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The document examines the intersection of climate change and poverty, highlighting how climate variability makes it harder for the poor to escape poverty. It advocates for a shift toward 'climate-resilient development' by integrating adaptation into national poverty reduction strategies, investing in evidence-based data, and ensuring inclusive processes that involve climate-vulnerable poor populations. The brief notes that while 'triple win' solutions (combining mitigation, adaptation, and poverty reduction) are desirable, they are difficult to implement and often fail to reach the poorest populations. It emphasizes that public investment is essential, as private sector investment alone cannot meet the needs of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and adaptation requirements, particularly in Africa.

The Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN) launched its second international research call in September 2011, offering approximately £4 million to fund around 8 projects. The call focuses on two main themes: 'Climate Compatible Development - policies and processes' and 'Climate-related Disaster Risk Management and Resilience'. Projects are expected to last 18-24 months, with typical budgets between £400,000 and £500,000, though exceptional projects may receive up to £1 million. Eligibility requires joint proposals from at least two organisations, including at least one from a developing country. Evaluation is based on scientific excellence, policy impact, and the degree to which the research is demand-led by developing country policy makers.

The research uses WEAP software to model water scarcity in Sana’a, Sadah, and Aden City, finding that current and predicted consumption patterns are a more significant driver of vulnerability than climate change and will lead to the full depletion of available supplies without urgent intervention.

This policy brief argues that climate change hinders the achievement of development goals by disproportionately affecting the 'climate-vulnerable poor'. It calls for the integration of poverty reduction and adaptation strategies, a stronger evidence base on climate-poverty links, and a cautious approach to mitigation that prioritizes developmental co-benefits.

The policy brief examines the intersection of climate change and poverty reduction, highlighting how climate instability undermines Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. It advocates for a shift from treating adaptation and development as separate entities toward a 'climate-resilient development' approach. The author emphasizes the need for evidence-based, country-led policies that prioritize the most vulnerable and suggests that mitigation efforts should only be pursued when they offer clear co-benefits for poverty reduction and adaptation.

The document highlights how climate change undermines development goals and poverty eradication, specifically in Sub-Saharan Africa. It argues that the artificial distinction between adaptation and development must be removed in favor of climate resilience. The author calls for a stronger evidence base on climate-poverty links, the integration of adaptation into national poverty reduction strategies, and a cautious approach to mitigation that prioritizes developmental co-benefits over high opportunity costs.

The document outlines a strategic approach to green growth, emphasizing that economic, social, and environmental goals are not mutually exclusive. It provides a planning framework that moves from vision setting to implementation, highlights various economic models (such as CGE and EE-IO) for impact analysis, and discusses the challenges of applying these tools in developing nations, such as data scarcity and the 'black box' nature of complex models. Case studies from Rwanda and the 'Heart of Borneo' illustrate the practical application of these principles.

The document details South Africa's efforts to increase water access, which has risen from 62% in 1994 to 93% in 2011. It highlights strategic water infrastructure projects, such as the Mokolo and Crocodile River (West) project and the Spring Grove Dam, alongside a focus on groundwater and desalination. Environmental priorities include combating rhino poaching, implementing the Waste Act to foster a recycling sector, and finalizing a Climate Change Response Policy White Paper ahead of the UN Climate Change conference in Durban. The Minister emphasizes the role of the environment sector in job creation through programs like Working for Water and Working for Wetlands.

The report advocates for the adoption of sustainable public procurement (SPP) during post-disaster and post-conflict reconstruction. It highlights that the high volume of public spending during these periods—often ranging from 2% to 15% of annual GDP for recovery—can be used to signal long-term demand for green goods and services, stimulate private sector innovation, and build domestic capacity for sustainable production. The author provides evidence that integrating sustainability into infrastructure rebuilding, such as mangrove conservation in Vietnam or flood-resistant works in China, significantly reduces future disaster losses and improves resilience. However, the report notes that implementation is often hindered by a lack of dedicated SPP laws and political instability in lower-income economies.

The policy brief introduces 'climate compatible development' as a framework to move beyond the traditional separation of adaptation, mitigation, and development strategies. It argues that policy makers must integrate these three pillars to achieve 'triple win' strategies that minimize climate threats while maximizing development opportunities. The document highlights the 'new development landscape' characterized by shifting trade patterns, new climate finance mechanisms based on 'polluter-pays' principles, and the need for long-term national consensus to navigate risks and uncertainties.

The document details how Orissa became the first Indian state to produce a Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP), utilizing a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to develop a five-year blueprint in six months. It highlights the importance of political leadership, inter-departmental coordination, and the integration of climate actions into state budgetary processes, while noting that planning can proceed despite significant information gaps in climate projections.

