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Planning and implementation activities

Regions and Countries

Aligning short-term climate action with long-term climate goals: Opportunities and options for enhancing alignment between NDCs and long-term strategies

The Paris Agreement and its accompanying decision call for Parties to strive to formulate mid-century communicate long-term low-greenhouse gas emission development strategies (LT-LEDS) by 2020. Moreover, the Paris decision requests Parties to communicate a new or updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by 2020. This paper finds that there is potential for these...

Impacts of climate framework laws: lessons from Germany, Ireland and New Zealand

Nearly 60 countries around the world have introduced climate change framework laws, which establish the strategic direction for national climate change policy and often the institutional arrangements for climate action too. As the global stock of climate framework laws increases, it is critical to understand the impacts of such legislation. This report and accompanying...

Best Practices, Challenges and Lessons Learned from Existing Financial Instruments at All Levels that Address the Risk of Loss and Damage Associated with the Adverse Effects of Climate Change

The Conference of the Parties (COP), at its nineteenth session, established the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage associated with Climate Change Impacts (WIM) to address loss and damage associated with the adverse effects of climate change, including extreme events and slow onset events, in developing countries that are particularly vulnerable to the...

Small Island Developing States (SIDS): The State of Climate Ambition

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are a group of low-lying island nations that are home to approximately 65 million people and extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change – despite being responsible for less than 1 percent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The 2022 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report on impacts, adaptation and...

The WaCCliM Project: GHG Emissions Reduction in the Urban Water and Wastewater Sector

Water

The project “Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Mitigation - WaCCliM” was officially closed at the COP27 in Egypt in November 2022. Mitigation measures implemented by WaCCliM reduced around 66,000t of CO2 equivalents (CO2e) between 2014 and 2021. The Project: Commissioned by the German government under the International Climate Initiative (IKI) Duration: 2014 –...

Beyond economic incentives: enabling mitigation action in the water sector

Water

Water and Wastewater Companies for Climate Mitigation (WaCCliM) was a global project funded by the German government through the International Climate Initiative (IKI). It was implemented from 2014 to 2022 by the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in cooperation with the International Water Association (IWA). The project supported water utilities and...

Water and Climate Change Adaptation in Transboundary Basins: Lessons Learned and Good Practices

Water

The publication seeks to compile, analyse and disseminate experiences, and thereby to demonstrate and illustrate important steps and lessons learned as well as good practices to take into account when developing a climate change adaptation strategy for water management in the basin or transboundary context. It includes lessons learned and good practices mainly from the...

Morocco's experience in loss and damage management: the case of oases

This submission by Morocco to the Transition Committee focuses specifically on the perspective of oases communities in Morocco as frontline communities in the climate crisis, and builds on previous engagements by Morocco with this process, including a submission regarding macro-level national loss and damages from drought and decreases in precipitation. The...

Innovative Approaches to Accelerating and Scaling Up Climate Technology Implementation for Mitigation and Adaptation

This paper explores innovative approaches to stimulating the uptake of existing climate technologies for mitigation and adaptation. Such innovations can be identified in the following areas: how technology options are selected by countries (i.e. as part of low-emission and climate-resilient pathways); how stakeholder views and practitioner knowledge, as well as their...

CFA Nigeria: Climate Finance Mapping Project

The Nigeria Climate Finance Landscape Mapping project is a follow-up to the UK/Nigeria Climate Finance Accelerator (CFA) pilot process conducted between October 2018 and January 2019. The objective of the mapping project is to cast light, via a database of actors, on the landscape for climate finance in Nigeria, identifying sources of both financial and capacity...

National Adaptation Plans in focus: Lessons from Mozambique

Mozambique is severely affected by climate-induced disasters. Over the past two decades, the country experienced an increase in extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and storms, which are projected to become only more frequent and intense in the future. The socio-economic implications of past events have been significant in many cases. In 2016, the worst...

Gendered Impacts of Climate Change and Disaster Risk in Antigua and Barbuda

Gender

Disaster Risk Reduction

The Enabling Gender-Responsive Disaster Recovery, Climate and Environmental Resilience in the Caribbean (EnGenDER) Project is funded by Global Affairs Canada and the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, which is led by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and jointly implemented by UN Women, World Food Programme (WFP) and the Caribbean...

Cities and Regions Talanoa Dialogues: Leveraging Subnational Action to Raise Climate Ambition

The word “Talanoa” itself refers to a style of dialogue practiced in Fiji and the Pacific, which fosters openness and inclusion. Although the hosts, formats and objectives of different Talanoa Dialogues may vary, this spirit is a fundamental part of the process. The Cities and Regions Talanoa Dialogues are organized around three essential questions: 1. WHERE ARE WE?...

Where tradition meets public sector innovation: a Rwandan case study for Results-Based Approaches

The acknowledgement of politics and institutions in developing countries is well in line with debates not only in the area of development effectiveness but also regarding new public management. Results-Based Approaches (RBApps), conceptually framed within these two debates, are designed to support outcome- and impact-oriented development goals. They link the achievement...

Talanoa Dialogues in Africa: Advancing coordinated action between national, subnational and international actors

The concept of the Talanoa Dialogue was introduced into international negotiations during the 23rd United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP 23, held in 2017, and represented the first time in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process that national governments met with non-Party stakeholders in an official setting. The Cities and...

Developing an NDC Capital Raising Strategy for Peru

Working with key national public and private actors in Peru to develop a capital raising strategy, supporting the achievement of Peru’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). To support the scale-up in capital needed to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement, more granular information is needed on national investment opportunities and the role of public and private...

From Needs to Implementation: Stories from the Technology Needs Assessments (2021)

Agriculture

Water

Building on three previous publications, this publication provides a new set of success stories on how countries have used their TNAs and TAPs to advance the implementation of climate technologies. It provides examples from different regions and covers different sectors. The stories highlight how TNAs are used by developing countries as a highly practical tool that...

Integrating Co-benefits into Nationally Determined Contributions, Climate Policies and Air Pollution Policies in Asia

The Asian Co-benefits Partnership (ACP) was created to support the mainstreaming of co-benefits into projects and policies in Asia and the Pacific in 2010. The increase in the number of policies featuring co-benefits in Asia and the Pacific suggests the ACP has had some success achieving this objective. Recent changes in the international climate policy landscape (the...

Sorghum, Maize, and Sesame Value Chains in Somalia

Agriculture

The report details value chain and private sector ecosystem mapping and analysis for sorghum, maize, and sesame with a focus on identifying private sector adaptation challenges, barriers, technologies and best practices, losses due to droughts and floods, as well as investment potential and incentives to participate in public dialogue. Insights on how the private sector...

Enhancing Urban Mobility through Low-Carbon Water Transport: Kochi Water Metro Project

Transport

Water

In Asia and the Pacific, inland waterway transport is a traditional mode of transportation in many cities that have a network of lakes, canals, and rivers. It includes ferries, pontoon boats, and water taxis (or water buses). However, commuters started to shift to land-based transport with more and better roads built and bridges connecting islands. The limited capacity...

Integrating Learning Into the National Adaptation Plan Process

This report explores how to strengthen the integration of learning into NAPs. There are at least three keys that the authors identify to enhancing learning in NAP processes: Integrating learning at strategic moments across the different phases of the NAP process, Strengthening the enabling environment for learning in the NAP process, and Linking the learning process...

Accelerating Inclusive Gender-Responsive Climate Finance for Effective NDCs: The Role of National Climate Funds

Gender

The Commonwealth Secretariat convened a webinar on March 5th, 2024, to explore the relationship between inclusive, gender-responsive climate finance and the effectiveness of climate action. The discussion emphasized the importance of integrating gender and youth, and all stakeholders in the design and execution of projects accessing climate finance. Failure to include...

Impact of climate change on livelihoods and food security in Armenia (CLEAR- Consolidated Livelihood Exercise for Analyzing Resilience)

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Water

Climate change is a complex issue that poses a worldwide threat to human development and requires ambitious and bold collective actions. Numerous assessments indicate that there will be significant change in Armenia’s climate over the next century: temperatures will rise; precipitation, river flow and lake levels will fall; and heat waves, droughts, landslides, mudflows...

Water Use in India’s Power Generation: Impact of renewables and improved cooling technologies to 2030

Water

This study analyses the prospective impact of renewable energy deployment, along with recently mandated changes to power plant cooling systems, on water use in India’s electricity sector. Looking at the expected freshwater intensity of non-hydro power generation under different scenarios, the analysis aims to quantify the impact of India’s energy transition on...

Water Use in China’s Power Sector: Impact of Renewables and Cooling Technologies to 2030

Water

This brief by China Water Risk and IRENA examines the expected impact of China’s power sector on water and climate in 2030. Building on plans announced at the COP21 climate change conference in Paris, and earlier analyses by China Water Risk and IRENA, it assesses the impact of different options for China’s power mix in 2030 on water use and carbon emissions. As the...

No climate resilience without WASH: a call to action

Water

Climate change is altering the water cycle through floods, droughts and rising sea levels, affecting water availability, quantity and quality. In West Africa, where 106 million people do not have clean water close to home and 256 million do not have a decent toilet, these changes are compounding the water and sanitation crisis. Lack of access to WASH and insufficient...

Water, sanitation and hygiene: the foundation for building resilience in climate-vulnerable communities

Water

Climate change is already affecting rainfall and weather patterns, increasing the frequency and severity of floods, droughts, storm surges, temperature extremes, and sea level rises. As a normal part of everyday life, access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene can help people cope with these disruptions. Around 90% of extreme weather events are related to...

Climate change and water security in Burkina Faso and Niger

Water

As part of a water and climate campaign, WaterAid West Africa has conducted two research studies on the impacts of climate change on water security in the region, focusing on Burkina Faso and Niger. Through this report, WaterAid West Africa hopes to: Encourage West African governments to include WASH in national climate adaptation plans and strategies as a critical line...

Real-world Solutions for Clean Air and Health

Health

Air pollution is the largest environmental threat to human health worldwide. Health professionals and agencies are usually the most trusted voices in their communities, so when they are actively engaged on climate change and air pollution, they can reframe these issues as questions of public health and help move public opinion and policy. With support from the Clean Air...

Enhancing Skills in Sri Lanka for Inclusion, Recovery, and Resilience

Education

Sri Lanka has confronted and is grappling with a number of exogenous shocks, including the devastating 2004 tsunami; the 2008 global recession; the COVID-19 global pandemic; and, more recently, the ongoing “triple crisis” (fuel, food, fiscal). The country is now at a crossroads. An ongoing process of strengthening skills and improving education will be crucial to Sri...

Youth Engagement in Climate Change Adaptation: Lessons from the Adaptation Fund Portfolio of Projects and Programmes

This study provides an overview of youth participation in adaptation projects and interventions supported by the Adaptation Fund (AF). The study aims to understand the enabling factors, drivers and barriers to youth engagement in the AF portfolio. It is produced within the Learning and Sharing pillar of the Medium-Term Strategy (MTS) 2018-2022. The study is based on the...

Local Leadership in Adaptation Finance: Learning from Locally-led Action in Adaptation Fund Projects and Programmes

In the context of climate change adaptation, locally-led action refers to practices or methodologies that meaningfully put local-level actors in the driving seat on planning, designing, and executing measures that build adaptive capacity and resilience to climate impacts. However, knowledge is limited on what works in practice to best promote locally-led action. This...

Addressing climate change adaptation in fragile settings and conflict-affected countries: Lessons learned from the Adaptation Fund’s portfolio

Climate change presents a pressing global challenge. However, adverse impacts such as extreme weather events, resource scarcity, and population displacement, can be especially detrimental in conflict-affected and fragile states. Such countries face intricate challenges that further exacerbate security issues. This study examines efforts of the Adaptation Fund (the Fund...

Strengthening Resilience through Disaster Risk Reduction and Early Warning Systems Interventions: Experiences and Lessons Learned from the Adaptation Fund Portfolio

Disaster Risk Reduction

This study offers an overview of the Fund’s experience and lessons learned on disaster risk reduction and early warning systems interventions in strengthening long-term resilience to climate change, including case studies from across the portfolio. In this way, it aims to advance understanding among the wider adaptation community, as well as generate and share knowledge...

The Whole-School Approach in Action: A Year with Primary School No. 12 Mar Chiquita

Education

The seaside village of Mar Chiquita, in Buenos Aires, Argentina is home to Primary School No. 12. The school’s community takes a whole school approach to sustainability and embraces the natural environment at every level of the school’s activities. The Mar Chiquita Lagoon is central to this story. Designated as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1966 for its impressive...

Vulnerable Communities and Climate Change Communication and Education

Education

Together, both communities in the case study consist of just over 1,000 people. The first community is semi-urban, and most inhabitants rely on subsistence farming. The community is near a large river, which floods during the wet season. In contrast, the second community is located within rural grasslands and experiences arid, drought-like conditions during the dry...

BIO-KG Federation of Organic Development, Kyrgyz Republic

Agriculture

Spearheading the concept of the organic “aimak”, or district, BIO-KG Federation of Organic Development has promoted the transition of agriculture in rural and mountain communities to organic-only production in a landscape-level approach. In the face of depleted soils, this community organization in the Kyrgyz Republic (Kyrgyzstan) has inspired bottom-up processes...

Tropical Forest and Rural Development, Cameroon

Operating around the Dja Biosphere Reserve around the Campo Ma’an National Park and the Manyange-na-elombo Marine Park in the south of Cameroon, Tropical Forest and Rural Development (TF-RD) is empowering Indigenous communities through cacao-based agroforestry value chains and the collection of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) and other fruits. The group has planted...

The City and Climate Change: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices for Climate Change Management and Adaptation in Greater Tegucigalpa and Surrounding Municipalities

Education

This case study considers how the government can implement a holistic approach to climate communication and education (CCE) to impact how Tegucigalpa’s citizens, across all walks of life and demographic categories, know, feel, and act about climate change. Using a survey, interviews, and focus groups collected from people who represented the city’s age, gender, and...

Forest Community Youth and Climate Change Adaptation: An MTs PAKIS Experience

Education

Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) PAKIS is located in Pesawahan Hamlet, Gununglurah Village, on hilly with steep slopes of 400-900 meters above sea level, has high rainfall of up to 3000mm annually, and is upstream of several river basins. The community is an agrarian where most households work in the agricultural sector. The students of MTs PAKIS are the northernmost community...

Global Challenges, Local Narratives: Exploring the Role Stories Play in Climate Change Communication

Education

This case study explores the complexities and possibilities of informal climate change education. Climate change is not always included in formal education curriculum, and teachers in formal education settings are not always equipped to address the complexities of climate change. However, that does not mean that students are unaware of climate change. On the contrary,...

The Business of Resilient Transitions: An Innovative Graduate Studies Certificate Program

Education

This case study brings climate change to a sector that does not necessarily engage with climate change: business. The case study highlights both the importance and potential of widespread climate education. While HEC Paris offers a range of Bachelor, Master, and Doctoral programs, the school was missing an intentional focus on climate education. HEC Paris launched a...

Blue Flag Beaches as Place-based Climate and Sustainability Education Sites in India

Education

India is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, increasingly experiencing sea-level rise, weather events, and cyclones in its coastal areas. The lives and livelihoods of coastal communities, many of them fisher people, are becoming increasingly affected by the impacts of climate change. In this case study, the Centre for Environment Education harnesses the...

Changing the Climate and Energy Conversation: Deep Canvassing and Community Action in British Columbia

Education

While climate change is becoming an increasingly polarizing topic across the globe, this is especially true in major emitting countries, such as Canada. In non-urban areas of the province of British Columbia, over 50% of citizens agree climate change is a real problem but are not informed or engaged yet. This means their support of climate policies and action is not...

Community Radio Station: Sustainable Farming Through Broadcasting

Education

Agriculture

The first of its kind in the community, and the second community radio station in India, the station is run by Development Alternatives. Radio Bundelkhand plays an essential role in bringing social long-term improvements in the Bundelkhand region. Since the beginning, the radio station has aimed to give a voice to the people in the region. It has broadcasted for women,...

Dry Season Gardening as Climate Action by Rural Women: A Case Study of Kuliyaa Community in Northern Ghana

Education

Agriculture

Gender

Droughts and shorter rainy seasons negatively impact rural livelihoods, and rural communities in Northern Ghana have long used dry season gardening education as a climate change adaptation strategy. In response to climate changes, men from the community have begun seasonal migrations to other parts of Ghana in search of jobs. In this patriarchal community, gardening...

Emotions, Climate Change, and the Classroom: A Resource for Primary School Teachers

Education

The climate change education course was developed by the Office for Climate Education (OCE), an organization with a global network with its headquarters in Paris. Starting in September 2022, lessons focused on nature, the science of climate change, and how the climate functions. In December, the focus shifted to emotions and motivations around climate action. Students...

Building climate policies under consensus: Argentina's National Climate Change Cabinet

The Argentinean National Climate Change Cabinet (GNCC, for its Spanish acronym), created by Presidential Decree in 2016, is chaired and coordinated at a high political level by the head of the ministerial cabinet, and brings together representatives of approximately 12 ministries and government secretariats. The GNCC is structured through periodic meetings of cross-...

Climate Resilient Food Systems Alliance: Belize Case Study

Agriculture

Water

Global climate change is one of Belize's most serious threats to sustainable development. Impacts experienced in the country to date include sustained droughts, floods, increased coastal erosion and changing precipitation patterns. Combined, these climate changes and related phenomena significantly impact many environmental, physical, social and economic systems within...

