In
the Spotlight
United
Nations Climate Change Conference agrees on future critical
steps to tackle climate change
 Montreal/Canada,
28 November - 9 December 2005
The Parties
to the UNFCCC met for the 11th time, while marking the
entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol and the first ever
meeting of the Parties to the Protocol (MOP). The Conference,
which was attended by some 10,000 participants, closed
with the adoption of more than forty
decisions that will strengthen global efforts to fight
climate change.
Among the major decisive outcomes of the conference were:
the formal adoption of the Marrakech Accords under the
Kyoto Protocol, which sets its into motion; the establishment
of an elaborated compliance regime as a prerequisite to
define eligibility using the flexible mechanisms; the
formal adoption of CDM rules and decisions improving the
future CDM Board functioning & transparency; the adoption
of a 5-Year Programme of Work on adaptation focusing on
impacts & vulnerability and adaptation planning, measures
and actions; and decisions on the future of the Climate
Convention, which include agreement on the immediate initiation
of a process to consider further commitments by Annex
I parties beyond 2012 in form of an open-ended ad hoc
working group as well as to engage in a strategic dialogue
on long-term cooperative action to address climate change
by enhancing the implementation of the Convention.
 Reflecting
on the success of Montreal 2005, the Conference President,
Canadian Environment Minister Stéphane Dion summarized:
“Key decisions have been made in several areas.
The Kyoto Protocol has been switched on, a dialogue about
the future action has begun, parties have moved forward
work on adaptation and advanced the implementation of
the regular work programme of the Convention and of the
Protocol.” For a detailed summary and analysis
of the Conference outcomes, please see the Earth
Negotiation Bulletin summary.
UNDP’s Energy & Environment Group participated
with a large team of some 20 staff, led by EEG’s
director Olav Kjorven, to present and promote the organizations
on-going climate change project activities and new initiatives.
Highlights included the launch of UNDP’s brand new
MDG
Carbon Facility, which was introduced by Olav Kjorven
and received widespread attention, as well as several
well-attended side events on the promotion
of energy efficiency and numerous activities of the
GEF Capacity Development and Adaptation
Cluster. (Please see Practice
News for more details here).
UNDP
activities at the United Nations Climate Change Conference
(COP 11 & COP/MOP 1)
 Montreal/Canada,
28 November – 9 December 2005
Launch
of the new UNDP MDG Carbon Facility!
Olav Kjørven, Energy & Environment Group Practice Leader,
announced UNDP’s new MDG Carbon Facility at a side event.
UNDP was joined by leaders and experts from Annex I and
non-Annex I governments, multilateral agencies and the
private sector to present UNDP's MDG Carbon Facility.
This is an innovative mechanism designed to channel increased
carbon finance toward projects that contribute directly
to meeting the MDGs in developing countries -with a special
focus on least developed countries. The Facility is designed
to provide a unique niche product in the carbon offsets
market, supplying tangible, broad-based MDG benefits not
usually available through other offset products. For more
information about this event, including speakers and summarized
contributions, please see the Earth
Negotiations Bulletin coverage of this side event.
For more information about the MDG
Carbon Facility, please check the
Brochure. (shared by Find Findsen, EEG NY, with
thanks)
Lessons learnt
- Energy Efficiency Measures (Energy Efficiency Standards
and Labels)
UNDP, through its Climate Change Advisor, Brian Dawson
and GEF Technical Advisor Benoit Lebot, hosted a panel
discussion on the contribution of Energy Efficiency to
reducing global Greenhouse Gas emissions, bringing together
six of the world’s leading experts on energy efficiency
standards and labels. UNDP GEF presented its considerable
experience in implementing Standards and Labels (S&L)
activities in a range of countries and promoted energy
efficiency standards and labels as one of the lowest cost
options for reducing GHG emissions, increasing energy
security and contributing to socioeconomic development.
For more information about this event, including speakers
and summarized contributions, please see the Earth
Negotiations Bulletin coverage of this side event.
