International Institute for Sustainable Development

Last updated
International Institute for Sustainable Development
AbbreviationIISD
Formation1990
Type NGO
Legal statusRegistered charitable organization
Purpose Sustainable development
Headquarters Winnipeg
Location
  • 111 Lombard Avenue
President & CEO
 Patricia Fuller
Chair of the Board
Michelle Edkins
Main organ
Executive Leadership Team
Budget
CAN $43 million (FY 2022/23)
Staff
250
Website www.iisd.org OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an independent think tank founded in 1990 working to shape and inform international policy on sustainable development governance. The institute has three offices in Canada - Winnipeg, Ottawa, and Toronto, and one office in Geneva, Switzerland. It has over 150 staff and associates working in over 30 countries.

Contents

IISD is a registered charitable organization in Canada. [1]

History and organization

In 1988 at the United Nations General Assembly, then-Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced plans to "establish a centre which will promote internationally the concept of environmentally sustainable development," to be headquartered in Winnipeg. [2] The new centre would be part of Canada's contribution to preparations for what became the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the Rio Earth Summit. [3] Two years later in 1990, IISD was formally set up, following the signature of an agreement between then-Canadian Environment Minister Lucien Bouchard and Manitoba Premier Gary Filmon. [4]

In 1992, IISD became the home of Earth Negotiations Bulletin, a news reporting service on global environmental and development negotiations. [5] In 2016, IISD launched the SDG Knowledge Hub, a dedicated site providing news updates, commentary, analysis, calendars, and guest articles on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

As of 2022, the Institute's daily work is currently structured around the CREATE framework, which will guide its work through 2025.[ vague ] This framework's pillars are Climate, Resources, Economies, Act Together, and Engage. These pillars are put into practice through IISD's five programs: Economic Law and Policy, Energy, Resilience, Tracking Progress, and Water. [6]

Over the past decade, IISD has expanded its programmatic work to include serving as the secretariat of several intergovernmental forums, networks, and alliances. These include the Intergovernmental Forum (IGF) on Mining, Minerals, Metals, and Sustainable Development [7] and the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network. IISD manages the Secretariat International Support Office (SISO) for the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED). [8] On November 11, 2021, IISD announced that it would be the first permanent secretariat of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA). [9]

IISD has a 15-member board, [10] chaired by Michelle Edkins, Managing Director at BlackRock. IISD's founding board chair is Lloyd McGinnis. President and CEO of IISD is Patricia Full (2024–present). [11] [12] [13]

Work

IISD's vision is “a world where people and the planet thrive.” [14] The Institute works with intergovernmental organizations, governments, academic institutions, the private sector, and civil society organizations around the world. This collaboration includes developing new research, conducting news reporting and analysis, providing technical assistance and capacity-building support, and convening workshops and other knowledge-sharing events.

To achieve that vision, IISD has structured its work around a framework called CREATE, which underpins the organization's current strategic plan through 2025. [15] The pillars of CREATE are Climate, Resources, Economies, Act Together, and Engage.

Climate

IISD's Climate work addresses two overarching pillars: climate change mitigation and climate change adaptation.

The work on climate change mitigation is undertaken primarily by IISD's Energy program, which helps governments as they embark on energy policy reforms [16] towards achieving a just transition to net-zero economies by 2050, including through the increased uptake of renewable energy sources and the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies.

IISD's Energy program is also home to the Global Subsidies Initiative, which provides data, research, and insights into reforming fossil fuel subsidies and fisheries subsidies. As part of IISD's work under its Climate pillar, IISD will serve as the first permanent secretariat of the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance (BOGA). This initiative was announced by a dozen national and sub-national governments at the United Nations Climate Conference in Glasgow in November 2021 and has the objective of phasing out oil and gas production.

The work on climate change adaptation is undertaken by IISD's Resilience program, which works on advising policymakers on how to improve their countries’ resilience to climate-related risks and adapt to climate change impacts. The Resilience program also works on environment, conflict, and peacebuilding; how the arts can support effective climate adaptation action; and how governments can address climate change mitigation and adaptation in tandem, rather than separately. [17] Through the Resilience program, IISD is the secretariat of the NAP Global Network.

