Search Climate Insights Directory
92 results
10 affordable ways to become a green business
The guide outlines low-cost strategies for businesses to become 'green', focusing on energy efficiency, waste reduction, and sustainable procurement. Key recommendations include switching to LED lighting, installing low-flow water fittings, reducing paper waste through digital receipts, and incentivising reusable coffee cups. It also suggests dietary shifts toward locally-sourced vegetarian options, eliminating standby power consumption, implementing bike-to-work schemes, composting food waste, and purchasing second-hand furniture. Additionally, it advises employers to select ethical, green investment funds for employee pensions.
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Document type: Guide
Active transportation needs a federal champion
The authors advocate for a federal champion for active transportation in Canada, citing significant health benefits, such as reducing chronic disease and premature deaths, and environmental benefits, including the reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. They propose several federal actions, including creating a dedicated infrastructure fund and establishing a modal share goal.
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Document type: Statement
Bloor Street West Bike Lane Leads Way for National Active Transportation Strategy
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment advocates for a National Active Transportation Strategy to reduce healthcare costs and climate impacts, citing a Toronto pilot project where a bike lane increased cycling by 49% and reduced vehicle/cyclist conflicts by 61%.
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Document type: Statement
Analysis of missing links in Montréal’s cycling network
The report analyzes the Montréal cycling network, highlighting that while it is large, over half consists of low-protection painted markings. It identifies a high frequency of collisions at intersections along cycle tracks and a high collision rate in the West Island. The analysis reveals significant network discontinuities, with an average of one every 1.3km. To address these, the report proposes 24 strategic north-south and east-west connections totaling 175 km and recommends the city increase its construction target to 100km of new facilities per year.
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Document type: Report
A National Cycling Strategy: A Triple Win for Public Health
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) advocates for a National Cycling Strategy to address three public health crises: the rise of chronic diseases, the health costs of air pollution, and the global threat of climate change. The document highlights that active transportation can integrate exercise into daily routines, reduce the $10 billion annual cost of air pollution in Canada, and lower emissions from the transportation sector, which accounts for approximately 25% of Canada's greenhouse gas emissions.
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Document type: Statement
The fight for a bike and pedestrian highway overpass in Montreal
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) is campaigning for the reinstatement of the Dalle-Parc, a green overpass designed to connect Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount and Verdun–Pointe-Saint-Charles over the Turcot Interchange in Montreal. While the overpass was part of the original 2010 renovation plans, it was removed from the 2015 version by the Quebec Ministry of Transport (MTQ) without explanation. The project is estimated to cost $40 million, representing 1-2% of the total $4 billion interchange refurbishment cost. Proponents argue the overpass would facilitate active transportation, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and prevent cyclists from having to take a 10km detour to cover a 1km distance.
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Document type: Statement
Prescribing Active Travel for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet
The document argues that promoting active travel—defined as walking, cycling, and public transit—creates a 'quadruple win' by reducing chronic disease, improving air quality, slowing climate change, and increasing health equity. It provides a framework for health professionals to encourage patients to integrate physical activity into their daily routines and to advocate for urban planning policies, such as the '5 Ds' of community design (density, land use diversity, design, destination accessibility, and distance to transit). A significant portion of the guide focuses on the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe in Ontario, explaining how intensification and complete community planning can facilitate a shift away from automobile dependence.
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Document type: Guide
Transit & Active Transportation Require Supportive Community Design
The document outlines how the built environment influences travel behavior, emphasizing that walkable neighborhood design increases the frequency of walking, cycling, and transit use. It details the '5 D's' of community design—Density, Diversity, Design, Destination, and Distance—as the primary factors impacting these choices. Key elements include population density to support services, land use diversity to place destinations in close proximity, safety-enhancing design features like bicycle lanes and traffic calming, and the accessibility of destinations and transit stops within specific distance thresholds.
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Document type: Briefing
2017_lancet_canada_brief-d5b350a3c2f6d2aa.pdf
The document outlines the intersection of climate change and public health in Canada, highlighting risks such as extreme heat, wildfires, and food insecurity, particularly in the Arctic and among Indigenous populations. It advocates for a rapid phase-out of coal-powered electricity by 2030, the implementation of a National Active Transport Strategy, and the integration of Health Impact Assessments into federal environmental processes to mitigate health risks and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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Document type: Policy brief
Building a Climate-Resilient City: Transportation infrastructure
The document outlines how urban transportation infrastructure in Alberta is vulnerable to rising temperatures and extreme weather, such as flooding and heat waves. It argues that resilience can be achieved through 'robustness' (using tools like the PIEVC protocol and green infrastructure), 'redundancy' (diversifying transportation modes and fuel sources), and 'resourcefulness' (engaging citizens via mobile apps and supporting shared mobility). The briefing recommends that Calgary and Edmonton undertake full vulnerability assessments, promote compact urban forms, and implement multi-modal networks to mitigate climate risks.
