The 2014 World Day to Combat Desertification global observance event focused on the theme of ecosystem-based adaptation, with a rallying call “Land Belongs to the Future – Let’s Climate Proof It.” Approximately 400 representatives from government, intergovernmental and civil society organizations (CSOs) registered for the event, which took place on Tuesday, 17 June 2014, at World Bank headquarters in Washington, DC, US. The event was also webcast, and speakers responded to questions from a global audience. The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) organized the event, which was hosted by the World Bank in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), TerrAfrica and Connect4Climate.

On the twentieth anniversary of the adoption of the UNCCD, speakers at the global observance event considered the requirements for ecosystem-based adaptation to address issues related to desertification, land degradation and drought as well as shared successful cases of combating desertification in drylands. Keynote speakers discussed national efforts, and panelists presented research and lessons learned to address land degradation and foster adaptation and resilience. Two short films were screened, demonstrating additional projects and lessons learned. The Land for Life award winners were also announced. This briefing note summarizes the event’s proceedings.

Climate Week NYC continues in New York and Rachel Kyte, World Bank's Vice President of Sustainable Development, just posted a blog outlining the main themes surrounding all the action in the Big Apple. With so many high level dignitaries decending on one city to discuss the world's sustainable future, it is not hard to guess that there are complex array of themes to address:

Tuesday, hosted by Bloomberg L.P., I was in conversation with Commissioner Connie Hedegaard and Cristiana Figueres. The discussion covered the role of the UNFCCC past, present and future in what has happened and needs to happen to arrest climate change. From the need to change the narrative, accounting systems, risk appetites and ambition, to whether the convention is an umbrella for action, or should encourage actions outside its framework, to where will the funding come from for adaptation and resilience as climate change bears its teeth, it was a great conversation showing sensible hope.

Maximizing the agility of the private sector as key partners in the fight against climate change seemed to be an underlying theme of the conference. The marriage of policy, public funding and private sector "smart" investments could prove to be a game-changing climate strategy. We are also thrilled to see London-based Climate Group, a Connect4Climate partner, get a mention for their campaign efforts.

Unlocking private sector investment is key.

Smart companies, many of them in the room at Climate Week, are not waiting for an international agreement. We can see market leaders in almost all sectors storming ahead in the way in which they think about operating in a world where we need more mitigation action, but also increasingly thinking through the risks of adaptation to their business models in every sector of the economy

Going forward, it’s important that we find the best examples of regulation and legislation that really support risk taking and innovation in the private sector, celebrate it, and reward it, in real time, here and now, with access to long term affordable capital.

This is where I believe the ideas and alliances formed by the Climate Group’s Clean Revolution campaign can really help.

The whole blog post is worth a read. Check it out here on the World Bank Blog.

COP 21, in December 2015, will be a unique opportunity to bring climate change to the main stage. Driven by EcoAct, one of the global leaders in climate change economy, Cap COP21 is an open and proactive initiative for the climate.

Cap COP21 aims at fostering the emergence of concrete, innovative and collaborative solutions for climate by implementing:

1. Professional and collaborative events to imagine realistic actions for the XXI century

2. A Europe-wide Survey on the perception of climate change issues among European citizens

Relive the launch of Cap COP21 here and discover all the videos available so far on our YouTube Channel!

Willing to join us and contribute concretely to COP21? Book in for our next event, June 23rd in Paris:

Climate Innovation Day: Tuesday, June, 23rd 2015 - 9 am to 6 pm at the Pan Piper (Paris)

Attend the Climate Talks to discover innovations for the climate and take part in the Workshops to reflect on practical solutions!

Climate Talks will bring researchers, innovators and project leaders to the main stage, and give evidence of present and future innovations for the climate. Dynamic, creative and hopeful, these Climate Talks will offer an opportunity to discover and discuss pioneering approaches which disrupt climate status quo.

