SDG 13: Climate Action Dynamic Briefing Generated 09 October 2020 for Marco Antonio Gonzalez
SDG 13: Climate Action Last review on Tue 03 September 2019
About This dynamic briefing draws on the collective intelligence of the Forum network to explore the key trends, interconnections and interdependencies between industry, regional and global issues. In the briefing, you will find a visual representation of this topic (Transformation Map – interactive version available online via intelligence.weforum.org ), an overview and the key trends affecting it, along with summaries and links to the latest research and analysis on each of the trends. Briefings for countries also include the relevant data from the Forum’s benchmarking indices. The content is continuously updated with the latest thinking of leaders and experts from across the Forum network, and with insights from Forum meetings, projects communities and activities.
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Executive summary This Transformation Map provides a contextual briefing for one of the Sustainable Development Goals the United Nations’ framework for making real progress towards a more sustainable future by the year 2030 - by mapping related strategic issues and interdependencies. The content, including attached key issue headings and texts, is drawn from expert- and machine-curated knowledge on the World Economic Forum’s Strategic Intelligence platform; it is not a reproduction of the official text of the SDG. The UN introduces this Goal as follows: 'Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. It is disrupting national economies and affecting lives, costing people, communities and countries dearly today and even more tomorrow. Weather patterns are changing, sea levels are rising, weather events are becoming more extreme and greenhouse gas emissions are now at their highest levels in history. Without action, the world’s average surface temperature is likely to surpass 3 degrees centigrade this century. The poorest and most vulnerable people are being affected the most. Affordable, scalable solutions are now available to enable countries to leapfrog to cleaner, more resilient economies. The pace of change is quickening as more people are turning to renewable energy and a range of other measures that will reduce emissions and increase adaptation efforts. Climate change, however, is a global challenge that does not respect national borders. It is an issue that requires solutions that need to be coordinated at the international level to help developing countries move toward a low-carbon economy. To strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change, countries adopted the Paris Agreement at the COP21 in Paris, which went into force in November of 2016. In the agreement, all countries agreed to work to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees centigrade. As of April 2018, 175 parties had ratified the Paris Agreement and 10 developing countries had submitted their first iteration of their national adaptation plans for responding to climate change.'
1. Green Finance
6. Understanding Climate Risks
Green investment is increasingly popular, but needs to become more mainstream.
Extreme weather, rising sea levels, and food and water scarcity are becoming a reality.
2. A Just Transition
7. Building Climate Coalitions
An idea spawned by unions has evolved into a global push for responsible environmental protection.
Effective action requires engagement with a diverse array of stakeholders.
3. Sustainable Land Use
8. Transitioning to Clean Energy
New approaches to land use can address climate change while preserving food security and biodiversity.
A faster transition to clean energy is the most effective option for combatting climate change.
4. The Social Cost of Carbon
9. Strained Health Systems
Pricing carbon can reduce emissions and enable smarter planning.
Systems around the world were rendered unfit for purpose prior to the pandemic.
5. Investing in Climate Action
10. The Paris Agreement
Strategic investments can both stimulate economies and build climate resilience.
The climate change deal ratified in 2016 provides a global framework for action.
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Green Finance Green investment is increasingly popular, but needs to become more mainstream The green infrastructure sector is a promising investment class. Climate-smart infrastructure will require about $90 trillion in investment over the coming 15 years, most of it in developing and middle-income countries, according to a report published in 2017 by the International Finance Corporation. The World Bank noted in a 2017 report that in the ten years since it had issued its first so-called green bond (debt raised specifically for environmentally-focused investments), it had issued more than $10 billion in green bonds - and that global green bond issuances surpassed $120 billion in 2017 alone. In an environment of relatively slow economic expansion, lowered technology costs, and political interest in infrastructure investment as a means to boost productivity and create jobs, the appeal of sustainable infrastructure may only continue to grow. However, there are some troubling signs; only $10.3 billion had been pledged to the Green Climate Fund (a United Nations program) as of late 2018, for example, short of the $100 billion that was originally agreed to be provided annually by 2020. The continued, healthy expansion of sustainable infrastructure will require a new architecture of public-private investment, supported by overseas development assistance, government spending, and sovereign wealth funds.
Related insight areas: Private Investors, Development Finance, Financial and Monetary Systems, Institutional Investors, Banking and Capital Markets, Geo-economics, Corporate Governance, Global Governance, China
Much of the growth in green bond issuance has been driven by China, where the Bank of China and the Shanghai-based New Development Bank began issuing their first green bonds in 2016. Investment in renewable energy has actually faltered recently, according to the International Energy Agency; it reported that in 2017, following several years of growth, combined global investment in renewables and energy efficiency declined by 3% compared with the prior year. Investment in renewable power, in particular, declined by 7%, according to the agency, dampened by Chinese policy changes on supporting the deployment of solar technology. Several factors listed in the World Economic Forum’s 2016 Renewable Infrastructure Investment Handbook indicate that opportunities for increased investment in the sector remain. For example, among the top 500 asset owners including foundations, pensions, and endowments, only 0.4% of total assets under management were tied to low-carbon investments, indicating room for expanded interest. Cost may also play a positive role - in June 2016, the International Renewable Energy Agency estimated that the cost of solar may decrease by 59%, offshore wind by 35%, and onshore wind by 26% through 2026.
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Latest knowledge Center for International Forestry Research
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
Financing tree planting and proper valuation of natural assets and investments
A proposal for a public infrastructure leasing entity for Europe 01 October 2020
05 October 2020 Is it possible to accelerate public investment without increasing national taxes or public debt? The authors of this piece believe so, and present a mechanism to relieve member states’ public finances, which are already burdened by ballooning deficits and galloping deficit ratios. The novelty of the mechanism stems from bringing a widely used private sector financing technique – namely that of leasing – to the sphere of public finance, and organising it at the pan-European level. Imagine a Public Infrastructure Leasing entity for Europe (PILE, for short). This vehicle would issue bonds in international markets against the finest financial conditions, guaranteed by the member states. The proceeds would be used to finance adequate built-to-order public infrastructure.
Besides the few headline-grabbing big pledges from companies this year, tree planting and landscape restoration at scale have struggled to attract sufficient investment. And yet, investment opportunities abound with commitments by governments to restore hundreds of millions of hectares through agreements like the Bonn Challenge and the New York Declaration on Forests, in addition to growing willingness among companies to make their supply chains more sustainable. This session will consider where investments in tree planting are happening and where the opportunities remain untapped. Investors – public and private – will discuss their interests and their challenges. Observer Research Foundation
World Resources Institute
Decentralising Climate Action and Finance in India
4 Questions About China's New Climate Commitments
01 October 2020
30 September 2020 President Xi Jinping's announcement at the UN that China intends to peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and reach carbon neutrality before 2060 is one of the most significant signs of progress on tackling climate change since the 2015 Paris Agreement. Here are answers to four key questions about it.