Climate Resilient Food Systems Alliance: Ethiopia Case Study

Agriculture

Water

To transform Ethiopia’s food system, significant challenges need to be addressed- from consumption to production to distribution. Growing population and rising incomes will increase demand for nutritious foods, leading to the need for arable land. Furthermore, the ongoing impacts due to climate change and environmental degradation that have increased soil erosion and...

Climate Resilient Food Systems Alliance: Fiji Case Study

Agriculture

Water

As a small island developing state (SIDS), Fiji lies on the front line of adverse climate change impacts and recognises that climate change is a major threat to the country, expecting to experience a multitude of interrelated climate risks which may lead to food insecurity, losses and damages and large-scale population displacement. As climate change worsens, Fiji is...

Climate Resilient Food Systems Alliance: The Gambia Case Study

Agriculture

Water

Climate change and variability constitute a significant burden on The Gambia’s food systems. This is due to the negative impact that climate and environmental shocks can have along the value chain by inhibiting production, constraining processing and transportation, increasing trade deficits, lowering export prices and, thus, limiting the participation of food system...

Bangkok E-Bus Programme

Transport

The Bangkok E-Bus Programme aims to introduce electric vehicles for privately-owned public transport in Thailand’s capital Bangkok to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on a broader scale. Energy Absolute will enter into agreements with privately-owned operators of scheduled bus routes in the Bangkok Metropolitan Region with the objective to replace 100% of the existing...

Geospatial Good Practices Database and Dashboard

Disaster Risk Reduction

The Geospatial Good Practices Database and Dashboard is an online regional knowledge-sharing platform that highlights how various space applications, geospatial information, and digital innovations are used across the Asia-Pacific to advance the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Explore this Database and Dashboard to see the good practices across the six priority...

Progress, good practices and lessons learned in prioritizing and incorporating gender-responsive adaptation action

Gender

The following assessment of recent trends in adaptation research and action, including the formulation and implementation of NAPs, reveals some gaps and challenges for the application of gender-responsive approaches. It also provides opportunities and good practices that governments and other stakeholders have identified and are undertaking to enhance resilience and...

Visioning to Implementation: National Transport Decarbonization Policies that Match Climate Targets

Transport

This report analyzes how each country’s governance structure and policy planning and development may support or hinder transport decarbonization. Detailed analysis of the three countries’ experiences and stakeholder interviews identified the following insights about the impacts of long-term target setting, the barriers to transport decarbonization, and the enabling...

GenderCC's Gender and Climate-Resilient Communities Initiative

Gender

Agriculture

This case study examines GenderCC's GCRCI project through the lends of gender and locally led adaptation (LLA): Location: South Africa Years active: 2019–May 2022 Key agricultural climate risks: Drought, erratic weather, and decreasing natural resources Gender-responsive LLA activities: Women-led cooperatives, women codesigning community climate actions and climate-...

Enda Graf Sahel

Gender

Agriculture

This case study examines the Enda Graf Sahel project through the lends of gender and locally led adaptation (LLA): Location: Senegal Years active: 2014–present Key agricultural climate risks: Salinization, sea level rise Gender-responsive LLA activities: Promoting local leadership by investing in local women’s capabilities, involving women collectively in project...

Green Living Movement

Gender

Agriculture

This case study examines the Green Living Movement project through the lends of gender and locally led adaptation (LLA): Location: Zambia Years active: 2000–present Key agricultural climate risks: Increasingly dry landscapes, drought Gender-responsive LLA activities: Supporting women in decision-making roles, codesigning activities with women, integrating women farmers...

Improving water supply management in Grenada through a geographical information system-based monitoring and control system for water loss reduction

GIS modelling and data analysis can increase efficiency in water service management and delivery, data processing, calculations, reporting and decision-making, thus creating a powerful platform for water loss management interventions. NAWASA identified GIS-based monitoring and control approaches as a suitable management tool to reduce water loss across the country...

Increasing Access to Clean and Affordable Decentralized Energy Services in Malawi

A GMG is a set of small-scale renewable energy electricity generators interconnected to a distribution network that supplies electricity to a localized group of customers and operates independently from the national transmission grid. GMGs usually serve the needs of remote and often rural or vulnerable communities. These communities are too distant to be economically...

Pioneering Triangular Cooperation on Renewable Energy Technology Transfer in Ghana and Zambia, with China and the United Nations Development Programme

The China–Ghana/Zambia–UNDP triangular cooperation project resulted in the transfer of renewable energy technologies and in national policies and private sector partnerships that continue to facilitate the scaling up of renewable energy technologies in Ghana and Zambia. In addition, the project strengthened China’s capacity for South–South cooperation on renewable...

Advancing Low-Emission Mobility Solutions in Cambodia

Transport

Cambodia’s road transport system mainly relies on fossil fuel vehicles. Increasing transport needs coupled with the country’s economic growth has been the main driver of rising GHG emissions from the transport sector and worsening air quality in urban areas. Cambodia identified the following limitations as key barriers to the uptake of low-emission mobility in the...

Action for Rural Women's Empowerment: Women-led Energy Cooperatives as a Pathway to a Just Energy Transition in Uganda

ARUWE works with communities to provide access to a decentralized and cooperative renewable energy system that places energy production and distribution close to the consumers, enabling households, small businesses and health centres to access energy supplies. Decentralized energy systems use reliable and cost-effective technologies to close the access gap to...

Making Buildings More Energy-Efficient in South Africa

The passive thermal control technology project uses a combination of heat- and light reflective roof coating and traditional thermal insulation that significantly increases the energy efficiency of buildings. The thermal insulation largely acts as a barrier to heat flow or heat transfer from the building (heat loss during the colder months), whereas cool-coated roofs...

Adapting to Floods and Droughts in India through the Water Storage Technology Bhungroo

Agriculture

Water

Gender

Bhungroo is a storm water management technology that utilizes detailed geophysical and geological analysis and data simulation for filtering, injecting and storing excess storm water in pipes within subsoil layers. The technology works on the principles of aquifer storage and recovery, managed aquifer recharge and recovery, and vertical drainage. Using a surface space...

Developing Technological Tools for Adapting to Climate Change in the Coastal Zones of Uruguay

Water

Climate modelling and vulnerability assessment technology was developed to determine the threat of climate variability and climate change to Uruguay’s coastal zones and their exposure and sensitivity to it by analyzing and evaluating climatic effects on the dynamics of beaches, dunes, coastal erosion and flood risks, and the consequences for the local population,...

Strengthening Climate-Resilient Agriculture in the Dominican Republic

Agriculture

SRI is an agroecological and climate-smart production strategy based on four key principles: early and healthy plant establishment; minimizing competition between plants; building fertile soils rich in organic matter; and the careful management of water, to avoid both flooding and water stress, and increasing soil aeration. Through this strategy, SRI modifies the...

Utilizing Ocean Energy in Nauru

OTEC is a technology that produces both energy and desalinated water. Energy is produced by harnessing the temperature differences between surface ocean waters and deep ocean waters. The condensed water resulting from the process is an abundant freshwater source. This contributes to NDC Implementation by achieving water and energy security, and transitioning to...

Increasing Energy Efficiency in Soloman Islands

Water

Energy-efficient water pumping technology solutions, including retrofitting existing technology, making operational improvements and implementing new energy-efficient motors and pumps all reduced GHG emissions from the energy sector while helping to better meet current and future water demands at lower energy costs. The contribution to NDC implementation is improving...

Accelerating the Uptake of Climate Technologies in Micro, Small, and Medium Sized Enterprises in Chile

Agriculture

In Chile, the agriculture sector is an important contributor to the economy and is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. Within the sector, MSMEs make up the majority of producers. Chile sought technical assistance from the CTCN to better understand the barriers that prevent MSMEs from adopting climate technologies in the agrifood sector; increase...

Green Building Market Transformation in Colombia

When it comes to green buildings, no market has seen a more remarkable transformation than Colombia. Between 2021 and 2022, 27 percent of new buildings in Colombia were certified green with EDGE, a building certification tool that enables investors and developers to calculate the cost of going green. As of December 2022, a cumulative 11.5 million square meters (roughly...

Climate-Smart Agriculture in Guangdong, China

Agriculture

While China has achieved tremendous success over recent decades in increasing agricultural production and feeding its population, this success has come at the cost of significant environmental degradation. Agriculture in China is a major source of air, land, and water pollution. China’s agri-food system also generates more GHG emissions than any other country in the...

Lessons from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands

Gender

Evidence from previous structural transitions away from coal reveals several key issues and approaches that are decisive in determining the socioeconomic impacts of these transitions. Although insights are collected and organized in different ways across the literature, there is a good degree of convergence on high-level lessons and approaches. These are outlined here...

E-buses in Santiago de Chile

Transport

The integration of e-buses in Santiago’s public transport system is driven by Chile’s broader commitment to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, its National Electromobility Strategy (established in 2017, updated in 2021), and other programs.11 This is in addition to nationwide initiatives such as the National Climate Change Plan 2017–22, the Energy Route 2018–22, and...

Improving Water Availability and Restoring Soil Fertility in the Sahel

Agriculture

Climate change will exacerbate income risk if agricultural productivity does not increase. The latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report warns that drought frequency, duration, and intensity will likely increase in Africa, particularly in the Sahel. In 2030, researchers estimate that 250 million people could live in an African region with high water...

Solar Power in India

India’s energy system is on the cusp of a paradigm shift toward renewables, driven by a concerted policy effort to spur wide-scale solar adoption. Growing from 4 to 13 percent of total electricity generation between 2014 and 2022 and projected to account for 30 percent of generation capacity by 2040, India’s solar energy sector is rapidly growing. Since 2004, $130...

Public Transport Systems in India

Transport

India’s updated NDC targets a 45 percent reduction in GHG emissions intensity by 2030, compared with 2005 levels. The transport sector contributes approximately 10 percent of India’s GHG emissions and has the world’s fastest energy usage growth rate, averaging 6.8 percent per year since 2000. Oil products, mostly diesel and gasoline, supplied 95 percent of total energy...

Toward a Just Transition and Greener Future for South Africa's Coal Sector

The current energy crisis has highlighted the need for a long-term strategy for energy production and distribution in South Africa. In the coming years, the country will need to invest in modernizing its energy infrastructure and diversifying its energy sources to ensure it can meet the growing demand for electricity and avoid future crises. The government of South...

Power Sector Reform in Kenya

After independence, Kenya relied primarily on hydropower to meet its demand for electricity. But this left it heavily exposed to hydrological risks. As drought periods intensified during the 1990s, the country was pushed into a situation of acute supply insecurity, forcing it to ramp up fossil fuel–based generation by the end of the decade, which increased both the cost...

Energy Efficiency in Türkiye's Public Buildings

The public sector represents a strategically important market segment for energy efficiency (EE). Public buildings, which are collectively large and visible consumers, can set examples for EE improvements in other sectors and demonstrate good energy management practices and high-performance technologies. The inclusion of energy-efficient criteria for products purchased...

Reducing Deforestation in Brazil

Tackling deforestation in Brazil requires addressing the key drivers of deforestation, including extensive cattle ranching, land grabbing, and illegal logging. Converting land for crop production is a key driver in the Cerrado. Estimates show that about 70 percent of deforested land in the Amazon is used for cattle ranching, the result of weak law enforcement, poor land...

Industrial Energy Efficiency in Japan

Japan, the world’s third-largest producer of industrial goods, is implementing plans and policies for industrial decarbonization. In 2019, industry added $1.46 trillion to Japan’s economy as well as 189 tCO2 e. The country has made progress in reducing these emissions by 28 percent since 1990, largely through energy efficiency improvements, which led to an 18 percent...

Public Transport in South Africa

Transport

The development objectives for public transport projects include improving efficient mobility and inclusive access to jobs, services, and socioeconomic opportunities, while also minimizing negative externalities such as local and global emissions, traffic injuries, and fatalities. To this end, many cities are implementing mass transit solutions, including BRT, which...

Climate-Smart Solid Waste Management in Mexico

Mexico has been a leader in Latin America by demonstrating how landfill gas (LFG) management systems can improve environmental and community outcomes. Between 2004 and 2020, an LFG collection and power plant in the city of Monterrey, Nuevo León, reduced CO2 emissions by 5.7 MtCO2 e and delivered millions of dollars in municipality savings by providing low-cost...

Gas Flaring in Colombia

Eliminating routine gas flaring must be central to decarbonization efforts. This burning of natural gas associated with oil extraction contributes to climate change and impacts the environment through CO2, methane, and other emissions (World Bank 2021f). Each year, gas flaring contributes around 400 MtCO2 e to global emissions; according to a World Bank study, it could...

Greening Colombia's Financial System

Colombia’s financial sector is exposed to climate risks, while also playing an increasingly important role in mobilizing finance for climate action. Climate change can affect the Colombian economy and destabilize its financial sector through the materialization of both physical risks, which emanate from natural disasters and global warming and can lead to economic costs...

Energy Subsidy Reform in Egypt

In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Egypt faced both political and economic challenges, affected by a growing fiscal deficit, economic slowdown, increasing poverty, socioeconomic transition, and energy shortages. In 2013, Egypt’s power sector was recovering only about 30 percent of its operational and capital costs, while government expenditure on energy subsidies had...

The United Kingdom Climate Change Act: A Climate Change Framework Law

National framework legislation can provide stability and direction to achieve climate goals. This form of legislation can help create the institutions required to plan, implement, and sustain credible commitments on climate policies that last beyond political cycles. Legislation can enshrine stable and ambitious targets into law, create mechanisms for realizing them,...

Taxing Carbon for Development: Lessons from British Columbia

The British Columbia (BC) carbon tax stands out as a model for decarbonizing development because the policy design led to several positive outcomes, including: a net increase in economic growth; a decrease in income inequality and improvement of the rural-urban divide; a significant reduction in GHG emissions; and increased public support of the carbon tax reform over...

European Union: Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism

A border carbon adjustment mechanism (BCA) is a policy instrument whereby a government imposes a carbon price on certain carbon-intensive goods that are imported from other jurisdictions at the border. The main objective is to adjust the carbon price levied on those imported goods with the carbon price charged on domestically produced goods, for example through a carbon...

Motorization Management: Fleet Renewal and Recycling Program in Egypt

Transport

Motorization management is a menu of measures to manage motor vehicle flows and stocks at all phases of their life cycle to support access and economic growth while reducing GHG emissions, improving air quality, and enhancing traffic safety. Measures include fleet renewal mechanisms with replacement, recycling, and certification systems; and policies and financial...

Nonmotorized Transport: Cycling Strategy and Infrastructure Plan for Lima, Peru

Transport

This analytical work conducted by the World Bank in 2020 and commissioned by the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima cites a lack of sound policy, infrastructure investment, and promotion for developing smarter and greener mobility systems, such as cycling and walking. It outlines several transport problems, including a high rate of car accidents, an inefficient public...

Emissions Trading Systems in China

This case study explores how an ETS operates, through the lens of the China National ETS. Officially launched in 2017, its first compliance period covered the years 2019 and 2020, and the first trading of allowances started in July 2021. China’s ETS differs from other major “cap-and-trade” schemes, like the EU ETS, in that it caps the emissions intensity of output...

Developing and Implementing a Net Zero Development Pathway in a Middle-Income Country: Costa Rica's National Decarbonization Plan

Agriculture

Costa Rica’s government accelerated efforts to decarbonize in 2018. At this time, the president appointed the Climate Change Directorate within the Ministry of the Environment and Energy to lead the development of a new national decarbonization strategy. The Office of the President and First Lady became directly involved in designing, monitoring, and coordinating the...

Reducing Deforestation in Indonesia

Indonesia's economic success has been accompanied by one of the world's highest rates of forest loss. Despite these significant challenges, Indonesia has started to reverse the historically negative patterns of forest loss in recent years through policy, regulations, and leveraging results-based payments. The government of Indonesia has made significant international...

From Needs to Implementation: Stories from the Technology Needs Assessments (2023)

Agriculture

Transport

Water

Building on four previous publications, this publication provides a new set of success stories on how countries have used their Technology Needs Assessments (TNAs) and Technology Action Plans (TAPs) to advance the implementation of climate technologies. It provides examples from different regions and covers different sectors. The stories highlight how TNAs are used by...

SDG 6 Country Acceleration Case Studies: Brazil, Ghana and Singapore

Water

To accelerate the achievement of SDG 6 targets as part of the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework, UN-Water is developing SDG 6 Country Acceleration Case Studies to explore countries’ pathways to achieving accelerated progress on SDG 6 at the national level. The case studies document replicable good practices for achieving the SDG 6 targets as well as look at how...

Climate Policy Implementation Check: Decarbonisation of Transport

Transport

2023 is the year of the first global Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement. With the threat of overshooting the 1.5°C limit looming ever larger, all countries need to raise their ambition to curb their emissions effectively, to a degree that is fair to their development status. But ambitious targets are not sufficient on their own. Policies need to be implemented to...

Tackling the challenges of assessing socioeconomic impacts of farmland restoration: The case of Malawi

Agriculture

This research explores the potential of using the secondary household survey data to identify key socioeconomic indicators for tracking farmland restoration progress in Malawi since 2017. A two-year panel data for the periods between 2016–2017 and 2019–2020 was created for the analysis, building on data collected from Malawi’s Integrated Household Panel Survey (IHPS)...

