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The Guidelines for Knowledge Partnerships establish a structured approach for the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to leverage external expertise and collaborative learning. Grounded in the bank's Strategy 2020, the guide defines knowledge partnerships as associations that share a purpose and contribute resources to create solutions for development challenges. It provides a performance framework based on OECD DAC criteria—relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact—and details essential building blocks for partnership design. The document also outlines various organizational models, from strategic alliances to grassroots collaborations, and identifies key success factors such as focus, leadership, and risk management to ensure that partnerships translate into tangible development outcomes.

The guide outlines a comprehensive checklist for public-sector entities to transition from a 'best value for money' approach to 'best value across the project/product life cycle'. It emphasizes the importance of legal mandates, life-cycle costing (LCC), and e-procurement in integrating environmental and social risks into purchasing decisions. The document argues that the public sector's significant spending power—representing 13-17% of GDP in high-income countries and up to 47% in Brazil—can trigger private sector innovation and the commercialization of green technologies. Key recommendations include using performance-based specifications, negotiating bulk discounts or leasing to offset higher upfront costs, and maintaining dialogue with suppliers to foster green competitiveness.

The document outlines a developmental approach to mentoring within the conservation sector, moving from a deficiency-based model to one focused on professional growth. It details various mentoring forms—including one-on-one, group, peer, and network-based models—and provides a practical guide for mentors to identify needs, design tasks, and assess progress. The guide emphasizes the importance of mutual trust, flexibility, and the integration of mentoring with formal training to strengthen organisational capacity and support the transition of new graduates into the workforce.

The document serves as a toolkit for civil society to navigate the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) under the Kyoto Protocol. It details the seven-step project cycle—from the creation of the Project Design Document (PDD) to the issuance of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs)—and highlights specific windows for public intervention, such as the 30-day public consultation period. The guide emphasizes the importance of 'additionality' and 'baselines' to prevent the issuance of false carbon credits and explains special project categories like small-scale activities, carbon sinks (afforestation/reforestation), and Programmes of Activities (PoA).

The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Toolkit is a resource for civil society to navigate the complex process of carbon credit generation under the Kyoto Protocol. It details the seven-step project cycle—from the creation of the Project Design Document (PDD) to the issuance of Certified Emission Reductions (CERs)—and highlights critical technical requirements such as additionality and baseline estimation. The document emphasizes the role of Designated Operational Entities (DOEs) as validators and verifiers and outlines specific rules for small-scale, sinks, and Programme of Activities (PoA) projects. It specifically guides users on how to utilize the 30-day public comment period and other intervention points to challenge non-additional or socially harmful projects.

The document outlines the value added by diaspora engagement, such as context-specific knowledge and access to high-risk areas, while addressing challenges like community fragmentation and politicization. It provides a framework for capacity-building, funding, and recruitment to better integrate diasporas into mainstream development and peacebuilding efforts.

The document argues that urban biodiversity is essential for human quality of life and ecosystem services, but is often undermined by development pressure and inadequate planning. It outlines the legal obligations of Estonian municipalities under international conventions and EU directives, such as Natura 2000. The guide provides a framework for local governments to integrate biodiversity into strategic plans, manage municipal lands and green networks, and engage the community. It details a five-step process for considering nature values in planning and presents case studies from cities like Edinburgh, Oslo, and Malmö to illustrate successful implementation of biodiversity strategies, green roofs, and sustainable drainage systems.

The document examines the link between 'communication poverty' and social exclusion, asserting that access to information is a fundamental human right necessary for poverty reduction. It highlights how women are doubly disadvantaged by gendered poverty and limited media representation. The guide advocates for a shift in mass media reporting to include poverty-related issues and promotes 'citizens' media'—such as blogs and podcasts—as a means for marginalized groups to challenge power dynamics. It provides global examples of communication projects in Mexico, Fiji, Argentina, Egypt, Mongolia, Congo, Colombia, and Uganda that use audiovisuals and ICTs to address environmental, health, and social justice issues.

The document outlines a comprehensive framework for accelerating campus climate initiatives, focusing on five key areas: climate action planning, buildings and utilities, renewable energy, transportation, and carbon offsets. It emphasizes 'whole-system thinking' and 'integrative design' to achieve deep energy savings and carbon reductions more cost-effectively than incremental improvements. The guide addresses common barriers such as insufficient capital, lack of technical expertise, and institutional resistance, offering specific financial tools like Revolving Loan Funds and Energy Performance Contracting. It also provides case studies from various U.S. institutions to illustrate successful implementation of energy-efficient retrofits, renewable energy installations, and sustainable transportation programs.

