Providing a detailed picture of the values for local people in the tropics is a difficult undertaking. Not only does this represent the difficulty in accounting for values outside formal markets, but it also reflects the multiplicity of the species involved and the many different ways in which trees are used. In these circumstances, one approach that can be used to gain insight is to focus on a narrower range of species, such as tree commodity crops commonly grown by smallholders, where more data on economic value are available.

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.

This book focuses on the relationship between climate-change adaptation, rural development and the roles of trees and agroforestry. Reward schemes for environmental services (RES) in multifunctional landscapes, which provide incentives for maintaining or restoring multifunctionality, will contribute to a likely reduction in vulnerability to climate change. Rewards may well be an efficient and fair way of investing international funds in climate-change adaptation.