Consumed by fire-fighting domestic political chaos and security crises at the border Pakistan’s government has struggled with natural, economic and conflict-related disasters this year

Nepal suffered some of the worst natural disasters in its history this year and launched a massive hydropower development plan

India’s environment map was marked by severe floods in Kashmir and a cyclone that battered the eastern coast but also a new industry friendly government that moved to dilute green safeguards

We look back at the major environmental stories from a turbulent year

Buddhist leaders and locals on the arid reaches of the Tibetan plateau are overcoming water shortages by building ‘ice stupas’ – artificial cones of ice that store water for crops to combat shrinking glaciers

Least developed countries were cut out of the UN climate talks, with decisions made by powerful allies behind closed doors, says a member of Nepal’s negotiating team

Our interactive map illustrates the impact of China’s controversial South-North Water Transfer project, as water finally reached Beijing last week

Climate talks in Lima end with a call for action that falls far short of what will be required to combat climate change, but UN hopes climate plans in 2015 can scale up effort

Dam-builder Sinohydro has an opportunity to prove that it values its reputation and its role as an ambassador of the Chinese state more than the short-term profits of a destructive contract, says International Rivers policy director Peter Bosshard