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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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Overview of natural disasters and their impacts in Asia and the Pacific, 1970 - 2014
The paper provides a review of natural disasters and their impacts in Asia and the Pacific by disaster type, sub region and level of development. The first section looks at the occurrence of natural disaster events. This is followed by an analysis of fatalities and economic loss in sections two and three respectively. The short-term consequences of natural disasters on the economy are also mentioned. The final section briefly discusses aspects regarding exposure and vulnerability of countries in Asia and the Pacific.
Water and Climate Change Adaptation in Transboundary Basins : Lessons Learned Lessons Learned and Good Practices and Good Practices
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE); International Network of Basin Organizations - United Nations, 2015The APFM has given its contribution to the new publication by UNECE on “Water and Climate Change Adaptation in Transboundary Basins: Lessons Learned and Good Practices”. Launched at the 7th World Water Forum 2015 in Daegu & Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, it follows-up and complements the Guidance on Water and Adaptation to Climate Change.
Water for a sustainable world: the UN world water development report 2015
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); UN Water - United Nations, 2015The report elaborates upon the future of water towards 2050 by describing how water supports healthy and prosperous human communities, including through measures that reduce vulnerability and improve resilience to water-related disasters such as flood and drought management approaches, maintains well-functioning ecosystems and ecological services, and provides a cornerstone for short and long-term economic development.
It provides an overview of the challenges, issues and trends in terms of water resources, their use and water-related services like water supply and sanitation, a ...
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Tourism and disaster risk : a contribution by the United Nations to the consultation leading to the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR)
United Nations, 2014This document provides some recommendations for addressing disaster risk in tourism in the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. It presents: (i) status of mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in tourism; (ii) the drivers for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into the tourism sector; (iii) recommendations for addressing disaster risk in tourism in the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction; (iv) measuring disaster risk in tourism; (v) a list of agencies contributing and a brief description of institutional commitment; and (vi) key documents/source of additional info.
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Infrastructure and disaster : a contribution by the United Nations to the consultation leading to the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR)
United Nations, 2014This document provides recommendations for addressing disaster risk in infrastructure in the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. It presents: (i) the status of mainstreaming disaster risk reduction in the infrastructure sector, reporting on the progress and highlighting some emerging trends; (ii) the drivers for mainstreaming disaster risk reduction into the infrastructure sector; (iii) recommendations for addressing hazard risks in the infrastructure sector in the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction; (iv) measuring disaster risk in the infrastructure sector; (v) a lis ...
How the United Nations System Supports Ambitious Action on Climate Change : The United Nations System Delivering as One on Climate Change and Sustainable Development
United Nations, 2014
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Agriculture and disaster risk : a contribution by the United Nations to the consultation leading to the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR)
United Nations (UN) - United Nations, 2014This document provides some recommendations for addressing disaster risk in agriculture in the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction. It presents: (i) the status of mainstreaming disaster risk in agriculture, reporting on the progresses and highlighting some emerging trends; (ii) the drivers for mainstreaming disaster risk into agriculture; (iii) the regional/international policy frameworks and initiatives within agriculture to be targeted; (iv) measuring disaster risk in agriculture; (v) a list of agencies contributing and description of institutional commitment; and (vi) key docume ...
ESCWA Water Development Report, 5. Issues in sustainable water resources management and water services in the Arab region
The global community was proud to announce in 2012 that the global drinking water target articulated in the Millennium Development Goals had been met five years ahead of schedule. However, the countries of the water-scarce Arab region still face the continuing challenge of providing safe and sufficient water, and improved sanitation to its growing population. There is high variability in access to drinking water and sanitation services among Arab countries, with some countries nearly fully reliant on desalination, while others are not able to secure sufficient investments to meet basic needs.< ...
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A Guidebook to the Green Economy : Issue 4: A guide to international green economy initiatives
United Nations, 2013In this, Issue 4 of A Guidebook to the Green Economy, the focus turns to the various international initiatives that are supporting countries and stakeholders to implement the green economy worldwide by providing a range of services including information exchange, data management, capacity building, finance, and technology services. In doing so, it provides a resource guide to the various existing international green economy platforms, partnerships, programs, funds and other initiatives. The guidebook also aims to map out many of the key actors involved in implementing and supporting the v ...
