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Can green growth really work and what are the true (socio-) economics of climate change?
Hoffmann Ulrich - United Nations, 2015This paper argues that growth, technological, population-expansion and governance constraints as well as some key systemic issues cast doubt ‘green growth’ hopes.
It argues that such an evolutionary (and often reductionist) approach may well not be sufficient to cope with the complexities of climate change. It may rather give much false hope and excuses to do nothing really fundamental that should bring about a turn around on global GHG emissions.
The paper argues that climate change calls into question the global equality of opportunity for prosperity and is thus ...
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Keeping track of adaptation actions in Africa: targeted fiscal stimulus actions making a difference
This report argues that investment in climate change adaptation can help ensure that the impacts of climate change do not reverse decades of development progress in Africa.
It presents practical examples of successful low-cost adaptation solutions from around sub-Saharan Africa. The report includes examples of successful adaptation projects that have provided the impetus for large-scale government investments and policy action. According to the report, by 2050 Africa's population will have doubled to 2 billion people, the majority of which will still largely depend on agriculture for th ...
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Global megatrend update: 6 From a unipolar to a multipolar world
EEA, 2013In 2010, the EEA produced its first assessment of global megatrends as part of its five-yearly assessment of the European environment’s state, trend and prospects (SOER 2010). In preparation for SOER 2015, the EEA is updating each of the megatrends, providing a more detailed analysis based on the latest data. This publication is one of the 11 updates being published separately in the second half of 2013 and early-2014. In 2014 the chapters will be consolidated into a single EEA technical report, which will provide the basis for the analysis of megatrends included in SOER 2015.
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Global megatrend update: 5 Continued economic growth?
EEA, 2013In 2010, the EEA produced its first assessment of global megatrends as part of its five-yearly assessment of the European environment’s state, trend and prospects (SOER 2010). In preparation for SOER 2015, the EEA is updating each of the megatrends, providing a more detailed analysis based on the latest data. This publication is one of the 11 updates being published separately in the second half of 2013 and early-2014. In 2014 the chapters will be consolidated into a single EEA technical report, which will provide the basis for the analysis of megatrends included in SOER 2015.
The demography of adaptation to climate change
UNFPA, 2013The document consolidates the knowledge, methods, and practices that emerged from the 2010 expert group meeting entitled "Population Dynamics and Climate Change II: Building for Adaptation" organized by UNFPA, IIED and the Colegio de México in Mexico City.
It intends to catalyze action in global, national and local communities around a more informed, data driven adaptation process, and to bring together disparate disciplines, from environment science to planning to social science and beyond. The use of spatial data is at the core of this agenda.
It is divided in ...
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Climate Change, growth, and Poverty in Ethiopia
Climate change is now a global phenomenon with growth, poverty, food security, and stability implications. Because of significant dependence on the agricultural sector for production, employment, and export revenues, Ethiopia is seriously threatened by climate change, which contributes to frequent drought, flooding, and rising average temperatures. To examine the impact of climate change on agricultural production and to quantify the resulting lost output, this study conducts a time series analysis using country and regional level data. The econometric application on the appropriate production ...
Human Development Report 2013 - The Rise of the South : Human Progress in a Diverse World
UNDP, 2013The 2013 Human Development Report, The Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World looks at the evolving geopolitics of our times, examining emerging issues and trends and also the new actors which are shaping the development landscape. The Report argues that the striking transformation of a large number of developing countries into dynamic major economies with growing political influence is having a significant impact on human development progress. The Report notes that, over the last decade, all countries accelerated their achievements in the education, health, and income d ...
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Water and the green economy : capacity development aspects
The aim of this book is to give special attention to the needs related to capacity development for water resources management, including water supply and sanitation, in the context of the green economy. This is done by showcasing theoretical and practical approaches which have proved to be successful.
Satellite Feature Identification: Cyclogenesis
This lesson, Satellite Feature Identification: Cyclogenesis, uses water vapor satellite imagery to present a satellite perspective of basic features associated with the formation and development of extratropical cyclones. First, through an initial case study, the precursor elements leading to cyclogenesis are identified. Then three conceptual views of different ways cyclogenesis can evolve are presented along with additional examples to illustrate the concepts. Finally a series of exercises, again using real case studies, are used to emphasize the important points and provide realistic scenari ...
