This activity report describes and evaluates a country project aimed to strengthen capacity for climate change adaptation in Bangladesh. 9 adaptation strategies have been tested at household level in 120 highly vulnerable households (40 poor and marginal farmers, 20 agri-labourers, 20 landless women, 20 Indigenous people and 20 small traders). The adaptation options have been implemented from September 2008 to January 2009. At the same time there was ongoing assessment of efficacy of the options by the project Monitor.
This document includes two modules on green tax and budget reform. The first one aims to provide a brief thematic overview of the fundamental tenets of green tax and budget reform, various methods for overcoming obstacles to implementation, as well as its applicability to the Asia-Pacific region, particularly within the context of developing countries. The second one aims to familiarize participants with the various tax instruments and financing techniques available for greening the transport sector.
This document includes a series of five modules on green business and green growth. Green business is defined as enterprises which consider environmental protection as an essential component of their long-term business objectives, both by promoting ecologically efficient production activities and by marketing sustainable products and services. While the first module introduces the key concepts, the second one presents the whole system approach. The third module discusses the role of the government in greening business, and the fourth is a collection of case studies and the fifth analyses social entrepreneurship and green business in developing countries.
This document includes two modules on sustainable consumption and production. The first one aims to familiarise users with key concepts pertaining to these issues. The second is designed to introduce users to the Asia-Pacific region specific facts and findings supporting the needs for sustainable consumption and production. It addresses the economic and social costs of "business as usual" growth in Asia and the Pacific, discusses unexplored opportunities for increasing sustainability and ecological inefficiencies, and analyse the role of the various actors.
This document includes two modules on sustainable infrastructures. It highlights that without careful planning, infrastructure can lock in countries into unsustainable consumption and production patterns. The first module aims to familiarise participants with policy measures to support cost-effective, sustainable construction plans, emphasising the environmentally-efficient delivery of services and the regeneration of natural habitat. The second module aims to introduce ways to design environmentally-efficient, people-centered transportation systems towards enhancing the health, safety and mobility of urban populations.
This photo gallery exposes how extremely vulnerable Bangladesh is to natural disasters, with cyclones and flooding occurring regularly. Flooding means that families have to flee for drier ground at least once a year. Local people are adjusting their farming system, but still necessitate the help of the Vulnerable Group Development programme.
This analytical report discusses the consequences of natural disasters and conflicts. It highlights that one of the key lessons that UN-HABITAT and other agencies have learned is that it is important to incorporate proper long-term planning for sustainable development with the best protection against repeat disasters from the outset – indeed from the moment the humanitarian rescue operation begins. The other important lesson on which UN-HABITAT has plenty of experience to draw is this: taking preventive action and planning ahead to offset the worst. The United Nations has calculated that one dollar invested in disaster reduction today, can save up to seven dollars tomorrow in relief and rehabilitation costs.
This manual aims to support the development of biogas programmes as Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Programme of Activities (PoA) and to assist in determining the most suitable set-up for them. Although hope are high towards the Programme of Activities approach bringing in micro size projects under the CDM mechanism, developers are still facing numerous obstacles.
This activity report describes and evaluates a country project aimed to develop local adaptation strategies of the coupled social-environmental system to climate change in the Mongolian rangelands as well as to synthesize these findings and apply them to similar ecological regions. A fragmentation of the cultural landscapes in the arid and semi-arid lands of Mongolia has increased vulnerability and reduced the adaptive capacities to climate variability of traditional pastoral systems, which have evolved over thousands of years.
This analytical report includes a set of articles that attempt to broaden and deepen understanding across a wide range of population-climate change linkages. Taken together, they provide a substantive and methodological guide to the current state of knowledge on issues such as population growth and size and emissions, population vulnerability and adaptation, migration and urbanization and the data and analytical needs for the next stages of policy-relevant research.
This slide presentation reviews the linkage between climate change and population growth. “Population” effects on emissions are determined by consumption patterns of different countries and social groups. Therefore the document highlights that demographic processes necessitate more explicit consideration and discusses their implications for policy.
