The State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture
The State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture

Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2013-06-17

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 1136498877

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The State of the World's Land and Water Resources for Food and Agriculture is FAO's first flagship publication on the global status of land and water resources. It is an 'advocacy' report, to be published every three to five years, and targeted at senior level decision makers in agriculture as well as in other sectors. SOLAW is aimed at sensitizing its target audience on the status of land resources at global and regional levels and FAO's viewpoint on appropriate recommendations for policy formulation. SOLAW focuses on these key dimensions of analysis: (i) quantity, quality of land and water resources, (ii) the rate of use and sustainable management of these resources in the context of relevant socio-economic driving factors and concerns, including food security and poverty, and climate change. This is the first time that a global, baseline status report on land and water resources has been made. It is based on several global spatial databases (e.g. land suitability for agriculture, land use and management, land and water degradation and depletion) for which FAO is the world-recognized data source. Topical and emerging issues on land and water are dealt with in an integrated rather than sectoral manner. The implications of the status and trends are used to advocate remedial interventions which are tailored to major farming systems within different geographic regions.

Toward an Environmentally Sustainable Future
Toward an Environmentally Sustainable Future

Author: Qingfeng Zhang

Publisher: Asian Development Bank

Published: 2012-08-01

Total Pages: 335

ISBN-13: 9290927135

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This publication presents the results of a 2-year effort to update environmental assessment in the People's Republic of China (PRC). The research was a collaborative effort involving the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the National Development and Reform Commission, and numerous other technical and research institutions in the PRC. Based on this research and extensive consultations, ADB proposes a wide range of programs and policies that will help improve environmental quality despite new and emerging sources of pollution and challenges to natural resources management. Inclusive growth and a green economy are the government's guiding principles for its development agenda under the 12th Five-Year Plan and beyond to 2020. To support these principles, the PRC needs to restructure its economic and fiscal systems to reflect environmental externality, expand the use of market-based instruments to control pollution, and introduce and implement legal reforms to clarify responsibility and promote cooperation.

Living with Risk
Living with Risk

Author: International Strategy for Disaster Reduction

Publisher: International Strategy Disaster Reductn

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 460

ISBN-13:

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This publication (published in 2 volumes, not sold separately by TSO) is intended for people who have an interest in and practice disaster risk management and sustainable development. It provides guidance, policy orientation and inspiration, as well as serving as a reference for lessons on how to reduce risk and vulnerability to hazards and to meet the challenges of tomorrow. It consists of (vol. 1) the report, including case studies; and (vol. 2) annexes, for example, a glossary of specialized terminology , and a directory of international, regional, national and specialized organizations (vol. 2). It replaces the preliminary version which was released in July 2002 (not available from TSO).

Low-Carbon Development
Low-Carbon Development

Author: Raffaello Cervigni

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2013-08-05

Total Pages: 189

ISBN-13: 0821399268

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The Federal Government of Nigeria has adopted an ambitious strategy to make Nigeria the world’s 20th largest economy by 2020. Sustaining such a pace of growth will entail rapid expansion of the level of activity in key carbon-emitting sectors, such as power, oil and gas, agriculture and transport. In the absence of policies to accompany economic growth with a reduced carbon foot-print, emissions of greenhouse gases could more than double in the next two decades. This study finds that there are several options for Nigeria to achieve the development objectives of vision 20:2020 and beyond, but stabilizing emissions at 2010 levels, and with domestic benefits in the order of 2 percent of GDP. These benefits include cheaper and more diversified electricity sources; more efficient operation of the oil and gas industry; more productive and climate –resilient agriculture; and better transport services, resulting in fuel economies, better air quality, and reduced congestion. The study outlines several actions that the Federal Government could undertake to facilitate the transition towards a low carbon economy, including enhanced governance for climate action, integration of climate consideration in the Agriculture Transformation Agenda, promotion of energy efficiency programs, scale-up of low carbon technologies in power generation (such as renewables an combined cycle gas turbines), and enhance vehicle fuel efficiency.