Resources

IISD's Resources work covers three main areas: the economic sectors of mining and agriculture, which also fall under the Economies' pillar of CREATE, and freshwater health.

IISD's work on agriculture is organized around responsible agricultural investment and trade. Among other projects, IISD is one of the partners supporting the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Network of Parliamentarians on Gender Equality and Investments in Agriculture and Food Security, together with Oxfam, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and Women in Law & Development in Africa (WiLDAF). IISD has also partnered with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Cornell University on research to determine the costs of ending hunger sustainably by 2030 and the policy interventions that could support meeting that objective, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 2. [18] In addition, IISD's agriculture team advises governments on laws, contracts, policies, and legal frameworks for agricultural investment. [19]

IISD's work on mining, in addition to its role as the host of the IGF secretariat, includes research, analysis, and training on tax base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) and what it means for resource-rich developing countries and their tax revenues from the mining sector. Among other areas, this work covers the recent agreement for a global minimum tax, looking at its overall and sector-specific impacts for developing countries.

IISD's work on freshwater takes place under its Water program, which undertakes scientific research and policy outreach on how to improve the health of our global freshwater supplies. Through its Water program, IISD is the home of the IISD Experimental Lakes Area, based in Kenora, Ontario. Since 2020, IISD has partnered with the African Center for Aquatic Research and Education to look at how to address environmental challenges affecting the African Great Lakes. [20]

Economies

IISD's Economies work seeks to provide policymakers and others involved in the policy process with the research, analysis, news reporting, and training to help them craft laws, policies, and frameworks for fair, sustainable economies. The topics that IISD's Economies work covers include trade law and policy, international investment law and policy, international taxation law and policy, and sustainable infrastructure finance and procurement.

Through its work on sustainable infrastructure, IISD is now the home of the Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre, established in 2021 jointly with the Global Environment Facility, the MAVA Foundation, and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). [21]

Act Together and Engage

The Act Together and Engage pillars cut across IISD's various programs of work and are also the primary focus of IISD's Tracking Progress team. Tracking Progress works on supporting communities, domestic policymakers, and international decision-makers in their efforts towards the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. [22] The Tracking Progress program undertakes research on global environmental governance and is the home of IISD's Reporting Services work, including Earth Negotiations Bulletin and the SDG Knowledge Hub. The program also works with communities on establishing “Tracking-Progress” sites to monitor their advances towards fulfilling sustainability targets, linked to indicators for assessing community wellbeing. [23]

Through the Tracking Progress program, IISD is the co-convener of the Geneva 2030 Ecosystem, [24] together with the SDG Lab led by UN Geneva[xv] (the United Nations Office at Geneva). The Geneva 2030 Ecosystem works to establish partnerships and encourage joint research and outreach among different organizations in Geneva working on the Sustainable Development Goals.

IISD is also a member of several international networks working on environmental issues. Its European office is part of the Geneva Environment Network and Think Sustainable Europe. [25]

Flagship Initiatives

IISD Experimental Lakes Area

IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is a natural laboratory consisting of 58 small lakes and their watersheds set aside for scientific research. By manipulating these small lakes, scientists are able to examine how all aspects of the ecosystem—from the atmosphere to fish populations—respond. Findings from these real-world experiments are often much more accurate than those from research conducted at smaller scales, such as in laboratories. These findings are used to inform policy outreach and are regularly published in top-tier science journals, including Nature. [26] Opened in 1968, the Experimental Lakes Area was previously operated by the Canadian federal government. IISD took over operation of the Experimental Lakes Area in 2014 after signing agreements with the Canadian federal government and the government of Ontario. [27] The site was subsequently renamed IISD-ELA.