The document serves as an introduction to the book 'Creating Adaptive Policies: A Guide for Policy-making in an Uncertain World', which provides a pragmatic toolkit for policy-makers to navigate complex and dynamic environments. It highlights that the guide is based on hundreds of interviews and over a dozen case studies, offering seven specific tools for developing adaptive policies to ensure they achieve their intended purposes without hindering the ability of communities and businesses to adapt to change.

The document outlines strategies to maximize vehicle fuel economy, categorizing them into vehicle maintenance, driving behavior, and systemic transportation changes. It highlights that proper maintenance, such as using low rolling resistance tires and reducing vehicle weight, can improve mileage. Driving habits, specifically reducing highway speeds and avoiding idling, are identified as key ways to cut fuel use. Finally, it advocates for a transition toward fuel-efficient vehicles, mass transit, and policies that reduce dependence on oil.

The manual defines conflict-sensitive conservation (CSC) as programming that accounts for the causes, actors, and impacts of conflict to avoid exacerbating tensions and to support peace. It outlines a three-step institutional process for organizations to adopt CSC—assessing capacity, allocating human resources, and developing guiding principles—and a two-step project-level process involving conflict analysis and the design of sensitive solutions. The manual emphasizes that conservation can inadvertently fuel conflict by restricting resource access, imposing economic burdens, or distributing benefits unequally, but it can also foster peace by addressing root causes of resource scarcity and creating non-threatening spaces for dialogue.

The document defines indigenous peoples as descendants of original inhabitants who maintain distinct social, cultural, and political systems, often facing marginalization and poverty. It highlights the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) as a critical framework for protecting their rights to languages, education, and media. A central theme is the protection of 'traditional environmental knowledge' and the right of indigenous communities to control their intellectual property and cultural heritage. The guide also discusses the role of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in overcoming isolation, citing examples like the Kiechwa Satellite Network and the proposed Continental Indigenous Network in Central and South America to enable grassroots broadcasting in local languages.

The guide outlines a series of questions for homebuilders to ensure energy efficiency and renewable energy readiness, focusing on building orientation, insulation, window placement, interior layout, and the use of solar water heaters and energy-efficient financing.

The document outlines a process for scientists to engage with US legislators, emphasizing the importance of planning, the trade-offs between meeting in Washington or in-district, and the tactical steps for requesting and following up on meetings. It suggests that meetings with aides can be productive alternatives and advises maintaining reasonable expectations regarding immediate policy changes.

The document outlines a comprehensive approach to legislative visits, divided into preparation, conduct during the meeting, and follow-up actions. It emphasizes the importance of clear messaging, local connections, and maintaining credibility through honesty and professional attire. The guide also provides tips for researching legislators' backgrounds and managing potential pitfalls, such as meeting with staff instead of the elected official or dealing with agenda diversions.

The document advises scientists on how to become valuable assets to congressional aides, who often lack deep subject matter expertise and rely on brief summaries. It suggests targeting junior legislators or those on relevant committees, initiating contact via email or letter, and maintaining a supportive relationship by providing concise updates on scientific developments without overwhelming the staff.

The document advises scientists to leverage their professional expertise during public meetings to hold policymakers accountable and demonstrate the urgency of specific issues. It recommends preparing concise questions, making specific requests for on-the-record positions, and following up with legislators' staff to establish personal connections.

The guide highlights that Americans' per capita emissions are 21 tons, four times the global average. It argues that while system-wide change is necessary, individual actions—such as improving vehicle fuel economy, sealing home air leaks, reducing beef consumption, and using LED bulbs—can significantly lower emissions and save money. It also encourages political advocacy and public awareness to drive larger systemic shifts, such as the potential closure of 200 coal plants if all Americans reduced emissions by 20 percent.

The document outlines how civil society organizations (CSOs) can move beyond the perception of parliaments as rubber-stamp bodies to actively influence policy. It emphasizes the importance of understanding electoral systems—noting that single-member districts often produce more independent legislators—and the necessity of providing non-partisan, evidence-based information to resource-constrained parliamentarians. The author advocates for building long-term relationships with 'champions' within the ruling party, maintaining organizational transparency to ensure credibility, and using media and public pressure to support legislative goals.