Our climate is in crisis. Now more than ever, it’s time to protect what matters. For our world. For our future. Advancing a greener policy agenda is key.

Climate Action

One important means to achieve meaningful reductions in carbon emissions is government policy. Policy is needed to support systems transition and transform our economies and societies for a fair, green and prosperous future. 

Standards are a crucial aid to policy makers. They have a multi-faceted role to play in handling climate change, from the strategic and regulatory level to project goals, to making greener products. Enacting policies to support climate action will reduce carbon pollution at a scale and speed that makes a difference. 

This platform dedicated to climate action is designed to assist policy makers in their commitment to reducing net greenhouse gas emissions. The package presents case studies on how standards can support public policies and influence climate change initiatives. 

The time is now. Let’s meet our targets and deliver the zero-carbon future we all need and deserve.

ISO International Standards and publications accelerate the successful achievement of the Paris Agreement, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the United Nations Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience. These commitments are embodied in the London Declaration.
 

A collaborative approach to delivering policy ambitions faster and more reliably

Humans will solve problems faster and more effectively if they collaborate. Doing this at a national level, where markets are influenced by policy that uses or references standards, can accelerate the outcome that a government wants to achieve.

The core idea is to get all relevant parties together to work out not just what needs to be done, but also how to do it. This approach may be quicker and more effective than traditional ways of regulating to solve a problem. Putting the focus on innovation and implementation from the start, as part of agreeing policy on the need to address an issue and setting a system of rules, will speed up results.

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In 2021, ISO members committed to put urgent climate action at the heart of standards development.
A tool to help policy and decision makers at the state, regional, city and organizational level achieve their net zero greenhouse gas emission goals

Case studies

These case studies provide examples of where standards and other initiatives, both national and international, have provided solutions to issues related to climate change. The use of standards in public policy can help accelerate sustainability outcomes and support the world to achieve Net Zero at the earliest possible date.

You can support this initiative by sharing your case study with communications@iso.org.

BSJ - Jamaica
Building national energy policy in Jamaica

RSB - Rwanda
Reducing vehicle emission in Rwanda through standards

SIS - Sweden
Public-private initiative for industrial climate transformation

SSC - Singapore
Supporting water conservation in Singapore

SNV - Switzerland
How does the SNV help to achieve the sixth Sustainable Development Goal?

Organization Country/Region Case study
ABNT Brazil Promoting greenhouse gas inventories in SMEs
AFNOR France Investing in climate action with ISO 14097
BSJ Jamaica Building national energy policy in Jamaica
DIN Germany Standards to address climate change (SDG 13)
KEBS Kenya Energy-efficient air conditioners and refrigerators
NEN Netherlands Keeping buildings cool in the Netherlands
RSB Rwanda Reducing vehicle emissions through standards
SAZ Zimbabwe Promoting energy and water management in industry
SAC China Developing standards for low-carbon equipment
SSC Singapore Supporting water conservation in Singapore
UNI Italy Supporting the EU’s climate change policy
SCC Canada Fighting floods in Canada’s North
SIS Sweden Public-private initiative for industrial climate transformation
UNE Spain Decarbonizing the power sector with renewable gas
BSI United Kingdom Standards supporting UK ambitions to net zero
BSMD Bahrain New regulation for energy-efficient air conditioners
INSO Iran Carbon footprint as a tool to limit greenhouse gases
UNE Spain Solar-thermal deployment supported by standards
UNE Spain Taking energy efficiency a step further with standards
BSI United Kingdom Faraday Battery Challenge Standards Programme
CEN/CENELEC European Union Addressing climate change adaptation in standards
IBNORCA Bolivia Water efficiency management in Bolivian companies
SASO Saudi Arabia Reducing carbon emissions in the building sector
UNE Spain Building resilience in the mining and metals industries
SCC Canada Standard for biomass supply chain risk
SCC Canada CarbonCure: Recycling CO2 to make greener concrete
SA Australia Supporting sustainable development through climate action
NZSO New Zealand Leading the way on electric vehicle use at commercial premises
SNV Switzerland Guide for the construction of hydrogen refilling stations
Download all case studies [zip] 

More information

Find out more about the role of ISO standards in handling climate change.

Publications

Once a fringe investment, green and sustainable finance is fast gaining interest among investors worldwide. So what exactly are these types of investment, and why do we need them? Green finance is one of a number of terms used to describe activities related to the two-way interaction between the environment …

Publications

How do ISO standards help organizations and communities become climate-resilient? This brochure introduces the ISO 1409x series designed to assess the impacts of climate change and put in place measures for effective adaptation.

Publications

How are greenhouse gas emissions, especially CO2, reduced with the help of ISO standards? This brochure describes the standards in the ISO 1406x series and how these advance the transition to a zero-carbon economy.