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World Development Report 2010

This blog is hosted by the authors of the World Bank's World Development Report 2010, "Development and Climate Change". It is a forum to get broad-based input on fundamental questions relating to climate change and development. Find out more »

June 2009

Technology Transfer in the Climate Context: Who is responsible?

Submitted by Muthukumara Mani on Sun, 06/28/2009 - 23:00
Technology transfer in the climate context: Who is responsible?
   Photo © caveman 92223 at Flickr under a 
   Creative Commons license.

Technology issues have always been at the forefront of the global climate change debate.  It is even suggested that just like the food crises of 1960 triggered the need for a “green” revolution, we need nothing short of a technology revolution to deal with climate change.  However, if we look over the horizon, I think there isn’t enough of a sense of urgency being exhibited when it comes to technology, either internationally or at the country level. 

Geoengineering: A Possible Climate Change Insurance Policy?

Submitted by Michael MacCracken on Mon, 06/15/2009 - 17:24
A possible Climate Change Insurance Policy

   Photo © ochus b at Flickr under a
   Creative Commons license.

Even if all emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosol precursors ended today, more warming would occur in coming decades than the 0.8°C that has occurred to date, greatly intensifying climate change and its associated impacts. Already, sea level is rising, sea ice and mountain glaciers are retreating, the ranges of plant and animal species are shifting poleward and upward, and the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets are both losing mass. Each round of the assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found that change is occurring more rapidly than previously projected.

Evolving messages from the upcoming World Development Report

Submitted by Marianne Fay on Wed, 06/10/2009 - 15:50

The World Bank Group advocates the integration of development issues into the next global climate agreement, without taking sides based on the negotiating positions of individual parties to the UNFCCC. One of the purposes of the upcoming World Development Report (WDR) 2010: Development and Climate Change—as well as a number of other country-level studies at various stages of completion—is to actively share economic analysis and practical knowledge intended to help policymakers in various countries take informed decisions on poverty reduction and sustainable development in “a changing climate”.

As John Felstiner asks, Can Poetry Save the Earth?

Submitted by Julia Bucknall on Fri, 06/05/2009 - 11:05

We are often inspired by strong oratory based on solid data, and carefully expressed facts. Many of us spend our lives trying to craft messages from sprawling data to figure out the best way to proceed.

Yet we are also inspired by the beauty of words or images. In the US, a book was published recently called "Can Poetry Save the Earth". I found a story about it on the National Public Radio website.

The author of the book, John Felstiner, selected one poem that, he thought, could really save the earth if everyone read it.