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KEY PUBLICATIONS AND ONLINE
RESOURCES
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
CLIMATE CHANGE
AND FOOD SECURITY IN PACIFIC ISLAND COUNTRIES
(FAO, SPREP, and University of the South
Pacific, December 2008)
This report, jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization,
the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP)
and the University of the South Pacific, notes that climate change-related
disasters are accentuating the constraints on development in the islands,
which appear to be in a 'constant mode of recovery.' The report calls on
Pacific island countries to review their agriculture, forestry,
fisheries and drinking water development policies, in light of new
information on climate change. The
report.
TUNZA
(UNEP, 2008)
The latest issue of UNEP's magazine for youth is devoted to the issue of
food and the environment.
Tunza Vol. 6 No. 2: Food and the Environment.
SAFE WATER AS THE KEY
TO GLOBAL HEALTH
(UNU-INWEH, November 2008)
This policy brief, by the UN University's International Network on
Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH), highlights that the provision
of clean water and improved sanitation are the interventions most likely
to have a significant impact on global poverty. The brief draws
attention to the connection between safe water and human well-being.
The
brief.
DEVELOPING
COUNTRY PERSPECTIVES ON THE ROLE OF THE DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION FORUM:
BUILDING STRATEGIC APPROACHES TO ENHANCING MULTILATERAL DEVELOPMENT
COOPERATION
(South Centre, October 2008)
This resource follows-up on a study on stakeholder perspectives on the
Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) prepared by the South Centre on
reshaping the international development cooperation architecture, and
perspectives on a strategic development role for the DCF. The note
provides developing country perspectives on the DCF on the basis of four
country papers prepared by research partners based in Brazil, China,
India, and South Africa. The
resource.
GENDER IN AGRICULTURE SOURCEBOOK
(World Bank, FAO and IFAD, October 2008)
This sourcebook, by the World Bank, FAO and IFAD, contains 30 detailed
case studies and over 300 highlighted projects sharing gender
mainstreaming knowledge on a range of development interventions in
agriculture, from rural infrastructure to education. The sourcebook
highlights the role of women as agricultural producers and agents of
food and nutritional security. The report also provides evidence that
continued gender inequalities lead to higher levels of poverty and food
insecurity. The
sourcebook.
REPORT OF
THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON THE RIGHT TO FOOD: BUILDING RESILIENCE – A
HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK FOR WORLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY
(UN Human Rights Council, September 2008)
The report of the Special Rapporteur on the right to food, Olivier De
Schutter, is the first report of the Rapporteur since his appointment in
March 2008. The report (A/63/278) was produced in response to resolution
S-7/1, adopted by the Human Rights Council on 22 May 2008, which
requested the Special Rapporteur to invite comments from States and
other relevant actors on the impact of the global food crisis on the
protection of the right to food and the required remedies from a human
rights perspective. The
report.
SUSTAINABLE BIOENERGY DEVELOPMENT IN UEMOA MEMBER COUNTRIES
(West African Economic and Monetary Union and The Hub for Rural
Development in West and Central Africa, October 2008)
Produced by the United Nations Foundation, the International Centre for
Trade and Sustainable Development and the Energy and Security Group,
this report concludes that bioenergy can provide significant economic
and environmental opportunities for rural areas in West Africa finds
that donor and host country investments in bioenergy can reduce the
exposure of West African countries to high food and oil prices and open
up new economic opportunities in clean energy development.
The
report.
THE ROLE OF
AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGIES FOR PRODUCTION OF BIOENERGY IN DEVELOPING
COUNTRIES
(FAO, 2008)
This UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report is the background
document for an upcoming FAO e-mail conference that takes places from 10
November-7 December 2008. It provides an overview of the current status
regarding bioenergy, focusing on first and second generation liquid
biofuels, including the reasons for the major current focus on liquid
biofuels, as well as current concerns about them. It then considers some
of the potential ways in which biotechnologies could contribute to
bioenergy production, covering production of biomass as well as
conversion of the biomass to first or second generation liquid biofuels,
in addition to production of biodiesel from microalgae and production of
biogas.
The
document.
The
e-mail conference website.
CLIMATE CHANGE – CAN SOIL MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
(EC, October 2008)
The report is now available for the European Commission-sponsored
meeting of the same name. The meeting, which convened on 12 June 2008,
in Brussels, Belgium, heard statements from Luc Gnacadja, Executive
Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, and
Stavros Dimas, Commissioner for
the Environment, European Commission, among others. Speakers' overall
message was that
soil is part
of the climate change problem, but can – and must – also be part of the
solution. The extent to which soil-emitted greenhouse gases and the
processes leading to these emissions can be reduced requires further
work, but efforts to adopt sound soil management practices and maintain
carbon in soil can help to offset fossil fuel emissions. The
Conference website.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND DECISION MAKING
(US National Research Council, 2008)
This report by the US National Research Council, edited by
Thomas Dietz and Paul C.
Stern,
indicates that
well-designed public consultations improve environmental decision-making
and increase the legitimacy of the decisions for those affected by them,
making it more likely that the decisions will be implemented
effectively. The study finds that there is no single model for how to
involve the public in a decision-making process. The study describes how
to use consultation to enhance public trust and how to build and evolve
the process of public consultation to undertake better environmental
assessment. The report recommends that consultation should be fully
incorporated into environmental assessment as a mandatory part of the
process, not just a formality. The report also presents checklists of
requirements for best practice. The prepublication version is currently
freely
accessible.
USING
NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE REVENUES FOR SUSTAINABLE LOCAL DEVELOPMENT
(UNDESA, 2008)
This resource is the sixth issue of the Innovation Briefs series. The
brief presents
the performance and impacts of activities financed by
revenues from natural resources in selected African and Latin American
countries, identifies problem trends, and provides ideas on how to
improve the efficiency and equitable use of such revenues for
sustainable development. The
brief.
WORLD RESOURCES REPORT 2008:
ROOTS OF RESILIENCE
(WRI, UNEP, UNDP, World Bank, 2008)
The 2008 edition of the World Resources Report argues that properly
designed enterprises can create economic, social, and environmental
resilience that cushion the impacts of climate change, and help provide
needed social stability. It further states that increased resilience
should be part of the response to the risks of climate change, noting
that efforts that foster resilience chart the first steps on the path
out of poverty. The Report is a joint effort produced by the World
Resources Institute (WRI), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the UN
Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank. The
report.
TROPICAL
CYCLONES IN THE INDIAN OCEAN
(SciDev.Net, 2008)
SciDev.Net (the Science and Development Network) marked International
Day for Disaster Reduction with the released of this resource, a
collection of articles that spotlight tropical cyclone mitigation.
