have the ability to determine the success of their food systems. Within this gap is a shifting balance of responsibility between the public and private sectors, a tension that needs to and can be strategically addressed.
Rapid income growth and urbanisation will have profound impacts on Asia’s food supply chains. Urbanisation, in particular, will contribute to supply- and demand-side imbalances for domestically produced food, as farmers leave rural areas in search of job opportunities in the cities. Without a strong transition plan to manage rapid rural–urban migration across developing Asia, domestic food supply chains will be disrupted. Inadequate infrastructure, for example, could lead to food loss and discourage trade.
What will Asian food systems look like in 2030? There is no simple answer to this question, because Asia encompasses a complex mix of countries, divided by borders, policies, cultures, uneven development and other socioeconomic differences. There is no single “Asian” food system, and Asia cannot be analysed as a single entity.
Experts recognise that existing food systems will not remain stagnant as Asia urbanises and grows ever more populous. However, discussions around diet, food supply and food security often focus on Asia as a whole, rather than focusing on its different sub-regions and countries. This broad approach masks complex and often divergent policy and societal concerns, and it also risks strategic misalignment when preparing for the future. In light of this, how are companies and policymakers strategising for the future? How prepared are they to identify where divergence will remain, and where cities and countries will converge into similar food landscapes?
Download article Fixing Asia's food system to learn more>
Download report Separate tables: Bringing together Asia's food systems
Water scarcity is a growing concern. Global water withdrawal has increased 1.7 times faster than population growth over the last century, with 64% of global water withdrawal occurring on the Asian continent. Urbanisation has also led to more spatially concentrated demand for water, and there are concerns about the over-exploitation of water sources, as well as the impacts of climate change (particularly the effects of rising sea levels and saline intrusion on agriculture). Against this backdrop, political tensions over increasingly scarce water resources are already becoming more apparent.
As Asia develops, rising demand for food and energy will also affect water resources. This will add further complexities to the challenge of managing water, requiring a greater understanding of the water needs associated with food and energy, and how current water issues (such as pollution, poor quality data and over-extraction) will affect the food systems of the future.
Which trends are driving increased demand, supply and tension over water? What are the challenges and opportunities for policymakers and the private sector in managing these trends? This report aims to help policymakers and companies as they grapple with these challenges by analysing water resources and water scarcity in Asia, and by exploring how water supply and demand will interact with agriculture in the future
Download report Liquidity Premium: Managing Asia's scarce water resources for more details>
For insights to the research conducted by The EIU which surveyed 420 executives of food producers and agriculture companies in the Asian region, download article here >
As Asia’s food producers aim to meet the demands of a growing population, they are also fighting against the “four horsemen” of climate change: increasing temperatures, decreasing rainfall, extreme adverse weather events and the environmental consequences of decades of intensive land use.
While these challenges pose a serious threat to the region’s food supply, they also create opportunities for innovation—from gene editing and laboratory-grown meat to crop surveillance by drones and satellites. Food companies, scientists and farmers in Asia are adopting agricultural innovation to support their markets.
How regional players are innovating to overcome Asia’s challenges holds lessons for global audiences. To examine their views and approaches, the EIU surveyed agriculture and food executives in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Download article Food 4.0: Leveraging food innovation in Asia to learn more>
In order to understand the systemic concerns regarding Asian food system, we explore on 2 key questions in the Food 4.0: The future of food innovation in Asia report:
Which trends are driving innovations in Asia's food system? What are the challenges and opportunities for policymakers and the private sector in managing these trends?Download report Food 4.0: The future of food innovation in Asia for more details>
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a wealth of interconnections – between ecological and human wellbeing, between economic and environmental fragility, between social inequality and health outcomes, and more. The consequences of these connections are now filtering through, reshaping our society and economy.
In this setting, the need to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing has become even more critical. Institutional investors must employ ESG not just to mitigate risks and identify opportunities, but to engage with companies to bring about the positive change needed to drive a sustainable economic recovery in the post-Covid world.
In order to understand how ESG could be both a new performance marker and a growth driver in this environment, as well as how institutional investors are using ESG to make investment decisions and to assess their own performance, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by UBS, surveyed 450 institutional investors working in asset and wealth management firms, corporate pension funds, endowment funds, family offices, government agencies, hedge funds, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and reinsurers in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Download the report and infographic to learn more.
