Biblioteca

This manual aims to assist customs and enforcement officials in their daily work, and through building capacity in environmental issues, seeks to encourage them to integrate environmental protection into their role as guardians of borders. The latest edition, which is titled ‘Saving the Ozone Layer: Phasing Out Ozone Depleting Substances in Developing Countries,’ includes a focus on hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), which are being phased out under the Protocol but are commonly used as both refrigerants and foam blowing agents. HCFCs, like many ozone depleting substances, are also potent greenhouse gases (GHGs), and the publication includes new scientific findings on the links between ozone depletion and global warming.

This investor briefing makes the business case for efficiency investments and presents best practices from leading real estate investors. It notes that buildings account for approximately a third of the world’s energy consumption and are a high-impact sector for urgent climate change mitigation action. The briefing begins by noting that financially attractive efficiency investment options exist for all types of properties, and that in the US, commercial buildings account for nearly 20% of energy consumption and 12% of national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It goes on to summarize financial arguments for investments in energy efficiency, including that: they can repay themselves quickly, depreciate slowly and deliver decades-long returns; efficient buildings, higher rents and higher sale price are correlated; considering energy performance is an important component of risk management and an investor’s fiduciary duty; and at a time when energy prices are becoming more and more volatile, efficiency investments represent a good hedging strategy.

This technical document provides supplementary methods and good practice guidance for estimating anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sinks resulting from land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) activities under Article 3, paragraphs 3 and 4, of the Kyoto Protocol for the second commitment period. It revises and updates Chapter 4 of the Good Practice Guidance for Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (GPG-LULUCF) which provides supplementary methods and good practice guidance related to LULUCF activities based on the general greenhouse gas inventory guidance provided in its other chapters and the rules governing the treatment of LULUCF activities in the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

This technical document provides supplementary methods and good practice guidance for estimating anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions by sources and removals by sinks resulting from land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) activities under Article 3, paragraphs 3 and 4, of the Kyoto Protocol for the second commitment period. It revises and updates Chapter 4 of the Good Practice Guidance for Land Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (GPG-LULUCF) which provides supplementary methods and good practice guidance related to LULUCF activities based on the general greenhouse gas inventory guidance provided in its other chapters and the rules governing the treatment of LULUCF activities in the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol.

This technical document extends the content of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas Inventories and provides updated information reflecting scientific advances, including updating of emission factors for wetlands. It covers inland organic soils and wetlands on mineral soils, coastal wetlands including mangrove forests, tidal marshes and seagrass meadows and constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment. The coverage of the 2006 IPCC Guidelines on wetlands was restricted to peatlands drained and managed for peat extraction, conversion to flooded lands, and limited guidance for drained organic soils.

This analytical report intends to contribute to a broader knowledge of the benefits associated with the use of non-traditional renewable energy technologies (NRETs) in the power matrix of Latin America and the Caribbean. To this end, it examines to what extent societal benefits − defined as those that accrue to the national economies when shifting away from fossil fuels − are large enough to justify the eventual wholesale entry of NRETs including solar, geothermal and wind. For this purpose, the analysis first makes a comparison of fossil fuel and NRETs on the basis of the levelized costs of electricity (LCOEs), and then proceeds to identify and quantify potential societal benefits of NRET deployment in LAC.

This analytical report highlights the need to better understand future climate implications for, and to plan for climate change adaptation actions in the Latin America and the Caribbeans agricultural sector. For this purpose, anoverview of thesector’s climate challenge is presented, including the consequences of projected impacts and possible responses.

This booklet outlines UNESCO’s activities in small island developing States (SIDS), covering the period from 2006-2013.It features chapters on: promoting quality education in islands; building island resilience, with an emphasis on reisilience to climate change; valuing and sharing island heritage and identities; building knowledge societies in islands; enabling island cohesion and social well-being; managing natural resources for a sustainable future; and the UNESCO participation programme in SIDS.

This analytical report proposes strategic actions to scale-up public and private sector demand for REDD+ investments over a five-year period. The report seeks to address the current gap between supply and demand, which is resulting in early movers providing significantly less financing than current project proposals could consume. The report notes that the fast start finance (FSF) period (2010-2012), agreed by parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 2009, resulted in pledges of US$4.5 billion. However, it stresses that these pledges need to be scaled-up to meet the expected costs of between US$4 and 48 billion in the interim period (the period between FSF and long-term finance, which will start in 2020). In order to achieve such financing, the report calls for the establishment of a performance-based financial incentive with clear price signals must in order to reduce REDD+ financing risks. Furthermore, it stresses that a strategic intervention to stimulate demand is necessary and should build on existing institutions, mechanisms and funds.