This free-access, online resource focuses on the impact
cyclones have in South Asia and how countries can better forecast,
prepare for and adapt to future cyclones, as well as cope with the
impacts of extreme events. It highlights lessons learned from countries
like Bangladesh, India and Madagascar. The
resource.
AVAILABLE ASSISTANCE TO AND MEASURES THAT MAY BE TAKEN BY DEVELOPING
STATES
(DOALOS, 2008; Document A/63/342)
This study was prepared by the UN Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law
of the Sea (DOALOS) and focuses on the least developed States and Small
Island Developing States (SIDS), as well as coastal African States, to
help them realize the benefits of sustainable and effective development
of marine resources and uses of the oceans within the limits of national
jurisdiction. The
study.
ORGANIC
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN AFRICA
(UNEP and UNCTAD, October 2008)
This report, published by the Capacity-building Task Force on Trade,
Environment and Development, discusses the many factors related to food
security and the impact of organic agriculture on food security in
Africa. The report analyzes fifteen cases from East Africa, which
suggest that organic farming can increase productivity and enable small
scale farmers to be more self-sufficient. The
report.
THE STATE OF
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2008 – BIOFUELS
(FAO, October 2008)
The 2008 edition of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization State of
the World's Food and Agriculture Report focuses on the prospects, risks
and opportunities for biofuels. The report addresses key questions
relating to the benefits and impacts of biofuel production and use,
including impacts on food security, land and water resources, as well as
contributions to greenhouse gas reduction and agricultural development.
The report assumes that biofuel demand will affect food prices for the
coming decade or longer. While higher food prices threaten the food
security of poor households in developing countries, they could offer an
opportunity for agricultural development if they are accompanied by
increased investments in research, institutions and infrastructure as
well as sound policies. It also points to the need to harmonize
approaches towards assessing greenhouse gas balances and other impacts,
and calls for investments in research and development of second
generation biofuels. The report stresses that blending mandates and
subsidies have resulted in a rush on biofuels in advance of actual
knowledge about their effects and impacts, and calls for their revision
and additional policy action to ensure they are produced in an
environmentally and socially sustainable manner.
FAO Press Release.
State of the World's Food and Agriculture Report.
FUELLING
DESTRUCTION IN LATIN AMERICA: THE REAL PRICE OF AGROFUELS
(Friends of the Earth International, 2008)
On the basis of a number of case studies regarding Latin and Central
America, this report concludes that the development of agrofuels is
unlikely to benefit people in Latin America, noting that rapid expansion
will increase preexisting social, environmental and human rights
problems enabling national, and increasingly international, agribusiness
and investors to profit. The
report.
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA 2008
(UNCTAD, September 2008)
This report, published by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD),
indicates that, despite of removal of trade barriers and two decades of
trade liberalization, Africa's market share has falled from 6% of world
exports in 1980 to about 3% in 2007. The report notes that Africa's
inability to produce quantity and quality to meet the demands of the
global market has been affected by the lack of: a well-trained
workforce; investments in research and development skills; investments
and banking services; and adequate infrastructure, such as reliable
electricity and transportation. The
report.
SANITATION AND THE MDGs: MAKING THE POLITICS
WORK
(ODI, September 2008)
The brief, written by Peter Newborne, investigates why progress on the
sanitation target is so slow, as reflected in the 2008 Joint Monitoring
Programme Report. The author indicates that the world will not achieve
the MDG sanitation target by 2015 and will miss the target by 700
million people. To put the MDG sanitation target back on track, renewed
political will is needed to prioritize sanitation issues. The
brief.
GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS: MONITORING AND ASSESSING IMPACT
TO INFORM POLICY RESPONSES
(IFPRI, 2008)
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has released an
advance copy of this report, which seeks to support national decision
makers and international development agencies in acquiring information
and applying methods for understanding the likely effects of a global
food crisis on their country, and acting to alleviate the risks and
exploit the opportunities brought about by such crises. The report
provides insight on the information and analytical tools that
national-level decision makers need to assess the risks and
opportunities posed to their country and citizens by a global food
crisis, to determine how they might respond to those risks and
opportunities, and to identify ways to monitor the impact of the food
crisis and the effects of policy responses. The
report.
BUILDING RESILIENCE: A HUMAN RIGHTS FRAMEWORK FOR
WORLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY
(Human Rights Council, 2008)
This report follows the May 2008 request of the Human Rights Council for
the Special Rapporteur to invite comments from States and other relevant
actors on the impact of the global food crisis on the protection of the
right to food and the required remedies from a human rights perspective.
The report calls on the Human Rights Council to, among other actions:
contribute to the discussion of a global partnership for agriculture and
food, ensuring that it includes attention to human rights dimensions;
encourage national strategies to realize the right to food; and
encourage an international consensus on agrofuels that avoids negative
impacts on food prices and ensures that their production respects the
full range of human rights. The
report.
POLITICAL SCIENCE?
STRENGTHENING SCIENCE–POLICY DIALOGUE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
(ODI, August 2008)
This report, authored by Nicola Jones, Harry Jones and Cora Walsh for
the Overseas Development Institute (ODI), examines the science–policy
interface in developing countries through a survey of 600 respondents
from researcher, policy-maker and intermediary organization communities
from the North and South. The study identifies a need to tackle systemic
barriers to institutionalizing evidence-informed policy processes in the
field of science, technology and innovation for development, and
identifies ways in which the quality of policy dialogues on science and
technology could be strengthened to enhance their value for pro-poor
sustainable development policy and practice. The
report.
PRELIMINARY REVIEW OF ADAPTATION OPTIONS FOR CLIMATE-SENSITIVE
ECOSYSTEMS AND RESOURCES
(USEPA, 2008)
This report is a contribution to the US Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) and
was developed by the Global Change Research Program in the US
Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Research and
Development. It is one of 21 synthesis and assessment products
commissioned by the CCSP. This report has been peer-reviewed and seeks
to provide the best-available science to date on management adaptations
for ecosystems and resources. The
report.
CLEAN
ENERGY INVESTMENT
(IISD, August 2008)
These reports are the product of a project that looked at investment for
clean energy infrastructure and technologies. Given the massive flows of
investment (both foreign and domestic) necessary to address climate
change and foster development in developing countries, the project
focused on barriers and opportunities for making those flows
materialize. It looked at domestic barriers and opportunities (supported
by three country studies), and at the potential of international
investment law to foster or frustrate clean energy investment. A
synthesis report and policy makers' summary pull together the project's
results, with some concluding thoughts about the direction and
deficiencies of existing efforts at clean energy investment and
technology transfer. The
reports.
