The Least Developed Countries – Reducing Vulnerability to Climate Change, Climate Variability and Extremes, Land Degradation and Loss of Biodiversity: Environmental and Developmental Challenges and Opportunities

This analytical report, prepared for the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in Istanbul, Turkey in May 2011, assesses the efforts made through the United Nations system, in particular through the Rio Conventions and by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), to address climate change and environmental vulnerability in the LDCs over the last decade. Further, it makes recommendations for the next decade of 2011 – 2020. In addition, the publication touches on vulnerability and how the consideration of vulnerability could be improved in defining the criteria for the graduation from LDC status.