Key Message

Climate change presents a fundamental challenge to global sustainable development. Urgent action is required to establish progressive policy regimes and take concrete actions that will achieve substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions while preparing for increasing climatic change.

Team


John Drexhage· John Drexhage
Director - Climate Change and Energy
Aaron Cosbey· Aaron Cosbey
Associate and Senior Climate Change and Trade Advisor
Anne Hammill· Anne Hammill
Senior Researcher
Beatrice Riche· Beatrice Riche
Associate
Christopher Beaton· Christopher Beaton
Research Analyst/Communications Officer
David Sawyer· David Sawyer
Associate
Deborah Murphy· Deborah Murphy
Associate
Dennis Cunningham· Dennis Cunningham
Project Manager
Dennis Tirpak· Dennis Tirpak
Associate
Frédéric Gagnon-Lebrun· Frédéric Gagnon-Lebrun
Associate
Graham Ashford· Graham Ashford
Associate
Jane Barton· Jane Barton
Associate
Jean Nolet· Jean Nolet
Associate
Jessica Boyle· Jessica Boyle
Project Officer
Jo-Ellen Parry· Jo-Ellen Parry
Manager, Climate Change and Energy
Julie Dekens· Julie Dekens
Project Officer
Marius Keller· Marius Keller
Project Officer
Matthew McCandless· Matthew McCandless
Project Manager
Peter Wooders· Peter Wooders
Senior Economist
Philip Gass· Philip Gass
Project Officer
Rochelle Harding· Rochelle Harding
Associate
Stefan Jungcurt· Stefan Jungcurt
Project Officer
Douglas Russell· Douglas Russell
Associate

Climate Change and Energy

Providing sustainable solutions in turbulent times

What's New in Climate Change and Energy?

  • Building the Capacity of REDD Negotiators
    Significant progress was made in Copenhagen in the negotiations for an international mechanism for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries (REDD). IISD, in collaboration with the Alternatives to Slash and Burn Partnership for the Tropical Forest Margins (ASB-ICRAF), is delivering an ongoing series of workshops that aim to increase understanding of the REDD negotiations. The organizations also aim to provide information on actual experiences in the forestry sector that could be used to lay the technical and policy foundations for better REDD programs.

  • Campaigning rhetoric or bleak reality? Just how serious a security challenge is climate change for Africa? (PDF - 450 KB
    This article addresses the threats of climate change for peace and stability in Africa. It was written for the Heinrich Böll Foundation's book Climate change, resources, migration: Securing Africa in an uncertain climate.

  • Draft reports from IISD and the Pembina Institute’s “Clean Energy and Climate Action: A North American Collaborative” project are now available for review and comment:

    • North American energy relationships (PDF - 3.7 MB).
      This paper explores the energy relationships in North America and the implications for action on clean energy and climate change. It is intended to capture the state of debate on how energy production and the use of energy in North America will impact the design of policy responses to climate change and clean energy.

    • Linking national cap-and-trade systems in North America (PDF - 1.6 MB).
      This paper examines a variety of options for North American carbon pricing, ranging from two separate systems in the United States and Canada that recognize each others' allowances to a harmonized trilateral approach.

Climate change is one of the most critical challenges facing humanity today. The process of change unleashed by the rapid rise of atmospheric greenhouse gas emissions, historically and today, has the capacity to alter our economic systems, ecological networks and social relationships.

To minimize the adverse impacts of climate change, significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are needed on an urgent basis. Yet achieving these reductions will be challenging given current reliance on fossil fuel–based energy systems for the achievement of economic development. Combating climate change therefore requires finding answers to fundamental questions such as:

Creative policy responses based on solid research, shared knowledge and strong partnerships are needed to provide answers to these questions.

IISD is working to provide progressive policy solutions in North America and at the global level that are supported by individuals, companies and governments that have the capacity to take concrete actions. Our work includes:

As well, through our work in the area of adaptation and risk reduction, we are:

Contents

Related IISD Research