This analytical report reviews the demographic processes involved in population dynamics that necessitate more explicit consideration when dealing with climate change issues and discusses their implications for policy in the context of urbanization, population and global environment conservation.
This activity report includes the proceedings of the Symposium on "Mitigating Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Animal Production: A Policy Agenda", organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Asunción, Paraguay, 6-7 May 2009. It collects various interventions on the implications of the growth of the agriculture and livestock sectors for climate change.
This activity report describes and evaluates a pilot project aimed at communicating risk to policy makers and vulnerable community for assisting planning process in adaptation strategy to climate change at district level in India. The project succeeded in bringing the issue of climate change to the forefront at least in one district, which is where its primary focus was, and in generating new information and awareness.
This activity report introduces WHO Regional Office for Europe's project “Protecting health from climate change. A seven-country initiative”. This project focuses on taking action against the health effects of climate change in seven European countries: Albania, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Uzbekistan. The project supports actions and pilot-tests some interventions in countries that are already experiencing climate-related problems (e.g. extreme events, water scarcity) that are projected to have severe health effects.
This activity report presents an overview of the science of the links between climate change and human health. It provides an update of the evidence on health risks caused by climate change, describes which populations are most vulnerable, and outlines the actions that will be necessary to protect health from climate change.
This analytical report presents an overview of the science of the links between climate change and human health. It provides an update of the evidence on health risks caused by climate change, describes which populations are most vulnerable, and outlines the actions that will be necessary to protect health from climate change. Although climate change presents a very serious threat to global public health, the key messages of the report are positive. The health sector already has at its disposal a number of effective interventions that would save lives now and reduce vulnerability to climate change in the future.
This technical document presents the climate change and health research priorities identified by the World Health Assembly (WHA) in a recent resolution. It emphasizes that research on climate change and health must be placed more firmly within the overall context of improving global health, and health equity, rather than being considered as a stand-alone issue. Most of the health impacts of climate change arise as a result of the extension or amplification of existing health hazards.
This activity report introduces UPU's activities aimed at promoting sustainable development and fighting climate change, in accordance with its world postal strategy for 2009-2012. In particular, the group “Environment and Sustainable Development” has undertaken many activities to better share knowledge, resources and best practices among member countries. In addition, sub-groups are studying how the postal sector could better utilize renewable energies and how to promote the use of alternative vehicles for mail delivery.
This policy document presents the recommendations of the Expert Group on Technology Transfer on future financing options necessary for enhancing the development and transfer of technologies, for consideration by the subsidiary bodies at their thirtieth sessions. It presents three indicative financing options for enhancing the development and transfer of technologies under the Convention: (a) the enhancement of existing and emerging technology financing arrangements; (b) a decentralized or centralized comprehensive new international technology financing scheme; and (c) limited new technology financing and coordination arrangements with sectoral activities.
This fact sheet presents various approaches to reduce emissions from deforestation in developing countries under the UNFCCC and the Bali frameworks.
This analytical report observes that the economic boom in the Asia-Pacific region has been fuelled by surges of energy consumption, especially of fossil fuels, including oil, gas and coal. However, high dependency on fossil fuels is aggravating the region’s vulnerability to volatile energy prices, threatening energy security. The establishment of a sustainable energy framework, with ramifications for the agricultural sector and rural development in terms of energy inputs for improved agricultural productivity, is discussed. Even though energy efficiency is seen as a valuable approach for cutting energy costs, the report argues for renewables as an option to supplement fossil fuels for the foreseeable future.
This activity report summarises the work of the Expert Group on Technology Transfer (EGTT) in 2009. It also presents a rolling programme of work of the EGTT for 2010–2011 including recommendations for enhancing the implementation of the technology transfer framework and other activities which the EGTT believes can contribute to advancing the development and transfer of technologies under the Convention.
The activity report consists of two parts. Part I reports project activities approved by the GEF during the reporting period from September 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009. They include both climate change mitigation and adaptation activities funded from the GEF Trust Fund, the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). Part II describes GEF’s response to convention guidance.
