Urban and Rural Infrastructure

Urban and Rural Infrastructure efforts are working to promote low emission and climate resilient urban and transport infrastructure.

In this outcome area, UNDP-GEF aims at promoting low emission urban and transport infrastructure and systems by enhancing the quality, affordability and security of energy and optimize its use. It does this in various ways, by integrating energy efficiency in buildings; by promoting sustainable, climate resilient urban and transport system planning and design, clean energy production, waste management and synergies in select industries, in particular those using Ozone Depleting Substances. 

A major emphasis of the team's work in this programme is on promoting energy efficiency in buildings, in particular through the introduction of codes. Seeking greater coherence and substantive justification of projects the team prepared a Programmatic Framework in 2008, defining specific directions for UNDP's EE buildings portfolio. The projects fall within six targeted areas of activity:

  • Establishing requirements of policy implementation;
  • Promoting and increasing uptake of regulations;
  • Using public buildings and municipalities as promoters of energy efficiency;
  • Developing and promoting EE technologies, building materials, and construction practices for housing;
  • Providing indicators and financing for ESCos and EE buildings; and
  • Climate-proofing the built environment: boosting synergies between mitigation and adaptation activities in buildings.
     

Projects

Safeguarding rural communities and their physical assets from climate-induced disasters in Timor-Leste

In Timor-Leste, increasing climatic variability and unpredictability – particularly related to rainfall and extreme weather events – present a significant risk to the lives and livelihoods of rural people.

Climate-induced hazards, such as floods, landslides and drought, frequently impact families’ lives and livelihoods while also damaging critical rural infrastructure including water supply and drainage, embankments, roads and bridges. These damages leave rural populations without basic services and often in full isolation. 

Strengthening Climate Information and Early Warning Systems for Climate Resilient Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in Guinea

Despite considerable natural resources, including rich biodiversity, fertile soil, forests and mineral deposits, the West African nation of Guinea remains one of the world’s least developed countries due in part to the poor management of climate variability over past decades.