Green finance and climate action have been concentrated at the central level in India, with the consequence that a lot of the implementation, which is undertaken by state and city governments, falls short. The COVID pandemic has highlighted the importance of subnational governments in responding to crises, and these governments will increasingly be responsible for policies to combat climate change. They however lack the resources to finance these policies. This discussion focuses on various institutional and market mechanisms that can be used to raise finances at the sub-national level in India. Financial journalist Mitali Mukherjee speaks to Suranjali Tandon, Assistant Professor, NIPFP, and Annapurna Mitra, Fellow and Head of Green Transition Initiative, ORF.
Project Syndicate
The COVID-Climate Nexus 30 September 2020 America’s upcoming election will take place against the backdrop of a dreadful pandemic and mounting climate threats. On both counts, US voters must choose whether to bring back respect for science and sensible public policy, and an awareness that we live in an interconnected world.
Yale Climate Connections
How green banks can drive investment in renewable energy
RAND Corporation
Developing Recovery Options for Puerto Rico's Economic and Disaster Recovery Plan
01 October 2020 When a new clean energy project is tough to finance, a green bank sometimes steps in to help. Using public capital, these institutions can provide loans and encourage private investment. Alex Kragie is director of the American Green Bank Consortium. “We’re not in the business of competing directly with private capital,” he says. “For example, we are not interested in financing a solar farm that’s being built in the Nevada desert.
30 September 2020 This report summarizes the strategic planning process in support of the government of Puerto Rico in its development of a congressionally mandated recovery plan.
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A Just Transition An idea spawned by unions has evolved into a global push for responsible environmental protection The concept of a “just transition” was originally developed by labour unions in the 1990s, to describe providing support for workers who had lost their jobs due to environmental protection policies. It has since morphed into a widely promoted means to secure shared prosperity, while also protecting the environment. In the lead-up to the Paris Agreement on climate change negotiated in 2015, unions and their allies successfully lobbied to get prominent text on a just transition into the agreement, according to a report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2017. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals also reflect the agenda of just transition, according to the report, which noted positive, related developments including renewable energy being on track to account for half of the European Union’s energy supply by 2030, and the renewable energy industry’s employment of more than 8 million people worldwide as of 2015. In general, a just transition will shift employment out of carbon-intensive sectors, and create good, new alternative jobs - particularly in low-income areas (it also involves limiting increases for energy costs, in the interest of low-income families). Perceptions of the legitimacy of dramatically shifting to hightechnology, low-carbon, and environmentally-sustainable economic models will be influenced by the extent to which this is done in an inclusive way. This should be a key consideration not just for policy-makers, but also for business leaders, technology developers, and environmental experts. There is some evidence that policy-makers in different countries have started taking this factor into account as they make efforts to transition economies. For example, China spent the equivalent of about $3.4 billion in 2017 on resettling nearly 400,000 workers who had been laid off due to government efforts to reduce the country’s steel and coal production capacity, as part of broader efforts to deal with supply gluts in each sector. In addition, in 2016, the Canadian government announced that as part of its accelerated phasing out of traditional coal power it would work with provinces and labour organizations to ensure that affected workers are successfully included in the transition to a low-carbon economy. Related insight areas: Future of Economic Progress, Values, Sustainable Development, China, Global Governance, Mining and Metals, Workforce and Employment, Canada, Education and Skills
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Latest knowledge World Resources Institute
Center for International Forestry Research
Undermining Rights: Indigenous Lands and Mining in the Amazon
From planting to natural regeneration: best approaches to tree growing
07 October 2020
05 October 2020
This new WRI report estimates that legal and illegal mining in the Amazon now cover more than 20% of Indigenous lands – over 450,000 square kilometers. It also finds that Indigenous lands with mining experienced higher incidences of tree cover loss than on those without – at least three times greater in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. Yet national laws continue to favor companies over Indigenous communities, the study’s legal analysis reveals. It sheds light on this uneven playing field and offers recommendations for Amazonian governments and mining companies.
Tree planting techniques and technology, from species selection to considering natural regeneration, can help reduce costs, improve survival rates while connecting communities. During the second session we will consider what trees make the most sense under different climate scenarios, the role of biodiversity, where do we plant which tree species – or let nature do the work through natural regeneration. New technologies, their applications to the future of tree planting and restoration will also be discussed. Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
Academic article proposes method to quantify the stress placed on people and environment for the extraction of transition minerals
Land Portal
COVID-19, reverse migration, and the impact on land systems 07 October 2020
05 October 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the world abruptly, affecting nearly all of humanity with breath-taking speed. At the time of writing in mid-September 2020, almost 20 million people have contracted the disease and more than 900,000 have died. [1] Besides its tragic direct toll on human lives, the pandemic is triggering a cascade of unexpected and dramatic effects that will deeply impact the global economy, social inequalities, and human– nature relationships in the coming years. Here, we wish to draw attention to an ongoing process that could have important consequences for land systems: that of reverse migration , or the return of migrant workers from cities to their rural areas of origin, especially in low- and middleincome countries.
As low-carbon energy technologies advance, markets are driving demand for energy transition metals. Nature Communications has released a new, academic paper on the environmental, social and governance concerns around the extraction of energy transition minerals. To quantify the pressures on this system, the authors developed a set of global composite environmental, social and governance indicators, and examined mining projects across 20 metal commodities. In Depth News
In Quest of Data-Based Solutions for A Sustainable Future 01 October 2020
United Nations Environment
Sudan launches first-ever State of the Environment and Outlook report to help guide peace and sustainable development
More than 2,000 participants from the data user and producer communities will discuss in the first-ever fully virtual UN World Data Forum, from October 19-21, some of the greatest data challenges in our fast-changing world. They will identify innovative solutions to intensify cooperation on data for sustainable development. Renew the urgent call for more and better funding for data. “In a world wracked by COVID-19, we need data-based solutions to guide our way to a sustainable future,” said Francesca Perucci, Assistant Director of UN DESA’s Statistics Division.
07 October 2020 Khartoum, 7 October 2020 – The Government of Sudan and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) today jointly launched the first-ever State of the Environment and Outlook Report for the Republic of Sudan under the theme of Environment for Peace and Sustainable Development. This report’s launch comes as Sudan works to improve its political and economic systems to further economic and social progress following the country’s….
