Library

  • June 14, 2016
    UNDP

    Integrated Planning and Sustainable Development: Challenges and Opportunities

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    This Synthesis Report and the eight country studies on which it draws, have been prepared through the Partnership for Action on Green Economy (PAGE), with funds from the European Commission. The report illustrates the many different sustainable development pathways that countries are pursuing in line with national priorities and contexts. Its country-based evidence and non-prescriptive findings for policymakers and practitioners highlight the need for integrated and coherent development policies, while illustrating a range of inclusive green economy solutions. As such, this report represents an important addition to the global community’s demand-driven resources for advancing the 2030 Agenda.

    Click here for more detail.

    PAGE​_Integrated​_Planning​_and​_SD​_SynthesisReport.pdf (3 MB)
  • June 14, 2016
    Sciences Po and IOM

    The State of Environmental Migration 2015 – A review of 2014

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    The State of Environmental Migration series gathers the expertise of researchers, students and professionals to provide an annual assessment of the changing nature and dynamics of environment- and climate-related migration throughout the world.

    state​_environmental​_migration​_2014​_0​_0.pdf (5 MB)
  • May 31, 2016
    International Energy Agency

    Next Generation Wind and Solar Power

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    Wind and solar photovoltaics (PV) are currently the fastest-growing sources of electricity globally. A "next generation" phase of deployment is emerging, in which wind and solar PV are technologically mature and economically affordable.

    The success of variable renewable energy (VRE) is also bringing new challenges to the fore. Electricity generation from both technologies is constrained by the varying availability of wind and sunshine. This can make it difficult to maintain the necessary balance between electricity supply and consumption at all times.

    As these variable renewables enter this next generation of deployment, the issue of system and market integration becomes a critical priority for renewables policy and energy policy more broadly. The paper highlights that this will require strategic action in three areas:

    - System-friendly deployment, aiming to maximise the net benefit of wind and solar power for the entire system
    - Improved operating strategies, such as advanced renewable energy forecasting and enhanced scheduling of power plants
    - Investment in additional flexible resources, comprising demand-side resources, electricity storage, grid infrastructure and flexible generation

    In addition, the paper argues that unlocking the contribution of system-friendly deployment calls for a paradigm shift in the economic assessment of wind and solar power. The traditional focus on the levelised cost of electricity (LCOE) – a measure of cost for a particular generating technology at the level of a power plant – is no longer sufficient. Next-generation approaches need to factor in the system value of electricity from wind and solar power – the overall benefit arising from the addition of a wind or solar power generation source to the power system. System value is determined by the interplay of positives and negatives including reduced fuel costs, reduced carbon dioxide and other pollutant emissions costs, or higher costs of additional grid infrastructure.

    In addition to general analysis and recommendations, the paper also includes summaries of three case studies in China, Denmark and South Africa.

    NextGenerationWindandSolarPower.pdf (2 MB)
  • May 31, 2016
    FAO

    Principles for the assessment of livestock impacts on biodiversity. Version 1

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    Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership

    The provision of guidance for the quantitative assessment of biodiversity in live¬stock and other sectors is an emerging area of work. This document represents an initial step in which international experts with various backgrounds shared their views on biodiversity assessment. The general objective of this document was to de-velop principles applicable to different assessment methods in order to guarantee a minimum level of soundness, transparency, scientific relevance, and completeness. These principles can be used to identify crucial elements of livestock systems that affect biodiversity, to monitor changes and make improvements, and to produce assessment results for internal or external communication.

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    a​-i6492e.pdf (6 MB)
  • May 31, 2016
    UNEP, Global Infrastructure Basel (GIB)

    Sustainable Infrastructure and Finance

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    Infrastructure is often referred to as the backbone of the global economy and plays a fundamental role in societies by enhancing the quality of life and increasing productivity. In addition to its effects on society and the economy, infrastructure can have significant impacts on the environment, depending on the choice of infrastructure.

