1 December 2012: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has released a booklet, titled “Seeds of Knowledge,” which suggests that grassroots, community-involved projects around the world are already playing an essential role in the response to climate change, and that these projects can guide policies.

Seeds of Knowledge showcases examples from around the world that illustrate how grassroots efforts in partnership with communities can: help build climate resilience; respond to the impacts of climate change; and support a transition to a green economy. The booklet features case studies from Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Jordan, Mauritania, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Senegal and Turkey.

The booklet highlights that impacts of climate change disproportionately affect people in many of the poorest regions world-wide. However, it acknowledges the critical role that local responses to reducing climate risks in these regions can play, stressing the need for investment and support.

The booklet includes a case study on a project in the Cauca Department in southwestern Colombia, where the UN Joint Programme of the MDG-F worked with the Alliance of Seed Custodians of the High Basin of the Cauca River, an indigenous group, to help the local community use their traditional food system knowledge to build food security in the face of climate change. The group will help other communities replicate their adaptation efforts.

The case studies in Seeds of Knowledge follow specific themes: capacity building; communication; ecosystems management; energy; environment mainstreaming and governance; gender; partnerships with civil society; partnerships with governments; partnerships with local communities and indigenous people; project cycle management; risk management; water; and exit strategy.

The booklet was launched during the UN Climate Chance Conference in Doha, Qatar. UNEP is a convener for environment and climate change under the Millennium Development Goals Fund (MDG-F), which was established in 2006 by the Government of Spain. [UNEP Press Release] [Publication: Seeds of Knowledge]