As the Paris Agreement is formalised and NDCs are standardised, it is a fair to assume that other countries will look to HELE coal technologies as part of their emissions reductions plans.

Policy making is required in cases in which a public good needs to be either maintained or created, and private or civil initiatives cannot deal alone with this. Policy making thus starts with a phase of problem identification and determining whether there is a problem that needs to be dealt with. Rapidly evolving contexts exert influence on policy makers who have to take decisions much faster and more accurately than in the past, also facing greater complexity. There is a need for a method that lowers the lead time of the exploratory phase of the policy cycle.

Effective responses to climate change require efforts by both the public and private sectors to develop and disseminate new environmentally sound technologies (ESTs) on a global scale, as well as to adapt them to local needs. However, due to a number of market failures and specific uncertainties, the spread of green technologies is less than optimal, which necessitates additional incentives. Based on a review of recent literature, the present Global Challenges

This report provides the results of a review of the evidence that investments in electricity-generating capacity have benefits for poor people, and what factors influence that relationship. The review begins by elucidating a theory to break down the causal chain between additional renewable electricity generation capacity and poverty impacts in four stages or links, which can be formulated as four research questions: (1) What is the link between increased renewable electricity capacity and higher availability and reliability of supply?

This report highlights two underutilized but fully implementable technologies that efficiently integrate heat and electricity systems, provide flexibility and enhance energy security. It examines what restricts co‑generation and efficient district heating and cooling systems that can help de-carbonize the energy system.

SMARTer2030 is the third instalment in the acclaimed GeSI series of SMART reports, demonstrating the enabling potential of ICT in eight different sectors (from buildings to energy, from transport to agriculture and healthcare), and how ICT solutions can support the transition to a low-carbon economy while delivering business opportunities and improving people's quality of life.

With more than half the Earth’s population now living in urban areas, some changes in the indoor and outdoor climates of cities are bound to occur. Climate scientists’ greatest concern is traditionally the urban heat island (UHI) effect – city areas where temperatures can be several degrees higher because there is lots of concrete and little blue or green infrastructure like lakes, rivers and parks. But another effect – air flow – can also cause serious health problems.

Developed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Cleaner, More Efficient Vehicles Tool provides information and real-world examples of technology and policies used around the globe to improve auto fuel economy.