(shared by Brian Dawson, EEG NY, & Benoit Lebot,
UNDP GEF, with thanks)
Activities
of the UNDP GEF Capacity Development and Adaptation Cluster
The UNDP GEF Capacity Development and Adaptation Cluster
actively participated and presented various project experiences
at several side events and promoted its new and planned
initiatives and tools on adaptation. It further showcased
its on-going support to non-Annex I parties for the formulation
of national communications. Among the highlights of the
CDAC activities and presentations were:
Support
to non-annex I Parties to prepare national communications
This side event, organized by the UNFCCC, reviewed national
experiences in developing national communications, discussed
available support and identified current gaps and challenges.
Martha Perdomo, UNDP GEF NCSP, presented the support available
for preparations of national communications through the
UNDP/UNEP GEF National Communications Support Programme
(NCSP) (capacity development, methods and tools, training
workshops etc.) and stressed its country-driven and needs-oriented
nature. For more information about this event, including
speakers and summarized contributions, please see the
Earth
Negotiations Bulletin coverage of this side event.
For more information, please contact Martha
Perdomo, UNDP GEF. (shared by Martha Perdomo,
UNDP GEF, with thanks)
GEF
assistance to address adaptation: the strategic priority
on adaptation, the LDCF and the SCCF
Hosted by the GEF Secretariat, this side event promoted
exchange of lessons learned from adaptation activities
and outlined the GEF’s support to help raising countries’
awareness of their vulnerabilities and build adaptive
capacity through the Least Developing Country Fund (LDCF),
the Special Climate Change Fund (SCCF) and the Adaptation
Fund. A UNDP/GEF
project on coping with drought and climate change
was introduced by Ratemo Michieka, National Environment
Management Authority/Kenya, describing how it aimed at
improving the capacity of communities to cope with climate
pressures and ensuring ecosystem resilience. He outlined
expected project outcomes, including: piloting coping
strategies; improving early warning information flows;
implementing drought preparedness and mitigation policies;
and replicating and disseminating lessons learned. For
more information about this event, including speakers
and summarized contributions, please see the Earth
Negotiations Bulletin coverage of this side event.
National
Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) formulation and
implementation
Organized by UNFCCC, this side event was dedicated to
country NAPA experiences, highlighted several UNDP GEF
project experiences from Bangladesh, Uganda, Samoa and
Bhutan and introduced UNDP GEF’s support for NAPA
processes to dlegates, such as UNDP’s
online adaptation programming tool. Bangladesh presented
her choice of eight vulnerability indices to identify
key vulnerabilities and its NAPA of 15 adaptation projects;
Uganda introduced the country’s overall approach
of and criteria used for prioritization within the NAPA
process; Samoa shared the Island’s overall NAPA
experience so far with two projects already funded; and
Bhutan provided a video presentation on the multiple stresses,
including climate variability and change, of natural resources
and environment in the country. For more information on
NAPA, please contact Tom
Twining-Ward, UNDP GEF CDAC.
Adaptation
to Climate Change: Pathways into the Future Beyond 2012
During this side event, hosted by the Institute for Global
Environmental Strategies (Japan), participants discussed
the need for utilizing diverse approaches for facilitating
adaptation to climate change and options for supporting
adaptation in the future climate regime beyond 2012. A
summary of expert consultations on proactive micro-adaptation
was presented, followed by a discussion on adaptation
initiatives from international organizations, including
the World Bank and UNDP. Stephen Gitonga, UNDP SGP, briefed
participants on UNDP-GEF's adaptation portfolio and provided
specific examples of projects in various countries [Presentation]
For more information, please contact Stephen
Gitonga, UNDP SGP or Bo
Lim, UNDP GEF CDAC. For more information on the side
event, please
check the event online.
New
and upcoming projects
UNDP
GEF CDAC & UNESCO/IOC -
Responding
to climate and coastal change in West Africa
UNDP GEF CDAC started working with five West African Countries
(Cape Verde, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Mauritania and Senegal)
on “Responding to Shoreline Change and its human
dimensions in West Africa through integrated coastal area
management”, which aims at developing cooperation
at the regional level to address coastal area management
issues, including transboundary elements. The project
is led by UNDP in partnership with UNESCO/IOC and the
project's first meeting took place recently in November
2005 in Dakar, Senegal [Flyer]
For more information, please contact Julian
Barbiere.