Prioritizing India’s landscapes for biodiversity, ecosystem services and human well-being

Biodiversity conservation and human well-being are tightly interlinked. Yet, mismatches in the scale at which these two priority issues are planned and implemented have exacerbated biodiversity loss, erosion of ecosystem services and declining human quality of life. India houses the second largest human population on the planet, while

The Climate Helpdesk Impact Stories

Agriculture

Education

Transport

Water

This publication hilights case studies from assistance projects implemented by LEDS GP in coordination with partner countries to advance climate action as well as NDC and LTS ambitions. LEDS GP has been rebraned to Global Climate Action Partnership (GCAP). The Climate Helpdesk was a joint service offered by two global initiatives: The Low Emission Development Strategies...

Panorama: Sweden's pathway to net-zero

Sweden is committed to eliminating its fossil-fuel emissions by 2045. This requires a transformation of society. With the visualisation tool Panorama, you can get an overview of what’s being done, what still needs to be done, and the progress underway in various sectors. Panorama also presents a variety of possible transition measures that together can help us achieve...

Madagascar: Improving the methodology for the national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory and GHG inventory system in Madagascar

The case study highlights how an appropriate and mutually agreeable roadmap of actions and their targeted implementation can assist Madagascar in coping with the main challenges of addressing the current national United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) reporting requirements, including knowledge gaps and capacity building needs. These needs...

Mozambique: Improving monitoring and evaluation (M&E) capacity for reporting on climate change

The government of Mozambique has taken preliminary steps to set up a national M&E framework for climate change. This framework will help the country assess how climate investment in key strategic areas such as agriculture, water, social protection and health will lead to improved climate resilience. Results from the M&E framework will help with meeting global...

Guinea: Online Support to building capacity for the LULUCF sector of the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory

Guinea is preparing its third National Communication (NC) and first Biennial Update Report (BUR). For the first time ever, the production of the National Greenhouse Gas Inventory (NGHGI) is being lead directly by staff at ministries and other public bodies. However, the lack of data and insufficient technical preparation severely limit the capacity to deliver a high-...

Opportunities identified for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in industrial sectors in Egypt

Egypt's Low-Carbon Economy Strategy aims to redirect the country's economy towards investments in clean technology. In this context, the industrial sector is an increasingly important sector with respect to climate change mitigation. Based on current trends, it is estimated that by 2030, GHG emissions in important national industries such as cement, fertiliser, and iron...

Enhancing the Role of National Development Banks in Supporting Climate-Smart Urban Infrastructure

This paper is developed under the framework initiative Leadership for Urban Climate investment (LUCI) that is hosted by the Cities Climate Finance Leadership Alliance. LUCI provides a framework to close gaps in the subnational financial architecture by addressing the key structural constraints of the entire investment value chain. One of these components relates to the...

Summary of Good Practice of Successful Project Preparation Facilities

In this framework, the report profiles a set of subnational project preparation facilities (PPF) in Asia and Latin America. The report produced by GIB, FMDV and ICLEI and supported by GIZ and GIB, analyses project preparation tools, approaches, main bottlenecks, and solutions, by presenting three case studies as well as highlights from experts’ interviews. Each case...

Rwanda Renewable Energy Fund Project: Engaging the Private Sector in Off-grid Solar Electrification

This case study examines the first four years of the planned six-year implementation of the Rwanda Renewable Energy Fund (REF) project — the country’s largest off-grid expansion program — with a focus on its delivery challenges and solutions. The case study aims to provide lessons from the project on how teams have addressed delivery challenges in climate projects. The...

Gobernanza robusta: mejorando la coordinación vertical y horizontal para la integración de la Adaptación basada en Ecosistemas (AbE) en México y Brasil

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Gender

Health

Water

En México y Brasil, se percibió la necesidad de fortalecer la gobernanza vertical y horizontal en el marco de la gestión de sus recursos naturales. Las plataformas participativas y procesos existentes de coordinación entre actores locales, subnacionales y nacionales para la gobernanza territorial demuestran una capacidad limitada para incidir en políticas públicas sobre...

Monitoreo Forestal Comunitario y su Articulación con el Sistema Nacional de Monitoreo y Gestión Forestal para fortalecer la toma de decisiones en Honduras

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Water

Las zonas de reserva de la subcuenca del Cuyamel-Catacamas, igual como otras áreas protegidas de Honduras, enfrentan constantes presiones por quemas y avance de la frontera agrícola. Estas acciones ilegales han causado conflictos entre los pobladores y las organizaciones locales con los perpetradores de estos delitos, en particular, enfrentamientos por la escasez del...

Gestión colectiva del agua en el semiárido chaqueño: pilotos demostrativos de opciones tecnológicas para agua de consumo, producción y sustentabilidad de los bosques

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Education

Gender

Health

Water

En la región del Gran Chaco Americano, al menos 5 millones de personas no cuentan con un suministro de agua seguro en su vivienda. En las zonas rurales tampoco se cuenta con adecuado saneamiento; y dadas las condiciones de sequía cada vez más largas y períodos de lluvia cada vez más cortos, también los campesinos y las comunidades originarias sufren de problemas para...

Respuesta ante la emergencia sanitaria COVID-19 por el proyecto Bosques, Biodiversidad y Desarrollo Comunitario en Guatemala y Honduras

Disaster Risk Reduction

Health

Poverty

El desarrollo comunitario y la protección social representan una parte intrínseca de los objetivos de un proyecto orientado al cambio climático, ya que separar los bosques y la biodiversidad de las personas es impensable en el contexto de acción climática. Debido a esto, los esfuerzos del proyecto “Bosques, biodiversidad y desarrollo comunitario: fortaleciendo la...

Impulso al primer corredor biológico binacional Honduras y Guatemala: convergencia de naturaleza y desarrollo comunitario

Disaster Risk Reduction

Gender

Water

El área entre Izabal, Guatemala, y Cortés, Honduras, se ha visto amenazada por la extracción ilegal de especies, la deforestación e ingobernabilidad. Desde el 2019 se ha enfatizado el esfuerzo para integrar el grupo gestor del Corredor Biológico binacional para compartir información y coordinar acciones entre los gobiernos de Guatemala y Honduras, como un mecanismo...

Crianza del agua de lluvia: aporte de técnicas ancestrales a políticas públicas de adaptación al cambio climático en Perú y Costa Rica

Agriculture

Gender

Water

El objetivo de la solución es hacer frente a los impactos del cambio climático y responder a la necesidad de agua. En la región Ayacucho en Perú se ha logrado a través de una tecnología replicada de la experiencia ayacuchana para la creación, cuidado y restauración de lagunas (o cochas) que funcionan como reguladores del abastecimiento de agua, restauran el paisaje y...

Gobernanza climática en el Gran Chaco Americano: desarrollo de capacidades y exploración participativa de escenarios futuros

Agriculture

Education

La región del Gran Chaco está fuertemente sometida a los riesgos climáticos por lo que el proyecto se propuso sensibilizar a actores sociales y productivos, así como fortalecer las capacidades de los diferentes equipos. Por la permanencia y trayectoria de actores diversos en esta área, persiste una fragmentación de las visiones territoriales. Ante este escenario, el...

Reforestación y venta de bonos de carbono en el mercado voluntario para contribuir a las NDC de El Salvador

Agriculture

Dado que la deforestación es una de las principales causas del cambio climático por su contribución a la emisión de gases de efecto invernadero y en el Salavador la tasa de pédida anual de cobertura forestal es de 4,5%, esta solución aborda precisamente este problema. Esta iniciativa de captura de carbono utiliza la reforestación como una herramienta para restaurar...

Importancia del conocimiento indígena en la evaluación de la vulnerabilidad y definición de acciones climáticas locales en Bolivia

Agriculture

Education

Gender

Las comunidades del territorio indígena Tacana II enfrentan diferentes retos derivados del cambio climático, que han puesto en peligro los medios de vida de sus habitantes. Para hacer frente a estos retos y disminuir los riesgos, se recolectó y analizó información desde el conocimiento local sobre la capacidad de respuesta de las comunidades a los riesgos climáticos con...

Geothermal Energy Powering Kenya’s Future: Menengai Geothermal Field Development Facilitated by Public-Private Partnerships

Securing a reliable, sustainable, and affordable energy supply to meet current and future demand is a major development challenge for Kenya. The country is fortunate to have great geothermal energy potential, offering a cost-effective alternative to expensive fossil fuel power. In 2017, installed geothermal capacity in Kenya stood around 660 megawatts (MW); the...

Theppana Wind Power Project in Thailand: Pioneering Private Sector Utility-Scale Wind Power

To achieve sustainable long-term economic growth, diversify its energy mix, and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, Thailand is promoting alternative sources of energy. Under its alternative energy and power development plans, the government aims to have 3,002 megawatts (MW) of wind power capacity installed by 2036, up from 7.3 MW in 2011. The state-owned...

Strengthening Climate Resilience in Zambia: Supporting National Institutional Framework and Participatory Adaptation Processes and Sub-Projects in the Barotse Sub-Basin

Disaster Risk Reduction

This case study examines the experience of the Strengthening Climate Resilience in the Barotse Sub-basin Project from its approval in September 2013 to finalization of preparatory studies in October 2014 to its near-completion in 2018. This project aims to strengthen Zambia’s institutional framework for climate resilience and improve the adaptive capacity of vulnerable...

Finding Common Cause in Climate Smart Cocoa through the ‘Enhancing Natural Forest and Agro-Forest Landscape Project (ENFALP)’ In Ghana

Agriculture

The Enhancing Natural Forest and Agro-Forest Landscape Project (ENFALP) aims to improve forest and tree management practices among key forest stakeholders to reduce forest loss and degradation in selected landscapes in Ghana’s high forest zone. It is a core cocoa production area with significant forest degradation. The Ministry of Land and Natural Resources (MLNR),...

Promoting Sustainable Business Models for Clean Cookstoves Dissemination in Honduras

Health

The PROFOGONES project is supported by the Scaling-up Renewable Energy in Low-Income Countries Program (SREP) of the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), and the InterAmerican Development Bank (IDB), through its Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF). It was designed to structure a sustainable, private clean cookstove market that would respond to the needs of the rural, urban...

Promoting Climate Resilient Agriculture in Nepal: Building Climate Change Resilient Communities through Private Sector Participation

Agriculture

Nepal is one of the world’s most climate vulnerable countries due to its harsh geography, largely poor and resource-dependent population, and weak institutional capacity to manage challenges. Its agriculture sector, which employs over two-thirds of the labor force and contributes to roughly one-third of the country’s GDP, is particularly vulnerable, affecting both...

Near Zero Waste in Turkey: Moving Toward a Circular Economy by Monetizing Waste

To encourage circular economy practices in Turkish industry that would minimize industrial waste, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) launched the Near Zero Waste (NØW) program in 2015 with three interlinked components: 1) selected subprojects supported by concessional financing from the Climate Investment Funds’ (CIF) Clean Technology Fund (CTF...

Preparing Outer Island Sustainable Electricity Development Project (POISED)

The ‘Preparing Outer Island Sustainable Electricity Development Project’ (POISED) was designed to help the Maldives shift toward greater energy self-sufficiency and minimize emissions and exposure to global petroleum price volatility. It aims to facilitate the installation of solar-PV-battery diesel hybrid systems, meeting up to 30 percent of the daytime peak load...

Building a Sustainable Macauba-based Silvopastoral System and Value Chain in Brazil

Agriculture

This case study examines a project to develop a macauba-based silvopastoral system and value chain in Brazil. The project was funded in part by the Climate Investment Funds’ (CIF) Forest Investment Program (FIP) through the Multilateral Investment Fund of the Inter-American Development Bank (MIF/IDB) Lab. The macauba palm tree, native to Brazil, is a productive, oil-...

From Carbon to Competition: Cambodia’s Transition to a Clean Energy Development Pathway

This case study takes a deep dive into Cambodia’s multidimensional energy sector transition, a joint effort by the government of Cambodia and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to reformulate how the nation approaches power generation: from thermal and large hydro to scalable, low-cost renewables; from bilaterally negotiated power purchase agreements to competitive...

Seeding a climate resilient future: creating markets for irrigation technologies in Niger

Agriculture

The Niger Irrigation Project (NIP) was one of four projects identified in Niger’s Strategic Program for Climate Resilience (SPCR) funded by the CIF’s Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR). The purpose of the NIP was to test new small-scale irrigation techniques through the private sector that would engender beneficiary acceptance and support, and promote...

Indigenous knowledge reveals history of fire-prone California forest

Disaster Risk Reduction

A collaboration between scientists and Native American tribes finds tree density in parts of the Klamath Mountains is at a record high, and at risk of serious wildfires. Indigenous oral accounts have helped scientists to reconstruct a 3,000-year history of a large fire-prone forest in California. The results suggest that parts of the forest are denser than ever before,...

Increasing Water Efficiency through Agricultural Drainage Water Reuse in the Nile Delta, Egypt

Agriculture

Water

Egypt faces the challenge of meeting an increasing demand for water due to high population growth with a limited volume of freshwater. The project outlined by this report* aims to improve the availability of its irrigation water, particularly during the summer, by mixing fresh irrigation water with drainage water under controlled conditions. The achievements of the...

Managed aquifer recharge as an integrated water resource management approach for preventing sea water intrusion in Hazmieh, Beirut area, Lebanon (ACCWaM Pilot Project)

Water

The coastal aquifer around Beirut area can be characterized by overexploitation, seawater intrusion and hence deteriorating water quality. Reasons are (1) a steadily growing water demand due to population growth and urbanization, (2) a shrinking of the natural groundwater recharge in the watershed area and (3) an increase in surface runoff – in Lebanon presently about...

Tapping to a better future: Clean water for rural Senegal

Water

The project, which was supported by the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), constructed boreholes, water treatment and storage infrastructure, and distribution pipes across the Thies and Fatick districts of Senegal. This has brought clean, safe water to hundreds of remote villages, where previously people were forced to use dirty, salty water drawn from wells. Success...

Harnessing the Force of Water: Hydropower in Northern Pakistan

Domestic production of renewable energy is playing an increasingly important role in Pakistan’s energy mix, as the Government of Pakistan bids to reduce the dependency on imported fossil fuels. Hydroelectric power is a leading contributor to this, capitalizing on the country’s natural energy resources. The Khwar Hydropower Project, one of 12 energy projects in Pakistan...

A Clean, Secure Future: Reshaping Turkey’s Energy Sector

Turkey has limited fossil-fuel reserves other than coal, but has huge potential in renewable resources, including hydroelectric, solar and wind power, among others. As the demand for energy grows, it has become increasingly important for Turkey to diversify its energy sources and increase national contribution, while also pursuing greater efficiency to manage the growth...

Supporting Just Transitions to Sustainable Land Use in Ghana

Agriculture

Ghana is experiencing some of the highest rates of deforestation in the world. It’s a problem the Ghanaian government has been grappling with for years. Transforming agricultural, mining and forestry practices that are driving deforestation, while tackling the broader context of poverty, food insecurity and rising inequality is a daunting task. Current practices provide...

Anticipatory Action: The Enabling Environment

Disaster Risk Reduction

Over the last few years, a paradigm shift has been taking place in humanitarian, climate and development action. The shift has been toward the concept of anticipatory action, also referred to as ‘early action’. This concept refers to taking action, based on scientific forecast triggers and early warning information, before a hazard and its effects materialise, in order...

The World Bank NDC Support Facility: Impacts and Lessons Learned Supporting NDC Implementation

Transport

Agriculture

Water

Climate change and its impacts are accelerating, making it more urgent than ever to transition to low-carbon and resilient economies, as envisioned in the Paris Agreement. Achieving this will require meeting the commitments made by countries in their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs),significantly increasing ambition as governments update their NDCs in 2020/...

Meeting the Future

Three countries—Belize, Colombia, and Ghana—highlight the potential of technology and innovation to strengthen public finances Across the world, countries are coming up with innovative solutions to strengthen public finances, improve accountability and transparency in the public sector, and even generate cash for conservation. Three case studies highlight these novel...

Enabling Andean communities to adapt to climate change through the management, conservation and restoration of the páramos ecosystem (ACCRE)

Agriculture

Education

Gender

The main objective of the ACCRE project was to reduce the vulnerability to climate change by establishing a resilient model of family production while contributing to the conservation of the Andean páramos, which provide water for human consumption and irrigation. The páramos is a unique ecosystem in the high Andean mountains of South America. It is a grassland...

PROSPER – Promoting Sustainable Partnerships for Empowered Resilience

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Gender

Poverty

Water

PROSPER aimed to build the resilience of households and communities, strengthen shock-sensitive social protection, expand climate-smart agriculture, reduce exposure to hazards and risks, achieve food and nutrition security, and diversify and improve income generation and economic opportunities. It sought “a reduction in extreme poverty and an end to the recurrent cycle...

Cambodia Horticulture Advancing Income and Nutrition program (CHAIN)

Agriculture

Gender

The main objective of the CHAIN programme is to support low-income, smallholder farmers to increase their productivity and income and to improve food security, nutrition and climate resilience in Cambodia. CHAIN does this by developing and strengthening horticulture value chains through a market systems development approach, in close collaboration with public and...

