To better address the impacts from climate change, OECD countries are increasingly making climate change adaptation a policy priority. Assessing progress in the implementation of national adaptation policies is a critical step in understanding how adaptation efforts contribute to strengthening climate resilience, and whether they are effective. Experience in policy design and implementation has grown significantly, however measuring progress remains a challenge for countries. Building on a cross-country survey and country case studies carried out in Chile, Korea, the Slovak Republic and the United Kingdom, this report provides insights into current OECD country practices in measuring climate adaptation. It proposes a framework that can guide countries on what needs to be measured and how, and discusses the role that adaptation indicators and a conducive institutional environment can play in strengthening adaptation measurement.
The approval of the Paris Agreement in December 2015 established a new global regimen in matters of climate change. Similarly, countries from Latin America and the Caribbean participate in and adhere to additional processes regarding environmental sustainability, including the national development of the 2030 Agenda and the Principle 10 / Escazú Agreement. These 3 instruments, among others, recognize the importance of an effective engagement with Civil Society for the advancement and implementation of the environmental sustainability agreements and goals. With this regional diagnostic study, the IDB Group enhances its knowledge in the subject matter with the technical experience regarding citizen engagement. It sheds light on the perspective of best practices employed by governments for the advancement of their environmental commitments with the contributions of Civil Society in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Mexico and Peru. The study had a methodological framework that identifies, systematizes and analyzes best citizen engagement practices for the advancement of governments’ climate and sustainability agendas. It is structured in 3 chapters: (i) a conceptual framework which guides the reader about the methodology, including relevant definitions for the analysis of best engagement practices; (ii) a section containing best engagement practices in the climate and environmental sustainability agendas for each of the 7 countries of the study, with potential of being replicated in other contexts; (iii) a comparative analysis with recommendations and road maps based in the findings of the diagnostic section
To provide effective service in helping clients understand how they are going to be affected by health care reform and how to obtain coverage, pursue an appeal, or plan for long-term care or retirement, you need the most current information from a source you can trust - Medicare Handbook. This is the indispensable resource for clarifying Medicare's confusing rules and regulations. Prepared by an outstanding team of experts from the Center for Medicare Advocacy, Inc., it addresses issues you need to master to provide effective planning advice or advocacy services, including: Medicare eligibility rules and enrollment requirements; Medicare covered services, deductibles, and co-payments; coinsurance, premiums, penalties; coverage criteria for each of the programs; problem areas of concern for the advocate; grievance and appeals procedures. The 2017 Edition of Medicare Handbook offers expert guidance on: Health Care Reform Prescription Drug Coverage Enrollment and Eligibility Medigap Coverage Medicare Secondary Payer Issues Grievance and Appeals Home Health Care Managed Care Plans Hospice Care And more! In addition, Medicare Handbook will help resolve the kinds of questions that arise on a regular basis, such as: How do I appeal a denial of services? What steps do I need to take in order to receive Medicare covered home health care? What are the elements of Medicare's appeal process for the denial of coverage of an item, service, or procedure? Does my state have to help me enroll in Medicare so that I can get assistance through a Medicare Savings Program? When should I sign up for a Medigap plan? If I am on Medicare, do I have to buy health insurance in the insurance marketplace created by the Affordable Care Act? Is it true that I have to show medical improvement in order to get nursing and therapy services for my chronic condition? And more! The 2017 Medicare Handbook is the indispensable resource that provides: Extensive discussion and examples of how Medicare rules apply in the real world Case citations, checklists, worksheets, and other practice tools to help in obtaining coverage for clients, while minimizing research and drafting time Practice pointers and cautionary notes regarding coverage and eligibility questions where advocacy problems arise, and those areas in which coverage has been reduced or denied And more!
The book provides new perspectives from leading researchers accentuating and examining the central role of the built environment in conceiving and implementing multifaceted solutions for the complex challenges of climate change, revealing critical potentials for architecture and design to contribute in more informed and long-term ways to the urgent transition of our society. The book offers a compilation of peer-reviewed papers that uniquely connects knowledge broadly across practice and academia, from the newest technologies and methods to indigenous knowledge, community engagement, techniques for ecosystem regeneration, nature-based solutions, and more. The book is part of a series of six volumes that explore the agency of the built environment in relation to the SDGs through new research conducted by leading researchers. The series is led by editors Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen and Martin Tamke in collaboration with the theme editors: - Design for Climate Adaptation: Billie Faircloth and Maibritt Pedersen Zari - Design for Rethinking Resources: Carlo Ratti and Mette Ramsgaard Thomsen (Eds.) - Design for Resilient Communities: Anna Rubbo and Juan Du (Eds.) - Design for Health: Arif Hasan and Christian Benimana (Eds.) - Design for Inclusivity: Magda Mostafa and Ruth Baumeister (Eds.) - Design for Partnerships for Change: Sandi Hilal and Merve Bedir (Eds.)
