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.
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Weekly data story from Visualizing Energy, a project of IGS. (October 27, 2025)
Help advance sustainability and climate solutions using the BU campuses as your living lab!
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 […]
Sovacool will co-lead a team of authors to produce the report’s new chapter.
Research co-authored by IGS Director Benjamin Sovacool.
The latest journal articles authored by IGS faculty leadership and core faculty.
No issue is more urgent than the sustainability challenges confronting the world today. Your contributions support research and engagement initiatives and help translate our findings into key policy changes that lead to transformative social action.