Climate Change Organizations: Exploring Global Initiatives for Environmental Sustainability

CLIMATE CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS: GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT FACILITY (GEF)

• It is a unique partnership of multi agencies including UN agencies, multilateral development banks, national entities and international NGOs. The GEF Trust fund (World Bank as Trustee) is available to developing countries and countries with economies in transition.
• This Climate Change Organisation was established on the eve of 1992 Rio Earth Summit to tackle the planet’s biggest environmental issues.
• It is a financial mechanism for five major international environmental conventions:

1. Minamata Convention on Mercury
2. Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants
3. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
4. UN Convention on Biological Diversity
5. UN Convention to Combat Desertification

CLIMATE SMART AGRICULTURE (CSA)

• CSA is an approach for developing agricultural strategies to secure sustainable food security in a changing climate.
• To balance near term food security livelihood needs a climate change mitigation and adaptation.

CLIMATE CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS: IPCC – INTERGOVERNMENTAL PANEL ON CLIMATE CHANGE

• IPCC is the UN body, established by the UNEP and WMO in 1988, for assessing science related to climate change.
• OBJECTIVE: This Climate Change Organisation provide governments at all levels with scientific information that can be used to develop climate policies
• It does not conduct any research nor does it monitor climate related data.
• Reports published by IPCC: Assessment Report (AR) about the state of scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge on climate change. Assessment report consists of:

1. Contributions from each working group
2. Synthesis report
3. Any Special reports prepared in that assessment years

• IPCC has so far published 5 Assessment Reports, currently preparing its 6th Assessment Cycle.
• The three Special Reports and Methodology Reports (of 6th assessment cycle) have already been produced.

CLIMATE CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS: CONCEPT OF GREEN ECONOMY

• Green Economy is defined as low carbon, resource efficient and socially inclusive. In a green economy, growth in employment and income are driven by public and private investment into such economic activities, infrastructure and assets that allow:
• Reduced carbon emissions and pollution
• Enhanced energy and resource efficiency
• Prevention of the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services.

CLIMATE CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS: GLOBAL CLIMATE FINANCE ARCHITECTURE 

CLIMATE CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS: WORLD METEOROLOGICAL ORGANISATION (WMO)

• This Climate Change Organisation is a specialized agency of the United Nations for meteorology (weather and climate), hydrology and related geophysical sciences.
• Established by: the ratification of the WMO Convention on 23rd March 1950 + Secretariat: Geneva, headed by the Secretary-General + Supreme Body: World Meteorological Congress (WMC).
• WMO REPORT: State of Global Climate Report 2020.

CLIMATE CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS: UNDP-UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

• It is a UN’s global development network which promotes technical and investment cooperation among nations to help people build a better life for themselves.
• Parent organization: United Nations Economic and Social Council + Headquarter: New York + Founded: 1965
• Sector: Development and Poverty Reduction
• Report: Human Development Report

CLIMATE CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS: UNEA-UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT ASSEMBLY

• UNEA is the governing body of UN Environment Program + Headquarter – Nairobi, Kenya + Founded – June 2012, during the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, also referred to as RIO+20.
• This Climate Change Organisation is the world’s highest-level decision-making body on the environment.
• It addresses the critical environmental challenges facing the world today.
• The Environment Assembly meets biennially to set priorities for global environmental policies and develop international environmental law.

CLIMATE CHANGE ORGANIZATIONS: UNEP-UNITED NATIONS ENVIRONMENT PROGRAMME

• This Climate Change Organisation is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system.
• Founded – 5th June 1972 (Environment Day) + Founder – Maurice Strong + Headquarter – Nairobi, Kenya + Initiative – Faith for Earth Initiative
• Mission – “This Climate Change Organisation encourages, empowers and engages with faith-based organizations as partners, at all levels, toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and fulfilling the 2030 Agenda.”