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This analytical report aims to catalyse thinking about the ways in which agriculture – which has a vital role in global food security, development and natural resources use – can and must be fully integrated into national strategies and a consensus-based multilateral framework to address the challenges of climate change. The report brings forth questions that will occupy the world community over the next decade or more regarding the role of agriculture in climate change adaptation and mitigation. The report offers some answers and concrete proposals – while recognizing that much more needs to be learned, more questions formulated, and more experience gained, to build an effective strategy to support global agricultural adaptation while harnessing its significant potential contribution to climate change mitigation and taking into consideration development objectives and food security concerns.

This analytical report addresses the central issue of biofuel sustainability using a global assessment of major commodities and feedstocks currently employed for bioethanol and biodiesel production. The approach taken was guided by two overriding considerations. First, the need to understand the basic dimensions of sustainability for biofuels (economic, environmental and social), their linkages and how they relate to the central challenges they address, namely land-use change, food security and climate change.

This yearbook presents a visual synthesis of the major trends and factors shaping the global food and agricultural landscape and their interplay with broader environmental, social and economic dimensions. It aims to be a unique reference point on the state of world food and agriculture for policy-makers, donor agencies, researchers and analysts, as well as the general public. For the first time in 2013, the Yearbook includes statistics for greenhouse gas emissions.

The book can be found at the following address: http://www.fao.org/economic/ess/ess-publications/ess-yearbook/en

This analytical report presents the second analysis of the Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use Mitigation Project Database. This study, which follows up on an earlier 2010 report, includes 575 projects from 12 different registries. This paper summarizes the insights that have been gained from the analysis of the updated database. It specifically comments on the emerging gaps in the climate change agenda as regards AFOLU projects in developing countries.

This analytical report provides an overview of agreements under the UNFCCC on GHG mitigation in developing countries. It distinguishes between low-emission development strategies (LEDS), which aim to guide a transition to a low-emission development pathway, and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs), which are mitigation policies and measures undertaken in line with national development strategies.

This technical document presents a unique and exhaustive review of current knowledge on mitigation practices for greenhouse gas emissions in the livestock sector. It focuses specifically on non-CO2 emissions from enteric fermentation and manure management. It is part of a stream of activities being carried out to identify low greenhouse gas emission pathways for the livestock sector. The report references over 900 publications on the mitigation of direct nitrous oxide and methane emissions and highlights the most promising options, given their demonstrated effectiveness and feasibility for adoption.

This analytical report presents the findings of a study commissioned to review the status of development and implementation of disaster risk management (DRM) plans for the agriculture sector throughout the Caribbean.

This analytical report provides a progress update on implementation of the United Nations (UN) Climate Neutral Strategy. This strategy was approved by the UN Chief Executives Board (CEB) in October 2007 and committed all UN agencies, funds and programmes to move towards climate neutrality within the wider context of greening the UN. The report notes that while many individual UN entities have adopted assessment policies and practices, the United Nations System acting together can do even more, including by developing a common sustainability framework and relevant indicators.

This brochure describes; (i) the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR) and World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) joint programme “Building resilience to disasters in the Western Balkans and Turkey”; (ii) its objectives, in line with the priorities set by the Hyogo Framework for Action 2005-2015 – Building resilience of nations and communities to disasters; and (iii) the project activities, which focus on disaster risk reduction capacity building, knowledge management as well as disaster risk transfer and community based disaster management for UNISDR, and on risk assessment, meteorological and hydrological forecast, enabling climate risk management in decision-making, and designing a region-wide harmonized early warning system for WMO.

This analytical report provides a snapshot of resilience building activities at the local level and identifies trends in the perceptions and approaches of local governments toward disaster risk reduction. It examines factors that enable urban disaster risk reduction activities, including how the global campaign Making Cities Resilient – “My City is Getting Ready!” has helped improve local knowledge of disaster risk and support capacity building.

