August 2009: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has released three new publications under the joint UNDP-UNEP Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) capacity development programme in Eastern & Southern Africa, which, inter alia, aims to assist the region in increasing its participation in the CDM.

The publications deal with various aspects of the bio-carbon sector, including its CDM potential, and include: an overview of the prospects and challenges of bio-carbon in Africa, titled “Bio-Carbon Opportunities in Eastern & Southern Africa: Harnessing Carbon Finance to Promote Sustainable Forestry, Agro-Forestry and Bio-Energy”; a guidebook on the potential for biomass energy and issues relevant to its deployment, titled “Biomass Energy for Cement Production: Opportunities in Ethiopia”; and an overview of the principles and challenges of carbon accounting in the forestry sector, titled “Forest Carbon Accounting: Overview & Principles.”[Synopses][Bio-Carbon Opportunities][Biomass Energy for Cement Production][Forest Carbon Accounting]