Energising Development (EnDev) Tanzania

Gender

Health

The overarching goals of the EnDev programme in Tanzania, implemented by SNV, are to tackle energy poverty, increase access to cleaner energy sources for households, and increase the amount of sustainable income for women and men. The programme is currently in its third phase, which – among other goals – seeks to develop markets and sustainable supply for improved cook...

Soluciones para la adaptación de productores agrícolas en Colima, México: reforestación riparia

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Education

Gender

Water

En el municipio de Armería en el Estado de Colima en México las inundaciones representan pérdidas importantes económicas. Por medio de talleres comunitarios y procesos participativos se preparó un análisis de las cadenas de impacto identificando también las zonas más afectadas por las inundaciones. Como resultado del análisis de diversas soluciones con diferentes...

Guía para la inclusión de las NDC Ecuador a nivel subnacional en la planificación territorial: Documento metodológico

Agriculture

The "Guide for the inclusion of the Ecuadorian NDC in the subnational local planning" is a tool that supports Ecuador’s Decentralized Autonomous Governments (known in Spanish as GAD) with linking their programs, projects, and activities to the country’s NDC. It provides a methodology for provinces to evaluate their compliance, according to a series of indicators...

Climate change: an opportunity to transform the private sector? An insight on Morocco’s Experience

This Country Brief reports on important progress made in Morocco to engage the private sector in the transition process towards low carbon economic growth. The role of Maghreb steel and the significance of the availability of renewable energy are highlighted.

Georgia Shapes Its Climate Goals to Avert Disasters and Protect Its Legacy

Disaster Risk Reduction

Surrounded by the Greater Caucasus Mountains on the northeast and the Black Sea to its west, Georgia has long been celebrated for its varied natural beauty and rich cultural history. But Georgia's unique geographic location also makes it extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This Country Brief examines Georgia's efforts to decrease GHG emissions, the...

Burkina Faso: How to Create Climate-Resilient Development in Rural Areas

More than 90 percent of households in Burkina Faso do not have access to modern cooking fuels and less than 30 percent of the population has access to electricity, a figure that reaches two percent in rural areas. In this situation, biomass is the main source of energy for Burkinabè families—especially charcoal, which accounts for more than 80 percent of domestic and...

CCC Insights Briefing 6: Undertaking a climate change risk assessment

Disaster Risk Reduction

Adapting to the physical risks and opportunities posed by a changing climate is a key pillar of the UK Climate Change Act (2008). The Act imposes a legal obligation on the Government for a five-yearly assessment of the risks and opportunities facing the UK from current and future climate change, which the Climate Change Committee (CCC) provides advice on as part of its...

CCC Insights Briefing 7: Assessing progress in preparing for climate change in the UK

Disaster Risk Reduction

Adaptation refers to actions that help increase capacity, or reduce the vulnerability and exposure of society and the natural environment to the impacts associated with climate change. It can also include actions to take advantage of new opportunities that climate change may bring. Adaptation is distinct from actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (known as...

CCC Insights Briefing 4: Advising on the level of the UK’s carbon budgets

A central element of the UK Climate Change Act (2008) is a series of legally binding five-year ‘carbon budgets’ for allowable levels of economy-wide GHG emissions, which act as stepping stones towards the UK’s 2050 obligation to reduce emissions to Net Zero. The Climate Change Committee (CCC – the UK’s independent expert adviser on climate change) recommends carbon...

CCC Insights Briefing 5: Monitoring progress in reducing the UK's greenhouse emissions

The UK Climate Change Act requires the Climate Change Committee (CCC) to produce an annual assessment of progress towards the UK’s emissions reduction targets. This independent assessment documents the changes in UK greenhouse gas emissions, the factors driving those changes, developments in technology and policy, and projections for future UK emissions. Where the CCC...

CCC Insights Briefing 1: The UK Climate Change Act

The UK Climate Change Act was passed in 2008. It is the primary legislation that underpins action to address climate change by the UK. It provides a comprehensive framework for climate change mitigation and adaptation, underpinned by legally binding emissions targets for 2050 and the coming 15 years. It assigns clear duties and responsibilities for action based around...

CCC Insights Briefing 2: The Climate Change Committee

The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) is the statutory body created by the UK Climate Change Act 2008. It provides independent expert advice on the UK’s climate goals and climate policy, and monitors progress on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to climate change. Since the CCC was established the UK has reduced emissions while growing its economy. The CCC...

CCC Insights Briefing 3: The UK's Net Zero target

The UK Climate Change Act contains a legally binding long-term goal to reduce the UK’s net emissions of greenhouse gases to zero in 2050. This ‘Net Zero’ goal was legislated in 2019 following advice from the Climate Change Committee (CCC), requested by Government in 2018. The CCC recommended the Net Zero 2050 goal as an appropriate contribution from the UK to the Paris...

Paraguay’s Stakeholder Participation Process to Unpack the NDC Targets

Agriculture

Transport

Following the Paris Agreement, Paraguay undertook a rigorous and inclusive stakeholder participation process to ‘unpack’ the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets, resulting in the identification of 110 specific actions to achieve these goals (UNDP, 2017). These actions continue to be reviewed and prioritised by sectors in working groups to this...

Accelerating the Greening of Finance: The Paris Climate Bond

Transport

Right at a moment when international climate efforts were concentrated at COP21 taking place in Paris in 2015, the city issued the Paris Climate Bond (PCB) 1 to finance and re-finance projects in climate mitigation and adaptation. The PCB constitutes an innovative tool to reach the goals of the city of Paris´ ambitious Climate Action Plan, which aims to make Paris a...

Reducing GHG Emissions Through Sustainable Waste Management: Lessons From The C40 City London

In line with the United Kingdom government’s goals to reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 80 % by 2050 compared to 1990, the Mayor of London signed the C40 Cities Zero Waste Declaration in 2018, an initiative run by the global C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40). By doing so he pledges for the British capital to becoming a resource-efficient city by 2050...

Chile’s Carbon Tax: An Ambitious Step towards Environmentally Friendly Policies and Significant Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions

Transport

In 2014, Chile passed a large tax reform which notably included the introduction of three new environmental taxes: A carbon tax, a tax for local pollutants and a tax for new vehicles. Chile’s environmental framework has been widely strengthened through the introduction of the new green tax regime, procuring additional, cost-effective instruments for the environmental...

Promoting the resilience of economies in semi-arid areas in Burkina Faso

Agriculture

‘Promoting the Resilience of Economies in Semi-arid Areas’ (PRISE for its English acronym) is a global, collaborative and applied research programme between multiple international partners and countries, including Burkina Faso. It is aimed at catalysing inclusive and resilient development in response to climate change in semi-arid lands. PRISE's vision for climate...

Strategising to decouple economic growth from GHG emissions: The Colombian Low Carbon Development Strategy

The Colombian Low Carbon Development Strategy (CLCDS) is a short, medium and long-term planning initiative that aims to identify the greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation potential and the appropriate measures and projects without affecting the long-term growth of the Colombian economy. Thus, the strategy seeks to seize international financing opportunities, promote...

Piloting a methodology for tracking climate-relevant budget at activity level in Nepal’s agriculture sector

Agriculture

Located in the climate change hotspot of the Himalayas, Nepal has been one of the leading countries in the global South in recognising climate change-related threats to its economy and reacting upon these threats with relevant actions. Unprecedented variability in rainfall patterns, incidence of frequent floods and droughts, heat waves and the rapid melting of glaciers...

Assessment and mapping of vulnerability and adaptation of small farmers to climate change in Morocco

Agriculture

The ‘Assessment and mapping of vulnerability and adaptation of small farmers to climate change’ in Morocco is a study launched by the Moroccan Agency for Agricultural Development (ADA for its acronym in French) and financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (FIDA for its acronym in French). It proposes actions to enhance the resilience to climate...

Ecotourism as a mechanism to strengthen resilience in Tumani Tenda, Gambia

Ecotourism as a practice involves the regeneration of the environment through annual tree planting (especially during the rainy season), the promotion of alternative tourism and biodiversity conservation (Drame and Kiema, 2016). It has become a common practice for the Tumani Tenda community located in the west coast region of The Gambia since its creation in 1997...

Measuring private investments into green growth: Vietnam's private climate expenditure and investments review

The role of private finance in accelerating actions for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapting to climate change is now well recognised. To drive private finance in this direction, a conducive mix of appropriate incentives, legal frameworks and enforcement is required. The Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) of Vietnam therefore initiated the Private...

The boxes of resilience in the Central African Republic: A community-based approach for consolidating resilience in a participatory and integrated manner

Agriculture

The concept of ‘Boxes of Resilience’ centres on agro-pastoral communities and aims to integrate financial, social and productive activities to enhance local resilience to climate change (FAO, 2016b). The main objective of the programme implemented between 2014 and 2016 in the Central African Republic was to enable rural communities (more specifically farmers and women´s...

Bringing climate finance to the local level: Mali's climate fund decentralisation

The Near East Foundation (NEF-Mali) and its partners, the Innovation, Environment and Development in Africa (IED-A) and the International Institute for Environment and Development UK (IIED-UK) initiated the Decentralising Climate Funds (DCF) programme in Mali and Senegal in 2015. It seeks to support adaptation initiatives led by communities and local authorities. In...

Scaling up ambition: Lessons from British Columbia’s carbon tax

Many consider the British Columbia (B.C.) carbon tax to be a ‘textbook’ example of a broad-based, revenue-neutral carbon tax (World Bank, 2017). The carbon tax was introduced in 2008 at a rate of Canadian Dollars (CAD) 10 per metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent and annually raised by CAD 5, until reaching CAD 30 in 2012. The tax is paid by all individuals and...

The United Kingdom’s Clean Growth Strategy

Agriculture

Transport

Water

The UK government’s Clean Growth Strategy (CGS), published in October 2017, sets out the proposals and policies to meet legislated limits on UK emissions in five-year periods to 2028–32 (the “fifth carbon budget”) although the CGS is not the first such UK plan, it is the first to be required subsequent to the Paris Agreement and is more detailed regarding the long-term...

LTS in Europe: Experience from National and EU-Wide 2050 Climate Planning

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Education

Gender

Health

Poverty

Transport

Water

The European Union has defined a new system of governance after the Paris Agreement, requiring all Member States to produce national long-term strategies (LTS) by January 1, 2020, and commits the European Commission (EC) to draft a long-term strategy for the Union as a whole. Around half of the EU Member States have already developed national LTS' over the past decade,...

Long-Term Planning Efforts: The South African Long-Term Mitigation Scenario Planning Process

South Africa’s Long-Term Mitigation Scenario (LTMS) is one of the earliest long-term climate mitigation planning processes undertaken in a developing country. This case study describes how the LTMS arose, its objectives, its design and outputs, and how these have informed and interacted with mitigation policy subsequently. It reflects on the LTMS’ contribution to long-...

Long-term Climate Strategies: A Case Study of Germany

Agriculture

Transport

This case study describes the process of developing Germany’s long-term strategy, “Climate Action Plan 2050.” The Climate Action Plan 2050 focuses on the economy-wide mitigation efforts required for Germany to achieve extensive greenhouse gas (GHG) neutrality by 2050. Key elements of the strategy include a long-term mitigation target for 2050 (extensive GHG neutrality)...

Malta’s National Transport Strategy, 2050, And Transport Master Plan, 2025

Transport

Malta is the European Union’s smallest but most densely populated country. As a result of previous misguided policy efforts in the 1990s that had equated car ownership levels with economic growth, the country has one of the highest per capita car ownership levels in Europe. Thus, decoupling economic prosperity from transport activity has been a challenge faced by...

Mexico’s Mid-Century Strategy: Lessons in Planning for the Paris Agreement

Mexico’s Mid-Century Strategy (MCS), presented at 22nd Conference of the Parties (COP22) in Marrakech, is one of the first long-term strategy documents published after the adoption of the Paris Agreement. It’s Mexico’s response to Article 4, paragraph 19, of the Paris Agreement, which calls for all Parties to “formulate and communicate long-term low greenhouse gas...

Responding to The Challenges of Climate Change: Vietnam's National Power Development Plan

Vietnam, one of world’s most populous countries, has experienced a rapid economic growth in the past decade, leading to higher and higher energy demand. However, most of the country’s electricity output comes from coal, which creates huge greenhouse gases (GHGs) emissions and environmental damage. To tackle the challenge of climate change, the Government has passed a...

The Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project

Education

The purpose of this case study is to show how the design framework of the 2013–15 Deep Decarbonization Pathways Project (DDPP) can be useful for the design of low emissions development strategies. The specific purpose of the DDPP was to inform short-term domestic policy at the national level by providing a long-term trajectory backcasted from sectoral and national 2050...

The French Low Carbon 2050 Strategy: An Iterative Policy Process with High Stakeholder Engagement

Agriculture

Transport

This case study focuses on the development of the French national low-carbon strategy. It details the process of developing the French plan for achieving a low-carbon economy by 2050. The decision during the period 2013–15 to develop a longer-term (2050) low carbon strategy responds to a very specific context, both domestically and internationally: A new quinquennat,...

Risky Business? Climate Change, Power Planning, and Resilience in Tanzania

Many countries face the challenge of strengthening and expanding electricity generation and infrastructure while incorporating climate resilience and greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets into long-term power planning. Increasingly, climate change impacts threaten investments in renewable energy, particularly hydropower, and thus compromise the ability of countries to...

Experiences of Midterm Planning in The Colombian Electricity System

In the early 1990s, Colombia suffered an extreme drought that caused nationwide programmed blackouts of up to 10 hours daily. As a result, the Colombian government asked for long and midterm planning tools to forecast electricity demand, as well as the infrastructure required to fulfill it. Law 143 of 1994 required the Ministry of Mines and Energy to produce and...

Lessons from low-emission development strategies to support long-term strategy development and implementation

Long-term strategies can enable enduring economic growth and sustainable development while also aligning with climate objectives in the Paris Agreement. It is increasingly recognized that, when developing LTS, many countries are not starting from scratch but can build on existing complementary climate and development processes and approaches, such as low-emission...

Analytical Capacity for Long-Term Strategies

This case study examines five countries (Brazil, China, Germany, India, and the United States) and assesses the diverse approaches these countries have taken that inform the ongoing evolution of good practice in developing long-term strategies (LTS), particularly in issues relevant across country contexts. While the approaches in these countries are constructed to meet...

Building Capacities for Long-Term Planning: The Mitigation Action Plan and Scenarios (Maps) Program

Transport

Water

In Chile, Peru, Colombia and Brazil, climate change remained a policy issue mainly linked to environmental concerns and not fully integrated into national development agendas, either as an important constraint or as an opportunity. Realizing the need to respond to climate change while also being required to define their commitments to the Paris Agreement, the four...

Burkina Faso’s National Adaptation Plan: A Long-Term Planning Effort

Agriculture

Gender

Health

Water

In 2012, Burkina Faso launched a comprehensive effort to develop a National Adaptation Plan (NAP). This case study explores Burkina Faso’s national process to formulate a medium- and long-term strategy for climate change adaptation, which in turn enabled the development of climate projections for Burkina Faso for 2021, 2050, and 2100, as well as the assessment of...

China’s National Development Strategy as Inspiration for its Long-Term Strategy to Respond to Climate Change

Education

Transport

Over the past few years, China, in line with its own development practice, has urged the rest of the world to transition to green, low-carbon, climate-adaptive, and sustainable development. This case study explores a history of national long-term development planning in China and provides some commentary on long-term climate change planning for the country. China’s use...

Developing the U.S. Midcentury Strategy for Deep Decarbonization Under the Paris Agreement

Agriculture

Transport

The Paris Agreement includes a call for countries to develop long-term GHG emissions reduction strategies. To inform long-term U.S. climate policy strategy while spurring global implementation momentum, the United States, jointly with Mexico and Canada, committed to complete in 2016 the U.S. Midcentury Strategy for Deep Decarbonization (MCS). The MCS report charts...

California’s Decarbonization Strategy: Adaptable Policy with Strong Target Setting and Stakeholder Engagement

Agriculture

Health

Poverty

Transport

Water

California’s successful climate policies are set against a background of strong political and public support for protecting the environment, long-term planning, analytical evaluations and modeling, and an inclusive stakeholder process that helps shape long-term plans and individual climate policies. This case study describes California’s process for addressing climate...

Climate Change Adaptation Planning in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Water

Vietnam’s Mekong Delta is considered among the world’s five most vulnerable deltas (Governments of Vietnam and the Netherlands 2013). Socioeconomic exposure is very high due to high population density, meaning that about 11 million people in that region are facing risks that are enhanced by issues like sea-level rise, land subsidence, and flooding. To develop a long-...

Energy 2050: A Participatory Process for a Long-Term Energy Policy and its Role in Climate Change Policies in Chile

Chile’s energy sector—and the electricity sector in particular—has been under scrutiny during the last 15 years. Challenged by growing electricity demand, the slowed expansion of generation capacity and a rapid rise in electricity prices Chile embarked on development of a long-term energy policy with clear goals for sustainability, without neglecting short-term issues...

The HuellaChile Carbon Management Programme: Involving the public and private sector in climate change mitigation

The HuellaChile Programme is an initiative created with the purpose of promoting the management of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the private and public sector. Since its launch in 2015, it has promoted the voluntary participation of both private and public entities in the quantification, reporting and reduction of GHGs. The programme is implemented by the Ministry...