This activity report presents the results of the ADP Co-Chairs’ s special event with observers aimed to highlight the growing interest in the role of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other non-State actors in climate action and the positive impact they are having. In addition, the event provided an opportunity for sharing ideas regarding how such observers could catalyze action to enhance pre-2020 ambition and shape the 2015 agreement.

This activity report presents the results of a workshop on urbanization addressed practical, results-oriented approaches to increasing pre-2020 ambition through addressing sectors with high mitigation potential, including sustainable transport and building sector policies. More specifically, the workshop focused on the government’s role in incentivizing action in cities, including by highlighting the leadership role taken by cities in both developed and developing countries, and private sector and civil society efforts to support local governments and cities.

This activity report presentsthe results of a workshop on lessons learned from Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) explored approaches, ways and arrangements under MEAs of relevance for the UNFCCC’s work in facilitating results on pre-2020 ambition. Part I of the workshop included three “scene-setting” interventions on relevant MEA experiences regarding: the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES); the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs); and the Montreal Protocol. Part II included a general discussion on: the approaches to and arrangements for increasing ambition that other MEAs have employed; and the extent to which these could be replicated in the UNFCCC framework.

This activity report presents the conclusion of the Third FAO Regional Workshop on Statistics for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions. The FAO workshop brought together high-level staff of Ministries of Agriculture or National Statistical Agencies, and Bureaus responsible for national GHG reporting under international climate policy processes, to help further the conversation on how to improve agricultural/forestry statistics to prepare and submit the Biennial Update Reports (BUR) and Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA).

This technical document describes a methodology that aims to inform the development of the national response to climate change: the climate public expenditure and institutional review (CPEIR). The CPEIR examines the linkages between the three spheres of: national climate change policy; the institutional structures through which policy is channelled; and the resource allocation processes whereby public funding is made available for the implementation of relevant projects, programmes and policies.

This technical document provides the following information:
-An update of global greenhouse gas emission estimates, based on a number of different authoritative scientific sources;
-An overview of national emission levels, both current (2010) and projected (2020) consistent with current pledges and other commitments;
-An estimate of the level of global emissions consistent with the two degree target in 2020, 2030 and 2050;
-An update of the assessment of the «emissions gap» for 2020;
-A review of selected examples of the rapid progress being made in different parts of the world to implement policies already leading to substantial emission reductions and how they can be scaled up and replicated in other countries, with the view to bridging the emissions gap.

This technical document presents a detailed, scientific review of the changes in climate that have been observed since the start of the industrial revolution and provides projections of future changes to come.

This analytical report provides an overview of pathways through which climate change impacts fisheries and food security, placing these in context with the range of risks facing global marine and freshwater fisheries. It identifies effects on production ecology, post-harvest operations, communities and livelihoods, and wider societal impacts. With respect to adaptation, the report considers autonomous and planned adaptation in fisheries, and highlights «no-regrets» approaches that build general resilience. Broad adaptation approaches identified include: reducing external stressors on natural systems; identifying and protecting valuable areas; investing in safe harbours; promoting disaster risk management; and investing in capacity building and financial risk tools.

This training module, the fifth in a series of 5, provides basic information and learning tools needed to understand, advocate and influence the gender aspects of climate finance. It focuses on different climate finance funds, mechanisms and sources as they pertain to gender and covers the following major themes: the economic and human cost of climate change; gender aspects of climate finance; and strategies for guiding climate funds and mechanisms towards increased sensitivity to gender-based vulnerabilities and the gendered aspects of climate change responses.

This training module, the third in a series of 5, provides the basic information and learning tools needed to understand and advocate for integrating gender perspectives into regional, national and community-level climate change initiatives. It covers the following topics: gender-differentiated aspects of energy production, use and distribution in the Asia-Pacific region; climate stress on the energy sector and the gendered results of these changes; and the need and options for integrating gender perspectives into energy policy and development and the deployment of clean energy technologies.

This training module, the third in a series of 5, provides the basic information and learning tools needed to understand and advocate for integrating gender perspectives into regional, national and community-level climate change initiatives. It covers the following topics: development context of climate-related disasters; understanding of gender issues and concerns in disaster risk reduction; and tools and methods for understanding gender-based vulnerability and exposure to disaster risk and integrating gender perspectives into disaster risk reduction policy.