This analytical report seeks to document the perspective of children from seven Asia countries on how disasters and climate change affects their lives and their rights. It highlights their views on what they believe their role can be in addressing disaster risk and climate change in their community and what they are expecting from their government, NGOs and the private sector. By presenting their own experiences of participating in disaster risk reduction activities, it aims to highlight the capacity of children in order to inspire other children and youth, as well as encourage local governments, NGOs, and the private sector to support child-centered community risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

This analytical report presents an analysis of the connections among population dynamics, urbanization processes and disaster risk reduction. Amongst the main findings are that public policies should increase governance and guide urban sustainable development in order to anticipate future levels of exposure, by enhancing land-use plans, climate change adaptation strategies and considering disaster risk management.

This analytical report shows the relationship of specific activities to the five priorities for action of the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and the strategic objectives governing them. It reveals the overall connection of national efforts to the expectations of the HFA and makes clear the significance of the progress that has been made since 2005, as described in voluntary self-reporting from countries and regional organizations. The report: (i) highlights some catalysts that engender progress in disaster risk reduction (DRR); (ii) presents an overview provided by individual countries regarding progress toward each of the three HFA strategic goals the five HFA priorities for action; and (iii) provides updates obtained about the activities of some regional and international organizations and institutions.

This analytical report aims to respond to the question of how the five priorities for disaster risk reduction (DRR) in the Children’s Charter for DRR can be achieved, exploring the enabling factors and challenges in implementing the Charter priorities. The Children’s Charter for DRR was launched at the United Nation’s International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) Global Platform for DRR in 2011 and consists of five priorities for DRR, including addressing climate change, identified by children from 21 hazard-prone countries. These are: safe schools; child protection; information and participation; safe community infrastructure and “building back better, safer and fairer”; and reaching the most vulnerable. 

This activity report synthesizes consultations held at the regional, national and community levels throughout the Asia-Pacific region on the Post-2015 Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction (the successor of the Hyogo Framework for Action or HFA2). The document is particularly targeted at countries and stakeholders from Asia Pacific for their engagement at the global deliberations on HFA2 at the Fourth Session of the Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (4th GPDRR) in May 2013. It also informs all stakeholders and countries engaged in the HFA2 discussions.

This analytical report explores and unpacks what were the drivers and process to develop joint national action plans on disaster risk management and climate change (JNAPs) and sustainable development plans addressing disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) in Pacific islands countries. Their impact and potential in facilitating effective disaster risk management and climate change adaptation is assessed, as well as potential linkages between legislation and policy documents. The three Pacific islands countries (PICs) included in this report are Cook Islands, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu.

This technical document investigates the capacity of the national hydrological and meteorological services (NHMSs) in Viet Nam and recommends improvements through a regional approach. Initial assessments in the report show the cost-effectiveness of strengthening national hydro-meteorological services through regional cooperation for reducing adverse impacts of natural hazard-induced disasters and climate change which know no national boundaries.

This technical document investigates the capacity of the national hydrological and meteorological services (NHMSs) in the Philippines and recommends improvements through a regional approach. Initial assessments in the report show the cost-effectiveness of strengthening national hydro-meteorological services through regional cooperation for reducing adverse impacts of natural hazard-induced disasters and climate change which know no national boundaries.

This technical document investigates the capacity of the national hydrological and meteorological services (NHMSs) in Lao PDR and recommends improvements through a regional approach. Initial assessments in the report show the cost-effectiveness of strengthening national hydro-meteorological services through regional cooperation for reducing adverse impacts of natural hazard-induced disasters and climate change which know no national boundaries.

This technical document investigates the capacity of the national hydrological and meteorological services (NHMSs) in Indonesia and recommends improvements through a regional approach. Initial assessments in the report show the cost-effectiveness of strengthening national hydro-meteorological services through regional cooperation for reducing adverse impacts of natural hazard-induced disasters and climate change which know no national boundaries.