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This analytical report analyzes mitigation scenarios, ranging from business as usual, where levels of nitrous oxide could increase 83% between 2005 and 2050, to concerted mitigation, where nitrous oxide levels could be 22% lower in 2050 than in 2005. It provides mitigation options in the agriculture, aquaculture, biomass, industry and wastewater sectors. The report identifies capacity building, cost, lack of training and knowledge and technology transfer as barriers to reducing nitrous oxide. It recommends financial, regulatory and voluntary approaches to overcome these barriers.

This anaylitical report finds that, despite rapid advancement towards a green economy, significant environmental and social challenges must be surmounted if China is to achieve its sustainable development goals.

According to the report, China successfully decreased its energy intensity per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2006-2010 and has become a global leader in renewable energy technology investment. In addition, it has reduced energy required to produce a ton of cement, a major contributor to CO2 emissions, by 41%. The report also highlights China’s strong policy framework supporting a national transition to a green economy, including renewable energy feed-in-tariffs, subsidies and tax advantages, and strict regulations to assist in phasing out inefficient factories, halt water pollution and improve waste management. China’s 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015) sets a national target for the reduction of carbon emissions, through the reduction of carbon intensity per unit of GDP by 40-45% by 2020.

This analytical report explores the livelihood and food security benefits of agroforestry and conservation agriculture in Malawi and Zambia, as well as economic feasibility analyses of the practices.It finds that agroforestry has well-documented improvements in yields and profitability in both countries, while the evidence-base for the benefits of conservation agriculture is positive, but weaker. The paper notes that, while the adoption rate of these practices is higher in Malawi and Zambia than in other countries, it is lower than would be expected considering the potential benefits and the investment made by governments and donors in promoting these climate-smart agriculture activities. The analysis notes that agroforestry provides significant fertilization benefits, though not as much as inorganic fertilizers, but that the two can be used to complement one another.

This analiytical report urges countries to modernize and invest in well-equipped and fully staffed meteorological and hydrological agencies to better prepare for natural hazards, which could save an average of 23,000 lives annually and provide up to US$30 billion a year in economic benefits. The report highlights recent World Bank Group experience and offers guidance on good practices to help modernization efforts. The synthesis of the experiences will increase awareness of the role of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in improving economic performance and supporting sustainable development.

This policy document describes the problem of deforestation and studies the market failures that arise in relation to forestry emission problems, analyzing them from a global public good perspective. The paper additionally describes other problems related to forestry emission issues and presents a non-exhaustive review of the solutions currently proposed to address this issue. The paper concludes with policy recommendations.

This monograph is intended to assist planners in LAC in understanding how to assess the GHG emissions reduction benefits of sustainable transport projects, policies, and strategies. The document should aid planners accessing climate finance to support sustainable transport initiatives, as well as to assist evaluators in understanding and measuring GHG benefits of proposed investments. While the focus of the document is on measuring GHG benefits, many of the methods discussed are broadly useful for understanding other important social benefits including air pollution and traffic congestion reduction, fuel savings, increased traffic safety, and access to opportunities across the income spectrum.

This analytical report presents the results of a study that aimed to: (i) review current knowledge on vulnerability, past trends in climate, and impacts of climate variability and change on agriculture sector in Jamaica, and (ii) to explore technical and policy alternatives in order to cope with and adapt to impacts of climate variability and change more effectively. The study identified what the potential impacts are, considered what interventions are appropriate, and if and where they should occur. The scope of the study focused on broader policy directions and investment priorities in relation to climate change adaptation.

This policy document aism to address and raise awareness of the social dimension of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to climate change, laying particular emphasis on: i) the social impacts of EbA on global national and regional level and local communities and ii) social considerations in designing and implementing EbA. By highlighting appropriate methods and measures by which these issues can be addressed, the paper will provide information to facilitate successful EbA implementation and thereby the delivery of the expected benefits for local communities as well as for the authorities coping with climate change-related challenges and nature protection issues.

This analylitical report explores the rapid progress with clean energy technologies, policies and projects over the past decade, and explores the many myths about the potential for a global economy powered by clean energy. From innovative transport schemes in Paris, to the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, and the clean energy finance companies of New York, the publication uses ‘destinations’ across the developing and developed world to highlight the factors for success and, at times, the reasons for failure in efforts to increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

This analytical report examines key findings of a survey carried out among European countries on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) in order to get an overview to which extent, and how, member countries of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR) link these two issues. It examines key findings of the survey, and provides the basis for policy discussions and suggestions to the EFDRR towards its work on climate change adaptation. Furthermore, it provides relevant scientific background information to be taken in consideration by practitioners when implementing DRR and CCA projects.

This analytical report highlights a number of successful initiatives that improved regional urban sustainability while also addressing other local problems, thus achieving co-benefits. The report and cases presented here not only detail the magnitude of the co-benefits that certain sectors achieved, but also provide insights into the conditions, which enabled local co-benefits to continue to evolve. They provide ideas on how positive changes can be attained as well as an understanding on how cities can generate solutions that have large, short and long-term positive benefits in terms of climate change mitigation and how this approach can be effectively embedded into local policy settings to contribute to cities’ ability to generate co-benefits at local level. Consequently, valuable lessons can be learned on how to promote win-win situations in climate change mitigation, environmental quality and local development across cities.

This analytical report presents the results of a study compiling the impacts of natural disasters in 16 countries in Latin America. It gives an overview of the material and financial damage and formulates recommendations for the future.

This analytical report presents the World Bank’s experience in climate and disaster resilient development, including case studies on mainstreaming, risk identification, risk reduction, preparedness, financial and social protection,  resilient reconstruction and costs, and aims to contribute to discussions on loss and damage.

This technical document aims to inspire and arm those who want to try to improve things so that power is used well for forests; it describes how practical tools can be used to shape better governance of forest tenure.

This toolkit presents the links between food waste and climate change, and proposes various ways to reduce the carbon footprint of the food systems by reducing food waste. It is articulated around the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and presents examples and lessons learns from different countries.

This resource guide contains a wealth of learning resources on integrating climate change in education at the primary and secondary level. It includes first guide which directs a user to specific learning materials and courses, as well as selected reference materials relevant for learning.

It can be considered a guided tour to existing climate change learning resources on integrating climate change in education at the primary and secondary level. It is written from the perspective of a learner seeking to obtain an understanding what learning materials are available for a specific learning topic.

This resource guide contains a wealth of learning resources on predicting and projecting climate change available that have been identified as important from a country perspective. It includes first guide which directs a user to specific learning materials and courses, as well as selected reference materials relevant for learning. This guide is a part of the UN CC:Learn Series of Resources Guides for Advanced Learning on Climate Change.

This resource guide contains a wealth of learning resources on the fundamentals of climate science available that have been identified as important from a country perspective. It includes first guide which directs a user to specific learning materials and courses, as well as selected reference materials relevant for learning. This guide is a part of the UN CC:Learn Series of Resources Guides for Advanced Learning on Climate Change.

This manual aims to support developing countries in the Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) development and implementation process by providing guidance and good practices on the key aspects of NAMAs, including the policy framework; potential types of actions; financing; institutional arrangements and the roles of different actors; and Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) procedures. The NAMA concept is an emerging one, and since by its very nature it is a “nationally appropriate” tool, its overall definition may remain incomplete. This being the case, the objective of this guide, is to take stock of what has been agreed upon with regards to NAMAs, as well as to provide a few insights on what will be considered as falling within the domain of “good practices.”

This analytical report summarizes the changes already being observed in the following five major cryosphere regions: the Andes, Antarctica, Arctic, East African Highlands, and the Himalayas.