Division for Sustainable Development
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Sustainable Development Topics
Climate Change
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TITLE | Technology Development and Transfer for Climate Change: A Survey of Activities by United Nations System Organizations [pdf 2,273 KB] |
| DATE | March 2010 | |
| Working Paper – March 2010 prepared jointly by DESA and UNIDO. This survey provides an updated non-comprehensive overview of the range of related United Nations activities and considers some opportunities for enhancing the United Nation’s role in this critical area. The survey highlights the major efforts of United Nations system organizations, the types of activity and the extent of their coverage. The work of many of these organizations includes a focus on the complex issue of technology development and transfer. This survey identified a wealth of ongoing initiatives, highlights of which are contained in Table 1, structured according to key themes, and elaborated in part II after the introduction of this report. These initiatives are complemented by numerous activities, which build on partnerships between United Nations organizations and collaborations with other international organizations, governments and nongovernmental entities. These joint efforts are highlighted in part III of this survey. When compiling the initiatives presented in this survey, a number of areas emerged, which could offer effective opportunities for enhancing the United Nations system’s engagement. These areas, which are further described in part IV of this survey, are briefly summarised as... see the paper for details |
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UNDESA DSD COP15 Policy Brief #1 |
Ocean Acidification: A Hidden Risk for Sustainable Development December 2009 [pdf 70 KB] |
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Policy Brief #26 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 26: Ocean Acidification: A Hidden Risk for Sustainable Development December 2009 [pdf 745 KB] |
| Policy Brief #25 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 25: The challenges of adapting to a warmer planet for urban growth and development December 2009 [pdf 120 KB] |
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TITLE | A Global Green New Deal for Climate, Energy, and Development Technical Note [pdf 1,492 KB] |
| DATE | December 2009 | |
| SUMMARY |
This paper lays out a strategy - a Global Green New Deal - for reducing greenhouse gas emissions without sacrificing development. The crux of the strategy relies on a big investment push that quickly lowers the cost of renewable energy. Affordable, abundant and accessible renewable energy, the paper highlights, can forestall dangerous climate change and sustainably power economic growth and development for all. The strategy can also help power a job-rich global economic recovery. | |
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TITLE | UN-Water Key Messages on Climate Change and Water English [pdf 314 KB] Español [pdf 320 KB] |
| DATE | November 2009 | |
| FORWORD |
UN-Water Presents Key Messages on Water & Climate Change for COP 15 Water is the primary medium through which climate change influences the Earth's ecosystems and therefore people’s livelihoods and well-being. Climate change adaptation, therefore, is mainly about water. On November 3 UN-Water presents its key messages on water & climate change as a contribution to COP 15 in Copenhagen this December. | |
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TITLE | Natural Resources Forum (NRF) |
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TITLE | World Economic and Social Survey 2009: Promoting Development, Saving the Planet |
| DATE | September 2009 | |
| The World Economic and Social Survey (WESS) provides objective analysis of pressing long-term social and economic development issues, and discusses the positive and negative impact of corresponding policies. The analyses are supported by analytical research and data included in the annex. | ||
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Policy Brief #24 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 24: Climate Change and the Energy Challenge August 2009 [pdf 110 KB] |
| Policy Brief #23 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 23: Stronger Industrial Policies Needed to Face the Climate & Development Challenges August 2009 [pdf 110 KB] |
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| Policy Brief #22 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 22: Financing Mitigation & Adaptation by Developing Countries August 2009 [pdf 140 KB] |
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| Policy Brief #21 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 21: Climate Justice: Sharing the Burden August 2009 [pdf 112 KB] |
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| Policy Brief #20 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 20: Multidimensional Climate Threats Require New Approaches & More Resources for Adaptation Challenge August 2009 [pdf 96 KB] |
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| Policy Brief #19 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 19: Technology Transfer & Climate Change: Beyond TRIPS August 2009 [pdf 120 KB] |
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| Policy Brief #18 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 18: Climate Change and Technology Transfer: The Need for a Regional Perspective July 2009 [pdf 100 KB] |
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| Policy Brief #17 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 17: Reaching a Climate Deal in Copenhagen June 2009 [pdf 72 KB] |