This activity report consists of two parts and three annexes. Part I reports project activities approved by the GEF during the reporting period from September 1, 2007 to August 31, 2008. They include both climate change mitigation and adaptation activities funded from the GEF Trust Fund, the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), and the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF). Part II of the report provides GEF’s response to the Convention guidance.
This is the report of a workshop identifying successful examples of integrating practices and tools for climate risk assessment and management and disaster risk reduction strategies into national policies and programmes. The workshop was held under the Nairobi work programme on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and took place in Havana, Cuba, from 10 to 12 March 2009.
This manual consists of a media pack which aims to give journalists an overview of a key issue in global climate change negotiations. Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD) is a mechanism to slow the loss of forests, but how it is going to work in practice is the subject of debate. This document briefly explains how the REDD mechanism might work and raises some of the key controversies to be resolved. It is accompanied by a short film, which looks at the possible effects of REDD on forest communities and contains interviews with different stakeholders including environmental journalists on reporting the subject, and by a video news release on REDD, which includes interviews with forest communities, campaigners, economists and politicians.
This technical document discusses the potential role of agricultural research in improving small farmers’ productivity and ability to adapt to and mitigate climate change. It also analyses how to increase investments in international research and sharpen its focus on the challenges faced by regions that are most vulnerable to climate change.
This technical document has been developed to assist Parties not included in Annex I to the Convention (non-Annex I Parties) in preparing the mitigation section of their national communications to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It provides the reader with an overview of mitigation in the context of climate change, sustainable development and the framework of the UNFCCC.
This technical document has been developed as a guide to assist Non-Annex I Parties in the preparation of their national communications. It is the first in a series of modules prepared on the various elements of a national communication (e.g. vulnerability and adaptation, national greenhouse gas inventories, and measures to mitigate climate change).
This technical document was developed as a guide to assist Non-Annex I Parties in the preparation of the GHG inventories for their national communications. It aims to provide a brief overview of some of the main methods, tools and data being used by Non- Annex I Parties to prepare their national GHG inventory.
This activity report collects the main outcomes of the regional E-discussion organised as part of preparation activities to the 15th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (December 2009, Copenhagen). The objectives of the regional E-discussion on climate change and poverty are: to collect and summarize the expert opinions on climate change and poverty issues in Central Asian countries; to exchange information about the state policies and strategies; to find new approaches to adaptation and prevention, collect best practices and proposals; to disseminate the information on the upcoming meeting in Copenhagen; to build capacity for forming a common position of Central Asian countries in the run-up to the meeting in Copenhagen.
Rural Development and Climate Change Agendas: How Should They Shape Each Other?
This slide presentation discusses the linkage between rural development and climate change. It presents the issue and some relevant questions such as: how should current approaches change because of climate change? Is it possible to generalize over what the rural poor would ask for from global climate negotiations and what would this be?
This analytical report proposes that the scaling up of renewable energy to levels that would have a significant impact on the African energy scene could be achieved through deliberate interventions on policy and institutional environment; technology acquisition, development and integration; investment mobilization; and regional integration, networking, and capacity building. Policy makers in Africa are recommended to recognize the potential role of renewable energy in meeting the energy challenges being faced by the region and assume a proactive role in implementing the recommendations of the paper.
This publication aims to compile and synthesize available scientific information on ocean acidification and its impacts on marine biodiversity and habitats, which is identified as a potentially serious threat to cold-water corals and other marine biodiversity. Findings include that increasing ocean acidification reduces the availability of carbonate minerals in seawater, important building blocks for marine plants and animals, and that by 2100, 70% of cold-water corals, key refuges and feeding grounds for commercial fish species, will be exposed to corrosive waters.
This publication aims to provide an objective synthesis and analysis of the impacts of ocean fertilization on marine biodiversity. Among other findings, this publication demonstrates that there are uncertainties surrounding the viability of large-scale ocean fertilization as a carbon sequestration tool and potential adverse consequences for marine species, habitats and ecosystem function.
This analytical report addresses the environmental consequences of global warming and of the increase in sea surface temperatures. The study assesses eighty-four coastal developing countries in five regions. It considers the potential impact of a large (1-in-100-year) storm surge by contemporary standards, and then compares it with intensification which is expected to occur in this century. This is the first such exercise for developing countries.
