Low Emissions Development

Editor's Notes

• #3: At a practical level, a LEDS is the strategic framework, based on sound analytical foundations, that articulates concrete actions, policies, programs, and implementation plans to promote economic growth over the long term in a way that lowers a country's GHG emissions from what they would be if the country carried on with business as usual. LEDS are voluntary and non-binding. Because each country has unique national circumstances and priorities, each country develops and drives its own LEDS strategy
• #5: Let's take a closer look at climate change. It is now clear that no nation will be immune to the impacts of climate change. Numerous studies, and most recently a 2012 World Bank report, stresses that global emissions of greenhouse gases need to be heavily reduced by 2050. If this is not done, we risk putting prosperity out of reach for millions of people in the developing world, and decades of sustainable development efforts are threatened.
• #6: It useful for countries to consider low emissions development while achieving their national development goals, as if current global trends of emissions continue, serious climate change impacts will affect countries. The distribution of impacts is likely to be unequal and tilted against many of the world's poorest regions, which have the least economic, institutional, scientific, and technical capacity to cope and adapt.
• #10: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
• #13: For instance, developing economies have an especially significant opportunity to strengthen their growth by boosting industrial energy efficiency and productivity. Investments in existing energy-efficient technologies can potentially pay for themselves through future energy savings. For Example: Measures to reduce energy intensity in the Chinese cement industry have not only contributed to the goal of reduced energy intensity, but also improved product quality, which gives sales a boost. Companies that adopt energy-efficient technologies early also may benefit from enhanced competitiveness and first-mover advantage.
• #14: Can be a new source of jobs for many developing countries that are struggling with high unemployment. Leading sectors can be directly linked to: waste management, sustainable agriculture, energy use, construction of energy efficient buildings, and engineering. It is important to keep in mind that new job opportunities are not only found in the research, development and production of renewable energy equipment and components. There is great employment potential in the downstream linkages, as they need workforce in the distribution, marketing, sales, installation, operation, service, and maintenance of such systems. For Example In Bangladesh, more than 100000 solar PV home systems in rural communities have been installed. Such a fast growing PV program has created some 100000 jobs. Many local youth and women are working as solar technicians and repair and maintenance specialists.
• #15: The figure shows how different sectors, such as agriculture and water resources, will be impacted in different scenarios of temperature increase. The warmer the temperature, the more loss of agricultural land and increased water stress will be experienced. Some of these scenarios unfortunately will not be completely mitigated and will therefore require societies to adapt to new conditions. This adaptation process is also part of a low emissions development pathway.
• #16: All in all, we see that well-designed low emissions development policies can greatly benefit the poor.