his Changes Everything: Capitalism vs the Climate - Book Trailer

Malthus wrong again says OECD

Even if you know nothing about the French Revolution, you’ve probably heard of Marie-Antoinette’s reaction on being told the people had no bread: “Let them eat cake”. In fact, the infamous catch phrase was probably invented by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who attributes it to an unnamed princess in his Confessions, written before the 14 year-old Austrian princess even married the future Louis XVI. As far as the course of events went, it doesn’t matter whether she said it or not, since the people believed that it was the kind of thing she would say. The doomed monarchs could have learned a few lessons in the art of good government from the founder of the Bourbon dynasty. One goal of the reforms instigated by Henri IV, King of France from 1589 to 1610, was a chicken in every pot, on a Sunday at least. This slogan was to reappear in the United States in the 20th century, with “a car in every garage” tacked on to some versions.

Food riots are thing of the past in most OECD countries, but in 2007-08, various places around the world would see people taking to the streets as food prices rose suddenly in response to the interactions among a number of factors, including high oil prices forcing up production costs, drought in major producing areas, diversion of land to biofuels, and a very low level of stocks.

See full Summary: http://oecdinsights.org/2014/07/11/malthus-wrong-again-says-oecd/

Climate Justice and the Right to Health

Health and Human Rights Journal, Volume 16 Issue 1 is a special issue titled Climate Justice and the Right to Health. The Journal, published June 2014, contains articles which examine the links between climate justice and the right to health, including an analysis of the links between the right to food and the right to health in the context of increasing dependency on food aid of low nutritional value.

In the Foreword to the special issue, Mary Robinson writes ”The report also clarifies that while people all over the world are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, the poor and marginalized are the most vulnerable. With this in mind, I believe that the world needs to respond with a climate justice approach to shape a global response that is rights-based in its actions to lower emissions and build resilience.”

See full Press Release: http://www.mrfcj.org/news/climate-justice-and-the-right-health-journal.html

Choosing a future: Special edition of Journal of Human Rights and the Environment on the legal and social aspects of climate change

On 1 June the Journal of Human Rights and the Environment published its second issue, featuring a collection of international policy experts’ interviews and reflections that address “the most compelling question of our age: How should we now respond to climate change?“

The Editors Anna Grear , Founder and Director of the Global Network for the Study of Human Rights and the Environment and Professor of Law at the Universities of Cardiff and Waikato, and Conor Gearty, Professor of Human Rights Law in the London School of Economics, write in their editorial:

See full Press Release: http://www.mrfcj.org/news/special-edition-human-rights-environment-journal.html

UK corporate governance review and trends 2013

Corporate governance review 2013Our 12th annual corporate governance review finds encouraging signs of improved governance practices but companies must maintain their momentum as regulation increases.

The trends below are just a few of those discussed in Simon Lowe’s executive summary in Grant Thornton’s annual FTSE 350 Corporate Governance Review. The report analyses the annual reports of 298 of the UK’s FTSE 350 companies with years ending between June 2012 and April 2013.

One of the key trends of our 2012 report was the link between good governance and the values as discussed by the chairman in his or her primary statement. While this year that trend appears to have stalled, there has been a shift in the number of board and committee chairmen reporting personally in the governance section.

See full Article and access Review: http://www.grant-thornton.co.uk/en/Thinking/UK-corporate-governance-review-and-trends-2013/?utm_content=bufferf7ecf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

HRW - World Report 2014

World Report 2014 is Human Rights Watch’s 24th annual review of human rights practices around the globe. It summarizes key human rights issues in more than 90 countries and territories worldwide, drawing on events through November 2013.

Reflecting on the “Rights Struggles of 2013,” Executive Director Kenneth Roth highlights the slaughter of civilians in Syria in the face of a weak international response; “abusive majoritarianism” among governments who voice commitment to democracy but in reality use the real or perceived preferences of the majority to limit dissent and suppress minorities; and new disclosures in the United States about the use of dragnet surveillance and targeted drone killings.

