Program areas at ISC
Mekong Sustainable manufacturing alliance:the mekong Sustainable manufacturing alliance (the alliance), a $10 million project funded by the u.s. agency for international development (usaid), implemented by isc and in partnership with elevate and the asian Institute for technology, launched at the end of 2020 and is now in its second year of operations. The alliance strengthens Sustainable and competitive multi-sector manufacturing in cambodia, thailand, and vietnam by supporting factories to advance initiatives that increase the regional adoption of environmental, social and governance (esg) standards.
India:isc launched the energy efficiency alliance for industry project in 2019, with funding from partnering for green growth and the global goals 2030 (p4g). The program is aimed at accelerating the adoption of industrial energy efficiency in asia through innovative business models. Reinventing existing energy service company (esco) and demand aggregation based models, the project tackled critical challenges to the on-ground adoption of energy efficient technologies. It implemented a wide range of interventions including unique financing mechanisms, technical assistance, capacity-building activities, and policy-related initiatives.in 2020, isc expanded its usaid-funded ehs+ center to launch the maharashtra clean air accelerator program. The program brings key municipal corporations together, supporting the implementation of city action plans. Apart from action planning, training and capacity building measures, isc also leverages its industry engagement and clean tech adoption work to realize co-benefits on air pollution reduction.isc initiated the Sustainable cotton accelerator project in 2020, with support from hsbc and in partnership with wwf. The initiative works with 250,000+ small holder and women farmers in maharashtra in rural Communities to become more resilient to climate and water related disruptions. Our cutting-edge research helped map future climate-related risks to cotton production in maharashtra, india.in 2020 and 2021, isc expanded its women + water alliance (jointly funded by gap inc. and usaid) to reinforce the interlinkages between climate, cotton, and water and established roadmaps to foster greater upstream textile supplier sustainability. The project also supported women entrepreneurs and trained a cohort in the production and use of bio-fertilizers and biopesticides.in 2021, with financial support from the climateworks foundation, isc launched the Sustainable livelihoods manufacturing program to strengthen the connection between the adoption of clean tech in factories and new green jobs and livelihood opportunities. Isc engaged with key manufacturing clusters, vocational technical institutes, and skilling experts to roll out a combination of capacity building, apprenticeship, and factory engagement programs. Isc launched the accelerating clean, equitable manufacturing program in india in 2021 with funding from the macarthur foundation. The program was created to holistically support the Sustainable development of micro, small and medium enterprise (msme) clusters in india by 1) facilitating decarbonization and adoption of clean tech in the manufacturing sector; 2) building a gender-equitable green workforce; and 3) designing and developing a scalable roadmap to advance a gender-equitable green workforce and clean tech deployment at a subnational level. Ace works with partners in the chemical, textile, and automobile msme sectors.
China deep decarbonization and equitable long-term strategies alliance:building off isc's 15 years of extensive urban decarbonization work in 30 chinese cities, we launched the china deep decarbonization and equitable long-term strategies alliance (china delta) in 2020 with funding from the swedish postcode foundation. China delta is an 18-month project to dramatically reduce climate emissions and the scale of global climate disruption by supporting china's achievement of its 2060 neutrality pledge with a focus on the key cities of changsha, guangzhou, and tianjin. Isc estimates that with the successful implementation of china delta, changsha and tianjin will be on course to avert 1 billion cumulative metric tons of co2 equivalent by 2060. In addition, 12 institutions will have improved capacity to respond to china's 2060 carbon neutrality pledge and isc will demonstrate, document, and disseminate a replicable model for climate action and carbon neutrality planning that can inform and mobilize other chinese cities toward achieving china's neutrality goal.
The partnership for resilient communities:the partnership for resilient Communities (prc), originally launched in 2019 with financial support from the jpb foundation, is helping to transform the national urban climate resilience field. Prc is building the capacity of 10 black and brown-led community-based organizations (cbos) to develop green infrastructure using clean and renewable energy (like solar) to strengthen their community's capability to be less impacted by and recover from extreme weather events and natural disasters exacerbated by climate change. Isc is providing infrastructure to each participating organization in this intensive capacity-building program in the form of technical assistance and grant funding. The program has created a nationwide network that builds influence for people of color-led cbos while improving the design and implementation of locally-led climate solutions, policy approaches, and community education and engagement efforts.
Southeast Florida regional climate change compact:as the longest-standinglongest standing us program, isc continues to provide backbone support for the southeast Florida regional climate change compact (compact), a partnership between broward, miami-dade, palm beach, and monroe counties, to work collaboratively to reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions, implement adaptation strategies, and build climate resilience across the southeast Florida region. In 2021, isc continued to support the compact through secretariat functions via scheduling, planning, and facilitation of monthly meetings, three workshops related to climate equity, vulnerability assessments, and extreme heat. In addition, isc supported the success of the 13th annual virtual summit. Lastly, isc supported the update of the compact's climate indicators resource and launched the compact climate assessment tool (ccat) across the region.
Upper Texas gulf coast regional resilience initiative:throughout 2021, isc continued to help Communities and cities increase their resilience through community-driven efforts led by local leaders. In Texas, the upper Texas gulf coast regional resilience initiative, also funded by the jpb foundation, established goals to provide education and technical training to community leaders to support leadership and advocacy skill sets. These initiatives included climate justice training for 277 participants and a 12-session community environmental leadership program for 33 community leaders offered by Texas southern university and accredited by the southern association of colleges and schools
Other programs