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Sustainable Land Use New approaches to land use can address climate change while preserving food security and biodiversity About one quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions result from agricultural activity on the nearly 50 million square kilometres of land now under cultivation - an area roughly the size of Asia. Growing and increasingly wealthy populations in developing countries will require even more agricultural acreage, often obtained through the sort of deforestation that adds to greenhouse-gas emissions. Supply must be increased to meet these demands, while at the same time land degradation is curbed and forests are somehow preserved. A tally published in the journal Nature in 2015 counted 3 trillion trees on Earth, which were being cut down at a rate of about 15 billion trees per year (researchers have estimated that the global count has dropped by nearly half since the advent of agriculture). Tropical Forest Alliance 2020, a global partnership of governments, corporations, and civic organizations, promotes sustainable forestry by subtracting deforestation from the process of cultivating products like palm oil, pulp and paper. Innovation could further reduce the environmental impact of land use, while bolstering carbon storage, water flow regulation, and biodiversity. However, in developing countries where land and water resources are under the most stress, financing new innovation is constrained by limited public budgets, and private sector investment is needed.
Related insight areas: Environment and Natural Resource Security, Water, Cities and Urbanization, Human Rights, Sustainable Development, Space, Future of Food, Biotechnology, Forests, Agriculture, Food and Beverage, Banking and Capital Markets, Internet of Things, Drones
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has found that investment in land-use R&D can generate rates of return that are between 30% and 75%. Innovation that promotes sustainable land use is a key part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, an era when technologies like satellites, drones, and autonomous vehicles with advanced sensors can monitor soil and water conditions and crop health, big data can be analysed by software capable of sending timely recommendations to a local farmer’s mobile phone, biotechnology can breed more resilient crops, renewable energy generation can be distributed, and financial technology (or “fintech”) can be delivered to communities. The World Economic Forum’s New Vision for Agriculture, in partnership with the G7, has engaged roughly 600 organizations to work towards the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Effective innovation and collaboration, promoted through the Forum’s Innovation with a Purpose initiative, are essential for creating sustainable land use that helps mitigate climate change while feeding the world’s growing population.
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Latest knowledge Wired
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
Could Biden Rebuild the Economy by Funding Green Energy?
So. Africa: Report calls for end to export credits to coal operations
08 October 2020
01 October 2020
Let’s suppose Americans choose Joe Biden to replace Donald Trump as president. (And also that the world doesn’t end sometime in the next month.) What might that mean for the fight against climate change? In August, Biden announced a $2 trillion, four-year climate plan designed to steer energy policy away from coddling Big Oil and toward bolstering green energy.
‘Up in Smoke: Human rights and environmental impacts of export credits to coal. The case of South Africa, 23 September 2020 The coal industry is well-known for its serious climate implications and effects on local communities. Still, European export credits have contributed to expand the coal industry in countries already dependent on coal, including South Africa, a new Swedwatch report finds. Coal is the most polluting source of energy and emissions from coal-fired power plants the single largest contributor to climate change.
Carbon Brief
Nitrogen fertiliser use could ‘threaten global climate goals’
Project Syndicate
07 October 2020
The No DICE Carbon Price
The world’s use of nitrogen fertilisers for food production could threaten efforts to keep global warming below 2C above pre-industrial levels. .
30 September 2020 If there is a single issue that matters more than any other in the broader debate about climate change, it is how to price carbon dioxide emissions. The battle against catastrophic global warming will have already been lost if those advocating a low figure come out on top.
Rocky Mountain Institute
JPMorgan Chase Commits to ClimateAligned Finance 06 October 2020
United Nations Environment
Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) commends JPMorgan Chase for announcing today that it will shape its core business to align with the Paris Agreement on climate change. The post JPMorgan Chase Commits to ClimateAligned Finance appeared first on Rocky Mountain Institute .
No time to waste: using data to drive down food waste 30 September 2020 Approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption gets lost or wasted – around 1.3 billion tonnes every year. This amounts to roughly US$680 billion in developed countries and US$310 billion in developing countries, with a carbon footprint of about 3.3 billion tonnes of CO2, which is equivalent to 8 per cent of global greenhouse emissions. Cutting food waste is one of the most effective ways to reduce….
Observer Research Foundation
Himalaya Samvad - Dialogue Between India, Nepal and Bhutan 03 October 2020 The Himalaya Samvad is a broad-based dialogue between the Himalayan neighbours India, Nepal and Bhutan. The dialogue will catalyse areas of interest and will include themes for mutual collaboration such as using technology to not just connect the Himalayan nations but to enhance business networks and cultural ties with the region, as well as working towards a climate-resilient Himalayan region through green investments and green technology. The panel discussions will focus on two themes. Digital Himalayas: Technology, its applications, especially as perceived by the young demography of these countries, and sharing technology knowhow and creating digital business networks. Green Himalayas: Working together towards a green economy, including green investments; green cities; tackling climate issues, disaster mitigation and resilience.
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The Social Cost of Carbon Pricing carbon can reduce emissions and enable smarter planning The cost of carbon-intensive goods like fossil fuel-based energy should reflect the damage they cause. Even a small charge on the emission of carbon dioxide can help insure against climate risk, while providing incentives for the use of (and investment in) clean energy. Economists have identified two forms of carbon pricing as particularly flexible and efficient: emissions trading schemes (or “carbon markets�), and carbon fees or taxes, usually with proceeds that are refunded to the public. The number of related initiatives around the world has doubled during the past decade. According to the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition, 70 national and sub-national jurisdictions are now pricing about 20% of global emissions. Barriers to taxing carbon at the consumer level, however, remain. In late 2018, France suspended a planned tax hike on gasoline and diesel fuel following violent demonstrations. At about the same time, voters in the state of Washington, one of the most progressive in the US, rejected a proposal to tax carbon dioxide emissions. Clearly, new approaches are needed to gain public support. Pricing carbon is necessary, not just for sound public policy but also for attracting private investment to renewable energy.
Related insight areas: Agile Governance, Private Investors, Public Finance and Social Protection, Global Risks, Insurance, Institutional Investors, Development Finance, Financial and Monetary Systems, Banking and Capital Markets
The High-Level Commission on Carbon Prices, launched in 2016 with support from the World Bank, engages economists and climate change and energy experts in designing effective carbon pricing (a private-sector initiative led by CDP and the We Mean Business Coalition complements this effort). Institutional investors are now paying more attention to carbon risk management, and pushing companies to set an internal price on carbon, assess their exposure to climate-based risks, and allocate capital tailored to a low-carbon economy. A taskforce mandated by the Financial Stability Board has meanwhile published voluntary standards for climate-related financial disclosure, and nearly 1,400 companies reported last year on their practices and plans for pricing carbon. The standards are supported by nearly 300 financial services firms managing about $100 trillion in assets. The Financial Stability Board’s efforts go hand-in-hand with a G20 initiative to reform fossil-fuel subsidies that can lead to wasteful energy consumption. During the past forty years, our understanding of the economic forces underlying climate change has advanced considerably. In recognition of this, the 2018 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences was awarded to Yale economist William Nordhaus - for his work integrating climate change and carbon pricing into macroeconomic analysis.
