There are currently two PEI-supported country poverty-environment mainstreaming programmes in Asia.  One, in Vietnam, was launched in 2005 under the original UNDP PEI programme; the other, Bhutan, is being launched by UNDP and UNEP jointly.

To support the PEI scale-up process in Asia, a PEI regional team was formed in late 2006 that brings together staff from the UNEP Regional Office for Asia/Pacific and the UNDP Regional Centres in Bangkok and Colombo. This team, in collaboration with the Poverty-Environment Facility, has developed a plan for an expanded PEI Regional Support Programme with the aim of launching the first phase of country mainstreaming programmes in 4-5 countries by mid-2008.

The regional team held a workshop in March 2007, bringing together government and UNDP Country Office representatives from a range of countries with an interest in participating in the PEI regional programme.