TRADE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(IISD, August 2008)
In June 2008, IISD collaborated with the Government of Denmark, the
German Marshall Fund and the International Centre for Trade and
Sustainable Development to convene a major seminar on trade and climate
change in Copenhagen. The event's background papers have been revised
and finalized, and constitute excellent brief surveys of the key issues
in each of the six areas covered: Liberalization of Trade in
Environmental Goods for Climate Change Mitigation; Border Carbon
Adjustment; Embodied Carbon in Traded Goods; Climate Change, Technology
Transfer and Intellectual Property Rights; Clean Energy Investment, and;
Standards, Labelling and Certification. The
reports.
REFORMING ENERGY SUBSIDIES: OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE THE CLIMATE
CHANGE AGENDA
(UNEP-DTIE, 2008)
The UN Environment Programme's (UNEP) Division of Technology, Industry
and Economics (DTIE) produced this booklet to raise awareness of
energy subsidies and their impact. The publication highlights the
negative results that have been linked to energy subsidies, including
increased consumption and waste, burdened governments, and reduced
investments in renewable energy, and calls for action to facilitate
energy subsidy reform. The
booklet.
OPPORTUNITIES TO ACHIEVE POVERTY REDUCTION
AND CLIMATE CHANGE BENEFITS THROUGH LOW CARBON ENERGY ACCESS PROGRAMMES:
A REVIEW OF THE PORTFOLIO OF THE ASHDEN AWARDS FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY,
FOR THE DEPARTMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
(Ashden Awards, 2008)
The UK Department for International Development (DFID) commissioned this
study of international winners of the Ashden Awards for Sustainable
Energy. The study seeks to inform DFID and international development
partners of opportunities to scale up low carbon energy access programmes
in order to contribute to climate change mitigation, poverty reduction
and progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. The
report.
AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS, FACTS AND TRENDS
(WBCSD and IUCN, July 2008)
This report by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
and IUCN presents facts and figures on trends in agricultural production
and consumption to help governments, farmers, consumers and industry
better understand the challenges facing the sustainable management of
agricultural ecosystems, such as meeting demand form a fast growing
world population, adapting to impacts of climate change, and managing
natural resources of an increasingly depleted planet. The
report.
EXPLORING STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL R&D INVESTMENTS
IN EAST AND CENTRAL AFRICA
(IFPRI, 2008)
This paper, authored by Liangzhi You and Michael Johnson, presents a
methodology using spatial analysis and the Dynamic Research Evaluation
for Management (DREAM) modeling software, which was developed by IFPRI
to assess potential economic returns to agricultural R&D and guide
resource allocation decisions. DREAM is applied to the East and Central
African region to estimate potential economic and technological
spillovers from country- and regional-level R&D investments for select
commodities, based on future projections of supply and demand, trade
flows between countries and world markets, and shared agroecologies and
farming systems. The results indicate significant potential for
agricultural technology spillovers. Countries will therefore reap
greater economic benefits in their search for technology solutions if
they pool their resources and pursue regional initiatives for the common
good. The
paper.
ACCESS TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION IN UGANDA
(FIELD, July 2008)
This study assesses the laws and practices related to public access to
environmental information in Uganda. To review the quality and
implementation of the legal framework it uses a set of indicators
developed by The Access Initiative (TAI). These indicators are applied
with a special focus on forestry and oil exploitation. The
publication.
BROWSING ON FENCES: PASTORAL LAND RIGHTS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR
LIVELIHOODS AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
(IIED, May 2008)
This paper developed from an articulated process to address the rights
to land of pastoral groups, within a holistic perspective and accounting
for changes brought about by climate change. It brings together the
inputs of over 120 participants in a web-based forum organized in 2006
and managed by the International Land Coalition on pastoral land rights.
Further materials and lessons have been drawn from a number of projects
and experiences all around the world, in order to provide a
comprehensive update about the rights of nomadic and pastoralist groups
and natural resources. Elements for discussion were contributed by
another web-based forum organized by the World Initiative for
Sustainable Pastoralism in 2007, focusing on climate change, adaptation
and pastoralism, which received contributions from over 80 participants
belonging to or working with pastoral groups in different regions of the
world. The
paper.
FUELLING EXCLUSION? THE BIOFUELS BOOM AND POOR PEOPLE'S ACCESS TO LAND
(IIED, June 2008)
This study documents current knowledge on current and potential impacts
of commercial biofuel production for access to land in Africa, Latin
America and Asia, charting both negative experiences and promising
approaches. The
publication.
INFORMATION ON LAND: A COMMON ASSET AND STRATEGIC RESOURCE. THE CASE OF
BENIN
(IIED, May 2008)
This paper presents the legal framework and methods of producing
information about land in Benin, and looks at the complex modalities of
determining, recognizing and 'translating' rights in rural and urban
areas (the Rural Land Plan and Urban Land Registry). It provides
observations on several current issues, particularly the political and
administrative decentralization that is fundamentally changing the
country's institutional landscape. The
paper.
LAND
TENURE AND DECENTRALISATION: EXPERIENCE FROM SENEGAL
(IIED, May 2008)
This paper explores: how far the central
government and administration are prepared to go in involving local
people and local governments, and therefore what rights they grant them;
the competences and resources available to communities; and the human
and financial resources that local governments can call upon in order to
fulfill their roles. It discusses their effect on decentralization and
land management in Senegal. The
paper.
LEGAL EMPOWERMENT IN PRACTICE. USING LEGAL TOOLS TO SECURE LAND RIGHTS
IN AFRICA
(IIED, June 2008)
In March 2008, the Food and
Agriculture Organization of the UN, the International Institute for
Environment and Development, and the Faculty of Law of the University of
Ghana jointly organized an international workshop to promote exchange of
experience among practitioners in this field. During the two-day
workshop, some 25 practitioners from different parts of Africa, together
with a few practitioners and researchers from international institutions
and from Europe, shared lessons and learned from each others'
experiences with legal empowerment. This
report captures the highlights of workshop discussions.
SPRINGING BACK: CLIMATE RESILIENCE AT AFRICA'S
GRASSROOTS
(IIED, June 2008)
For poor people hit hard by the impacts, climate change is a
day-to-day reality. Faced with local shifts in weather patterns and
natural resources, they are forced to find ways of coping that are
locally relevant. This kind of experience, gained at the grassroots,
boosts resilience as no top-down initiative can. Three case studies from
rural communities in Benin, Kenya and Malawi show how it is done in this
resource.
