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This analytical report was commissioned with the aim to develop practical recommendations on the design of Climate Innovation Centres (CICs). The report shows how CICs can: develop and deploy appropriate technologies to mitigate and adapt to climate change; catalyse competitive domestic industries in clean technologies for job creation and economic growth; and deliver ancillary climate technology benefits such as energy security and access, and reduced local pollution. The report is intended to assist a wide audience – including developing country decision-makers, technology entrepreneurs, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), industry, NGOs, and donors – understand and develop CICs as part of a strategy to transfer, develop, and deploy advanced climate technologies suitable for the developing world.

This manual provides guidelines for project developers seeking to develop Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) or Joint Implementation (JI) projects in the industry, energy, and other sectors, where projects aiming at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions can take place. The guidelines are intended to be applied in the planning stages of an emission reduction project to support the work involved in preparation of the project design documentation for registration. In particular, the document assists project developers to: determine proper system boundaries within which emissions can be calculated; identify and describe a baseline for the proposed project; account for expected changes in GHG emissions; and document and justify the baseline selection process.

This policy document helps to better understand how climate change impacts on cities and urban centres, with particular emphasis on urban slums, and how best  the United Nations Human Settlements Programme  (UN-HABITAT) can shape its activities at global and country levels, drawing on its comparative advantages, especially in the focus area of its Medium Term Strategic and Institutional Plan, the “One UN” approach to climate change action and the Governing Council resolution GC22/3 on Cities and Climate Change and utilizing its experience gained in promoting the Cities and Climate Change agenda.

This activity report presents the Cities and Climate Change Initiative. The initiative is developing, adapting and making available methodologies that provide city managers and practitioners with guidelines on how to cope best with climate change. In particular, it seeks to support the development of pro-poor and innovative approaches for the implementation of climate change policies and strategies. The document also presents the activities implemented in four pilot cities – Esmeraldas (Ecuador), Kampala (Uganda), Maputo (Mozambique), Sorsogon (Philippines) – and the initial lessons learned during the implementation process.

This document briefly introduces UN-HABITAT Shelter Initiative for Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (SICCMA). This initiative aims to encourage the use of low-cost energy-efficient sustainable building materials and construction technologies and green building and neighborhood design in order to mitigate and adapt to the new conditions of climate change. The initiative is developed within the framework of UN-HABITAT Sustainable Urban Development Network (SUD-Net), and accordingly with the Kyoto Protocol.

This document briefly presents the Cities in Climate Change Initiative. As an initial component of UN-HABITAT Sustainable Urban Development Network (SUD-Net), the Cities in Climate Change Initiative, seeks to enhance climate change mitigation and preparedness of cities in developing countries. The initiative hinges its activities on national poverty reduction strategies. In particular, it seeks to provide support towards the development of pro-poor and innovative approaches to support the implementation of climate change policies and strategies. The document also describes the approach, the geographical scope of the initiative and the activities implemented.

This document briefly introduces environmental risks and vulnerability to climate variabilities of Sorsogon City, Philippines.This city is particularly at high risk to tropical cyclones and storm surges, extreme rainfall/flooding, increased precipitation, temperature variability and sea level rise. Sorsogon City is one of the 4 cities that participate in the Cities and Climate Change Initiative (CCCI) aimed at strengthening the climate change response of cities and local governments.

This document briefly introduces environmental risks and vulnerability of the city of Maputo, Mozambique. Maputo is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change since it faces the Indian Ocean and is the most densely populated urban area in Mozambique. The rising sea level has resulted in salty intrusion, impacting on agricultural activities and contributing to urban poverty. Further sea-level rises will result in flooding of the lowest topographical areas – which are the most populated – negatively impacting on the urban poor who have limited capacity to adapt to climate change. Maputo is one of the 4 cities that participate in the Cities and Climate Change Initiative (CCCI) aimed at strengthening the climate change response of cities and local governments.

This document briefly introduces environmental risks and vulnerabilities of the city of Kampala, Uganda. Kampala is characterized by urban sprawl and increasing informal settlements resulting from increasing population pressure and inadequate land use planning. The settlements are located in high risk areas with poor sanitation and prone to flooding. Due to the high water table, most of the wells/springs are contaminated by fecal matter resulting in safe water coverage of only 55% that is exacerbated by inadequate solid waste collection which currently stands at 55%. Kampala is one of the 4 cities that participate in the Cities and Climate Change Initiative (CCCI) aimed at strengthening the climate change response of cities and local governments.