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Fragile States 2013: Resource flows and trends in fragile states
By 2015, half of the world’s people living on less than USD 1.25 a day will be in fragile states. While poverty has decreased globally, progress on Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 1 is slower in fragile states than in other developing countries. Fragile states are also off-track to meet the rest of the MDGs by 2015.
Fragile situations became a central concern of the international development and security agenda in the 1990s. Since then, powerful forces have been influencing the causes and manifestations of fragility, including the combination of democratic aspirations, new te ...
An exploration of the link between development, economic growth, and natural risk
This paper investigates the link between development, economic growth, and the economic losses from natural disasters in a general analytical framework, with an application to hurricane flood risks in New Orleans. It concludes that where capital accumulates through increased density of capital at risk in a given area, and the costs of protection therefore increase more slowly than capital at risk, (i) protection improves over time and the probability of disaster occurrence decreases; (ii) capital at risk -- and thus economic losses in case of disaster -- increases faster than economic growth; ...
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Infrastructure for development: meeting the challenge
Bhattacharya Amar; Romani Mattia; Stern Nicholas - Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, 2012
The Millennium Development Goals Report 2012
United Nations, 2012Three important targets on poverty, slums and water have been met three years ahead of 2015, says this year’s Report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Meeting the remaining targets, while challenging, is possible ─ but only if Governments do not waiver from their commitments made over a decade ago.
Objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement 2012
Nations Unies, 2012Le rapport de 2011 souligne des avancées réelles dans la réalisation des Objectifs du Millénaire pour le développement notamment un déclin de la pauvreté dans le monde, reflété par un accès à l’éducation plus poussé et un recul de la mortalité infantile. Qui plus est, l’accès à l’eau potable s’est généralisé malgré l’isolement de certaines régions comme en Afrique subsaharienne, où les populations les plus pauvres en milieu rural – les plus vulnérables - sont souvent les plus dures à atteindre.
Face aux disparités demeurantes, ce rapport n’est pas sans rappeler l’engagement réitéré en s ...
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Los servicios climáticos pueden invertir la espiral descendente. Caso práctico: Haití
Los servicios climáticos son fundamentales para respaldar el esfuerzo de Haití de reconstruir el país, tras las devastadoras consecuencias del terremoto que tuvo lugar a principios de este año.
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How economic growth and rational decisions can make disaster losses grow faster than wealth
Hallegatte Stéphane - World Bank, 2011Assuming that capital productivity is higher in areas at risk from natural hazards (such as coastal zones or flood plains), this paper shows that rapid development in these areas—and the resulting increase in disaster losses—may be the consequence of a rational and well-informed trade-off between lower disaster losses and higher productivity. With disasters possibly becoming less frequent but increasingly destructive in the future, average disaster losses may grow faster than wealth. Myopic expectations, lack of information, moral hazard, and externalities reinforce the likelihood of this scen ...
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Policy Research Working Paper, 5617. How economic growth and rational decisions can make disaster losses grow faster than wealth
Assuming that capital productivity is higher in areas at risk from natural hazards (such as coastal zones or flood plains), this paper shows that rapid development in these areas -- and the resulting increase in disaster losses -- may be the consequence of a rational and well-informed trade-off between lower disaster losses and higher productivity. With disasters possibly becoming less frequent but increasingly destructive in the future, average disaster losses may grow faster than wealth. Myopic expectations, lack of information, moral hazard, and externalities reinforce the likelihood of thi ...
Dimensions of Inclusive Development: In Poverty in Focus No 23
UNDP, 2011"The latest issue of the Poverty in Focus magazine, published by the International Policy Centre (IPC) of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), looks at the inter-related dimensions of growth, gender, poverty and environment, including climate change mitigation and adaptation related issues."
