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Climate and clean air coalition to reduce short-lived climae pollutants (CCAC)
The Coalition's initial focus is on methane, black carbon, and HFCs. At the same time, Partners recognize that action on Short lived climate pollutants must complement and supplement, not replace, global action to reduce carbon dioxide, in particular efforts under the UNFCCC.
The Coalition's objectives are to address short lived climate pollutants by: Raising awareness of short lived climate pollutant impacts and mitigation strategies; Enhancing and developing new national and regional actions, including by identifying and overcoming barriers, enhancing capacity, and mobilizing ...
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Available online: https://ccacoalition.org/en
Published by: UNEP ; 2012
The Coalition's initial focus is on methane, black carbon, and HFCs. At the same time, Partners recognize that action on Short lived climate pollutants must complement and supplement, not replace, global action to reduce carbon dioxide, in particular efforts under the UNFCCC.
The Coalition's objectives are to address short lived climate pollutants by: Raising awareness of short lived climate pollutant impacts and mitigation strategies; Enhancing and developing new national and regional actions, including by identifying and overcoming barriers, enhancing capacity, and mobilizing support; Promoting best practices and showcasing successful efforts; and Improving scientific understanding of short lived climate pollutant impacts and mitigation strategies.
The Coalition intends to serve as a forum for assessing progress in addressing the challenge of short lived climate pollutants and for mobilizing resources to accelerate action. It works to catalyse new actions as well as to highlight and bolster existing efforts on near-term climate change and related public health, food and energy security, and environmental issues.Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)Tags: Climate ; Climate change ; Air pollution ; Greenhouse gas reducing ; Climate policies
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Knowledge Centre on Cities and Climate Change
This Knowledge Centre on Cities and Climate Change (in short: K4C) helps you to keep track of what is happening in the field of cities and climate change, by serving as a platform for sharing experiences and best practices, as well as facilitating exchange of innovative initiatives.
K4C provides you with access to hundreds of publications and reports and a world map provides you with an overview of cities, countries and regions for which good practice examples and documents are available. Moreover, through K4C you can get in touch directly with institutions and communities that are prom ...
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Available online: https://www.waste.ccacoalition.org/database/k4c-knowledge-centre-cities-and-clim [...]
United Nations Environment Programme ; UN-Habitat ; World Bank ; Cities Alliance
This Knowledge Centre on Cities and Climate Change (in short: K4C) helps you to keep track of what is happening in the field of cities and climate change, by serving as a platform for sharing experiences and best practices, as well as facilitating exchange of innovative initiatives.
K4C provides you with access to hundreds of publications and reports and a world map provides you with an overview of cities, countries and regions for which good practice examples and documents are available. Moreover, through K4C you can get in touch directly with institutions and communities that are promoting city actions on climate change.Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free)Tags: Climate ; Climate change ; Urban zone ; Case/ Case study ; Extreme weather event ; Sea level rising ; Database
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GCOS - 1992 * 2012: 20 Years in Service for Climate Observations
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC); et al. - WMO, 2012The demand for information on global climate has never been greater.Many regions in the world are clearly impacted by changes in climate, and those changes need to be managed now.It took years of work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), assessing the climate science literature, and by the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), advancing the state of climate science, to raise the awareness that observations of climate need to be available on a global scale to underpin decisions.The year 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of the system dedicated to providing the observational ...
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ; Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission ; International Council for Science ; United Nations Environment Programme
Published by: WMO ; 2012The demand for information on global climate has never been greater.Many regions in the world are clearly impacted by changes in climate, and those changes need to be managed now.It took years of work by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), assessing the climate science literature, and by the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), advancing the state of climate science, to raise the awareness that observations of climate need to be available on a global scale to underpin decisions.The year 2012 marks the 20th anniversary of the system dedicated to providing the observational data and information that is the foundation for our decisions on climate: the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS).This system, sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, the United Nations Environment Programme, and the International Council for Science, formally came into being at the first meeting of the GCOS Joint Scientific and Technical Committee in Geneva in April 1992.This brochure will examine the forces that brought GCOS into being, some of the major highlights and accomplishments along the way, and a perspective on the future for the system.