URBANIZATION AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN
VIETNAM'S MEKONG DELTA: LIVELIHOOD TRANSFORMATIONS IN THREE
FRUIT-GROWING SETTLEMENTS
(IIED, May 2008)
The findings from this case study in three rural settlements in Vietnam
suggest that the main driver of rural development is a positive
reciprocal relationship between urban centres and farming and a strong
role for small towns in local economic growth and poverty reduction. The
main factors are: the growth of urban incomes throughout Vietnam,
resulting in higher standards of living, better diets and growing demand
for fresh fruit; and the increase in employment opportunities in
non-farm sectors, which allows farmers to diversify their income sources
and invest in fruit production. The
study.
ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF BIOFUEL SUPPORT POLICIES
(OECD, July 2008)
This report by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development
(OECD) indicates that biofuel production and use in OECD countries is
highly dependent on public funding and government support measures such
as tax concessions, direct financial support, minimum blending
requirements and import tariffs. It also shows that emission savings
from current biofuels are limited, while suggesting that related
policies will lead to increases in food prices, which are estimated to
amount to five percent for wheat, seven percent for maize and 19 percent
for vegetable oils. The report recommends, among other measures, that
governments focus on: policies to encourage lower energy consumption;
redirecting support towards more efficient biofuels; and research and
development for second generation biofuels that do not require commodity
feedstocks. The
report.
WORLD
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SURVEY 2008: OVERCOMING ECONOMIC INSECURITY
(UNDESA, July 2008)
This annual report, produced by the UN Department of Economic and
Scocial Affairs (UNDESA), focuses on issues that impact economic
security, including macroeconomic and financial shocks, natural
disasters, conflict and poverty. The report notes that current global
economic insecurity prevails despite strong growth in recent years and a
decline in economic volatility. The
report.
FOCUS ON
A
GREEN REVOLUTION FOR AFRICA
(New Agriculturist, July 2008)
This edition of New Agriculturist reviews different approaches with a
potential for raising agricultural productivity in Africa. The articles
highlight that achieving an African green revolution will be harder and
more complex than the green revolution in Asia and a one-size-fits-all
approach will not work. They stress that technology alone will also not
provide the answers, and present a range of case studies of how
innovative approaches can help to increase agricultural production. The
issue.
HIGH-LEVEL TASK FORCE ON THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS: COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK
FOR ACTION
(UN Chief Executives Board, July 2008)
This framework sets out the joint position of the UN Secretary-General's
High-Level Task Force on actions to: address current threats and
opportunities resulting from rising food prices; create policy changes
to avoid future food crises; and contribute to country, regional and
global food and nutritional security. The actions proposed seek to meet
the immediate needs of vulnerable populations and to build long-term
resilience to food and nutrition security. The
report.
PROGRESS
ON DRINKING WATER AND SANITATION
(UNICEF and WHO, July 2008)
This
UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) and
the UN World Health Organization (WHO) report finds that, despite recent
progress, more than 2.5 billion people lack access to improved
sanitation, while nearly 1.2 billion people defecate without sanitary
facilities, posing a major health threat to their communities.
At
present, 87% of the world's population can access improved water sources
with the figure expected to rise to 90% by 2015. The report also
indicates that rural dwellers without access to improved water sources
outnumber their urban counterparts by four to one. The
report.
FOOD SECURITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE: THE ANSWER IS
BIODIVERSITY
(Greenpeace, June 2008)
This report suggests that a review of recent scientific literature
underlines that the most effective strategy to adapt agriculture to
climate change is to increase biodiversity. A mix of different crops and
varieties in one field is a proven and highly reliable farming method to
increase resilience to erratic weather changes. The report further notes
that the best way to increase stress tolerance in single varieties are
modern breeding technologies that do not entail genetic engineering,
such as marker assisted selection. The
report.
INVESTING IN
AGRICULTURE TO OVERCOME THE WORLD FOOD CRISIS AND REDUCE POVERTY AND
HUNGER
(IFPRI, June 2008)
This International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) report,
authored by Shenggen Fan and Mark W. Rosegrant, notes that investing in
agriculture is key to reducing poverty and hunger in developing
countries and is an essential element in addressing the current food
price crisis. Yet, although numerous studies have attempted to estimate
the costs involved in achieving MDG1, none includes agricultural growth
requirements or quantifies the public resources needed to support that
growth. The required growth and financial resources vary based on past
progress in poverty reduction and the role of agriculture in the overall
economy. IFPRI's analyses address some of these gaps by simulating
required total and incremental agricultural spending using two different
approaches: (1) Public investment requirements based on alternative
scenario simulations. (2) Public investment requirements based on
growth-poverty elasticities. The
report.
TRACING
POWER AND INFLUENCE IN NETWORKS: NET-MAP AS A TOOL FOR RESEARCH AND
STRATEGIC NETWORK PLANNING
(IFPRI, 2008)
This International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) report,
authored by Eva Schiffer and Douglas Waale, notes that, believing that
stakeholders should have a say in policies that concern them,
policymakers have begun to promote the development of stakeholder forums
and organizations to address governance issues such as water management.
This paper presents an innovative empirical research
toolNet-Mapdeveloped to better understand multi-stakeholder governance
by gathering in-depth information about governance networks, goals of
actors, and their power and influence. Researchers and implementers
alike can use Net-Map to collect qualitative and quantitative
information in a structured and comparable way. It can be used both as a
research tool and as an instrument for organizational development and
strategic network planning. A case study on the development of a
multi-stakeholder water governance body in northern Ghana illustrates
the application of this research method. The method can be used on many
different levels, from the community, to national or even international
levels. The
report.
CLIMATE CHANGE POLICIES IN THE ASIA-PACIFIC: RE-UNITING CLIMATE CHANGE
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
(IGES, June 2008)
This paper proposes climate strategies that fully take into account the
needs of developing countries in Asia and the Pacific. It looks at the
impact of climate change in the Asia-Pacific region and current policies
from various aspects such as international framework, market mechanisms,
forestry, biofuels, waste, water and business, and sets out policy
recommendations that integrate climate change policies and sustainable
development and shows the way for new development towards the
realisation of a low-carbon society. The
paper.
GLOBAL TRENDS
IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT 2008
(UNEP, July 2008)
This analysis by the UN Environment Programme shows a surge in renewable
energy investments in 2007, driven by oil prices and concerns about both
climate change and energy security. The report also highlights the
increasing proportion of investment in China, India and Brazil. The
report
(requires free registration).
