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This briefing outlines the key agenda items for the 18th African Union (AU) Summit held in Addis Ababa from 23-30 January 2012, including leadership elections, budget approvals, and the inauguration of a new headquarters building.

This January 2012 report by the Institute for Security Studies provides an analysis of the African Union's Peace and Security Council (PSC) activities, focusing on political transitions in Egypt, the security situation in Somalia, and the internal functioning of AU mechanisms for democracy and military coordination.

This research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) maps the investment landscape of South Africa as of January 2012. It examines the impact of the global economic crisis on foreign direct investment (FDI), analyzes the government's industrial policies such as the New Growth Path (NGP), and provides a detailed catalogue of financial and fiscal incentives designed to attract investment and create jobs. The document also includes survey results from provincial investment promotion agencies (IPAs) regarding the effectiveness and awareness of these incentive schemes.

Energy efficiency represents 44% of global GHG abatement potential in a 2°C scenario but receives a small share of climate finance, which is largely concentrated in emerging economies like China. Market barriers hinder the scaling of funding in both developed and Developing Countries. The report advocates for increased funding from bilateral and multilateral development banks to leverage private finance and suggests using the Green Climate Fund to establish an innovative financing framework for cost-effective energy efficiency actions.

This report details the second Climate and Development Knowledge Brokers workshop held in Bonn, Germany, from 18-20 May 2012. Jointly organised by GIZ and CDKN, the event brought together 36 participants from 26 initiatives to strengthen collaboration among online knowledge brokers in the climate and development sectors. The workshop focused on evolving communication landscapes, user needs analysis, and the development of a shared knowledge infrastructure to improve information access for practitioners, particularly in developing countries.

This report synthesizes key findings from the IPCC's Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters (SREX), specifically focusing on the implications for Latin America and the Caribbean. It examines the interaction between climate change, human factors, and the natural environment to assess disaster risk and provides guidance on integrating disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation and sustainable development.

The report details two 2012 capacity building workshops in Orchha, Madhya Pradesh, designed to train community radio reporters from the Bundelkhand region in climate change journalism. Organized by Development Alternatives under the CDKN – Shubh Kal project, the training combined theoretical lessons on climate science with practical field visits to villages and interviews with scientific experts and government officials. The workshops aimed to empower local journalists to bridge the gap between scientific research and rural communities, resulting in the creation of radio stories and a plan for a series of 'magazine format' programs on climate adaptation and sustainable agriculture.

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) is a South and North-led alliance that provides research, advisory services, and knowledge sharing to help developing countries implement climate compatible development. The network focuses on bridging climate change and development policy to achieve low-carbon, climate-resilient futures while reducing poverty.

This report, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesises findings from the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) specifically for the Asia region. It examines the interaction between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and exposure, providing a framework for integrating disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation to enhance long-term resilience in Asian countries.

This report synthesizes findings from the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Promote Adaptation to Climate Change (SREX), specifically focusing on the implications for Latin America and the Caribbean. It examines the interaction between climate extremes, human factors, and the environment, emphasizing that disaster risk is increasing due to rising vulnerability and exposure, even independent of climate change.

The Climate and Development Research Review is an executive summary of a meta-synthesis of 572 research papers published between January 2010 and August 2011. It identifies four primary themes in climate-compatible development: decision-making under uncertainty, natural resource management, climate finance, and the low-carbon transition. The document emphasizes the need for adaptive, people-centered policies grounded in local realities to avoid 'maladaptation' and the necessity of systemic public policy changes to achieve a low-carbon transition.

This research paper examines housing vulnerability to climate hazards in Vietnam, with a specific focus on Central Vietnam and the city of Da Nang. It analyzes how socio-economic status, poor construction practices, and a lack of professional technical guidance contribute to structural weaknesses in homes, particularly semi-permanent housing. The document highlights the 'two-fold source of vulnerability' where the use of modern materials without safety standards increases risk, and discusses the economic benefits of investing in disaster-resistant reinforcement to break the cycle of poverty caused by repeated disaster recovery costs.

This report, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesizes the findings of the IPCC's SREX report specifically for African policymakers. It examines the interaction between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and disaster risk management (DRM), emphasizing that disaster risks in Africa are increasing due to both climate change and socio-economic factors such as rapid urbanization and poor governance. The document provides regional observations and projections for temperature and precipitation extremes across Africa and advocates for the integration of DRM and climate change adaptation into national development planning to build long-term resilience.

This report, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesizes findings from the IPCC's Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) with a specific focus on Asia. It examines the interplay between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and exposure, providing policy recommendations for Asian decision-makers to integrate disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation and sustainable development.

This document is a Questions and Answers (Q&A) briefing regarding an Invitation to Tender (ITT) for CDKN project RSGL-0031, detailing submission requirements, budget, and the technical scope of the project.

This research paper examines housing vulnerability to climate extremes, specifically typhoons and floods, in Vietnam with a focus on Central Vietnam and Da Nang. It analyzes how socio-economic status, inadequate construction practices, and a lack of professional technical guidance contribute to structural risks. The document highlights a 'two-fold source of vulnerability' where the adoption of modern materials without safety-related design increases risk. It concludes that while disaster-resistant reinforcement adds initial costs, it significantly reduces long-term repair expenses for low-income households.

This 2012 report synthesizes the IPCC SREX findings for Africa, highlighting that disaster risk is increasing due to higher exposure of vulnerable populations. It details observed and projected increases in temperature and dryness across various sub-regions, warns that current extremes will become the 'new normal' by 2100, and emphasizes the high vulnerability of the agricultural sector and coastal cities. The document advocates for a shift from reactive to proactive, transformational disaster risk management that integrates local knowledge, high-level political leadership, and international financial support.

This briefing synthesises the IPCC SREX report's findings on climate extremes and the agriculture sector. It highlights that disaster risk is increasing due to higher exposure and vulnerability, particularly in developing countries. Key threats include intensified droughts, heatwaves, and flooding, which cause significant economic losses and threaten food security. The document advocates for 'climate-smart' agriculture, improved disaster risk management, and a combination of short-term coping strategies and long-term structural adaptations to build resilience.

This report, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesizes findings from the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) specifically for the Asia region. It examines the interaction between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and exposure, providing guidance for decision-makers on integrating disaster risk management (DRM) with climate change adaptation to build long-term resilience.

This briefing, published by the Climate and Development Knowledge Network in 2012, synthesises key findings from the IPCC Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) specifically for ecosystem management. It examines the interplay between climate extremes, human vulnerability, and ecosystem resilience, advocating for ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) as a cost-effective strategy to reduce disaster risk and support sustainable development.