Source: http://climate-l.iisd.org
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Paving the Way for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure : guidance for Practitioners and Planners
UNDP, 2011The guide is part of a series of publications for decision makers in developing countries on how to design, finance and implement effective actions to address climate change. It is based on the outcome of the Conference on Strategies for Adapting Public and Private Infrastructure to Climate Change held in El Salvador in 2010, as a response to the impacts caused by extreme weather events in Central America.
The guide emphasizes the development benefits of climate-proofing infrastructure. It notes that adapting infrastructure to the risks of climate change reduces the loss of live ...
Human Development Report 2011 - Sustainability and equity: a better future for all
UNDP, 2011This Report explores the integral links between environmental sustainability and equity and shows that these are critical to expanding human freedoms for people today and in generations to come. The point of departure is that the remarkable progress in human development over recent decades that the Human Development Report has documented cannot continue without bold global steps to reduce environmental risks and inequality. We identify pathways for people, communities, countries and the international community to promote environmental sustainability and equity in mutually reinforcing ways.
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Thematic highlight - Water : (Cambodia Human Development Report 2011)
UNDP, 2011Water is fundamental to all aspects of human and economic development, encompassing agriculture, fi sheries, forestry, health and disasters. The central importance of water for meeting social and economic development objectives and the anticipated impacts of climate change are such that across the globe, many of the eff ects of climate change will be felt through water (World Bank 2010). This is especially true for Cambodia.
UNDP - Green LECRDS Guidance Manuals and Toolkits, 9. Catalyzing Climate Finance : a Guidebook on Policy and Financing Options to Support Green, Low-Emission and Climate-Resilient Development
UNDP, 2011This guidebook is offered as a primer to countries to enable them to better assess the level and nature of assistance they will require to catalyze climate capital based on their unique set of national, regional and local circumstances.
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The poverty impacts of climate change : a review of the evidence
Climate change is believed to represent a serious challenge to poverty reduction efforts around the globe. This paper conducts an up-to-date review of three main strands of the literature analyzing the poverty impacts of climate change : (i) economy-wide growth models incorporating climate change impacts to work out consistent scenarios for how climate change might affect the path of poverty over the next decades; (ii) studies focusing on the poverty impacts of climate change in the agricultural sector; and (iii) studies exploring how past climate variability impacts poverty. The analysis find ...
Energy Security in South America and Southern Africa: Synthesis Report
This briefing stems from a project that focused on electricity supply and the extent to which it’s traded within Southern Africa and South America. Within this the current and projected regional energy production mixes were established and since concerns over climate change are finding their way into many aspects of economic growth and development the project also explored the role that the regional ‘anchor states’ (South Africa and Brazil respectively) are likely to play in securing the future balance in light of climate change and related mitigation imperatives.
Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio - Informe de 2011
Naciones Unidas, 2011Desde que fueron aprobados, los Objetivos de Desarrollo del Milenio (ODM) han promovido la concienciación y han generado una visión más amplia, que sigue siendo el marco de referencia global de las actividades de desarrollo de las Naciones Unidas.
El presente informe se basa en una serie de datos originales reunidos por el Grupo Interinstitucional y de Expertos sobre los indicadores de los ODM, bajo la coordinación del Departamento de Asuntos Económicos y Sociales de la Secretaría de las Naciones Unidas, en respuesta a la petición de la Asamblea General de que se realicen evalu ...
Informe sobre Desarrollo Humano 2011 - Sostenibilidad y equidad: un mejor futuro para todos
PNUD, 2011Este Informe analiza de forma integral los vínculos entre sostenibilidad ambiental y equidad, y demuestra que ambos elementos son cruciales para ampliar las libertades humanas, tanto en esta generación como en las venideras. El argumento parte de la base de que es imposible mantener los extraordinarios avances conseguidos en desarrollo humano en las últimas décadas —que han sido documentados por el Informe sobre Desarrollo Humano— si no se toman medidas audaces a nivel mundial para reducir los riesgos ambientales y la desigualdad. Con ese _n, se identi_can vías de acción para que las personas, ...