REGIONAL
EUROMEDITERRANEAN PROGRAMME FOR THE ENVIRONMENT (SMAP)
(SMAP, 2008)
The SMAP programme constitutes the environmental component of the
Euro
Mediterranean Partnership. It builds on the Barcelona
Declaration. It has recently launched a weekly Press Review service,
which check press sites across the Mediterranean region for environment
news. The
resource.
CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTATION IN AFRICAN
AGRICULTURE
(Stockholm Environment Institute, 2008)
The Stockholm Environment Institute has published a policy brief and
report on how climate science could be better used for supporting
adaption in African agriculture. The
policy brief. The
full report.
INTRODUCING A GENETICALLY MODIFIED BANANA IN UGANDA: SOCIAL BENEFITS,
COSTS, AND CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS
(IFPRI, 2008)
This resource, authored by Enoch Kikulwe, Justus Wesseler and Jose Falck
Zepeda, examines potential social welfare impacts of adopting
genetically modified (GM) bananas in Uganda, with three objectives.
First, the paper suggests and applies an approach to calculate
reversible and irreversible benefits and costs of introducing GM banana.
Second, it suggests an approach for assessing producer/consumer
preferences and willingness to pay for introducing a GM banana. Finally,
the paper discusses the main implications for biosafety decision making
for GM crops in Uganda. Results of MISTICs estimation (maximum
incremental sociaResults imply that although GM bananas promise vast
benefits, realization of those benefits depends on consumers'
perceptions and attitudes and the willingness to pay for the GM
technology. The
resource.
SDIN WEBSITE
(SDIN, 2008)
The Sustainable Development Issues Network (SDIN) is a collaborative
effort of three large international networks - TWN, ELCI and ANPED - to
form a global NGO network whose purpose is to promote good governance,
and enhanced awareness and knowledge about environmental and sustainable
development processes and to ensure global quality NGO participation in
these global processes within the intergovernmental systems, primarily
within the UN. The
website.
Biofuel and
global biodiversity
(Institute for Agriculture
and Trade Policy, April 2008)
This paper, written by D. Keeney and C. Nanninga, analyzes how biofuels
are changing land-use patterns in many regions around the world. The
paper suggests that the impacts of biofuels are more symptomatic of
inappropriate agricultural production systems and policies, and
recommends protecting native ecosystems and indigenous lands, making
sustainability a priority for all biofuel production, and taking
advantage of this opportunity to redesign the agricultural and energy
sectors. The
paper.
Helping people build a better
world? Barriers to more environmentally friendly energy production in
China
(Fridtjof Nansen Institute, March 2008)
This report, written by Inga F. Buan, analyzes the changes in the Shell
Group since the 1990s, when energy companies started their greening
processes due to environmental legislation, civil society pressure and
media scrutiny. The report suggests that the role of the state,
short-term economic perspectives, and conflicts of interest are the main
barriers to adopting more environmentally-friendly energy production in
the case of Shell China. The
report.
HIGH FOOD PRICES: THE WHAT, WHO, AND HOW OF PROPOSED POLICY ACTIONS
(IFPRI, 2008)
This paper, authored by Joachim von Braun et al., offers an
action plan to combat the global food price crisis. It
calls for an "emergency package" to stem the tide of the humanitarian
crisis and a "resilience package" to strengthen the capacity of poor
people and developing countries to meet their own needs, and outlines
who should do what, and how. The
resource.
Energy Security and Sustainable Development in Asia
and the Pacific
(UNESCAP, April 2008)
This report notes that energy security and sustainable development are
high in the global agenda due to: the impact of volatile energy prices;
high demand for energy security; and concerns over environmental
sustainability and the global climate. The report notes that, in Asia
and the Pacific, about 1.7 billion people still rely on traditional
biomass for cooking and heating, and almost 1 billion lack electricity.
This leads to socio-economic costs, imposing a heavy burden on women's
time, with implications for the achievement of the MDGs. The
report.
Rising food prices: A global crisis
(ODI,
April 2008)
This paper, written by Steve Wiggins and Stephanie Levy,
examines the cause of rising food prices and expected trends. The
authors note that, on the supply side, rising oil prices have led to
increases in costs for fertilizers, machine operations and transport.
Oil prices have also pushed for biofuels production, adding pressure on
grain commodities. On the demand side, India's and China's growing
consumption of meat and dairy products has led to increased feeding of
grains to livestock. These pressures have had an impact on food
security, particularly for the poor. The
paper.
GENDER AND EQUITY
ISSUES IN LIQUID BIOFUELS PRODUCTION - MINIMIZING THE RISKS TO MAXIMIZE
THE OPPORTUNITIES
(FAO, 2008)
This paper on gender and equity issues in liquid biofuels production was
prepared at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) by the UN in
Gender Equity and Rural Employment Division. The paper discusses the
potential gender-differentiated risks of large-scale liquid biofuels
production in developing countries, particularly in terms of food
security, and suggests research and policy strategies to better
understand and address these risks. The
paper.
RISING FOOD PRICES: DRIVERS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR
DEVELOPMENT
(Chatham House, 2008)
This paper, authored by Alex Evans, suggests that a revolution in
agriculture will be needed to meet a projected 50% increase in demand
for food by 2030. The paper argues that immediate action on humanitarian
assistance needs to be matched by a sustained effort to invest in shared
awareness between policymakers of what needs to be done to achieve "the
feeding of the ten billion." The
paper.
RESPONSIBLE ENTERPRISE, FOREIGN DIRECT
INVESTMENT AND INVESTMENT PROMOTION
(IIED, April 2008)
Authored by Annie Dufey and Maryanne Grieg-Gran, this book brings
together a series of papers identifying opportunities for Investment
Promotion Agencies (IPAs) to attract foreign direct investment (FDI)
associated with positive contributions to sustainable development and
good corporate social responsibility practices. It points to a number of
opportunities for IPAs in attracting FDI with good CSR practices and
highlights key leverage points and practical tools to achieve this. The
book.
A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE POLAR REGIONS
(IIED, April 2008)
This brief looks at issues such as pollution from opening up of marine
transport routes, exploitation of natural resources, and the risks of
marine acidification, the migration of commercial fish species and
coastal erosion. It describes how a coherent strategy for sustainable
development is needed and could be achieved through adapting the
framework and methodologies of National Sustainable Development
Strategies (NSDSs). The
brief.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT REPORT FOR AFRICA
(UNECA, May 2008)
The report provides a Five-Year Review of the Implementation of the
World Summit on Sustainable Development Outcomes in Africa. It reflects
on the relationship between poverty reduction and global security, and
places the achievement of the MDGs as a priority for international
efforts to reduce conflict and terrorism. The report advocates
interlinkages between social, economic and political dynamics. The
report.
