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This analytical report is based on a series of 15 international case studies conducted between September and November 2008 to develop an improved understanding of the linkages between livelihoods and small-scale bioenergy initiatives. The focus of the study is on the impacts that different types of local level bioenergy initiatives can have on rural livelihoods in different contexts in the developing world. Livelihoods are understood as the enhancement of the full range of natural, financial, human, social and physical capitals on a sustainable ongoing basis.

This manual is intended to guide extension service advisors and institutions who work with small-scale farmers and foresters with an interest in carbon finance and carbon projects. Its aim is to support setting up carbon projects which involve small-scale farmers. Their participation allows them to be involved in the development and implementation of the project, influence its design to generate positive impacts for the farmers and increase their knowledge about carbon finance. 

This polocy document is the product of the joint efforts of members and partners of UN-Water, and is addressed to practitioners and policymakers of water resources management, sectoral decision-makers as well as those who shape policy regarding climate change. The paper aims to draw attention to the critical importance of better water resources management in adapting to climate change and gives reasons why it should be systematically integrated into national plans and international investment portfolios.

This analytical report stresses that climate change is emerging as a major challenge to agriculture development in Africa. The increasingly unpredictable and erratic nature of weather systems on the continent has placed an extra burden on food security and rural livelihoods. The document discusses the impact of climate change on African agriculture and analyzes prospects for adaptation at regional level.

This manual consists of a toolkit on food security. It has been specifically designed for Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) with the aim to improve Pacific Islanders’ ability to produce and access safe and nutritious foods that meet their dietary and cultural needs. Targeting food security in the Pacific region is a critical action in the face of climate change, which will continue to place added pressure on existing food and water resources.

This e-leaning tool provides a training course on climate and flood forecast applications for disaster preparedness in agriculture. It promotes the use of the emerging ability to provide timely and skilful climate and flood forecasts as tools to improve decision-making in the agricultural sector for reducing societal vulnerability to climate-related risks.

This policy document highlights the potential impacts of climate change on agriculture, forestry and fisheries in the Pacific Islands due to sea level rise, ocean acidification, increased frequency of extreme weather events, and altered circulation of oceans and the atmosphere. The brief notes the importance of diversification of agriculture and the need to prepare for changes in the distribution and abundance of fisheries, particularly tuna. It calls for governments to build resilience into food systems by implementing National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) alongside collaboration with international partners.

This activity report describes a FAO-supported project designed to improve the adaptive capacities of rural populations and their resilience to drought and other climate change impacts in Bangladesh. The document provides a summary of the working approach developed and tested to promote community-based adaptation within agriculture. It presents lessons learned from the implementation process as well as the details of good practice options for drought risk management in the context of climate change.

This manual has been prepared as a reference and guide for further training and capacity building of agricultural extension workers and development professionals to deal with climate change impacts and adaptation, using the example of drought-prone areas of Bangladesh. It also presents suggestions for a three-day training course that would be readily adaptable for any areas of Bangladesh affected by climate-related risks. The information presented would enable participants to prepare, demonstrate and implement location-specific adaptation practices and, thus, to improve the adaptive capacity of rural livelihoods to climate change in agriculture and allied sectors.

This video provides an introduction to Conservation Agriculture (CA) as a valid tool for Sustainable Land Management (SLM). Conservation agriculture aims to achieve sustainable and profitable agriculture and subsequently to improved livelihoods of farmers through the application of the three CA principles: minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotations. This approach has been proven to work in a variety of agroecological zones and farming systems.

This manual provides a set of tools and methods to assess existing structures and capacities of national, district and local institutions with responsibilities for Disaster Risk Management (DRM) in order to improve their effectiveness and the integration of DRM concerns into development planning, with particular reference to disaster-prone areas, vulnerable sectors and population groups.

This manual includes 9 training modules on climate and flood forecast applications in agriculture. They were developed to build the capacity of the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) of the government of Bangladesh to interpret probabilistic climate and flood forecast information, translate these into location-specific impact outlooks, prepare locally relevant response options, and communicate these to vulnerable farming communities to reduce disaster risks in agriculture.The modules are intended for participants in the related training workshops, as well as for the self-study learner.

This document summarizes the key points highlighted in the report “Climate Change and Food Security: a Framework Document”. This provides background information on the interrelationship between climate change and food security, and ways to deal with the related vulnerabilities and threats. It also shows the opportunities for the agriculture sector to adapt, as well as describing how it can contribute to mitigating the climate challenge.

This policy document describes how climate variability and change may influence the fisheries sector and its future contribution to poverty reduction. It reports on a recent global assessment identifying regions where future climate change could have the most significant impact on the contributions of the sector to national economies. In addition, it proposes policy actions and initiatives to help governments and fishing communities maintain and build adaptive capacity to climate change.

This policy document consists of a strategic note that has been prepared for the High Level Conference on World Food Security: the Challenges of Climate Change and Bioenergy, June 2008 in Rome. It presents the main conclusions of a study on climate and climate change in West Africa. Recalling main facts on the evolution of climate in Africa and possible impacts of climate change on food production and food security in the region, the note analyses Sahelian producers’ adaptation strategies. It highlights for decision makers the needed promotion of local knowledge to adapt to climate fluctuations in order to better define and implement adaptation policies at the national and regional level.

This analytical report presents the evolution of climate in West Africa and analyzes the possible impacts of climate change on food production and food security in the region. Climate variability is deeply rooted within West African society. The 1930-1960 wet period, the 1970-1980 droughts and the return of rainfall in the 1990s and 2000s illustrate this clearly and have demonstrated the population’s vulnerability, in particular in the Sahel zone.

This analytical report summarizes the main points highlighted in the report “Towards a Green Economy: Pathways to Sustainable Development and Poverty Eradication”. This is among the key contributions of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to the Rio+20 process and the overall goal of addressing poverty and delivering a sustainable 21st century. The report makes a compelling economic and social case for investing two per cent of global GDP in greening ten central sectors of the economy in order to shift development and unleash public and private capital flows onto a low-carbon, resource-efficient path.

This analytical report demonstrates that the greening of economies is not generally a drag on growth but rather a new engine of growth. It can also be a net generator of decent jobs and a vital strategy for the elimination of persistent poverty. The report seeks to motivate policy makers to create the enabling conditions for increased investments in a transition to a green economy. It makes a compelling economic and social case for investing two per cent of global GDP in greening ten central sectors of the economy in order to shift development and unleash public and private capital flows onto a low-carbon, resource-efficient path.

This analytical report presents examples from Africa, Asia and Latin America to demonstrate approaches to integrate food and energy crops that offer benefits to poor rural communities. It describes the benefits of generating biogas for cooking, the reduction of time spent collecting fuel wood and the use of compost from generating biogas. The report underscores that integrating crops can be an effective climate change mitigation approach.

This technical document presents the priorities identified by the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) to mobilise the skills and resources of the banking, investment and insurance sectors behind an effective, efficient and equitable global deal on climate change at COP15 in Copenhagen. The paper addresses the types of decisions that governments could take in Copenhagen to stimulate financial involvement and seeks to identify the priority actions that financial institutions need in a future agreement to enable them to provide the scale of finance and support required for both mitigation and adaptation.