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Latest knowledge World Economic Forum
United Nations Environment
What are the biggest risks to business? New data shows climate concerns are rising
Halving food waste and raising climate ambition: SDG 12.3 and the Paris Agreement
08 October 2020
30 September 2020
This new interactive map shows that businesses around the world rank environmental risks among the top 10 rising global concerns for their industries.
Food loss and waste generate an estimated 8 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions while using land and water resources needlessly and increasing pressure on biodiversity. Sustainable Development Goal 12.3 calls for a halving of food waste at retail and household level, and a reduction of food loss across the supply chain. Champions 12.3, a high-level coalition formed to deliver this strategic target, counts….
World Resources Institute
Structuring an Endowment to Align with Paris Agreement Goals: Insights from WRI's Climate Change Investment Efforts
LSE Business Review
07 October 2020
Can Europe’s Green Deal be a growth strategy?
Instead of incorporating climate change into our standing Investment Policy Statement (IPS), WRI developed a Climate Change Investment Statement to elaborate on how we integrate climate-related factors into our endowment portfolio.
30 September 2020 Watching the impactful images of San Francisco turned red by unprecedented wildfires was a reminder of how climate change must be reversed fast. At the same time, the coronavirus crisis has led to millions of job losses, bringing the economic recovery to the political fore. Politicians are framing Green Deals as the silver bullet to kill two birds with one stone.
Pew Research Center
How important is climate change to voters in the 2020 election? 06 October 2020 A majority of U.S. registered voters say climate change will be a very or somewhat important issue when casting their vote for president. IMD Business School
Collaborative financing for renewable energy in emerging markets 05 October 2020 IMD Professor Vanina Farber invites Paul Needham, CoFounder of Positive. Capital Partners to explore how blended finance and innovative instruments can drive private capital investment into renewable energy projects in emerging markets. United Nations Environment
Yes, climate change is driving wildfires 02 October 2020 As wildfires sweep across the western United States, taking lives, destroying homes and blanketing the country in smoke, Niklas Hagelberg has a sobering message: this could be America’s new normal. The climate change expert with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says a fast-warming planet will likely lead to more record-breaking blazes, like those that have ravaged the states of California, Oregon and….
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Investing in Climate Action Strategic investments can both stimulate economies and build climate resilience Investments in green transportation, sustainable agriculture, and climate-resilient infrastructure can have a multiplier effect; according to the Business Commission for Sustainable Development, investing $320 billion annually in sustainable business models in developed economies could unlock $2.3 trillion in additional annual investment by 2030. A 2017 report published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found that better integrating economic and climate action could increase average economic output in G20 countries by almost 3% by the year 2050. In addition, the International Finance Corporation has identified nearly $23 trillion in climate-smart investments in emerging markets through 2030. Globally, new investment in clean energy reached $334 billion in 2017; China led the way ($133 billion), followed by the US ($57 billion) and Japan ($23 billion), according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Corporations are signing long-term, large-scale renewable energy contracts that leverage incentives, and local financing is playing a growing role in these deals in developing countries. As of 2018, $10.3 billion had been pledged to the international Green Climate Fund - though that is far short of the $100 billion that had been targeted to be available annually by 2020.
Related insight areas: Sustainable Development, Circular Economy, Advanced Manufacturing and Production, Future of Energy, Financial and Monetary Systems, Infrastructure, Private Investors, The Great Reset, Cities and Urbanization, Future of Economic Progress, Institutional Investors, Development Finance, Green New Deals, Water
Governments can catalyse private investment in climate resilience, by providing incentives and funding innovation. Businesses can reinforce government action in turn, by making climate-smart investments and by supporting the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. According to the New Climate Economy report published in 2018 by the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate, $90 trillion will be spent globally through 2030 on new infrastructure, which exceeds the value of all current infrastructure stock. Developing countries are expected to account for roughly two-thirds of this new infrastructure investment, which can be made sustainable and compatible with climate goals through only modest additional upfront costs. Ultimately, these upfront costs can be more than offset by efficiency gains and fuel savings. The potential rewards are enormous; the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate’s report projects an economic gain of $26 trillion through the year 2030 if investments are made in low-carbon technologies and resilient infrastructure, rather than conducting business as usual. Such investments offer an unprecedented opportunity to leapfrog the wasteful, polluting infrastructure of the past, and accelerate the global transition to efficient, climate-resilient, and low-carbon economies.
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Latest knowledge The Conversation
Project Syndicate
We want green energy jobs, say North Sea oil and gas workers – what they need to make the leap
The Way We Could Live Now 02 October 2020 Now that the scientific "debate" about climate change has finally been put to rest, the conversation has shifted to questions of technical and political feasibility. There are grounds for hope on both fronts, but much will depend on whether we can dismantle the behavioral obstacles standing in the way of collective action.
08 October 2020 For the first time in history, the price of US oil turned negative in April 2020. While the oil and gas sector has faced downturns before, the collapse of demand during lockdowns in the pandemic may prove to be its biggest challenge yet. The ensuing glut of cheap oil has mired operations in the North Sea too, where as many as 30,000 jobs could be lost. Signalling his ambition for a sea change in the region’s energy sector, Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently pledged to power every home in the UK with electricity generated by offshore wind farms by 2030. If the north sea skyline shifts from rigs to turbines, where does that leave oil and gas workers?.
The New Humanitarian
There’s a better way forward than sending Afghans home to conflict 30 September 2020 Opinion: Focusing on returns is shortsighted. Instead, let’s help the countries that host the vast majority of Afghan refugees and migrants.
Project Syndicate
World Economic Forum
Greening the Transatlantic Relationship
How Germany and Costa Rica are putting nature at the heart of their recoveries
07 October 2020 Far from derailing Europe's plans to achieve net-zero emissions, the COVID-19 pandemic has put climate action at the very center of EU policymaking. The only question now is whether Europe's oldest friend and ally will stop dragging its feet and come back to the table to help lead on this globally defining issue.
30 September 2020 Here's how governments around the world can maximise the economic opportunities that lie in nature – as examples from Costa Rica and Germany demonstrate.
Bruegel
The European climate law needs a strong just transition fund 06 October 2020 To deliver on the goals of the European climate law, the European Union needs finally to get coal out of its energy mix: the EU should quicken the pace of decarbonisation whilst delivering on its goal of social inclusion. Rocky Mountain Institute
Colorado Won’t Meet Climate Goals without Swift Action on Buildings 06 October 2020 Colorado officials recently released their long-awaited draft Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap, laying out a path toward achieving the state’s goals of a 50 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 and 90 percent by 2050. The roadmap takes stock... Read More The post Colorado Won’t Meet Climate Goals without Swift Action on Buildings appeared first on Rocky Mountain Institute .