Charting the course for ocean sustainability in the Indian Ocean Rim is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi, which highlights key ocean challenges facing the Indian Ocean Rim countries and showcases initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector in the region to address these challenges.
Click here to view the report.
The urgency for change in Asia's food system comes largely from the fact that Asian populations are growing, urbanising and changing food tastes too quickly for many of the regions’ food systems to cope with. Asian cities are dense and are expected to expand by 578m people by 2030. China, Indonesia and India will account for three quarters of these new urban dwellers.
To study what are the biggest challenges for change, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 400 business leaders in Asia’s food industry. According to the respondents, 90% are concerned about their local food system’s ability to meet food security needs, but only 32% feel their organisations have the ability to determine the success of their food systems. Within this gap is a shifting balance of responsibility between the public and private sectors, a tension that needs to and can be strategically addressed.
Water scarcity is a growing concern. Global water withdrawal has increased 1.7 times faster than population growth over the last century, with 64% of global water withdrawal occurring on the Asian continent. Urbanisation has also led to more spatially concentrated demand for water, and there are concerns about the over-exploitation of water sources, as well as the impacts of climate change (particularly the effects of rising sea levels and saline intrusion on agriculture).
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a wealth of interconnections – between ecological and human wellbeing, between economic and environmental fragility, between social inequality and health outcomes, and more. The consequences of these connections are now filtering through, reshaping our society and economy.
In this setting, the need to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing has become even more critical. Institutional investors must employ ESG not just to mitigate risks and identify opportunities, but to engage with companies to bring about the positive change needed to drive a sustainable economic recovery in the post-Covid world.
In order to understand how ESG could be both a new performance marker and a growth driver in this environment, as well as how institutional investors are using ESG to make investment decisions and to assess their own performance, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by UBS, surveyed 450 institutional investors working in asset and wealth management firms, corporate pension funds, endowment funds, family offices, government agencies, hedge funds, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and reinsurers in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Download the report and infographic to learn more.
Charting the course for ocean sustainability in the Indian Ocean Rim is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi, which highlights key ocean challenges facing the Indian Ocean Rim countries and showcases initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector in the region to address these challenges.
Click here to view the report.
The urgency for change in Asia's food system comes largely from the fact that Asian populations are growing, urbanising and changing food tastes too quickly for many of the regions’ food systems to cope with. Asian cities are dense and are expected to expand by 578m people by 2030. China, Indonesia and India will account for three quarters of these new urban dwellers.
To study what are the biggest challenges for change, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 400 business leaders in Asia’s food industry. According to the respondents, 90% are concerned about their local food system’s ability to meet food security needs, but only 32% feel their organisations have the ability to determine the success of their food systems. Within this gap is a shifting balance of responsibility between the public and private sectors, a tension that needs to and can be strategically addressed.
Traditionally, most businesses have sought to become more sustainable by making changes within the bounds of their direct operational control—they might switch to renewable energy sources or hybrid vehicles, or reduce paper or electricity use. Today, however, companies increasingly find that the biggest improvements can be made within their extended supply chains. This could entail setting sustainability standards, adopting new technologies to increase accountability or helping suppliers to become more sustainable.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a wealth of interconnections – between ecological and human wellbeing, between economic and environmental fragility, between social inequality and health outcomes, and more. The consequences of these connections are now filtering through, reshaping our society and economy.
In this setting, the need to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing has become even more critical. Institutional investors must employ ESG not just to mitigate risks and identify opportunities, but to engage with companies to bring about the positive change needed to drive a sustainable economic recovery in the post-Covid world.
In order to understand how ESG could be both a new performance marker and a growth driver in this environment, as well as how institutional investors are using ESG to make investment decisions and to assess their own performance, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by UBS, surveyed 450 institutional investors working in asset and wealth management firms, corporate pension funds, endowment funds, family offices, government agencies, hedge funds, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and reinsurers in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Download the report and infographic to learn more.
Charting the course for ocean sustainability in the Indian Ocean Rim is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi, which highlights key ocean challenges facing the Indian Ocean Rim countries and showcases initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector in the region to address these challenges.
Click here to view the report.
The urgency for change in Asia's food system comes largely from the fact that Asian populations are growing, urbanising and changing food tastes too quickly for many of the regions’ food systems to cope with. Asian cities are dense and are expected to expand by 578m people by 2030. China, Indonesia and India will account for three quarters of these new urban dwellers.
