Blueprint for business leadership on the SDGS

Este trabajo ilustra cómo cinco cualidades de liderazgo -intencionalidad, ambición, consistencia, colaboración y responsabilidad – pueden aplicarse a estrategias, modelos, productos, cadenas de suministro, alianzas y operaciones empresariales con el fin de elevar el nivel y escalar el impacto de las acciones

Blueprint for business leadership on the SDGS

Este trabajo ilustra cómo cinco cualidades de liderazgo -intencionalidad, ambición, consistencia, colaboración y responsabilidad – pueden aplicarse a estrategias, modelos, productos, cadenas de suministro, alianzas y operaciones empresariales con el fin de elevar el nivel y escalar el impacto de las acciones

Toward evaluating the effect of climate change on investments in the water resources sector: insights from the forecast and analysis of hydrological indicators in developing countries

The World Bank has recently developed a method to evaluate the effects of climate change on six hydrological indicators across 8951 basins of the world. The indicators are designed for decision-makers and stakeholders to consider climate risk when planning water resources and related infrastructure investments. Analysis of these hydrological indicators shows that, on average, mean annual runoff will decline in southern Europe; most of Africa; and in southern North America and most of Central and South America. Mean reference crop water deficit, on the other hand, combines temperature and precipitation and is anticipated to increase in nearly all locations globally due to rising global temperatures, with the most dramatic increases projected to occur in southern Europe, southeastern Asia, and parts of South America. These results suggest overall guidance on which regions to focus water infrastructure solutions that could address future runoff flow uncertainty. Most important, we find that uncertainty in projections of mean annual runoff and high runoff events is higher in poorer countries, and increases over time. Uncertainty increases over time for all income categories, but basins in the lower and lower-middle income categories are forecast to experience dramatically higher increases in uncertainty relative to those in the upper-middle and upper income categories. The enhanced understanding of the uncertainty of climate projections for the water sector that this work provides strongly support the adoption of rigorous approaches to infrastructure design under uncertainty, as well as design that incorporates a high degree of flexibility, in response to both risk of damage and opportunity to exploit water supply 'windfalls' that might result, but would require smart infrastructure investments to manage to the greatest benefit

Self-build in the UK and Netherlands:mainstreaming self-development to address housing shortages?

This paper examines approaches to self or custom-build in the Netherlands and the UK to offer comparative insights into self- and custom-built housing contexts and cultures, and specifically, the relationships with local and strategic planning arrangements. The paper reviews arguments for self-build as a means to address housing shortages and examines the evidence of completions in practice. It positions the discussion in light of arguments that self-build can become a mainstream source of housing provision. The paper critically considers the role of think tanks in advocating housing policy solutions. Adopting a social constructionist perspective, the paper examines the work of the National Self-Build Association which has devised and implemented an action plan to promote the growth of self-build housing in the UK. Almere, which is located east of Amsterdam, is one of the case studies explored to inform thinking around self-build in the devolved UK. The conclusions tease out some of the implications for democratic and technocratic arguments around self-development and the right to design and build one’s home

Hot transformations: governing rapid and deep household heating transitions in China, Denmark, Finland and the United Kingdom

The rapid decarbonisation of heat remains a challenging energy and climate policy priority. In this study, after screening 461 global case studies, we examine four national household transitions in heat, and examine their implications for governance. These transitions were both rapid, involving transformations in heat provision in a short timeframe of 18 to 35 years; and deep, involving diffusion that collectively reached more than 100 million households and more than 310 million people. From 1995 to 2015, China stimulated industrial research with strong municipal and national targets and policies to the point where they saw adoption rates for solar thermal systems surpass 95% market penetration in many urban areas. From 1976 to 2011, Denmark blended small-scale decentralized community control with national standards and policies to promote district heating so it reached 80% of household needs. From 2000 to 2018, Finland harnessed user and peer-to-peer learning, and innovation, alongside national and European policies and incentives so that heat pumps reached almost a third of all homes. From 1960 to 1977, The United Kingdom coordinated a nationalized Gas Council and Area Boards with industry groups, appliance manufacturers, installers and marketing campaigns so that gas central heating reached almost half of all homes. These four rapid case studies share commonalities in polycentric governance, rooted in (1) equity, (2) inclusivity, (3) information and innovation, (4) ownership and accountability, (5) organizational multiplicity, and (6) experimentation and flexibility. The study affirms that designing the right sort of political and governance architecture can be just as salient as technical innovation and development

