The Sanjiang Plain wetlands are among the most important wetlands in the People’s Republic of China with unique habitats, species, and ecology. There is a considerable body of literature devoted to various aspects of the Sanjiang Plain wetlands including their ecological values. Building on lessons from the Sanjiang Plain Wetlands Protection Project supported by the Asian Development Bank and the Global Environment Facility---and based on a comprehensive literature review and discussions with experts who have been directly involved in wetland conservation efforts---this publication synthesizes current knowledge on the Sanjiang Plain wetlands, best practices, and options for achieving sustainable wetland management.

The 2014 Development Effectiveness Review (DEFR) is the eighth in a series of yearly reports by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) on its performance in achieving the priorities of Strategy 2020, its long-term strategic framework for 2008-2020. The results framework on which the DEFR is based was updated in 2014 to reflect the recommendations of the Midterm Review of Strategy 2020. The 2014 DEFR tracks recent development progress in Asia and the Pacific, assesses ADB's development effectiveness, and identifies areas where ADB's performance needs to be strengthened.

In recent years, initiatives by the international community to address the links between poverty and environmental degradation have been increasing. These initiatives range from policy reform and top-down approaches to local, bottom-up actions by communities. This publication focuses on local actions, and provides a background to the present situation of increasing environmental poverty and degraded environments. It shows how local actions, with support from governments and development partners, can turn this situation around to reduce poverty and bring about environmental benefits. These benefits are illustrated through case studies of successful local actions in Asia and the Pacific that can be scaled-up to produce substantial national or regional benefits. Most of the studies are from the Asian Development Bank's Poverty and Environment Program, which promotes targeted environmental interventions that reduce poverty and improve the environment through pilot interventions, analytical studies, and information dissemination.