This document briefly introduces environmental risks and vulnerabilities of the city and province of Esmeraldas. This is one of the most vulnerable regions to the effects of climate change in Ecuador. In 2007, almost 60% of the population lived in areas with medium to high risks of floods or landslides. Informal settlements, housing 21% of the cantons population experience devastating effects from mudslides and river overflows during the rainy season. Esmeraldas is one of the 4 cities that participate in the Cities and Climate Change Initiative (CCCI) aimed at strengthening the climate change response of cities and local governments.

This technical document provides an assessment of  capacity building needs in 33 developing countries, based on a survey of views and perceptions of local stakeholders. Reviews of the questionnaires and the interviews are summarized in the four regional chapters (Africa, Asia and Pacific, Latin America and Middle East). A fifth chapter provides a detailed summary of the 33 national reports. Finally the concluding chapter offers thoughts on the way forward regarding capacity-building issues in developing countries. The most important conclusion of this assessment is that increased emphasis on capacity-building activities is a key component to a successful implementation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in developing countries.

This technical document presents the results of an independent evaluation of the role and contribution of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in environment and energy conducted by the UNDP Evaluation Office. The main purpose of this evaluation is to assess UNDP’s positioning and contributions to managing environment and energy for sustainable development. The first part of the document describes how UNDP sets goals and objectives and how performance is reported on. The second part contains the evaluative evidence and findings related to activities and programmes at the country, headquarters and regional levels. The evaluation concludes with a number of recommendations.

This analytical report discusses key aspects of climate change adaptation and provides policymakers with a starting point, including background information and questions for further reflection. In particular, the paper focuses on: 1) the contours of the adaptation issue, as well as its relationship to other important issues; 2) the consideration of adaptation within the current international negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), including the issues relating to adaptation finance; 3) the challenge of approaching adaptation at every level in a country: community, local, regional, sectoral and national.

This manual aims to assist energy law draftsmen in drafting legislative provisions for promotion of energy efficiency and renewable energy, particularly their environmental dimensions. It describes the main environmental and implementation issues associated with efficiency and renewable energy resources and presents legislative options from both developed and developing countries for dealing with them, including sample excerpts from legislation.The focus is on national legislation, but encompasses national constitutional provisions, regulations and state and local laws where they are the key determinants of the promotion of efficiency and renewable resources. The handbook is designed to be a user-friendly guide rather than a technical compendium.

This technical document aims to harmonize the methodology for calculating all direct and indirect  greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions resulting from postal activities. The Standard is intended to be a tool for postal operators, organizations and associations worldwide to design and implement their own specific guidance, keeping this document as a support in order to set up a GHG calculation methodology. The document features: the main principles for quantitative reporting, the explanation of the indicators’ calculation and the references needed to calculate CO2 emissions.

This manual is an explanatory guide to the method used by the Universal Postal Union (UPU) to identify all possible sources of emissions resulting from postal activities. It describes the procedures to be followed in order to participate in and contribute to the UPU inventory. It  also enables the harmonization of the data received, the calculations made and, consequently, the results obtained. The manual aims to assist UPU members in the first phase of the sector-wide survey of greenhouse gas emissions. The guide can also be used by all operators wishing to draw up an inventory and then reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

This analytical report aims to set out some of the best practices followed by postal operators in the area of sustainable development. It clearly points out what measures are being taken by the postal operators around the world in the various processes of their activities and the effects generated. By disseminating these success stories, the publication serves as a reference for postal operators when they implement environmental activities.

This activity report presents the issues addressed during the NAPA Technical Workshop for Asia LDCs held on 31 October-2 November 2007 in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. A first section of the report features the proceedings, including workshop structure, logistics, agenda and participants. The second one offers a narrative of the activities and a series of recommended action items and ongoing work that resulted from the workshop.  The Annex includes the workshop exercises, a narrative version of the background documentation and presentations that were used over the course of the workshop.

This analytical report is dedicated to Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD). It presents a framework for understanding the linkages between REDD and poverty, and conducts an initial analysis of the poverty implications of REDD. It highlights that the potential contribution to rural poverty reduction could be immense, but REDD mechanisms may also entail new risks.

This technical document brings together key reports from the investment world that demonstrate best practice on climate change, identifying the risks and opportunities, assessing how companies are dealing with them, and translating their performance and intentions into future financial returns. The emphasis is on corporate sector assets, but real estate is clearly an asset class sensitive to climate change and leading investors are active on this front as well.