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Analysis: Climate and the Local and Devolved Elections 2026
An analysis of 76 election leaflets and several party manifestos from the 2026 local and devolved elections in the UK reveals that explicit mentions of 'climate' were very low, particularly in local leaflets. While manifestos from parties like the SNP and Scottish Greens used climate terminology more frequently, most political communication shifted toward 'climate-adjacent' issues. These include energy affordability, fairness framings regarding the energy transition, and hyper-local concerns such as flooding, transport, and the preservation of green spaces. The report notes a breakdown in cross-party consensus on net zero, evidenced by its absence in the Welsh Conservatives' manifesto and anti-renewable messaging from Reform UK.
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Document type: Research paper
Designed to Fail
The report argues that low-density urban sprawl is fiscally unsustainable for Canadian municipalities, contributing to a national infrastructure deficit of CAD 270 billion. Using Winnipeg as a primary case study, it demonstrates how the failure to account for long-term maintenance and carbon costs in development decisions creates a 'municipal Ponzi scheme' where new growth is used to mask the liabilities of old infrastructure. The author recommends reforming development cost charges, property taxes, and fiscal impact assessments to prioritize compact, complete communities that generate more revenue and produce fewer emissions.
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Document type: Report
Manila’s Commuters Pushed for Safer Streets — and Won
The Move As One Coalition, comprising 142 civil society organizations and over 77,000 individuals, has successfully advocated for a shift in Philippine transport policy from car-centric models to inclusive, people-centered mobility. By utilizing data and research, the coalition highlighted that only 1% of road spending previously supported public transport, walking, or cycling. Their efforts have influenced approximately $946 million in immediate and $12 billion in long-term transport funding, leading to tangible improvements such as a dedicated busway on EDSA, a pedestrian boulevard along the Pasig River, a car-free zone in Intramuros, and over 1,200 kilometers of bike lanes nationwide. Additionally, the coalition secured better pay for transport workers through service contracting, moving from passenger-based pay to per-kilometer compensation.
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Document type: Case study
This Hillside City in South America Rebuilt Itself Around Nature — and Got Healthier
Loja, Ecuador, has transformed its urban landscape through the Sistema Verde Urbano, a network of over 600 hectares of green spaces, river corridors, and parks. Developed in partnership with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL), the system integrates water management, pedestrian and cycling mobility, and biodiversity restoration to mitigate flooding and heat while improving resident well-being.
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Document type: Case study
Bridging the Divide: Reclaiming Community in the Path of I-270
The report argues that expanding I-270 will not solve long-term congestion due to induced demand and will further burden marginalized communities. It proposes a shift toward a 'Garden City' model featuring green buffers, freight-prioritized corridors with smart technology, expanded transit, and robust anti-displacement strategies. The authors criticize CDOT's current public engagement as insufficient and recommend a more deliberative, data-driven approach to rebuild community trust.
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Document type: Report
Achieving Indonesia’s vision to expand and enhance active mobility in its cities
The document outlines the challenges and opportunities for expanding non-motorized transport in Indonesian cities to address road congestion, air pollution, and health issues. Using Medan as a case study, it identifies fragmented infrastructure and systemic barriers—including inefficient budgeting and weak regulation enforcement—that hinder the goals of the National Vision of Non-Motorized Transport Infrastructure. It argues that a coordinated approach involving infrastructure upgrades, policy enforcement, and financial incentives is necessary to achieve sustainable, inclusive, and low-carbon urban mobility.
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Document type: Policy brief
Submission to the CleanBC Independent Review Panel
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) argues that British Columbia's current climate strategy is insufficient to meet its 2025 and 2030 targets, primarily due to continued support for fracked gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) expansion. CAPE highlights significant health risks associated with fracking, including respiratory disease and cancer, noting a critical loss of physicians in northeastern B.C. The submission calls for a moratorium on new fracking and LNG development, a ban on gas connections in new buildings by 2025, and increased investment in active transportation and public transit to address the province's largest emissions source. CAPE also emphasizes the need for equitable electrification and a just transition for fossil fuel workers.
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Document type: Statement
Istanbul Tackles Tourist Crowds and Climate Issues Together
The Livable Caferağa project, part of WRI's Deep Dive Cities Initiative, uses a community-led approach to transform a high-traffic district in Istanbul into a more sustainable urban environment. Following a successful pilot at Mehmet Ayvalıtaş Square in September 2023, the project is implementing five core strategies: prioritizing pedestrian space with wider sidewalks and greenery, expanding bike lane networks from 18 km to 58 km by 2050, launching the 'ModaBüs' local shuttle service in late 2025, implementing sustainable parking management, and transitioning delivery services toward cargo bikes. These efforts align with Kadıköy's goals of a 40% GHG emission reduction by 2030 and full climate neutrality by 2050.
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Document type: Case study
Achieving Indonesia’s vision to expand and enhance active mobility in its cities
The document examines the challenges of expanding active mobility in Indonesia, highlighting how fragmented infrastructure, safety risks, and weak enforcement hinder the transition from motor vehicles to walking and cycling. Using Medan as a case study, it identifies specific gaps in accessibility for people with disabilities and suggests a multi-faceted approach involving infrastructure upgrades, financial incentives, and public awareness campaigns to reduce urban congestion and air pollution.
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Document type: Briefing
The E-Bike Rebate Program Guidebook
The E-Bike Rebate Program Guidebook by RMI outlines a five-step process for establishing e-bike incentive programs: identifying goals, designing funding and incentive structures, partnering with bike shops, conducting community outreach, and managing program launch and evaluation. It emphasizes equity through income-tiered rebates and point-of-sale models, while highlighting the importance of supportive infrastructure and diverse funding sources such as general funds, grants, and utility partnerships.
