Bibliothèque

This flyer stresses that agriculture sectors are not only among the most vulnerable sectors to the impacts of climate change but also directly responsible for 14 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and constitute a key driver of deforestation and land degradation which account for an additional 17 percent. However, climate‐smart agriculture can provide can be an important part of the solution to climate change by capturing synergies from improved food and natural resource systems. The document briefly presents UN activities in this areas, benefits achieved and possible developments.

This flyer highlights that the UN system agencies can play an important role in advising governments on the mix of regulatory and financial incentives to generate and access finance for low carbon, climate‐resilient investments. It argues that the UN system provides a global presence through country and regional offices with in‐country networks of staff and experts, as well as expertise in the relevant sectors. In particular, it presents the Climate Finance Options platform, which addresses information needs on the multitude of funds available for climate action in developing countries.

This flyer highlights that the effects of urbanization and climate change are converging in dangerous ways that seriously threaten the world’s environmental, economic and social wellbeing. In this area, the key objectives of the UN System are: to promote active climate change collaboration of local governments and their associations in global, regional and national networks; to enhance policy dialogue so that the urban dimension of climate change is firmly established on the agenda; and to foster the implementation of awareness, education, and capacity building strategies.

This flyer highlights that migration policies and measures to address displacement need to be part of adaptation strategies, and briefly presents key UN system’s activities aimed at making vulnerable people, places and sectors more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

This flyer highlights that the UN system has a broad operational reach and vast network of regional, national and sub‐national offices to deliver capacity development services to address climate change, and briefly presents its key activities and results. 

This policy brief aims to prompt international discussion amongst policy makers by creating awareness of geoengineering effectiveness, possible benefits, potential undesirable impacts and status of both the science and governance of this rapidly evolving field. Geoengineering is the intentional alteration of the climate system on a large scale and includes a broad range of proposed interventions at various degrees of testing and with uncertain consequences.

This activity report includes a summary of a meeting held in Yokohama, Japan on 23-25 February 2010 to review the use of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines on forest greenhouse gas (GHG) inventories particularly with regard to the use of remote sensing and ground-based methods of data acquisition on C stocks and area changes of forests. The meeting identified a number of key areas where the IPCC Task Force on National Greenhouse Gas Inventories (TFI) could provide advice to the inventory compilers on new emission factors and on areas needing fresh or revised guidance. It also provided recommendations for future actions.

This analytical report aims to analyze the origins and characteristics of the carbon and water footprints in order to understand their similarities and differences and to derive lessons on how society and business can adequately build on the two concepts. It compares the two concepts from a methodological point of view and discusses response mechanisms that have been developed with the objective to share experiences in one field that might be able to benefit the other.

This technical document presents a set of tools to better appraise and enhance crop yield response to water. These tools provide the means to sharpen assessment and management capacities required to: compare the result of several water allocations plans; improve soil-moisture control-practices under rainfed conditions; optimize irrigation scheduling; sustainably intensify crop production; close the yield and water-productivity gaps; quantify the impact of climate variability and change on cropping systems; enhance strategies for increased water productivity and water savings; minimize the negative impact on the environment caused by agriculture. These tools are useful for various agricultural practitioners including water managers and planners; extension services; irrigation districts; consulting engineers; governmental agencies; non-governmental organizations and farmers´ associations; agricultural economists and research scientists.

This technical paper draws from the information contained in submissions by Parties and admitted observer organizations in respect of decision 2/CP.17, paragraphs 79–86, the presentations and discussions at the workshops on various approaches that were held in conjunction with the first part of the fifteenth session of the AWG-LCA, and the discussions at the meetings of the informal group on various approaches during this part of the session. It is intended to assist Parties in their consideration of one or more models for the operation of a framework for various approaches, in their consideration of a pilot phase for such a framework, and in their elaboration of modalities and procedures of the new market-based mechanism, as defined in decision 2/CP.17, paragraph 83, with a view to recommending a decision to the Conference of the Parties at its eighteenth session.

