Africa has launched an ambitious Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) as the continent's major contribution to Conference of Parties (COP21) taking place in Paris, France.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, today announced new financing to seven small hydropower plants that will generate power for tea factories affiliated with the Kenya Tea Development Agency. The $55 million loan is arranged by IFC in partnership with the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, PROPARCO, and The Netherlands Development Finance Company FMO.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) welcomes the new infusion of US $248 million for the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), which was announced Monday at the global climate summit in Paris. The new money, pledged by 11 donor countries (Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America) in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting, opens the door for new critical support for adaptation in the world's most vulnerable countries, including a majority of African countries.

Stronger partnerships, sound national policies, more funding for climate change adaptation and mitigation, research, community involvement and sensitization are key to realizing the goals of the Great Green Wall initiative in Africa.

Ethiopia says it is counting on its forest resources to boost the country's US $55 billion economy.

• US$100 million over 10 years on conservation and restoration
• Peatland forest area under active management doubled to 150,000 ha, significantly expanding areas protected under the Riau Ecosystem Restoration (RER)
• Increases APRIL conserved areas to 400,000 ha - equivalent to 83% of 1-for-1 conservation to plantation commitment - contributing to Indonesia's climate goals

Private sector participation and international cooperation will facilitate the commercial exploration of substantial energy reserves, says Frost & Sullivan

The Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP), the leading sustainability certification organization for the print industry, today announces the Silver Patron support of Polymeric Imaging Inc. SGP Patrons provide vital support to the organization and assist in keeping costs low throughout the SGP certification process.

For two full days the African Natural Resources Center (ANRC) of the African Development Bank (AfDB) brought together 45 civil society organisations (CSOs) from 30 countries in Africa to discuss ways to foster inclusive and sustainable development through public participation in natural resources policy formulation.

The Netherlands and FAO are expanding their collaboration in the area of water management with a $7 million donation by the Dutch government to support the use of remote sensing technology in helping water-scarce countries in the Near East and Africa monitor and improve the way they use water for crop production.

Stora Enso's Global Responsibility Performance Report 2014 has won four awards in the independent annual sustainability report review, commissioned by FIBS, Finland's leading non-profit corporate responsibility network. The four awards include the best sustainability report, best reporting on Human Rights and on Tax Footprint and the top choice of a consortium of Finnish corporate sustainability students.

The World Green Building Trends 2016 study surveyed 1,000 building professionals from 69 countries, building on 2008 and 2012 research