Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development

August 11, 2020

How Addressing the Debt Crisis Can Help Avert the Climate Crises and Stabilize Global Economies

Much of the world is awash in unsustainable public and private debt, made significantly worse by the COVID-19 crisis. Efforts to relieve the debt crisis provide opportunities to advance climate protection, health, and economic goals together, specifically through debt-for-climate swaps, building on the success of debt-for-nature swaps.

read more
July 17, 2020

Climate-friendly Cooling Could Cut Years of GHG Emissions, Buy Time and Save US$ Trillions: UNEP & IEA

Coordinated international action on energy-efficient, climate-friendly cooling could avoid as much as 460 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions – roughly equal to eight years of global emissions at 2018 levels – over the next four decades.

read more
July 9, 2020

New Report Identifies Sources of Environmental Dumping of ACs in African Countries

Environmentally Harmful Dumping of Inefficient and Obsolete Air Conditioners in Africa details the extent of the problem across ten countries in Africa, ultimately providing policymakers with a set of solutions to encourage a transition toward highly-efficient, sustainable cooling technologies.

read more
July 16, 2018

As World Warms, Millions More Need Cooling (and This Could Cause More Warming)

As the world warms up, the growing use of ACs and other cooling equipment will accelerate, and the extra energy needed to power the equipment will itself increase global warming. Two authoritative reports published this week grapple with how to break this vicious circle, and keep people cool without heating the planet.

read more
November 17, 2017

Kigali Amendment Reaches Needed Ratifications in Run Up to Montreal Protocol’s 30th Anniversary Meeting Next Week

In the run up to the Montreal Protocol’s 30th anniversary Meeting next week, this afternoon Sweden became the 20th Party to deposit its instrument of ratification to the Kigali Amendment, which ensures that the amendment will enter into force 1 January 2019.

read more
October 14, 2016

Nations Agree to Kigali Amendment: Largest Near-Term Temperature Reduction from Single Agreement

Warming caused by one of the six main greenhouse gases will be taken out of the climate system through the Kigali Amendment agreed in the early morning hours today in Rwanda. The amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase out HFCs is the largest temperature reduction ever achieved by a single agreement.

read more

IGSD works to promote just and sustainable societies and to protect the environment by advancing the understanding, development, and implementation of effective, and accountable systems of governance for sustainable development.

News

25 Nov

As Special Envoy for Climate, John Kerry Will Be No Stranger to International Climate Negotiations

Two weeks before President Trump was elected President in November 2016, then Secretary of State John Kerry held court in a hotel room in Kigali, Rwanda, to help secure one of the most important and little-known international climate agreements in history. By Phil McKenna, Inside Climate News.
24 Nov

Join the Climate Friendly Cooling Campaign

Are you ready to take action to avoid obsolete HFC refrigerants that damage the earth’s climate and are being phased down globally? Join other climate leaders!
The Sustainable Leadership Purchasing Council and IGSD are pleased to announce the launch of the Climate Friendly Cooling Campaign.
23 Nov

Durwood Zaelke and IGSD hail John Kerry’s climate appointment to National Security Council by President-elect Joe Biden

John Kerry not only was instrumental in delivering the Paris Agreement, he also was key for winning the Kigali Amendment to phase down HFC refrigerants and avoid up to 0.5°C of warming—the single biggest bite yet taken out of the climate problem.
23 Nov

MOP32 Side Event: Environmentally Harmful Dumping- Latest Analysis and Tools to Stop Dumping

In partnership with the Government of Ghana and CLASP, IGSD presented the latest analysis of the dumping of new and used refrigeration and AC appliances in Africa that use obsolete ozone-depleting and greenhouse gas refrigerants and waste precious money needed for health, education, and welfare.

Publications

Background Note: The Need for Fast Near-Term Climate Mitigation to Slow Feedbacks and Tipping Points

Background Note: Debt-for-Climate Swaps

Assessment of Climate and Development Benefits of Efficient and Climate Friendly Cooling

Connect

Tweets by @IGSD_DC

IGSD works to promote just and sustainable societies and to protect the environment by advancing the understanding, development, and implementation of effective, and accountable systems of governance for sustainable development.

As Special Envoy for Climate, John Kerry Will Be No Stranger to International Climate Negotiations

Join the Climate Friendly Cooling Campaign

Durwood Zaelke and IGSD hail John Kerry’s climate appointment to National Security Council by President-elect Joe Biden

MOP32 Side Event: Environmentally Harmful Dumping- Latest Analysis and Tools to Stop Dumping