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Understanding Climate Risks Extreme weather, rising sea levels, and food and water scarcity are becoming a reality Nine of the 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 2005. The global average temperature is now about 1°C above the pre-industrial average, and increasing by about 0.2°C per decade. Carbon dioxide released by burning fossil fuels and agricultural and industrial activity has raised the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to more than 400 parts per million - which has intensified the trapping of heat. Global warming is causing sea levels to rise and changing precipitation patterns, with increased rainfall in some regions and more extreme drought in others. Disasters triggered by weather- and climate-related risks are estimated to have been responsible for thousands of deaths and more than $300 billion in losses worldwide in 2017 alone. A National Climate Assessment issued in the US in late 2018 projected yearly losses of a similar magnitude there by the end of this century. A 2012 report published by the US National Academy of Sciences found that a 2°C rise in temperature could expose up to 20% of the world’s population to chronic water shortages (about 5% is now exposed). Under that same 2°C scenario, global agricultural yields by the end of the 21st century could decline by as much as 15% for staple crops such as maize. The Paris Agreement on climate change aims to limit global average temperature rise to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels. A 2018 report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change highlighted the need to limit warming to no more than 1.5°C; many ocean ecosystems, including the majority of the world’s warm water coral reefs, are likely to disappear if warming exceeds this level. Average global rise in sea level (projected to be about half a metre by 2100 if warming reaches 2°C) could be reduced by 20% by hitting the 1.5°C target, thereby protecting 10 million vulnerable people. A slower temperature rise could also help affected regions better adapt to climate change. In order to meet the 1.5°C target, however, countries must go well beyond their Paris Agreement commitments. And, because carbon dioxide persists in the atmosphere for centuries, models show that these emissions would have to cease entirely by 2050, while emissions of other, less-long-lived greenhouse gases would have to fall significantly. Achieving this will require farreaching changes to many aspects of modern society, but could also help to create a more sustainable, equitable world. Related insight areas: The Ocean, Air Pollution, Sustainable Development, Global Risks, Water, Environment and Natural Resource Security, Corporate Governance, Global Governance, Forests, Future of Food
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Latest knowledge United Nations Environment
Nature
Climate change: Proof in numbers
The worst is yet to come for the Greenland ice sheet
08 October 2020
02 October 2020 UNEP’s novel ‘World Environment Situation Room’ provides real-time data on PM2.5 levels across the planet, informing scientists, policy-makers and citizens alike. Last month, as wildfires continued to rage across the American West, Pascal Peduzzi, a climate scientist with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Geneva, followed the situation with air quality in Mammoth Lakes, a town high in California’s….
An assessment of past, present and future ice loss from the Greenland ice sheet shows that rates of loss in the twenty‑first century will be much higher than those at any time during the past 11,700 years. Ice-mass loss from the Greenland ice sheet over 12,000 years. United Nations Environment
The future is circular: what biodiversity really means
The Conversation
Climate migration: what the research shows is very different from the alarmist headlines
30 September 2020 Subtle shifts aren’t good enough, says Doreen Robinson, Chief of Wildlife at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). It’s time for a system-wide transformation. On the day of the UN Summit on Biodiversity, Robinson explains where we’ve gone wrong and how we can do better. .
07 October 2020 Predictions of mass climate migration make for attentiongrabbing headlines. For more than two decades, commentators have predicted “waves” and “rising tides” of people forced to move by climate change. Recently, a think-tank report warned the climate crisis could displace 1.2 billion people by 2050. Some commentators now even argue that, as the New York Times noted in a recent headline “ The Great Climate Migration Has Begun ”, and that the climate refugees we’ve been warned about are, in fact, already here. These alarming statements are often well-intentioned.
World Economic Forum
How investing in nature can help tackle the biodiversity and climate crises 30 September 2020 The health crisis is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of overlooking biophysical risks on human wellbeing, businesses and economies.
World Resources Institute
New Climate Federalism: Defining Federal, State, and Local Roles in a U.S. Policy Framework to Achieve Decarbonization 05 October 2020 Recognizing that addressing climate change in the U.S. will require action at all levels of government, WRI convened thought leaders among current and former U.S. federal, state, and local government officials in a dialogue to explore these topics. This paper sets out the context and findings of the dialogue discussions, and proposes a working federalism framework to delineate roles within a future federal climate policy. Mother Jones
Fish species communicate with one another in coral reefs. Can they save these threatened ecosystems? 04 October 2020 Among the many egregious scientific inaccuracies in Finding Nemo —fish can talk, sharks form support groups, turtles wax their shells —perhaps none is more glaring than the conceit of fish maintaining friendships.
15 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
Building Climate Coalitions Effective action requires engagement with a diverse array of stakeholders Effective climate action requires commitments from businesses, organizations, cities, and regions. Several coalitions have already emerged in the private sector. For example, We Mean Business, a coalition of non-profit organizations dedicated to partnering with the private sector, has engaged more than 800 different companies (representing about $17 trillion in market value), to act on climate change. More than 150 of the affiliated companies have committed to a goal of 100% renewable power, and about 500 have committed to establishing science-based targets for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in their operations. Public-sector coalitions engaging local and regional governments are also becoming more prominent. The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is made up of more than 90 cities that have committed to 10,000 “actions” to combat climate change. C40 cities represent about one quarter of the global economy and roughly 8% of the world’s population, and aim to stir a global conversation that hastens progress towards a low-carbon economy. The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy provides a similar platform for more than 9,000 cities, comprising about 10% of the world’s population. In the US, the We Are Still In coalition has gathered signatures from more than 3,500 leaders across the country in support of a pledge to uphold the Paris Agreement on climate change. This initiative, which was started after the Trump Administration announced its intention to withdraw the US from the agreement, represents about half the US population. Climate Action 100+ is meanwhile an example of a global initiative led by more than 300 investors with $32 trillion in assets under management; it is systematically engaging with major corporate greenhouse gas emitters around the globe that now have a significant opportunity to shape the clean energy transition and support the Paris Agreement - which aims to limit global warming to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels. In addition, the World Economic Forum’s Alliance of CEO Climate Leaders aims to foster public-private collaboration that can support the Paris Agreement and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. By joining forces with these coalitions, policy-makers, organization, and companies can demonstrate a real commitment to climate action, share best practices, and demonstrate leadership. Related insight areas: Global Governance, Sustainable Development, The Great Reset, Development Finance, Geopolitics, Civic Participation, Cities and Urbanization
16 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
Latest knowledge World Economic Forum
Rocky Mountain Institute
How debt for climate swaps could spur a green recovery
Clean Energy Is Canceling Gas Plants 30 September 2020
07 October 2020 While COVID-19 has disrupted many aspects of the economy and daily life in 2020, the trend toward clean electricity is still going strong. Renewable energy and storage technology costs continue to fall, with expanding adoption by utilities and other investors,... Read More The post Clean Energy Is Canceling Gas Plants appeared first on Rocky Mountain Institute .
