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This technical document provides mayors, governors, councillors and other local government leaders with a generic framework for risk reduction and points to good practices and tools that are already being applied in different cities for that purpose. It discusses why building disaster resilience is beneficial; what kind of strategies and actions are required; and how to go about the task. It also offers practical guidance to understand and take action on the “Ten Essentials for Making Cities Resilient” as set out in the global campaign “Making Cities Resilient: My City is Getting Ready!”. The objectives of the campaign are to increase understanding and encourage commitment by local and national governments to make disaster risk reduction and resilience and climate change a policy priority and to bring the global Hyogo Framework closer to local needs.

This manual aims to support least developed countries (LDCs) in designing the implementation of national adaptation programmes of action (NAPAs), and to guide country teams in accessing existing funding from the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) for implementing their NAPAs. In particular, the guide was developed to address the obstacles that LDC Parties face in accessing the LDCF. It has been developed for a very specific audience, in particular, the LDC NAPA teams, including officers in government agencies and the non-governmental community, as they plan the implementation of NAPAs, and Global Environment Facility (GEF) agency officers working on NAPA projects at the country level.

This manual assists United Nations (UN) facility managers in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from buildings. It identifies various ways in which energy can be saved in buildings as well as contains simple tips on implementing energy efficiency measures and carbon management. It also provides further information sources on energy efficiency and renewable energy, as well as best practice examples.

This manual aims to assist United Nations (UN) organization offices in becoming ‘climate friendly’, meaning that offices will generate lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during their operation than would be standard practice. With the UN currently maintaining offices in more than 530 locations worldwide, the guide is a resource for all those who are interested in energy efficient buildings. Though primarily aimed at assisting UN facility and property managers, this manual is also applicable to other building mangers who are looking to reduce office-related energy and GHG emissions.

This analytical report provides an overview of current knowledge of greenhouse gas emissions from the building sector. The report states that the building sector presents the largest single opportunity for improved energy efficiency. It is estimated that at present buildings contribute as much as one third of total greenhouse gas emissions, primarily through the use of fossil fuels during their operational phase. Furthermore, evidence based recommendations are given to encourage action and commitment to energy efficient buildings, which are of interest to all parties involved in pursuing climate neutrality.

This technical document examines energy efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions in the building sector. In particular, it assesses and compares the most important policy instruments for achieving energy efficiency improvements and GHG emission reductions in buildings according to their emission reduction effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and lessons learned. The aim is to provide governments with knowledge and inspiration to formulate effective policy tools that enable energy efficiency in the sector.

This document presents a summary of the Guide to Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction in UN Organizations, published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2009. It includes action checklists to support implementation of mitigation activities.

This manual provides an overview of the various approaches to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases across different areas of work and between different United Nations (UN) organizations. Not only does this publication offer a generic model on how to approach emissions reductions, it also provides an introduction to basic concepts, reduction options (e.g. finding alternatives to air travel, as it is found that in most UN organizations air travel generates the vast majority of greenhouse gas emissions) and advice on how to get started. The manual is of particular reference to UN staff and policy makers looking for an introduction to emissions reductions.

This technical document informs on management and finance options to achieve emissions reductions and enhance other vital ecosystem services from peatlands. It targets policy makers, technical audiences and others interested in peatlands. A decision support tree guides through opportunities for both cultivated and uncultivated peatlands. Methodologies and data available for quantifying GHG emissions from peatlands and organic soils are summarized and practical solutions are given concerning measuring, reporting and verification (MRV) and accounting. In addition, country-specific case studies illustrate the problems, solutions and opportunities of peatland management.

This note has been prepared to support the effectiveness of the implementation of the framework for capacity-building in countries with economies in transition established under decision 3/CP.7 (capacity-building framework) by the Subsidiary Body for Implementation. It draws on information synthesized from national communications, other national reports and submissions from Parties as received by 14 February 2012. Information is presented according to the elements of the capacity building framework.

This analytical report summarizes the lessons of the World Bank’s activities related to sustainable urban development in China. It presents overall policy recommendations in low-carbon city development and highlights specific experiences across key sectors, including energy, transport, solid waste, and water. The book also explores cities’ role in climate adaptation and opportunities presented by carbon finance and other global mechanisms to finance low-carbon city development. The intended audience is government officials of municipalities, cities, and townships in China. The lessons presented can also be of interest to other countries and development partners supporting low-carbon urban programs.

