20 October 2011: The October edition of the World Bank Institute’s Climate Change Practice quarterly e-bulletin presents dialogues with various climate change experts, recorded via videoconference, that are focused on preparations for the upcoming 17th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the UNFCCC.

The e-bulletin provides updates from five research programme areas on: low emissions and climate resilient development; carbon and climate finance; energy; cities and climate change; and climate-smart agriculture and forestry.

On climate resilient development, the Bulletin highlights the launch of the Mitigation Action Implementation Network (MAIN). On carbon and climate finance, it notes the high participation at the Africa Carbon Forum (1,100 participants); the India Carbon Conclave (250 participants); and the Latin America Carbon Forum (962 participants). On energy, it notes that the first e-course on Public Procurement of Energy Efficiency Services was offered in September, and informs that two additional courses are currently being developed – on Energy Efficiency in Public Buildings, and Tapping Carbon Market for Energy Efficiency Projects in Public Buildings. On climate change in cities, an e-course is announced for the month of November. Finally, on agriculture and forestry it presents two workshops on REDD (reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries) to be held in Latin America (in Costa Rica and Panama). [Publication: WBI Climate Change Practice Quarterly Bulletin October 2011]