Deep geological repositories (and their surface facilities respectively) have economic, ecological and social impacts on a siting region. These need to be identified objectively and as early as possible. It is with these objectives in mind that the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) commissioned a socioeconomic and ecological study in 2011 for all the six potential siting regions. INFRAS, together with Rütter Soceco and Ecosens, carried out the expert study. Now the final report of the study is available containing the following results:Economy: The more the construction and civil engineering as well as the metalworking sectors are represented in a region, the more added value, employment and, as a consequence, tax income are to be expected when a deep geological repository is constructed. Regions with a comparatively high proportion of sensitive sectors (tourism and agriculture), however, suffer a potentially negative impact from the presence of a deep geological repository. Environment: The highest impact concerning surface facilities arise in regard to consumption of land, crop rotation areas, excavated material as well as wildlife corridors. There is a low or no impact at all in regard to protected areas and ground water protection zones as these areas have been excluded on the basis of the site location process already. Society: The more the settlement area is dense, the aspired settlement growth is high and the surface facilities are well visible, the more a site is appraised as being negative. However, if there is industry and commerce represented in the vicinity of the site already the appraisal is less negative.All documents: www.bfe.admin.ch/soew

Sustainable consumption has become a significant trend in the last years. How is this positive trend reflected in sales of environmentally friendly products? Do we observe spectacular growth rates in niche markets or a 'greening of mass markets'? Do green products replace standard products or not? Those questions are addressed in a study on the market development of green products conducted by INFRAS on behalf of the German Federal Environmental Agency (UBA). The results reveal that sales of 'green' products are on the steady rise, but remain in niches in most areas of consumption. However, there is a willingness from the consumers for an increased demand of environmentally friendly products that were sustainably produced.

The guidance document summarizes the procedures required in order to gather and process data needed to prepare the energy statistic of the canton St. Gallen. The energy statistic aims at recording all existing energy related processes including the production, transformation and consumption of energy. Furthermore the annual total amount of energy consumed in the canton of St. Gallen will be revealed. The guidance provides instructions on how data on disaggregated level should be measured or collected. Where data is not available, the guidance further highlights realistic assumptions and methods for estimating the energy consumption for each energy related sector.

This technical note for the Worldbank is a mapping exercise of key elements and design features of offset programs (e.g. CDM, JCM and GS) and highlights differences and similarities between them. It identifies main elements and design features of eight different offset programs and discusses how these programs address key issues such as efficiency, environmental integrity, applicability, and transaction costs. It elaborates on the program's principles and goals, their operationalized principles, the respective governance structure, registration procedures and MRV and credit issuance procedures. 

INFRAS supported the Office of the Environment in preparing its 6th National Communication under the UNFCCC and under the Kyoto Protocol. The report outlines the state of implementation of Liechtenstein's international commitments with regard to climate change. It describes the development of greenhouse gas emissions up to 2011 and presents expected trends up to 2030. INFRAS calculated the scenarios 2030 based on Liechtenstein's Energy Strategy 2020. Without any reduction measures the emissions were 0.26 mio. tons of CO2 equivalent, including the measures of the Energy Strategy, the emissions in 2020 are projected to reach a level of 0.16 mio. tons.

INFRAS supported the Federal Office for the Environment in developing the 6th National Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The report outlines the state of implementation of Switzerland's international commitments with regard to climate change. It describes the development of greenhouse gas emissions up to 2011 and presents expected trends up to 2030. According to that, Switzerland will presumably achieve its international commitments 2008 until 2012. The report also highlights information about activities in the area of adaptation, international cooperation, climate research and public relations.

Market based approaches are a key element in the international response to climate change. This study aims to contribute to the on-going discussions in various fora, including the Frameworks for Various Approaches (FVA) and New Market Mechanisms (NMM), on how market based mechanisms need to be designed to deliver cost-effective, real, measureable, additional and permanent emission reductions. The study focuses on crediting mechanisms.
Part I of the study discusses blueprints for baseline setting and additionality determination in the absence of any mitigation pledges in the host country, drawing upon key lessons learned from existing crediting mechanisms, in particular the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) . 
Part II lays out the novel aspects that come into play for countries with mitigation pledges. Here, the pledges inform baseline setting and additionality determination in order to maintain consistency and prevent double claiming.

INFRAS supported the Swiss Government in the allocation process, where energy intensive industries receive a limited number of emission rights in the new Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). Following the new ETS rules, which for a large part copy the relevant provisions of the ETS of the European Union, INFRAS calculated for each installation the free allocation of emission rights and validated the allocation calcuation of others. In a related consulting mandate, INFRAS supported the government in complex questions related to the ETS and developed options for solutions.