Kenya’s County Climate Change Funds

Agriculture

Education

Poverty

Kenya is highly vulnerable to climate change, in large part because the livelihoods and economic activities of most Kenyans rely on climate-sensitive natural resources. Building resilience to climate change is therefore high on the agendas of both national and county governments, especially the county governments in the arid and semi-arid lands that experience recurrent...

Kenya’s Monitoring and Evaluation of Adaptation: Simplified, integrated, multilevel

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Health

Water

Kenya has demonstrated a strong commitment to addressing climate change challenges. The Climate Change Act 2016, the first legislation in Africa dedicated to climate change, sets out the legal basis for mainstreaming climate change considerations and actions into sector functions. The Climate Change Act, 2016, requires the development of a National Climate Change Action...

Financing climate action: The GCF country programme as a priority investment framework for Togo

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness programme is a funding programme to enhance country ownership and access to the fund. It seeks to strengthen the institutional capacities of National Designated Authorities (NDAs) or focal points as well Direct Access Entities to engage with the fund by providing them with financial resources. The fund also supports countries to...

Market Based Mechanisms to reduce GHG Emissions in Asia

Countries in Asia are steadily addressing the need to reduce emissions through the deployment of market-based mechanisms (MBMs), such as carbon taxes, cap and trade programs, baseline and credit programs, and the development of renewable electricity and energy efficiency standards. Furthermore, MBMs are serving a critical role in aiding emerging economies in Asia in...

Fostering resilient silvo-pastoral practices in Senegal: The promotion of enriched closed forest areas in the groundnut basin

Agriculture

The implementation of silvo-pastoral inter-village spaces (see Figure 1) is an endogenous initiative developed by local communities in the groundnut basin of Senegal. Its aim is to address the combined effects of climate change and resource degradation (Sanogo et al., 2014). According to Touré and Kremer (2002), the concept of ‘closed area’ corresponds to all consensual...

Learning’s from Nepal’s National Adaptation Plan formulation process

The Ministry of Population and Environment of the Government of Nepal launched a National Adaptation Plan (NAP) formulation process for strengthening climate preparedness and facilitating climate-inclusive planning within existing programmes and policies across sectors. The NAP process builds on the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) which gives due...

Mainstreaming climate change adaptation into sectoral planning: Learning from Benin's environmental cells

While sub-Saharan least developed countries (LDCs) are highly exposed to climate change, they often lack the know-how that is necessary to adequately address climate risks. One reason for this is that most climate-related information for these countries is fragmented or only available in English. To address this knowledge gap and establish a scientific basis for the...

Harmonising and managing inter-sectorality: The elaboration of ‘Environment and Sustainable Development Sectoral Strategies’ (SEDDs) in Senegal

The idea of developing ‘Environment and Sustainable Development Sectoral Strategies’ (SEDDs, in its French acronym) in Senegal was born from the observation that climate change, sustainable development and the environment were at best weakly considered in sectoral policies. Therefore, the West African Economic and Monetary Union conducted a study in 2011 to help...

The Lebanon Climate Act: Engaging the private sector to enhance climate action in Lebanon

Lebanon is extremely vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, which is expected to cause significant costs to the economy. The huge economic loss estimates have led the government to realise that the active involvement and support of the private sector will be crucial to build a climate resilient future for Lebanon and to meet the country’s climate targets...

Pioneering green finance in the developing world: The Fijian Sovereign Green Bond

In November 2017, the Fijian government successfully issued a sovereign green bond and raised Fijian dollars (FJD) 100 million (~USD 50 million; long-term average conversion rate: 1 USD = 2 FJD ) to help finance its transition towards a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy. Green bonds are fixed income financial instruments for raising capital from investors through...

Colombia’s Progress in Developing a National Monitoring and Evaluation System for Climate Change Adaptation

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Health

Poverty

Transport

Water

Colombia is highly vulnerable to climate variability and change. Although adaptation efforts in Colombia began in 2006, it was only in 2010 that the topic was included on the political agenda, as a result of a La Niña weather phenomenon that flooded about 8 per cent of the country’s most populated area, affecting almost 9 per cent of the population and resulting in...

Information Sharing for Adaptation Planning at Sub-national Levels: South Africa’s Let’s Respond Toolkit

Education

Poverty

South Africa’s vulnerability to climate change arises from high levels of poverty, as well as its dependence on climate-sensitive sectors, including agriculture and water, for human livelihoods and economic development. Recognizing the important role played by provincial and local actors in addressing these issues, the country has demonstrated a strong commitment to...

Mainstreaming Adaptation in Action: Case Studies from Two States in India

Agriculture

India will face considerable and varied climate change impacts in the coming decades. The country has a large population with high poverty and low adaptive capacity, heavy dependence on climate-sensitive sectors, and is likely to face negative climate change impacts. These factors make adaptation critical. Integrating, or mainstreaming, adaptation into development plans...

Mainstreaming Gender into Climate Action: Lessons from Peru

Gender

If countries are to successfully mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts while meeting their Paris Agreement commitments, gender responsive climate policies are essential. In 2014, Peru was the first country in Latin America to develop a gender and climate change action plan. This case study summarizes the subsequent successes and challenges the country faced in...

Strengthening Greenhouse Gas MRV Systems in Colombia: A RALI Engagement Case Study

Agriculture

The Strengthening MRV Systems in Colombia case study was a collaborative project involving the Government of Colombia and various stakeholders to improve the harmonization of national measuring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems with mitigation activities outlined in the country’s national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory. The project created a data management...

Smart Incentives for Mini-Grids through Retail Tariff and Subsidy Design

Countries have diverse energy goals. Mini-grids are playing an increasing role in achieving countries’ energy goals such as: supporting rural electrification, community self-reliance, local resilience, and emissions reductions. Depending on unique country circumstances, clean energy mini-grids can be less expensive than extending transmission infrastructure across long...

International Best Practices for Implementing and Designing Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) Policies

A Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) is a public policy tool requiring a certain amount of renewable electricity relative to the entire electricity supply. These policies are meant to increase generation from “renewable”, or more broadly “clean” technologies that are legally defined within the policy. An RPS can be motivated by environmental, economic, or geopolitical...

Building a strategic framework for reducing climate change risk and vulnerability: Unlocking climate finance to ensure long-term adaptation in Peru

Peru is currently developing key elements for ensuring long-term adaptation to climate change. The Peruvian Framework Law on Climate Change will secure the mainstreaming of adaptation measures into sectoral and subnational planning and budgeting, and strengthen the incorporation of climate change considerations into public institutions in the years to come. The ruling...

Investing in Grid-Connected Solar PV: Structured Finance for NDC Implementation in the Gambia

The NAMA support project (NSP) ‚„Investing in grid-connected solar PV: Structured finance for NDC implementation‘‘ is based on the two Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs) „Rural Electrification with Renewable Energy in The Gambia“ and „Feasibility Study for Grid-Connected Solar Energy Production in The Gambia“, which were developed in 2015 and 2016 with...

The Chandigarh Solar City Project: Identifying Synergies and Maximizing the Co-Benefits of NDC-SDG Linkages in Climate Policy

As part of the Government of India’s (GOI) solar city initiative, “Development of Solar Cities”, the Chan-digarh Solar City Project achieved the targeted 10% reduction of conventional energy demand in its first 5 years of operation through various innovative measures that started a holistic and sustainable transition of the electricity sector in the city. These measures...

Promoting the Uptake of Electric Vehicles to Reduce Pollution in Beijing City, China

Transport

The poor air quality in Beijing city in 2013 prompted the central and Beijing governments to implement stringent pollution control measures. This included the promotion of green transportation such as electric vehicles. The central government has since implemented a range of policies that has actively publicised EVs, while investing in infrastructural support and...

Initial Experiences of the Community of Practice on Supporting Direct Access to Climate Finance

Developing countries are highly vulnerable to climate change and thus need financing for adaptation and low-carbon development. The international community has established multilateral funds to support mitigation and adaptation in these countries. The Adaptation Fund (AF) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF), two of the world’s largest climate funds, are committed to...

Mastering the transition towards energy efficiency in the buildings sector: The European Union’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is the European Union's (EU) main legislative instrument promoting the improvement of the energy performance of buildings among the Member States of the EU. The EPBD sets a framework for energy-efficient building systems, which are adaptable to the national building codes of the Member States. The objective of the...

Dialoguemos NDC: A Participatory Process for NDC Implementation in Peru

When confronted with climate change demand, countries are challenged with involving several key actors such as government, NGOs, the private sector, and civil society groups. Additionally, countries must ensure coordination between all relevant sectors across all levels of society and make sure that they are each taking necessary climate action. Peru has embraced these...

Aligning Mongolia's NDC and SDGs through its national green development policy

Through Mongolia’s efforts in developing policies and interventions towards green growth, particularly the National Green Development Policy (NGDP), the Sustainable Development Vision 2030 (Vision 2030), and the Sustainable Development Outlook of Mongolia (SOM), it has effectively tapped into the synergies between efforts in overcoming developmental challenges and...

Charging Ahead: The Growth of Electric Car Markets in Latin American Cities

Transport

In Latin America 37% of total emissions come from the transportation sector, out of which, 27% comes from private vehicle ownership. Annually, it is estimated that 50,000 premature deaths result from transport related emissions. Meanwhile, Latin America enjoys one of the cleanest electricity grids in the world with an estimated 60% of their electricity coming from large...

Charging Ahead: The Growth of Electric Bus Markets in Latin American Cities

Transport

Public transportation plays a major role in Latin American cities. Cities are also the most likely regions to be the most polluted due to their high population densities. Electric buses present a great opportunity to both provide a convenient mode of urban transportation, and a transportation mode that increases air quality while decreasing city congestion. But the...

Towards a More Equal City Johannesburg: Confronting Spatial Inequality

Poverty

Transport

After apartheid ended in South Africa its constitution included a list of basic rights the government should provide to all of its citizens. These rights include affordable housing, clean drinking water, sanitation, waste collection, and public transit options in large cities. Along with these codified rights, local governments were given more power and resources to...

Moving toward green mobility: three countries, three different paths

Transport

Current transportation technologies and behaviors are major contributors to pollution, traffic congestion, noise, and greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs). Globally, 23% of GHG emissions come from the transportation sector. As countries seek to reduce their GHG emissions, many are rethinking their approach to transport. While seeing access to transport as a right, three...

CBA Guatemala: Adapting to Climate Change through the Application of Green Forest Borders

Agriculture

Indigenous people are often the most affected by climate change due to their reliance on the land and traditional way of life. In the Northwest of Guatemala, the Mayan Mam are an indigenous group who suffer as climate variability affects the ecosystem they rely on. Events such as erratic rainfall and droughts, hurricanes, and landslides have life-changing impacts on...

Paving the way for success: a comprehensive participatory process for NDC implementation in Peru

In Peru, a multi-sectoral working group has been established as a key part of the country’s model to implement the Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC). The NDC Multi-Sectoral Working Group (GTM-NDC, for its acronym in Spanish: Grupo de Trabajo Multisectorial) was officially formed early 2017and consists of 13 ministries and the National Centre of Strategic Planning...

Integrating urban agriculture and forestry into climate change action plans: Lessons from Sri Lanka

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Sri Lanka is an island nation off of the Southern coast of India. Sri Lanka is home to approximately 21 million people and is rapidly urbanizing, especially in the Western province where 6 million people live on 5% of the country’s land area. This urbanization has caused a number of problems on the local ecosystem, the agricultural sector, and rapid growth in greenhouse...

A new direction in climate compatible development: Indonesia’s Forest Moratorium

Indonesia has large mining, agriculture, and timber industries. These industries often require large swaths of land cleared, resulting in large-scale deforestation. Concerned with deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, the president of Indonesia placed a 2-year moratorium on permits for new land-use in forest and peatland regions. The goal of this moratorium was to...

A local vision of climate adaptation: Participatory urban planning in Mozambique

Disaster Risk Reduction

Health

Poverty

Water

Maputo is the capital city of Mozambique. It is located on the coast in a bay of the Indian ocean. It has a population of 1.1 million people and is the most densely populated city in Mozambique. Maputo is divided into two parts, the more affluent ‘cement city’ containing the newest developments and paved roads, and the poorer bairros. Though the majority of population...

Building resilience to climate change through indigenous knowledge: The case of Bolivia

Disaster Risk Reduction

Within Bolivia there are 36 indigenous groups with over 5 million people which account for approximately 60% of the country’s population. Each indigenous group has their own traditions and customs stemming from their histories. Often, indigenous knowledge includes specific and detailed knowledge of the climate they live in. With the progression of climate change and...

Working together for REDD+: Developing a national readiness strategy in Tanzania

Tanzania is a country in Eastern Africa with a population of approximately 57 million people. Tanzania has one of the largest forest covers of any country accounting for over 38% of its landmass. The plentifulness of forests has led to heavy reliance on their harvesting for building materials, farmland, and energy. Roughly 95% of Tanzania’s energy is derived from wood...

Harnessing market mechanisms to promote sustainable development: Lessons from China

The effects of climate change and pollution threaten major Chinese industries and could reverse years of growth in their economy. As one way to combat climate change China signed the Kyoto protocol in 1997. The Kyoto protocol established emissions goals for each country and an emissions trading market. Countries that failed to meet their emissions goals could purchase...

Analyzing vulnerability: a multi-dimensional approach from Colombia’s Upper Cauca River Basin

Agriculture

Poverty

Water

Agriculture accounts for 10-14% of Colombia’s gross domestic product and nearly 20% of their employment. Top commodities include bananas, sugar, and green coffee. Of their agricultural products, 25 of the most important crops and 83% of their agricultural lands are threatened by climate change. The Upper Cauca River Basin is in particular danger as it is involved in the...

Building coastal resilience through an integrated approach: Lessons from Ghana

Disaster Risk Reduction

Coastal zones are some of the most vulnerable areas affected by extreme weather events and climate change. In Ghana national policy has targeted activities towards protecting coastal regions, but their efforts have not traditionally included local knowledge. This has led to poor outcomes and flawed programs that did not adequately serve the needs of the communities they...

Advancing green growth in the tourism sector: The case of Hue, Vietnam

Poverty

Transport

The city of Hue, Vietnam has a population of 340,000, but each year it welcomes 2.5 million tourists. Tourism represents 48% of the city’s gross domestic product, but also acts as a significant drain on natural resources. The government of Vietnam has begun searching for ways to make tourism sustainable and ecologically clean, without harming the tourism industry...

Climate compatible development at the regional level in Mexico: The Yucatan Peninsula Accord

Disaster Risk Reduction

The Yucatan Peninsula has a diverse set of political goals that include the protection of indigenous people, the tourism industry, fossil fuel development, and forest management. Three states including: Yucatan, Campeche, and Quintana Roo have diverse political interests, but shared vulnerabilities to climate change. In 2010 the three states signed the first sub-...

Opportunities for climate-compatible coastal tourism: Lessons from Belize

Disaster Risk Reduction

Water

Belize is a developing nation with a large tourism industry. Like many developing nations, it is heavily dependent on harvesting natural resources and tourism for its economy. Coastal regions are tourism centers but are also the most at risk from the negative impacts of climate change such as flooding and storm surges. Besides climate change, coastal zones are prime...

Building resilience to climate change locally: The case of Valenzuela City, Metro Manilla

Disaster Risk Reduction

Poverty

Valenzuela is a city in the capital region of the Philippines. It is highly urbanized with a population of approximately 570,000 people. Valenzuela sits between three rivers: the Tullahan, the Polo, and the Meycauayan. Since the 1980s Valenzuela has experienced regular flooding and storm surges during the rainy season. Flooding can result in standing water for weeks...

Transforming India into a solar power leader

India faces significant challenges in its energy supply. The population of India is about 1.1 billion while approximately 400 million people and 28 million households lacked access to electricity in 2011. To meet growing energy demand in a sustainable manner the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission was launched in 2009. This mission sought for: solar power to achieve...

Private conservation agreements support climate action: Ecuador’s Socio Bosque programme

Agriculture

Poverty

Ecuador is a developing nation with a large agricultural sector. The agricultural sector continues to contribute to Ecuador’s economic growth but also leads to deforestation. While climate change is of great concern to the country, ecosystem conservation is an immediate need. Seeking to participate in the international Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest...

Future Proofing and Indian City: Lessons from Madurai

Disaster Risk Reduction

Poverty

Water

Madurai is a city in the South of India built on the banks of the river Vaigai with a population of about 1.5 million people. Due to the city’s location and geography it is vulnerable to extreme weather events. As weather events have worsened due to climate change more attention is being paid at the national and local level to “future proof” the city. Of high interest...

CBA Guatemala Tree Nursery Activities for Reforestation in the Taltimiche Plains (APRODIC)

The village Taltimiche is located in the San Marcos Guatemalan Highlands. Recent years have seen an increase of the violent storm events that cause floods, mudslides, and erosion. In 2005 Hurricane Stan destroyed most of the community’s land in an extreme case. Climate change is exacerbating weather events such as torrential storms, droughts, longer summer seasons with...

Catalyzing sustainable tourism: The case of Chiang Mai, Thailand

Poverty

Transport

Chiang Mai is one of the fastest growing cities in Thailand with an economy heavily tied to tourism. As the city grew increases in air and water pollution posed significant threats to health and the growing tourism industry there. Thailand introduced the non-motorized transport system that both reduced emissions and encouraged job opportunities for the urban poor...

