This report was developed in support of the 2024 Emissions Gap Report (EGR) of UNEP. It provides the analysis and findings that are used as background for the development of Chapter 6 of the EGR 2024: “Bridging the gap: Sectoral transformations, benchmarks, potentials, and needed investments”. The report addresses two critical questions: can the emissions gap identified for 2030 and […]
Since the establishment of the first global agreement to limit greenhouse gas emissions – the Kyoto Protocol – the idea of trading in emissions units, or emissions reduction, has been an essential part of the architecture, motivated by calculations showing that costs of emissions mitigation vary widely among countries. So why not exploit the more cost-efficient mitigation options first if […]
Over time and through an iterative process, collective learnings and practical insights from the global- and country- level work on TNAs have informed and enriched the TNA methodology, including through growing guidance3 available to countries and implementation actors. Today, the TNA process has evolved into a step-by-step process that goes beyond technology needs and is geared towards enabling technology implementation […]
This policy note provides a summary and perspectives of the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus for climate-resilient sustainable development. It showcases the strong inter-relationship between water resources, energy generation, food production and freshwater ecosystems and the links between the WEFE nexus and integrated water resources management (IWRM). The WEFE nexus emphasizes using a systems approach to give equal consideration to all four […]
In the pursuit of sustainable development and climate resilience, off-grid solar electric cooking (e-cooking) technologies is a dual solution encompassing both climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies. Globally, cooking with biomass amounts for as much as 2% of CO2 emissions. Given the rapid advances and price reductions in solar e-cooking technologies, there is an opportunity to scale these solutions to […]
In this third edition of “Regulatory Barriers for ESCOs”, 25 ESCO associations have provided comprehensive answers to 15 questions that illuminate different aspects of regulatory barriers for ESCOs. The formulation of the questions was informed and inspired by interviews that were conducted in 2021 for the first edition of this publication, where focused interviews with 10 ESCO associations served as […]
Energy efficiency and nature‐based solutions can help cities combat excessive heat amid rising temperatures. Energy efficiency mitigates excessive heat, whereas nature‐based solutions adapt and withstand it. Better construction, building energy efficiency, and sustainable transportation policy, planning, and technology can help cities cope with high heat. Reduced energy consumption reduces greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Nature‐based solutions, such as green […]
The first Global Stocktake (GST) will come to its conclusion at COP28 in Dubai, questions regarding the exact outcome of the process and how it will be translated into action remain open. Currently the GST is preparing its political component under the final phase “Consideration of Outputs”, where the focus will be discussing the implications and findings of the technical […]
Access to clean water and modern energy supply are key preconditions for modern life. Water-energy nexus refers to the tight interlinkage and high interdependence between water and energy demand and supply (WWAP, 2014). Energy production, especially hydropower and the cooling of thermal and nuclear power generation, depends on water. Reallocating water to different uses and places might increase the value […]