STATUS REPORT ON IWRM AND
WATER EFFICIENCY PLANS FOR CSD16
(UN-Water, 2008)
This new report aims to illustrate progress made on meeting the target
to "Develop integrated water resources management and water efficiency
plans by 2005, with support to developing countries, through actions at
all levels" which was agreed as part of the Johannesburg Plan
of Implementation during the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable
Development. The new report is based on a survey covering 104 States and
recognizes that countries use different terminology for their water
resources management plans. It provides an objective and comprehensive
overview of the current status of water resources management and
includes information gathered by the more informal surveys conducted
earlier by the Global Water Partnership and the African Development
Bank. The
report.
INDIGENOUS AND TRADITIONAL PEOPLES AND CLIMATE
CHANGE
(IUCN, March 2008)
This study seeks to better understand the potential impacts of climate
change on the livelihoods and cultures of indigenous and traditional
communities, and develops related recommendations, including: formulate
policies that actively involve indigenous and traditional communities in
the international, regional and local climate change discourse;
recognize and actively promote indigenous adaptation strategies; and
monitor the implications of mitigation efforts including the Clean
Development Mechanism (CDM) and Reduced Emissions from Deforestation in
Developing countries (REDD) on indigenous and traditional peoples. The
report.
THE
MULTILATERAL TRADE AND INVESTMENT CONTEXT FOR BIOFUELS: ISSUES AND
CHALLENGES
(Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
and International Institute for Environment and Development, 2008)
This paper, authored by Sophia Murphy, outlines the different interests
of the largest global players in the biofuel market, including the US,
EU and Brazil, and analyzes biofuel trade within the context of World
Trade Organization rules governing agriculture, environmental goods,
services, patents and investment. The
resource.
ADAPTNET
(Nautilus Institute at RMIT University, Australia)
AdaptNet is a free weekly newsletter that provides links to the five
best climate change papers that the service finds for that week.
AdaptNet. To
subscribe. Archives in
English,
Vietnamese and
Bahasa Indonesian.
UN/CIVIL SOCIETY
ENGAGEMENT: YEAR IN REVIEW 2007
(UN NGLS, 2008)
The UN Non-Governmental Liaison Service's Year in Review 2007 is an
online publication that reviews civil society interaction with the UN
during 2007. The 2007 edition includes several first time entries: the
new functions of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which are the
Development Cooperation Forum and the Annual Ministerial Review; the
Peacebuilding Commission, which adopted its general principles for civil
society participation; and the first Civil Society Development Forum.
The
publication.
INTERLINKAGES AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MULTILATERAL ENVIRONMENTAL
AGREEMENTS
(United Nations
University, April 2008)
This book seeks to fill the existing gaps in knowledge and policy-making
with regard to the need for greater coordination and synergies among
environmental institutions, policies and legal instruments, particularly
focusing on international law. It also
provides a framework for measuring the effectiveness of multilateral
environmental agreements (MEAs) and shows how the effectiveness of MEAs
can be improved by interlinkages. The
report.
Accra 2008: The bumpy road to aid effectiveness in
agriculture
(ODI, April 2008)
This issue is part of the Overseas Development Institute's (ODI) Natural
Resource Perspective series. It is written by Lídia Cabral and focuses
on the principles of the Paris Declaration to improve the effectiveness
of aid. The author argues that, although the principles are sound, they
are not adaptable to challenges faced by different development sectors
such as agriculture. The paper sets out areas requiring focused
attention in the run-up to Accra 2008. The
brief.
GLOBAL MONITORING REPORT 2008:
MDGS AND THE ENVIRONMENT – AGENDA FOR INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
(IMF and World Bank, 2008)
This joint report prepared by the World Bank and IMF contains two main
parts: monitoring the MDGs and a special focus on climate change. The
report monitors both achievement of goals and policies, and it proposes
a policy agenda to expedite progress toward the MDGs and to ensure their
sustainability. It asserts that, for developing countries, the best way
to reduce their vulnerability to the impact of climate change is to
diversify their economies, strengthen infrastructure, and develop health
systems. The
report.
MDG REPORTS AND
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES: A DESK REVIEW
(UNFPII, February 2008)
This desk review analyzes recent achievements and challenges of
indigenous peoples by examining available data contained in the MDG
Reports of Guyana, Kenya, Myanmar, Nepal, Russian Federation, South
Africa, Suriname, Thailand, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. The study addresses
whether indigenous peoples are taken into account in the context of the
overall MDG reports, if there are any benchmarks generated, and if the
participation of indigenous peoples in the process of developing
interventions and programmes is taken into consideration. The
report.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION AND UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME WORKING
TOGETHER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
(European Communities, 2008)
This brochure highlights collaboration between the European Commission
and the UN Environmental Programme at the global and regional level,
including international environmental governance, sustainable
consumption and production, chemicals management, protecting
biodiversity, water and sanitation, and post conflict environmental
actions. The
brochure.
MAKING SENSE
OF THE VOLUNTARY CARBON MARKET: A COMPARISON OF CARBON OFFSET STANDARDS
(Stockholm Environmental Institute, 2008)
This report discusses the role of the voluntary carbon offset market,
and provides an overview and guide to the most important currently
available standards, using the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) as a
benchmark. The
report.
AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE: LAW ENFORCEMENT,
NATIONAL SECURITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(Oxford
Research Group, UK, 2008)
This briefing paper focuses on the interlinkages between climate change,
instability and the responsibility to protect, by exploring the social
tensions, in terms of e.g. radical changes in lifestyle and mass
migration, that could arise from climate change, in addition to
describing possible challenges for national security and the military.
The paper also contends that at each stage of this "process" from
climate change, to socio-economic impacts and security consequences,
there are opportunities for prevention, mitigation and adaptation. The
briefing paper.
CLEARINGHOUSE FOR NATIONAL SCP PROGRAMMES
(UNEP, February 2008)
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has developed an online
clearinghouse for national sustainable consumption and production (SCP)
programmes, through a UK Government funded project to develop guidelines
for national programmes on SCP. The database contributes to the UN
Marrakech Process on SCP, and offers users the opportunity to search
programme criteria including priority areas, status, type of programme,
region and country name. Query results are displayed as country lists
that link to individual national programme summaries. Relevant national
SCP documents are also available for download in several languages. The
clearinghouse.
IEA ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY DATABASES
(IEA, 2008)
The International Energy Agency (IEA) collaborates with governments to
collect and classify national policies on climate change mitigation,
renewable energy and energy efficiency, and makes available online
databases of these policies. The IEA has recently updated its Energy
Efficiency Database and the Renewable Energy Database. The
Energy Efficiency Database. The
Renewable Energy Database.
