AdaptNet for 14 August 2007
1. Global Knowledge Economy-Climate Change
The study analyses the impact (accelerated growth in large developing countries and the rapid growth in new technologies) of the global knowledge economy on future prospects for climate change. By contrast with scenario approaches, it uses methods to make maximum use of existing knowledge and shows 11 robust and relevant conclusions.
Climate Change, Industrial Structure and the Knowledge Economy: Key Issues for an Effective Response on Greenhouse Gases, Peter Sheehan, Ainsley Jolley and Sardar M.N. Islam, Final Report-Australian Research Council Linkage Project LP0214957, Centre for Strategic Economic Studies, Victoria University, Melbourne, November 2006 [PDF]
2. Climate Change Impacts on Drainage in Urban Areas
The paper describes the development of an analytical approach to local urban drainage that takes account of potential future changes such as climate and urbanization. It applies this approach to several case studies. The paper proposes a framework for adapting urban drainage systems to climate change.
Adaptable Urban Drainage: Addressing Change in Intensity, Occurrence and Uncertainty of Stormwater (AUDACIOUS), Richard Ashley et al., Climate Change and Cities, Built Environment, Vol. 33, No. 1, Alexandrine Press, 2007 [PDF]
3. Sustainability Reporting and Climate Change
The paper responds to a question facing many organizations; how should organizations communicate their response to climate change? It critiques the current practices on reporting climate change in sustainability reports. The paper analyzes 50 sustainability reports and finds that the majority avoid reporting the risks to their businesses posed by the climate change threat.
Reporting the Business Implications of Climate Change in Sustainability Reports, Sandra Vijn, et al., Global Reporting Initiative and KPMG’s Global Sustainability Services, 2007 [PDF]
4. Climate Change, Built Environment and New Zealand
The report assesses the need to adapt houses in New Zealand to climate change. It investigates the economic viability of a range of adaptation options by using economic modelling and cost benefit analyses. The report concludes that a coordinated action on climate change can limit potentially large social, cultural and economic costs in New Zealand.
Assessment of the Need to Adapt Buildings in New Zealand to the Impacts of Climate Change, J. Bengtsson, R. Hargreaves and I.C. Page, Study Report No. 179 [2007], The Building Research Levy, 2007 [PDF]
5. CRiSTAL: A Project Planning and Management Tool
CRiSTAL (Community-Based Risk Screening Tool–Adaptation & Livelihoods) helps integrate risk reduction and climate change adaptation into community-level projects. The tool enables users to systematically understand the links between local livelihoods; assess a project’s impact on community level adaptive capacity; and make adjustments to improve a project’s impact on adaptive capacity.
Summary of CRiSTAL: Community-Based Risk Screening Tool-Adaptation & Livelihoods, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), The World Conservation Union (IUCN), Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and Inter- Cooperation, 2007 [PDF]
6. Conference on Environmental Education – India
The 4th International Conference on Environmental Education will take place at Ahmedabad, India from 26-28 November 2007. Education on Climate Change will be a cross-cutting issue across several of the thematic working sessions. Abstracts (approximately 250 words) may be submitted no later than August 21, 2007. For further information, please visit the address given below.
4th International Conference on Environmental Education, The Government of India, UNESCO, UNEP, North American Association for Environmental Education and Centre for Environment Education (CEE), Ahmedabad, India, November 26-28, 2007
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