This short piece analyzes the background and content of the Copenhagen Accord on climate change, which was agreed to last December by leaders of roughly 25 countries, including all of the world's major economies. Although the Copenhagen Accord is a political rather than a legal instrument and has been criticized by some as inadequate or worse, it represents a potentially significant breakthrough.
This report sets out the case for adapting infrastructure in the energy, transport and water sectors so that new and existing infrastructure is able to operate effectively in a long-term changing climate.
Accumulating evidence suggests that agricultural production could be greatly affected by climate change, but there remains little quantitative understanding of how these agricultural impacts would affect economic livelihoods in poor countries.
Combined, aviation and marine transportation are responsible for approximately 5 percent of total greenhouse (GHG) emissions in the United States and 3 percent globally and are among the fastest growing modes in the transportation sector. Controlling the growth in these emissions will be an important part of reducing emissions from the transportation sector.
The purpose of this guidebook is to serve as guidance for those interested in developing a land-use change and forestry projects and bioenergy projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) of the Kyoto Protocol. It also provides material on the voluntary markets.
One response to the threat of climate change would be to regulate the use of carbon fossil fuels with an externality tax or some other policy measure. Taxing fossil fuels would drive up the price of petroleum products, making alternative fuels more economically attractive. Yet, can alternative fuels compete without policy initiatives?
This document is intended to assist water development practitioners, civil society peacebuilders, and human rights advocates seeking to integrate water and peacebuilding in their work. The purpose is twofold: to furnish a conceptual framework for understanding problems of scarcity and equity, and to provide practical guidance and tools for action.
Human-induced climate change, in conjunction with environmental degradation, will have unavoidable effects on cities. UN-Habitat estimates that 70% of the world
Genetically-engineered corn, soybeans, and cotton now account for the majority of acres planted to these three crops. A model was developed that utilizes official, U.S. Department of Agriculture pesticide use data to estimate the differences in the average pounds of pesticides applied on GE crop acres, compared to acres planted to conventional, non-GE varieties.
