From federal to city mitigation and adaptation: climate change policy in Mexico City

2013 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 969-996 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiola S. Sosa-Rodriguez
Author(s):  
Karen Alvarenga Oliveira

This chapter examines the climate change policy of Brazil. In 2010 at the Sixteenth Conference of Parties in Cancún, Brazil announced its voluntary national target of significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions between 36.1 per cent and 38.9 per cent of projected emissions by 2020. These targets were defined in the Brazilian National Policy on Climate Change (PNMC). The PNMC establishes principles, guidelines, and economic instruments for reaching the national voluntary targets. It relies on sectoral plans for mitigation and adaptation to climate change in order to facilitate the move towards a low-carbon economy. The PNMC defined various aspects related to the measurement of goals, formulation of sectoral plans and of action plans for the prevention and control of deforestation in all Brazilian biomes, and governance structure.


Author(s):  
Gupta Joyeeta ◽  
Bosch Hilmer

This chapter describes the relationship between climate change and security. Successive reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change have provided growing evidence of the impacts of climate change. Climate change can affect human well-being in terms of access to water, food, energy, and land, as well as in terms of risks to human health. Thus, climate change is seen as a driver of other socio-ecological problems worldwide. Climate change is also seen as a risk and threat multiplier, as it can exacerbate existing challenges faced by States, including poor governance institutions and poverty. However, climate change policy could potentially be a ‘threat minimizer’ if mitigation and adaptation measures are integrated into the development paradigm. Against this background, the chapter addresses the following issue: What is the nature of the security debate raised by the climate change issue and how is this being addressed within scholarly, policy, and legal fora? It looks at the different ways in which security has been defined in the literature and its diverse implications for law and policy.


2014 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jason Byrne ◽  
Chloe Portanger

AbstractEnergy efficiency and energy security are emerging concerns in climate change policy. But. there is little acknowledgment of energy justice issues. Marginalised and vulnerable communities may be disproportionately exposed to both climate change impacts (e.g. heat, flooding) and costs associated with energy transitions related to climate change mitigation and adaptation (e.g. particulate exposure from biofuel combustion). Climate change is producing energy-related impacts such as increased cooling costs. In some cases it threatens energy security. Higher electricity costs associated with ‘climate proofing’ energy network infrastructure may exacerbate ‘fuel poverty’ - itself a form of injustice. In this paper we critically review the literature about multiple interrelations between energy policy, justice and climate change. We identify key issues, illuminate knowledge gaps, and synthesise findings to develop a conceptual model. We chart a research agenda and highlight policy implications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 597
Author(s):  
Yevheniia Antoniuk ◽  
Thomas Leirvik

The green bond market develops rapidly and aims to contribute to climate mitigation and adaptation significantly. Green bonds as any asset are subject to transition climate risk, namely, regulatory risk. This paper investigates the impact of unexpected political events on the risk and returns of green bonds and their correlation with other assets. We apply a traditional and regression-based event study and find that events related to climate change policy impact green bonds indices. Green bonds indices anticipated the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change as a favorable event, whereas the 2016 US Presidential Election had a significant negative impact. The negative impact of the US withdrawal from the Paris agreement is more prominent for municipal but not corporate green bonds. All three events also have a similar effect on green bonds performance in the long term. The results imply that, despite the benefits of issuing green bonds, there are substantial risks that are difficult to hedge. This additional risk to green bonds might cause a time-varying premium for green bonds found in previous literature.


Unity Journal ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 103-113
Author(s):  
Pashupati Nepal

A combined effect of high mountains and highly concentrated monsoon rainfall and socio-economic conditions make Nepal a highly vulnerable country to climate change. Whereas Nepal barely shares emissions of Global Greenhouse Gases (0.027%), it is the fourth most vulnerable country in the world due to the effects of climate change. In this context, this paper aims to review the National Climate Change Policy, 2019 to identify the mainstreaming of mitigation and adaptation strategies in response to the climate change for different sectors and cross cutting sectors. Such an important policy document has for the first-time addressed climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies for different sectors and cross-cutting sectors. It has made provision of institutional set-up representing federal, provincial and local levels. Some of the new strategies under this policy include development and expansion of 'payment for ecosystem services', construct pond to collect rain water, make cycle lane in urban roads, increase carbon stocks, and use renewable technologies and manage climate finance. It has given sole responsibilities of functional coordination to the Ministry of Forest and Environment (MoFE) leaving other ministries as passive partners. This can create incoherence between and among the ministries and departments. The policy formulation and institutional set-up need to be complemented by legislation to achieve expected out-puts. Until now, there is not a single legal document in Nepal that exclusively addresses the climate change issue. Therefore, promulgation of Climate Change Act 2019 can resolve the problems of climate change in the spirit of this policy.


Author(s):  
Osada Vishvajith Peiris

Climate Change (CC) is universally recognized as a major global threat due to its nature of impacts. Island nations are known to be the most vulnerable to CC impacts where many countries have initiated mitigation and adaptation actions through sector-based policy measures. Singapore and Sri Lanka are two Asian island nations with CC induced threats. Two countries are different in terms of economic development, but similar developing countries in the CC agenda. In this context, both the countries have initiated mitigation and adaptation actions through policy measures. This study compares the key climate driven performance indicators with historical data to evaluate the performance of climate change policy of each country. Generally, policy evaluation has been conducted by adopting scientific and non-scientific tools, but it is seldom see that the relation of climate driven indicators along with CC policy. Also the policy research was mostly based on European case studies and Asian island nations were not easy to find in this context. The comparison of two countries in terms of CC policy is to determine the key vulnerable sectors where intervention is necessary for island nations. Mitigation policies are evaluated in Singapore and Sri Lanka using GHG emission pathways under twelve (12) indicators and adaptation policies are measured under the national expenditure of key sectors of the economy under seven (07) indicators. The analysis further elaborated by comparing both countries with key economic sectors that has positive and negative influence on CC impacts. Finally, the analysis outcome is used for lessons to learn from each other in improving the CC policy of Singapore and Sri Lanka. As every country has a unique set of strategies to minimize contributions to CC impacts, unique features that are common to both countries are chosen as variables for the comparison. Policy recommendations are provided to implement solid action plan for post 2020. The study expects to assist island countries to strengthen the CC policy as a national priority to manage unforeseen impacts posed by CC phenomena


Author(s):  
Mary Fox ◽  
Christopher Zuidema ◽  
Bridget Bauman ◽  
Thomas Burke ◽  
Mary Sheehan

Policy action in the coming decade will be crucial to achieving globally agreed upon goals to decarbonize the economy and build resilience to a warmer, more extreme climate. Public health has an essential role in climate planning and action: “Co-benefits” to health help underpin greenhouse gas reduction strategies, while safeguarding health—particularly of the most vulnerable—is a frontline local adaptation goal. Using the structure of the core functions and essential services (CFES), we reviewed the literature documenting the evolution of public health’s role in climate change action since the 2009 launch of the US CDC Climate and Health Program. We found that the public health response to climate change has been promising in the area of assessment (monitoring climate hazards, diagnosing health status, assessing vulnerability); mixed in the area of policy development (mobilizing partnerships, mitigation and adaptation activities); and relatively weak in assurance (communication, workforce development and evaluation). We suggest that the CFES model remains important, but is not aligned with three concepts—governance, implementation and adjustment—that have taken on increasing importance. Adding these concepts to the model can help ensure that public health fulfills its potential as a proactive partner fully integrated into climate policy planning and action in the coming decade.


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