1/2010 - Changement climatique et commerce
is an issue of Forum du Commerce international. 2010
1/2010 - Climate change and trade
is an issue of International Trade Forum. International Trade Centre, 2010
Regional energy security dynamics in Southern Africa : electricity mixes in the context of global climate change mitigation pressures
Following recent power shortages in Southern Africa, energy security, particularly the need to ensure reliable, widespread and affordable power supplies, has become a major policy priority for governments in the region. This paper looks at the main drivers of electricity generation in the region and evaluates the challenges that the region is likely to face as it seeks to expand its power-generating capacity.
The quest for energy security in Argentina
Electricity consumption in Argentina has grown at a rate well above the net GDP in the last years, whereas capacity increase has been slower than consumption increase. This report deals with the problem of energy security in Argentina, which implies many challenges for the country. The author illustrates that the problem emerged first in 2004 as a consequence of the particular modalities adopted by the macroeconomic structural and energy sector reforms of the 1990s, which are still in place today.
PWS, 19. Servicios meteorológicos e hidrológicos nacionales, sus asociados y comunidades de usuarios : (actividad complementaria del Plan de Acción de Madrid para mejorar los beneficios sociales y económicos de los servicios meteorológicos, climáticos e hidrológico)
^Este informe se ha preparado para consolidar el Plan de Acción de Madrid (PAM) resultante de la Conferencia Internacional de la OMM sobre condiciones de vida seguras y sostenibles: beneficios sociales y económicos de los servicios meteorológicos, climáticos e hidrológicos, celebrada en Madrid (España), del 19 al 22 de marzo de 2007, conocida también como Conferencia de Madrid. El informe se presenta en tres partes y cuatro apéndices. La primera sección, parte I del informe, se refiere a la Conferencia de Madrid y al PAM. Se analizan las acciones del PAM y se formulan propuestas sobre las form ...
PWS, 19. Les services météorologiques et hydrologiques nationaux, leurs partenaires et leur clientèle : (Suivi du Plan d’action de Madrid: comment promouvoir les avantages socio-économiques des services météorologiques, climatologiques et hydrologiques)
Le présent rapport a été rédigé pour faire suite au Plan d’action de Madrid issu de la Conférence internationale organisée par l’OMM à Madrid (Espagne), du 19 au 22 mars 2007, sous le titre: «Sécurité et avenir de l’humanité: avantages socio-économiques des services météorologiques, climatologiques et hydrologiques», également connue sous le nom de Conférence de Madrid. Il est articulé en trois parties et quatre appendices. La première partie du rapport se réfère à la Conférence et au Plan d’action de Madrid. Elle propose une analyse des actions énoncées dans le plan ainsi que des propositions ...
Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters : The Economics of Effective Prevention
World Bank, 2010Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters looks at disasters primarily through an economic lens. Economists emphasize self-interest to explain how people choose the amount of prevention, insurance, and coping. But lenses can distort as well as sharpen images, so the book also draws from other disciplines: psychology to examine how people may misperceive risks, political science to understand voting patterns, and nutrition science to see how stunting in children after a disaster impairs cognitive abilities and productivity as adults much later. It asks not only the tough questions, but some unexpect ...
UNDP - Green LECRDS Guidance Manuals and Toolkits, 8. Toolkit for Designing Climate Change Adaptation Initiatives : a UNDP Toolkit for Practitioners
UNDP, 2010This Toolkit helps practitioners understand how to differentiate between a climate change adaptation and a traditional development initiative. It sets out the fundamental components of the design process, the approach to building stakeholder consensus, and key tools and methodologies.
PWS, 19. National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, Their Partners and User Communities : (Follow-up to the Madrid Action Plan - for Improved Social and Economic Benefits of Weather, Climate and Water Services)
This report has been prepared to build upon the Madrid Action Plan (MAP) that resulted from the WMO International Conference on Secure and Sustainable Living: Social and Economic Benefits of Weather, Climate and Water Services, Madrid, Spain, 19-22 March 2007, which is also known as the Madrid Conference. The report is presented in three parts and four appendices. The first section, Part I of the report relates to the Madrid Conference and the MAP. The MAP actions are analysed and proposals are made regarding the ways that both National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) and the ...
