Library

This video introduces the role of OCHA with regards to climate change and its humanitarian impacts.

This analytical report aims to help individuals discover the potential to save energy and money, understand technical options for green lighting, acquire practical implementation advice, gain an overview of current United Nations practices, and understand the context for green lighting.

With this Excel document United Nations agencies can calculate their carbon footprint. It is accompanied by a manual which is also available in the CC:Learn inventory.

This leaflet outlines the basics of the UN GreenHouse Gas Calculator, an office tool specifying the best available methodologies for UN agencies to calculate their carbon footprints.

This manual is an office tool specifying the best available methodologies for United Nations (UN) agencies to calculate their carbon footprints. The calculator has been specially designed for the UN agencies, funds and programmes to facilitate the preparation of their baseline greenhouse gas inventories as a first step in their move towards climate neutrality. It aims to ensure that the inventories of the UN organizations are consistent, transparent and comparable to each other.

This technical document presents the first greenhouse gas inventory for the United Nations  (UN) system and an overview of the initial steps that have been taken to manage these emissions. This first-ever footprint of the UN system includes data from UN headquarters, major centres and field office operations. It covers the full range of institutions that make up the UN system, from the Secretariat and its regional economic commissions, to the specialized agencies, funds and programmes. It is an excellent example of coordination within the UN system, where a collection of diverse institutions has come together despite differences in mandate, constituents and priorities to adopt a common approach and single methodology.

This policy document outlines a strategy for making UN agencies, funds and programmes climate neutral. It includes an overview of the basic steps that need to be taken, including in areas where there is agreement on a common approach and methodology. It identifies the elements or criteria necessary for ensuring the highest standards possible for attaining a credible climate-neutral approach. It also lists areas where additional work will be required as the UN moves into the implementation phase.

This technical document stresses the importance of adaptation in the poorest countries of the world and presents the United Nations commitment to support Member States in responding to the climate change adaptation challenge by delivering as one at the global, regional and country levels. The document presents the main UN activities in this direction and UN system’s unique expertise for adaptation planning and implementation in areas such as: food security and sustainable natural resource management; disaster risk reduction and risk management; health and nutrition; gender perspectives; education; and employment.

This policy document explains the United Nations’ commitment to combat climate change and presents the CEB’s Climate Change Action Framework. It further gives an overview of major UN initiatives for global action on climate change.

This flyer introduces the UN-REDD Programme. Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) endeavours to create incentives for poor forested countries to protect, better manage and wisely use their forest resources, thus contributing to the global fight against climate change.

This flyer introduces one of the UN System Joint Initiatives: the Tools for UN Country Teams. The initiative is an inter-agency effort, led by the United Nations Development Group (UNDG), to develop tools for the use of UN country teams in support of national responses to climate change. The Initiative is linked to the Common Country Assessment/UN Development Assistance Framework (CCA/UNDAF).

This flyer introduces the main points of one of the UN System Joint Initiatives: UN CC:Learn. This project aims to foster knowledge sharing and strengthening of climate-change learning and skills development. The UN system has much to offer in supporting the learning and skills development needed by leaders to meet the challenge of building climate friendly and resilient economies and societies. UN CC:Learn seeks to capture this contribution in a structured and easily-accessible way.

This flyer introduces the main points of one of the United Nations System Joint Initiatives: the Green Economy Initiative (GEI). GEI provides evidence of the contributions green investments can make to economic performance, social development and environmental improvement, including climate mitigation and adaptation. This initiative aims to encourage and enable member states to support investments in low-carbon development.

This flyer introduces the main points of one of the UN System Joint Initiatives: the Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS). This ensures that decision makers have access to the highest-quality climate predictions and services for effective adaptation and climate-risk management.

This flyer introduces the main points of one of the UN System Joint Initiatives: the Climate Neutral UN. This is a UN system-wide commitment to climate-neutral and environmentally-sustainable practices.

This flyer introduces the main points of one of the UN System Joint Initiatives: the Climate Finance Platform. This is a support to policy makers and project leaders in developing countries in knowledge sharing and decision making on climate finance.

This flyer introduces the main points of one of the UN System Joint Initiatives: the Adaptation Learning Mechanism (ALM). This is a global knowledge platform to capture, exchange and scale up good adaptation practices, in response to the needs of developing countries. The Adaptation Learning Mechanism was launched in December 2007 and is led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with the UNFCCC Secretariat, the Global Environment Facility, the World Bank and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

This policy document has been prepared by the United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), through its High-level Committee on Programmes (HLCP), and states that the United Nations (UN) provides the appropriate multilateral framework for action concerning climate change. In addition, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the only forum in which agreement can be crafted on the objectives and scope of international action. The document gives an overview of ongoing UN system actions in key climate change-related areas, in support of national endeavours and in furtherance of the implementation of mandates received through the UNFCCC and other intergovernmental bodies.

This policy document presents issues and options for further consideration by HLCP in developing a proposal to CEB on a UN system coordination framework for climate change. The paper was initially prepared for and benefited from an informal HLCP meeting/videoconference held on 12 February 2008. The current version attempts to capture the various ideas put forward at that meeting, as well as the views expressed in the course of the UN General Assembly thematic debate on climate change on 11-13 February 2008.

This policy document presents a statement by the Chief Executives Board for Coordination through which the organization launched the Climate-Neutral Initiative in the UN system. In particular, it committed to estimate the UN greenhouse gas emissions consistent with accepted international standards, to undertake efforts to reduce them to the extent possible and to analyse the cost implications and explore budgetary modalities of purchasing carbon offsets to eventually reach climate neutrality.