ENG - UN CC:Learn

INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
by Olav Kjørven, Director, UNDP Energy and Environment Practice
In April 2004, UNDP released a sourcebook on its country-level initiatives for promoting
environmental sustainability. The sourcebook contained country-by-country factsheets
on key sustainable development indicators, brief descriptions of areas where UNDP was
focusing its activities in each country, and information on the status of each country’s
acceptance of major multilateral environmental agreements. The response was so overwhelming
that we decided to produce a second, expanded edition.
C apacity d e v e l o p m e n t f o r
Environmental Sustainability
UNDP country level initiatives
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This new edition of the sourcebook, “The Sustainable Difference”: Energy and
Environment to Achieve the MDGs, documents UNDP’s efforts on the ground to support
more than 140 countries in integrating energy and environmental issues into
their national development plans, poverty reduction strategies, and other key policy
and institutional fora.
Contained in this volume is an expanded section of 142 country profiles summarizing key environmental challenges in each of the
countries in which UNDP operates, and providing an overview of ongoing UNDP-supported energy and environment
programmes and projects and their impacts. These country profiles are followed by data tables
presenting the most up-to-date environmental indicators available for each country from UNDP’s
Human Development Report 2005 as well as information on the status of international environmental
agreements and conventions, including signatories and ratification.
However, “The Sustainable Difference” is more than just a compendium of programmes in
countries supported by UNDP. It is a demonstration of the critically important role played by
energy and natural resources and systems in meeting human aspirations and eradicating
poverty. It is also, I believe, an eloquent testament to the depth and breadth of UNDP’s
engagement with issues of energy and environment, and our efforts to create and sustain partnerships
that support developing countries, poor people and poor communities in building their
capacity to integrate energy and environmental considerations into their development decisionmaking.“Partnership”
is really a key term. The extent, impact and sustainability of our efforts fundamentally
depends on our ability to work closely with others, especially national governments, but also other members of the UN family,
the private sector and civil society organisations.
To assist our partners, donors and other readers in assimilating, understanding and interpreting the information presented in “The
Sustainable Difference”, I would like to briefly lay out some essential context about the role of energy and environment within the
broader development debate and about the role of UNDP in supporting developing countries’ efforts to address these issues.
AN HISTORIC OPPORTUNITY TOADVANCE THE DEVELOPMENT AGENDA
The world is now witnessing an unprecedented alignment around a common set of time-bound
and measurable goals, the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs are galvanizing
developed and developing countries, the UN system and other multilateral institutions,
regional organizations, and civil society alike. Moreover, this rallying around the MDGs is
backed by political will, significant financial resources, and an implementation plan. It is
truly an historic opportunity that the world cannot afford to squander.
At the same time, it is becoming clearer every day that the degradation of ecosystems and
the spectre of abrupt, unpredictable, and possibly irreversible global environmental
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