Human Development in a Changing Climate : a Framework for Climate Finance
UNDP, 2010This paper outlines a climate finance framework to assist developing countries to move to low-emissions, climate-resilient growth paths. UNDP is proposing a country-driven, multi-stakeholder climate finance framework to assist developing countries to scale up efforts to address climate change in a way that strengthens and advances national development priorities.
Energy security in Mozambique
Mozambique is endowed with considerable hydropower potential and is rich in modern energy resources. However, more than 80 per cent of the country’s population is not connected to the national grid because of inadequate infrastructure, a lack of investment, and the huge cost of installing an energy grid, among others. This study explores the energy-security dynamics affecting the country: energy availability, accessibility and efficiency for the electricity subsector.
Energy security in South America: the role of Brazil
South America has vast energy resources, but countries in the region are unable to guarantee adequate energy security levels for their consumers. This paper argues that the potential economic benefits from the process of South America’s regional energy integration are high, though national regulations impose strong barriers to such a process.
The study deems regional energy cooperation is particularly essential for removing the insecurity of energy supplies facing the region.
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1541. 1st WMO International Conference on Indian Ocean Tropical Cyclones and Climate Change
WMO, 2010
Economic and Social Affairs. Analysing and Measuring Social Inclusion in a Global Context
United Nations, 2010The objective of the study is to serve as a guiding framework for policymakers, researchers and practitioners interested in developing practical tools for evidence-based policymaking, impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation in the area of social inclusion. It provides guidance on how to develop tools, taking into consideration the historical, cultural and contextual backgrounds of one’s own society.
The study also builds on the work on social indicators that has already been undertaken by many people at local, national, regional and international levels. It is hoped that th ...
Secure and Sustainable Living - The Findings of the International Conference on Secure and Sustainable Living : social and Economic Benefits of Weather, Climate and Water Services
This publication is expected to assist in augmentation of socio-economic policy issues related to the generation and use of weather, climate and water related information and services. It is derived from the outcome of the International Conference on 'Secure and Sustainable Living: Social and Economic Benefits of Weather, Climate and Water Services' that took place in Madrid, Spain from 19 to 22 March 2007.
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Fiduciary responsibility: Legal and practical aspects of integrating environmental, social and governance issues into institutional investment
UNEP FI, 2009This landmark publication by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative on the fiduciary responsibility of institutional investors continues the debate initiated by the 2005 'Freshfields Report' of UNEP FI that explored the complex relationship between fiduciary law and environmental, social and governance issues in investment policymaking and practice.
UNEP FI's work to align investors, companies, markets and economies more closely with the goals of sustainable development is an important contribution to the advancement and dynamism of responsible investment.
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The Scope of Science for the International Polar Year 2007-2008
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; International Council for Science (ICSU) - WMO, 2007 (WMO/TD-No. 1364)
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Achieving food security: id21 insights, issue 61: The African Union estimates that 27 percent of Africans are undernourished, a 2 percent decline since 1995
Halving hunger and extreme poverty by 2015 is the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG). However, persistent hunger is still prevalent worldwide, slowing progress towards all other MDGs, particularly in
sub-Saharan Africa.
Many regions have progressed towards achieving food security, notably South Asia since the Green Revolution. However, this issue of id21 insights focuses on sub-Saharan Africa, the only developing region where food security has worsened in recent decades.
GCOS, 108. Information climatologique et développement : plan d'action pour l'Afrique - rapport et stratégie de mise en oeuvre
Organisation météorologique mondiale (OMM); Programme des Nations Unies pour l'environnement (PNUE); Conseil International pour la Science (ICSU); et al. - OMM, 2006Le but de cette conférence était de réunir un large échantillon d’utilisateurs et de fournisseurs d'informations sur le climat pour identifier les lacunes et les besoins en matière d'observation et de services climatologiques dans le but d’atteindre les OMD. Les participants ont examiné plusieurs documents: une analyse des lacunes établie du point de vue des utilisateurs, qui évalue les améliorations à apporter à la fourniture d'informations et de services climatologiques aux utilisateurs de divers secteurs et aux décideurs pour permettre une meilleure gestion des risques climatiques, et deux ...
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