    Approximately 75% of the infrastructure that will be in place in 2050 does not exist today. Getting such a scale of infrastructure development right will be critical to whether or not the world locks into a high- or low-carbon growth path. Therefore, if the world wants to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adequate infrastructure development is part of the answer.

    To foster the development of sustainable and resilient infrastructure, a clear standard to help integrating sustainability and resilience criteria in infrastructure projects is crucial. Such a standard for sustainable and resilient infrastructure projects would lead to benefits for both projects developers and financiers, and help address the current infrastructure investment barriers.

    Sustainable​_Infrastructure​_and​_Finance.pdf (665 KB)
  • May 30, 2016
    UNDP

    2015 UNDP-GEF Annual Performance Report

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    This eighth annual performance report of the UNDP Global Environmental Finance (UNDP-GEF) Unit has three primary goals: one, to provide a snapshot of progress made toward multiple development and environment benefits by projects in each region in 2015 – see Demonstrating Impact; two, to highlight progress made in addressing women, work and the environment – see Gender in Action; and three, to demonstrate the services UNDP provides to the vertical funds that it is accredited to, in particular the Global Environment Facility family of funds – see UNDP-GEF Unit. In addition, development and environment benefits that have been realized through projects and that can be reasonably aggregated at the regional and/or global levels are presented in a series of infographics.  This report demonstrates how investments in the environment in 141 countries are already delivering development benefits. 

    Click here for more detail.

    2015 Annual Performance Report of UNDP​-Supported GEF​-Financed Projects​_DigitalFile.pdf (6 MB)
  • May 17, 2016
    WWF

    Natural Connections - How Natural Capital Supports Myanmars People and Economy

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    The assessment presented in this report shows where and how Myanmar’s natural capital contributes to clean and reliable drinking water sources, reduced risks from floods inland and storms along the coasts, and to maintaining the functioning of reservoirs and dams by preventing erosion. 

    natural​_connections​_natural capital Myanmar.pdf (7 MB)
  • May 17, 2016
    UNEP

    The Open Ocean: Status and Trends: Summary for policy makers (Volume 5)

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  • May 16, 2016
    Mekong Institute

    Development Potential for International Shipping on the Lancang-Mekong River (China, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Thailand)

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    The Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) has seen rapid economic growth of its country membersduring the past two decades, especially the effectiveness of the ASEAN-China FTA. Together with adeeper and greater economic integration process in line with the ASEAN Economic Community(AEC) blueprint, the implementation of the Lancang-Mekong (LM) Cooperation Mechanism, China’s“the Belt and the Road” initiative, and other regional and subregional cooperation frameworks, thereis a greater demand for the development of transport and logistics infrastructure as well as serviceslinkages where the logistics and transport multimodal have been applied and developed in the region.

    In the new development context, Lancang-Mekong (LM) River, as a key part of the GMS transportnetwork, plays a crucial role in transport connectivity between the upper and lower riverine countriesthrough the waterborne navigation system. This navigation system is now fronting both opportunitiesand challenges that have drawn greater attention from China, Lao People’s Democratic Republic (LaoPDR), Myanmar, and Thailand (CLMT) through a due consideration of the potential development ofthe international shipping and transportation route from Simao District in Yunnan Province, China toLuang Prabang in the Lao PDR.

    Development​_Potential​_for​_International​_Shipping​_on​_the​_Lancang​-Mekong​_River.pdf (10 MB)
  • April 30, 2016
    RECOFTC

    Community forestry-based climate change adaptation: A practitioner’s brief

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    In 2014, the USAID Climate Change Adaptation Project Preparation Facility for Asia and the Pacific(USAID Adapt Asia-Pacific ) teamed up with RECOFTC – The Center for People and Forests to establish ademonstration site in the Bishnupur community of Sarlahi district of Nepal, on planning, financing andimplementing community forestry-based climate change adaptation (CF-CCA)

    community​_forestry​_climate​_change​_adapatation​_brief​_2016​_05​_en.pdf (1 MB)