Language(s): English; Other Languages: French, Spanish
Format: Digital (Free), Hard copyTags: Capacity development ; History ; Global Climate Observing System (GCOS)
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Forests and Climate Change Adaptation in Asia
FAO, 2012This policy brief examines the role of forests for climate change adaptation in the region of Asia. It is organized into several sections. Firstly, anticipated changes to precipitation and temperature in Asia under a low and a high emissions scenario, between 2010 and 2039, are outlined. Following on from this, the key elements of Forest-Based Adaptation (FBA) are discussed and the current status of FBA in Asia is highlighted. Finally, recommendations aimed at moving forest-based adaptation forward are made. The following suggestions are made: FBA should be integrated into wider sustainable fo ...
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Available online: http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/rap/files/NRE/Forests_and_climate_change_ [...]
Centre For People and Forests ; Food and Agriculture Organization (Rome, Italia) ; United Nations Environment Programme
Published by: FAO ; 2012This policy brief examines the role of forests for climate change adaptation in the region of Asia. It is organized into several sections. Firstly, anticipated changes to precipitation and temperature in Asia under a low and a high emissions scenario, between 2010 and 2039, are outlined. Following on from this, the key elements of Forest-Based Adaptation (FBA) are discussed and the current status of FBA in Asia is highlighted. Finally, recommendations aimed at moving forest-based adaptation forward are made. The following suggestions are made: FBA should be integrated into wider sustainable forest management, National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPA) should include forestry, FBA should be built into mitigation projects, FBA should be built into national development and conservation policies and links between forestry and non-forestry sectors should be acknowledged.
Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free) (ill.)Tags: Environment and landscape ; Forest ; Climate change ; Adaptation ; Region II - Asia
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Status Report on The Application of Integrated Approaches to Water Resources Management
UNEP, 2012Over 80 per cent of countries have reformed their water laws in the past twenty years as a response to growing pressures on water resources from expanding populations, urbanization and climate change.
In many cases, such water reforms have had positive impacts on development, including improvements to drinking water access, human health and water efficiency in agriculture.
But global progress has been slower where irrigation, rainwater harvesting and investment in freshwater ecosystem services are concerned.
These are among the findings of a United ...
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Available online: http://www.unwater.org/downloads/UNW_status_report_Rio2012.pdf
United Nations Environment Programme ; UN Water ; United Nations Development Programme ; Global Water Partnership
Published by: UNEP ; 2012Over 80 per cent of countries have reformed their water laws in the past twenty years as a response to growing pressures on water resources from expanding populations, urbanization and climate change.
In many cases, such water reforms have had positive impacts on development, including improvements to drinking water access, human health and water efficiency in agriculture.
But global progress has been slower where irrigation, rainwater harvesting and investment in freshwater ecosystem services are concerned.
These are among the findings of a United Nations survey of over 130 national governments on efforts to improve the sustainable management of water resources. The survey was specifically produced to inform decision-making at Rio+20.
The survey focuses on progress towards the implementation of internationally-agreed approaches to the management and use of water, known as Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).Language(s): English
Format: Digital (Free) (ill.)Tags: Water ; Sustainable development ; Climate change ; Water management
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Sustainable development 20 years on from the Earth Summit: progress, gaps and strategic guidelines for Latin America and the Caribbean
ECLAC, 2012This report describes the progress achieved in relation to sustainable development since 1992 and the gaps still remaining. It is divided into two parts: (i) of the main traits of development in Latin America and the Caribbean in the past 20 years, particularly those which touch upon economic, social and environmental aspects such as the reduction of exposure to disasters; and (ii) proposed guidelines for moving towards sustainable development in the region.
The guidelines recommend: (i) creating synergies among inclusion, social protection, human security, empowerment of peopl ...
