Switzerland and Peru are collaborating under the World Meteorological Organization’s Global Framework for Climate Services (GFCS) on a project to improve climate services for the Peruvian Andes. The project will also incorporate generated data into environmental decision-making in the agriculture, energy, tourism, transport, health and education sectors.
The workshop examined approaches to ensure that smallholders are not marginalized by increasing biofuel production for aviation. IFAD highlighted a $12 million initiative on research and development of alternative crops for smallholder biofuel production. They also underscored recent research grants that will help to produce biofuels sustainably.
The EC presented a legislative proposal that aims to support the efforts of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to regulate aviation emissions. The proposal suggests a one-year deferral of airline requirements to surrender emissions allowances for flights into and out of the EU. Flights operating within Europe remain covered by the regulation.
The World Bank and the World Resources Institute’s (WRI) sustainable transport center, EMBARQ, will co-host the 10th annual “Transforming Transportation” event on sustainable transport. The 2013 agenda will discuss, inter alia: capitalizing on the multilateral development banks’ $175 billion commitment for sustainable transport made during Rio+20; opportunities for sustainable transport in China, India and Latin America; integrating urban transport and development; improving transport health and safety in cities; and bringing shared bicycle solutions to scale in developing countries.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Council agreed to form a High-level Group regarding the feasibility of a global market-based measure for international aviation and to develop a policy Framework to guide its application. In response, the EU will “stop the clock” on enforcement of the inclusion of aviation in the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) on flights to and from Europe until autumn 2013.
The reports highlight that improving energy efficiency in operations, products and services, and the increased use of renewable energy are key priority action areas for business to support the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) initiative, while they also emphasize that industry-wide standards should be developed as well as new financing mechanisms to overcome risks associated with the suggested action areas.
ICAO reports on initiatives focused on four key areas, including on: States’ action plans and assistance to States; sustainable alternative fuels for aviation; market-based measures; and global aspirational goals. The submission to the UNFCCC presented by IMO highlights that its Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) has been considering as part of its agenda actions to address GHG emissions from ships engaged in international trade.
A report from the International Energy Agency (IEA) Implementing Agreement for co-operation on Hybrid and Electric Vehicle Technologies and Programmes (IA-HEV) offers a snapshot of hybrid and electric vehicles (H&EVs) around the world, and explores global growth in the H&EV market in 2011, reporting sales of 1.2 million electric vehicles, including e-bikes and scooters, and 2.5 million plug-in hybrid electric vehicles in that year.
Fifty participants from 20 African countries convened at UN Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters for the Global Fuel Economy Initiative (GFEI) regional launch in Africa. Motivated by high rates of vehicle growth in Africa, the workshop aimed to identify policy shortcomings and the need to monitor vehicle import trends as a strategy to promote fuel efficient cars.
Participants considered the results from two GFEI country pilots in Kenya and Ethiopia, which demonstrated the potential for African countries to take advantage of improvements in the vehicle fuel economy.
Participants in a recent meeting of the Partnership for Clean Fuels and Vehicles (PCFV) initiated a new programme to reduce sulphur levels in fuel and tackle diesel emissions, and agreed to complete a lead phase-out campaign.