This technical document presents an overview of the quantified economy-wide emission reduction targets to be implemented by developed country Parties, as well as assumptions and conditions related to individual targets and associated assumptions and conditions related to the ambition of the pledges. It explores commonalities and differences of approaches to measure progress towards the achievement of economy-wide emission reduction targets and discusses the comparison of the emission reduction efforts. This document is intended to facilitate understanding of these assumptions and conditions.

This technical document aims to provide an overview of existing methodologies and tools for assessing the risk of loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change. In particular, the paper assesses 18 selected approaches, methods and tools in terms of their data and information requirements, strengths, weaknesses, lessons learned, gaps at different levels and relevance for social and environmental impacts, as well as discussing capacity needs for applying risk assessment methods in developing countries. It also considers risk assessment application to decision-making.

This policy document includes a Priority Framework for Action (PFA) for Nepal on climate change adaptation and disaster risk management in agriculture. It draws the actions from the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) and National Strategy for Disaster Risk Management (NSDRM) as well as from field experiences. It builds on the strengths and comparative advantage of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (MOAC) and, at the same time, specific actions are proposed considering the existing gaps and weaknesses. Moreover, the Framework lays out activities for achieving the Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA) and several other climate change related priorities. The PFA uses an integrated approach by considering short-term (disaster response), short to medium-term (Disaster Risk Reduction) and medium to long-term (climate change adaptation) priorities.

This activity report gives an account of the Government of Mozambique/Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) led interventions on strengthening smallholder agriculture, community-based natural resources management, and livelihood diversification in the face of current and future climate-related stresses. It provides the rationale behind each of the activities, innovations and successes, but also barriers and challenges encountered over the three-year project period. The lessons learned are critically analysed, and the opportunities for replication and scaling-up, and for filling in some of the gaps during follow-up interventions, explored.

This analytical report highlights that people in Asia-Pacific will be profoundly affected by climate change. It notices that poverty continues to decline in this region, but climate change may undercut hard-won gains. A shift to lower-carbon pathways is needed. The report outlines where transformation can begin: in cleaner, more efficient production, in fair and balanced consumption, and in both rural and urban areas. It addition, it stresses that, through better institutions, more accurate knowledge and changed attitudes, Asia-Pacific societies can find smarter strategies for adapting to a warmer world.

This technical document assesses the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the global dairy cattle sector. Its overall goal is to provide estimates of GHG emissions associated with milk production and processing for main regions and farming systems of the world. These results aims to help inform the public debate on GHG emissions, and support research, development and extension efforts to improve the sustainability performance of dairy farming. The specific objective of the study is two-fold: 1) to develop a methodology based on the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach applicable to the global dairy sector; and 2) to apply this methodology to assess, and provide insights about, GHG emissions from the dairy cattle sector.

This analytical report analyses the gender dimension of climate change and the policies enacted to mitigate and adapt to its impacts with the aim of developing gender sensitive approaches with regards to mitigation measures, adaptation projects and national regimes. The framework of the study is represented, on the one hand, by the scientific assessment of climate change, with its impacts and associated effects on human and natural systems, and, on the other hand, by the international response to this challenge.

This technical document aims to inform African carbon sink experts and the African forestry sector about climate change, the agreements reached, particularly the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and of the Kyoto Protocol, the current state of the Clean Development Mechanism, other opportunities for forest conservation, adaptation and mitigation, and about prerequisites for implementation.

This technical document aims to identify potential impacts of anticipated changes in climate on food safety and their control at all stages of the food chain. The purpose is to raise awareness of the issue and to facilitate international cooperation in better understanding the changing food safety situation and in developing and implementing strategies to address them. The food safety issues covered include: agents of food-borne disease with specific consideration of zoonotic diseases, mycotoxin contamination, biotoxins in fishery products and environmental contaminants with significance to the food chain. It also highlights the need for adequate attention to food safety in ensuring preparedness for effective management of emergency situations arising from extreme weather events.