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United Nations plan of action on disaster risk reduction for resilience
United Nations, 2013This plan of action presents a strategy for integrating disaster risk reduction into UN country level operations. It is intended to all partners committed to reducing the risks that disasters pose and making our societies more resilient. It aims to position the work of the UN in the context of: (i) the remaining term of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA); (ii) the development of a successor or post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction (HFA2); (iii) the post-2015 development agenda; and (iv) the UN Secretary-General's second mandate and Five-Year Action Agenda.
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A new global partnership: eradicate poverty and transform economies through sustainable development
United Nations, 2013This report sets out a universal agenda to eradicate extreme poverty from the face of the earth by 2030, and deliver on the promise of sustainable development. It calls upon the world to rally around a new Global Partnership that offers hope and a role to every person in the world. The report recognizes the need to build climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction into regional and national strategies, and encourage countries to focus on these plans.
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Resilient people, resilient planet: a future worth choosing
United Nations, 2012The 22-member Panel, established by the Secretary-General in August 2010 to formulate a new blueprint for sustainable development and low-carbon prosperity, was co-chaired by Finnish President Tarja Halonen and South African President Jacob Zuma. The Panel's final report, "Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing", contains 56 recommendations to put sustainable development into practice and to mainstream it into economic policy as quickly as possible.
Nigeria national capacity assessment report on disaster risk reduction
Dia AliouMamadou; Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI); Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); et al. - United Nations, 2012This publication identifies gaps and challenges Nigeria is currently facing to fully engage in preventing, mitigating and reducing natural disaster risks. The assessment is also an opportunity to clearly identify existing capacities both at national and state levels, to understand desired capacities, and to propose recommendations on how they can be further developed and strengthened.
It focuses on national and state capacities for disaster risk reduction (DRR) using the indicators set for the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action. It looks into five technical areas o ...
Recognise the strength of women and girls in reducing disaster risks: stories from Viet Nam
This publication aims to raise awareness on the importance of gender equality and women’s empowerment. It aims to tell the story behind the larger issues and show the visible force behind lasting change. For example, how a girl saved her father’s life from drowning; how a woman is devoting all her time and energy into teaching ethnic minority children how to better protect themselves; how girls express their concerns for an uncertain future in their own innovative way; how working with women in disaster preparedness and response can achieve better results, and through many more truly inspirati ...
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Climate Change Adaptation in Grenada: Water Resources, Coastal Ecosystems and Renewable Energy
United Nations, 2012This report presents the results of a study conducted for Grenada under the UNDESA project. The pilot study focuses on three priority areas: water resources, coastal ecosystems and renewable energy systems. The priorities were selected following a systematic approach using analytical tools to help Grenada in the comprehensive assessment of potential impacts from climate change. It identifies the best potential courses of action to hedge for and adapt to these critical impact areas. The analytical work contributes to the knowledge base to support implementation of climate change adaptation/miti ...
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Climate change adaptation in Grenada: water resources, coastal ecosystems and renewable energy
This study attempts to encourage practical implementation of climate change adaptation programmes and their integration into national plans for sustainable development. It argues that the assessment process must evolve over time to fit continuously changing climate change impacts, conditions, priorities and national sustainable development criteria. The publication summarises initial analysis, findings and proposals of three critical areas for Grenada: water resources, costal ecosystems and renewable energy systems. The study concludes with a number of recommendations. For example, in terms of ...
The global partnership for development: making rhetoric a reality - MDG Gap Task Force report 2012
United Nations (UN); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) - United Nations, 2012As a pressing priority, this report calls for affordable access to new technologies for climate change mitigation and adaptation and disaster risk management, recalling the commitment of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) at the conference held in Durban from 28 November to 11 December 2011 and the need to make sure the Green Climate Fund and the Technology Mechanism become operational in 2012.
