Title: Development and Climate
Coordinating Institutions: UNEP Risoe Centre (URC), Denmark
National Institute of Public Health and Environment (RIVM), The Netherlands
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), UK
(Link to Process)
Objective: The principal aim of the Development and Climate Project is to identify development pathways that are sustainable and facilitate the delivery of positive climate change outcomes. The objectives of the project are to:
  1. Consider national/regional development strategies and policies that meet development priorities and address climate change;
  2. Identify promising policy options and projects that facilitate the transition to long-term sustainable development, including policies addressing climate change;
  3. Explore how international collaboration can support the implementation of sustainable development and effective climate change policies.
  4. Establish partnerships between centers of excellence in developing and industrialized countries to promote discussions and share experiences about integrated development and climate change policies, including mitigation as well as adaptation strategies;
Project Description:

The Development and Climate Project is an initiative of 12 institutes from developing and developed countries. It explores the idea that a less polarized way of meeting the challenges of sustainable development and climate change is to build environmental and climate policy upon development priorities that are vitally important to developing countries.

Case studies are located in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Senegal and South Africa, thus covering a range of country sizes and a wide geographical spread. The project focuses on two priority areas in development for developing countries:

  • Energy supply for development of and access to energy;
  • Food security and fresh water availability, and the interrelated aspects of land use and forest management.
Phase 1:
The first phase runs until the end of 2003 and consists of two main activities: (i) analysis of case studies, which focus on development projects that have important links with climate change policies, (ii) development of a common analytical framework.
Phase 2:
The second phase of the project will run from the end of phase I to 2006. This phase will include a detailed analysis of energy sector and food/water sector policy options that meet both sustainable development objectives and climate change policy objectives. The project will implement capacity building programs in participating research institutions, and it will develop new approaches for global cooperation to address climate change alongside development through a series of international workshops.
The last workshop was held on 20-22 September 2006 in Paris.

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