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From Transition to Transformation: Sustainable and Inclusive Development in Europe and Central Asia
UNDP, 2012"A report on sustainable development in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, prepared by 13 UN agencies, has highlighted the need for the region to remove fossil fuel subsidies, invest in green jobs, and establish social protection floors in order to ensure a sustainable future."
Source: iisd.org
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The Drying of Iran's Lake Urmia and its Environmental Consequences
UNEP, 2012Lake Urmia in the northwestern corner of Iran is one of the largest permanent hypersaline lakes in the world and the largest lake in the Middle East (1,2,3). It extends as much as 140 km from north to south and is as wide as 85 km east to west during high water periods (4). The lake was declared a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention in 1971 and designated a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1976 (5,6). The lake itself is home to a unique brine shrimp species, Artemia urmiana, and along with the surrounding wetlands and upland habitat, it supports many species of reptiles, am ...
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A Glass Half Empty: regions at Risk Due to Groundwater Depletion
UNEP, 2012The tiny fraction of freshwater not bound up in ice sheets and glaciers comprises only a very small fraction of total global water volume (about 0.79 %) (1). Global use of that freshwater, however, has been growing at roughly twice the rate of global population for the past century (2,3) (Figure 1). Even so, this volume of unfrozen freshwater is still more than adequate to meet all human needs. However, this essential resource, which is mostly stored as groundwater, is distributed quite unevenly around the globe. Furthermore, physical and economic constraints make it impractical in most cases ...
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Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2010 - Executive summary (GORMP 52)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); et al. - WMO, 2011It has been recognized since the 1970s that a number of compounds emitted by human activities deplete stratospheric ozone. The montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone layer was adopted in 1987 to protect global ozone and, consequently, protect life from increased ultraviolet (UV) radiation at Earth’s surface. Chlorine- and brominecontaining substances that are controlled by the montreal Protocol are known as ozone-depleting substances (ODSs).
ODSs are responsible for the depletion of stratospheric ozone observed in polar regions (for example, the “ozone hole” above An ...
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Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2010 (GORMP 52)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); et al. - WMO, 2011It has been recognized since the 1970s that a number of compounds emitted by human activities deplete stratospheric ozone. The montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone layer was adopted in 1987 to protect global ozone and, consequently, protect life from increased ultraviolet (UV) radiation at Earth’s surface. Chlorine- and brominecontaining substances that are controlled by the montreal Protocol are known as ozone-depleting substances (ODSs).
ODSs are responsible for the depletion of stratospheric ozone observed in polar regions (for example, the “ozone hole” above An ...
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Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion, 2010: Twenty Questions and Answers about the Ozone Layer: 2010 update (GORMP 52)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); et al. - WMO, 2011To help maintain a broad understanding of the relationship between ozone depletion, ODSs, and the Montreal Protocol, this component of the Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2010 presents 20 questions and answers about the often-complex science of ozone depletion. Most questions and answers are updates of those presented in previous Ozone Assessments, while others have been added or expanded to address newly emerging issues. The questions address the nature of atmospheric ozone, the chemicals that cause ozone depletion, how global and polar ozone depletion occur, the success of the Mont ...
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Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation: summary for policymakers and technical summary
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - IPCC, 2011
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The bioenergy and water nexus
UNEP, 2011Bioenergy and water are inextricably linked. For the first time, this report examines in depth these interlinkages, highlights the risks and opportunities, and offers an outlook on ways to address them. It provides policymakers with scientific information to support informed strategies and policies. The report also points to the need for further research, filling data gaps, and the development of regionalized tools. Water quantity and quality are factors that determine the extent to which bioenergy can contribute to the overall energy mix. For example, in a world already facing water stress, l ...