In-depth study on the role of the United Nations contribution to the implementation of the HFA
von Oelreich Eva; United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UN/ISDR) - United Nations, 2012This in-depth study on the United Nations contribution to the implementation of the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 (HFA) is one of a series undertaken within the Mid-Term Review of the HFA.
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CDP Background Paper, 15. Climate change vulnerability and the identification of least developed countries
This paper reviews the role of climate change vulnerability in identifying least developed countries (LDCs). Taking a sustainable development perspective, it argues that climate change should be seen as an aggravating factor of existing handicaps and many indicators used to identify LDCs already capture relevant structural vulnerabilities to climate change. However, the paper proposes some refinements in the LDC criteria to better capture vulnerabilities from natural disasters and in coastal areas. These refinements affected the vulnerability ranking in the recent triennial review, but had no ...
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.
Thematic debate of the 66th session of the General Assembly on disaster risk reduction: President's summary
United Nations, 2012This document reports on the informal thematic debate on disaster risk reduction convened by the President of the 66th Session of the General Assembly to support and advance the dialogue already under way on how best to integrate the disaster risk reduction approach within the Rio+20 outcome. It summarizes the two interactive panel discussions on: (i) addressing urban risk through public investment; and (ii) increasing resilience to disasters through climate adaptation and risk reduction; as well as (iii) the side event on comprehensive action to sustainably reduce vulnerabilities.
The future we want: disaster resilience
United Nations, 2012This fact sheet is part of the press kit produced for Rio+20 conference. It presents an overview of the situation, key facts, success stories and proposals in order to include disaster resilience in a sustainable development framework. Demonstrating the major challenge posed by disaster risk to sustainable development through facts and numbers, it features good practices from the Philippines, South Africa, as well as the success of the Indian Ocean tsunami early warning systems following the recent Indonesian earthquake. Among the recommendations, it calls for: (i) reinforcing the importance o ...
2009-2011 cluster review report for Viet Nam: United Nations Programme Coordination Group on Natural Disasters and Emergencies
United Nations, 2012This document reports on the implementation of the IASC cluster approach in Viet Nam as an outcome of the continuous review and discussion intended to improve the system and better address the needs and challenges in disaster preparedness and response operations in the country. It aims to summarise the main findings of the reviews undertaken in June 2010 and repeated in October 2011, and formulate clear recommendations for improvement of the cluster approach in Viet Nam. It provides an overview of cluster specific achievements, challenges and lessons learnt, besides discussing potential new cl ...
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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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Report of the United Nations in Haiti 2010 : situation, Challenges and Outlook
United Nations, 2011This report (available in English and French), summarizes the efforts undertaken by the United Nations system and its partners, in support to the Haitian people and their government, to answer the multiple humanitarian crises, to accompany the electoral calendar and to advance on the road to recovery.
United Nations Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR 2011)
United Nations, 2011The 2011 Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction was prepared while disasters have continued to wipe out the lives and livelihoods of millions. The impacts of the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti in January 2010 and floods in Pakistan in July 2010 show how disaster risk and poverty are closely interlinked. Meanwhile, in 2011, floods in Australia, the earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand, and the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster wreaking havoc in north-eastern Japan as this report goes to press are a stark reminder that developed countries are also very exposed. Less visi ...
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Global Drylands : a UN system-wide response
United Nations, 2011More than two billion people depend on the world’s arid and semi-arid lands. Preventing land degradation and supporting sustainable development in drylands has major implications for food security, climate change and human settlement. This report, issued at the beginning of the United Nations Decade for Deserts and the Fight against Desertification, sets out a shared strategy by UN agencies to rise to the challenge of addressing the special needs of these vital zones. Our focus is twofold: tackling the underlying causes of land degradation, and strengthening the capacity of dryland populations ...
WorldRiskReport 2011 : Focus - Governance and civil society
United Nations, 2011Earthquakes, floods, droughts, storms: disasters seem to occur unexpectedly and with unimaginable force. But why do some countries better succeed than others to cope with extreme natural events? The WorldRiskReport 2011 helps to evaluate the vulnerability of societies to natural hazards. On behalf of Alliance Development Works, UNU-EHS has developed the WorldRiskIndex and calculated risk values for 173 countries worldwide.