To discover each speaker’s intervention, register to attend the event (registration is free but mandatory)!

Afternoon Workshops will gather attendees together in various working groups, in which they will draft practical solutions for the climate. Around a table, participants will work as a team on a precise topic, and intend to bring forth realistic answers to face climate challenges. These conclusions will contribute to a Proposals Document, which will be revealed at the Grand Palais during COP21. You too, experience what innovation can offer for the climate!

The topics will address main contemporary issues, such as Energy Transition, Climate Risk orBusiness-Local government cooperation, as well as tools to fight climate change, such as domestic offsets, green investments or carbon market.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        
Where? At the PAN PIPER (2-4 Impasse Lamier - 75011 PARIS)
More info: www.cap-cop21.com | communication@cap-cop21.com | + 33 (0) 6 09 72 53 44

Recognised as one of the world’s leading experts in this area, EcoAct provides consulting services and support to climate change economy pioneers to reinforce their competitiveness. EcoAct works with multinationals, small and medium businesses, and local governments with setting up carbon strategies, CSR policies and eco-innovation approaches.

Regular food shortages in Sub-Saharan Africa….shifting rain patterns in South Asia leaving some parts under water and others without enough water for power generation, irrigation, or drinking….degradation and loss of reefs in South East Asia resulting in reduced fish stocks and coastal communities and cities more vulnerable to increasingly violent storms….these are but a few of the likely impacts of a possible global temperature rise of 2 degrees Celsius[1] in the next few decades that threatens to trap millions of people in poverty, according to a new scientific report released today by the World Bank Group.

Down the Heat: Climate Extremes, Regional Impacts, and the Case for Resilience builds on a World Bank report released late last year, which concluded the world would warm by 4 degrees Celsius[2] (4°C or 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century if we did not take concerted action now. This new report looks at the likely impacts of present day, 2°C and 4°C warming on agricultural production, water resources, coastal ecosystems and cities across Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia and South East Asia.

"This new report outlines an alarming scenario for the days and years ahead – what we could face in our lifetime," said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim. "The scientists tell us that if the world warms by 2°C -- warming which may be reached in 20 to 30 years -- that will cause widespread food shortages, unprecedented heat-waves, and more intense cyclones. In the near-term, climate change, which is already unfolding, could batter the slums even more and greatly harm the lives and the hopes of individuals and families who have had little hand in raising the Earth's temperature."

"These changes forecast for the tropics illustrate the level of hardships that will be inflicted on all regions eventually, it we fail to keep warming under control," Kim said. "Urgent action is needed to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but also to help countries prepare for a world of dramatic climate and weather extremes."

The report, prepared for the World Bank by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Climate Analytics, reveals how rising global temperatures are increasingly threatening the health and livelihoods of the most vulnerable populations, crucially magnifying problems each region is struggling with today.

Turn Down the Heat: Climate Extremes, Regional Impacts, and the Case for Resilience is an analysis of the latest climate science, as a means to better understand the risks of climate change to development. Key findings include:

In Sub-Saharan Africa, by the 2030s droughts and heat will leave 40 percent of the land now growing maize unable to support that crop, while rising temperatures could cause major loss of savanna grasslands threatening pastoral livelihoods. By the 2050s, depending on the sub-region, the proportion of the population undernourished is projected to increase by 25-90 percent compared to the present.

In South Asia, the potential change in the regularity and impact of the all-important monsoon could precipitate a major crisis in the region. Events like the devastating Pakistan floods of 2010, which affected more than 20 million people, could become common place. More extreme droughts in large parts of India could lead to widespread food shortages and hardship.

Across South East Asia, rural livelihoods are faced with mounting pressures as sea levels rise, tropical cyclones increase in intensity, and important marine ecosystem services are lost as warming approaches 4°C.

And across all the regions, the likely movement of impacted communities into urban areas could lead to ever higher numbers of people in informal settlements being exposed to heat waves, flooding, and diseases.

The report says impacts across its study regions are potentially devastating. And, if warming goes from 2ºC to 4°C, multiple threats of increasing extreme heat waves, sea–level rise, more severe storms, droughts and floods would have severe negative implications for the poorest and most vulnerable. It notes, however, that many of the worst consequences could still be avoided by holding warming below 2ºC.

"I do not believe the poor are condemned to the future scientists envision in this report. In fact, I am convinced we can reduce poverty even in a world severely challenged by climate change," President Kim continued. "We can help cities grow clean and climate resilient, develop climate smart agriculture practices, and find innovative ways to improve both energy efficiency and the performance of renewable energies. We can work with countries to roll back harmful fossil fuel subsidies and help put the policies in place that will eventually lead to a stable price on carbon."

See the full infographic from the World Bank.

"We are determined to work with countries to find solutions," Kim said. "But, the science is clear. There can be no substitute for aggressive national mitigation targets, and the burden of emissions reductions lies with a few large economies."

The report says sea level rise has been occurring more rapidly than previously projected and a rise of as much as 50 cm by the 2050s may already be unavoidable as a result of past emissions. In some cases, impacts could be felt much earlier. For example, without adaptation measures, sea level rise of 15 cm, coupled with more intense cyclones, threatens to inundate much of Bangkok by the 2030s.

The burgeoning cities of the developing world are identified as some of the places on the planet most at risk from climate change. Describing urban areas as "new clusters of vulnerability," the report says urban dwellers, particularly the urban poor, face significant vulnerability to climate change.

Informal settlements in places like Metro Manila in the Philippines and Kolkata in India concentrate large populations and often lack basic services, such as electricity, sanitation, health, infastructure, and durable housing. In such areas, people are highly exposed to extremen weather events, such as storms and flooding. Extreme heat is also felt more acutely in cities.

Partly in response to the findings of the two Turn Down the Heat reports, the World Bank Group is stepping up its mitigation, adaptation, and disaster risk management work, and will increasingly look at all its business through a "climate lens."

Today, the Bank is helping 130 countries take action on climate change. Last year, it doubled its financial lending that contributes to adaptation. Increasingly, the Bank is supporting action on the ground to finance the kind of projects that help the poor grow their way out of poverty, increase their resilience to climate change, and achieve emission reductions.

[1] 2 degrees Celsius = 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit

[2] 4 degrees Celsius = 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit

You can download the full report here.

South Africa-based Greenpop, a social enterprise that runs urban greening and reforestation projects in sub-Saharan Africa, is on a mission to plant 5000 trees in Zambia. According to their web site, Zambia has the 2nd largest rate of deforestation in the world. This is the second phase of an earlier initiative that saw over 1000 tree planted in one month in the city of Livingstone. The effort is being promoted on the Indiegogo crowd-funding platform where we found Kenya's enterprising wind energy initiative.

The project is seeking $7,500 in funding to make the initiative a reality. Every $15 donated pays for one tree and all associated costs. For those unable to donate financially, and are physically located near Livingstone, Zambia, sign up and donate your time to make this a reality.

Obviously, flying to Zambia is not advised as both the money spent and carbon footprint would far out outweigh any assistance you could give. Consider just donating your entire trip cost to the initiative. Better yet, plant a tree right where you are. After all, the WORLD needs more trees. A study by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) concluded that “to make up for the world’s loss of trees in the past decade, we need to plant about 14 billion trees every year for 10 years in a row.”

Have you planted a tree today?

http://www.indiegogo.com/Trees-for-Zambia

This week, Connect4Climates partner Sustainia announced their top-10 sustainability innovations for 2015. The 10 projects and technologies are the finalists for the Sustainia Award, an international honor that identifies and celebrates groundbreaking sustainability solutions from all over the world.