UNDP
GEF CDAC - Coping
with drought and climate change in Africa
The goal of this pioneering regional adaptation project
is to help local farmers in Kenya, Ethiopia, Mozambique
and Zimbabwe to develop measures to better cope with the
expected pressures of climate change as well as promote
ecosystem resilience. The project is currently at the
design phase and a first project meeting was held in Nairobi
at UNDP’s Dryland Development Centre (DDC) in August,
2005. Project implementation is expected to commence during
second half of 2006 [Flyer]
For additional information, please contact Martin
Krause, Task Manager, UNDP GEF, Pretoria or
Pradeep Kurulukasuriya, Project Manager, UNDP GEF
NY
UNDP GEF CDAC & SGP - The
Community-Based Adaptation Programme
UNDP GEF CDAC and the Small Grants Programme have developed
a pilot programme designed to meet the challenges faced
by communities adapting to the affects of climate change.
The project will initially focus on developing CBA programmes
in Bangladesh, Bolivia, Niger and Samoa and subsequently
expand to include Morocco, Namibia, Vietnam, Guatemala,
Jamaica and Kazakhstan. The CBA is supported by the GEF's
Strategic Priority to Adaptation (SPA) Fund and is expected
to provide lessons to the GEF and other key stakeholders
(national governments, donor and technical institutes
and others) on how to effectively support small-scale
adaptation activities in diverse sectors, as well as institutional
levels. The programme began its current design phase,
following a first meeting held in Bangkok in September
2005. The implementation of the CBA programme is expected
to commence during the second half of 2006. [Flyer]
For more information, please contact Stephen
Gitonga, UNDP GEF SGP or Pradeep
Kurukulasuriya, UNDP GEF
UNDP
GEF & SEI - Adaptation
Learning Mechanism
UNDP, in collaboration with the GEF and the Stockholm
Environment Institute intends to launch a major initiative
“Adaptation Learning Mechanism” which aims
to synthesize and disseminate lessons from community –based
adaptation experiences. The ALM will draw upon the lessons
of successful adaptation experiences to climate extremes
(e.g., floods and droughts) and natural climate change
to better facilitate the design and implementation of
adaptation projects and policies as well as integrate
adaptation into the development process [Flyer]
For more information, please contact Bo
Lim, UNDP GEF.
Upcoming
-
Workshop on National Adaptation Programme of Actions (NAPA)
March 2006, Bangladesh
The UNDP GEF CDAC is currently planning a global
workshop on National Adaptation Programme of Actions for
March 2006, to be held in Bangladesh. For more information,
please contact Bo Lim,
UNDP GEF CDAC.