United Nations Global Assessment Report on Risk Reduction
United Nations, 2011The Report is the second biennial global assessment of disaster risk reduction prepared in the context of the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR). The ISDR, launched in 2000, provides a framework to coordinate actions to address disaster risks at the local, national, regional and international levels. The Hyogo Framework for Action for Action 2005-2015 (HFA), endorsed by 168 UN member states at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in Kobe, Japan in 2005, urges all countries to make major efforts to reduce their disaster risk by 2015
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 ...
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 ...
State of World Population 2009 : Facing a Changing World, Women, Population and Climate
United Nations, 2009This year's flagship report argues that reproductive health care, including family planning, and gender relations could influence the future course of climate change and affect how humanity adapts to rising seas, worsening storms and severe droughts. Women, especially impoverished women in developing countries, bear the disproportionate burden of climate change, but have so far been largely overlooked in the debate about how to address problems of rising seas, droughts, melting glaciers and extreme weather, the report concludes.
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Review of the implementation of the recommandations of the Third United Nations Conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer Space : note by the Secretary General
United Nations, 2004
Guidelines strategic planning and management of water resources
United Nations, 2004At its nineteenth special session in 1997, the General Assembly called for the initiation of a strategic approach for the implementation of all aspects of the sustainable use of fresh water for social and economic purposes, including safe drinking water and sanitation, water for irrigation, recycling, and wastewater management, and the important role fresh water plays in natural ecosystems. Since then, the promotion and development of strategic planning and management methodologies of water resources have become a major focus of regional cooperation in the programme of work of ESCAP. In that c ...
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Report of the Third United Nations conference on the exploration and peaceful uses of outer space
United Nations, 1999
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Доклад Третья Конференция Организации Объединенных Наций по исследованию и использованию космического пространств
United Nations, 1999
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تقرير مؤتمر الأمم المتحدة الثالث المعني باستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي واستخدامه في الأغراض السلمية
United Nations, 1999
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GESAMP - Reports and Studies, 53. Report of the Twenty-fourth Session
World Meteorological Organization (WMO) ; Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO); United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); et al. - United Nations, 1994The Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine pollution (GESAMP) held its twenty-fourth session at UN Headquarters, New York from 21-25 March 1994.
Natural resources and rural development in arid lands : case studies from Sudan
United Nations, 1985In 1975 the Council of the United Nations University identified three priority areas for its concern-world hunger, human and social development, and the use and management of natural resources - and directed that a programme should be organized in each of these areas. Each of these programmes is closely related to the others. For example, better use and management of natural resources would help to solve the problem of world hunger and so release more resources and human energy for human and social development.
By early 1977 the Programme on the Use and Management of Natural Res ...
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Treaty Series: treaties and international agreements registered or filed and recorded with the Secretariat of the United Nations = Recueil des traités: traités et accords internationaux enregistrés ou classés et inscrits au répertoire dau Secrétariat de l'Organisation des Nations Unies
EN: This publication is published online as a searchable database.
FR: Cette publication est accessible en ligne sous la forme d'une base de données.
United Nations Libraries Research Guides: Disaster Prevention
Developed as a collaborative project of several United Nations System libraries, this guide directs researchers to UN entities and documents concerned with disaster prevention, to relevant materials in each library’s print and electronic collections, and to key sources of information from other organizations.
Tracking Support for the Millennium Development Goals (MDG)
As a follow-up to the High-Level Plenary Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in 2010 and as announced by the Secretary-General at the G20 Leaders’ Session on Development in November 2010, the Secretary-General proposed an initiative to better track the commitments made in support of the MDGs. The IIF, a web-based tool, was endorsed by the United Nations System Chief Executive’s Board (CEB). It will serve as a one-stop resource for policymakers, academics, researchers and civil society interested in what governments and the international community have done and are doing in suppor ...
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