This working paper is the joint effort of the Employment Intensive Investment Programme and the Green Jobs Programme. It explores the implications of climate change, its impacts on the world of work and the need for the work of the International Labour Office to adapt to it. It takes stock of the on-going work and identifies the needs for further development.
This paper presents comparative data on innovation in selected climate change mitigation and adaptation technologies in the context of Africa. Such analysis informs policy aimed at encouraging international technology transfer and development of domestic innovation capacities. The authors present detailed analysis of the role of Africa in development of these technologies (invention), and then move on to examine Africa as a technology market (as reflected in patenting). In addition, the authors briefly touch upon the question of cross-border technology development (co-invention) in Africa. Despite Africa’s generally low volume of inventive activity in these fields in comparison with other countries, inventive activity is disproportionately directed towards mitigation and adaptation technologies. In addition, the rate of international co-invention for most mitigation and adaptation technologies is much higher in Africa than in the rest of the world. And finally, rates of protection of climate technologies at African intellectual property offices are high relative to other technologies.
This book includes key environmental indicators endorsed by OECD Environment Ministers and major environmental indicators from the OECD Core Set. These indicators reflect environmental progress made since the early 1990s and thus contribute to measuring environmental performance. Organised by issues such as climate change, air pollution, biodiversity, waste or water resources, they provide essential information for all those interested in the environment and in sustainable development.
The world economic and social survey (WESS) provides analysis of pressing long-term social and economic development issues and discusses the positive and negative impact of corresponding policies. Even though enormous improvements in human welfare have taken place over the past two centuries, these have been unevenly distributed and have come at a lasting cost of environmental degradation. At the same time, we cannot stop the engines of growth, because economic progress is still needed in order for people in developing countries to have a decent standard of living. The 2011 edition of WESS calls for a complete transformation of technology on which human economic activity is based. The survey details new policy directions and major investments in developing and scaling up clean energy technologies, sustainable farming and forestry techniques, climate proofing of infrastructure and reducing non-biodegradable waste production.
This summary was prepared by Eldis.
Sustainable construction provides opportunities to address and alleviate several challenges and needs currently experienced in Gaza, including the increasing housing demand, limited availability of construction materials, insufficient energy and water provision, inadequate sanitation, as well as severe unemployment. The assessment analyses the feasibility, opportunities and challenges relating to sustainable construction in relation to the above mentioned needs and explores ways to promote green jobs.