Institute for Global Sustainability
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At IGS, we're focused on equity and justice — from protecting the health of people and the planet to building sustainable energy systems. Explore our ever-evolving portfolio of projects and collaborations with BU faculty and partners.
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Now Hiring: Campus Climate Lab Program Coordinator
Seeking a BU graduate student for the role of Campus Climate Lab Program Coordinator.
Power Plant Efficiency Since 1900
Weekly data story from Visualizing Energy, a project of IGS. (November 21, 2025)
Two New Studies From Schneider Electric and IGS Reveal 95 Barriers and 50 Risks Slowing Decarbonization in the Building Sector
By Laura Hurley In the race against time to meet 2050 climate targets, building decarbonization looms large—but high upfront costs and a lack of public awareness are two of the biggest barriers for many countries, slowing the adoption of energy efficiency and electrification technologies. The top risks center on performance and reliability. These findings come […]
New Clean Energy Data Tool for Massachusetts Supports Municipal Decision-Making with Easy-to-Use Interactive Map
By Laura Hurley There’s no shortage of data in today’s world. Some of it can be transformative. For energy equity and justice, data can lead to policy interventions and new investment in communities that have not benefited from solar subsidies or lack public electric vehicle chargers, as two examples. But this data is often not […]
Nearly 47 Million Americans Are at High Risk of Potential Health Hazards from Fossil Fuel Infrastructure
By Alison Gold Fossil fuels release pollutants into the air when extracted and burned, but there’s more to their production than massive oil rigs diving deep into the Earth and smoky power plants. Those processes are examples of only the first and last—and generally most visible—moments in a fossil fuel’s five-stage journey. Between the initial […]
IGS Announces IPCC Faculty Appointment and 2025 Sustainability Research Awardees at Annual Event
By Laura Hurley The inspiration for this year’s Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability (IGS) annual event theme, “From Local to Global,” is easy to find at Boston University (BU). Speaking to sustainability and climate researchers across the university at IGS's annual gathering, BU President Melissa Gilliam recognized BU for leading by example in challenging […]
IGS Director Benjamin Sovacool Nominated as Coordinating Lead Author on Upcoming IPCC Seventh Assessment Report
Sovacool will co-lead a team of authors to produce the report’s new chapter.
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