Green growth, resources and resilience: Environmental sustainability in Asia and the Pacific

Posted on: 21 February 2012
By: mackene
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The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and Asian Development Bank (ADB) have released a report asserting that the challenges of resource constraints in the Asia-Pacific region are more serious than anywhere else, and proposing strategies for changing economic incentives to promote a green economy. The report was prepared as part of preparations for the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20). The report consists of six chapters. Chapter 1 describes the evolving policy landscape in which rising demand for resources, together with increasingly apparent impacts from climate change, are bringing together economic, social and environmental crises. It warns that if current trends continue, the carbon dioxde emissions of the region are likely to more than triple by 2050. Chapter 2 includes a detailed examination of resource use and efficiency trends. Chapter 3 outlines policy actions for bringing economic growth strategies into closer alignment with the objectives of sustainable development. Chapter 4 describes how new governance challenges can be addressed internationally, regionally, nationally and locally. Chapter 5 includes strategies to promote increased resilience, enabling societies and economies to resist and adapt to shocks. The sixth and final chapter comments on the implications of the report for the two themes of Rio+20, “green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication” and “the institutional framework for sustainable development.”

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Resilient people, resilient planet: A future worth choosing

Posted on: 3 February 2012
By: isadm
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This is the report of the High-level Panel on Global Sustainability which calls for this new approach to the political economy of sustainable development so as to address the sustainable development challenge in a fresh and operational way. It contains the following six sections: The Panel’s vision; Progress towards sustainable development; Empowering people to make sustainable choices; Working towards a sustainable economy; Strengthening institutions; Conclusion: A call for action.

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Resilient people, resilient planet: A future worth choosing

Posted on: 3 February 2012
By: mackene
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This is the report of the High-level Panel on Global Sustainability which calls for this new approach to the political economy of sustainable development so as to address the sustainable development challenge in a fresh and operational way. It contains the following six sections: The Panel’s vision; Progress towards sustainable development; Empowering people to make sustainable choices; Working towards a sustainable economy; Strengthening institutions; Conclusion: A call for action.

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Rio+20 Portal

Posted on: 2 February 2012
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The United Nations is convening a Summit level Conference on sustainable development in Rio in the summer of 2012, 20 years after the first 1992 Earth Summit and ten years after the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002. With peoples and citizens are already starting to prepare for the Summit Rio+20, this website highlights initiatives and the schedule of activities of the partners in the process.

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Sustainable development and economic growth: Challenges for research and evidence

Posted on: 1 February 2012
By: isadm
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To mark the launch of a new phase of the Sustainable Development Research Network, a debate was held in December 2011 under the theme ‘Sustainable development and economic growth – challenges for research and evidence’ The audio recording from this debate is now available online.

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Mainstreaming sustainability: A CIWEM review of the UK Government’s progress against their promises

Posted on: 1 February 2012
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This report from the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) critically examines the coalition Government’s new approach to sustainable development and sets out CIWEM’s position on whether we consider it to be an appropriate model.  This work takes into account recent commentary by the Sustainable Development Commission (closed down in April 2011), the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee and others including CIWEM’s own experts. CIWEM has also analysed the actions taken on planning and zero-carbon homes from the DCLG, low carbon and green economy policies from the DECC and action on the natural environment from Defra. The Government’s own performance across its estate in terms of carbon cutting and procurement is also assessed. CIWEM has judged each area against the principles of sustainable development in Securing the Future, the Government’s sustainable development strategy published in 2005.

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European Sustainable Development Network Case Studies

Posted on: 20 January 2012
By: mackene
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The ESDN Case Studies are published on specific or outstanding developments in relation to sustainable development strategies or policies.

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Mainstreaming disaster risk reduction: A road towards sustainable urban development and creating safer urban communities

Posted on: 19 January 2012
By: mackene
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This paper, published by the US Agency for International Development in July 2010,  examines the risks of natural hazards and disasters that challenge the development efforts of the urban or city development process. It also highlights how local government, as the key partner of the development process, could contribute effectively to reducing disaster risks in their respective operational areas.

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Cities and green growth: A conceptual framework

Posted on: 16 December 2011
By: mackene
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This report examines the current state of knowledge about green growth in cities and outlines the key research questions and protocols that will guide the OECD Green Cities programme. It builds the case for an urban green growth agenda by examining the economic and environmental conditions that have pushed the green growth agenda to the forefront of policy debate and assessing the critical role of cities in advancing green growth. Section 1 lays the context for the paper, examining why green growth is important and how it can be defined in an urban context. Section 2 focuses on policies and tools that enable the transition to green growth in cities. It concludes with a proposal for a policy framework for an urban green growth agenda that is based on a set of hypotheses of desirable economic scenarios. Section 3 examines the main challenges to advancing an urban green growth agenda. It explores the roles that multi-level governance, measuring and monitoring tools and finance must play in delivering green growth in cities. The report concludes with suggestions for future research, including recommendations on how national policymakers responsible for regional and urban policies can advance an urban green growth agenda.

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Housing finance: the countdown to self-financing. London, 14 December 2011

Posted on: 15 December 2011
By: isadm
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Self-financing for council housing from April 2012 will provide a significant opportunity for councils in the way they manage and improve housing stock and invest in new homes. This conference aims to provide councilors with the knowledge they need. Presentations are available online.

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