A SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ROADMAP FOR THE WTO
(IISD, November
2009)
This book,
launched at the WTO on the eve of the Organization's 2009 Ministerial
Conference, argues that the WTO has committed to helping achieve
sustainable development, and asks what the institution would look like
it the members took that goal seriously. It surveys current practice and
recommendations in areas as diverse as accession, dispute settlement,
negotiations, trade and environment, trade and development and the
process of self-assessment. At once a blueprint for institutional
reform and a positive vision, the book calls for a process to begin
helping the WTO achieve its full potential for economic, social and
environmental progress. The
book.
THE WAY FORWARD:
RESEARCHING THE ENVIRONMENT AND MIGRATION NEXUS
(UNU-IEHS, 2009)
This
brief, written by Marc Stal and Koko Warner and published by the United
Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security (UNU-IEHS),
focuses on the links and implications of climate change and
environmental degradation for migration and policy. It recommends that
research should focus on providing best practice solutions as well as a
set of options to manage the impacts of environmentally induced, in
particular climate-related, migration. The
brief.
AFRICA'S
INFRASTRUCTURE: A TIME FOR TRANSFORMATION
(AU, AfDB, Development Bank of Southern
Africa, Infrastructure Consortium for Africa, NEPAD, and the World Bank,
2009)
This report indicates that Africa has the
weakest infrastructure in the world, and in some countries in Africa
people often pay twice as much for basic services as elsewhere. The
report looks at four sectors, including energy, water, transport, and
ICT, which are critical to promote economic growth and reduce poverty.
The report suggests that US$93 billion is needed to improve Africa's
infrastructure, with half of the investments to facilitate access to
energy. The
report.
WORLD ENERGY OUTLOOK
2009 (WEO-2009)
(IEA, 2009)
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its annual flagship
publication ahead of schedule this year to make it available to policy
makers and negotiators in the run up to the 15th session of the
Conference of the Parties (COP-15) to the UNFCCC, scheduled to be held
in December in Copenhagen, Denmark. The 696-page document paints a broad
picture of the global energy situation in 2009, evaluates the mixed
blessing that global economic decline has provided for global energy
hopes and needs, and focuses almost solely on the climate challenge as
it relates to global energy trends.
World Energy Outlook.
Executive Summary.
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION TRENDS AND
PROJECTIONS IN EUROPE
(EEA, 2009)
This publication by the
European Environment Agency examines historic and projected trends of
greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. It also assesses the current and
projected progress of EU Member States, EU candidate countries and other
EEA member countries towards their respective targets under the Kyoto
Protocol and under EU commitments for 2020. The
report.
PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS: SUCCESS STORIES IN
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION AND FOOD SECURITY
(FAO, November 2009)
This report, by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
highlights good practices on reducing hunger, transforming the
agriculture sector, and enhancing smallholder productivity. The report
notes that 85 percent of farms are less than 2 hectares, and emphasizes
the importance of a strategy that supports smallholder farmers to fight
hunger and poverty. Examples of countries that have developed innovative
approaches to empowering and supporting smallholders are provided. The
report.
CROP PROSPECTS AND FOOD SITUATION
(FAO, November 2009)
This report, published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO),
states that, despite a good cereal harvest in 2009, food prices still
remain high for poor countries that are net importers, and 31 countries
around the world require external assistance because of critical food
insecurity. The report notes that, in the group of 77 Low-Income
Food-Deficit countries, food prices remain significantly higher than in
the pre-food price crisis period of two years earlier, which continues
to give rise to concern for the food security of vulnerable populations.
The
report.
FOOD SECURITY AND AGRICULTURAL MITIGATION IN
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES: OPTIONS FOR CAPTURING SYNERGIES
(FAO, October 2009)
This paper, by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), explores
potential synergies between food security, adaptation and climate change
mitigation from land-based agricultural practices in developing
countries. The paper calls for a holistic vision of food security,
agricultural mitigation, adaptation and development in order to maximize
synergies and minimize trade-offs. It recommends that a work programme
on agriculture to be initiated within the UNFCCC Subsidiary Body for
Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA), in collaboration with FAO,
and the roll-out of country-led pilots to build readiness, confidence
and capacity for implementation of nationally appropriate agricultural
mitigation action. The
paper.
ROADMAP FOR RECOVERY TOURISM & TRAVEL: A PRIMARY VEHICLE FOR JOB
CREATION AND ECONOMIC RECOVERY
(UNWTO, October 2009)
This roadmap, endorsed by the 18th session of the World Tourism
Organization General Assembly (UNWTO), underscores the importance of the
sector for job creation, trade and development, and highlights that
tourism should be integrated into national, regional and international
regulations that encourage green economy strategies. It also highlights
the importance of promoting a green tourism culture in supplies,
consumers and communities. The
roadmap.
