Climate Change: Low carbon economies and resilient societies

Foreward
Rakesh Nangia

Achieving Low Carbon Growth for the World: Key elements for a global deal on climate change
-Guest Editorial
Lord Nicholas Stern and Ian Noble

States that global actions for climate change must be effective, efficient and equitable and that developed countries must provide resources for implementing actions in developing countries.

Low Carbon, High Hopes: Making climate action work for development
Mohammed Valli Moosa

Illustrates tensions between developing and developed countries on technology innovation and transfer, and calls for climate action that provides fair and equitable development for all.

Low Carbon Growth: Our ethical responsibility
James L. Sweeney

Highlights major technological, regulatory and behavioral options that would decrease energy use in economically efficient ways and slow the rate of damage we are causing to the atmosphere.

China’s Move Toward a Low Carbon Economy
Lu Xuedu, Zhuan Guiyang and Pan Jiahua

Describes improvements in energy efficiency and structural adjustments that are assisting China’s move toward a low carbon economy, but emphasizes the need for further technology transfer.

Adaptation Activities in India
Rajasree Ray

Highlights lessons learned from implementing development schemes and policies, which have incorporated adaptation due to the increasing incidence of extreme weather events.

Old Livelihoods in New Weather: Arctic indigenous reindeer herders face the challenges of climate change
Anders Oskal

Focuses on the impacts of climate change on reindeer husbandry in the Arctic and local adaptation techniques that are useful and others that need to developed and shared.

Climate Change Challenges Faced by the Inuit
Violet Ford

Describes the impacts of climate change on Inuit communities, including threats to their fragile ecosystem and heritage, and underscores efforts they are undertaking to adapt to climate change.

Pacific Islands Under Threat!
Geraldine Kearney

Highlights the plight of Pacific Islanders due to rising sea levels and storm surges and the message they brought to the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali.

Climate Change and Insurance Markets
Arvind Gupta

Showcases examples of innovative public-private risk transfer programs for weather and disaster-related insurance, and the essential role governments have in providing access to affordable insurance.

Microfinance: Climate change connections
Katharine McKee

Focuses on the role of microfinance at the community level in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping vulnerable, low-income populations adapt to the impacts of climate change.

Adapting to Climate Change in Africa: The role of research and capacity development
Fatima Denton, Mary O’Neill and John M.R. Stone

Discusses the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa program, which aims to establish a self-sustained African body of expertise on adaptation through capacity development and strengthening institutions.

Bali Climate Conference and Its Main Outcomes
Leila Mead, Habiba Gitay and Ian Noble

Describes the critical role of this UN conference in developing an action plan for negotiations for a post-2012 climate regime.

Challenges and Opportunities: Knowledge for development under climate change
Habiba Gitay and Michele de Nevers

Discusses the importance of sharing existing knowledge and technologies, generating new knowledge and enhancing capacity for applying it to reduce the risks of climate change.