Planet Earth faces severe and growing stresses as a result of human development and consumption. The Environment and Energy program at CIGI focuses on governance issues related to climate change, geoengineering (from a governance perspective), sustainable economics, alternative energy, and agriculture and food security.

As institutional reforms are proposed and non-state and hybrid governance mechanisms emerge, a clear need exists for incisive analysis and relevant policy advice. The program’s overall ideal is to develop innovative policy responses that are adopted to ensure global sustainability. Ideas and dialogue arising from CIGI’s fall 2010 conference, Climate of Action, are helping to define the program’s ongoing work plan. As well, the program is informed, in part, by participation by CIGI Chair of the Board, Jim Balsillie, in the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Global Sustainability.