TOWARDS
SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND USE OF RESOURCES: ASSESSING BIOFUELS
(UNEP, October 2009)
Based on a review of published research up to mid-2009 as well as the
input of independent experts world-wide, this report by the UNEP
International Panel for Sustainable Resource Management recognizes that
the research that has accrued over recent years presents a complex and
uncertain picture of the risks and benefits of biofuels. The report's
main message is that biofuels' costs and benefits are context-specific,
and therefore simplistic approaches to managing biofuels production are
unlikely to yield environmentally positive results. Considering not only
biofuels for transport, but biomass as a whole, the report's chapters
discuss, inter alia: the full life-cycle approach needed to
completely account for the impacts of biofuels; the issue of land-use
change; options for more efficient and sustainable production; and
strategies to enhance resource productivity. The
report.
INVESTMENT: THE
CHALLENGE
(FAO, October 2009)
This discussion paper was prepared by the UN Food and Agriculture
Organization for the High Level Expert's Forum on How to Feed the World
in 2050, which convened at FAO headquarters from 12-13 October 2009. The
paper notes that agricultural investment needs to increase by about 50
percent a year in order to feed over nine billion people in 2050. The
paper estimates that one-third of the resources would be needed to feed
China and India, and sub-Saharan Africa would require about US$11
billion. The paper also notes that primary areas for investments include
crops and livestock production, storage facilities, market facilities
and food processing. The
paper.
THE STATE OF
FOOD INSECURITY IN THE WORLD 2009: ECONOMIC CRISIS – IMPACTS AND LESSONS
LEARNED
(FAO and WFP, October 2009)
This report, prepared by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and
the World Food Programme, examines the impacts of the food and economic
crises and estimates that the number of hungry will exceed one billion
this year. The report notes that almost all
of
the world's undernourished live in developing countries, aggravated by a
weak global food security governance system. The report calls for urgent
reform and increased investments.
The
report.
MDG GAP
TASK FORCE 2009 REPORT: STRENGTHENING THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR
DEVELOPMENT IN A TIME OF CRISIS
(UNDP and UNDESA, September 2009)
This report was launched by the MDG Gap Task Force, which was created by
the UN Secretary-General to improve the monitoring of Millennium
Development Goal 8 (MDG 8). The report indentifies a gap of US$35
billion per year in the delivery of the pledge made by the G-8 countries
at the Gleneagles Summit in 2005, including US$20 billion in aid to
Africa. The report also points out an ODA coverage gap in distribution,
noting that most of the aid increase has gone to countries such as Iraq
and Afghanistan. The
report.
TEN
STORIES THE WORLD SHOULD HEAR MORE ABOUT
(UN DPI, 2009)
These ten stories, published by the UN Department of Public Information,
focus on events that happened in 2008. The stories address, inter
alia, the global food crisis and economic turmoil; the importance of
climate change adaptation ; space debris threatening sustainable use of
outer space; and the struggle for survival of Colombia's indigenous
people. The
stories.
WORLD
ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SURVEY 2009: PROMOTING DEVELOPMENT, SAVING THE
PLANET
(UNDESA, 2009)
This report, a flagship publication from the UN Department of Economic
and Social Affairs (DESA),
argues that global inequality and climate change should be addressed
together. The report argues that low-emissions, high-growth pathways for
development are both feasible and necessary and notes that the
separation of the climate change and development agendas has distorted
the global debate on the two biggest policy challenges facing the
international community. The report calls for an integrated approach
based on the concept of sustainable development. The
report.
CONFERENCE ON
THE WORLD FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC CRISIS AND ITS IMPACT ON DEVELOPMENT:
OUTCOME DOCUMENT
(UNGA, July 2009)
The outcome document of the Conference on the World Financial and
Economic Crisis and Its Impact on Development, which was adopted by the
General Assembly, is now available as an annex to General Assembly
resolution (63/303). The recommendations emphasize solutions that can
foster an inclusive, green and sustainable recovery, and provide
continued support for sustainable development efforts by developing
countries. The
outcome document.
ECONOMYWIDE
IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
(IFPRI, 2009)
This research paper by the International Food Policy Research Institute
(IFPRI) analyzes two possible climate change adaptation scenarios for
sub-Saharan Africa. The first assumes a doubling of the irrigated area
in sub-Saharan Africa by 2050, but keeps total crop area constant. The
second assumes that both rainfed and irrigated crop yields increase by
25 percent for all sub-Saharan African countries. Due to the limited
initial irrigated area in the region, an increase in agricultural
productivity achieves better outcomes than an expansion of irrigated
area, although the research suggests that both scenarios could help
lower world food prices. The
research paper.
SOIL AND WATER
CONSERVATION TECHNOLOGIES: A BUFFER AGAINST PRODUCTION RISK IN THE FACE
OF CLIMATE CHANGE?
(IFPRI, 2009)
This research paper by the International Food Policy Research Institute
(IFPRI) suggests that soil and water conservation investments perform
differently in different rainfall areas and regions of Ethiopia,
highlighting the importance of careful geographical targeting when
promoting and scaling up soil and water conservation technologies. The
research paper.
HOW
MIGHT AGRICULTURE DEVELOP IN SOUTHERN AFRICA? MAKING SENSE OF COMPLEXITY
(IISD, 2009)
This report, authored by Peter Draper, Sheila Kiratu and Tanja Hichert,
examines the current situation and the driving forces related to issues
around food security and agriculture in Southern Africa. It considers
the underlying social, political, environmental and technological trends
that will affect the future of agriculture in the region, and stems from
a scenario planning exercise with regional partners that employed
structured strategic conversations from multiple perspectives as a tool
to identify critical uncertainties that affect food security and
agriculture. The report identifies a range of threats, opportunities,
trends and outcomes of Southern Africa's agricultural futures, and
offers recommended actions to address them. The
report.
A SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE FOR TRANSPORT: TOWARDS AN INTEGRATED, TECHNOLOGY-LED AND USER
FRIENDLY SYSTEM
(EC, 2009)
The European Commission has released this Communication, summarizing a
process of reflection on the future of transport in Europe. It refers to
recent developments of the European Transport Policy and outstanding
issues; looks at the future, identifying trends in transport drivers and
the likely challenges they could pose to society; proposes intermediate
policy objectives that could be pursued to address the emerging
challenges in the transport sector; and describes some available
instruments and possible lines of intervention for achieving the stated
objectives. The ideas in this Communication are meant to stimulate
further debate aimed at identifying policy options, without prejudging
the formulation of concrete proposals in the next White Paper of 2010.
The
communication.
FOOD PRICES:
SMALLHOLDER FARMERS CAN BE PART OF THE SOLUTION
(IFAD, April 2009)
This brief, published by the International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD), notes that there are about 500 million small farmers
in developing countries, supporting the livelihoods of at least one
third of the world's population. It also notes that the number of
undernourished people worldwide has risen to 963 million in 2008, an
increase of 40 million from 2007 levels. Nevertheless, it indicates that
investments through public expenditures or foreign assistance for
agriculture in developing countries have not increased. The brief
highlights possible solutions to the problem, underlining the role of
small holders in resolving the problem. The
brief.
LAND GRAB OR
DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY? AGRICULTURAL INVESTMENT AND INTERNATIONAL LAND
DEALS IN AFRICA
(IFAD, IIED and FAO, June 2009)
This report is the first detailed study of
large land acquisitions, including purchases or leases, in Africa. It
highlights the misconceptions about what have been designated as land
grabs. It notes that land-based investment has been rising over the past
five years due to food security concerns, food supply shortage and
growing production of biofuels. It indicates that while foreign
investment dominates, domestic investors are also playing a big role in
land acquisitions. The
report.
FOOD SECURITY IN
AFRICA: LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE FOOD CRISIS
(UNCTAD, June 2009)
This report, prepared by the UN Conference
on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) for the 47th session of the Trade and
Development Board, focuses on lessons learned from the 2008 food crisis.
It indicates that the food security situation of African countries could
further deteriorate if low productivity and market regulation issues are
not addressed. The report indicates that out of 36 countries worldwide
facing a food security crisis, 21 are African. It estimates that over
300 million Africans are facing chronic hunger. The
report.
BIOFUELS FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND
EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN
(ENERGIA, 2009)
This book of case studies represents a collaborative effort to explore
the potential of biofuels to provide sustainable livelihoods and local
sources of energy for people in rural areas of developing countries,
with a special emphasis on women. Although there are many forms of
bio-energy that can be useful in this regard, book focuses on plant
products, mostly seeds, used to produce oil - which is then either
utilized directly in engines or equipment, or processed into biodiesel.
The book was presented at the 17th session of the UN Commission for
Sustainable Development. It was developed with support from IUCN and
edited by Gail Karlsson and Khamarunga Banda. The
book.
THE ECONOMIC
REPORT ON AFRICA 2009: DEVELOPING AFRICAN AGRICULTURE THROUGH REGIONAL
VALUE CHAINS
(UNECA and AU Commission, May 2009)
This report, published by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)
and the African Union Commission (AU), highlights the recent economic
trends and prospects in Africa with a focus on addressing the challenges
to develop African agriculture within the framework of the Comprehensive
African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). The report focuses on
structural transformations needed and on options to develop regionally
integrated value chains and markets for selected strategic food and
agricultural commodities. It calls for special
attention to agriculture, as a means to providing employment, and
generate economic growth, foreign exchange earnings and tax revenue.