This paper summarizes the finding of a study of greenhouse gas emissions from ships.
This analytical report is based on a series of 15 international case studies conducted between September and November 2008 to develop an improved understanding of the linkages between livelihoods and small-scale bioenergy initiatives. The focus of the study is on the impacts that different types of local level bioenergy initiatives can have on rural livelihoods in different contexts in the developing world. Livelihoods are understood as the enhancement of the full range of natural, financial, human, social and physical capitals on a sustainable ongoing basis.
This technical document provides an overview of the social investment funds and their projects which have been implemented in Asia, Latin and Central America, Eastern Europe and Africa since the 1980s. Originally used as a tool to mitigate against the affects of structural readjustment policies on the poor, social investment funds have emerged as a successful mechanism to fast-track community-based projects on the ground.
This technical document presents an assessment of the Carbon Market in 2009. The authors emphasize that this was a year of significant global changes that particularly affected the Carbon Market. This continued to grow in 2008, reaching a total value transacted of about US$126 billion (€86 billion) at the end of the year, double its 2007 value. However, it started to decline during the summer of 2009 because of lower oil and energy prices and a deteriorating economic outlook.
This analytical report analyses the linkage among population dynamics, greenhouse gases and climate change. The whole world has been talking about carbon credits, carbon trading and emissions targets. But not enough has been said about the people whose activities contribute to those emissions or about those who will be most affected by climate change, especially women. The climate-change debate needs to be reframed, putting people at the centre. Unless climate policies take people into account, they will fail to mitigate climate change or to shield vulnerable populations from the potentially disastrous impacts.
This guidance report shows that the success of the global response to AIDS can lead not only the encroaching virus itself but also the effects of climate change such as food and water shortages, growth in poverty and an increase in natural disasters.
This document includes a statement from the FAO Intergovernmental Group on Meat and Dairy Products. It highlights that the livestock industry needs to take steps to reduce the high level of its Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions as well as to adapt to climate change. The Intergovernmental Group has recommended that countries should coordinate their livestock policies and practices to help the sector achieve its full mitigation potential.
This policy document aims to support the process of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in response to the need for concerted action on fisheries, aquaculture and climate change. It lays the groundwork for a coordinated response from the fisheries and aquaculture sector to climate change, notably through a strategic approach to maintain or enhance the health and resilience of global oceans and waters, and strengthening the capacity of dependent people and communities, integrating these closely into broader development strategies.
This activity report describes and evaluates a pilot project aimed to strengthen community-based adaptation to climate-sensitive malaria in Kenya. In particular, its main objectives were: to identify possible adaptation strategies, compare them using multiple criteria and select the most sustainable alternatives; to identify risk communication methods and materials, select appropriate ones, tailor them to the local contexts, and implement them; to develop and apply indicators to monitor the performance of the overall project.
This policy document presents jointly submitted suggestions expressed in the framework of the work of the Ad Hoc Working Group on Long Term Cooperative Action (AWG-LCA) related to development and social issues, in particular on employment and incomes, food and agriculture, gender equality, health and development. Collectively and individually the organizations involved are available to assist parties in their endeavour to make informed decisions.
Suggestions for Protecting Health from Climate Change to the UNFCCC AWG-LCA.
This policy document consists of a policy guidance document submitted to the AWG-LCA on climate and health. It summarises the shared vision on climate change and presents considerations on adaptation, mitigation, finance and technology.
Suggestions for Protecting the Health of Vulnerable People from the Humanitarian Consequences of Climate Change and Climate Related Events to the UNFCCC AWG-LCA.
This policy document summarises the outcomes of the AWG-LCA 6th session on protecting the health of vulnerable people from the humanitarian consequences of climate change and climate related events. The aim of the paper is twofold: first, it documents the range of risks that climate change poses to human health associated with humanitarian emergencies, and secondly, it proposes policy directions to manage the health and humanitarian impact of climate change for consideration by the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC, the health sector and by the humanitarian community.
