Access to energy is vital for human development. At the same time, many of the ways that we use and produce energy are polluting, resource-hungry, and contribute to climate change.

SEI works towards a shift to a clean energy future, from the level of global policy through to household cooking, and on biofuels and energy planning and modeling.

Notable work on energy last year includes research on the impacts of the Keystone XL pipeline in the U.S., analysis of the impacts of bioenergy projects in Tanzania and Indonesia, work on corporate accountability in biofuels production and on how energy access can play a key role as part of new Sustainable Development Goals.

Clean water, food, a balanced climate, soil fertility, good air quality, and natural resources and raw materials are just some of the benefits that ecosystems provide: sustainable development depends on functioning ecosystems.

We work at the intersection between human interests and healthy ecosystems to protect people’s wellbeing over the long term. Last year our research ranged from work with the Arctic council on ecological resilience in the region, a landmark assessment of the economic value of the world’s oceans, and support for the development of new sustainable development goals.

To make big cuts in greenhouse gas emissions we must transform our energy systems, how we use natural resources, and how we produce and consume goods and food. We will also need to adapt to the impacts of climate change, such as shifting seasonality and extreme weather events. SEI works towards a safer climate for all, focusing on effective, equitable ways to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Explore the map to learn how last year we took steps to engage the business community on climate issues, developed practical guidance to guide decision-makers toward effective ways to adapt to climate change, and provided answers on how shifts in trade patterns can reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Good air quality is vital to human health, agriculture, and functioning ecosystems, and air pollution can have a big impact on the climate. SEI has been a pioneer in the field for many years, revealing the impacts of air pollution from the local to global scales, and working towards solutions.

In 2013 we developed further evidence on how reducing ozone and soot in the air can boost crop yields. We also generated ideas for transforming the market for clean cookstoves in India, and, through the international Climate and Clean Air Coalition, demonstrated how our LEAP energy-planning tool can help countries develop policy to cut pollution.

Water – the bloodstream of the biosphere – is fundamental to human development at all levels, from drinking water to irrigating crops and generating electricity. In a world in which there is increasing demand for limited supplies of water, and under shifting climate conditions, a key focus of SEI’s work is how to govern this precious resource in a connected way to ensure water, energy and food security for a world with nine billion people in 2050.

On the map you can find out about how we’ve developed a new tool to help planners in Africa use water better to increase food production, supported innovative sanitation projects in India, and put forward innovative approaches to flood risk in both Europe and Australia. Our research and engagement in water issues in the U.S. and Latin America has continued, as has our progressive work on integrating and applying our water and energy planning tools, WEAP and LEAP.

World population is likely to reach nine billion by 2050. How do we achieve food security for all in a sustainable way? The answer depends on how equitably and efficiently we manage land, water and other natural resources, how effectively we adapt to and mitigate climate change, and how we deploy technology.

Last year SEI examined how forests are critical to food security, revealed how smallholders in the Amazon could efficiently manage land and maintain environmental stability, and worked to integrate land-use issues into the ‘nexus’ concept. Explore the map to find out more.

The UN has projected that more than 65% of the world’s population will live in urban areas by 2050, with the rate of change especially fast in the developing world. This shift has major implications for how we use and consume resources and for energy, water and sanitation. At the same time, urbanization could also bring a range of potential benefits, especially efficiency gains.

Last year our innovative work at the urban scale included measuring the water footprints of Delhi, Lagos and Berlin, developing approaches for deep GHG reductions at the city scale, and new research on the impact of green space on city dwellers.