An Award Committee, led by Arnold Schwarzenegger, including Christiana Figueres, Gro Harlem Brundtland, Rajendra K. Pachauri and Connie Hedegaard, will now review the finalists. The solutions come from 9 different countries and cover everything from new ways of financing climate mitigation projects in cities, leasing models for baby clothes, citizen engagement projects for energy consumption and solar rechargeable hearing aids.

The winning solution will be presented on December 6th at an evening filled with inspiration and bold statements, during the UNFCCC COP21 climate conference in Paris. Under the theme of Leaders of a Sustainable World, Unite! Sustainia, the UN Global Compact, Connect4Climate, the World Banks global partnership program, and many partners are collaborating to present climate and sustainability solutions that will power up the evening.

Besides a winning solution chosen by the Sustainia Award Committee, you can also be a part of the selection process. Starting this week, everyone can vote his or her favorite innovation among the 10 nominees. The finalist with the most public votes will bring home the Sustainia Community Award. Read about the 10 finalists at: sustainia.me/cop21.

The public choice winner will also be announced in Paris on December 6th. With the newly ratified Sustainable Development Goals and the negotiations for a new binding climate agreement at COP21, its enough with the talk and all about action. Lets support the solutions already available to us vote your favorite.

These solutions, initiatives and technologies already making a direct impact on the ground, are already now working in the market and will be needed in a world defined by climate change no matter the outcome of COP21. The Award Ceremony in Paris will gather innovators and performers from around the world to celebrate solutions for a clean resilient tomorrow.

The opportunities presented by the climate challenge will be highlighted. Innovations in the fashion, film and food industries will be announced, as will progress for sustainable cities. It will be an evening to celebrate a climate-friendly sustainable future. Join in the transition to a new economy, driven by sustainability solutions.

Spain not only has to combat the economic crisis, but also the effects of climate change. The climate is increasingly volatile and extremely dry and hot over a number of consecutive months, which especially puts the Spanish agriculture and forestry sectors under pressure. The Spanish Government has therefore committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For example, early this year it approved 37 projects under the Clima 2013 plan, backed by 10 million budget. These projects should help to reduce emissions by 800 Tn CO2 equivalent and support the overall goal of reaching 10% lower emissions by 2020 (compared to emissions in 2005).

Apart from reducing emissions, much is being done to mitigate climate change effects. Several consequences of climate change are already happening, such as soil degradation with subsequent loss of agricultural capacity and the loss of biodiversity in affected eco-systems. Many agricultural areas are degraded and have been abandoned due to lack of profitability. One way to combat these developments is the reforestation of rural areas where trees can help improve soil quality, slow erosion, retain water and provide sheltering space and forage for wild animals. Reforestation is often difficult and expensive as the areas often lack water and are remote.

The Life+ Green Deserts project is exploring a potential solution to make reforestation affordable through the use of the Groasis Waterboxx, a device that helps young trees survive their first critical years. The partners in this ambitious reforestation project have planted 55,000 trees, most of them with the Groasis Waterboxx, and are monitoring the results. The immediate aim is to convert 63 hectares of bare and deserted land into forest without the use of traditional irrigation, in order to increase the resilience of each area. Midterm, the project intends to demonstrate the viability of the used technology and find a solution to the problems of reforestation in Mediterranean and other areas that suffer from desertification.

The Green Deserts project started in 2010 in five different Spanish provinces, namely Valladolid, Len, Zamora, Zaragoza and Barcelona. These fives zones have different climatic characteristics, different altitudes, and different usage and soil composition. However, a common element is that they are extremely dry to arid and no tree, plant or crop can grow without artificial irrigation, if at all.

The participants of the project are aware that no change can be realized without raising awareness of the problem. Therefore, one of the objectives is to disseminate the results and raise awareness in local communities. Individuals, families and schools have reacted with great interest and are happy to learn more and participate in planting trees. 

Learn more about LIFE+ The Green Deserts at www.thegreendeserts.com or become a fan of their Facebook Page.