Trade in ethanol is increasing, and raises the need for the classification of various biofuels within frameworks such as the WTO. With that being said, this paper wonders how do biofuels policies and programs fit within the WTO’s stated goals of liberalisation. In addition, it examines the effects of the rapid biofuels expansion on the prices of grains, and the effects triggered in the livestock industries. The paper indicates that the biofuels industry affects and is affected by government policies in countries around the globe.

This document summarizes current findings from an evaluation of Mexico’s National Payments for Hydrological Services from 2003-2010.  Th evaluation seeks to understand the environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the program, with the goal of extracting lessons learned and identifying room for possible future improvement.

Findings: an analysis of program selection criteria and the characteristics of lands enrolled suggests the program has met the dual goals of targeting funds to areas of ecological and social priority. Specifically:

Market solutions based on the trade of carbon offset credits remain a dominant feature in international climate change negotiations. This paper undertakes a preliminary assessment of potential of climate change mitigation projects by evaluating Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects related to agriculture and land use change in Latin America. Results suggest that potential benefits of carbon markets in the agriculture and forestry sectors are often overstated, with failures in the areas of additionality, project accountability and sustainable development.

This policy brief examines the manner in which Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD) pilot projects have been undertaken in Indonesia and Peru. The research data summarized within the brief was gathered using a method known as Fair and Efficient REDD Value Chain Allocation (FERVA). The FERVA analysis is used to capture the perceptions and expectations of REDD stakeholders at the preliminary stages of REDD initiatives; it also informs stakeholders of the different functions of the REDD value chain.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development’s (IFAD) annual report 2011 describes the achievements of its programme of work through 240 projects in 94 countries, as well as its new strategic framework for 2011-2015. The report documents the milestones and indicators towards sustainable rural development, including a number of regional examples. It highlights IFAD’s efforts to support the empowerment of poor rural women and young people, to increase rural financial services and weather insurance, and to address climate change, which is one of IFAD’s most central strategic aims.

Water, food and energy are fundamental to African development. However, several crucial issues need to be addressed. Are African resources used to meet African needs or are they being exploited to satisfy the needs of other actors facing food and energy insecurity?

The Climate Action Tracker (CAT) compares and assesses national and global action against a range of different climate targets across all relevant time frames. This report assesses whether Mexico’s current policies and climate action pledges meet the country's targets and approach the targets required for a global 2°C or lower pathway. According to the report, Mexico is among the countries most advanced in reducing emissions from deforestation and ensuring afforestation through payment for environmental services.

Land and forestry-based activities could in principle play important roles as climate change mitigation strategies. In practice, however, several questions have been raised about their feasibility. Therefore, understanding the processes and determinants of land use changes is critical. This paper aims to contribute to such understanding in the larger part of a larger project on sustainable development and economic growth. It begins with a dynamic model of land use.

The National Climate Change Response Strategy (NCCRS), also referred to as the ‘Strategy’, is the culmination of a year-long process to develop a comprehensive and concerted suite of strategies to respond to the challenges climate change is posing to Kenya’s socioeconomic development. The NCCRS is a significant step in the recognition that climate change is a threat to national development. It has presented evidence on climate change and associated impacts.

The deciduous tree species Pterocarpus angolensis occurs in the dry woodlands of southern Africa and grows under a broad range of environmental conditions. It is threatened by overharvesting due to its valuable timber (Blood wood, Kiaat) and by land use changes. Information on the most suitable environmental conditions for the species is often old and anecdotal, while available data on its occurrence refer to range extent and not to distribution.

Over the past 15 years, 3 million hectares of forests have been converted into shrublands or grasslands in the Mediterranean countries of the European Union. Fire and drought are the main drivers underlying this deforestation. Here we present a conceptual framework for the process of fire-induced deforestation based on the interactive effects of fire and drought across three hierarchical scales: resistance in individuals, resilience in populations, and transitions to a new state.

 El cacao en los planes y políticas estatales, una mirada al Ecuador y Bolivia
Lorenzo Soliz Tito
Filósofo. Máster en Desarrollo Humano y Seguridad Alimentaria (UMSS). Trabaja en desarrollo rural hace más de 25 años.  Fue Coordinador del Foro Andino – Amazónico y director del Centro de Investigación y Promoción del Campesinado (CIPCA). Actualmente es encargado del área de Planificación y Proyectos en el IPDRS