Understanding and addressing risks of flooding in the city: The case of Barangay Potrero, Metro Manila

Disaster Risk Reduction

Health

Poverty

Water

Malabon City is one of the most densely populated cities in the Philippines and is prone to heavy flooding due to its topology. Malabon City and the surrounding regions have experienced rapid growth. The areas surrounding the river previously were used for agriculture and fishing but have become industrial and housing zones while remaining the most prone to flooding. In...

Renewable energy solutions for Punjab’s industrial sector: Evaluating the NAMA approach in Sialkot City, Pakistan

Sialkot City is one of Pakistan’s largest industrial hubs with a largely export-focused industry. However, many of the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operate below maximum capacity due to high energy prices and irregular energy availability. To supplement low energy availability, diesel generators are often used. These generators are both more expensive than...

Impacts of Climate Change on the Coastal Zone of Mexico: An Integrated Ecosystem Approach in the Gulf of Mexico to Support Coastal Zone Management Legislation

Water

Coastal zones like the coast of Mexico are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Rising sea levels threaten infrastructure and financial investments while storms and weather events threaten communities and lives. Mexico has over 11,000 km of coast areas that previously had no nationally administered adaptation strategy for climate change vulnerabilities. In 2008...

Distributing the benefits from REDD+: The case of Vietnam

Agriculture

Vietnam has engaged in reforestation programs since the 1980’s. The Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) program began in 2005 under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UN-REDD program assists countries by granting financial awards to applicants to conduct their own REDD+ programs. In 2008 Vietnam had...

The case for Evergreen Agriculture in Africa: Enhancing food security with climate change adaptation and mitigation in Zambia

Agriculture

Zambia is a developing country with a rapidly growing population but strained food supply. Like many other developing countries, Zambia depends on local food production. However, Zambia is known to have low crop yields with an average of 1.1 tons of maize (a significant commercial crop) per hectare compared to other cereals which yield between 2.5-4.5 tons per hectare...

Supporting the subnational development of renewable energy – Lessons from West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

Water

West Nusa Tenggara is a province of Indonesia facing severe energy shortages. The province contains 10 districts and municipalities spread across a large geographic region with a mountainous topology that makes electricity transmission expensive. The current grid has about 14 MW of generation capacity at central power generating stations. The government of Indonesia has...

Mainstreaming climate resiliency into government: The Philippines Climate Change Act

The Philippines is an island nation with high vulnerability to climate change. 70% of cities in the Philippines are coastal and many of its industries are highly resource intensive. In response to extreme weather events, to deal with rising concern, and to build a national framework for supporting climate change mitigation efforts in 2009 the Climate Change Act was...

Climate-smart agriculture: learning from three agro-ecological regions of Nepal

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Gender

Poverty

Agriculture is a major economic driver in the country of Nepal. Approximately 75% of the country’s employment and 25% of its gross domestic product comes from the agriculture sector. Farming is also vulnerable to extreme weather events such as droughts, floods, erosion, and hot and cold waves that are becoming more common with climate change. Adding to the country’s...

Climate change and flood risk: Challenges for Jamaican towns and communities

Disaster Risk Reduction

Water

Jamaica has much of its infrastructure in coastal areas and floodplains. The Meteorological Office of Jamaica has produced computer models, hazard maps, and resources for decision makers of flood-prone regions. These resources were, before the project, based on static climate models and were becoming inadequate for current and future climate predictions. This project...

Going after adaptation co-benefits: A REDD+ programme in Fiji

Small island developing states (SIDS) are especially vulnerable to sea-level rise and extreme weather events. Fiji is an island nation in the South Pacific of about 7,000 square miles and a population of approximately 1 million people. Because islands of this size produce so little greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) climate change adaptation, rather than mitigation,...

Achieving development goals with renewable energy: the case of Tanzania

Tanzania is a developing country that is turning to more renewable energy sources to address some of its biggest energy concerns. Currently only 14% of the country is electrified and this drops to 2% in rural areas. About 40% of the electricity is generated through hydroelectricity which becomes unreliable during droughts, which are expected to increase in frequency and...

Making renewable energy affordable: The South African Renewables Initiative

South Africa has a growing economy that has previously produced up to 95% of its electricity from coal. South Africa also produces 40% of Africa’s electricity through coal making its state-run utility the tenth largest in the world. Seeking to manage the budget, the government of South Africa has been reducing subsidies to coal production and coal-based electricity...

Acting on Climate Vulnerability: Lessons and Best Practices from Quito, Ecuador

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Quito is the capital city of Ecuador with a population of 2.7 million and an area of 143 square miles. Quito is particularly vulnerable to climate change and since 2009 has been pioneering programs to mitigate the effects of climate change. Quito’s programs have been expanded nationwide due to their success and are viewed as a model for other countries. Quito’s efforts...

Bhutan’s National Transport Policy: Inclusive planning for a low carbon future

Poverty

Transport

Bhutan has a population of approximately 784,000 and a per capita GDP of $2,569 in 2014. Bhutan has seen an explosion of personal vehicle ownership and demand for transportation in the past two decades. In 2006 Bhutan released its first “National Transport Policy” document. In 2017, in response to the United Nations Development Program, Bhutan released an updated...

Strengthening Climate Resilience: The Case of Grenada

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Water

Grenada is an island nation with a land area of approximately 350 km2 and a population of approximately 100,000 people. Grenada is highly vulnerable to climate change and has relatively low financial or technical capacity to prevent it. It is estimated that by 2050 climate change could cost the country $800 million which would be devastating to its economy and quality...

From vulnerability to resilience: Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration in Niger

Agriculture

In Niger in the 60s and 70s it was common practice to clear farmland of all trees with the goal of maximizing crop yields. This led to deforestation and desertification throughout the country. It was found that a certain number of trees per hectare helped protect the soil quality and prevent erosion and desertification. Multiple attempts to restore trees to a region and...

Pioneering renewable energy options: Thailand takes up the challenge

The Thai people and government have long been supportive of renewable energy and have been some of the earliest adopters of renewable technologies in Asia. Thailand currently imports about 50% of its bulk energy, often in the form of fossil fuels. Thailand is devoted to more sustainable and independent energy production and since 1992 has enacted programs to encourage...

Index-based livestock insurance: The case of Mongolia

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Access to insurance can have a disproportionate effect on developing economies. Often, the risk of catastrophic property damage most affects the poorest people which disincentivizes them to make capital investments that could improve their economic status. One example is livestock insurance. In Mongolia, livestock has traditionally not been insurable. Mongolia also...

The Subnational Integration of the Vietnam Green Growth Strategy

Transport

The economy of Vietnam is heavily dependent on the exploitation of natural resources to create high-intensity products such as steel and concrete. Seeking to reduce pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, increase air quality, and preserve natural resources, the Vietnam government has created the Vietnam Green Growth Strategy (VGGS). The stated objective of the VGGS is...

Catalyzing Enterprises in Peru

Peru is a rapidly developing economy with a nationally developed plan called Peru’s Planning for Climate Change (PLCC). Its industries rely heavily on natural resources and require high amounts of energy for steel manufacturing, component manufacturing, textiles, etc. Peru is unique because the majority (99.5%) of its registered businesses are small and medium sized...

Seizing the Sunshine: Barbados’ thriving solar water heater industry

Barbados is an island nation in the Caribbean. Before 1970 Barbados relied on oil imports for 95% of all its energy needs including space and water heating. As oil prices rose 300% in the 70’s, Barbados sought to diversify its energy mixture. Water heating is energy intensive using 2 MWh per household annually. Barbados has large solar resources making solar water...

Scaling up risk transfer mechanisms for climate vulnerable agriculture-based communities in Mindanao, Philippines

Agriculture

The Philippines is one of the most natural disaster-prone countries in the Asia-Pacific. Climate change projections indicate an increase in vulnerability, particularly in terms of unpredictable rainfall patterns.This puts the livelihood of farmers and food security in the Philippines at risk, especially on the island of Mindanao, also known as the “food basket” of the...

Uganda’s National Transport Master Plan: Potential for low carbon development

Transport

Uganda is one of the poorest nations in the world and stands to be disproportionally affected by rising global temperatures and climate change. Recognizing this, international aid and domestic policy have been working together for decades to develop the economy of the country. In 2009 Uganda’s National Transport Plan was published. This document has not been updated...

Dar es Salaam - First Bus Rapid Transit System in Eastern Africa

Transport

The Government of Tanzania intends to establish, operate and manage a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, which is a cost effective sustainable transportation system for Dar es Salaam City to ensure fast and orderly flow of traffic on urban streets and roads. The Dar es Salaam BRT project follows the current land use plan that shows an extension of planned residential areas...

Germany´s Climate Action Plan 2050: Inolving traditional stakeholders and the broader public to develop concrete implementation measures

In 2013, Germany’s newly elected government decided to define an emissions reduction pathway with a final target of 80 to 95 percent lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to the 1990 baseline by 2050 and, to that end, develop a Climate Action Plan (CAP). Because of the envisioned societal consequences, the new government decided to develop the CAP in a participatory...

Strategies Mainstreaming of Ecosystem-Based Adaptation (EBA) In Vietnam

Agriculture

Water

The project ”Strategic mainstreaming of ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) in Vietnam” provides the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment with technical support to systematically integrate innovative ecosystem-based solutions into national and local adaptation planning. To that end it offers capacity training to stakeholders at both the national and provincial...

Building Local Scientific Capacities For the NAP Process in Senegal

The implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAP) can be effectively used for building and strengthening local technical and scientific capacities, as has been proven by Senegal. Through a science-based support project for Senegal’s National Adaptation Plan processes (PAS-PNA), the NAP process shall be based on a sound scientific information basis by strengthening...

Implementing National Climate Policies Through Subnational Climate Action in Chile

Over the past years Chile introduced two innovative solutions to coordinate subnational action to adapt to climate change: Regional Committees on Climate Change (CORECCs for their acronym in Spanish) and regional GHG inventories. The CORECCs have been developed in the context of Chile’s National Action Plan on Climate Change 2017-2022. They are chaired by the regional...

Integrating Adaptation Monitoring and Reporting Into Extisting Information Systems in Morocco

The main objective of Morocco’s comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) system for adaptation is to provide the country’s various regions with an easily accessible instrument to control, analyze and visualize climate-related data and actions. More specifically, Morocco’s M&E system pursues three objectives: i) monitor & evaluate the vulnerability of...

Market-Making for Low Carbon Technologies / The Ujala Scheme in India

The UJALA (Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All) programme was initiated by the Indian Ministry of Power in 2014 to reduce national energy consumption (and thereby CO2 emissions) by increasing the market penetration of energy-efficient LED bulbs. To stimulate demand for LED bulbs, the Indian public sector company Energy Efficiency Services Ltd (EESL) took measures to...

The Grid: Integrating high shares of variable renewable energy into the grid: lessons from the world leader / Denmark Implementation Measures

Denmark is the global forerunner in the deployment of wind energy for electricity generation and one of the world’s leaders in the deployment of renewable energies. Several factors have beencrucial to ensure this leading position in the wind energy sector. First, the Danish government adopted ambitious and legally binding renewable energy targets,energy support schemes...

Implementing a national energy efficiency programme

China’s mandatory energy conservation target-setting policy for large energy users, known as the Top-10,000 programme was introduced in 2011, as an expansion of its successful predecessor, the Top 1,000 programme which operated between 2006 and 2010. The Top-10,000 programme now covers two thirds of China's total energy consumption and aims to save 250 million tonne of...

Web-based GHG Management System of the Republic of Korea

Agriculture

Transport

The step-wise evolution of the GHG and Energy Target Management System (TMS) of the Republic of Korea, launched in 2010, has grown to cover 840 industrial installations, otherwise known as controlled entities (CEs). In 2013, the TMS instituted a web-based GHG Management System (NGMS) based on a common reporting framework that includes provisions for built-in...

Institutional Arrangements for the National Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Inventory System

Agriculture

Transport

In response to international reporting requirements, Germany set up a national GHG inventory system in 2007. The system is coordinated by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) and builds on cooperation with a range of government and non-government entities. A particular feature of the system is the industry cooperation agreements signed between the German government and...

Designing a vertically-integrated, transit orientated development NAMA

Agriculture

Transport

In Colombia, the transport sector is the fastest-growing source of greenhouse gas emissions and urban areas increasingly suffer from traffic congestion and road safety concerns. The Colombian Transit Oriented Development (TOD) NAMA aims to address these issues by demonstrating how integrating urban planning and transport development in a city can reduce traffic growth...

Integrated research and scenario building for LEDS development

Transport

The Mitigation Action Plans and Scenarios (MAPS) process grew out of the experience of developing the South African Long Term Mitigation Scenarios (LTMS) during 2006-2008. The approach focuses on understanding how change happens in systems while recognizing the soft science of policy shifts and strategy development. Developing high quality technical analysis with local...

Coordinating institutions for LEDS and NAMA development

Agriculture

Transport

Building on its 2009 pledge to reduce national GHG emissions (by 26% in 2020) and a subsequent climate change action plan published in 2011, Indonesia has made substantial progress in strengthening its capacity and institutional framework for delivering effective climate change mitigation. A key part of this institutional architecture is the Climate Change National...

The European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS)

Transport

The EU ETS was established in 2003 by a Directive of the European Parliament and the European Council, and came into operation in 2005. It is the cornerstone of EU policy towards combatting climate change by reducing GHG emissions cost-effectively. It is the first multinational cap-and-trade system at the level of installations and covers 45% of GHG emissions of the EU...

Burkina Faso Biomass Energy NAMA

Agriculture

Transport

The NAMA aims to reduce emissions associated with biomass use and respective deforestation e.g. for thermal energy use in the commercial sector by distributing more energy efficient cook stoves for traditional beer brewing and the production of Shea butter and sumbala. 1 In three phases, the NAMA will target i) productive energy use, ii) domestic energy use, iii)...

Promoting Induction Cooking in Ecuador

Agriculture

Since 2007, Ecuador has been working on strategies to improve energy efficiency, mainly in the residential sector. In 2014, Ecuador started implementing the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) Substitution Programme (PEC) 1 that contains, as a central component, the introduction of induction cookers across the country. The PEC is closely aligned with Ecuador’s development...

An Integrated National Climate Policy in Mexico

Mexico is the first developing country to have implemented a climate change law. Approved in 2012, and based on several years of experience in the field, the law provides a climate change policy framework and sets the ground for (1) the establishment of an institutional arrangement, involving all relevant stakeholders and levels (national and subnational) in a national...

Transformational Change: Danish 100% Renewable Energy Policy

Agriculture

Transport

Danish energy policy mandates the complete phase-out of fossil fuels in the energy supply by 2050. In the long term, electricity, heating, industry and transport energy are to be provided entirely by renewable sources. In the medium term, the 2012 Energy Agreement sets targets of 35% renewable energy in final energy consumption, approximately 50% of electricity...

Implementing a national energy efficiency program

Agriculture

Transport

The Vietnam Energy Efficiency Program (VNEEP) is a ten year program, which was approved in April 2006 by the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam. It is a targeted national program and the first-ever comprehensive plan to institute measures for improving energy efficiency and conservation across all sectors of the Vietnamese economy. The overall aim of...

Developing municipal level mitigation action plans

Georgia, a country with 4.5 million inhabitants, is currently developing a national low emission development strategy. At the local level, Covenant of Mayor signatory cities are planning to make significant contributions to this strategy and Georgia’s national mitigation efforts. Of the seven current signatories to the EU Covenant of Mayors (CoM) in Georgia, four have...

Collaboration to prioritise and select mitigation actions

Transport

To identify and prioritize promising concepts for developing into NAMA proposals, the Lebanese Ministry of Environment in cooperation with the UNDP Low Emission Capacity Building (LECB) Programme engaged a range of national stakeholders and international experts to discuss and prioritize NAMA concepts based on a collaboratively designed selection process. The approach,...

Prioritising mitigation and adaptation options as part of the development of a National Climate Change Action Plan

Agriculture

Transport

Throughout 2011-12 the government of Kenya undertook a prioritisation process to identify actions to deliver its National Climate Change Response Strategy published in 2010. The process resulted in the Kenyan National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP) and included specific mitigation and adaptation challenges to be incorporated into the climate related policies, plans...

Collaborating to align data, information and mitigation actions

Agriculture

Transport

With an economic and development model closely linked to fossil fuel use, Tunisia’s growth in recent decades has led to a marked increase in greenhouse gas emissions. Recognising the need to address climate change, the country has proceeded to pursue various strategies, plans and activities to promote renewable energy and climate protection while at the same time...

100% Renewable Energy Targets in the Pacific Islands

In May 2012, Ministers representing a group of the Small Island Developing States (SIDS) agreed to the Barbados Declaration, which included a declaration on renewable energy targets by Pacific Island Countries (PICs), seven of which declared an ambitious target to generate 100% of their electricity from renewable technologies. The Cook Islands, Niue and Tuvalu have set...

Developing renewable energy targets and supporting strategies

Transport

Over the years India has successfully created a positive outlook necessary to promote investment in, demand for, and supply of, renewable energy. India’s strategy on renewable energy is driven by the objectives of energy access and energy security, aided by the increasing concerns of climate change and grounded in existing policy making processes. It has evolved over...

