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This technical document is a collection of case studies on cooperatives in energy production, distribution and consumption as a contribution to the on-going search for ways in which the goal of sustainable Energy for All can be turned into a reality.

This report summarizes the discussions of the first global workshop on green jobs assessments and related policy implications, held on 4 and 5 March 2013 in Turin, Italy. The workshop discussed various themes related to green jobs: assessment methodologies, secotral and value chain approaches, skills development and capacity building and policy making.

This technical document aims to provide guidance to government decision makers and their advisers on best practices in designing or modifying legal frameworks and specific legal instruments aimed at effectively supporting green, low-emission and climate-resilient development. In doing so, it provides guidance on how to: assess the legal frameworks and instruments required for successful implementation of Green, Low-Emission and Climate Resilient Development Strategies (Green LECRDS); select appropriate legal instruments for implementing Green LECRDS; and implement the legal instruments that have been selected.

This activity report outlines analyses of economic and financial outcome from IFAD investment projects, looking in particular at the ability of smallholder farmers to recoup the costs they incur from making their farming systems more resilient to climate shocks and stresses. The ex-ante study provides interesting case studies that show smallholder farmers in diverse geographic regions and income brackets with the potential to reduce economic losses by taking appropriate adaptation measures at community and farm level.

The analytical report presents a study on the effectiveness of international climate funds using a common analytical framework.The Clean Technology Fund is the largest multilateral mitigation fund, with a capitalisation of US$5.2 billion in grants and concessional loans. Its objective has been to harness the private sector in pursuit of “transformational change” in developing countries towards low carbon development strategies. Its focus is on financing the deployment of low carbon technologies at scale. The experience of the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) offers important insights into what it takes to use diverse financial instruments at scale to support developing countries to respond to climate change. In addition to seeking to foster innovative approaches to delivering finance at the minimum level of concessionality possible, the CTF has made investments that seek to reduce the costs of promising new technologies such as concentrating solar thermal power. Its experience reinforces the importance of grounding programs in country context with due attention to issues of institutional capacity and preparedness.

This technical guidance note presents orientation for project teams and clients on how to reconcile the financing of chemical plants with climate change objectives. In lieu of minimum performance criteria, it provides quantitative benchmarks by which to prioritize levels of attention. It also provides guidance on assessing and encouraging the reduction of projects’ greenhouse gas emissions in accordance with the best available appropriate technologies. The present document in form of a technical note, therefore, conveys an approach to financing chemical plants in a manner consistent with the IDB’s commitment to protecting the environment and reducing adverse impacts on the global climate, as established in its Environment and Safeguards Compliance Policy.

The publication can be accessed by clicking on the following link: http://www.iadb.org/en/publications/publication-detail,7101.html?id=72360&dcLanguage=en&dcType=All

This analytical report is intended as a resource for policy makers in developing countries to make informed policy decisions about the whether, when and how of feed-in tariffs (FITs) and to support nationally appropriate policy measures to scale up renewable energy. The report is also intended to improve the understanding of the potential benefits and challenges for developing countries to design FITs as well as the factors influencing their success, more in depth from the policy and legal foci, whilst also analysing the funding and capacity implications. Throughout the report, FITs are construed as interacting with national energy and non-energy policies in a dynamic manner.

This manual illustrates how to create an efficient lighting Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) based on a country-led national efficient lighting strategy. It aims to be a practical resource for governments (ministries of energy, environment, housing, climate change, finance, planning and others), private sector investors and civil society organizations. Users already may have developed an efficient lighting strategy, or may be in the process of developing one. Furthermore, users may have an interest in articulating a NAMA for the implementation of the strategy, indicating how the country will turn strategy into practice. Articulating the NAMA facilitates communication with stakeholders, including citizens, the private sector, and national and international funders.

The policy document  tries to identify and articulate in practical terms what has (or has not) been done by local governements (LG)  in addressing climate change (CC) and what can be done to improve outcomes from this interface. The overall conclusion is that while there is much talk about the role of LGs in addressing CC, there is little hard evidence that CC figures prominently on the routine agenda of most LGs in the developing countries of the Asia-Pacific region. There are specific projects and programmes, funded by donors and governments, which try to address CC at the local level, and which sometimes (but not always) work through LGs. If it is assumed that LGs do indeed have a potentially important role to play in addressing CC, then a good deal more needs to be done to realise this potential. The document tries to understand why LGs appear to be relatively inactive on CC, and provides some entry points and approaches that might contribute towards greater local government involvement.

This atlas examines environmental change across the region, using a combination of on-the-ground photographs, current and historical satellite images, and extensive scientific evidence. It illustrates the pace of environmental change, including land-use change, urban growth, degradation of marine and coastal areas, altered hydrology and shrinking water bodies, loss of habitats and the impacts of climate change. The document can be accessed at the following website: http://na.unep.net/atlas/viewAtlasBookWithID.php?atlasID=2447.

