If you have a relevant resource (books, papers, bulletins, etc.) you would like to see announced in this section, please forward a copy for review by the BRIDGES staff to Malena Sell.
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY: A FRAMEWORK FOR DECISION MAKERS. UN-Energy (8 May 2007). This report presents a comprehensive review of the likely economic, environmental, and social impacts of the emerging bioenergy market and advises decision makers as to what policies are needed to prepare for upcoming opportunities and challenges in this arena. The authors conclude that bioenergy could present significant benefits in terms of alleviating poverty, enhancing rural development, and building rural infrastructure; however, the authors warn that increased bioenergy production could threaten world food supplies, and that the cultivation of many bioenergy crops requires large amounts of fossil fuels. The report may be accessed at ftp://ftp.fao.org/docrep/fao/010/a1094e/a1094e00.pdf.
MONITORING OF ILLEGAL TRADE IN IVORY AND OTHER ELEPHANT SPECIMENS. Traffic (May 2007). This study, which documents trade in ivory and other elephant specimens worldwide since 1989, reports that there have been 12,400 seizures of such products in 82 countries over that time period. Currently, mainland China is the largest market for ivory and other elephant products, while Cameroon, Nigeria, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are the primary suppliers of such goods. The study further documents a recent increase in the trade in elephant products, following a decline between 1990 and 1995. The report is available at http://www.cites.org/eng/cop/14/doc/E14-53-2.pdf.
CHINESE WOOD PRODUCTS SUPPLY CHAIN ANALYSIS: HELPING CHINESE WOOD PRODUCERS ACHIEVE MARKET DEMANDS FOR LEGAL AND SUSTAINABLE TIMBER. The Tropical Forest Trust (March 2007). This report, which was prepared for the UK’s Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, concludes that Western consumers can encourage Chinese wood producers to practice responsible forest management by increasing their demand for wood products that have been sustainably produced. The authors of the report claim that such a shift in demand would pressure timber-purchasing companies to change their purchasing practices in China. The report further documents that the Asian nation is currently the world’s largest exporter of plywood, furniture, and wood flooring. To access the report visit http://www.tropicalforesttrust.com/media/uploaded/Chinese_Supply_Chain_Analysis.pdf.
CROP RESEARCH TO BENEFIT POOR FARMERS IN MARGINAL AREAS OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD: A REVIEW OF TECHNICAL CHALLENGES AND TOOLS. By Maruricio R. Bellon (Bioversity International, December 2006). Many rural farmers who live in marginal areas have not been able to take advantage of recent breakthroughs in crop science that have benefited farmers in the developed world. This report offers a comprehensive review of the barriers that developing-country farmers must overcome in order to take advantage of the latest crop technology. The author also identifies several tools — including poverty mapping and participatory research approaches — that decision makers might use to help even the playing field for farmers living in marginal areas. The report may be accessed at http://news.bioversityinternational.org/media/1/Bellon.pdf.
ENERGY SECURITY AND CLIMATE POLICY: ASSESSING INTERACTIONS. International Energy Agency (March 2007). This book presents an in-depth analysis of the linkages between policies that address global warming and those that seek to ensure energy security. The authors assert that government action on energy policy will be most effective if it takes into consideration both of these issue areas concurrently. The book also presents a set of energy security indicators that are designed to monitor the on-the-ground effect of shifts in governmental energy policy. To order a copy of the book, visit http://www.iea.org/books or send an email to books@iea.org.