The Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), established by an initiative of the Japanese Government in 1998, is a research institute that conducts pragmatic and innovative strategic policy research to support sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region-a region experiencing rapid population growth and expanding economic activity.

The mission of IGES is to promote the transformation of 20th Century society, characterized by mass production and mass consumption, to a new societal framework founded on sustainability. We must re-examine our value systems and socio-economic activities; change is essential. IGES aims to propose various measures for improved and realistic social and economic systems, which will form a new paradigm for the future.

Strategic policy research for the realization of sustainable development is a formidable task in the Asia-Pacific region, which has such diverse topography and cultures, and great variance in the level of economic development. IGES collaborates with a broad range of stakeholders, such as national governments, non-governmental organizations, businesses and citizens groups, to carry out this research of such a challenging nature, aiming to ensure that the results are reflected in the policy-making process.

At IGES, we believe that developing and presenting effective strategies for the Asia-Pacific region will play a leading role in global environmental research in the 21st Century, and contribute to the realization of sustainable society in the world.