This analytical report summarizes the evidence for the impact of climate change on water and sanitation technologies in the near to medium term. It aims to help policy-makers, planners, operators and communities in making practical decisions based on clear criteria, to improve the resilience of their water and sanitation services.
This activity report presents the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s strategy to assist countries best realize a low carbon, resource efficient Green Economy for the 21st century. The strategy identifies three priority areas that match calls for international guidance, the urgent need for action at a national level on climate change and the organization's skill set, experience and mandate. Those areas are: ecosystems-based adaptation, reduced emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD and REDD+), clean technology readiness.
The main purpose of this manual is to assist people who are working in or with local government to develop sustainable energy and climate action plans and implementation programmes. The document addresses the challenges of energy consumption, climate change and development in developing countries. It deals with the role of urban centres and local governments in defining a sustainable development path and a new energy future in their countries. The handbook further explains why it is important for urban centres in developing countries to engage in sustainable energy planning, provides a step-by step process to developing and implementing a sustainable energy plan and offers a range of case studies from developed and developing urban centres covering all the major areas of local government responsibility.
This activity report outlines how the GEF supports the transfer of technologies to help countries mitigate and adapt to climate change. It further explains the GEF’s work with countries in helping establish “enabling policy environments,” or legal and regulatory landscapes, that encourage the adoption of climate-friendly technologies and practices.
This activity report summarizes Global Terrestrial Observing System (GTOS)'s activities and achievements in 2008 and 2009. GTOS is a global system for observations, modelling and analysis of terrestrial ecosystems to support sustainable development. Its mission is to facilitate access to reliable information on terrestrial ecosystems so that researchers and policy-makers can detect and manage global and regional environmental change.
This policy document presents the Carbon Partnership Facility's new strategies to develop emission reductions and support their purchase over long periods after 2012. The Carbon Partnership Facility aims to develop programmatic and sector-based approaches to carbon finance through a partnership which supports the development and implementation of larger scale and longer-term investment programs to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
This guidance document describes how International Labour Standards could be made more relevant to climate change in terms of its impact on employment and the labourmarket. The document addresses the transition to a low carbon economy through a framework of policy coherence and good governance using International Labour Standards as guidelines for supporting not only the social dimension of sustainable development,but the economic and environmental ones as well.
This analytical report draws attention to the global energy access situation and highlights that three billion people still rely on traditional biomass and coal; with a striking two million deaths per year associated with indoor burning of solid fuels in unventilated kitchens. The review focuses on the Least Developed Countries and Sub-Saharan Africa.
This analytical report looks at how the key causes of the current food crisis are the combined effects of speculation in food stocks, extreme weather events, low cereal stocks, growth in biofuels competing for cropland and high oil prices.
This analytical document aims to inform discussions at the 2009 Copenhagen conference of parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Authored by an international group of public health, environmental, and other scientists, each focuses on one sector in which greenhouse-gas emissions need to be reduced. These sectors are household energy use, urban land transport, electricity generation, and food and agriculture. Health implications of actions are examined in both high-income and low-income countries designed to reduce the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases.
This guidance document presents studies that examine the health implications of actions in both high-income and low-income countries designed to reduce the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases.
Extreme weather events are known to have serious consequences for human health and are predicted to increase in frequency as a result of climate change. Africa is one of the regions that risks being most seriously affected. This analytical report quantifies the impact of extreme rainfall and temperature events on the incidence of diarrhea, malnutrition and mortality in young children in Sub-Saharan Africa.
This activity report came out of a Special Expert Meeting of the World Heritage Convention, 16-17 March, 2006. It aims at reviewing the potential impacts of climate change on World Heritage properties and suggests appropriate measures to deal with them.
The analytical report considers the implications of population growth and urbanization for climate change in terms of the contribution of urban populations (and centres) to human induced climate change. It emphasizes how it is not the growth in (urban or rural) population but the growth in consumption that drives the growth in greenhouse gas emissions and that a significant proportion of the world’s urban (and rural) population have consumption levels that are so low that they contribute little or nothing to such emissions.
This technical document brings together key reports from the investment world that demonstrate best practice on climate change, identifying the risks and opportunities, assessing how companies are dealing with them, and translating their performance and intentions into future financial returns. The emphasis is on corporate sector assets, but real estate is clearly an asset class sensitive to climate change and leading investors are active on this front as well.
This policy document looks at the nine different areas covered in the Nairobi work programme. The programme, under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), aims to assist countries that are party to the Convention, particularly developing countries, to improve their understanding and assessment of impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change, and to make informed decisions thereon.
This video looks at the Pacific islands of Kiribati that were among the last places to be colonized by humans. Today, because of rising sea levels, they may be among the first to be abandoned. Should Kiribati President Anote Tong surrender to climate change and evacuate?
This policy document explains the United Nations' commitment to combat climate change and presents the CEB's Climate Change Action Framework. It further gives an overview of major UN initiatives for global action on climate change.
This policy document presents the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) strategy for action on climate change. The strategy is structured around three main objectives: 1) building and maintaining the climate change knowledge base: science, assessment, monitoring and early warning; 2) promoting mitigation of and adaptation to climate change, including through enhanced education and public awareness; and 3) moving towards a climate-neutral UNESCO.
This activity report provides information by region and thematic area on the support that member countries receive from their respective United Nations regional commission in their effort to combat climate change. Activities supported by the five regional commissions include, among others, the creation of strategies to integrate climate change consideration into development plans, the assessment of the economic impacts of climate change, and the evaluation of the costs of mitigation and adaptation.
This flyer introduces one of the UN System Joint Initiatives: the Tools for UN Country Teams. The initiative is an inter-agency effort, led by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), to develop tools for the use of UN country teams in support of national responses to climate change. The Initiative is linked to the Common Country Assessment/UN Development Assistance Framework (CCA/UNDAF).
This analytical report provides an overview of the key problems and perspectives toward sustainable production and use of biofuels. It is based on an extensive literature study, taking into account recent major reviews, and considering a wide range of different views from eminent experts worldwide. The focus is on so-called first generation biofuels while considering further lines of development. This focus is due to state-of-the-art and data availability until the end of 2008. Potential benefits and impacts of second and third generation biofuels – preferably referred to as ‘advanced biofuels’ – are partially included. The report focuses on the global situation, recognising regional differences.
This factsheet presents the report "Towards Sustainable Production and Use of Resources: Assessing Biofuels". This report is the result of extensive literature examination and a thorough review process, involving a number of experts, to provide a robust assessment of key problems of production and use of biomass for energy purposes and options for more efficient and sustainable production and use of biomass. The focus is on so-called first generation biofuels, due to availability of state-of–the art reviews, but also considers further lines of development. It takes a global perspective, recognizing regional and local differences. Also available in Japanese.
This document provides a summary of the report "Towards Sustainable Production and Use of Resources: Assessing Biofuels". This report intends to provide policy relevant information on the assessment of the environmental and social costs and benefits of biofuels. It provides an overview of the key problems and perspectives towards sustainable production and use of biomass for energy purposes. In particular, the report examines options for more efficient and sustainable production and use of biomass. In the overall context of enhancing resource productivity, it addresses «modern biomass use» for energetic purposes, such as biomass used for (co-)generation of heat and power and liquid biofuels for transport, and relates it to the use of biomass for food and material purposes. Also available in Japanese.
This analytical report is the outcome of collaborative research between the WTO Secretariat and UNEP. It reviews how trade and climate change policies interact and how they can be mutually supportive. The aim is to promote greater understanding of this interaction and to assist policy-makers in this complex policy area.
This activity report presents the features and outcomes of a training program on climate forecast application in agriculture in Bangladesh. The overall objectives of the training is to share and learn various issues of Climate Change related issues relating to adaptation approaches and climate forecast applications that would help better manage of the climatic risks in agriculture and allied sectors in the country.
This training manual is a practical tool to increase the capacity of policy and decision makers to develop gender-responsive climate change policies and strategies. The publication presents key conceptual and methodological advances in gender relations in the context of climate change. The topics covered in the manual relate to the topics covered in the Bali Action Plan.