7th
Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Vienna
Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer & 17th
Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol & 20th
Anniversary of the Vienna Convention
12-16 December 2005, Dakar, Senegal
 Over
400 participants representing governments, UN agencies,
intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations,
academia, industry, and the agricultural sector attended
this joint meeting, which included the celebration of
the 20th anniversary of the Vienna Convention. UNDP was
represented by Suely Carvalho, MPU Chief & GEF Principal
Technical Advisor for POPs and Programme Coordinator Rano
Basu Ray. The international community has set the course
in Dakar for the global phase out of ozone-depleting substances
over the next five years and beyond. Delegates to COP-7/MOP-17
adopted more than 50 decisions.  These
included among others, a decision on the replenishment
of the Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the
Montreal Protocol to a budget of $470 million; ratification
and compliance issues; illegal trade; a marked reduction
of the critical-use exemptions granted for methyl bromide
use as compared to the previous year; a decision on process
agents; and miscellaneous financial and administrative
matters. For more background information and a comprehensive
summary of the meeting’s decisions, please see also the
Earth
Negotiation Bulletin Summary. (shared by Suely
Carvalho, MPU NY, with thanks)
Highlight
from the 47th meeting of the Executive Committee for the
Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal
Protocol
21–25 November 2005, Montreal/Canada
In July 2005, UNDP received preparatory funding to develop
projects for Multilateral Fund financing that would aim
to demonstrate the feasibility of, and modalities for,
adoption of sustainable institutional and financial mechanisms
to facilitate integrated management of the centrifugal
chiller sub-sector through application of environmentally
sound and energy-efficient alternative technologies for
replacement of CFC-based centrifugal chillers. A new caveat
included in the approval required that external resources
be identified as co-financing in order to secure eventual
Multilateral Fund financing for demonstration. Over the
past few months, UNDP’s Montreal Protocol Unit, with input
from EEG’s Climate Change and CDM Adviser and UNDP-GEF
Climate Change colleagues, successfully finalized project
submissions in the Latin American region that reflect
the differentiated conditions of this sub-sector at the
regional and global levels. The projects promote cross-convention
synergies and seek to address barrier removal and promote
market transformation through adoption of diversified
financial business models that aim to tackle both private
and public sector constraints.
These efforts resulted in the approval by the 47th Meeting
of the Executive Committee of four demonstration chiller
conversion programmes (Brazil, Colombia, Cuba and the
Caribbean), all of which have scale-up potential at the
national, regional and global levels. While the combined
budget for these chillers projects amount to US $3.98
million, overall funds approved for UNDP at the meeting
amounted in total to US$ 20.2 million, including agency
fees. (shared by Suely Carvalho, MPU NY, with thanks)
From
the Countries, Regional Centres & SURFs
 ‘Methyl
Bromide free’ Malawi
Since 2001, UNDP has been working in close cooperation
with the Government and agricultural stakeholders in Malawi
to support implementation of a national programme for
the phase-out of all non-essential and non-QPS applications
of methyl bromide (MB), a fumigant used in agricultural
production. In addition to successful transfer of technical
assistance, training, policy assistance and provision
of materials and equipment, this project’s success and
impact goes beyond achievement of Montreal Protocol compliance
targets. As of 1 January 2005, Malawi was able to declare
itself ‘MB free’. Congratulations Malawi! Having adopted
a flagship integrated approach, the project has encouraged
South-South cooperation by encouraging exchange of technical
experience with similar UNDP projects around the world.
In addition, given the scope of the outreach effort into
rural communities, the project also saw the opportunity
to support the national HIV/AIDS programme. For additional
information, please contact Dominique
Kayser, MPU-Chemicals, EEG NY, or Etta
M’mangisa, UNDP Malawi (shared by Dominique Kayser,
with thanks)
Training
Biodiversity
Assessment and Monitoring Course
Washington, DC, May 17 - June 3, 2006
The Smithsonian Institution's Monitoring & Assessment
of Biodiversity program’s intensive five-week course for
resource managers, ecologists, biologists, environmental
educators and consultants teaches the latest methodologies
and approaches to biodiversity assessment and monitoring
through hands-on lectures, fieldwork, laboratory analyses
and report preparation [Read
more]
Environmental
Leadership Course
July 2006
This two-week Smithsonian Environmental Leadership Course
focuses on communication skills and leadership for effective
conservation. Through demonstrations, lectures, and personal
and group exercises, this course covers topics such as
Foundation Skills for the Environmental Leader; personal
leadership style; negotiation and conflict resolution
strategies; and environmental communication
[Read
more]
Online
Course - Environmental Communication for Behavior Change
17 Jan. - 24 Feb. 2006 - Please register
by Dec. 30, 2005
Facilitated by the Duke Environmental Leadership Program,
Duke University/US, this course provides environmental
professionals with a practical introduction to the strategies,
methods and tools of environmental communication that
effectively lead to changes in behavior. The primary set
of tools covered in this course will focus on environmental
social marketing. The course is six weeks in length and
is taught in a distance learning format using online and
teleconferencing technology
[Read
more]
United Nations
& Environment
 Upcoming!