The
report.
UPDATE: WORLD
ECONOMIC SITUATION AND PROSPECTS 2009
(UNDESA, May 2009)
This mid-year update to the World Economic
Situation and Prospects 2009 report, published by the UN Department of
Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), predicts a more severe decline in
the world economy than anticipated in the initial report. The
update.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL FOOD
CRISIS: THE ENVIRONMENT'S ROLE IN AVERTING FUTURE FOOD CRISES
(UNEP, May 2009)
This report on the environmental food crisis provides an overview of how
environmental stresses such as climate change, water stress, invasive
pests and land degradation may impact food prices and world food
security, and proposes a seven-point plan to reduce the risk of hunger
and rising food insecurity in the 21st century. The report stresses,
among other conclusions, the need for a Green Revolution in Africa,
noting the challenges of water scarcity, lack of infrastructure and
impacts from climate change. The report also addresses the problems of
food waste, post-harvest losses, yield loss due to environmental
degradation, drought and weed infestations, and interrelated threats
from climate change. The
report.
AGRICULTURE AND
CLIMATE CHANGE: AN AGENDA FOR NEGOTIATION IN COPENHAGEN
(IFPRI, 2009)
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has released a
collection of policy briefs addressing technical and policy issues on
agriculture and climate change that should be addressed as part of a new
international agreement on climate change. The volume comprises 12
policy briefs covering issues such as: agricultural science and
technology needs for mitigation and adaptation; mitigation through tree
and soil management; the potential for soil carbon sequestration;
mitigating emissions from livestock systems; monitoring, reporting and
verification methodologies in agriculture, forestry and other land uses;
and the role of international trade. The briefs are preceded by an
overview piece summarizing the major issues that should be addressed in
the Copenhagen climate change negotiations. The
volume.
A THIRST FOR DISTANT
LANDS: FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURAL LAND AND WATER
(IISD, May 2009)
This paper surveys a recent surge of a new breed of foreign investment
in agricultural land, financed predominantly by state-owned and private
investors from Arab and wealthy Asian states (Japan, China and Korea)
into Africa and Southeast Asia. Tracts covering tens to hundreds of
thousands of hectares are being leased or bought for export food
production in response to the recent food crisis, or for production of
biofuels. The paper considers both the land and water issues involved in
the "thirst for distant lands." It focuses in particular on the linkages
between domestic law, international investment contracts and
international investment treaties, asking what they mean for community
and individual rights to land, water and food. The
paper.
MAINSTREAMING POVERTY-ENVIRONMENT LINKAGES INTO DEVELOPMENT PLANNING: A
HANDBOOK FOR PRACTITIONERS
(UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative, April
2009)
The UN Development Programme and UN
Environment Programme (UNDP-UNEP) Poverty-Environment Initiative has
published this Handbook, which is designed to serve as a guide for
champions and practitioners engaged in mainstreaming poverty-environment
linkages. It draws on experience at the country level and lessons
learned by UNDP and UNEP in working with governments, especially
ministries of planning, finance and environment, to support efforts to
integrate the complex interrelationships between poverty reduction and
improved environmental management into national planning and
decision-making. French and Spanish translations are currently under
preparation and will be made available soon. The
handbook.
MAKING THE ECONOMIC CASE: A PRIMER ON THE
ECONOMIC ARGUMENTS FOR MAINSTREAMING POVERTY-ENVIRONMENT LINKAGES INTO
NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING
(UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative,
March 2009)
This new primer provides guidance on presenting evidence about the
economic, development and poverty reduction benefits of the environment
to public sector decision-makers, so as to justify and promote
"environmental investment." This primer is designed to help interested
countries and governments engaged in the environmental mainstreaming
challenge to succeed in making their case, ensure that they have the
evidence to back it up, and identify entry points to engage the
attention of economic and development decision-makers and to enter into
meaningful dialogue with them. The
resource.
SUSTAINABLE
AGRICULTURE AND FOOD SECURITY IN ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
(UNESCAP, 2009)
This study by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the
Pacific (UNESCAP) examines: the roots of the 2008 food price crisis,
including climate change and disasters; the threats to sustainable
agriculture, including climate change and biofuels production; the
resilience of communities, including through adaptation to climate
variability; and an agenda for food security that includes adaptation to
climate change as a long-term measure.
The
study.
