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Climate Change and Energy

Supporting the transition to a clean, secure and sustainable future

We stand at a crossroads. The decisions made by national governments, business leaders and individuals today will determine the extent of global climate change and the capacity of communities and countries to adapt to its impacts.

Decisions related to the future production and use of energy will be especially critical. For the two billion people living without modern energy services, an increase in energy production is necessary to meet basic human needs. Energy is also required to fuel economic development and to achieve and maintain a healthy standard of living in all countries. Over the next quarter-century, trillions of dollars will be invested in new energy infrastructure, particularly in developing countries. The energy mix selected and technology used will have a profound impact on our progress toward a sustainable future that includes low emissions of greenhouse gases.

The effects of a warming world are already being felt around the world. Sea ice in the Arctic is thinning and disappearing. Glaciers are melting at unprecedented rates, disrupting downstream river flows. Rising seas are flooding low-lying areas, particularly affecting Pacific Island states. Extreme weather events—increased rainfall, droughts and floods—are becoming more frequent. To avoid serious disruption to the Earth's climatic system, it is projected that global average temperatures should not be allowed to increase by more than two to three degrees Celsius. Yet if the rate of greenhouse gas emissions remain at current levels, the world could face an increase in average temperature of between three to 10 degrees Celsius.

The challenge before the international community is therefore clear—how will we meet global energy needs and development aspirations while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and responding to current and future climatic changes? The integration of climate change considerations into development priorities; creative responses based on solid research; knowledge-sharing; and urgent actions are all required to meet this challenge.

IISD is dedicated to identifying and promoting innovative solutions that support the transition to a clean, secure and sustainable future. Our approach seeks to bring together developing and developed country issues; corporate and social needs; energy and environment priorities; mitigation and adaptation strategies; and economic, social and environmental well-being. Actively engaged in the international climate change arena since the signing of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1992, IISD's unique perspective and effectiveness have earned the institute recognition as an international and national leader in climate change policy research.

Members of IISD's Climate Change and Energy team seek to facilitate the exchange of ideas and perspectives by engaging key decision-makers and policy influencers in critical discussions nationally and internationally. Within Canada, members of IISD's team provide expert advice and consultation to federal government departments and the Province of Manitoba, and are becoming more actively engaged with a number of other provincial governments, including Nova Scotia, Quebec, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia. IISD also has a growing list of clients in the private sector, including some of Canada's leading energy companies, for whom we provide internal services as well as external consulting.

Contents

• Energy
  IISD undertakes policy research focused on how countries can achieve energy security in a manner that supports sustainable development.

• After Kyoto
  IISD undertakes work within and outside of Canada to support the development of a post-2012 climate regime that will facilitate long-term, deep reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, enhance the capacity of all nations to adapt to the impacts of climate change, and foster sustainable development.

• Markets, Mitigation and Climate Change
  IISD seeks to examine how markets and economic instruments—such as the Kyoto Protocol's market mechanisms—can be used to enable developed and developing countries to meet their sustainable development objectives.

• Cross-cutting Issues: Trade and Climate Change
  There are a number of ways in which trade policy might help serve climate change goals, but this will only happen if we fully understand the potential and map out how to exploit it. As well, a number of climate change measures may have negative trade impacts, and we need to understand these well enough to take those impacts into account and avoid them where possible.

• Climate Change and Security
  Understanding how climate change could affect political and economic stability, and developing effective ways to address those problems.

• Vulnerability and Adaptation
  Our efforts contribute to understanding and enhancing the ability of communities, sectors and countries to prepare for and respond to the anticipated impacts of climate change.

• Climate Convention (UNFCCC)
  IISD is actively engaged in reporting on and contributing to the ongoing negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol.

• Understanding the Issues
  IISD provides background information, current coverage and insight into the state of the international climate change negotiations, and supports knowledge sharing within the international climate community.

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