National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Global Network

IISD hosts the Secretariat for the NAP Global Network, which was initiated by adaptation policy-makers and practitioners from 11 developing and developed countries in December 2014 during a side event at the United Nations Climate Conference in Lima, Peru. [28]

Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development (IGF)

The Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development [7] emerged as a UN Type II partnership [29] following the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was originally established in 2005 by the Canadian and South African governments as the Global Dialogue on Mining/Metals and Sustainable Development. [30] IISD became the host of the IGF Secretariat as of October 2015. The current Director of the IGF is Greg Radford, who was appointed to the post in 2016. [31]

The IGF has over 80 members [32] and holds its Annual General Meeting (AGM) every year to gather government officials and representatives from industry, academia, civil society, non-governmental, and international organizations for several days of sessions focused on mining governance and sustainable development. The AGM is held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland and hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). [33]

SDG Knowledge Hub

The SDG Knowledge Hub is an online resource center for news and commentary regarding the implementation of the United Natio,ns’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.

The SDG Knowledge Hub was launched in October 2016 [34] and contains news, original commentary from IISD experts, and guest articles. The SDG Knowledge Hub also provides a calendar of upcoming events related to the 2030 Agenda.

The Hub's coverage of the 2030 Agenda tracks the efforts underway in this area at all levels of governance, from communities to intergovernmental bodies. Its articles examine how this range of actors is pursuing the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, along with the challenges they face and the opportunities for collaboration that exist. It also looks to set the stage for the post-2030 discussion.

State of Sustainability Initiatives (SSI)

The State of Sustainability Initiatives (SSI) provides in-depth research and advisory services to support sustainable production and consumption, with a focus on agricultural commodity sectors. It does this by examining the characteristics and performance of voluntary sustainability standards (VSSs) such as Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance , and UTZ, with the aim of enhancing their effectiveness as tools for sustainable development. [35]

Related Research Articles

Sustainable development is an approach to growth and human development that aims to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The aim is to have a society where living conditions and resources meet human needs without undermining planetary integrity. Sustainable development aims to balance the needs of the economy, environment, and social well-being. The Brundtland Report in 1987 helped to make the concept of sustainable development better known.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Research Institute for Social Development</span> Research institute of the United Nations

The United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) is "an autonomous research institute within the United Nations that undertakes multidisciplinary research and policy analysis on the social dimensions of contemporary development issues". UNRISD was established in 1963 with the mandate of conducting policy-relevant research on social development that is pertinent to the work of the United Nations Secretariat, regional commissions and specialized agencies, and national institutions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Forum on Forests</span> Intergovernmental policy forum

The United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF) is a high-level intergovernmental policy forum. The forum includes all United Nations member states and permanent observers, the UNFF Secretariat, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, Regional Organizations and Processes and Major Groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saleemul Huq</span> Bangladeshi-British scientist (1952–2023)

Saleemul Huq was a Bangladeshi-British scientist and had been the Director of the International Centre for Climate Change & Development (ICCCAD) based in Bangladesh, also Professor at Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB). He was elected one of Nature's 10 top scientists in 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Committee on World Food Security</span> UN intergovernmental body

The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is an intergovernmental body within the United Nations System.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Day of Forests</span> International day established by the United Nations

The International Day of Forests was established on the 21st day of March, by resolution of the United Nations General Assembly on November 28, 2013. Each year, various events celebrate and raise awareness of the importance of all types of forests, and trees outside forests, for the benefit of current and future generations. Countries are encouraged to undertake efforts to organize local, national, and international activities involving forests and trees, such as tree planting campaigns, on International Day of Forests. The Secretariat of the United Nations Forum on Forests, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization, facilitates the implementation of such events in collaboration with governments, the Collaborative Partnership on Forests, and international, regional and subregional organizations. International Day of Forests was observed for the first time on March 21, 2013.