This analytical report analyzes mitigation scenarios, ranging from business as usual, where levels of nitrous oxide could increase 83% between 2005 and 2050, to concerted mitigation, where nitrous oxide levels could be 22% lower in 2050 than in 2005. It provides mitigation options in the agriculture, aquaculture, biomass, industry and wastewater sectors. The report identifies capacity building, cost, lack of training and knowledge and technology transfer as barriers to reducing nitrous oxide. It recommends financial, regulatory and voluntary approaches to overcome these barriers.

This anaylitical report finds that, despite rapid advancement towards a green economy, significant environmental and social challenges must be surmounted if China is to achieve its sustainable development goals.

According to the report, China successfully decreased its energy intensity per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) between 2006-2010 and has become a global leader in renewable energy technology investment. In addition, it has reduced energy required to produce a ton of cement, a major contributor to CO2 emissions, by 41%. The report also highlights China’s strong policy framework supporting a national transition to a green economy, including renewable energy feed-in-tariffs, subsidies and tax advantages, and strict regulations to assist in phasing out inefficient factories, halt water pollution and improve waste management. China’s 12th Five Year Plan (2011-2015) sets a national target for the reduction of carbon emissions, through the reduction of carbon intensity per unit of GDP by 40-45% by 2020.

This analytical report explores the livelihood and food security benefits of agroforestry and conservation agriculture in Malawi and Zambia, as well as economic feasibility analyses of the practices.It finds that agroforestry has well-documented improvements in yields and profitability in both countries, while the evidence-base for the benefits of conservation agriculture is positive, but weaker. The paper notes that, while the adoption rate of these practices is higher in Malawi and Zambia than in other countries, it is lower than would be expected considering the potential benefits and the investment made by governments and donors in promoting these climate-smart agriculture activities. The analysis notes that agroforestry provides significant fertilization benefits, though not as much as inorganic fertilizers, but that the two can be used to complement one another.

This analiytical report urges countries to modernize and invest in well-equipped and fully staffed meteorological and hydrological agencies to better prepare for natural hazards, which could save an average of 23,000 lives annually and provide up to US$30 billion a year in economic benefits. The report highlights recent World Bank Group experience and offers guidance on good practices to help modernization efforts. The synthesis of the experiences will increase awareness of the role of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs) in improving economic performance and supporting sustainable development.

This policy document describes the problem of deforestation and studies the market failures that arise in relation to forestry emission problems, analyzing them from a global public good perspective. The paper additionally describes other problems related to forestry emission issues and presents a non-exhaustive review of the solutions currently proposed to address this issue. The paper concludes with policy recommendations.

This monograph is intended to assist planners in LAC in understanding how to assess the GHG emissions reduction benefits of sustainable transport projects, policies, and strategies. The document should aid planners accessing climate finance to support sustainable transport initiatives, as well as to assist evaluators in understanding and measuring GHG benefits of proposed investments. While the focus of the document is on measuring GHG benefits, many of the methods discussed are broadly useful for understanding other important social benefits including air pollution and traffic congestion reduction, fuel savings, increased traffic safety, and access to opportunities across the income spectrum.

This analytical report presents the results of a study that aimed to: (i) review current knowledge on vulnerability, past trends in climate, and impacts of climate variability and change on agriculture sector in Jamaica, and (ii) to explore technical and policy alternatives in order to cope with and adapt to impacts of climate variability and change more effectively. The study identified what the potential impacts are, considered what interventions are appropriate, and if and where they should occur. The scope of the study focused on broader policy directions and investment priorities in relation to climate change adaptation.

This policy document aism to address and raise awareness of the social dimension of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) to climate change, laying particular emphasis on: i) the social impacts of EbA on global national and regional level and local communities and ii) social considerations in designing and implementing EbA. By highlighting appropriate methods and measures by which these issues can be addressed, the paper will provide information to facilitate successful EbA implementation and thereby the delivery of the expected benefits for local communities as well as for the authorities coping with climate change-related challenges and nature protection issues.

This analylitical report explores the rapid progress with clean energy technologies, policies and projects over the past decade, and explores the many myths about the potential for a global economy powered by clean energy. From innovative transport schemes in Paris, to the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi, and the clean energy finance companies of New York, the publication uses ‘destinations’ across the developing and developed world to highlight the factors for success and, at times, the reasons for failure in efforts to increase the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

This analytical report examines key findings of a survey carried out among European countries on disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA) in order to get an overview to which extent, and how, member countries of the European Forum for Disaster Risk Reduction (EFDRR) link these two issues. It examines key findings of the survey, and provides the basis for policy discussions and suggestions to the EFDRR towards its work on climate change adaptation. Furthermore, it provides relevant scientific background information to be taken in consideration by practitioners when implementing DRR and CCA projects.