Countries can use financial systems to encourage investments in green activities, thereby tackling both the debt and climate crisis all at once. Asian Development Bank
Green Finance Strategies for Post COVID-19 Economic Recovery in Southeast Asia: Greening Recoveries for Planet and People
Project Syndicate
A Cool New Energy-Efficiency Policy 30 September 2020
07 October 2020
A single change in our approach to energy efficiency can enable more people around the world to stay cool, benefit consumers, and flatten the curve on cooling-related energy demand and emissions. If we want climate-friendly AC, we need to leap toward the technology ceiling, rather than hover just above the technology floor.
This publication examines innovative finance mechanisms for government recovery strategies that can incentivize green infrastructure investment in developing Asia and support the fight against the coronavirus disease (COVID19) pandemic. The Science Breaker
A prehistoric seawall to combat Mediterranean Sea-level rise
Rocky Mountain Institute
Green Steel: A Multi-Billion Dollar Opportunity
06 October 2020
29 September 2020
We summarize a recently published study describing and discussing a now-submerged seawall constructed some 7000 years ago by Neolithic villagers on the Mediterranean coast of northern Israel. It was built to protect the village against the rising sea. Their attempt was unsuccessful, and eventually, they were forced to abandon their home.
Over the last 30 years, reduction of greenhouse gas emissions has been on the political agenda, with increasing emphasis. The post Green Steel: A Multi-Billion Dollar Opportunity appeared first on Rocky Mountain Institute .
United Nations Environment
Historic UN Summit on Biodiversity sets stage for a global movement toward a green recovery from COVID19 01 October 2020 New York, 30 September 2020 — Recognizing that the continued deterioration and degradation of the world’s natural ecosystems were having major impacts on the lives and livelihoods of people everywhere, world leaders called for increased resolve to protect biodiversity at the UN today. A record number of countries - nearly 150 countries and 72 Heads of State and Government addressed the first ever Summit held on….
17 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
Transitioning to Clean Energy A faster transition to clean energy is the most effective option for combatting climate change Renewable energy accounted for about 9.5% of all global energy in 2017, a slight increase compared with the prior year, according to the 2018 World Energy Outlook published by the International Energy Agency. The renewables counted in this mix included solar, wind, geothermal, and modern biomass energy, along with traditional hydroelectric power. More importantly, however, are projections for renewables to increase electrical power as a way to decarbonize the world’s energy supply. Thanks to economies of scale, and technologies like efficient solar cells and larger wind turbines, these energy sources now compete with fossil fuels. An analysis by the investment bank Lazard shows that during the past decade the “levelized” cost of electricity from wind farms (its average cost over the farm's lifetime) has decreased by two-thirds, and from utility-scale solar farms by nearly 90%. In many places, wind and solar are now cheaper than coal and natural gas. The emergence of new renewable energy markets has meanwhile reduced operating costs. In developing countries, renewable energy mini-grids are electrifying communities, while in developed countries solar power is reducing reliance on the grid, bolstered by renewable energy credits and tax incentives.
Related insight areas: Automotive Industry, Infrastructure, Future of Energy, Green New Deals, Air Pollution, Future of Mobility, Oil and Gas, Electricity, Batteries, Cities and Urbanization, Fourth Industrial Revolution
Decarbonizing transportation poses the biggest challenge. The United Kingdom, France and China are among the countries that have announced their intention to curb fossilfuel cars or entirely phase out internal combustion engines, and the number of electric vehicles on the road is projected to increase by more than 7,000% between 2017 and 2030. Still, this will be less than 15% of the nearly 2 billion vehicles expected to be in operation by then. Aviation and shipping are on track to account for nearly 40% of carbon-dioxide emissions by 2050. A report published by the Energy Transitions Commission outlined a plan to cut emissions with smarter logistics that improve efficiency by tempering demand for carbon-intensive transport. The high cost of energy storage in batteries is the main barrier preventing widespread adoption of intermittent renewable energy; a massive improvement in energy density is needed for lithiumion batteries to compete with liquid fuels. Just as important as scaling-up battery technology will be the cleaning up of entire product chains, from working conditions in the mines that supply raw materials for batteries, to the pollution associated with the improper disposal of batteries. The World Economic Forum’s Global Battery Alliance was created in 2017 to address these challenges.
18 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
Latest knowledge Project Syndicate
Frontiers
Europe’s “Green China” Challenge
Frontiers in Climate Predictions and Projections
07 October 2020
06 October 2020 If, as seems likely, China commits fully to President Xi Jinping's recent pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060, the implications will be far-reaching. This is particularly true for the European Union, which will have its own plans and policies both facilitated and challenged in unanticipated ways.
Climate change is one of the biggest scientific and geopolitical challenges of our times. Central to the challenge is the idea of using climate science to look into the future and ask what the world might be like. United Nations Environment
Business and Human Rights Resource Centre
New virtual journey highlights benefits of peatlands
Tokio Marine announces coal policy; climate group unimpressed
01 October 2020
06 October 2020 According to the latest Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services assessment, 75% of land, 66% of oceans and 85% of our planet’s wetlands have been negatively impacted by human activity. The United Nations reports are also raising alarm bells on the climate crisis and tipping points from which we may not be able to rehabilitate our planet’s ability to deliver life supporting….
Tokio Marine Holdings has announced its climate strategy, which includes its position on covering coal power projects, a few days after fellow Japanese insurance giant Sompo ’s announcement that it will no longer insure or invest in coal-fired power plants in Japan... However, environmental advocacy group Insure Our Future denounced Tokio Marine’s policy as “weak”, citing the policy’s exceptions and allegedly vague wording in some parts. Insure Our Future also criticised Tokio Marine’s position, saying the insurer is relying on “unproven technologies” to mitigate climate risks... Furthermore, Insure Our Future also highlighted the statement’s lack of position on the following points: Insuring coal mines and other elements of the coal value chain. Several non-government organisations from the No Coal Japan campaign will publish a response welcoming Tokio Marine‘s coal position, but will also urge the company to establish a policy to withdraw from all coal underwriting and investments, and not to insure the controversial Vung ang 2 coal power plant in Vietnam, in particular..
Asian Development Bank
Flood risk and public health: An unlikely partnership in the fight against COVID-19 30 September 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented disruptions to the world. The disease itself and the containing measures brought societies and many public services to an abrupt halt. Flood risk management is, without exception, affected by such disruptions. Infrastructure development, planning and coordination, monitoring, and capacity building activities are all suspended. The public sector, on which flood risk management heavily relies, has been forced to redirect attention and resources to manage the pandemic, where they are needed most immediately.
World Resources Institute
Meeting the Climate Challenge Through a New Climate Federalism 06 October 2020
World Resources Institute
Green Space: An Underestimated Tool to Create More Equal Cities
The task of decarbonizing the U.S. economy is too big for any one level of government to tackle alone. The “new climate federalism” model proposes a framework for the federal, state and local governments to work together to address climate change.
