This paper outlines a framework for adaptation to climate change for urban areas in low- and middle-income nations that is pro-poor and that enhances the capacity of low-income households and community organizations to contribute to such adaptation.
The European Commission has recently adopted the Thematic Strategy for soil protection (COM(2006)231 final), with the objective to ensure that Europe's soils remain healthy
and capable of supporting human activities and ecosystems. Climate change is identified as a common element in many soil threats. Therefore the Commission intends to assess the actual contribution of the protection of soil to climate change mitigation and the effects of climate change on soil productivity and the possible depletion of soil organic
Climate change will have significant impacts in both Australia and across the globe. Australia is one of the most arid continents in the world. It is vulnerable to risks such
as disruptions to water supply; increases in the severity of storms, floods and droughts, coastal erosion due to sea level rise; and to negative human health impacts, for example through an increase in the range and spread of disease.1 The impacts of
International treaties and national policies seek to enhance global efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. While it is important to continue to strive to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigation alone is not enough and will not be felt before the second half of the century. Global warming is already underway and adaptation strategies are now a matter of urgency, especially for the most vulnerable poor countries, which are even now being disproportionately affected.
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Call Number: [EL]
Climate change adaptation is vital for Pacific SIDS. Long-term effects, including the increasing frequency and severity of extreme events such as high rainfall, droughts, tropical cyclones, and storm surges are affecting the people in this region. Coupled with non-climate drivers, such as inappropriate land use, overexploitation of resources, increasing urbanization and population increase, development in the region is increasingly undermined.
According to World Travel & Tourism Council research, Travel & Tourism Economy GDP totalled some US$ 5,800 billion in 2008, or close to 10% of total global GDP, and accounted for over 230 million jobs worldwide.
Over the last few years, thanks to international scientific evidence, there has been increasing recognition of the threat of climate change caused by a dramatic increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 36 p.
Scientists state unequivocally that the earth is warming. Climate change is happening, it is caused in large part by human activity, and it will have many serious and potentially damaging effects in the decades ahead. Greenhouse gas emissions from cars, power plants, and other human activitiesrather than natural variations in climateare the primary cause of contemporary global warming. Due largely to the combustion of fossil fuels, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), the principal greenhouse gas, are at a level unequaled for at least 800,000 years.
There is growing evidence that seagrasses are experiencing declines globally due to anthropogenic threats (Short and Wyllie Echeverria 1996, Duarte 2002, Orth et al. 2006). Runoff of nutrients and sediments that affect water quality is the greatest anthropogenic threat to seagrass meadows, although other stressors include aquaculture, pollution, boating, construction, dredging and landfill activities, and destructive fishing practices. Natural disturbances such as storms and floods can also cause adverse effects.
Integrating community based disaster risk reduction (DRR) and climate change adaptation (CCA)
is identified at the policy and practical level as crucial to aid effectiveness. Successful integration
reduces both duplication of efforts and confusion at the community level. This research focuses
on Pacific community based DRR and CCA initiatives, and draws upon the knowledge and insight
of key stakeholders from multiple backgrounds to develop an understanding of the current status
This chapter outlines some of the links between human security and
climate change in the Pacific Islands. It demonstrates that climate
change poses significant risks to human security in the region. The links
between climate change, human security, and instability and conflict are
also explored. It seems unlikely that climate change will be the principal
cause of violent conflict in the region in the future, but it may increase
the risk of violent conflict in some places. The chapter argues that in
They have been defined as communities that are planned, built, or modified to promote sustainable living. They tend to focus on environmental sustainablility (including develoment and agriculture) and economic sustainability. Sustainable communities can focus on sustainable urban infrastructure and/or sustainable municipal infrastructure.
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Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 37 p.
In February 2005 Campaign Strategy Ltd1 and Cultural Dynamics2 (CDSM
Cultural Dynamics Strategy and Marketing) commissioned a nationally
representative telephone survey of over 1000 adults, who were asked a number
of questions about climate change. Some of those results3 are reported here.
The same sample was asked a large number of other questions about
environmental issues, and their political identity. They were also asked ten
questions about their lives which enable Cultural Dynamics to place them into 12
This paper presents a summary of progress to date made in implementing the Forum Leaders 2008 Niue Declaration on climate change, and proposals for how to further this implementation in light of the 2009 Cairns Call for Action on climate change.
SPREP paper to PCCR 19-21 October 2009
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 20 p.
The Pacific Climate Change Film Festival is
open to all films (animation, documentaries,
music videos, short commentaries, etc.) that
highlight climate change issues within the
Pacific.
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 2 Pages
In preparation for the upcoming meeting of the Pacific Climate Change Roundtable (PCCR), to be held in Majuro in October, 2009, the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) commissioned a stocktake of the progress made in implementing the Pacific Islands Framework for Action on Climate Change (PIFACC) in terms of its principles and expected outcomes, with an emphasis on adaptation and the associated enabling environment.
Climate change impacts will affect social and ecological systems in complex and broad-ranging ways as technological, economic, social and ecological changes take place across regions, groups and sectors. Many of these impacts, such as impacts on ecological systems, have cascading effects on social, economic and health outcomes. In order to respond to climate change, more vigorous actions are required to mitigate emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and to adapt to unavoidable consequences that are increasing vulnerability around the world.
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The Pacific Climate Change Film Project is an innovative partnership between the British High Commission, Suva, and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
Available online
Call Number: [EL]
Physical Description: 6 Pages
For Pacific SIDS, the need for adaptation to climate change has become increasingly urgent. Long-term climate changes, including the increasing frequency and severity of extreme events such as high rainfall, droughts, tropical cyclones, and storm surges are affecting the lives and livelihoods of people in PICs. Coupled with non-climate drivers, such as inappropriate land use, overexploitation of resources, increasing urbanization and population increase, development in the region is increasingly undermined.
A Workshop on Regional Action to Combat Invasive Alien Species on Islands to Preserve Biodiversity and Adapt to Climate Change highlighted successes, deepened connections within regions and facilitated the exchange of experiences across regions.While discussions outlined significant obstacles to invasive alien species management2 on islands, they also showcased how targeted successes have led to major gains for conservation and development.Collaboration across developmental and environmental sectors and sustained support are critical to success in this field.Exciting new initiatives are dev
The vulnerability issue is relevant for drawing up a panorama of the weaknesses and the strengths of a
territory in face of natural hazards, at the crossroads of various determinants (spatial configuration,
societal cohesion, environmental sensitivity, economic diversification, territorial coherence and level
of development). In parallel, we argue that because of the numerous and partly irreducible climatic and
anthropogenic uncertainties, it remains very speculative to try to directly measure the level of