IGES applies ground-breaking solutions to challenges caused by climate change and air pollution.
Climate change is a critical, global issue threatening our planet. CO2 emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels have skyrocketed since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, contributing to increasing average global temperatures.
Short-Lived Climate Pollutants are another, often overlooked, cause of concern. These pollutants, including black carbon, methane and tropospheric ozone are responsible for approximately 45% of global climate-forcing emissions.
http://www.igsd.org/documents/PrimeronShort-LivedClimatePollutants.pdf
Air pollution poses significant threats to human health and the environment. Air pollution, caused by short-lived climate pollutants, particulate matter (PM), carbon monoxide (CO) nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur oxides (SOx) and hydrocarbons, among other pollutants results in up to 7 million deaths per annum globally.
Air pollution adds significant economic costs to governments and society. These include increasing health costs, reduced productivity and thus GDP and increased costs for related subsequent statutory benefits. In Europe alone, the costs of mortality and morbidity caused by air pollution are evaluated at $1.6 trillion a year.
Emissions of greenhouse gases and environmental pollutants also decrease agricultural yields, harm biodiversity and affect the most vulnerable members of society the most.
IGES develops and implements pioneering emission reductions projects in the transport and energy sectors, in conjunction with international, regional and national carbon and low emission development schemes.
Our revolutionary transport emissions reductions program provides solutions for the reduction of greenhouse gases and other environmental pollutants. It includes:
• Measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) of transport emissions and air quality in real world drive cycles using the latest remote sensing equipment.
• Compulsory and voluntary vehicle maintenance and engine optimisation schemes to improve vehicle fuel economy and reduce emissions.
• Deployment of innovative vehicle retrofit technologies to improve internal combustion and reduce emissions, suitable to all vehicles and fuels.
• Capacity-building local stakeholders on emission reductions policies and best practice.
• Quantification and economic analysis of co-benefits of reducing vehicle emissions.
We have developed this pioneering approach to reducing transport emissions along with our globally-renowned environmental experts and world-leading project partners.
Our transport program is certifiable under international carbon credit schemes. It is now being implemented, under license and in partnership with qualifying countries and strategic partners. Our projects are designed to be scalable and replicable across multiple sectors and under a range of international climate initiatives, including INDC, SDG, CDM and NAMA.
We are also developing exciting and transformational power to gas projects in collaboration with leading international authorities in this field. These low to ZERO carbon technologies turn wasted CO2 into fuel, providing game-changing solutions for reducing global emissions. Our power-to-gas projects directly reduce emissions in the energy and transport sectors and complement our transport emission reductions program. Zero emissions from power generation and power to gas are now possible and have been validated in several EU projects, with numerous projects in the pipeline.
Working with our team of world-leading experts, international partners and local stakeholders, we believe we can have a significant if not wholly influential impact on reducing emissions globally, providing transformational results. We are currently developing projects in Asia, South America, Africa and the European Union and simultaneously assessing other suitable regions and countries.
All our projects have significant economic, social and environmental co-benefits and reduce mortality and morbidity. We include an economic analysis of the co-benefits of reducing emissions of particulate matter, CO, NOx, SOx and carcinogenic pollutants such as formaldehyde, acetaldehyde and benzene at source, at point of combustion. These projects will be of interest to governments, NGOs, municipalities and corporations wishing to improve air quality in cities and reduce CO2 emissions at the same time.