HUNGER AND MARKETS
(WFP, April 2009)
This third volume of the World Hunger
Series, published by the World Food Programme, explores the relationship
between markets and the availability of food, identifying sources of
market failure in addressing hunger and highlighting methods for
improvement. The
volume.
FOOD AID INFORMATION
SYSTEM
(WFP, April 2009)
The World Food Organization, with the
support of the European Commission and the Government of Canada, has
launched a database on Food Aid Information System (FAIS). This
database contains data on food aid flows and was developed to strengthen
the coordinated international response to food aid shortages. The
database.
CROP PROSPECTS AND
FOOD SITUATION
(FAO, April 2009)
The April 2009 issue of the Crop Prospects
and Food Situation, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization,
is now available. This issue reports that high food prices continue in
developing countries even though there has been a sharp decline in
international food prices. According to FAO, food emergencies or risk of
food insecurity persist in 31 countries, despite the harvest results for
2008 cereal crops. The
issue.
COUNTRY STUDIES ON
AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(World Bank, April 2009)
The World Bank has published country notes for Latin America and the
Caribbean on climate change and agriculture. The Country Notes identify
specific climatic constraints and policy interventions related to the
agricultural sector, highlighting the institutional make-up in the
dialogue of climate change and agriculture. The
notes.
SMALL SCALE
BIOENERGY INITIATIVES: BRIEF DESCRIPTION AND PRELIMINARY LESSONS ON
LIVELIHOOD IMPACTS FROM CASE STUDIES IN LATIN AMERICA, ASIA AND AFRICA
(FAO and PISCES, January 2009)
This study, published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and
the Policy Innovation Systems for Clean Energy Security (PISCES), covers
15 bioenergy projects across 12 countries in Latin America, Africa and
Asia, on the linkages between livelihoods and small-scale bioenergy
initiatives. The study focuses on the impacts that different types of
local level bioenergy initiatives can have on rural livelihoods in
different contexts in the developing world. Livelihoods, as defined by
the study, are the enhancement of the full range of natural, financial,
human, social and physical capitals on a sustainable ongoing basis. The
study.
UN ECOSOC
PRESIDENT'S CORNER WEBSITE
(UN ECOSOC, March 2009)
The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOOC)
launched a President's Corner website. The site presents information
about the key issues on the ECOSOC agenda, communications from
the 2009 UN ECOSOC President Ambassador Sylvie Lucas
and online lecture series featuring the views of policy and
decision-makers on the issues. The
website.
COUNTRY STUDIES ON AGRICULTURE AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(World Bank, March 2009)
The country notes for Latin America and the Caribbean on climate change
and agriculture identify specific climatic constraints and policy
interventions related to the agricultural sector, highlighting the
institutional make-up in the dialogue of climate change and agriculture.
The
country notes.
AGRICULTURE
AND CLIMATE CHANGE: AN AGENDA FOR NEGOTIATION IN COPENHAGEN
(IFPRI, 2009)
This brief, authored by Gerald Nelson, outlines three key messages
related to the urgency of including agriculture in the ongoing UN
Framework Convention on Climate Change negotiations, which will
culminate in Copenhagen in December 2009: climate change will affect
agriculture, but it is uncertain where and how much; agriculture can
help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions; and cost-effective ways are
needed to help poor farmers adapt to climate change. The brief also
prescribes specific negotiating outcomes for the December meetings. The
brief.
UNDERSTANDING
FARMERS' PERCEPTIONS AND ADAPTATIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY:
THE CASE OF THE LIMPOPO BASIN, SOUTH AFRICA
(IFPRI, 2009)
This research paper, authored by Glwadys Aymone Gbetibouo, uses a
"bottom-up" approach, seeking to gain insights from farmers themselves
based on a farm household survey. The study examines how farmer
perceptions correspond with climate data recorded at meteorological
stations in the Limpopo River Basin and analyzes farmers' adaptation
responses to climate change and variability. The analysis shows that
farmers' perceptions of climate change are in line with the climatic
data records. However, only approximately half of the farmers have
adjusted their farming practices to account for the impacts of climate
change. Lack of access to credit was cited by respondents as the main
factor inhibiting adaptation. Household size, farming experience,
wealth, access to credit, access to water, tenure rights, off-farm
activities, and access to extension are the main factors that enhance
adaptive capacity. The paper recommends that the government should
design policies aimed at improving these factors. The
paper.
NATIONAL BASIC
FOOD PRICES DATA AND ANALYSIS TOOL
(FAO, 2009)
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has developed this resource,
which shows the prices of different food commodities in local currencies
or dollars and local measurements as well as standard weights. It allows
for price comparisons between domestic and international markets,
between different markets in the same country, as well as between
countries. The
price tool.
