Regional Environmental Office

The REO for South Asia covers one of the world’s most dynamic regions, home to a quarter of the world’s population and half the world’s poor. The region faces exceptional environmental challenges associated with rapid economic growth, increasing urbanization, air and water quality, natural resource management, and threats to biodiversity.  The region’s geography ranges from 8,000 meter Himalayan peaks, to the vast flood plains of the Bangladesh delta, to the tiny islands of the Maldives.  The region is highly vulnerable to variations in the arrival and strength of the annual monsoon, increasing temperatures, and rising sea-levels – all of which threaten the livelihood of millions of South Asians and will place extraordinary demands on the region’s social, economic and political institutions in the 21st century.

Environmental problems do not respect national boundaries and thus will require trans-boundary solutions.  In South Asia, these solutions will most likely be found in policies that promote sustainable economic development, environmentally sensitive urban planning, water initiatives that share benefits equitably, recycling of waste products, community-based natural resource management, and biodiversity and wildlife conservation.  Key to progress will be capacity building, scientific research, technological development, education, and enhancing the role of civil society.

REO priorities include  

Climate Change and Clean Energy:  REO seeks to support research and capacity building for South Asia government agencies and organizations involved in climate change issues by linking them to key U.S. government experts, research, and academic institutions. 

Trans-boundary Water Resource Management:  REO promotes cross-border dialogue, collaborative action on trans-boundary river management, and research on flood forecasting in the Himalayan Region.  REO supports efforts to promote greater cooperation between cross-border communities to manage small trans-boundary rivers, which pose significant flooding hazards to riparian communities. 

Biodiversity Conservation:  Poaching and illegal trade in highly endangered species, including the tiger and the one-horned rhinoceros, threaten their survival in South Asia.  REO is exploring ideas for a South Asian wildlife enforcement network aimed at exchanging real-time intelligence to arrest wildlife criminals and interdict shipments of illegal wildlife products.

Waste Management:  Regional organizations and national government agencies need support in building technical capacity to handle electronic and hazardous waste management and trans-shipment.  Under multilateral environmental agreements, South Asian countries are obligated to manage hazardous wastes, but in some cases they lack the technological capacity to do so. 

South Asia Coastal Conservation:  300 million South Asians derive their livelihood from coastal and marine resources.   The lack of appropriate government policies and uncontrolled growth has significantly degraded the coastal and marine resources of some countries.  REO promotes sustainable uses of these resources and, when appropriate, training and environmental risk remediation practices.       

Strengthening Ties to Regional Organizations:  REO seeks to strengthen ties to regional environment NGOs and International Organizations that are in a position to positively affect government environmental policies In South Asia. 

Scope of REO Coverage   

The REO covers the South Asian countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.  REO focuses on regional aspects of U.S. environmental, science and technology, and health policy – as opposed to bilateral aspects of U.S. policy, which are carried out by U.S. Embassies in respective South Asian capitals.

REO Contact Information

Mr. John Adams
Director, Regional Environmental Office for South Asia
Tel.  (977) 1-400-7200
Fax. (977) 1-400-7272, 400-7276

Mr. Jay Pal Shrestha
Environmental Affairs Specialist

Mailing address:

P.O. Box 295
Maharajgunj
Kathmandu, Nepal