See full Report: https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2014

Human Rights Watch World Report 2014: Berlin Press Conference

Indigenous Peoples and Climate Change in Latin America and the Caribbean

This book addresses the social implications of climate change and climatic variability on indigenous peoples and communities living in the highlands, lowlands, and coastal areas of Latin America and the Caribbean. Across the region, indigenous people already perceive and experience negative effects of climate change and variability. Many indigenous communities find it difficult to adapt in a culturally sustainable manner. In fact, indigenous peoples often blame themselves for the changes they observe in nature, despite their limited emission of green house gasses. Not only is the viability of their livelihoods threatened, resulting in food insecurity and poor health, but also their cultural integrity is...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/34044949/Indigenous-Peoples-and-Climate-Change-in-Latin-America-and-the-Caribbean

Energy Efficiency Finance: Assessing the Impact of IFC's China Utility-Based Energy Efficiency Finance Program

This evaluation assesses the performance of IFC’s energy efficiency finance program in China aimed at stimulating energy efficiency investments through bank guarantees and technical assistance. The difference made by the program is traced along the chain of interventions: (i) at the level of banks, the program is narrowly based on one of the two partner banks, which, with the help of the program, expanded its energy efficiency lending as a new business line; (ii) at the level of energy management companies, the program’s technical assistance improved the program participants’ access to finance; and (iii) at the end-user level, it promoted the use of energy efficiency investments that achieved reduction...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/34044971/Energy-Efficiency-Finance-Assessing-the-Impact-of-IFC-s-China-Utility-Based-Energy-Efficiency-Finance-Program

Berg Water Project: Communication Practices for Governance and Sustainability Improvement

Communication is central to multistakeholder dialogue and partnerships needed to achieve sustainability and governance reform in water resource management and infrastructure provision. The case study identifies current practice, offers advice on capacity building in an operational setting; and draws insights and lessons from experience.

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/34864606/Berg-Water-Project-Communication-Practices-for-Governance-and-Sustainability-Improvement

The Social Dimensions of Climate Change: Equity and Vulnerability in a Warming World

Climate change is arguably the most profound challenge facing the international community in the 21st century. It is as much a challenge for poverty reduction, growth and development as it is a global environmental issue. It could undermine or reverse progress in reducing poverty and attaining the Millenium Development Goals, thereby unraveling many of the development gains of recent decades. It already threatens the livelihoods, health and well-being of millions of people worldwide, and of the poorest and most vulnerable groups in particular. And it has potentially far-reaching implications for international relations and for personal, national and regional security.While significant...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/23947209/The-Social-Dimensions-of-Climate-Change-Equity-and-Vulnerability-in-a-Warming-World

Climate Impacts on Energy Systems

The Cost of Environmental Degradation: Case Studies from the Middle East and North Africa

How much is a cleaner environment worth? For policy makers, that question goes largely unanswered. It's not that the environment is seen as unimportant. It's simply much easier to compare the costs and benefits of tangible projects such as airports and electrical grids, than it is to weigh the merits of a landfill cleanup. Over the past decades, the World Bank has undertaken a systematic effort to put a monetary value on environmental degradation, which results sparked policy changes. This book brings together the best case studies of the Cost of Environmental Degradation undertaken in the Middle East and North Africa region and summarizes the major policy impacts at the national and...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/36714840/The-Cost-of-Environmental-Degradation-Case-Studies-from-the-Middle-East-and-North-Africa

The Future of the Natural Gas Market in Southeast Europe

This study was to analyze the future role of natural gas in the energy mix of countries of South East Europe. The study further identifies regional, cross-border and country-specific gas infrastructure projects that are economically, financially and technically sound. The study also analyses, and makes proposals for, the institutional and policy issues relating to funding and implementing gas infrastructure projects. The study examines sources of gas supply from Russia, the Caspian region and other current and prospective producer countries through Turkey and other transit routes (including LNG) and assesses costs of supply and gasification prospects in nine gas markets in the South East...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/34864604/The-Future-of-the-Natural-Gas-Market-in-Southeast-Europe