Health policy in the United States has been shaped by the political, socioeconomic, and ideological environment, with important roles played by public and private actors, as well as institutional and individual entities, in designing the contemporary American healthcare system. Now in a fully updated fifth edition, this book gives expanded attention to pressing issues for our policymakers, including the aging American population, physician shortages, gene therapy, specialty drugs, and the opioid crisis. A new chapter has been added on the Trump administration's failed attempts at repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act and subsequent attempts at undermining it via executive orders. Authors Kant Patel and Mark Rushefsky address the key problems of healthcare cost, access, and quality through analyses of Medicare, Medicaid, the Veterans Health Administration, and other programs, and the ethical and cost implications of advances in healthcare technology. Each chapter concludes with discussion questions and a comprehensive reference list. This textbook will be required reading for courses on health and healthcare policy, as well as all those interested in the ways in which American healthcare has evolved over time.
Rivers of South America examines the physical, chemical, and biological environment of South American Rivers, and the people living in their basins. The book explores the main river basins, with information on each river's history, physiography, clime, hydrology, biodiversity, ecological processes, environmental problems, management, and conservation. The book identifies conservation hotspots for riverine environments, and is enriched with a large number of maps, photos, graphs, and tables. This reference is important for aquatic ecologists, environmental authorities, local and national governments, academics, NGOs, and those interested in the preservation and management of flowing waters. - Presents boxed information in each chapter to provide clear and consistent highlights throughout - Provides a single source of information for South America's major rivers - Offers full-color photographs and topographical maps to demonstrate the beauty, major features, and uniqueness of each river system
This comprehensive, up-to-date volume reports on current practices and use of Language Analysis for the Determination of Origin (LADO). Readers will find chapters on how it is done, where it is used, how it is used, and learn about recent developments on the use of LADO reports in judicial practice, and current controversies in the field. LADO is a highly controversial topic, and a relatively new branch of forensic linguistics that is used by most European and some non-European governments. When asylum seekers cannot submit documentary proof of their origin, their language can be analysed in order to assess whether their linguistic profile is in accordance with their stated origin. Around 10,000 such language analyses take place annually. This volume is based on the series of meetings of the Language and Asylum Research Group held between 2010 and 2012 and convened by the editors, and offers a state-of-the art perspective from researchers, practitioners, policymakers and stakeholders working on or with LADO.
This 2019 Article IV Consultation discusses that growth in Maldives has been strong and is projected to remain so in 2019 driven by tourism, commerce, and construction. Nonetheless, the Maldives remains highly vulnerable with reduced policy space due to large and growing public debt and rising pressures on external stability. The consultation focused on addressing external imbalances including offering advice on restoring fiscal buffers, strengthening public finance management, reforming the exchange rate regime, building international reserves, improving governance, implementing structural reforms, and encouraging diversification. The outlook is for continued strong growth and moderate inflation, and only a gradual improvement in fiscal and current account deficits. As major infrastructure projects will gradually start to unwind, the current account deficit will begin to narrow. Under the current policies, the fiscal deficit is projected to remain elevated. However, successful implementation of tax reforms and improved tax administration, together with measures to contain budgetary spending, would result in a narrowing of both fiscal and current account deficits and mitigate the risks posed by high and rising public and external debt.
This book fills an important gap in the literature, and presents contributions from scientists and researchers working in the field of sustainable development who have engaged in dynamic approaches to implementing sustainability in higher education. It is widely known that universities are key players in terms of the implementation and further development of sustainability, with some having the potential of acting as “living labs” in this rapidly growing field. Yet there are virtually no publications that explore the living labs concept as it relates to sustainability, and in an integrated manner. The aims of this book, which is an outcome of the “4th World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities” (WSSD-U-2018), held in Malaysia in 2018, are as follows: i. to document the experiences of universities from all around the world in curriculum innovation, research, activities and practical projects as they relate to sustainable development at the university level; ii. to disseminate information, ideas and experiences acquired in the execution of projects, including successful initiatives and good practice; iii. to introduce and discuss methodological approaches and projects that seek to integrate the topic of sustainable development in the curricula of universities; and iv. to promote the scalability of existing and future models from universities as living labs for sustainable development. The papers are innovative, cross-cutting and many reflect practice-based experiences, some of which may be replicable elsewhere. Also, this book, prepared by the Inter-University Sustainable Development Research Programme (IUSDRP) and the World Sustainable Development Research and Transfer Centre (WSD-RTC), reinforces the role played by universities as living labs for sustainable development.
Key messages This Infobrief examines and discusses REDD+ achievements and challenges in Brazil for the period 2015–2019, reflecting the opinions of relevant actors within the REDD+ policy domain in the country. Over time, REDD+ initiatives have promoted changes in Brazilian political articulation, funding possibilities and mobilization of civil society, and brought more visibility to the importance of combating deforestation and forest degradation within the country. In terms of practical implementation, the national REDD+ framework is still quite limited. Further development of the national REDD+ strategy is a considerable challenge for Brazil, as it is becoming clearer that the current national political rhetoric does not consider fighting and controlling deforestation and climate change as government priorities. Several major challenges exist because weak forest resource governance, poor enforcement of the environmental legislation, social inequalities, land use conflicts, and lack of political commitment remain in the country’s profile. However, international pressure on Brazil to stop deforestation might provide an opportunity for those actors who until now had little presence in the REDD+ political arena.