To study what are the biggest challenges for change, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 400 business leaders in Asia’s food industry. According to the respondents, 90% are concerned about their local food system’s ability to meet food security needs, but only 32% feel their organisations have the ability to determine the success of their food systems. Within this gap is a shifting balance of responsibility between the public and private sectors, a tension that needs to and can be strategically addressed.
How sustainability is understood by businesses and investors has changed dramatically since it was first considered within corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the 1960s. It has grown from being an annual report to shareholders of the actions taken in relation to a company’s broader social and ethical obligations to become an integral part of many companies’ business strategies. However, following the global adoption of the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, the concept of sustainability is now more often associated with the integration of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors. These ESG factors cover a wide spectrum of issues that traditionally may not be part of a company’s strategy or included within its financial analysis and reporting. This might include quantitative measures of how corporations respond to climate change, as well as the more qualitative social and governance factors such as workforce training, shareholder protection and board diversity, and how companies manage their supply chains.
There is no global agreement on corporate social or sustainability reporting requirements. Yet over 93% of the world’s largest 250 corporations do follow voluntary reporting standards such as those set out in the Global Reporting Initiative and report on their sustainability performance. At the regional level, the European Union (EU) does have unified sustainability reporting, enforced through Directive 2014/95/EU. However, much of the push behind the incorporation of sustainability into business operations is coming from the globalisation of supply chains, and mounting pressures from investors, asset owners, non-government organisations and the general public for companies to report on ESG risks. As a result, there are significant differences in how the US, the EU and Asia are developing frameworks, programmes and legislation to achieve the global shift to sustainability.
The funding gap
One area that has come to globally symbolise sustainability is the SDGs, developed by the UN and agreed by world leaders in 2015. They include environmental issues such as water, energy and climate change, along with social issues, such as education and health services. They also cover the private sector, with goals for employment and industry.
Achieving these goals by 2030 will be costly. Estimates range from $6trn per year upwards equal to the entire annual economic output of Italy, India and Canada combined.
Europe – money talks
In January this year, the European Commission (EC) laid out plans to cement sustainability into the European financial system. It suggested introducing a classification system of what is “sustainable” and measures to impose conditions on corporate reporting requirements and the duties asset managers had to investors. The use of an ESG lens in particular means that, from a financial perspective, it is easier for companies and investors to integrate sustainability into their investment decisions, because it is quantifiable.
Many of the EC’s suggestions are already being put in place. An accounting rules change will allow governments to keep certain energy transition projects off their national balance sheets. In doing so, the EC hopes to unlock plans that have been frozen for fear of increasing national deficits.
The mandates of Europe’s banking, markets and pension regulators are also being expanded to include sustainability alongside financial stability.
Central bankers are already on board. The governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, has said many times that climate change could be a source of financial risk and instability if left unchecked.
Likewise, De Nederlandsche Bank (the Dutch central bank) is looking at ways to factor environmental risk into lending, borrowing and insurance as sea levels rise.
And France, through Article 173, is already pressing ahead with measures to push companies and those who invest in them to assess and disclose the impact of their activities on the environment.
Further EU legislation should be agreed by 2019 to compel the financial industry to deliver the €180bn needed each year to hit Europe’s climate change targets.
China – sustainability an economic value-add
Rapid economic growth has left China facing some of the most severe environmental issues on the planet. They range from Beijing’s life-threatening smog to untreated sewage in the 80% of cities without formal treatment facilities. This rapid growth has also left it with significant social disruption as populations moved from rural to urban areas and new mega cities (those with populations over 10mn) have sprung up.
Whilst recognising the investment cost required, China views sustainability as an opportunity for its companies to develop innovative technologies that will allow the country to move up the value-added export chain. What is clear is that it wants a return on its environmental investments.
By focusing on research and development, China hopes to lead the world in environmental technology. The strategy is already paying dividends; China now accounts for a greater share of environmental patent applications than Europe or North America.
Both industry and China’s current-account balance are benefiting. From batteries to car manufacturing and solar power, China has already overtaken the US as the world’s leading environmental technology exporter. However, as noted by the Conference Board, China still has to contend with the social and economic pressures that have built up as China has developed. Failing to address these sustainability issues could have serious future cost, reputation and growth consequences for businesses in China.
