Nepal is undergoing two momentous transformations-from a rural to an urbanizing economy and from a unitary to a federal state. This book aims at understanding the first of these two transitions: Nepal's journey toward becoming a predominantly urban economy. The study carries out an initial assessment of Nepal's transition from a predominantly rural to an urbanizing economy. This assessment aims at strengthening our understanding of the demographic and economic dimensions of the transition, and exploring the links between urbanization and economic growth in the context of Nepal. This book has five chapters. Chapter one presents an overview of the urban and economic transition in Nepal. Chapter two discusses the spatial patterns of Nepal's rapid urbanization and internal migration-a driving force of urban change from both a demographic and an economic perspective. Chapter three presents an initial assessment of the challenges facing Nepal's cities in urban planning and the delivery of infrastructure and services.
Technology development and its rapid diffusion are considered crucial for tackling the climate change challenge. In particular, enhancing technology transfer towards developing countries has been an integral part of the global climate change regime since the inception of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Bali Action Plan reaffirmed its centrality, and the Copenhagen Accord calls among other things for the establishment of a mechanism to accelerate technology development and transfer.
The role of intellectual property rights (IPRs) in the transfer of climate change technologies has emerged as a particularly contentious issue in the past two years. Against this background, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the European Patent Office (EPO) and the International Centre for Trade and Sustainable Development (ICTSD) joined forces to undertake an empirical study on the role of patents in the transfer of clean energy technologies (CETs).
Changing Pace is an analysis of policy initiatives aimed at accelerating progress towards inclusive and sustainable growth. It complements the WBCSD report Vision 2050, The new Agenda for Business, published in 2010.