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Addressing Climate Change Challenges in Africa: a Practical Guide towards Sustainable Development
AMCEN, 2011In recognition of AMCEN’s mandate which includes guidance in respect of key issues related to multilateral environmental agreements, African governments requested that AMCEN should facilitate the provision of information to countries that would assist them towards translating available climate science and current international climate policies in their effort to move towards practical implementation in the context of sustainable development. This Guidebook has therefore been prepared towards this end and will inform on climate change matters including science, governance, technological, financ ...
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Visions for change - recommandations for effective policies on sustainable lifestyles
UNEP, 2011This publication provides recommendations to develop efficient sustainable lifestyles policies and initiatives based on the Global Survey on Sustainable Lifestyles (GSSL). It is aimed at policy-makers and all relevant stakeholders on how best to help support the shift to sustainable lifestyles, for instance through effective communication and awareness-raising campaigns.
The survey, which involved 8,000 young urban adults from 20 different countries, points to three key dimensions of empowerment and creativity: new visions of progress, behavioural alternatives, as well as trust ...
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Working towards a Balanced and Inclusive Green Economy: a United Nations System-wide Perspective
United Nations, 2011The EMG’s Issue Management Group on Green Economy was tasked to prepare a report to assess how the United Nations system could coherently support countries in transitioning to a green economy. The report is expected to facilitate a common understanding of the green economy approach and the measures required for the transition. The report is also envisioned to contribute to the preparatory process for the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or Rio+20) where “the green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication” is one of the two themes ...
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Towards a Green Economy: pathways to sustainable and poverty eradication (water chapter)
UNEP, 2011This chapter has three broad aims. First, it highlights the need for providing all households with sufficient and affordable access to clean water supplies as well as adequate sanitation. Second, it makes a case for early investment in water management and infrastructure, including ecological infrastructure. The potential to make greater use of biodiversity and ecosystem services in reducing water treatment costs and increasing productivity is emphasised. Third, the chapter provides guidance on the suite of governance arrangements and policy reforms, which, if implemented, can sustain and incr ...
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Towards a Green Economy: pathways to sustainable and poverty eradication (a synthesis for policy makers)
UNEP, 2011UNEP’s Green Economy Report, entitled Towards a Green Economy, aims to debunk several myths and misconceptions about the economics of “greening” the global economy, and provides timely and practical guidance to policy makers on what reforms they need to unlock the productive and employment potential of a green economy.
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GCOS, 153. Report from the Fourth Meeting of the WCRP Observation and Assimilation Panel (WOAP)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); International Council for Science (ICSU); et al. - WMO, 2011
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GCOS, 150. Report of the Twelfth Session of the IOC Group of Experts on the Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS GE XII)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); International Council for Science (ICSU); et al. - UNESCO, 2011The Group of Experts on the Global Sea Level Observing System (GLOSS-GE), at its Twelfth session, evaluated the status of the various GLOSS station networks including data reporting for delayed mode, high frequency, real-time data streams as well as reviewing the status of continuous measurements of vertical land movement near stations in the GLOSS Core Network. The Group reviewed recent studies based on tide gauge observations, sample sea level products and technical developments pertaining to radar gauge calibrations. The draft GLOSS Implementation Plan was reviewed and adopted by the ...
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GCOS, 154. Systematic Observation Requirements for Satellite-based Products for Climate Supplemental details to the satellite-based component of the Implementation Plan for the Global Observing System for Climate in Support of the UNFCCC : 2011 update
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); et al. - WMO, 2011This document provides additional technical detail to the Actions and needs identified in the IP-10 related to satellite-based observations for climate for each of the ECVs listed in Table 1. In particular, it details the specific satellite data records that should be sustained in accordance with the GCMPs, as well as other important supplemental satellite observations that are needed on occasion or at regular intervals. Tables 2-4 provide an overview of the requirements for products and sustained satellite data records that are detailed in this document for the atmospheric, ocean and terrestr ...
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WCRP Informal/Series Report, 33/2011. Report from the Fourth Meeting of the WCRP Observation and Assimilation Panel (WOAP)
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); International Council for Science (ICSU); et al. - WMO, 2011
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