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This analytical report makes the business case for private sector adaptation to climate change, including through building the resilience of vulnerable communities in developing countries. It draws on the results of a 2010 survey of corporate signatories to the UN Global Compact and the UNEP Caring for Climate initiative, as well as on existing literature. It indicates that 86% of global businesses surveyed described responding to climate risks or investing in adaptation as a business opportunity, and 83% of companies stated that climate change impacts pose a risk to their products and service. Key recommendations include that businesses integrate climate adaptation into core strategic planning and build a portfolio of climate-resilient goods and services.

This activity report demonstrates through good practice case studies that UNESCO biosphere reserves are ideal places to test, to evaluate and to implement comprehensive climate change policies. This publication contains a selection of 28 case studies from around the world on good practice in this policy field and shows what UNESCO biosphere reserves are already doing today.

This module is arranged to address four main issues around the role of resource efficiency in environmentally sustainable economic development. Firstly, it explores what is resource efficiency, then it discusses why it is important for Asia Pacific economies, how it can be measured and how it can be achieved. Measuring and monitoring resource use and emissions as well as resource efficiency and emissions intensity of economic activities is an important tool to underpin the policy planning process.

This manual is published to the attention of the local administrations and Governments and has three main objectives. Firstly, it aims to explain generally what the Kyoto Protocol and CDM scheme consist of. Secondly, it aims to identify the environmental, social and financial benefits associated with the development of a CDM project from existing municipal solid waste (MSW) disposal site. Thirdly, it supports the assessment of whether a disposal site meets the basic technical and economic feasibility criteria and what could be the barriers to implementing.

This analytical report provides a synoptic overview of the various issues relating to climate change abatement initiatives with specific reference to the issues, challenges and opportunities for the effective implementation of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in countries of Asia and the Pacific. It is intended to provide a ready reference to the development that has so far taken place, the modalities and procedures for participation in the CDM and the issues which need to be addressed for tapping its potential. This publication aims to help decision makers, policy analysts and others concerned with the CDM process to ponder over the perceived barriers and opportunities of CDM.

This analytical report tries to provide an overall assessment of the current status of energy efficiency (EE) institutions in selected Central, South and South-East Asian countries. This is done by identifying the enabling policy and legal structures for EE, relevant actors, selected EE programmes and activities, and barriers and challenges for institutions to effectively promote and implement EE programmes. This publication is designed as a primary reference for government officials and others responsible for developing, implementing, enforcing, monitoring, and maintaining EE policies and programmes.

This analytical report considers that countries in Asia and the Pacific need to promote green growth, a growth that is both inclusive and sustainable to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals while also stewarding the region’s natural resources for future generations. In particular it analyzes the financing of green growth, the regional architecture for financial cooperation, how financial services can work for the poor and the role of technology.

This analytical report discusses the challenges of applying low carbon concept and the availability of clean energy technologies for developing countries in Asia and the Pacific region. Various approaches and examples to demonstrate the benefits of a low carbon development path as well as different implementation strategies are presented. The report also includes a policy framework and policy recommendations for the energy sector. 

This analytical report highlights the shifts that have taken place in the outlook for the Asian and Pacific region since 2005. While the region’s countries are driving the global green growth agenda, the report shows that the challenge of eco-efficient economic growth and inclusive resource use is critical and still growing and that fundamental changes are needed. The report is intended to assist policymakers involved in the 2010 Ministerial Conference on Environment and Development in Asia and the Pacific and other stakeholders.

This analytical report observes that the economic boom in the Asia-Pacific region has been fuelled by surges of energy consumption, especially of fossil fuels, including oil, gas and coal. However, high dependency on fossil fuels is aggravating the region’s vulnerability to volatile energy prices, threatening energy security. The establishment of a sustainable energy framework, with ramifications for the agricultural sector and rural development in terms of energy inputs for improved agricultural productivity, is discussed. Even though energy efficiency is seen as a valuable approach for cutting energy costs, the report argues for renewables as an option to supplement fossil fuels for the foreseeable future.

This document presents UNESCAP capacity development programme on green growth. This programme aims to introduce green growth as a solution for addressing the development challenges facing countries in Asia and the Pacific; to familiarize participants with appropriate assessment tools to measure emerging environmental/economic/social issues in the region; to assist with the integration of green growth concepts into socio-economic policy planning.

This analytical report brings into focus policy options and approaches that can expand economies while simultaneously improving welfare, reducing poverty and protecting natural capital. It explores the potential of measures for promoting green growth such as eco-tax reform, developing sustainable infrastructure, encouraging sustainable consumption and greening business activity. It also illustrates these options with examples from across the Asia-Pacific region. 

This analytical report analyzes green growth in Asia and the Pacific. It discusses what the green growth paradigm shift actually means in the region and what it offers government, private sector, multi-stakeholders, communities and individuals to act differently. Opportunities and incentives provided are also addressed.

This online platform features a series of documents relevant for understanding green growth and the greening of business. It includes background material and case studies and provides information and documents for the 3rd Green Growth Policy Dialogue: The Greening of Business and the Environment as a Business Opportunity.  

This module aims to introduce participants to the significance of resource scarcity and climate change and how adapting low carbon green growth can provide win-win solutions for fostering inclusive sustainable development while mitigating and adapting to climate change. The module is arranged into four subsections: significance of climate change in Asia Pacific’s development agenda; the need for low carbon development; how green growth policy options work for low carbon development; facing green growth.

This technical document presents an overview of the quantified economy-wide emission reduction targets to be implemented by developed country Parties, as well as assumptions and conditions related to the attainment of these targets, and discusses comparison of the emission reduction efforts. This paper is intended to facilitate understanding of these assumptions and conditions. It is based on submissions by Parties and their contributions to the workshop held in Bangkok, Thailand, on 3 April 2011 on assumptions and conditions related to the attainment of quantified economy-wide emission reduction targets by developed country Parties.

This analytical report highlights the need for institutional strengthening and training for countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) to benefits from the prospects for sustainable forest management. Such training is necessary at the local level so that stakeholders are made aware of the aims of forest policy as well as their rights and responsibilities. The brief calls for an institutional skills audit to assess current skill levels and potential needs at local, regional and national levels.

This analytical report notes the need for the institutions responsible for forest management to compete with and complement a variety of sectoral interests to prove their worth to society, stressing that traditional forestry institutions that rely on command and control structures are increasingly outmoded. Weaknesses in the sector in many countries include: failure of forest management systems to protect forest resources; failure to safeguard livelihoods of the forest-dependent poor; and sluggishness in reacting to new demands and ensuring the representations of key stakeholders in decision-making. It suggests that assessments of field-level forestry issues may be a first step to revitalize forestry institutions to assess human and financial resources and available knowledge.

This analytical report stresses that climate change, habitat destruction and extraction of high-value species are major threats to biodiversity in protected areas in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). The publication calls for a focus on awareness raising, environmental impact assessments and improved law enforcement.

This analytical report underscores that, with demands on forests increasing and climate change threatening, efforts to maintain benefits from forests should focus attention on effective management at the field level. The brief calls for efforts to focus on field-level management activities including monitoring of forest health, fire management, forest patrolling, silvicultural activities, reduced impact logging and collection of forest statistics. The brief also stresses the need for foresters to engage in voluntary codes of best practice and to integrate monitoring into responsive management systems.