29 September 2020 The correlation between urban tree cover and income is well-documented in cities around the world, and is often a by-product of historic inequality. However, cities can proactively address inequality, build resilience and improve residents' lives by making green spaces more equitable.
19 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
Strained Health Systems Systems around the world were rendered unfit for purpose prior to the pandemic The total cost of COVID-19 to health systems remains to be seen - though the â‚Ź7.4 billion pledge made by world leaders in May 2020 for a European Commission initiative to develop a vaccine provided a glimpse of its enormity. Related risks include differences over how to ensure fair, low-cost distribution of a vaccine and treatments, and the antivaccination movement. Even prior to the pandemic, gains made in in terms of lifespan and health span (the number of years spent in good health) seemed to be petering out in both developed and developing countries. COVID-19 has exacerbated worrying trends in many countries; an inability to care for many at-risk patients has exposed decades of insufficient investment, mounting workforce limitations, and demand-capacity mismatches. COVID-19 also threatens to worsen health disparities between countries; in the world's least developed economies, hundreds of millions of people are faced with inadequate healthcare delivery and hygiene standards. Even responsible measures taken to stem the spread will place additional stress on healthcare systems, as isolation, confinement, and remote working lead to increased depression and anxiety. Regardless of the pandemic, climate change, increasing longevity, and lifestyle changes will continue to transform disease burdens, and will require new health infrastructure. However, many systems have been failing to adapt. Depression and anxiety disorders increased by 54% and 42%, respectively, from 1990 to 2013, according to World Health Organization data - and some 700 million people worldwide are estimated to have a mental disorder. Most health systems continue to focus on reactive care, while paying too little attention to non-communicable disease prevention and control. They have yet to effectively combine online, remote, and retail care settings in order to improve information, screening, treatment, and support. While specialized new drugs promise better treatment for devastating diseases, they come at an exorbitant price - in the next few years, up to 30 new, million-dollar drugs are expected to hit the market, mostly for cancer. Leaders everywhere need to take a close look at their current approaches to health if we are to maintain the progress made during the last century, and decrease our collective exposure to future risks. Related insight areas: Future of Economic Progress, Ageing, COVID-19, Biotechnology, Mental Health, Migration, Sustainable Development, Global Health, Retail, Consumer Goods and Lifestyle, United States, ASEAN, Vaccination, Climate Change, Future of Food, Future of Health and Healthcare, The Great Reset
20 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
Latest knowledge Project Syndicate
Inside Climate News
The Core of the ECB’s New Strategy
Droughts That Start Over the Ocean? They’re Often Worse Than Those That Form Over Land
08 October 2020 Now that the European Union has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the European Central Bank must start preparing for the structural shifts that lie ahead. In a world where governments want the prices of certain forms of energy to rise, the concept of price stability becomes more complicated.
07 October 2020 Droughts usually evoke visions of cracked earth, withered crops, dried-up rivers and dust storms. Droughts can also form over oceans, and when they then move ashore they are often more intense and longer-lasting than purely land-born dry spells. A Sept.
Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS)
MIT Technology Review
Measuring price stability in Covid times
How the truth was murdered
08 October 2020
07 October 2020
The recent fall in both headline and core inflation in the euro area has increased pressure on the European Central Bank (ECB) to adopt further measures to stimulate the economy. With headline inflation turning negative for two months, additional measures seem to be warranted. However, inflation data based on consumer prices should not be the only guide for policy in the kind of turbulent times we are currently experiencing. A broader price index such as the GDP deflator provides important additional information for policy decision. [1] This broad indicator is increasing at a rate of around 2%. There seems to be no danger of broad-based deflation. How to measure price stability? The main aim of the ECB is to preserve price stability, which it has defined as an inflation rate of “below, but close to 2%”.
Hundreds of thousands of Americans are dead in a pandemic, and one of the infected is the President of the United States. But not even personally contracting covid-19 has stopped him from minimizing the illness in Twitter messages to his supporters. . Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania - Knowledge@Wharton
Why Low Interest Rates Hurt Retirees 06 October 2020 Lower returns on investments could mean that retirees save less, dip into retirement funds, or collect Social Security benefits earlier than planned, says Wharton’s Olivia S. Mitchell.
LSE Business Review
How student debt influences the behaviour of graduates 08 October 2020 Student loans have become the new normal for bachelor’s degree recipients in the United States. Between 1993 and 2016, the percentage of students who had borrowed at any time during their undergraduate years rose from 45 percent for 1993 graduates to 68 percent for 2016 graduates (Figure 1). Among borrowers, the median cumulative amount borrowed rose from $13,000 to $27,000 […]. Duke Fuqua School of Business
The CFO Survey Shows Expectation of Slow Recovery 07 October 2020 CFOs expect employment and revenues to remain below pre-COVID levels into 2021.
21 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
The Paris Agreement The climate change deal ratified in 2016 provides a global framework for action The Paris Agreement was negotiated at the annual United Nations climate summit in 2015, and provides a means for participating countries to respond to the environmental, social, and economic effects of climate change. The agreement was a significant milestone, because it managed to formulate a consensus on the need to limit the rise in global average temperature to well below 2°C above preindustrial levels. The 181 countries that ratified the deal are expected to submit specific pledges to reduce their contributions to emissions, and to help the places most vulnerable to climate change adapt. One of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which were adopted in 2015 to guide development for the next 15 years, encourages countries to incorporate their climate commitments into national policies, and urges companies to de-carbonize their operations and supply chains. In addition, the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol (on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer) bolsters the Paris Agreement, by preventing the equivalent of an estimated 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions every year (in total, about 35 billion tons of yearly emissions result from human activity).
Related insight areas: Environment and Natural Resource Security, Public Finance and Social Protection, United States, Global Governance, Future of Economic Progress, Global Risks, Justice and Law, Corporate Governance, Civic Participation, Sustainable Development, International Security
More broadly, the Montreal Protocol has helped to reverse shrinkage of the ozone layer, which protects against harmful radiation from the sun. It is an encouraging example of a multinational agreement that can solve real climate problems. Public commitments targeting greenhouse-gas emissions are generally gaining momentum, but not everywhere. In 2017, the Trump Administration announced its intention to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement at the earliest allowed date (which under the rules would be in late 2020). Brazil may follow. In 2018, the US Environmental Protection Agency proposed new rules to weaken the emissions limits set for coal-fired power plants in 2015. Despite such setbacks, and a spike in carbon-dioxide emissions in 2017 following a two-year pause, the UN climate summit held in late 2018 in Poland ended on a positive note. Delegates from 195 countries reached an agreement on what counts towards a reported reduction of their emissions, and on assigning responsibility to monitor progress on pledged goals. Developed countries meanwhile made firmer commitments to finance efforts to reduce the growing emissions generated by developing countries, which in turn agreed to uniform tracking standards.
