Bibliothèque

This analytical report discusses the environmental measures taken by the organizers of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing and assesses their effectiveness and lessons learnt, all of which will be useful for those planning future Olympic and other sporting events.

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 policy document presents the second part of a two-phase study on the financial services sector and climate change commissioned by the UNEP FI Climate Change Working Group. In particular, the report discusses the underlying reasons why climate change is relevant to the financial services industry and the need for long-term, ‘beyond-Kyoto’market-based frameworks for fostering finance sector participation.  Part 2 examines in detail the possible future role of the finance sector in dealing with climate change.

This policy document summarises a United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) survey among financiers on lending activities and policy issues aimed at providing an evidence base on current lending activities in the energy efficiency space, as well as, views on this issue. The survey explored: whether and how external drivers to reduce energy use on the supply and demand side are impacting lending activities, both in terms of client demand, due diligence procedures, and new product development; specific financing issues for energy efficiency; the role of government regulation in developing this market; other issues relevant to the evolution of energy efficiency financing and investment.

This policy document presents the business case for financing renewable energy. It shows concrete examples and makes strong policy recommendations for further action. The briefing builds on the UNEP FI Climate Change Working Group’s study on climate change.

This policy document claims that, looking at future policy, financial institutions around the world are in need of a clear and long-term policy framework. The focus of this paper is on mitigation policies. The publication contains recommendations from the UNEP FI Climate Change Working Group to policy-makers.

This policy document presents the first part of a two-phase study on the financial services sector and climate change commissioned by the UNEP FI Climate Change Working Group. In particular, the report discusses the underlying reasons why climate change is relevant to the financial services industry and the need for long-term, ‘beyond-Kyoto’market-based frameworks for fostering finance sector participation. Part 1 presents an overview of the specific threats and opportunities facing the financial services industry and makes a series of strategic recommendations to policymakers and financial institutions for early action on the issue.

This policy document summarises the main findings of a major two-phase study on the financial services sector and climate change for corporate decision-makers at executive board level and for key government policy-makers. Also available in German.

This analytical report has been prepared by UNEP’s Sustainable Buildings and Construction Initiative (SBCI). It proposes changes to the CDM to encourage the development of more energy efficiency projects in buildings.

This policy document presents a “Global Green New Deal” (GGND) to create a post-recession economy that is sustainable in the medium to longer term. GGND has three broad objectives. In the short term, it should make a major contribution to reviving the world economy, saving and creating jobs, and protecting vulnerable groups. In the medium term, it should promote sustainable and inclusive growth and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Also in the medium term, it must reduce carbon dependency and ecosystem degradation.

This activity report is about the Environment on the Edge series of lectures. These are given by leading international figures, examine our current relationship with the natural world and discuss possible future scenarios. This publication includes reports and summaries from six conferences.

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.

The Kenya Atlas of Our Changing Environment, produced at the request of the Kenya Government, provides visual and compelling evidence of the rapid changes taking place in the country’s critical ecosystems due to pressures from human activities. The side-by-side display of historical and current remote-sensing images highlights forest degradation, wetland drainage, and shrinking lakes to the impacts of refugees on fragile ecosystems and signs of coastal degradation. The Atlas provides a good evidence base for strategic intervention by the government and communities.

The analytical report consists of an inventory of lenders and investors who provide finance to the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors. This first version of the Financing Sustainable Energy Directory is designed to help these investors, project developers and entrepreneurs seeking capital, as well as investors looking for financing vehicles in the renewable energy sector.

This policy document analyzes the most recent studies on the economics, the costs of climate change, and the investment required for mitigation and adaptation. It highlights the crucial role played by the finance sector due to its influence in directing investment.

The purpose of this policy document is to evaluate the impact of climate change related risks on bank borrowers, utilizing as much data and analysis as possible. The first section of this report reviews the current climate change policies in place in Canada, Europe, and the US, in order to provide a framework for policy implementation in the future. The report then utilizes aggregated loan and lease data from Bank of America, CIBC, Citigroup, Scotiabank, and TD Bank Financial Group, to analyze the impact of climate change related risks on bank loans and leases.

This policy document looks at how carbon markets have so far been a successful economic tool in the fight against climate change. However, it highlights that carbon markets have largely failed to tackle emissions from the forestry sector.

This analytical report follows up on some of the key recommendations outlining the current political developments concerning emissions trading, explaining the manner in which companies are affected, discussing the risks and opportunities emissions trading presents, and delving into the role of financial services providers in diminishing the respective risks and creating new opportunities.

This technical document is the fourth study in a series of reports by the Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) of the UNEP Finance Initiative. The paper focuses on the Clean Development Mechanism and pinpoints barriers to implementation and financing of CDM projects as seen from the financial sector perspective. Recommendations on how these barriers can be overcome are provided.

This policy document presents the « Declaration on Climate Change by the Financial Services Sector ». It has been launched by UNEP FI on World Environment Day, 5 June 2007 and represents the first global statement on climate change by the finance sector. The essence of the declaration is a recognition by financial institutions from around the globe that anthropogenic climate change is real, the cost of inaction will be extremely high, financial institutions must take greater action and integrate climate change into their everyday decision-making, and governments need to do more, namely set ambitious, long-term targets for emissions reduction.