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The discussion paper is intended primarily for policy makers, regulators, and implementing agencies to relook at the private sector initiatives under corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a driver for green growth and climate action as well to encourage the private sector and organizations interested in CSR to act with national / regional governments to align their CSR efforts with broader sustainable development goals.

This activity report presents the results of a workshop on urbanization addressed practical, results-oriented approaches to increasing pre-2020 ambition through addressing sectors with high mitigation potential, including sustainable transport and building sector policies. More specifically, the workshop focused on the government’s role in incentivizing action in cities, including by highlighting the leadership role taken by cities in both developed and developing countries, and private sector and civil society efforts to support local governments and cities.

This analytical report illustrates how public finance can catalyze climate action by 1) piloting innovative ways to leverage both climate and development finance; 2) exploring new opportunities to expand the scope for market mechanisms; and 3) strengthening the capacity to facilitate access to resources and their effective use. The arguments are supported by a range of case studies.

The report provides recommendations and key messages from women focused organisations (WFOs) to establish gender-responsive and inclusive measures which utilize women’s knowledge, skills, and capacities.

The Capacity-building sub-division of the Means of Implementation Division together with the respective UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centres and the support of regional and international partners (such as the International Development Research Centre of Canada) have conducted mapping studies in three regions, in order to identify knowledge gaps and capacity-building needs to enable the private sector, and in particular Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to engage effectively in climate action and accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement.

These studies were conducted in the Middle-East and North Africa (MENA), in the Southeast Asia (SEA), and in the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) regions and have also examined the potential role that local/regional academic and research organizations can play to support capacity-building efforts benefiting SMEs.

The Capacity-building sub-division of the Means of Implementation Division together with the respective UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centres and the support of regional and international partners (such as the International Development Research Centre of Canada) have conducted mapping studies in three regions, in order to identify knowledge gaps and capacity-building needs to enable the private sector, and in particular Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) to engage effectively in climate action and accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement.

These studies were conducted in the Middle-East and North Africa (MENA), in the Southeast Asia (SEA), and in the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) regions and have also examined the potential role that local/regional academic and research organizations can play to support capacity-building efforts benefiting SMEs.

This report takes a comprehensive approach by covering the social impacts of climate change and related ICT-based responses, in addition to those focusing on the reduction of greenhouse gas and carbon footprint impacts.

This policy defines how the organization can contribute to the prevention of climate-induced losses and damages in food systems, and to the reduction of vulnerabilities in food insecure populations.

This infographic focuses on how transforming energy, industry, transport, food, agriculture and forestry systems ensure to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees, maybe even 1.5. It highlights the need to anticipate, adapt and become resilient to the current and future impacts of climate change.

This report provides an analysis of the status of gender equality in national climate policy in light of the Paris Agreement. It also presents a framework for integrating gender equality into Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) planning and implementation. This report analyses the degree to which the Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) submitted as of April 2016 have recognized and/or integrated gender equality.

This technical document offers a toolkit providing:

1. An explanation of “how to” carry out a city-level assessment;

2. A summary sheet of indicators;

3. A worksheet for calculating indicator values;

4. A sample Table of Contents of an assessment report.

This guidance document highlights the measures various governments and other stakeholders have taken towards a low-carbon economy. Emphasis is given on the need for accelerated progress towards this change. 

This guidance document focuses on examples of solutions from around the world that hold high potential for mitigating climate change and can be implemented in the pre-2020 period.

This technical document presents Resource Efficent and Cleaner Production (RECP) and links it to climate change.

This analytical report aims to show how broadband can contribute to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. It argues that to fulfill this potential a new policy framework is required. To illustrate this, the report showcases best government practices in mobilizing information and communication technologies (ICT) to reduce GHGs and build inclusive societies. This report proposes ten recommendations for policy makers with the aim to hasten and strengthen the ability of ICT and broadband to accelerate global progress towards the low-carbon economy.

This activity report presents how the World Bank supports countries to address development and climate change challenges. The approach includes a broad range of assistance through a combination of financial and other resources. In addition, the document briefly introduces possible future options and strategies.

The world is on track to reach a peak global temperature rise by 2100 that far exceeds the 1.5⁰C target needed to reduce the worst climate change impacts. Cities are particularly critical as they account for 70% of greenhouse gas emissions, consume 78% of the world’s energy and will comprise 68% of the global population by 2050. This report explores the linkage between national climate plans known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and urban issues.

Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are the cornerstone of the Paris Agreement and are the main policy instruments used to indicate national contributions toward global efforts for climate change mitigation and adaptation. This report, jointly prepared by UNDP, UN-Habitat, and the University of Southern Denmark, with support from C40 Cities, analyzes urban content in the 194 NDCs as of June 2023.

Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) technologies—such as Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) and Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB) are speculative concepts that aim to temporarily lower global temperatures by reflecting solar radiation back into space. These approaches do not reduce greenhouse gas concentrations—the root cause of climate change—nor do they address its impacts. These technologies also represent different levels of readiness and have been subject to a great deal of political and scientific controversy. Sometimes cast as an emergency tool, SRM remains poorly understood and fraught with uncertainties and risks and is no substitute for mitigation or stronger adaptation. For now, SRM is largely confined to models, simulations and theory. The unintended consequences include disruptions to climate patterns, biodiversity and the ozone layer, with regional hydrological impacts modelled as being uneven.

This Issues Note provides a review of the latest literature on specific topics that are of relevance to UNEP’s mandate. It also presents a set of agreed approaches and recommendations regarding UNEP’s communication of the subject matter. It is meant to ensure consistency in messaging across the organization on this topic.

This technical document highlights the potential need for targeted support to countries to implement key thematic areas. This analysis will enable governments, and the organizations that support them, to focus their efforts on supporting those thematic areas that will have the most impact in accelerating progress in implementing NBSAP actions. Furthermore, because NBSAPs are adopted as policy instruments, they provide a ready pathway for fast implementation of national sustainable development goals.