The central theme of this book is that well-designed decentralized renewable energy projects are in fact a mitigative and an adaptive response to climate change. Decentralized renewable energy projects (DREs) address core sustainable development priorities and build adaptive capacity to climate change, without increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Building coherent climate policy around the DRE option is a win-win opportunity that overcomes the policy divide by addressing the South's adaptation needs and the North's mitigation priorities. In supporting strong DRE-based climate policy, the North can build the good faith necessary to meaningfully engage the South in a post-Kyoto phase of climate negotiations.