This technical document presents the case for the need to better understand risks related to natural hazards and climate change in cities, proposes an integrated approach to practitioners for identifying areas, populations and assets most at risk from the effects of disasters and climate change, and provides preliminary suggestions for risk reduction through quantification of risk and implementation of preventative programs. The document is divided into four chapters: chapters 1 and 2 are aimed at policy makers with information on why and how to invest in measures that strengthen the understanding of urban risk. Chapters 3 and 4 are aimed at practitioners, and provide details on the conceptual approach, components, uses, and monitoring requirements related to the Urban Risk Assessment framework.

This manual aims to provide mayors and municipal practitioners in developing countries with practical insights on climate change adaptation. In particular, it seeks to address climate change adaptation with an additional discussion of challenges facing informal settlements, the urban poor, and other vulnerable groups. It stresses that when considered in light of various challenges and ongoing activities, climate change can be an opportunity for positive change and action in cities, rather than a competing priority for scarce resources.

This analytical report provides an overview of the World Bank report “Climate Change, Disaster Risk, and the Urban Poor: Cities Building Resilience for a Changing World”. The report highlights the following main messages. Firstly, urban poor are on the front line. They are particularly vulnerable to climate change and natural hazards due to where they live within cities, and the lack of reliable basic services. Secondly, city governments are the drivers for addressing risks through ensuring basic services, which are the first line of defense against the impacts of climate change and natural hazards. Thirdly, climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction can be best addressed and sustained over time through integration with existing urban planning and management practices. Finally, significant financial support is needed. Local governments need to leverage existing and new resources to meet the shortfalls in service delivery and basic infrastructure adaptation.

This brochure highlights that natural hazard or change in climate can seriously affect urban poor and result in the loss of basic services, damage or destruction to homes, loss of livelihoods, disease, disability, and loss of life. It briefly presents the Mayor’s Task Force on Climate Change, Disaster Risk and the Urban Poor, launched in 2009 with the aim to better understand these issues, and provides recommended actions to build resilience of the urban poor.

This activity report includes a summary of a Workshop on Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Biology and Ecosystems jointly organized by Working Group II and Working Group I (WGII and WGI) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) with the aim to summarize the body of science on ocean acidification and its impacts, as timely input to the IPCC Fifth Assessment Report (AR5). This workshop report contains short reports written by the Chair and Rapporteur of each Breakout Group and by the presenters of the workshop’s synthesis presentations. Additionally, it includes abstracts of all keynote and poster presentations, along with other workshop materials distributed to participants before the meeting.

This policy document presents the Disaster Risk Reduction for Food and Nutrition Security Framework Programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). The Framework Programme aims to provide strategic direction to the implementation of disaster risk reduction measures in member countries across the agricultural-related sectors — in line with the Hyogo Framework for Action and its five priorities for action. In addition, it promotes an inter-disciplinary and programmatic approach to disaster risk reduction for food and nutrition security, by integrating the agriculture, livestock, fisheries, forestry and natural resource management sectors, to respond to the diverse livelihoods of small-scale farmers and to the complex set of factors which contribute to disaster risks. It includes a specific chapter on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

This policy document presents the Framework Programme on Climate Change Adaptation (FAO-Adapt) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It consists of five main sections. Chapter 1 introduces the background and context of FAO-Adapt. Chapter 2 discusses climate change impacts on the agriculture sectors and food security while Chapter 3 defines adaptation in the context of the agriculture sectors and describes means and measures for adaptation. Chapter 4 introduces FAO’s work on climate change adaptation with its core principles and priority adaptation themes and actions and, in conclusion, Chapter 5 presents FAO-Adapt’s implementation proposals.

This document argues that access to and development and use of a wide portfolio of genetic resources is an essential insurance policy that enables responses to future changes in production conditions due to the impact of climate change.

This manual presents a framework for understanding what it means to be “ready” to plan for, access, deliver, and monitor climate finance in a transformative way at the national level. The aim is provide policy-makers with an overall lens through which readiness and preparatory activities offered by a range of international, regional, and national partners can be organised.

This document includes 9 questions and answers about the UN-REDD Programme Indonesia’s Pilot Province Central Sulawesi. A pilot province is a demonstration location to model and monitor progress towards national REDD+ readiness.