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| Policy Brief #16 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 16: Forests: the Green and REDD of Climate Change April 2009 [pdf 67.28 KB] |
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| Policy Brief #15 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 15: Finance for Forests and Climate Change April 2009 [pdf 61.32 KB] |
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| Policy Brief #12 | UNDESA Policy Brief # 12: A Global Green New Deal for Sustainable Development March 2009 [pdf 95 KB] |
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TITLE | The TRIPS Agreement and Transfer of Climate-Change-Related Technologies to Developing Countries [pdf 625.54 KB] |
| DATE | October 2008 | |
| ABSTRACT | Despite numerous international commitments to promote transfer of climate-change related technologies to developing countries, such transfers are not occurring at a sufficient rate to aid these nations in mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate change. The impact of the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) on transfer of these technologies is discussed through a detailed examination of relevant TRIPS provisions. The paper also addresses options for improving technology transfer through exploitation of existing TRIPS flexibilities, modification of the Agreement, and other public and private legal and policy avenues. | |
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TITLE | Climate Change:
Technology Development & Technology Transfer [pdf 1.3 MB] |
| DATE | 2008 | |
| CONTENTS excerpt: |
I. Introduction..............................................................................1 II. Technologies, technology transfer and barriers.............................11 III. Mechanisms for enhancing technology development and transfer..38 IV. Public-private roles and partnerships for innovation and technology transfer.......................................................................................67 |
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TITLE | Trends in Sustainable Development 2008-2009 |
| DATE | April 2008 | |
| FOREWORD excerpt: |
...This report highlights key developments and recent trends in agriculture, rural development, land, desertification and drought, five
of the six themes being considered by the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) at its 16th and 17th sessions (2008-2009)...
...A separate Trends Report addresses developments in Africa, the sixth thematic issue under consideration by the Commission... |
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TITLE | The relationship between rainfall and human density and its implications for future water stress in sub-Saharan Africa, DESA Working Paper No. 57 [pdf 1.51 MB] |
| DATE | October 2007 | |
| ABSTRACT | This paper uses Geographic Information System (GIS) data on population density, rainfall and climate change scenarios in order to identify areas that will be subject to increased water stress due to insufficient precipitation to support their projected population levels in 2050. Density increases across the continent should lead to a significant increase in the extent of water stressed zones, especially around the Sahel belt and in Eastern Africa. Changes in rainfall, the pattern of which remains inherently uncertain today, could mitigate or compound those effects. Consequences of unsustainably high local densities such as migrations are bound to become more prevalent. | |
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TITLE | Climate Change and Sustainable Development, DESA Working Paper No. 56 [pdf 218 KB] |
| DATE | October 2007 | |
| ABSTRACT | This paper argues that in the future the primary focus of policy research and global agreements should be the de-carbonization of economic development. Consequently, instead of treating climate stabilization and economic development as separate and equal, the strategy should be to re-integrate the two global policy goals, in part by separating responsibility (and funding) from action. Th is will require an approach that goes beyond Kyoto. Th e paper invokes the example of the Manhattan Project to argue for a massive, globally funded public investment program for the deployment of renewable energy technologies in developing countries. | |
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TITLE | SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION Promoting Climate-Friendly Household Consumption Patterns [pdf 224 KB] |
| DATE | 30 April 2007 | |
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TITLE | Sustainable Development Innovation Briefs :: Issue 2 Developing index-based insurance for agriculture in developing countries |
| DATE | March 2007 | |
| Index-based insurance products for agriculture represent an attractive alternative for managing weather risk. Pilot programs conducted in several developing countries have proven the feasibility and affordability of such products. This paper presents the main lessons from these pilot programs, and examines the prospects for extension and scaling up of index-based weather insurance products in developing economies to promote sustainable development. | ||
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TITLE | Trends in Sustainable Development 2006-2007 |
| DATE | April 2006 | |
| FOREWORD excerpt: |
...This report highlights key developments and recent trends in the areas of Energy for Sustainable Development, Industrial Development, Atmosphere/Air Pollution and Climate Change — the four interrelated topics being considered by the Commission on Sustainable Development at its 14th and 15th sessions (2006-07)... | |