Transport at COP20: Despite Limited Leaps, Lima Limps
The joint report* of the Partnership on Sustainable Low Carbon Transport (SLoCaT Partnership) and
US, China Agree on Climate Change Mitigation Actions
The US and China agreed to five new action initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and air pollution, focusing on: emission reductions from heavy-duty and other vehicles; smart grids; carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS); the collection and management of GHG emissions data; and energy efficiency in buildings and industry.
UNFCCC's Momentum for Change 2012 Report Focuses on the Urban Poor
The UNFCCC Secretariat has released the 2012 report on the Momentum for Change Initiative. The report features nine experiences that contribute to address climate change while improving livelihoods and living conditions in developing countries’ urban areas.
UN Under-Secretary-General Spells Out Next Steps to 'The Future We Want'
UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs Wu Hongbo, in an editorial in the ‘Huffington Post,’ has outlined next steps following on the outcome of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20), which concluded a year earlier in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
UN Reports GHG Emissions on Journey Towards Climate Neutrality
The UN has launched the fourth edition of Moving Towards a Climate Neutral UN, the annual progress report on the UN’s journey towards climate neutrality, which details the UN’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2011 and some of the activities undertaken in 2012 to reduce them.
UNFCCC Releases SBSTA Documents for Bonn Session
The UNFCCC Secretariat has released a series of documents that will be discussed by the Subsidiary Body on Scientific and technical Advice (SBSTA) at its 38th session, taking place in Bonn, Germany. The documents relate to methodological issues related to the Kyoto Protocol, the new market-based mechanism, emissions from international transport, the UNFCCC reporting guidelines, high-carbon reservoirs, and a framework for various approaches.
IEA Report Concludes Decarbonization of Nordic Countries Possible by 2050
The International Energy Agency (IEA) has published a report detailing how the Nordic region can become carbon-neutral by 2050. The report, titled “Nordic Energy Technology Perspectives: Pathways to a Carbon Neutral Energy Future,” is IEA’s first regional edition of its flagship publication series “Energy Technology Perspectives.”
ADB Finances "Green" Buses in People's Republic of China
The ADB project is supporting the expansion of “green” bus services in the People’s Republic of China, an initiative that will benefit low-income commuters, improve air quality and reduce GHG emissions. The initiative is in line with the $175 billion commitment made at the June 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+20) by multilateral development banks to improve transport in developing countries between 2012 and 2022.
CEM Announces New Web Portal on Electric Vehicle Best Practices
The “World EV Cities and Ecosystems” web portal provides information on electric vehicle (EV) policies and best practices from 16 cities worldwide, and aims to increase cooperation and information exchange between policy makers and practitioners.
OAS Announces Recipients of ECPA's Sustainable Communities Grants
The Organization for American States (OAS) has announced the 14 recipients from ten Central American and Caribbean countries of US$50,000 grants from the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) to non-governmental organizations, community associations and academic institutions for community-based projects in clean energy, disaster resilience, sustainable transport and waste management.