22 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
Latest knowledge Science Daily
South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA)
Seagrass restoration speeds recovery of ecosystem services
Building Africa’s renewable energy future: Recommendations for a just transition
07 October 2020 The reintroduction of seagrass into Virginia's coastal bays is one of the great success stories in marine restoration. Now, a long-term monitoring study shows this success extends far beyond a single plant species, rippling out to engender substantial increases in fish and invertebrate abundance, water clarity, and the trapping of pollutioncausing carbon and nitrogen.
30 September 2020 To shed light on the course of African energy transition processes, this policy brief provides evidence from a comparative analysis of 34 African countries. We present a clear picture of promising policy frameworks and fruitful attempts to realise a higher level of energy justice. South Africa, Rwanda, Kenya, Mauritius, Ethiopia and Egypt may serve as good practice examples for other states currently aiming at a systemic energy transition. Our recommendations for AU-EU cooperation on renewables and a green economy bring in suggestions for further fostering this green paradigm shift through means of consultancy, capacity building and strategies for technology transfer.
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Climate Smart Agriculture: Loss of Biodiversity and the Uncertainties associated with Climate Change 07 October 2020 World Economic Forum
World Resources Institute
As a chest surgeon, I see the effects of air pollution inside every patient
China and Big Business Give Climate Diplomacy a Kick-Start at UNGA and Climate Week
05 October 2020
29 September 2020
Healthy lungs have become a rarity in India - even among children and non-smokers. Can a new air pollution campaign by Indian doctors make a difference?.
The UN's 75th General Assembly last week offered a crucial moment for leaders to demonstrate global solidarity for a fairer, safer, stronger world amid the sweeping impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and a changing climate.
Rocky Mountain Institute
Three Key Takeaways from California’s First Workshop on Health Impacts of Gas Stoves 02 October 2020 This week saw a breakthrough for regulation of indoor air quality in the United States. On September 30, the California Energy Commission (CEC) held a workshop on the health effects of gas appliances. This historic workshop highlighted the ways in which the CEC can help reduce the health impacts of gas appliances through improved ventilation requirements under its Title 24 Building Energy Efficiency Standards. IMD Business School
Collaborative financing for renewable energy in emerging markets 30 September 2020 How can we channel more private capital investment into renewable energy projects in emerging markets? Professor Vanina Farber, elea Chair of Social Innovation and Paul Needham, Founder of Positive Capital Partners, explore solutions in this IMD elea webinar.
23 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
References 1. Green Finance
5. Investing in Climate Action
Financing tree planting and proper valuation of natural assets and investments, Center for International Forestry Research, www.youtube.com Decentralising Climate Action and Finance in India , Observer Research Foundation, www.youtube.com How green banks can drive investment in renewable energy, Yale Climate Connections, yaleclimateconnections.org A proposal for a public infrastructure leasing entity for Europe, Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), www.ceps.eu 4 Questions About China's New Climate Commitments, World Resources Institute, www.wri.org The COVID-Climate Nexus, Project Syndicate, www.project-syndicate.org
We want green energy jobs, say North Sea oil and gas workers – what they need to make the leap, The Conversation, theconversation.com Greening the Transatlantic Relationship, Project Syndicate, www.projectsyndicate.org The European climate law needs a strong just transition fund, Bruegel, www.bruegel.org Colorado Won’t Meet Climate Goals without Swift Action on Buildings, Rocky Mountain Institute, rmi.org The Way We Could Live Now, Project Syndicate, www.projectsyndicate.org There’s a better way forward than sending Afghans home to conflict, The New Humanitarian, www.thenewhumanitarian.org How Germany and Costa Rica are putting nature at the heart of their recoveries, World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org
Developing Recovery Options for Puerto Rico's Economic and Disaster Recovery Plan, RAND Corporation, www.rand.org
2. A Just Transition
6. Understanding Climate Risks
Undermining Rights: Indigenous Lands and Mining in the Amazon, World Resources Institute, www.wri.org COVID-19, reverse migration, and the impact on land systems, Land Portal, landportal.org Sudan launches first-ever State of the Environment and Outlook report to help guide peace and sustainable development, United Nations Environment, www.unep.org From planting to natural regeneration: best approaches to tree growing, Center for International Forestry Research, www.youtube.com Academic article proposes method to quantify the stress placed on people and environment for the extraction of transition minerals, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, www.business-humanrights.org In Quest of Data-Based Solutions for A Sustainable Future, In Depth News, www.indepthnews.net
Climate change: Proof in numbers, United Nations Environment, www.unep.org Climate migration: what the research shows is very different from the alarmist headlines, The Conversation, theconversation.com New Climate Federalism: Defining Federal, State, and Local Roles in a U.S. Policy Framework to Achieve Decarbonization, World Resources Institute, www.wri.org Fish species communicate with one another in coral reefs. Can they save these threatened ecosystems?, Mother Jones, www.motherjones.com The worst is yet to come for the Greenland ice sheet, Nature, www.nature.com The future is circular: what biodiversity really means, United Nations Environment, www.unenvironment.org How investing in nature can help tackle the biodiversity and climate crises, World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org
3. Sustainable Land Use
Acknowledgements
Could Biden Rebuild the Economy by Funding Green Energy?, Wired, www.wired.com Nitrogen fertiliser use could ‘threaten global climate goals’, Carbon Brief, www.carbonbrief.org JPMorgan Chase Commits to Climate-Aligned Finance, Rocky Mountain Institute, rmi.org Himalaya Samvad - Dialogue Between India, Nepal and Bhutan, Observer Research Foundation, www.youtube.com So. Africa: Report calls for end to export credits to coal operations, Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, www.business-humanrights.org The No DICE Carbon Price, Project Syndicate, www.project-syndicate.org
Cover and selected images throughout supplied by Reuters. Some URLs have been shortened for readability. Please follow the URL given to visit the source of the article. A full URL can be provided on request.
No time to waste: using data to drive down food waste, United Nations Environment, www.unenvironment.org
4. The Social Cost of Carbon What are the biggest risks to business? New data shows climate concerns are rising, World Economic Forum, www.weforum.org Structuring an Endowment to Align with Paris Agreement Goals: Insights from WRI's Climate Change Investment Efforts, World Resources Institute, www.wri.org How important is climate change to voters in the 2020 election?, Pew Research Center, www.pewresearch.org Collaborative financing for renewable energy in emerging markets, IMD Business School , www.youtube.com Yes, climate change is driving wildfires, United Nations Environment, www.unenvironment.org Halving food waste and raising climate ambition: SDG 12.3 and the Paris Agreement, United Nations Environment, www.unenvironment.org Can Europe’s Green Deal be a growth strategy?, LSE Business Review, blogs.lse.ac.uk
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SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
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25 SDG 13: Climate Action Briefing, October 2020
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