The Earth Negotiations Bulletin (ENB) is a reporting service providing daily coverage on a variety of global environmental and sustainable development negotiations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goals</span> United Nations goals for people for 2030

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations members in 2015, created 17 world Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They were created with the aim of "peace and prosperity for people and the planet..." – while tackling climate change and working to preserve oceans and forests. The SDGs highlight the connections between the environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable development. Sustainability is at the center of the SDGs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Major Group for Children and Youth</span>

Established in 1992, the Major Group for Children and Youth is the United Nations General Assembly mandated, official, formal and self-organised space for children and youth to contribute to and engage in certain intergovernmental and allied policy processes at the United Nations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">United Nations Decade of Family Farming</span>

Endorsed in December 2017, the United Nations Decade of Family Farming 2019-2028 seeks to place family farming at the center of national public policies and investments. In declaring this decade, the United Nations General Assembly recognized the importance of family farming in reducing poverty and improving global food security. The UN Decade of Family Farming is led by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in collaboration with governments and civil society organizations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 14</span> 14th of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to conserve life below water

Sustainable Development Goal 14 is about "Life below water" and is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The official wording is to "Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development". The Goal has ten targets to be achieved by 2030. Progress towards each target is being measured with one indicator each.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 13</span> UN goal to combat climate change

Sustainable Development Goal 13 is to limit and adapt to climate change. It is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. The official mission statement of this goal is to "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts". SDG 13 and SDG 7 on clean energy are closely related and complementary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 12</span> 12th of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to ensure responsible consumption and production

Sustainable Development Goal 12, titled "responsible consumption and production", is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The official wording of SDG 12 is "Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns". SDG 12 is meant to ensure good use of resources, improve energy efficiency and sustainable infrastructure, provide access to basic services, create green and decent jobs, and ensure a better quality of life for all. SDG 12 has 11 targets to be achieved by at least 2030, and progress towards the targets is measured using 13 indicators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 7</span> Seventh of 17 Sustainable Development Goals to achieve affordable and clean energy for all by 2035

Sustainable Development Goal 7 is one of 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations General Assembly in 2015. It aims to "Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all." Access to energy is an important pillar for the wellbeing of the people as well as for economic development and poverty alleviation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goal 2</span> Global goal to end hunger by 2030

Sustainable Development Goal 2 aims to achieve "zero hunger". It is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2015. The official wording is: "End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture". SDG 2 highlights the "complex inter-linkages between food security, nutrition, rural transformation and sustainable agriculture". According to the United Nations, there were up to 757 million people facing hunger in 2023 – one out of 11 people in the world, which accounts for slightly less than 10 percent of the world population. One in every nine people goes to bed hungry each night, including 20 million people currently at risk of famine in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Nigeria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Global Goals Week</span> Event for awareness for Sustainable Development Goals

Global Goals Week is a shared commitment between a coalition of over 160 partners across all industries, which mobilizes annually in September to bring together communities, demand urgency, and supercharge solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It was founded in 2016 by the United Nations Foundation, Project Everyone, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It is timed to coincide with the UN General Assembly "High-Level Week" in New York. The week includes events, summits, conferences, forums, workshops, pledges, and other activations in New York, around the world, and online. It usually runs alongside Climate Week NYC, the annual conference of Goalkeepers, Bloomberg Global Business Forum and many other high-level events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sustainable Development Goals and Australia</span> Set of 17 global development goals defined by the United Nations for the year 2030

The "Sustainable Development Goals and Australia" describe how Australia participates in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) process. The SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all". The SDGs, set in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and intended to be achieved by the year 2030, are part of a UN Resolution called "The 2030 Agenda". The targets and indicators for the SDGs are included in the UN Resolution adopted by the General Assembly two years later on 6 July 2017.

Sustainable Development Goals and Lebanon explains major contributions launched in Lebanon towards the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs and the 2030 agenda.

The United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS) is an initiative with a steering committee of six United Nations Agencies – Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Trade Centre (ITC), UN Environment, UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), and the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is the secretariat of UNFSS. UNFSS headquarters are in Geneva.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montevideo Environmental Law Programme</span> UN program aiming to help solve environmental issues

The Montevideo Programme for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law (Montevideo Environmental Law Programme) is a United Nations sequential ten-year intergovernmental program for the development and periodic review of Environmental Law, designed to strengthen the related capacity in countries. The program was conceived in 1982.

