The International Institute for Environment and Development has published some papers on climate change.
Against the tide: climate change and high-risk cities
In the world’s poorest and most vulnerable nations, most cities and towns face a distinct dual pressure: rapidly growing population and high vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. Drought, storms, flooding and sea level rise are likely to hit hardest here. These in turn put water supplies, infrastructure, health and livelihoods at risk in the very cities already struggling to provide or safeguard such key needs. An effective response demands capable local and national government and support from strong international networks in building capacity to cope. Most of the Least Developed Countries lack both.
http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdfs/17042IIED.pdf
Taking steps: mainstreaming national adaptation
Climate change poses a massive threat to development. The poorest populations of poor countries – the Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, and the nations of Africa – face the concentrated challenge of tackling the worst of the impacts with the least capacity to do so. Clearly, adaptation to climate impacts must be seamlessly integrated into any development planning and policy. This four-step plan for mainstreaming climate change aims to fulfil that need. A ‘learning by doing’ approach, it focuses first on national capacity to ensure that development in all sectors and at all levels is effectively climate-proofed.
http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdfs/17040IIED.pdf
Adaptation funding and development assistance: some FAQs
It’s becoming ever clearer that development and climate change are intertwined issues. Unsustainable development drives climate change; sustainable development can reduce vulnerability to it. Development issues can constrain capacity to adapt to climate change; climate impacts can be a barrier to development. So adaptation to climate impacts is increasingly seen as part of good development practice – and development to improve the lives and resource access of people facing climate challenges is viewed as a prerequisite for successful adaptation. But when it comes to adaptation funding, confusion and contention remain over the role development institutions play.
http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdfs/17041IIED.pdf
Building resilience: how the urban poor can drive climate adaptation
Adaptation – preparing for and coping with climate impacts – is now a key issue in climate negotiations. This is real progress from a decade ago, when mitigation alone dominated the climate agenda. But adaptation itself needs to move on. The 900 million urban dwellers living in poverty worldwide will likely be among the worst affected by climate change, yet they hardly feature in adaptation policies and practices. These people, most living in the world’s poorer countries, urgently need efficient, cost-effective solutions. Community-based adaption is one.Now widely used in rural areas, CBA allows local people to identify and address adaptation issues, building a lasting legacy of skills and ownership. But for CBA to work in urban areas, adaptation funding needs to reach the grassroots organisations and city governments that will initiate and deliver it.
http://www.iied.org/pubs/pdfs/17043IIED.pdf
Visit International Institute for Environment and Development for further details.