This analytical report addresses the issue of transport for sustainable development in the Arab region. It includes the results of a questionnaire developed by United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) on sustainable transport in 10 Arab countries. The report provides an overview of the status of the transport sector in the region, with a particular focus on greenhouse gas emissions, and reviews the measures, means and options for achieving its sustainability. It also presents the achievements observed and the challenges arising during the move towards promoting a sustainable transport sector in the respective countries. It finally identifies a set of priority areas for future action.
With this Excel document United Nations agencies can calculate their carbon footprint. It is accompanied by a manual which is also available in the CC:Learn inventory.
This leaflet outlines the basics of the UN GreenHouse Gas Calculator, an office tool specifying the best available methodologies for UN agencies to calculate their carbon footprints.
This manual is an office tool specifying the best available methodologies for United Nations (UN) agencies to calculate their carbon footprints. The calculator has been specially designed for the UN agencies, funds and programmes to facilitate the preparation of their baseline greenhouse gas inventories as a first step in their move towards climate neutrality. It aims to ensure that the inventories of the UN organizations are consistent, transparent and comparable to each other.
This policy document helps to better understand how climate change impacts on cities and urban centres, with particular emphasis on urban slums, and how best the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) can shape its activities at global and country levels, drawing on its comparative advantages, especially in the focus area of its Medium Term Strategic and Institutional Plan, the "One UN" approach to climate change action and the Governing Council resolution GC22/3 on Cities and Climate Change and utilizing its experience gained in promoting the Cities and Climate Change agenda.
This flyer introduces the UN-REDD Programme. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) endeavours to create incentives for poor forested countries to protect, better manage and wisely use their forest resources, thus contributing to the global fight against climate change.
This policy document outlines the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)'s Climate Change strategy for the UNEP Programme of Work 2010-2011. The strategy is built on the analysis of UNEP’s political mandate, and the existing portfolio of climate change activities.
This technical document reviews the effectiveness of the environmental measures related to preparations for Expo 2010 and, in general, those that are being undertaken by Shanghai to revamp the overall infrastructure of the city. Measures and achievements are documented and analyzed and recommendations are made to assist the Shanghai municipal government to strengthen environmental initiatives for and beyond the Expo 2010. The publication highlights several accomplishments including the green transport vision of Shanghai. This plan involves the construction of a world-class rapid transit network and experimenting with new energy-efcient vehicles such as the super capacitor trolleybuses and electric, hydrogen fuel-cell and hybrid buses.
The analytical report presents work in progress on the scientific understanding of global environmental change, as well as foresight about possible issues on the horizon. The aim is to raise awareness of the interlinkages among environmental issues that can accelerate the rates of change and threaten human well-being.
This activity report presents a record of the Seminar held from 27 to 29 July 2009 in Paris, focused on the role of education in addressing climate change, linking the local, regional and global contexts with particular emphasis on the challenges faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
This activity report includes the proceedings of the “UNESCO World Conference on Education for Sustainable Development – Moving into the Second Half of the UN Decade” held from 31 March to 2 April 2009 in Bonn, Germany. It brought together 900 participants from 147 countries. Also available in German.
This UNFCCC fact sheet introduces the Kyoto Protocol, including a list with projected greenhouse gas emissions for Annex I Parties of the Convention.
This UNFCCC fact sheet introduces the Nairobi Framework, adopted in 2006 and launched by then-Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The Framework aims to help developing countries, especially those in sub-Saharan Africa, to improve their level of participation in the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and enhance the CDM's geographical scope.
This UNFCCC fact sheet explains the importance and need for adaptation to climate change, outlining different adaptation options and highlighting current efforts undertaken under the Convention.
This UNFCCC fact sheet explains the need for mitigation, lists current mechanisms for emission reduction and highlights commitments made under the Convention.
This fact sheet explains the process of emission reporting under the UNFCCC, including a glossary of key terms.
This fact sheet introduces the UNFCCC Secretariat, including its mandate and main activities.
This fact sheet prepared by the UNFCCC contains a glossary of bodies created under the Convention.