STATE OF AFRICAN CITIES REPORT 2008
(UN-HABITAT, March 2009)
This annual report, a flagship publication of UN-HABITAT, notes that,
with rapid urbanization, cities in Africa are facing increasing
challenges and will have to find ways to deliver urban services,
livelihoods and housing for more than twice the current urban population
by 2015. The
report.
GREEN TRANSPORT:
RESOURCE OPTIMIZATION IN THE ROAD SECTOR IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF
CHINA
(Asian Development Bank, 2009)
This study examines how the development of China's road system affects
land, energy and environmental quality. It recommends policies and
guidelines and presents a handbook to better balance the needs of
economic growth with energy, resources and environmental impact
concerns. The
book.
HARVESTCHOICE WEBSITE
(IFPRI, 2009)
The HarvestChoice initiative has launched a comprehensive collection of
data products designed to better inform strategic policy and investment
decisions aimed at improving farm productivity and profitability, and
market development. The data collection focuses on factors relevant to
crop production and marketing in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) agriculture,
such as climate, soil and pest conditions and constraints, current and
future cropping systems geography and performance, and access to
markets. Recognizing the site-specific nature
of many interventions designed to boost productivity, especially in the
rainfed systems common throughout SSA, HarvestChoice takes a spatial
approach, using interfaces built around open-source platforms such as
Google Maps. The website will continuously be updated and improved over
time.
HarvestChoice.
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION AND OIL
EXPLOITATION IN UGANDA
(IIED, December 2008)
This paper first analyses the adequacy of the existing legal framework
on access to information and participation. Its findings show that
although law and policy in Uganda indicate certain efforts to open up
environmental decision-making processes to public influence, this is not
the case in the oil production sector. The culture of secrecy within
government bodies, weak civil society structures as well as the politics
of patronage remain substantive challenges for the fair and equitable
management of natural resources in Uganda. The
paper.
UNLOCKING THE POTENTIAL OF CONTRACT
FARMING: LESSONS FROM GHANA
(IIED, December 2008)
This paper analyses sorghum contract farming in north-east Ghana in
order to explore ways of making contractual arrangements viable for
small farmers. The analysis draws on the convergence of science and
social relations interactions among the relevant stakeholders as
important for developing small farmer-relevant agricultural innovations.
It reveals that the failure and problems encountered in this particular
scheme were both technical and institutional. The authors argue that if
contracts are to be fair, they must allow for compensation,
contingencies and production risks. But scientific knowledge is required
in order to adequately incorporate these elements. The
paper.
RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN
PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA
(IIED, December 2008)
This study aims to broaden understanding of climate change and its
impacts in Argentina. Most focus on climate change in Argentina has been
in the north, where impacts are more noticeable. But this study shows
how changes in the south, in the Patagonian province of Chubut, are also
likely to be significant. The
paper.
FAIRER FLYING: AN INTERNATIONAL AIR
TRAVEL LEVY FOR ADAPTATION
(IIED, December 2008)
This paper explores that possibility of adopting an adaptation levy on
international air travel, through which a small per-trip payment by
passengers would contribute from US$8 billion to US$10 billion a year
towards adaptation. The paper suggests that similar schemes in France
and elsewhere show that this kind of ethical solidarity and 'polluter
pays' approach would be simple to implement in practical and
institutional terms. The
briefing.
BEYOND BORDERS: THE NEED FOR
STRATEGIC GLOBAL ADAPTATION
(IIED, December 2008)
This paper suggests that the 'adaptation is local' mantra is no longer
valid. Climate impacts are pervasive, inevitably crossing geographic and
political boundaries, and the paper states that we need to move far
beyond measures like National Adaptation Plans of Action. The
ramifications of this new scenario are much more than physical and
biological: there are significant socioeconomic and geopolitical
implications on a par with those of mitigation. Adaptation must be
understood, negotiated and financed in that light. The
opinion.
ADAPTATION IN AFRICA: THE GLOBAL
FAILURE TO DELIVER FUNDING
(IIED, December 2008)
This paper notes that Africa's geographic position and high sensitivity
to climatic variability make it vulnerable, with large swathes of Africa
already see more frequent and severe flooding and droughts, shrinking
agricultural production, the spread of diseases and the rise of conflict
over scarce resources. At the same time, it indicates that African
governments are poorly equipped to respond. The paper suggests that
overcoming these challenges demands concerted international effort – yet
a huge gap yawns between the global promises, and timely action on them.
The
briefing.