References

  1. ↑ "International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)". Climate & Clean Air Coalition. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  2. ↑ "United Nations. "United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3-14 June 1992"".
  3. ↑ "User Clip: Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announces a centre for sustainable development | C-SPAN.org". www.c-span.org.
  4. ↑ "IISD Innovator June 2010".[ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ "Home | IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin".
  6. ↑ "International Institute for Sustainable Development. "Mission and Goals."".[ permanent dead link ]
  7. 1 2 "Home". Intergovernmental Forum.
  8. ↑ Blackwell, Tom (August 29, 2023). "China is using Canadian think tank to fund and bolster its green image, critics say". National Post . Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  9. ↑ "IISD Welcomes Launch of Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance, Honoured to Host its First Permanent Secretariat". International Institute for Sustainable Development.
  10. ↑ "Board". International Institute for Sustainable Development.
  11. ↑ "Richard Florizone Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy". wise.uwaterloo.ca. Archived from the original on 2023-05-29. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  12. ↑ "Lloyd McGinnis". International Institute for Sustainable Development. Retrieved 2023-05-29.
  13. ↑ SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, ACHIEVEMENTS TO BE HONORED, Seven Awards of Excellence to be Presented By Round Table on Environment and Economy
  14. ↑ "Mission and Goals". International Institute for Sustainable Development.
  15. ↑ "Tomorrow Needs Us Today: IISD's 2020-2025 Strategic Direction". International Institute for Sustainable Development.
  16. ↑ "Energy". International Institute for Sustainable Development.
  17. ↑ "Environment, Conflict and Peacebuilding". International Institute for Sustainable Development.
  18. ↑ "Ceres2030. "Donors must double aid to end hunger – and spend it wisely."". Archived from the original on 2022-05-24. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  19. ↑ "Advisory and Capacity Development Services on Legal and Policy Frameworks for Responsible Agriculture Investment". International Institute for Sustainable Development.
  20. ↑ "scientists-two-continents-work-together-improve-health-african-great-lakes".[ permanent dead link ]
  21. ↑ "The Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre". Nature-Based Infrastructure Global Resource Centre - staging.
  22. ↑ "THE 17 GOALS | Sustainable Development". sdgs.un.org.
  23. ↑ "Tracking-Progress.org". Tracking Progress.
  24. ↑ "Community". www.sdglab.ch. Archived from the original on 2023-09-21. Retrieved 2023-04-23.
  25. ↑ "Think Sustainable Europe – IEEP AISBL".
  26. ↑ Blanchfield, Paul J.; Rudd, John W. M.; Hrenchuk, Lee E.; Amyot, Marc; Babiarz, Christopher L.; Beaty, Ken G.; Bodaly, R. A. Drew; Branfireun, Brian A.; Gilmour, Cynthia C.; Graydon, Jennifer A.; Hall, Britt D.; Harris, Reed C.; Heyes, Andrew; Hintelmann, Holger; Hurley, James P.; Kelly, Carol A.; Krabbenhoft, David P.; Lindberg, Steve E.; Mason, Robert P.; Paterson, Michael J.; Podemski, Cheryl L.; Sandilands, Ken A.; Southworth, George R.; St Louis, Vincent L.; Tate, Lori S.; Tate, Michael T. (2022). ""Experimental evidence for recovery of mercury-contaminated fish populations."". Nature. 601 (7891): 74–78. Bibcode:2022Natur.601...74B. doi:10.1038/s41586-021-04222-7. PMC   8732272 . PMID   34912113.
  27. ↑ "CBC News. "Experimental Lakes Area research station officially saved."".
  28. ↑ "United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. "NAP Global Network."".[ permanent dead link ]
  29. ↑ "The History of the IGF". Intergovernmental Forum. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  30. ↑ "2012 Annual General Meeting of the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development". UNCTAD.
  31. ↑ "IISD - welcomes-greg-radford-director-secretariat-sustainable-mining-initiative".[ permanent dead link ]
  32. ↑ "Members Archive". Intergovernmental Forum.
  33. ↑ "The History of the IGF". Intergovernmental Forum. Retrieved 2024-03-12.
  34. ↑ "SDG Knowledge Hub: the first online platform on SDGs - UN Global Compact Network Italia". www.globalcompactnetwork.org.
  35. ↑ "Home". State of Sustainability Initiatives.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.