2006 – International Year of Deserts and Desertification
The 58th session of the UN General Assembly declared 2006
the International Year of Deserts and Desertification
(IYDD), underlining its deep concern for the exacerbation
of desertification, particularly in Africa. The IYDD 2006
official website has now been launched, accessible at:
http://www.unccd.int/ and features/will feature numerous
online resources, such as: public relations material (FAQ,
logo in all UN languages, Press Kit, Posters, Photo Contest,
Stamps, Press contacts); events calendar & partner activities
(international, government and civil society activities)
and much more [Official
Website]. A Report of the UN Secretary-General, entitled
Status of preparations for the International Year of Deserts
and Desertification, 2006 has been published on November
2, 2005, describing the on-going and planned coordination
and cooperation initiatives with institutional partners
and parties for the International Year.
[Report]
Meetings
& Conferences
Archive
- UN
Expert Group Meeting on Reviewing National Sustainable
Development Strategies
10-11 October 2005, New York
Organized by UN DESA, Division for Sustainable Development,
this Global Expert Group Meeting was convened to share
the methodology of a recent, highly praised peer-review
of the French National Sustainable Development Strategy
and to share experience and lessons learned from different
approaches to NSDS reviews & assessments and shared learning;
to discuss country interest in peer reviews and shared
learning exercises; and to reflect on how the international
community could support such efforts, as many countries
are now undergoing various review and assessment exercises
[Final
Report]
[Read
more]
Archive
– Development
and Adaptation Days at COP-11
3-4 December 2005, Montreal, Canada
Hosted by IIED, IISD, and the RING Alliance of Policy
Research Organizations, this event featured a ‘Development
Day’ session, discussing linkages between climate change
and development, health, and disaster management as well
as an “Adaptation Day”, featuring sessions on the science
of adaptation, community-based adaptation, and experience
with national adaptation programmes of action (NAPAs).
The event shed light on the science behind adaptation
techniques and provided examples of how communities are
adapting to the impacts of climate change and incorporating
such impacts within development, health and disaster management
strategies
[Read
more]
Archive
- UN
Expert Group Meeting on Indicators of Sustainable Development
13 – 15 December 2005, New York
Hosted by UN DESA, Division for Sustainable Development,
this Global Expert Group Meeting was organized to update
and revise the 2001 set of CSD Sustainable Development
Indicators and to consider future action. [Agenda]
[Background
paper] [Read
more] (shared by Laura Lee, EEG NY, with thanks)
Upcoming
- Trade
Union Assembly on Labour and the Environment
15 - 17 January 2006, UNEP Headquarters
Nairobi
Organized by UNEP in co-operation with ILO, Sustainlabour
and the UN Global Compact, this event aims to reinforce
the social and labor dimension of environmental conservation
and sustainable development [Read
more]
Upcoming
- International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM)
4 -6 February 2006, Dubai, UAE
The International Conference on Chemicals Management’
objective is the adoption of a Strategic Approach for
International Chemicals Management (SAICM)
[Read
more]
Others
Archive
- Parks
for Peace or Peace for Parks? Issues in Practice and Policy
12 September, 2005, Washington, D.C.
This one day conference, hosted by the Environmental Change
and Security Program of the Woodrow Wilson Center, explored
the rhetoric and reality of peace parks, including their
goals and the factors that determine their success or
failure. Drawing on future plans and successful projects
in southern Africa, Kashmir, and the Korean peninsula,
the speakers debated whether peace parks can protect the
environment and promote conflict resolution. Presentationsare
accessible online [Read
more]
Archive
- Asia Biofuels Conference & Expo III
6-8 December 2005, Manila/Philippines
This conference and exhibition focused on the development
of biofuels projects and aimed at connecting future producers,
current producers, project developers and investors
[Read
more]
Upcoming
- World
Sustainable Development Forum
2- 4 February 2006, New Delhi
This Forum, established by TERI India, aims to collate,
analyze, and disseminate concepts and ideas on sustainable
development
[Read
more]
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