National Green Growth Strategy of South Korea

Agriculture

Transport

In 2008 Korea announced ‘Low Carbon, Green Growth’ as its vision for mid-to long-term development (2009-2050) together with a voluntary target of 30% reduction of GHG emissions from the business as usual scenario by 2020. To implement this vision, it launched a National Green Growth Strategy in 2009 along with the countries’ Five Year Plan (FYP) for 2009-2013. One of...

Stakeholder Involvement and the Consideration of Co-benefits in the Preparation of the Dominican Republic’s INDC

Agriculture

Transport

The Dominican Republic is highly committed to combatting climate change, as can be seen by the high level of political leadership on climate change, where the President leads the “National Council on Climate Change and the Clean Development Mechanism” (NCCC-CDM). The Council developed the National Climate Compatible Development Plan (CCDP) in 2011, which outlines the...

Limiting Coal Consumption in China

In 2014, China launched the New Energy Development Strategic Action Plan (NEDSAP 2014–2020) setting a target to limit coal consumption at 4.2 Gt/year by 2020, which is estimated to represent 62% of the energy mix. The Plan is a Low Emission Development Strategy designed through a country-driven process and rooted in China’s priorities, such as improving local air...

Quantifying Benefits from Large-Scale Wind Power in Kenya

Health

With the development of the 310-MW Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (LTWP), Kenya supported its sustainability and socioeconomic development goals. The LTWP added substantial electricity generating capacity and helped diversify Kenya’s electricity supply, which is currently largely dependent on hydropower and fossil fuels. Other benefits of the LTWP include reducing...

Linking LEDS and NAMA in the Livestock Sector

Transport

According to Costa Rica’s last national greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory (2010), the livestock sector is the second largest emitting source, being responsible for 23.6% of national GHG emissions. To support creating a more eco-competitive livestock sector, Costa Rica is implementing three closely-related initiatives in parallel in an integrated process to improve...

Developing a public-private carbon management program

Agriculture

Transport

The Chilean national carbon management programme (PNGC, due to its name in Spanish) is a government led initiative seeking to integrate public and private efforts for the reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and local mitigation actions. It functions as a tool for public and private entities aiming to measure GHG emissions, monitor carbon footprints and identify...

Making Progress on President Obama’s Climate Action Plan

Agriculture

In 2013, President Obama announced the Climate Action Plan (CAP), the first comprehensive plan of the United States to address climate change. The CAP outlines 75 climate-related goals and respective actions that are subsumed under three pillars: mitigation, adaptation and international cooperation. There has been marked progress on many items in the CAP over the last...

Developing an integrated forestry sector MRV system

Transport

The National Forest Monitoring System is a national MRV system, currently under development, aimed at improving the coordination and organisation amongst different institutions involved in the forestry sector in Costa Rica, in order to generate quality and verifiable information for different purposes. The National Forest Monitoring System builds on Costa Rica’s Payment...

Integrating waste management and renewable energy planning

Agriculture

Transport

Driven by concerns of energy security high dependence on imported fuels and environmental pollution due to improper waste disposal, Thailand has placed increasing emphasis on waste-to-energy options through its 10-year Renewable and Alternative Energy Development Plan (AEDP 2012-21). The plan presents a target of a 25% contribution of renewable and alternative energy...

Ghana’s Ambitious Climate Reporting Program

In 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) launched the Ghana Climate Ambitious Reporting Program (G-CARP) following the Conference of Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC decision to enhance climate reporting. The G-CARP aims to facilitate the setting up of an integrated climate data...

An integrated MRV system in South Africa

Transport

South Africa is among the leaders in its development of a comprehensive MRV system that is integrated into national monitoring and evaluation (M&E) processes, tuned to international Measuring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) requirements. The monitoring encompasses the whole of MRV process, and the evaluation component provides “continuous assessment and feedback”...

Planning for climate change in Peru

Agriculture

Transport

PlanCC (Planning for Climate Change) is a joint initiative of the Peruvian public and private sectors together with civil society and academia with the aim to analyse the feasibility of transitioning to a low-carbon economy. The process is organized in three phases including: (1) developing mitigation options and long-term scenarios for 2021 and 2050; (2) designing...

Coordinating national climate change action

Agriculture

Transport

Over the years, the Philippines has significantly overhauled its climate policy framework, from a number of stand-alone laws passed during 1997-2008, to the current comprehensive, nationally integrated climate policy architecture guided by the 2009 Climate Change Act (CCA). The CCA calls for the systematic integration of climate change in various phases of policy...

Implementing prevention and control policies for reducing deforestation

Agriculture

Since 2004, the Brazilian government has been implementing the Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Amazon (PPCDAm) aimed at reducing illegal cutting of forests and based on a three pillared strategy which includes: (i) territorial and land-use planning, (ii) environmental control and monitoring, and (iii) fostering sustainable production...

Initiative and Innovation in the Norwegian INDC Preparation

Transport

On 26 March 2015, Norway was the third government after Switzerland and the European Union to officially submit its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the UNFCCC. Like the EU, Norway announced an emission reduction target at least 40% below 1990 levels by 2030. The target is economy-wide and covers 100% of national GHG emissions. Being among the first...

Developing an INDC Aligning National and Sectoral Policy Objectives

Agriculture

Transport

The development of Morocco’s INDC was based on a comprehensive technical and political process involving key stakeholders in the country. The INDC builds on the National Strategy for Sustainable Development (NSSD) as well as several other national and sectoral strategies, including the Moroccan Solar Plan, the National Energy Strategy, the National Strategy to Combat...

Design and implementation of a climate resilient green economy strategy

Agriculture

Health

Transport

The Ethiopia Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) Strategy was published in 2011, based on the vision set by the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The vision is for Ethiopia to develop a climate-resilient green economy and to attain middle-income status by 2025. The country plans to follow a green economy pathway that fosters sustainable development. The CRGE is based...

Transforming the Energy Sector in Uruguay

Before the implementation of the new energy policy, and despite not having oil, natural gas or coal reserves, Uruguay had a significant presence of fossil fuels in its energy matrix, amounting to 56% in the period 2001–2006 (Méndez, 2014). In 2005, renewable energy sources had a share of 37% in the energy supply matrix. This was as the country was using almost its total...

An Inter-sectoral Approach to Jordan’s INDC Process

Agriculture

Transport

The preparation of Jordan’s INDC began in January 2015 and the INDC was submitted in September 2015. Jordan’s INDC preparation process built on existing processes, national policies, institutions and streamlining the flow of information. A four-step approach, which included a series of workshops and ministerial engagements, was initiated and led to the cooperation of...

Developing a National Climate Compatible Development Plan (CCDP)

Agriculture

Transport

The Dominican Republic, through the leadership of the President’s Office, developed a Climate Compatible Development Plan (CCDP) that presents a roadmap to double the size of the economy in twenty years while at the same time cutting emissions by half (a reduction of around 18 MtCO2e). The Plan was endorsed and launched by the President in September 2011 and presented...

Integrating gender targets into LEDS and NAMAs

Gender

In 2012, Bhutan launched its Carbon Neutral Strategy (CNS) as a follow-up to the carbon neutral commitments pledged by the government during the Copenhagen UNFCCC-COP15 meeting in 2009. With the support of the UNDP Low-Emission Capacity Building Programme, the government is undertaking the design of NAMAs, LEDS and MRV across a number of key sectors including: transport...

Building a comprehensive national MRV framework

Transport

Mexico has shown international leadership in developing legislation, policy and programmes to support its transition to a low carbon economy. A general law on climate change was recently approved and a long term climate change strategy is under implementation, together with a multi-stakeholder approach to develop an institutional MRV framework to support NAMAs and LEDS...

Inclusive and Technically Sound INDC Development Process in Chile

Agriculture

Transport

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet launched Chile’s preparation process for its INDC at the UN Climate Summit in New York, in September 2014. The final INDC was officially submitted in September 2015 1 and contains an unconditional target of 30% reduction of GHG emissions-intensity of GDP compared to 2007 levels by 2030, complemented by a conditional target (35–45%...

Geothermal Risk Mitigation in Turkey

Geothermal energy is an underdeveloped clean energy resource due primarily to the high risks associated with early stage exploration and development. Some form of government support is typically required to minimize uncertainty and attract private investment. Turkey’s national and provincial governments jointly conducted all of Turkey’s early geothermal development,...

Nicaragua Pro-Poor Adaptation to Climate Change in Urban Centers

Disaster Risk Reduction

Poor urban residents of Estelí, Nicaragua, are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts owing to inadequate physical infrastructure (such as sewers and drainage), land and housing vulnerability due to insecure tenure rights, socioeconomic challenges, and limited national-level climate assessments and planning specific to their needs. However, Estelí residents...

Green BioTrade in Namibia

Agriculture

The sustainable use and trade of biodiversity-based products or BioTrade could act as the perfect starting point for Namibia’s transition to a greener economy. BioTrade is already improving livelihoods of many communities in Namibia, particularly in rural areas where opportunities for subsistence are otherwise limited. Since 2000, Namibian stakeholders have developed an...

Payment-for-watershed services study in Uganda’s Rwenzori mountains

Agriculture

Water

This feasibility study reports the benefits of a payment for watershed services system for two watershed systems, Mubuku and Nyamwamba that have their headwaters in the Rwenzori Mountains National Park region in Uganda. Payments for watershed services is a methodology by which a market economy in created for services that relate to protecting ecosystems. In this case,...

Sludge to Energy: An Environment-Energy-Economic Assessment of Methane Capture from Sludge in Xiangyang City, Hubei Province

In response to the increasing volumes of liquid waste caused by rapid urbanization, China has invested heavily in wastewater treatment plants. These plants produce sludge, which, although harmful to human health and the environment, can be reused to generate energy and create other products. In 2011, Xiangyang City in Hubei Province, China, implemented a thermal...

Reducing air pollution concentration by 50% in Mexico

Transport

Health

During the 1980s, Mexico was known worldwide for its air quality problems. Mexico City, in that time, was considered the most polluted city in the world. Nowadays, despite having four times more vehicles, authorities have reduced air pollution concentration by more than 50% through a public policy integrated approach. The link below includes a package of materials on...

Myanmar Agriculture Network and Grow Asia

Agriculture

The Myanmar Agriculture Network (MAN) was established in 2013 under the leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, local and global businesses, and other stakeholders. The Network serves as a multi-stakeholder platform to accelerate partnership opportunities and investment in food security, along with environmentally sustainable and inclusive agricultural...

Crafting energy efficiency policies for commercial buildings in South Africa

In 2005, South Africa undertook efforts to increase energy efficiency while maintaining strong economic growth, as described by their National Energy Efficiency Strategy . By focusing on target industries, South Africa aims to foster economic progress without increasing carbon emissions and energy consumption. Through a strategic partnership with the Clean Energy...

Financing energy transformation at the subnational level in Peru

Transport

This project presents Lima’s rapid fuel matrix switch from high sulfur content diesel to Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)— mitigating risks, innovating financial structures, and pioneering information and communication technologies (ICTs) to establish an enabling environment at the local level. In less than 9 years, the COFIGAS program has created partnerships that put more...

Gender mainstreaming in the energy sector: Applications in Madhya Pradesh, India

Gender

The ENERGIA gender methodology has been designed as a framework for energy sector planning. Its application aims at reducing the risk of gender inequality as a result from project activities and outcomes, and supports the case that both women and men benefit from energy projects. The methodology has been used by the Energy Department of the Government of Madhya Pradesh...

Low carbon pathways toward sustainability: The experience of Bogor City

Transport

This 'Inside story on climate compatible development' from the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) looks at how, since 2013, the Urban Low Emission Development Strategies (Urban-LEDS) project has offered Bogor City an opportunity to integrate low carbon strategies not just in the transport sector but in its local development plans, supporting the city’s...

Calibrating feed-in tariffs to spur renewable energy deployment in Malaysia

In 2011 Malaysia pushed forward with the New Energy Policy to spur renewable energy and energy efficiency development in the country. The policy has been considered largely effective and led the country to adopt a renewable energy capacity target of 11% by 2020. The New Energy policy included a few key features; market-based energy pricing approaches, establishing...

Microfinance for solar home systems in Bangladesh

"The Bangladesh solar home systems program, pioneered by nongovernmental organizations such as Grameen Shakti and supported by the government’s Infrastructure Development Company Ltd., has developed a dealer network providing a marketing, microcredit, and after sales service to enable rural households to buy renewable energy systems for lighting and mobile phone...

Mainstreaming climate finance into Papua New Guinea’s national budget

Under Papua New Guinea's Climate Compatible Development Policy the country is seeking to "ensure continuous climate financing from government and simultaneously mobilize additional funding from multilateral, bilateral and private sector for the collective benefit of all as well as coordinate on how to effectively manage them.” Seven strategies are being pursued to...

Climate action planning in Cartagena, Colombia

A Competitive and Climate Compatible Cartagena (Plan 4C) positions Cartagena as the first coastal city in Colombia to have a long term vision and a framework of planning and action to achieve climate compatible development by 2040. It provides definitive responses with which to deal with the challenge of climate change through concrete strategies and actions to promote...

Zambia Development Impact Assessment

The Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection led an inclusive multi-stakeholder process in collaboration with the Centre for Energy, Environment, and Engineering of Zambia (CEEEZ) to assess co-benefits of INDC mitigation actions using the Development Impacts Assessment (DIA) visual tool , developed in collaboration with the LEDS Global...

Marshall Islands Outer islands solar projects

Under the National Energy Policy and to address the challenges associated with fossil fuel dependence, the Marshall Islands implemented its outer island solar project, setting a target of 100% renewable energy electrification. The project resulted in 95% solar electrification of all outer island public facilities and households and, building on that success, the...

Designing and building sustainable homes in Argentina

The objective is the reduction of energy consumption, peak demand and greenhouse gas emissions related to the social housing sector in Argentina through setting standards and technological guidelines of energy efficiency and renewable energy in the construction of new housing development. Results: Average reduction of 30% of energy consumption and greenhouse gas...

Morocco solar program

Morocco has launched one of the world’s largest and most ambitious solar energy plan with investment of USD 9billion. The Moroccan Solar Plan is regarded as a milestone on the country’s path towards a secure and sustainable energy supply which is clean, green and affordable. The aim of the plan is to generate 2,000 megawatts (or 2 gigawatts) of solar power by the year...

Policy changes prioritize geothermal energy growth in Mexico

Electricity demand in Mexico is expected to increase at a rate of 3.5% each year. Recently, the government of Mexico has set an ambitious target of reaching 35% clean energy generation by 2024. Mexico has significant untapped geothermal energy resources and is estimated to range in between 5 and 25 gigawatts of untapped conventional and unconventional geothermal...

Enhancing capacity for data-driven clean energy development and green growth in Thanh Hoa, Vietnam

Vietnam’s National Green Growth Strategy establishes a vision for advancing low emission, climate resilient development and encourages all Vietnamese provinces to develop their own green growth action plans. Thanh Hoa, a province located along Vietnam’s north central coast and a priority region for economic growth, is an early leader in developing a green growth action...

Transport green zone in Santiago

Transport

The 'Green Zone Project for Transport in Santiago' (ZVTS in Spanish acronym) was developed at the Municipality of Santiago as part of its Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions (NAMAs). The ZVTS is the first NAMA designed for the transport sector in Chile, whose main objective is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the national greenhouse gas...

Mobilizing a local green economy – GreenCape in the Western Cape, South Africa

Through its work across government, business, and academia, GreenCape has contributed to realizing significant private sector investment and employment in green business, technologies, and manufacturing in South Africa’s Western Cape province. This case study illustrates the sector development agency model and the specific approach used by GreenCape, with some key...

Indonesia calculates GDP of the poor in fight against climate change

Poverty

Indonesia took a key step towards its ambitious goal of transitioning towards a green economy. The country tested a new model that shows policymakers how their development decisions can help or hinder the green transition. The Indonesia Green Economy Model (I-GEM) also shows how development interventions can affect the incomes of poor people who are largely reliant on...

Ghana's integrated resources and resilience planning program

Disaster Risk Reduction

The electrification rate in Ghana is 30% (and 50% in rural areas) and the government has a goal of adding 10% renewable energy sources by 2020. Ghana has an over-reliance on hydropower and is therefore vulnerable to climate change related fluctuations in water resources. An overview of the major barriers to further expanding the power sector reveals several significant...

Assessing the benefits of clean energy policies in Bangladesh

Work under the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Catalyzing Clean Energy in Bangladesh (CCEB) program has shown that clean energy can provide Bangladesh with not only cost-effective greenhouse gas mitigation, but also affordable electricity, and the same could hold true for countries in similar circumstances. The analysis was based on modeling...

Mexico’s national utilities adapt to climate change

Power generation sources (hydro, thermal, solar, wind) are always affected, although to varying degrees (depending on the energy source as well as the region) by changes in the climate. Taking into account the risk associated with climate changes into project identification, planning and implementation are key components to maximizing resilience. Mexico’s national power...

Bordo Poniente Landfill Closing Helps “Green” Mexico City

In 2011, Mexico City authorities announced the closure of the Bordo Poniente Landfill, one of the world’s largest landfills and the city’s leading source of greenhouse gas emissions. An international public tender to generate clean electricity from landfill methane was released shortly thereafter. The landfill closure project—a collaboration between Mexico City, C40...

