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CARBON FINANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT |
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FACILITY & THE MDGs |
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Climate change risks to development
The Millennium Development Goals are eight targets agreed to by UN member states for diminishing global poverty and achieving, by 2015, major advances in health, education, environment and equality. The MDGs represent an unprecedented commitment by the UN's member states to comprehensively address poverty in its many forms.
The Facility's projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions while providing direct contributions to the MDGs. Many emission reduction projects have significant community benefits that are intrinsically tied to the project type. For example, energy-related projects in low income countries may reduce the need for collecting firewood -- an activity often performed by young girls — and thereby contribute to MDG Three, "Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women." Some emission reduction projects may reinvest a portion of their proceeds from the sale of carbon credits into specific MDG activities. While low income countries are the most in need of progress on the MDGs, they presently have little or no access to carbon finance. The Facility, however, is active in these countries; leveraging carbon finance for sustainable development where it is most needed. ABOUT THE MDGs > |
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Climate change has emerged as one of the most important issues facing the global community in the 21st century. It will pose a serious threat to development and poverty reduction, and the effects will be felt most strongly by the poorest people in the least developed countries, who rely on the natural environment for their livelihoods. Climate change threatens to significantly undermine efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).