2008 OECD
ENVIRONMENTAL OUTLOOK
(OECD, 2008)
The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development's (OECD) 2008
Environmental Outlook predicts world GDP will almost double by 2030 and
notes that it would cost just over 1% of that growth to implement
environmental safeguards, slowing world economic growth by about 0.3% a
year. It singles out priority areas where immediate global action is
needed, including climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity,
pollution and chemicals, and recommends a mix of policies, including
green taxes, efficient water pricing, emissions trading, waste charges
and eliminating environmentally harmful subsidies for fossil fuels and
agriculture. The
resource.
Coping with water scarcity in
developing countries: What role for agricultural biotechnologies?
(FAO, 2007)
This document provides a summary of the moderated e-mail conference,
hosted by the FAO Biotechnology Forum from 5 March to 1 April 2007, on
the role agricultural biotechnologies can play in helping developing
countries cope with water scarcity. The summary outlines the main issues
discussed during this e-mail conference, namely the application of
biotechnologies to develop crops with improved drought resistance or
water-use efficiency; the use of bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi in
water-limited conditions; and the use of biotechnology in wastewater
treatment. The
summary.
FINANCING ENERGY EFFICIENCY: LESSONS FROM BRAZIL, CHINA, INDIA AND
BEYOND
(World Bank, 2008)
This World Bank book focuses on China,
India, and Brazil as three of the globe's top 10 energy consumers. The
book draws on the results of a multiyear,
global technical assistance effort known as the Three Country
Energy Efficiency Project, a joint initiative
of the World Bank, the UN Environment Programme's Denmark-based Risoe
Centre (URC), and partners in Brazil, China, and India. It looks at the
different ways of financing energy efficiency, including: ESCOs (energy
service companies) that work with businesses or governments to identify
and design energy efficiency projects, arrange financing, and implement
the projects; energy efficiency loan financing and loan guarantees to
encourage commercial banks to lend money for energy efficiency projects;
and using energy distribution utilities to finance and implement an
energy efficiency programme. The book emphasizes that any financing
approach requires thorough knowledge of the local institutional
environment and enough flexibility to adjust a program or customize it
as it is being scaled up. The
book.
REN21 RENEWABLES 2007
GLOBAL STATUS REPORT
(REN21, 2008)
This report was prepared by the Renewable Energy Network for the 21st
Century (REN21), in collaboration with the Worldwatch Institute and
involving an international team of 140 researchers and contributors. The
report paints an encouraging picture of rapidly expanding renewable
energy markets, policies, industries, and rural applications around the
world. The
report.
WATER
ALTERNATIVES: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL ON WATER, POLITICS AND
DEVELOPMENT
(Water Alternatives, 2008)
This online, free journal will include articles addressing
water resources development, management and
use, and their relations with society and the environment. It will be
published three times a year, with the first issue to be released 1 June
2008. The
journal.
MEA LEAGUE TABLES
(Stakeholder Forum, 2008)
In this resource, the Stakeholder Forum ranks countries according to
their ratification of five Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs):
Biosafety Protocol,
Kyoto Protocol, Rotterdam Convention on the International Trade of
Hazardous Chemicals, Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants, and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The
tables.
BIOFUELS: MAKING TOUGH CHOICES
(IIED, February 2008)
Authored by Sonja Vermeulen, Annie Dufey and Bill Vorley, this opinion
piece looks at the serious trade-offs involved in the production and use
of biomass-derived alternatives to fossil fuels. It provides a "decision
tree" to guide the interdependent processes of deliberation and analysis
needed for making tough choices in national biofuels development. The
paper.
HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT IN INDIA: A SECTOR ASSESSMENT
(ADB, 2007)
India's vast hydropower potential can contribute to the country's energy
security in an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible
manner. Hydropower projects also contribute to irrigation, flood control
and river navigation, among others. This report provides an assessment
of the hydropower development potential in India and highlights how
water can provide power for all by 2012. The
report.
MANUAL ON THE RIGHT TO WATER AND SANITATION
(Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, 2007)
This Manual, which has been produced by the Centre on Housing Rights and
Evictions, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the
American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Science and
Human Rights Programme and the UN Human Settlements Programme
(UN-HABITAT), offers a tool to assist policy makers and practitioners as
they develop strategies for implementing the human right to water and
sanitation. The
manual.
WATER AND
ENERGY FUTURES IN AN URBANISED ASIA: SUSTAINING THE TIGER
(Center for Strategic and International Studies,
2007)
This paper addresses the problems of water shortages in Asia, noting
that, in spite of Asia's bleak environment picture, there are
opportunities for actualizing sustainable development in the region,
especially in the fields of technology and governance. The paper also
proposes new approaches to environmental governance that can be
implemented in China and neighboring developing countries. The
paper.
STRENGTHENING EFFORTS TO ERADICATE POVERTY AND HUNGER:
DIALOGUES AT THE ECONOMIC AND
SOCIAL COUNCIL
(OESC/DESA, 2007)
This book presents an overview of the key debates that took place during
the Economic and Social Council meetings at the 2007 High-level Segment,
at which the Annual Ministerial Review and Development Cooperation Forum
were launched. The
book.
DROUGHT
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION
(Oxfam, 2008)
This study is the result of a three-way collaboration between Oxfam in
Viet Nam, the International Environment and Disaster Management (IEDM)
laboratory of the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES),
Kyoto University, Japan, and the People's Committee of Ninh Thuan. It
considers some aspects of the recent droughts in the Mekong region and
tries to discover what could be the reasons behind them and how best
they could be mitigated. The
study.
THE CLIMATE
REGIME BEYOND 2012: RECONCILING ASIAN DEVELOPMENTAL PRIORITIES AND
GLOBAL CLIMATE INTERESTS
(IGES, 2008)
This report summarizes the findings from the third round of the
Asia-Pacific multi-stakeholder consultations on the climate regime
beyond 2012 (held in New Delhi and Beijing), organized by the Institute
for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES). Participants discussed four
specific themes of importance to the region and the future climate
regime: sectoral approaches; technology development and transfer;
adaptation financing and mainstreaming; and developmental co-benefits of
climate actions. The report also proposes recommendations for
strengthening the future climate regime from an Asian Perspective. The
report.
INTERNATIONAL
JOURNAL OF THE COMMONS
(IJC, 2008)
Volume 2, Number 1 of this issue of International Journal of the
Commons, a peer-reviewed, open-source journal, was guest-edited by
Fikret Berkes. It considers a variety of conceptual perspectives and
lessons from cases to deal with the problems of a globalized,
multi-level world, and aims to contribute to extending and elaborating
commons theory; understanding the issue of scale and institutional
linkages; and understanding multi-level governance of a commons with
state, private and civil society actors. The
journal.
PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE AND THE MILLENIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS (MDGs)
(UNDESA, 2007)
This publication, by the UN
Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA),
is based on the Expert Group Meeting on Engaged Governance: Citizen
Participation in the Implementation of the Development Agenda including
the MDGs, held in November 2006. The report evaluates the implementation
of development targets such as the MDGs.
The report advocates that, in order for the development agenda to
succeed, it will be required to redefine the relationship between
government and civil society, deepening citizens' participation and
attaining good governance. The
report.
Civic
Engagement in Public Policies: A Toolkit
(UNDESA, 2007)
This toolkit, by UNDESA, provides
guidance and step-by-step approaches on successful methodologies and
techniques for effective social mobilization programmes in the public
sector. It draws lessons from various cases around the world, describing
strategies of participation relevant to policy-making and participatory
budgeting. The
toolkit.
WATER
IMPLICATIONS OF BIOFUELS PRODUCTION IN THE UNITED STATES
(National Research Council, 2007)
This study was written by a US National Research Council
committee that was convened to look at how
shifts in US agriculture to include more energy crops, and potentially
more crops overall, could affect water management and long-term
sustainability of biofuel production. Among its findings, the committee
found that agricultural shifts to growing corn and expanding biofuel
crops into regions with little agriculture, especially dry areas, could
change current irrigation practices and greatly increase pressure on
water resources in many parts of the US. The
study.
CAN CHINA CONTINUE
FEEDING ITSELF? THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE
(World Bank, 2007)
This paper by the World Bank's Sustainable Rural and Urban Development
Team looks at the supply and demand for food in China, in light of
near-future expected changes in climate, and examines the effect of
temperature and precipitation on net crop revenues. The analysis
suggests that global warming is likely to be harmful to China, but the
impacts are likely to be different in each region. The paper estimates
that the likely gains realized by some farmers will nearly offset the
losses to other farmers in China: the mid-latitude region of China may
benefit from warming but the southern and northern regions are likely to
be damaged. However, the study does not capture the effects of changed
water-flow, which, if they occur, could lead to large damages not
addressed in this study. The
study.
WORLD ECONOMIC
SITUATION AND PROSPECTS 2008
(UN, 2008)
The World Economic Situation and Prospects 2008 report cautions that the
global economy will face serious challenges as a result of the end of
the housing bubble in the US, the decline of the US dollar vis-à-vis
other major currencies, and the persistence of large global imbalances
and high oil prices. It also notes that net real official development
assistance (ODA) disbursements continue to be below the 0.7 percent
target formulated in the Monterrey Consensus. Moreover, ODA flows
included substantial net debt-relief grants, contradictory to the
commitments made by donor countries as part of the Monterrey Consensus,
which provided that debt relief would be additional to conventional
forms of ODA. The
report.
BIODIVERSITY AND SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION: A QUALIFIED ANALYSIS AND
UNQUALIFIED SUGGESTIONS
(ANPED, 2008)
This report compares the place biodiversity and consumption hold in the
overall sustainable development discourse, and focuses on the known
reasons for biodiversity loss and how they could be influenced by
sustainable consumption. The report concludes that the discussion about
biodiversity policy must no longer be restricted to the levels of nature
protection efforts, but should address the drivers behind the pressures
leading to biodiversity loss. The
report.
GENETICALLY MODIFIED FOOD AND
INTERNATIONAL TRADE: THE CASE OF INDIA, BANGLADESH, INDONESIA, AND THE
PHILIPPINES
(IFPRI, December 2007)
Genetically modified (GM) food crops have the potential to raise
agricultural productivity in Asian countries, but they also pose risks
for market access losses in sensitive importing countries. This new
paper from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
examines the potential economic effects of trade-related regulations on
the adoption of new GM food crops resistant to biotic or abiotic stress
(such as drought resistant rice) in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and
the Philippines. The simulation results show that the gains associated
with GM food crops largely exceed the potential trade losses these
countries may incur. Segregation of non-GM food for exports can help
reduce potential commercial risk for countries willing to adopt GM
crops. Adopting GM crops also allows net importing countries to greatly
reduce their imports. The
discussion paper.
UTRECHT
NIJMEGEN PROGRAMME ON PARTNERSHIPS
(UNPOP, 2007)
The Utrecht Nijmegen Programme on Partnerships (UNPOP), a joint research
programme of Utrecht University and Radboud University Nijmegen,
examines the topic of partnerships for sustainable development and
offers access to many of its academic publications through its website.
Articles include "Partnerships for sustainable development: a review of
current literature," authored by Van Huijstee, Francken and Leroy, and
"Partnerships in Forest Governance," by Visseren-Hamakers and Glasbergen.
The
website.
SCIDEV.NET
SPOTLIGHT ON BIOFUEL R&D
(SciDev.Net, December 2007)
This resource looks at biofuels research and development in the
developing world. The
resource.
TROUBLE
IN PARADISE: TOURISM AND INDIGENOUS LAND RIGHTS - TOGETHER TOWARDS
ETHICAL SOLUTIONS: THE IMPACT OF ECOTOURISM ON INDIGENOUS RIGHTS
(Minority Rights Group
International, 2007)
This briefing paper argues that many indigenous
communities who traditionally occupied current ecotourism destinations
have been evicted in order to create these spaces, thus limiting their
access to ancestral land and undermining their traditional livelihoods.
The paper concludes that ecotourism stakeholders must strive to ensure
that global standards are established, monitored and met, to ensure that
those affected by ecotourism may benefit. The
briefing paper.
Realising gender in agricultural
policies: The fight for equality is not over
(Overseas Development Institute, December 2007)
This briefing, authored by Rebecca Holmes and Rachel Slater, addresses
the barriers that women face in agriculture. The authors provide
evidence that greater gender equality is likely to increase efficiency
and productivity in the agricultural sector. The
briefing.
LAW,
ENVIRONMENT AND DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL (LEAD JOURNAL)
(LEAD, 2007)
Volume 3/3 of this peer-reviewed, biannual academic publication offers
articles on sustainable development-related challenges and actions in
Uganda, Kiribati and Cameroon, book reviews of a compendium
of sustainable development land use laws and an edited volume on
multilevel governance of global environmental change, and full text of
Tanzania's 2004 Environmental Management Act and the Philippines 2006
Biofuels Act.
volume 3/3.
If you
would like to submit details of
recently published documents and online resources,
send a message to
Diego Noguera, IISD
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