ICT Symposium Adopts Roadmap on Smart, Sustainable Cities [viewed]
9 May 2013: Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are critical in creating smart sustainable cities and addressing climate change, according to participants at the Eighth International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Symposium on ICTs, the Environment and Climate Change. Participants adopted a 'Turin Roadmap' that calls on ITU to promote smart technologies in cities and develop key performance indicators to assess ICTs impacts in cities and countries around the world.
April 2013: The UN Development Programme's (UNDP) Environment and Energy Group (EEG) has released a report, titled ‘Towards Transformational Change: UNDP's Work in Environment and Sustainable Development 2008-2012.' The publication features a collection of stories from around the world in four strategic areas: mainstreaming environment and energy; mobilizing environmental finance; promoting adaptation to climate change; and expanding access to environmental and energy services for the poor. 
3 May 2013: The Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Government of India have launched the GEF-UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Cleantech Programme for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) for India, also referred to as India Cleantech.
23 April 2013: The Multilateral Fund for the Implementation of the Montreal Protocol (MLF) has committed up to US$385 million to China for the elimination of all industrial production of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) by 2030. China is the largest producer of HCFCs, and eliminating the country's HCFC production will prevent emissions equivalent to 8 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).
17 April 2013: A study published by Nature Climate Change concludes that sea-level rise can be cut by reducing local air pollution from four short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), namely black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). 
12 April 2013: The UNFCCC Secretariat has released the report of the centralized review of the 2012 annual submission of Romania (FCCC/ARR/2012/ROU), which indicates that total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for this country decreased by 57.6% between 1990 and 2010, the key driver for this decrease being the economic downturn during the transition period to a market economy.
12 April 2013: The UNFCCC Secretariat has released the report of the centralized review of the 2012 annual submission of Belarus (FCCC/ARR/2012/BLR), which indicates that total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for this country, excluding the land use, land-use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector, decreased by 35.7% between 1990 and 2010. 
12 April 2013: The UNFCCC Secretariat has released the report of the centralized review of the 2012 annual submission of Iceland (FCCC/ARR/2012/ISL), which indicates that total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for this country increased by 29.7% between 1990 and 2010. 
15 April 2013: The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity Business Coalition (TEEB for Business) has released a report on environmental externalities of businesses, titled "Natural Capital at Risk – The Top 100 Externalities of Business.” The report concludes that the top 100 environmental externalities cost the world economy approximately US$7.3 trillion annually, around 13% of global economic output.
5 April 2013: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has requested the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) to buy 50,000 certificates of emission reduction (CERs), to cover UNEP's emissions for 2010-2013. UNOPS purchased almost 14,000 additional certificates to offset its global activities in 2011. These purchases are line with the 2007 UN directive for UN agencies to move towards climate neutrality.