The document examines REDD+ as a tool for developing countries to reduce emissions from deforestation and degradation while fostering low-carbon development. It highlights that while over $4.5 billion had been pledged by 2012, significantly more funding is needed to meet estimated costs of $22 to $36 billion by 2015 to reduce global deforestation by 25%. The brief warns that REDD+ could increase the vulnerability of forest-dependent and indigenous peoples if land rights are not secured. It emphasizes that success requires long-term investment in monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV) systems, which may take up to a decade to establish, and the integration of forest policies into broader national development strategies.

The document argues that policymakers must move beyond the traditional separation of adaptation, mitigation, and development to avoid inefficiencies and conflicting strategies. It defines 'Climate Compatible Development' as a framework for 'Triple Win' strategies that minimize climate impacts while maximizing opportunities in a low-emission future. The brief details how mitigation (e.g., REDD+), adaptation (e.g., disaster risk reduction), and economic development (e.g., transitioning away from high-carbon exports) must be merged. It highlights the role of climate finance, shifting from charity to the 'polluter pays' principle, and emphasizes the need for national governance systems that integrate climate goals into budgets and plans to ensure benefits reach poor populations.

The document examines REDD+ as a tool for mitigating climate change through the reduction of emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. It argues that while REDD+ offers opportunities for low-carbon transitions, economic growth, and climate adaptation, its success depends on significant institutional investment and the mitigation of risks to forest-dependent communities.

The guide emphasizes that avoiding dangerous climate change requires significant emissions reductions below 1990 levels by 2050, necessitating action at all levels of society. It highlights the unique role of local governments in implementing cost-effective community measures and educating the public on sustainable living. The text asserts that climate actions—such as improving energy efficiency, investing in public transit and biking infrastructure, developing renewable energy, and promoting local food production—not only reduce emissions but also lower energy bills, create green jobs, and enhance community resilience against economic downturns and extreme weather events.

The report finds that significant greenhouse gas mitigation is possible in developing countries at low or negative costs, primarily through energy efficiency and forestry. While macroeconomic analyses for countries like Mexico and South Africa suggest that low-carbon transitions can be net-positive for GDP, the report warns that technical cost curves often omit significant implementation and transaction costs. It emphasizes that low-income countries (LICs) have different drivers, focusing on co-benefits like health and energy security rather than absolute emission cuts. The document also highlights a critical knowledge gap regarding 'climate resilient growth'—how to structure economies to reduce long-term vulnerability—and calls for better integration of adaptation and mitigation strategies to avoid trade-offs.

The IAI is seeking to fill two vacancies on its Science Advisory Council in 2010, replacing Rana Fine and Maria Carmen Lemos. The nominations will target four priority areas: Climate Science (specifically climate modeling), Ecosystems and climate (specifically biodiversity), Policy and Human Dimensions of global change (including vulnerability assessment, mitigation, adaptation, and science-policy interaction), and Integration and modeling (focusing on resilience and social-ecological systems modeling). Candidates are evaluated based on basic criteria of scientific excellence, geopolitical balance across the Americas and the Caribbean, and gender balance, as well as second-tier considerations including interdisciplinary research ability, representation of science in the Americas, and the ability to bridge the science-policy divide.

The author argues that climate change adaptation should be treated as a continuous, learning-based process rather than a set of static decisions. The proposed framework rests on four pillars: establishing flexible socio-institutional frameworks, managing knowledge and information, maintaining a portfolio of diverse adaptation options, and implementing continuous monitoring and evaluation. The paper emphasizes the deep interconnection between adaptation and development, suggesting that policies addressing poverty and inequality simultaneously build adaptive capacity. It highlights the need for 'bottom-up' participatory processes and the creation of enabling environments that allow citizens to adapt autonomously. Using Quito, Ecuador, as an example, the text illustrates the importance of bridging the gap between scientific research and policy through dedicated bodies like the Quito's Climate Change Panel.

The author proposes a 'no-regrets' framework for development agencies to help vulnerable countries adapt to climate change. This approach integrates disaster risk management (DRM), climate change adaptation (CCA), and social protection (SP) into 'adaptive social protection'. The author emphasizes the use of 'spatially enabled governance'—utilizing GIS, spatial data infrastructure (SDI), and ICT—to implement territorial planning, such as watershed management, to protect assets and livelihoods. The paper also advocates for a 'risk-adjusted Social Protection Floor' that guarantees basic needs while incorporating climate-related hazard triggers and innovative finance like weather-index insurance.

The document establishes a framework for exploring how climate risk and vulnerability information can be effectively gathered and shared. It emphasizes that the mere existence of data is insufficient; information must be translated into usable formats and distributed through systems that connect national and local levels. The briefing identifies the need for long-term political will, community buy-in, and innovative distribution methods—such as cell phone text messages for rural areas—to ensure that data reaches the most vulnerable populations and decision-makers.