Results-Based Financing in the Energy Sector : An Analytical Guide

Results based financing (RBF) approaches are becoming an increasingly popular way to support development objectives and wider public policy goals. The fundamental idea of RBF approaches is that payments that would otherwise be made automatically are made contingent on delivery of (a) pre agreed result, with achievement of the result being subject to independent verification. RBF approaches have been pioneered in the health sector but there has been increasing interest in whether and how they could be used within the energy sector, and especially on how they may promote private sector investment in low carbon energy sector opportunities (ESMAP 2012). The work has been commissioned by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), as part of a broader initiative looking at the potential for greater use of results-based approaches (RBAs) in the energy sector in developing countries This report identifies the circumstances when Results Based Financing (RBF) approaches might be an appropriate energy sector intervention in developing countries, especially to promote energy access and energy efficiency. It was commissioned by the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) as part of a broader initiative looking at the potential for greater use of results-based approaches in the energy sector in developing countries. The fundamental idea of RBF approaches is that payments that would otherwise be made automatically are made contingent on delivery of a pre agreed (set of) result(s), with achievement of the result(s) being subject to independent verification. The report is focused on individuals and organizations who are considering whether an RBF approach would be a sensible way to deliver some specific goods or services to help meet a defined public policy goal. These individuals or organizations might then go on to implement an RBF scheme in the language of the report; they would be the RBF scheme's focus on the energy sector in developing countries principal

The Potential for Climate Auctions as a Mechanism for NDC Implementation

Climate auctions are an innovative climate finance mechanism, with high potential to support nationally determined contribution (NDC) implementation and deepening through efficiently leveraging private investment. The World Bank has developed the climate auction model through the work of the Pilot Auction Facility for Methane and Climate Change Mitigation (PAF). The PAF delivered cost-effective methane and nitrous oxide abatement by offering publicly-funded price guarantees for future climate results to private sector companies that competed to buy the price guarantees via an auction. This report proposes that climate auctions may be an attractive option as part of a transition towards the greater use of market-based instruments to support NDC implementation and achieve more ambitious climate results. The report reviews the broader policy context and develops three implementation modalities through which climate auctions can support NDC implementation. The report also discusses when the model is valuable and appropriate, reviewing the overarching conditions for climate outcome opportunities to be suitable for the use of climate auctions

State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2017

Reflecting the growing momentum for carbon pricing worldwide, the 2017 edition of the State and Trends of Carbon Pricing targets the wide audience of public and private stakeholders engaged in carbon pricing design and implementation. This report also provides critical input for negotiators involved in the implementation of the Paris Agreement, particularly for the meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP} 23 to be held in Bonn in November 2017. As in the previous editions, the report provides an up-to-date overview of existing and emerging carbon pricing initiatives around the world, including national and subnational initiatives. Furthermore, it gives an overview of current corporate carbon pricing initiatives. Another key focus of the report is on the importance of an integrated approach to climate finance and climate markets, together with domestic policies. The analysis shows how such an integrated approach can be used to mobilize the scale of low-carbon investments needed to achieve the below 2°C temperature target and outlines a transition scenario and the possible role of results-based climate financing to catalyze climate markets

State and Trends of Carbon Pricing 2016

This report provides an up-to-date overview of existing and emerging carbon pricing instruments around the world, including national and subnational initiatives. Furthermore, it gives an overview of current corporate carbon pricing initiatives. Another key focus of the report is on the importance of aligning carbon pricing with the broader policy landscape. The analysis provides lessons for policymakers on how maximize synergies between climate mitigation and other related policies, while managing potential tensions and tradeoffs. It also provides new modelling analysis to demonstrate the crucial benefits that an international carbon market established under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement could provide in reducing the costs to countries of achieving their emission reduction targets. An international carbon market could thus enable greater ambition in taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to a level consistent with the 2°C climate stabilization goal