US: The states and market rebel
President Donald Trump has made it very clear he is no fan of climate change initiatives. During his election campaign, he promised to bring US coalmines back to life. In office, he has promised to pull the USout of the Paris Agreement. In January 2018 he slapped 30% tariffs on imported solar panels. This has led US renewable energy companies to cancel or freeze investments of more than $2.5bn in large installation projects. This is more than double the about $1bn in new spending plans announced by firms building or expanding US solar panel factories to take advantage of the tax on imports.
But not everyone agrees with him. In June 2018 the US Senate rejected his plans for deep cuts to renewable energy research budgets and individual states are developing their own projects (see box) without the need for federal regulation.
Download Article PDF here
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a wealth of interconnections – between ecological and human wellbeing, between economic and environmental fragility, between social inequality and health outcomes, and more. The consequences of these connections are now filtering through, reshaping our society and economy.
In this setting, the need to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing has become even more critical. Institutional investors must employ ESG not just to mitigate risks and identify opportunities, but to engage with companies to bring about the positive change needed to drive a sustainable economic recovery in the post-Covid world.
In order to understand how ESG could be both a new performance marker and a growth driver in this environment, as well as how institutional investors are using ESG to make investment decisions and to assess their own performance, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by UBS, surveyed 450 institutional investors working in asset and wealth management firms, corporate pension funds, endowment funds, family offices, government agencies, hedge funds, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and reinsurers in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Download the report and infographic to learn more.
Charting the course for ocean sustainability in the Indian Ocean Rim is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi, which highlights key ocean challenges facing the Indian Ocean Rim countries and showcases initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector in the region to address these challenges.
Click here to view the report.
How sustainability is understood by businesses and investors has changed dramatically since it was first considered within corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the 1960s. It has grown from being an annual report to shareholders of the actions taken in relation to a company’s broader social and ethical obligations to become an integral part of many companies’ business strategies.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a wealth of interconnections – between ecological and human wellbeing, between economic and environmental fragility, between social inequality and health outcomes, and more. The consequences of these connections are now filtering through, reshaping our society and economy.
In this setting, the need to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing has become even more critical. Institutional investors must employ ESG not just to mitigate risks and identify opportunities, but to engage with companies to bring about the positive change needed to drive a sustainable economic recovery in the post-Covid world.
In order to understand how ESG could be both a new performance marker and a growth driver in this environment, as well as how institutional investors are using ESG to make investment decisions and to assess their own performance, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by UBS, surveyed 450 institutional investors working in asset and wealth management firms, corporate pension funds, endowment funds, family offices, government agencies, hedge funds, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and reinsurers in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Download the report and infographic to learn more.
Charting the course for ocean sustainability in the Indian Ocean Rim is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi, which highlights key ocean challenges facing the Indian Ocean Rim countries and showcases initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector in the region to address these challenges.
Click here to view the report.
The urgency for change in Asia's food system comes largely from the fact that Asian populations are growing, urbanising and changing food tastes too quickly for many of the regions’ food systems to cope with. Asian cities are dense and are expected to expand by 578m people by 2030. China, Indonesia and India will account for three quarters of these new urban dwellers.
To study what are the biggest challenges for change, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 400 business leaders in Asia’s food industry. According to the respondents, 90% are concerned about their local food system’s ability to meet food security needs, but only 32% feel their organisations have the ability to determine the success of their food systems. Within this gap is a shifting balance of responsibility between the public and private sectors, a tension that needs to and can be strategically addressed.
As Asia’s food producers aim to meet the demands of a growing population, they are also fighting against the “four horsemen” of climate change: increasing temperatures, decreasing rainfall, extreme adverse weather events and the environmental consequences of decades of intensive land use.
The urgency for change in Asia's food system comes largely from the fact that Asian populations are growing, urbanising and changing food tastes too quickly for many of the regions’ food systems to cope with. Asian cities are dense and are expected to expand by 578m people by 2030. China, Indonesia and India will account for three quarters of these new urban dwellers.
To study what are the biggest challenges for change, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 400 business leaders in Asia’s food industry. According to the respondents, 90% are concerned about their local food system’s ability to meet food security needs, but only 32% feel their organisations have the ability to determine the success of their food systems. Within this gap is a shifting balance of responsibility between the public and private sectors, a tension that needs to and can be strategically addressed.
