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This activity report presents an outline of the Zimbabwe-UNDP-GEF project aiming to improve the dissemination of solar electricity in Zimbabwe’s rural areas to address the issue of greenhouse gases emissions and global warming. The programme will enable the country to reduce the need for conventional electrical grid extension displacing carbon emissions from kerosene and candles. In addition, it will enhance and upgrade the indigenous solar manufacturing and delivery infrastructure through technical assistance and training.

This activity report presents a project aimed to improve renewable energy and energy efficiency through capacity building in Sri Lanka. The project is expected to contribute to identify resource capabilities and preinvestment issues for three important renewable energy sources; to build capacity of the emerging Sri Lanka hydro industry in design, manufacture and maintenance; to train student and professionals; to encourage local economic development by transferring skills and promoting indigenous technological solutions. 

This activity report introduces UNDP’s programme on climate change adaptation. It highlights the agency’s initiatives and priorities as well as its services. It stresses that UNDP has developed a unique set of resources to assist developing countries in planning adaptation, ranging from online country adaptation profiles to methodological approaches.

This activity report presents the different ways in which GEF is supporting adaption action and looks at specific projects in a number of countries. It addresses particularly the issue of finance and the creation of new climate change funds following GEF’s Strategic Priority on Adaptation. Through this program, the GEF has financed the first concrete adaptation projects, implementing measures for the specific purpose of reducing vulnerability and increasing the adaptive capacity of vulnerable communities and the ecosystems on which their lives depend.

This activity report outlines how GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) partners have developed innovative ways of enhancing the role played by energy in improving local livelihoods and benefiting the global environment. SGP projects are primarily designed to support activities that contribute to reduction of GHGs while contributing to local development. Primary policy goals at local and national levels are poverty alleviation, economic development, energy security, and local environmental protection.

This policy document presents the results of a recent UNDP survey on adaptation knowledge needs. The demand for policy-based risk reduction is high, and the linkages between adaptation and national development planning are clearly perceived. Additionally, the capacity to develop a national adaptation policy is considered a greater challenge than finding the necessary funds. These findings will guide the content of the Adaptation Learning Mechanism (ALM), a project that will encourage sharing of adaptation experiences through an open knowledge platform.

Climate change impacts are posing a challenge to Indonesia’s sustainable socio-economic development and environment, and to the achievement of Indonesia’s development goals. This analytical report carries the voices of vulnerable communities, highlights the relationship between climate change and poverty, and underlines the importance of supporting community efforts to adapt to the challenges ahead. It provides concrete policy recommendations for what needs to be done to reduce the impact on rural livelihoods, health, food security, urban slums, and disaster vulnerability.

The activity report reviews experience with the CDM over its first few years of operation (i.e., 2002 through mid-2006) and assesses progress thus far in its growth and evolution.

The policy document includes the Human Development Report 2007/2008. This shows that climate change is not just a future scenario. Increased exposure to droughts, floods and storms is already destroying opportunities and reinforcing inequality.

This policy document provides policy makers with key information about the four main building blocks of the Bali Action Plan: mitigation, adaptation, technology and finance. In addition, it discusses also land-use change and forestry.

This policy document outlines the key issues related to the Clean Development Mechanism considered by the fourth Conference of the Parties (COP4) to the Climate Change Convention to the Kyoto Protocol in Buenos Aires in 1998.

This activity report consists of a Kemal Dervis’ article published in the special edition of the UN Chronicle, Green Our World!? which offers a comprehensive snapshot of where we currently stand with regard to climate change through a range of different perspectives. It stresses that climate change represents a major challenge for the world community and concludes that UNDP is determined to play its part in meeting this global challenge.

This article from the Far Eastern Economic Review’s November 2007 edition examines whether Asian countries will emerge as leaders of the low-carbon revolution. Asia has the skills, labor, technology base and entrepreneurship to lead the low-carbon revolution. Asia’s private sector can seize the opportunity to lead the revolution of decarbonization just as it has led the race for globalization. But Asia’s dynamic private sector needs governments to provide the enabling framework and incentives to make this happen.

This document briefly introduces the UNDP’s Human Development Report 2007/8, Fighting climate change: Human solidarity in a divided world. After presenting the main scientific data, the paper states that the challenge of climate change will require collective action, with global participation, but justice and political feasibility dictate that rich countries should provide leadership and move first.

This factsheet covers end-use energy efficiency, in particular for products and buildings, and how this can become the most successful, cost effective, greenhouse gas emission abatement measure used by each and every country.

This manual is designed as a reference tool primarily for UNDP Country Offices to learn more about the opportunities and challenges of the CDM and implement projects efficiently and equitably in a variety of national and sectoral contexts.

This manual consists of a resource kit providing comprehensive guidelines on planning the National Communication Project, implementing the Technical Components (The Greenhouse Gas Inventory, The Mitigation Assessment, The V&A Assessment), and Putting Plans into Action. According to the UNFCCC, all parties must report on the steps they are taking or envisage undertaking to implement the Convention by: reporting to the Conference of the Parties (COP) on emissions by sources and removals by sinks of all greenhouse gases not controlled by the Montreal Protocol; national or, where appropriate, regional programmes containing measures to mitigate, and to facilitate adequate adaptation to climate change; and any other information that the Party considers relevant to the achievement of the objective of the Convention.

This manual builds on existing material and focuses on providing practical guidance on the key technical issues in relation to climate scenario information within the context of preparing Second National Communications. The document underlines the vital importance of a planning/scoping exercise to define clearly the needs for climate scenario information; describes a three-stage approach for climate scenario development; highlights documentation as an integral part of scenario development and provides a list of freely accessible sources of models, tools, data and guidance materials.

This manual supports the compilation of a national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory. This requires a fairly lengthy and interconnected series of tasks, including collecting emission factors and activity data, selecting appropriate methods, estimating GHG emissions and removals, implementing uncertainty assessment and quality assurance/quality control procedures, reporting the results, and documenting and archiving all relevant data and procedures. The target audience for this handbook is non-Annex I Party inventory experts concerned with general aspects of GHG inventory planning, preparation and management. As the majority of non-Annex I Parties have prepared at least one national GHG inventory, this handbook focuses on improving and updating the GHG inventory and on managing these processes, including improved documentation and archiving.

This manual consists of a handbook that provides a systematic framework for preparing socioeconomic scenarios for assessment of both climate change impact and adaptation across differing spatial scales.