Forthcoming
Transition to a Green Economy: Benefits, Challenges and Risks from a Sustainable Development Perspective
Forthcoming
This Report seeks to support the preparations for the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, or Rio+20, where one of the themes will be green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication. It is authored by a panel of independent experts who examined a number of public policy options, including macroeconomic, technology, industrial and trade policies, as well as the role of the international community for promoting a widespread and equitable pursuit of a green economy transition, particularly for developing countries. By taking a structuralist approach, the authors underline that the transition to a green economy involves no less than a technological transformation, with deep impacts on production structures as well as on consumption patterns.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the leading international body for the assessment of climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic impacts. Its Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation examines the potential role of renewable energy in the mitigation of climate change for policymakers, the private sector, academic researchers and civil society. It covers six renewable energy sources — bioenergy, direct solar energy, geothermal energy, hydropower, ocean energy and wind energy — as well as their integration into present and future energy systems. It considers the environmental and social consequences associated with the deployment of these technologies, and presents strategies to overcome technical as well as non-technical obstacles to their application and diffusion.
New
Environment & Urban Issues
The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity in National and International Policy Making
New
This book demonstrates the value of ecosystems and biodiversity to the economy, society and individuals. It underlines the urgency of strategic policy making and action at national and international levels, and presents a rich evidence base of policies and instruments and a wide range of innovative solutions. The book underlines the needs and ways to transform our approach to natural capital, promote the protection of our environment and contribute to a sustainable economy and the well-being of societies.
Enabling Shelter Strategies
This publication calls for a fundamental shift in the role of government, from provider to enabler of affordable housing. While such strategies have been used over the last two decades to improve affordable shelter delivery, there remains few publications documenting the underlying basis of the enabling approach and how to develop and implement such strategies. This cutting edge guide addresses this need for a succinct reference text on enabling shelter strategies: what they are and how they can be implemented.
New
Publisher: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Publication Date: October 2011 ISBN: 9789211320343 Pages: 68 Price: $10.00
Decoupling Natural Resource Use and Environmental Impacts from Economic Growth
With the growth of both population and prosperity, especially in developing countries, the prospect of much higher resource consumption levels is far beyond what is likely sustainable — if realized at all — given finite world resources. Already the world is running out of cheap and high quality sources of some essential materials such as oil, copper and gold, the supplies of which, in turn, require ever-rising volumes of fossil fuels and freshwater to produce. Improving the rate of resource productivity faster than the economic growth rate is the notion behind decoupling. That goal, however, demands an urgent rethinking of the links between resource use and economic prosperity, buttressed by a massive investment in technological, financial and social innovation, to at least freeze per capita consumption in wealthy countries and help developing nations follow a more sustainable path.
Publisher: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Publication Date: August 2011 ISBN: 9789280731675 Pages: 152 Price: $50.00
Forthcoming The State of Asian Cities 2010/11
The State of Asian Cities 2010/11
The Report throws new light on current issues and challenges which national and local governments, the business sector and organized civil society are facing. On top of putting forward a number of recommendations, this publication testifies to the wealth of good, innovative practices that countries of all sizes and development stages have accumulated across Asia. It shows that sustainable human settlements are within reach, and that cooperation between public authorities, the private and the voluntary sectors is the key to success. This Report highlights a number of critical issues — demographic and economic trends, poverty and inequality, the environment, climate change and urban governance and management.
New
Publisher: United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) Publication Date: October 2011 ISBN: 9789211322743 Pages: 278 Price: $25.00
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Water Footprint and Corporate Water Accounting for Resource Efficiency
As water resources are unevenly distributed and, in some regions, scarcity and droughts are increasing both in frequency and intensity due to climate change, concerns about them are also becoming more and more important. This Report provides an overview of the public and private initiatives on water accounting and efficiency worldwide with the aim of raising awareness as well as enhancing sustainable water management. The publication includes three Reports developed by the United Nations Environment Programme in the area of water footprint, corporate water accounting and disclosure for resource efficiency.
Publisher: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Publication Date: August 2011 ISBN: 9789211587227 Pages: 180 Price: $30.00
Publisher: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Publication Date: October 2011 ISBN: 9781849712507 Pages: 494 Price: $99.00
Forthcoming
Energy and water are crucial to development. Bioenergy's water demands are in large part linked with feed stocks such as crops, which in turn has important implications for sustainable agriculture, land use and food production. Land use affects bioenergy with implications for not only food security, but also biodiversity and the impact such energy may have on aggravating or cutting greenhouse gas emissions. Current and future planning in respect to bioenergy also needs to reflect increasing and competing needs for the same raw materials for uses such as food, fodder and fibre as the world population climbs to around nine billion over the next 40 years. Combining food and bioenergy productions systems can deliver win-wins in terms of energy and food security with benefits in terms of livelihoods, employment and greenhouse gas emissions. Publisher: United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
Publication Date: August 2011 ISBN: 9789280731576 Pages: 38 Price: $20.00
Publisher: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Publication Date: October 2011 ISBN: 9781107607101 Pages: 1088 Price: $100.00
Forthcoming
The Bioenergy and Water Nexus
Environment & Urban Issues
Special Report on Renewable Energy Sources and Climate Change Mitigation (SRREN)
This book looks at how to achieve a more secure level of global sustainability and gathers recommendations. First, the relationship between globalization and sustainability is analyzed, together with arguments on the necessity of a paradigm shift in economic growth. Second, the paradigm shifts in socioeconomic development are discussed in terms of social common capital, social discipline and economic valuation of the environment. Third, strategies for achieving a sustainable society are examined. Fourth is a presentation on adaptation for environmental change. Finally, policy recommendations for global sustainability are introduced, including those advocating a low-carbon society by 2050, a "Green New Deal" as a means of integrating policies, climate security, and international discipline.
Publisher: United Nations University (UNU) Publication Date: September 2011 ISBN: 9789280811841 Pages: 374 Price: $37.00
Publisher: United Nations Publication Date: December 2011 ISBN: 9789211046168 Pages: 96 Price: $18.00
Forthcoming
Achieving Global Sustainability: Policy Recommendations
www.un.org/publications unpublications@nbnbooks.com
UNITED NATIONS PUBLICATIONS
World Economic and Social Survey 2011: The Great Green Technological Transformation
This Survey explains why the "Great Green Technological Transformation" will have to be fully realized in developing countries if they are to achieve food security and rural development, minimize the damage from natural hazards and extreme disasters partly induced by climate change, and transform their economies to beat destitution and create productive jobs. Avoiding the climate change tipping point will require fundamental shifts in existing technologies to transform manufacturing, agriculture, living arrangements and infrastructure and thereby reduce greenhouse gas emissions, make more efficient use of natural resources and derivatives, create less waste, preserve biodiversity and reduce social disparities. The Survey assesses options and policies to facilitate a new technological revolution, and the challenges societies face in achieving sustainable development and poverty reduction.
Publisher: United Nations Publication Date: July 2011 ISBN: 9789211091632 Pages: 200 Price: $65.00
JANUARY - JUNE 2012
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