What will Asian food systems look like in 2030? There is no simple answer to this question, because Asia encompasses a complex mix of countries, divided by borders, policies, cultures, uneven development and other socioeconomic differences. There is no single “Asian” food system, and Asia cannot be analysed as a single entity.
Experts recognise that existing food systems will not remain stagnant as Asia urbanises and grows ever more populous. However, discussions around diet, food supply and food security often focus on Asia as a whole, rather than focusing on its different sub-regions and countries. This broad approach masks complex and often divergent policy and societal concerns, and it also risks strategic misalignment when preparing for the future. In light of this, how are companies and policymakers strategising for the future? How prepared are they to identify where divergence will remain, and where cities and countries will converge into similar food landscapes?
Download article Fixing Asia's food system to learn more>
Download report Separate tables: Bringing together Asia's food systems
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a wealth of interconnections – between ecological and human wellbeing, between economic and environmental fragility, between social inequality and health outcomes, and more. The consequences of these connections are now filtering through, reshaping our society and economy.
In this setting, the need to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing has become even more critical. Institutional investors must employ ESG not just to mitigate risks and identify opportunities, but to engage with companies to bring about the positive change needed to drive a sustainable economic recovery in the post-Covid world.
In order to understand how ESG could be both a new performance marker and a growth driver in this environment, as well as how institutional investors are using ESG to make investment decisions and to assess their own performance, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by UBS, surveyed 450 institutional investors working in asset and wealth management firms, corporate pension funds, endowment funds, family offices, government agencies, hedge funds, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and reinsurers in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Download the report and infographic to learn more.
Charting the course for ocean sustainability in the Indian Ocean Rim is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi, which highlights key ocean challenges facing the Indian Ocean Rim countries and showcases initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector in the region to address these challenges.
Click here to view the report.
The urgency for change in Asia's food system comes largely from the fact that Asian populations are growing, urbanising and changing food tastes too quickly for many of the regions’ food systems to cope with. Asian cities are dense and are expected to expand by 578m people by 2030. China, Indonesia and India will account for three quarters of these new urban dwellers.
To study what are the biggest challenges for change, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 400 business leaders in Asia’s food industry. According to the respondents, 90% are concerned about their local food system’s ability to meet food security needs, but only 32% feel their organisations have the ability to determine the success of their food systems. Within this gap is a shifting balance of responsibility between the public and private sectors, a tension that needs to and can be strategically addressed.
The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed a wealth of interconnections – between ecological and human wellbeing, between economic and environmental fragility, between social inequality and health outcomes, and more. The consequences of these connections are now filtering through, reshaping our society and economy.
In this setting, the need to integrate environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors when investing has become even more critical. Institutional investors must employ ESG not just to mitigate risks and identify opportunities, but to engage with companies to bring about the positive change needed to drive a sustainable economic recovery in the post-Covid world.
In order to understand how ESG could be both a new performance marker and a growth driver in this environment, as well as how institutional investors are using ESG to make investment decisions and to assess their own performance, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), sponsored by UBS, surveyed 450 institutional investors working in asset and wealth management firms, corporate pension funds, endowment funds, family offices, government agencies, hedge funds, insurance companies, pension funds, sovereign wealth funds and reinsurers in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific.
Download the report and infographic to learn more.
Charting the course for ocean sustainability in the Indian Ocean Rim is an Economist Intelligence Unit report, sponsored by Environment Agency Abu Dhabi and the Department of Economic Development Abu Dhabi, which highlights key ocean challenges facing the Indian Ocean Rim countries and showcases initiatives undertaken by governments and the private sector in the region to address these challenges.
Click here to view the report.
The urgency for change in Asia's food system comes largely from the fact that Asian populations are growing, urbanising and changing food tastes too quickly for many of the regions’ food systems to cope with. Asian cities are dense and are expected to expand by 578m people by 2030. China, Indonesia and India will account for three quarters of these new urban dwellers.
To study what are the biggest challenges for change, The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) surveyed 400 business leaders in Asia’s food industry. According to the respondents, 90% are concerned about their local food system’s ability to meet food security needs, but only 32% feel their organisations have the ability to determine the success of their food systems. Within this gap is a shifting balance of responsibility between the public and private sectors, a tension that needs to and can be strategically addressed.
