May 17, 2012
- The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and SAAB, a defense and security company, agreed to undertake joint activities to support IDB's sustainable cities platform. The initiative seeks to develop long-term environmental, fiscal and urban management strategies and to account for the various negative impacts of climate change.
- The workshop was the fifth in a series of workshops aimed at building local government capacities on green growth and low-carbon cities in the Asia-Pacific Region. Participants had the opportunity to learn about the “green growth” concept, as well as about the Republic of Korea’s green growth policies and the Eco-Towns Model of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP).
May 15, 2012
- IOM has released a publication based on the proceedings of the workshop on "Climate Change, Environmental Degradation and Migration" held in Geneva, Switzerland, in March 2011. The workshop discussed a comprehensive approach to managing environmental migration, sustainable solutions to protect those affected, and the role of migration as an adaptation strategy.
- The recognition of the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) by the Knowledge Center on Cities and Climate Change (K4C) provides new opportunities for the exchange of best practices and innovative initiatives on climate change issues in large cities.
May 14, 2012
- UNDP has released its regional human development report for the Asia-Pacific region, with a special focus on LDCs, including several SIDS, and their climate change-related challenges. The environmental vulnerability index, developed by the South Pacific Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC), UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and their partners, describes Kiribati, Maldives and Tuvalu as among the most vulnerable countries to extreme environmental shocks.
May 11, 2012
- UNDP has released its regional human development report for Asia Pacific, titled "One Planet to Share – Sustaining Human Progress in a Changing Climate." The report emphasizes that, to achieve a shift to a greener economy, countries in the region will need to change their production patterns, including in the energy, industrial and agricultural sectors.
- The 45th meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) took place in the context of growing inflation, spikes in fuel prices and worsening impacts of climate change in the Asia Pacific region. Participants discussed the need to promote green growth and food security, build resilience in urban centers, and promote trade between Asia and Latin America.
May 9, 2012
- Transport Ministers at the International Transport Forum (ITF) Annual Summit agreed to a Declaration importance of sustainable transport systems for economic prosperity, environmental protection, safety and security of society, as well as effective connections between the transport system and renewable and sustainable energy sources.
May 8, 2012
- The European Commission Vice-President responsible for the Digital Agenda, Neelie Kroes, highlighted that ICT could deliver innovations allowing households to be energy suppliers, street lights that adjust to the presence of people, grid-integrated electrical vehicles, and environment responsive home heating systems.
- The World Bank published the results of its environmental corporate responsibility study for fiscal year 2011, showcasing a wide effort to promote sustainable practices within World Bank buildings, and to offset emissions attributed to Bank activities.