Press Releases

September 21, 2022 by IGSD US Senate Votes to Ratify Kigali Amendment to Phase Down Super Polluting HFCs

In a major victory for the planet, the US Senate voted to ratify the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down super climate pollutants called hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), used primarily as refrigerants in air conditioners and other cooling equipment. The Kigali Amendment needed the approval of a two-thirds super-majority of the chamber. It is the first climate treaty to clear the Senate in decades.
  • Press Releases
 September 21, 2022
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July 8, 2022 by IGSD To Reduce Temperature in the Near-Term Two Strategies Beyond CO2 Are Key

Curtailing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions dominates the focus of climate mitigation efforts. However, the latest research has confirmed carbon dioxide mitigation alone has only marginal results in near-term temperature reduction. A new study, co-authored by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institutes for Science and Development, and the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development, has identified the two most effective mitigation strategies to limit near-term warming beyond CO2: 1) Reducing the other non-CO2 super climate pollutants— hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), methane, and black carbon; and 2) Promoting targeted nature-based solutions (NbS) that safeguard and enhance irrecoverable carbon sinks, such as intact forests, peatlands, and mangrove forests. 
  • Press Releases
 July 8, 2022
June 17, 2022 by IGSD The US – EU Announce Critical Implementation of the Global Methane Pledge for Oil & Gas

At the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) hosted by President Biden the United States, the European Union, and 11 countries announced the Global Methane Pledge Energy Pathway to catalyze methane emissions reductions in the oil and gas sector, advancing both climate progress and energy security.
  • Press Releases
 June 17, 2022
May 23, 2022 by IGSD Time to Broaden Strategy to Avert Catastrophic Climate Change

Slashing emissions of carbon dioxide, by itself, cannot prevent catastrophic global warming. But a new study concludes that a strategy that simultaneously reduces emissions of other largely neglected climate pollutants would cut the rate of global warming in half and give the world a fighting chance to keep the climate safe for humanity.
  • Press Releases
 May 23, 2022
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April 1, 2022 by IGSD Don’t “Clean Up Your Country at the Expense of Our Country”

A new paper published today in the Duke Law & Policy Forum reveals the burdens developing countries like Ghana face as exporting countries transition to more efficient and climate-friendly cooling products. It underscores opportunities to strengthen the Montreal Protocol to make good on its mission to protect stratospheric ozone and climate while fostering environmental justice.
  • Press Releases
 April 1, 2022
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February 23, 2022 by IGSD IEA Global Methane Tracker Finds Emissions Undercounted and Rising

According to the latest analysis released by the International Energy Agency today super polluting global methane emissions are significantly undercounted and on the rise. The 2022 update of the IEA Global Methane Tracker emphasizes once again that methane mitigation presents the biggest, fastest and cheapest opportunity for climate action in the near term, and is critical for keeping the 1.5 °C temperature target in sight.
  • Press Releases
 February 23, 2022
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January 7, 2022 by IGSD Status of Patents and Legal Challenges: Patents Related to The use of HFO-1234yf in Auto Air Conditioning

A new paper reviewes the status of patents granted on HFO-1234yf in automotive air conditioning in the US, Europe, and China, covering the largest automotive manufacturing regions in the world, primarily focusing on patents on the use of HFO-1234yf in automobiles, as opposed to patents on the manufacture of HFO-1234yf. This paper updates and expands upon a preceding publication co-authored by Stephen Seidel of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions and Christine R. Ethridge of Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC, published in July 2016 and titled “Status of Legal Challenges: Patents Related to the Use of HFO-1234yf in Auto Air Conditioning”.
  • Press Releases
 January 7, 2022
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November 29, 2021 by IGSD Controlling Chemical Feedstocks under the Montreal Protocol Will Protect Oceans and Atmosphere

Tightening feedstock controls under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer will provide substantial environmental benefits to the ozone layer and climate while reducing plastic pollution and persistent organic pollutants, concludes a provocative new paper published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
  • Press Releases
 November 29, 2021