International Trade and Climate Change: Economic, Legal, and Institutional Perspectives

Climate change remains a global challenge requiring international collaborative action. Another area where countries have successfully committed to a long-term multilateral resolution is the liberalization of international trade. Integration into the world economy has proven a powerful means for countries to promote economic growth, development, and poverty reduction. The broad objectives of the betterment of current and future human welfare are shared by both global trade and climate regimes. Yet both climate and trade agendas have evolved largely independently through the years, despite their mutually supporting objectives. Since global emission goals and global trade objectives are shared...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/15739475/International-Trade-and-Climate-Change-Economic-Legal-and-Institutional-Perspectives

Green Infrastructure Finance

ncreasing concerns over the effects of climate change have heightened the importance of accelerating investments in green growth. The International Energy Agency, for example, estimates that to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 50 percent by 2050, global investments in the energy sector alone will need to total US$750 billion a year by 2030 and over US$1.6 trillion a year from 2030-2050. Despite global efforts to mobilize required capital flows, the investments still fall far short. Bloomberg New Energy Finance argues that by 2020 investments will be US$150 billion short from the levels required simply to stabilize CO2 emissions. For the East Asia and Pacific region alone, the World Bank study...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/89933710/Green-Infrastructure-Finance

The Changing Wealth of Nations

This book is the latest report by the World Bank to estimate comprehensive wealth -- including produced, natural and human / institutional assets -- for over 100 countries. This ground-breaking report presents wealth accounts for 1995, 2000, and 2005, permitting the first longer-term assessment of global, regional, and country performance in building wealth. This overall assessment is complemented by chapters detailing individual components of wealth, as well as how countries and the World Bank are using comprehensive measures of wealth for policy analysis.

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/48069678/The-Changing-Wealth-of-Nations

Natural Hazards, UnNatural Disasters

Earthquakes, droughts, floods, and storms are natural hazards, but unnatural disasters are the deaths and damages that result from human acts of omission and commission. Every disaster is unique, but each exposes actions—by individuals and governments at different levels—that, had they been different, would have resulted in fewer deaths and less damage. Prevention is possible, and this book examines what it takes to do this cost-effectively. It looks at disasters primarily through an economic lens. Economists emphasize self-interest to explain how people choose the amount of prevention, insurance, and coping. But lenses can distort as well as sharpen images, so the book also draws...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/49556148/Natural-Hazards-UnNatural-Disasters

Climate Resilient Cities: A Primer on Reducing Vulnerabilities to Disasters

Climate Resilient Cities is the first tool of its kind for city governments to better understand how to plan for climate change impacts and impending natural disasters through sound urban planning. It equips local governments with information to actively engage in training, capacity building, and capital investment programs that are identified as priorities for building sustainable, resilient communities. A step-by-step self-assessment challenges policymakers to think about the resources needed to combat natural disasters through an innovative "hot spot" risk and vulnerability identification tool. The Primer is unique from other resources in its treatment of climate change under a dual-track approach...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/17512033/Climate-Resilient-Cities-A-Primer-on-Reducing-Vulnerabilities-to-Disasters

Convenient Solutions for an Inconvenient Truth: Ecosystem-based Approaches to Climate Change

Global warming and changes in climate will have severe and lasting impacts on national efforts to alleviate poverty and promote sustainable development. Some of the world’s poorest countries and communities are the most vulnerable and are already suffering the consequences. Yet often these countries are rich in natural capital, ecosystems, and biodiversity that can contribute to solutions as they can to climate change. Biodiversity is the foundation and mainstay of agriculture, forests, and fisheries.Biological resources provide the raw materials for livelihoods, agriculture, medicines, trade, tourism, and industry. Forests, grasslands, freshwater, and marine and other natural ecosystems provide a range...

See Report: http://www.scribd.com/doc/23947227/Convenient-Solutions-for-an-Inconvenient-Truth-Ecosystem-based-Approaches-to-Climate-Change