SMALL AND MEDIUM FOREST ENTERPRISES
IN MOZAMBIQUE
(IIED, January 2009)
This report examines small and medium forest enterprises (SMFEs) in
Mozambique, which account for 95.8% of the formally registered
enterprises in the forest sector. Nonetheless, at present, the two
formal channels for commercial timber production are inaccessible to
community-based SMFEs that might bring about greater sustainability and
poverty reduction. Legislation still views community based natural
resource management as a process of subservient partnership between
external forest enterprises and community management committees. Despite
these challenges, there are a wide range of Mozambican programmes
spanning government, civil society and private sector initiatives that
support SMFEs. This report argues that a more coordinated effort is
urgently needed between these programmes to develop business skills and
capacity among SMFEs. The
report.
SHIFTING THE BALANCE: EQUITY AND
SUSTAINABLE CONSUMPTION
(IIED, January 2009)
This report highlights that there is a growing recognition that
transformation towards a low-carbon, resource-efficient economy means
tackling consumption as well as production. Governments and businesses
are beginning to make concerted, if uncoordinated, efforts to reduce
energy and resource use. Rethinking consumption could, however, drive an
even bigger wedge between rich and poor. Any new agenda for consumption
needs to factor in equity as well as environmental benefit. The
briefing.
BUILDING PUBLIC TRUST:
TRANSNATIONALS IN THE COMMUNITY
(IIED, January 2009)
Big business and poor communities can make for an uneasy fit.
Transnational corporations in the energy sector, have come under fire
from civil society organizations for adverse impacts on local
environment and livelihoods. With international pressure for a solution
growing, a number of these corporations are working towards inbuilt
accountability.
The
briefing.
TAKING CONTROL: HOW CITIZENS CAN
HOLD INDUSTRY TO ACCOUNT
(IIED, January 2009)
The oil, gas and mining industries look set to remain major players in
global development, despite urgent efforts to end the world's fossil
fuel dependency and diversify energy sources. The activities of the
extractive industries often impinge directly, and sometimes harshly, on
communities and the environment. But local people are rising to the
challenge. The
briefing.
MALAWI'S GREEN GOLD:
CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR SMALL AND MEDIUM FOREST ENTERPRISES IN
REDUCING POVERTY
(IIED, December
2008)
This study surveys a SMFE sector in Malawi. It looks in detail at four
promising subsectors: timber, cane furniture, tree fruit juices and
woodcarving. It describes both the challenges and opportunities for the
governance of forest services in regards to SMFE, and ways of organising
SMFEs to better meet market demand while sustaining the resource.
The
report.
FAIR DEALS FOR
WATERSHED SERVICES IN SOUTH AFRICA
(IIED, December
2008)
This report reviews the potential of developing payments for catchment
protection services in the upper Ga-Selati sub-catchment and the Sabie
Sand catchment. The study indicates that there is most potential for
developing a payment mechanism between the buyers and sellers of
catchment protection services in Ga-Selati, where improving the
transport and storage of water would be the most cost-effective
intervention. Key lessons and conclusions arising from the process,
baseline studies and analyses of this review are presented. The
report.
DEVELOPING LEGAL
TOOLS FOR CITIZEN EMPOWERMENT: INCREASING LOCAL PARTICIPATION AND
BENEFIT IN MALI'S MINING SECTOR
(IIED, December
2008)
This study identifies legal tools that can be used by local people to
better secure their land rights and to participate more effectively in
investment decisions and benefits. It assesses the strengths and
weaknesses of these tools, and the opportunities and constraints
associated with them. It also considers ways to increase their
effectiveness, and identifies next steps for policy engagement and
capacity building work.
The
report.
THE GOVERNANCE
OF NATURE AND THE NATURE OF GOVERNANCE: POLICY THAT WORKS FOR
BIODIVERSITY AND LIVELIHOODS
(IIED, November
2008)
This book examines the governance of biodiversity - how it is managed
and how decisions about it are made - at local, national and
international level. It reviews experience with community-based
conservation, mainstreaming biodiversity, and the Biodiversity
Convention process, and includes case studies from India, Peru and
Tanzania. It also recommends ways to improve the governance of
biodiversity to deliver more benefits to people and planet.
The
book.
From Conflict to Peacebuilding - The Role of Natural
Resources and the Environment
(UNEP,
2009)
This report highlights that:
without a focus on the environment and natural resources, intrastate
conflicts are likely to escalate; post-conflict and peacebuilding plans
and activities need to account for linkages with the environment and
natural resources; and natural resources can contribute to peace. The
report.
