In the building sector, a large share of CO2 emissions are generated during the construction phase. An important lever for reducing these grey emissions are conversions instead of new replacements. INFRAS is looking for solutions on behalf of the federal government to reduce barriers to conversions and refurbishments.  

INFRAS Executive Board member Juerg Fuessler resigns from the ICVCM expert committee. This is in response to the ICVCM Board's decision to approve three REDD methods for CCP eligibility. He explains this step here.

In November 2024, the Governing Board of the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market (ICVCM) approved three methodologies for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD). The methodologies are now eligible for issuing “high integrity” carbon credits under the Core Carbon Principles (CCPs) label of the ICVCM. We are concerned with this decision. While the methodologies have been improved compared to previous versions, in our assessment they do not meet the requirements of the ICVCM Assessment Framework. Here we explain why. 

Progress has been made, but there is still a lot to be done when it comes to environmental sustainability at the 15 largest retail banks in Switzerland. These are the findings of the WWF Retail Bank Rating 2024, which INFRAS conducted for and together with the WWF. An important focus of the rating is the assessment of the impact of the banks' activities on the environment. 

Regions in focus: Cross-border cooperation does not only have to take place  at the national or European level. Border regions can also move forward together – including in the energy sector. INFRAS has conducted a study on the advantages, hurdles, and possibilities for regional cooperation in the energy transition.

What risks do climate change and the energy transition pose for the Swiss energy supply? And what measures contribute to resilience? Together with four universities and two partner companies from the private sector, INFRAS is addressing these questions in the RECIPE consortium.

A look at the present situation, past developments – and forecasts up to 2060: INFRAS has prepared a report on air pollutant emissions from road transport for the federal government. Modelling results show how stricter regulations affect the rate of emission reductions.

The annual Eurostat monitoring report shows how the EU is doing with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by analysing the development of the 17 SDGs. INFRAS once again contributed to the analysis for the 2024 edition.  

Cooperation between different actors as a way to protect the climate: Climate alliances play an important role. For the Umweltbundesamt, the Federal Environment Agency of Germany, a research project with the participation of INFRAS is investigating how such cooperations can be effectively designed.