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Document type: Guide
Cities in Transition
The 'Cities in Transition' research argues that meeting emissions targets requires more than transitioning to renewables; it necessitates a reduction in total energy demand through urban planning. Using the city of Winnipeg as a focus, the study employs the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology to show that compact, walkable, and mixed-use infill development reduces emissions and municipal infrastructure costs compared to car-oriented sprawl. The research identifies three primary barriers to this transition: NIMBY opposition to infill, outdated governance models, and the high financial costs associated with urban sprawl.
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Document type: Executive summary
Advancing Climate Change and Health Policies in Germany: Insights from National Policy Stakeholders
The document examines the limited integration of health and climate policies in Germany, identifying systemic barriers such as financial constraints, federal governance complexities, and a weak science-to-policy interface. It highlights opportunities for synergy within health sector reforms and the untapped potential of climate-health co-benefits. Stakeholders recommend strengthening intersectoral collaboration, implementing binding legislative requirements, and improving the evidence base to achieve socially just and effective climate-health policies.
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Document type: Research paper
Getting Where We Need to Go: Net-zero transport in Canada
The document outlines the economic, health, and social benefits of transitioning Canada's passenger transport sector to net-zero. It highlights that while ZEV sales are increasing, Canada remains heavily dependent on personal vehicles due to zoning laws and a preference for light-duty trucks. The brief proposes a shift toward active transport, public transit, and ZEVs to reduce emissions, lower household costs, and create jobs in battery manufacturing and transit infrastructure.
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Document type: Policy brief
Cities in Transition
The report examines the link between urban sprawl and high energy consumption, arguing that current energy policies overlook the role of urban design. It advocates for "complete communities"—dense, walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods—as a primary strategy for emissions reduction. Using the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) methodology, the report compares car-centric and sustainable transportation scenarios in Winnipeg, finding that sustainable shifts offer significantly higher net benefits and a superior benefit-to-cost ratio. It identifies key barriers such as NIMBYism, flawed municipal governance, and the financial instability caused by sprawl, while proposing solutions including zoning reform, parking policy changes, and new municipal revenue tools.
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Document type: Report
Getting Where We Need to Go
The document outlines a strategy for Canada to achieve net-zero passenger transport by prioritizing walking, cycling, public transit, and zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). It highlights that 82% of Canadians live in urban areas, making the country well-suited for these transitions. The brief argues that this shift would reduce household costs, improve public health by reducing air and noise pollution, and create approximately 1.6 million jobs by 2050. Key policy recommendations include a federal ZEV sales standard requiring all new light-duty vehicle sales to be ZEVs by 2035, increased funding for high-speed rail in the Quebec-Windsor corridor, and provincial zoning reforms to increase urban density.
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Document type: Policy brief
global-climate-and-health-alliance-healthy-ndcs-3.0-05778a33373f8409.pdf
The report evaluates the health integration of NDCs from several countries, finding that while many recognize the health benefits of climate mitigation, most lack measurable health targets, dedicated funding for health adaptation, and alignment with 1.5°C pathways. It provides specific analyses for countries including Brazil, the UK, and the UAE, and offers recommendations for 'Healthy NDCs 3.0' that prioritize health as a central pillar of climate action.
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Document type: Report
Turning Promises into Progress: Lessons from Campinas’s Climate Action Plan
Campinas, Brazil, launched its Local Climate Action Plan (PLAC) in June 2024, aiming for net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The plan utilizes an integrated approach that connects climate priorities with social inclusion and nature, supported by a roadmap of approximately 130 short-term activities to ensure feasibility through 2032. To avoid governance gaps, the city established the Municipal Committee for Coping with Climate Change Impacts, which includes deliberative, consultative, and participative groups. Key immediate priorities include expanding 150 km of cycling infrastructure by 2030 and aligning climate targets with the 2026–2029 Multi-Year Plan (PPA) budget cycle.
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Document type: Case study
The co-impacts of climate action in cities
The paper examines the 'co-impacts'—both intended and unintended, positive and negative—of urban climate policies. It argues that current literature and city plans overemphasize positive co-benefits (such as improved air quality and health) while neglecting adverse effects and equity considerations. The authors propose a 'people, planet, and profit' framework to categorize these impacts across various urban strategies, including building retrofits, circular economy initiatives, and transport shifts, to help cities avoid policy backlash and ensure a just transition.
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Document type: Research paper
Advancing and Integrating Climate and Health Policies in the United Kingdom
The report finds that while the UK acknowledges the link between climate change and health, practical policy integration is limited by siloed government departments, chronic underfunding, and short-term thinking. It highlights the 'Greener NHS' initiative as a relative success and suggests leveraging the NHS's scale and learning from devolved governments in Wales and Scotland to advance a holistic, systems-thinking approach that prioritises vulnerable populations and emphasises health co-benefits.
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Document type: Report
Low-carbon transition in the transport sector
The research examines how the transition to low-carbon transport in Sweden may disproportionately affect certain societal groups. It argues that achieving Paris Agreement goals requires not only technological shifts but also a reduction in fossil-based transport and an increase in public and active transport. The study emphasizes that the resulting impacts on quality of life can vary, potentially deepening existing inequalities based on individuals' lived values and diverse categories of loss, such as social networks and attachments to places.
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Document type: Research paper