Strategies for gender equal clean energy deployment in West African states

Gender

Gender equality is an issue being addressed by the 15 member countries of the Economic Community of West African States with the goal of regional collaboration and policymaking to enhance the role of women in the energy work force. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between the developments of clean energy with those of gender inclusivity...

1000 MW Quaid-e-Azam Solar Park in Pakistan

The Government of Punjab, under the vision of Chief Minister Shahbaz Shariff, has dedicated 6500 acres of land near Lal Sohanra, Cholistan, Bahawalpur for the purpose of establishing a 1000 MW Solar Park for solar energy electricity generation. This is an initiative of Government of the Punjab (GoPb), Pakistan to reduce reliance on fossil fuels in generation of...

Peru’s National Climate Law: A critical step towards reducing global emissions

While hosting the 20th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP20) negotiations in December 2014, Peru passed a climate law – the first of its kind in the Latin America region. The new law establishes a greenhouse gas inventory system known as INFOCARBONO. INFOCARBONO provides a model that other countries can use...

Screening Hydropower Facilities for Climate Change Risks to Business Performance in the Philippines

Water

Southeast Asia is expected to experience higher temperatures and greater precipitation variability owing to climate change, resulting in impacts on hydropower performance and reliability. In the Philippines, researchers and in-country partners assessed environmental, financial, and social performance risks related to the 7-MW run-of-river Tudaya-2 hydropower plant. The...

Reforestation in South Korea achieves almost pre-war era status

As a result of conflict and war during the first half of the 20 th century in South Korea, a large portion of forests were degraded and depleted, predominantly due to excessive harvesting of timber for fuel. By the mid 1950s, South Korea’s forestry regions were less than half of the pre-war era. The government of South Korea initiated a nationwide campaign to educate...

Local air pollution management in Kathmandu Valley Nepal

Transport

Health

Like much of South Asia, Nepal is experiencing rapid urbanization, particularly in the Kathmandu Valley. Rapid urbanization has come with increased demand for motorized travel, rising CO2 emissions, and poor urban air quality, with particulate matter concentrations well above World Health Organization guidelines. Comprehensive low carbon policy packages, like one...

India Innovation Lab for Green Finance

India needs substantial investment in clean energy and green infrastructure to meet its climate goals, but financing barriers have presented challenges. The India Innovation Lab for Green Finance was launched in November 2015 to accelerate the needed investments. The Lab is a private-public partnership with members from Indian ministries, development banks,...

Paving the Way to a Greener, Smarter, More Flexible Grid in Mexico

Mexico’s power sector is transforming to become more reliable, financially robust, and cleaner. Through participation in the 21st Century Power Partnership, Mexican energy policymakers, regulators, and system operators can tap into the expertise of the international power sector community to address critical questions and challenges such as variable renewable grid...

Soil conservation in the Shinyanga Region of Tanzania

Education

Water

In the mid-1980s, agricultural expansion and commercial logging in the Shinyanga region of Tanzania resulted in significant deforestation, soil erosion, and negative impacts on water resources. In response, the Government launched the community-based Shinyanga Soil Conservation Program, which revived traditional practices restricting livestock grazing to the dry season...

Honduras Crop, Soil, and Livestock Management

Agriculture

Education

Agriculture is an integral part of the Honduran economy. It is also an important sector for reducing GHG emissions, as articulated in Honduras’s INDC. Recently, extreme weather events have negatively impacted agricultural production in Honduras, and climate change impacts over the longer term are expected to exacerbate these issues. Within this context, the Government...

China Wind Transmission Planning

Traditional transmission-planning approaches often account inadequately for areas that are high in renewable energy resources but far from population centers. However, China is taking a proactive approach to planning for renewable energy generation and transmission. As part of its process for planning the development of eight high-capacity wind development regions or “...

Panama Canal watershed restoration

Agriculture

Water

Due to deforestation, forest cover within the Panama Canal watershed decreased by 43% between 1974 and 1991. To ensure water flow capacity in the Canal, critical action was needed to restore and manage the watershed. This case study profiles the following actions and good practices that were implemented to support Panama Canal watershed restoration and protection...

Assessing carbon and water footprints in Andean cities: Comparative study of La Paz, Quito and Lima

Water

The Andean cities of La Paz, Quito, and Lima share a common interest in climate compatible development and vulnerabilities to climate change due to dependence on shrinking glaciers for their water supplies. Through participation in the Cities Footprint Project, the three cities assessed their carbon and water footprints, developed municipal action plans, and implemented...

The Asia-Pacific Integrated Model (AIM) and policymaking for low carbon growth in Asia: A case study of Thailand

This case study shows how the Asia-Pacific Integrated Model (AIM) has been used in Thailand to inform policymaking for low carbon, climate resilient growth. AIM is a set of computer simulation models for assessing options – primarily policy and technology choices – to reduce or slow the growth of greenhouse gas emissions. Users can model a wide range of social and...

Sustainable land management through market-oriented commodity development in Ethiopia

Agriculture

This working paper analyzes four case studies of local districts in Ethiopia to support the theory that sustainable land management would be benefited by linking natural resource management with market-oriented commodity development. Land degradation has been identified as severe environmental problem in Ethiopia, especially since the early 1970s. This paper focuses...

India’s Heat Action Plan

Education

Health

As part of India’s INDC, the country has prioritized supporting adaptation by addressing health impacts associated with extreme heat events. As one example, the city of Ahmedabad in the state of Gujarat partnered with the Indian Institute of Health, the Natural Resources Defense Council, and a coalition of other technical and community groups to prepare a heat action...

Kenya’s climate resilient low emission development

Agriculture

Transport

Climate resilience has been integrated into low emission development planning in Kenya through their National Climate Change Action Plan. In particular, the Action Plan prioritizes deployment of technologies that will support both mitigation and adaptation outcomes. To enable action prioritization, a local and international technical team used a development impact...

Harnessing Climate-Resilient Geothermal Energy in Kenya

Kenya has a current installed electricity capacity of 2,351 MW. This is expected to grow drastically to 19,200 MW by 2030. To meet this demand the Kenyan government has developed a national energy plan and a National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAP). Geothermal energy has been identified as key to meeting Kenya’s energy demands. The country has an estimated geothermal...

Republic of Congo Sustainable Tropical Forest Management Planning

Since moving into an era of peace and stability, the Congo has become a champion of sustainable tropical forest management planning, participating in the EU Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and Trade EU-(FLEGT) initiative and implementing an ambitious forest certification program. Current deforestation and degradation rates are estimated around 0.2%. However, more...

Building Resilience in Brazil’s Biofuel Market

Transport

Brazil has a longstanding, successful biofuels program and a well-developed flex-fuel market. Gasoline and ethanol options are widespread at fueling stations across the country, and most new cars are flex-fuel vehicles that can run on any mix of gasoline and ethanol. Brazil’s sugarcane industry has benefited from the resulting increase in ethanol demand. A recent study...

South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan

Water

To address water scarcity, South Africa is reducing water use in the electricity sector. The country’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), developed by the South Africa Department of Energy, includes water use as a key criterion for assessing longer-term electricity-sector investments. Under the process that led to IRP adoption in 2011, the Department of Energy and partners...

Climate Mitigation Through Improving Productivity of Brazil’s Agricultural Lands

Agriculture

As the home of the Amazon rainforest and significant agricultural production, preventing deforestation to reduce emissions is a high priority for Brazil. Deforestation and emissions have slowed in the past decade, but a recent increase shows lingering challenges. Researchers at the Climate Policy Initiative studied four examples of increased agricultural productivity in...

Coordinated climate change planning in Nepal

The primary contextual motivators for articulating climate change as a national development agenda in Nepal included the need to address the challenges posed by climate change impacts to Nepal’s socioeconomic development goals; the need to effectively engage with, implement and maximize the benefits of the UNFCCC; the need to make socioeconomic development practices and...

India Sustainable Urban Transport and Road Safety

Transport

Health

The rapid urbanization of Ahmedabad, India, has caused a significant increase in the city’s motorized travel, urban sprawl, and traffic accident fatalities. In 2005, Ahmedabad was named India’s third most polluted city. However, the Janmarg (Hindi for “The People’s Way”) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System, launched in 2009, has simultaneously reduced emissions and improved...

Watershed and Forest Management in India

Gender

Water

By 2011, deforestation related to unsustainable agriculture and livestock practices in India had degraded an estimated 35 million hectares of forestland and negatively impacted water table levels. To address this challenge the Government of India implemented watershed management as the main national strategy to facilitate planning, development and management of the...

Community Forest Restoration in Nepal

Population growth, agricultural expansion, and demand for fuel-wood resulted in large-scale deforestation in Nepal from the1950s to 1990s, leading to soil erosion, increased sediment runoff, landslides, and flooding. Community forestry, initiated by the Government of Nepal in the late 1970s, emerged as a new approach to engage communities in the usage, rehabilitation,...

Restoration of Mangrove Forests in Vietnam

Disaster Risk Reduction

Education

Due to certain aquaculture and agriculture practices as well as other factors, since the 1950s, Vietnam lost more than 80% of its mangrove forests (shrubs or trees that grow on coastal shorelines). Mangrove forests are useful in decreasing storm surge levels, reducing the height of waves and stabilizing sediments. Motivated by the vulnerability of Vietnam to storm...

The Philippine National REDD-plus Strategy (PNRPS)

The Philippine National REDD-plus Strategy (PNRPS) presents a broad range of strategies and corresponding activities over a 10-year time horizon (2010-2020), and seeks to prepare forestlands managers throughout the country to assume responsibility in implementing REDD+ programs, research, projects and activities with the support of international, national and local...

Transmission Planning for Renewable Energy in Mexico (DEMO)

Traditional transmission planning approaches are often inadequate at accounting for areas of high renewable energy resources. However, regulators and transmission operators are increasingly exploring new methods for developing transmission to high-quality renewable energy areas while also considering financial implications and stakeholder engagement. Despite excellent...

Rwanda Dairy Competitiveness and Efficiency

Agriculture

Rwanda is the most densely populated country in Africa. Its agricultural sector employs about 70% of the country’s workforce and constitutes around 35% of the gross domestic product. Small-scale, subsistence-oriented family farming dominates the agricultural sector, with an estimated 60% of farmers rearing livestock. Emissions from livestock rearing, due to enteric...

Planning for variable renewable energy loads in India’s power system

The transformation of traditional power systems to encompass diverse renewable energy resources is critical in enabling low carbon climate resilient development. To support key climate and development objectives, the Government of India created an ambitious target of 175 GW of installed renewable energy by 2022. Understanding the impacts of scaled up renewable energy...

Rwanda’s Green Fund

Agriculture

Disaster Risk Reduction

Rwanda has ambitious sustainable development goals but is vulnerable to climate change impacts, which are estimated to cost 1% of Rwanda’s annual gross domestic product. To address this challenge, Rwanda developed a Green Growth and Climate Resilient Strategy, a key component of which is the Environment and Climate Change Fund (FONERWA). FONERWA aims to mobilize and...

The impact of Indonesia’s public climate finance system

Agriculture

Transport

Indonesia is pushing forward to sustain economic growth while reducing greenhouse emissions. The country aims for a 26% reduction in business-as-usual levels by 2020, or 41% with international support. To reduce greenhouse gas emissions, Indonesia recognizes the critical role of finance. Public and private financing, from both foreign and domestic entities will be...

Geothermal Risk Mitigation in the Philippines

Geothermal energy is an underdeveloped clean energy resource due primarily to the high risks associated during early stages of development. Some form of government support is typically required to minimize uncertainty and attract private investors. Since the 1960’s the Philippines’ government has made a clear, sustained commitment to support geothermal development...

India Negative Pricing to Manage Power System Oversupply

India uses negative energy pricing, or the practice of allowing power prices in an electricity market to fall below zero, to discourage generation during periods of oversupply on the electric grid. This strategy can minimize the curtailment of generation and expand opportunities for use of renewable energy sources. India’s work on negative pricing aligns with its target...

Hillside soil conservation as a measure to increase yields and sequester carbon in Haiti

Agriculture

Low emissions development in the agricultural sector can mitigate climate change and is particularly important in countries such as Haiti whose economies largely depend on agriculture. Haiti has experienced frequent natural disasters, environmental degradation, and low economic development, all of which leave the country highly vulnerable to climate change. In 2015, the...

Enabling Sustainable Land-Management Practices in Kenya’s Tana River Basin via Payments for Watershed Services

Agriculture

Education

Water

Payments for watershed services is a method by which a market economy is created for services that relate to protecting ecosystems. For communities surrounding a river basin, this approach rewards upstream water users, such as farmers, for adopting sustainable land-use techniques (such as terracing, mulching, and agroforestry) that protect water supply and quality for...

Philippines grid integration study to inform power sector planning

To support ongoing evaluation of future power system development scenarios, the Department of Energy of the Philippines (PDOE) together with USAID undertook a Solar and Wind Integration Study for the Luzon-Visayas System of the Philippines . The study used high-resolution renewable energy data and production cost modeling to assess location and time-specific operational...

Competitive Bidding for Wind Energy Development in Egypt

Natural gas and hydro power meet the majority of Egypt’s electricity demand, but the country is looking to meet future energy needs with a greater share of renewables, particularly wind, due to its commercial viability and the excellent wind resource in the Gulf of Suez. To meet its future wind energy targets, the Egyptian government has pursued government-led and...

South Africa Power System Transformation

Through its INDC, South Africa aims to have its GHG emissions “peak, plateau, and decline” by 2030. To help accomplish that goal, South Africa has worked with the 21 st Century Power Partnership since 2012 to make its power system more reliable, cost-effective, and low-carbon. This collaboration has enabled South African system planners, regulators, and operators to...

Tajikistan’s Qairokkum Hydropower plant: Planning ahead for climate change

Tajikistan depends on hydropower for about 98% of its electricity and during winter months about 70% of the population experiences power outages. Tajikistan’s Qairokkum Hydropower plant relies on river basins that are fed by melted snow and glaciers, and these sources of water are vulnerable to climate change impacts. Additionally, climate change models have predicted...

South Africa Assessing the Economics of Climate Change Adaptation

Agriculture

Water

Climate change could affect South Africa’s water resources, resulting in water-use impacts on its residential, agricultural, and industrial sectors. To help South African farmers adapt to climate change, researchers at the University of the Free State Bloemfontein used an economic model that simulates the impacts of adaptation strategies. The Ceres Dynamic Integrated...

Agroforestry in the Humbo Region of Ethiopia

Agriculture

Education

In 2009 it was estimated that only 3% of Ethiopia’s native forests remained, which were largely lost due to crop farming, livestock grazing, and charcoal production. Economic losses from soil degradation were estimated to be US$ 1–2 billion annually. To address these challenges, the Government of Ethiopia and key partners implemented agroforestry practices and,...

High Mileage Taxis Save Money Through Electrification in Colombia

Transport

As part of its commitment to combat vehicle-based emissions and address climate change, Colombia has launched a country wide Biotaxis initiative to green its existing taxi fleet. In partnership with C40 Cities Leadership Group, the city of Bogotá, Colombia developed a 50-electric taxi pilot project. Successful outcomes of the initiative included lower maintenance costs...

Distributed Generation in Mexico

Mexico has committed to a 25% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 as part of its INDC, and it aims to generate 35% of electricity from clean sources by 2024. Distributed generation (DG) can play a key role in helping Mexico meet both goals. Mexico is undergoing an energy reform that will create increasing opportunities for DG deployment. Energy institutions in Mexico...

Tanzania’s integrated resources and resilience planning program

Currently the electrification rate is Tanzania is 30% (can be as low is 11% in rural areas) and the government has a goal of 75% electrification by 2035. This is an estimated addition of 60 million new electricity users. Some of the major barriers to better energy planning and performance include lack of supporting policy and regulations and the need for significant...

Forest Restoration in Costa Rica

Education

As a result of crop production, cattle grazing and road development, Costa Rica’s forestland decreased from 77% to 41% of the country’s land area from 1943–1986. To address this challenge, the Government of Costa Rica and key partners implemented several notable actions including approaches to enable payments for environmental services and other policy reforms...

Embedding climate change resilience in coastal city planning: Early lessons from Cartagena de Indias, Colombia

Disaster Risk Reduction

Coastal cities like Cartagena are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change such as sea level rise, coastal flooding, and disease. Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Climate and Development Knowledge Network, the Institute of Marine and Coastal Research (INVEMAR), and local authorities developed the concept of integrating...

Kenya Pro-Poor Adaptation to Climate Change in Urban Centers

Disaster Risk Reduction

Poor urban residents of Mombasa, Kenya, are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts owing to inadequate physical infrastructure (such as sewers and drainage), land and housing vulnerability due to insecure tenure rights, socioeconomic challenges, and limited national-level climate assessments and planning specific to their needs. However, Mombasa residents are...

South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme

In 2011, the Government of South Africa launched a competitive procurement program for renewable energy called the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (REIPPPP). Since the launch of this public-private partnership, US $16 billion in private-sector investment has been committed for 79 awarded projects totaling 5,243 MW of renewable energy. The...

Agroforestry in Maradi and Zinder Regions of Niger

Agriculture

Education

Agroforestry practices supported regeneration of productive landscapes in the Maradi and Zinder regions of Niger, which were severely impacted by drought and crop failure from the 1960’s to the ‘80’s. Under an approach called “farmer-managed natural regeneration” (FMNR) native trees and shrubs are allowed to regrow from residual underground roots or through new planting...

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