Clean Energy and Climate Action: A North American collaboration

The North American climate policy landscape is marked by political uncertainty, with a strong reliance on U.S. legislative developments to shape Canadian policy dynamics. While regional initiatives in places like California and British Columbia drive progress, the lack of a federal price on carbon and the compartmentalization of policy-making hinder bilateral collaboration. The discussion highlighted the American Power Act (APA) as a potential framework, though its passage in 2010 faced significant hurdles due to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, competing legislative priorities, and upcoming mid-term elections. Experts emphasized that a 'wait-and-see' approach is insufficient and that long-term success requires balancing supply-side and demand-side policies alongside clear market signals for the private sector.

• The North American climate policy environment is defined by uncertainty, where a clean energy agenda is pursued for jobs and energy security, but a strong regulatory framework or carbon price signal remains uncertain.
• U.S. legislation heavily influences Canadian policy; however, a Canadian 'wait-and-see' strategy may be risky because U.S. policies may not be suitable for Canada.
• The American Power Act (APA) was viewed as a positive framework, but its 2010 passage was threatened by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, a crowded legislative schedule, and the proximity of mid-term elections.
• In the absence of federal legislation, subnational actors—specifically the state of California and the province of British Columbia—have emerged as primary drivers of clean energy and climate action.
• A critical barrier to bilateral collaboration is the absence of a carbon price, which prevents private sector actors from having the clear policy signals and incentives needed for investment decisions.
• Climate policy has focused heavily on the supply side, with insufficient attention given to the consumption (demand) side; balancing both is considered essential for long-term success.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (2010). Clean Energy and Climate Action: A North American collaboration. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/clean_energy_climate_action_key_messages.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Clean Energy and Climate Action: A North American collaboration. 2010. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/clean_energy_climate_action_key_messages.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Clean Energy and Climate Action: A North American collaboration |date=11 May 2010 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/clean_energy_climate_action_key_messages.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopment2010clean, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Clean Energy and Climate Action: A North American collaboration}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {2010}, month = may, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/clean_energy_climate_action_key_messages.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }