International Development and Sustainability

Project focus: International Development and Sustainability


2016 - 2019	Sino Swiss Low Carbon City Programme
	Client: SDC
	2016-2019 Schwank Earthpartner has been partner of the Swiss Competence Center lead by Generis Ltd. (Schaffhausen) and mandated by SDC Berne / the Swiss Embassy Beijing. Othmar Schwank advised the implementation of the cooperation with 3 Chinese cities (Guangzhou, Chengdu, Kunming) in the field of low carbon urban planning and development (Land-use planning, green buildings, green transport, upgradation of industry parks).


2014-2015	India: Climate smart cities, CapaCITIES
	Client: Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation
	As member of the team Infras/Brandes/TARU Othmar Schwank has been supporting SDC in the development of a "local climate action cooperation programme" at city level in 2014/2015. The programme aims at improving the environmental governance and application of best practices/tools in sectors such as climate and environment smart city level planning, public awareness, green buildings, transport, water/wastewater and climate risk management. This project has been tendered and awarded by SDC in 2015.


2012 - 2015	UNFCCC: from Lima to Paris
	Client: FOEN / SDC
	Othmar Schwank, in cooperation with Infras and Perspectives, advised the Swiss federal administration in the further development of the Convention framework (policies and measures under UNFCCC). Focus was on strengthening of MRV (monitoring, reporting and verification) for Paris agreement, bi-annual update reports (BUR) and on Adaptation. Separate study on "UNFCCC alternatives" supporting the goal of a <2 degree warmer climate through a broader range of interventions such as reduction in short lived GHG emissions (black carbon, HFCs, methane CCAC Initiative) .


2010 - 2014	Climate Change and Air Pollution Legislation in China
	Client: DEZA
	China is in process of developing a new climate legislation and of tightening its Air Quality Control Regulation. Switzerland, represented by SDC’s Section Global Programme Climate Change and supported by FOEN, is contributing to the development of this legislation. Schwank Earthpartner, on behalf of SDC, has been coordinating the contributions of the Swiss partners (Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, EMPA INFRAS and Meteotest).


2010 - 2013	Climate Change Adaptation in India (WOTR)
	Client: DEZA
	Schwank Earthpartner, on behalf of SDC, was supporting the Indian partner Watershed Organization Trust WOTR in cooperation with Swiss research partners such as the Swiss College of Agriculture, Meteodat GmbH, FIBL and the Canadian AlCES Group. The project focus is on “climate smart development" (agro-meteorology, water management) and rural economy/ sustainable agriculture in semiarid India.