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2009 – BREAKING
IN AND MOVING UP: NEW INDUSTRIAL CHALLENGES FOR THE BOTTOM BILLION AND
THE MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES
(UNIDO, February 2009)
The UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) has released its
flagship publication, for which
Paul Collier, Oxford
University, and John Page, Brookings Institution, served as the main
authors. The report focuses on
the opportunities and constraints faced by the countries of the "bottom
billion," which are trying to break into global markets for manufactured
goods; and the middle-income countries, which are striving to move up to
more sophisticated manufacturing. The report
emphasizes that sustainable industrial development provides alternatives
to lift the world's bottom billion out of poverty living in low income
countries and middle-income countries. The
report.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL FOOD CRISIS: THE ENVIRONMENT'S ROLE IN AVERTING
FUTURE FOOD CRISES
(UNEP, 2009)
This report, which the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) released during
the 25th session of the UNEP Governing Council/Global Ministerial
Environment Forum, provides an overview of how environmental stresses
such as climate change, water stress, invasive pests and land
degradation may impact food prices and world food security, and proposes
a seven-point plan to reduce the risk of hunger and rising food
insecurity in the 21st century. The Report (pdf or
e-book).
CROP PROSPECTS AND FOOD SITUATION
(FAO, February 2009)
This first issue of the Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO)
Crop Prospects and Food Situation report states that early
indications point to a reduction in global cereal output in 2009 from
the 2008 record, because smaller plantings and adverse weather are
expected to bring grain production down in most of the world's major
producers. The
report.
UNDERSTANDING FARMERS' PERCEPTIONS AND
ADAPTATIONS TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND VARIABILITY: THE CASE OF THE LIMPOPO
BASIN, SOUTH AFRICA
(IPPRI, 2009)
This brief, authored by Glwadys Aymone Gbetibouo, examines farmers'
perceptions of climate change and analyzes their adaptation responses.
The brief recommends policy measures to facilitate adaptation, including
access to affordable credit, investments in "smart" irrigation, and
strengthening farm-level managerial capacity. The
brief.
CLIMATE VARIABILITY AND MAIZE YIELD IN SOUTH
AFRICA
(IPPRI, 2009)
This brief, authored by Wisdom Akpalu, Rashid M. Hassan and Claudia
Ringler, explores direct impacts of climate variability on maize yields.
The authors conclude that irrigation is a key factor in mitigating the
impacts of decreased precipitation. The
brief.
THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTATION ON FOOD
PRODUCTION IN LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES: EVIDENCE FROM THE NILE BASIN,
ETHIOPIA
(IPPRI, 2009)
This brief, authored by Mahmud Yesuf, Salvatore Di Falco, Temesgen
Deressa, Claudia Ringler and Gunnar Kohlin, addresses the factors
influencing adaptation and the implications of various adaptation
strategies for farm productivity. The authors report that farmers'
decisions to adopt yield-enhancing adaptation strategies are influenced
by, among other factors, available information on future climate change,
seasonal rainfall, the agro-ecological setting, and several specific
characteristics of households. They suggest improving farmers' access to
timely information about climate change, access to credit markets and
farmer-to-farmer extension to encourage adoption of yield-related
adaptation strategies. The
brief.
GLOBAL CARBON MARKETS: ARE THERE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA?
(IPPRI, 2009)
This brief, authored by Elizabeth Bryan, Wisdom Akpalu, Claudia Ringler
and Mahmud Yesuf, examines Sub-Saharan Africa's current involvement in
carbon markets, potential for GHG emission reductions, constraints to
further participation, and opportunities for expanding Sub-Saharan
Africa's market share. The authors argue that Clean Development
Mechanism rules for determining baselines, monitoring carbon emissions
and enforcing offsets should be simplified, and the range of eligible
projects broadened to include avoided deforestation and soil carbon
sequestration to facilitate the participation of Sub-Saharan African
countries. The
brief.
IMPROVING ACCESS TO LAND AND TENURE SECURITY
(IFAD, December 2008)
The International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD) has issued this policy paper on
improving access to land and tenure
security. The policy aims to provide a conceptual
framework for the relationship between land issues and rural poverty,
acknowledging the complexity and dynamics of evolving rural realities;
identify the major implications of that relationship for IFAD's strategy
and programme development and implementation; articulate guiding
principles for mainstreaming land issues in the Fund's main operational
instruments and processes; and provide the framework for the subsequent
development of operational guidelines and decision tools. The
policy paper.
WORLD
ECONOMIC SITUATION AND PROSPECTS 2009
(UN, January 2009)
World Economic Situation and Prospects
2009, an annual publication by the UN Department of Economic and Social
Affairs, emphasizes that the world economy is mired in the worst
financial crisis since the Great Depression. The report notes that world
gross product will slow down to 1.0 percent, a significant deceleration
compared to 2.5 percent growth in 2008. The report details the measures
undertaken by policy makers to deal with the crisis and emphasizes that
world commodity prices will continue to depreciate. Previous editions of
the report have warned about the risks of the economic depression. The
report.