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Document type: Briefing
A CIVIL SOCIETY EVENT ON ACTION IN CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH
The event highlighted how climate change negatively impacts health through food insecurity, physical inactivity, and air pollution, while arguing that focusing on health co-benefits can overcome political inertia. Key recommendations include transitioning to sustainable diets, redesigning cities for active transportation, and divesting the healthcare sector from fossil fuels.
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Document type: Executive summary
Health at the UN Climate Summit New York, September 20, 2014
The document frames climate change as a mainstream public health crisis and advocates for a transition to clean energy and active transport to reduce early deaths and healthcare costs. It highlights the importance of health-aligned investment choices, citing the British Medical Association's divestment from fossil fuels and HESTA's restrictions on thermal coal. The guide also lists several high-level events in New York, including a WHO-ILO session on 'Climate, Health and Jobs' and a forum on sustainable diets.
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Document type: Guide
Energiasäästupotentsiaal Eesti transpordis ja liikuvuses
The report analyzes Estonia's transport energy consumption from 2000–2012, noting a 33% increase driven primarily by road transport, which accounts for approximately 90% of the sector's energy use. It evaluates 24 measures across four categories: vehicle fuel efficiency, sustainable modes of transport, land-use planning, and fiscal measures. Key findings suggest that the highest energy-saving potential lies in shifting to more efficient conventional vehicles (A-B energy classes) and implementing smart fiscal tools like kilometer-based road charges and a Tallinn congestion charge. The report concludes that while electric vehicles have marginal impact in the short term, systemic changes in urban planning and public transport are essential for long-term demand management.
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Document type: Report
SÄÄSTVA TRANSPORDI RAPORT
The report finds that Estonia's transport system is not developing sustainably, with car use and road freight growing in tandem with the economy, leading to high energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions. While traffic fatalities have decreased significantly, urban air quality has suffered due to increased particulate matter from cars. The report compares Estonia's performance with EU averages and neighbors (Finland and Latvia), noting that Estonia has some of the least fuel-efficient new cars in Europe. Three scenarios for 2020 are analyzed: a 'BAAS' (baseline) scenario where trends continue, a 'TEHNO' scenario focusing on rapid vehicle efficiency gains, and an 'EFEKT' scenario focusing on mobility management and sustainable transport modes. The authors recommend a combination of both TEHNO and EFEKT measures, including CO2-based vehicle taxation, improved public transport and active mobility infrastructure, and integrated urban planning to decouple economic growth from transport demand.
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Document type: Report
Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZ)
The document introduces Environmental Improvement Zones (EIZs) as a community-based framework for implementing environmental strategies in Winnipeg. It outlines baseline data and recommended activities across seven key areas: climate change/air quality, urban energy, land use, transportation, waste management, water management, and pesticide use. The guide details pilot results from three diverse neighbourhoods—Whyte Ridge, Riverview, and West Broadway—demonstrating that environmental priorities vary significantly by socio-economic profile and urban layout. It argues that a neighbourhood-scale approach using community-based social marketing (CBSM) is more effective for long-term behaviour change than city-wide, 'one size fits all' programming.
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Document type: Guide
Backgrounder Transit, Active Transportation, and Public Health
The document outlines the public health benefits of shifting from car-dependency to active transportation (walking and cycling) and public transit. It links these modes of travel to reductions in cardiovascular risk, improved mental health, and lower rates of traffic fatalities. Environmentally, it highlights the role of transit and active travel in reducing traffic-related air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions to meet climate goals. Finally, it discusses how transit-supportive infrastructure reduces the financial burden of transportation for low-income individuals and improves access to essential health services.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Patient Factsheet Get Healthy & Fit with Active Transportation
The document promotes active transportation—human-powered travel like walking and cycling—as a way to integrate physical activity into daily life. It highlights health benefits, including reduced risks of chronic diseases and obesity, as well as mental health improvements. Economically, it notes that active transport is a low-cost alternative to car ownership, which can cost approximately $10,000 annually. Environmentally, it argues that active transport produces no greenhouse gases or air pollution, unlike cars. Finally, it emphasizes that active transportation increases community access for the 20-40% of people who cannot drive.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Green Offices Toolkit
The Green Offices Toolkit offers a comprehensive framework for Canadian health care providers to implement sustainable office practices. It outlines a phased approach to 'greening' a clinic, starting with the establishment of a 'Green Team' and the definition of a vision and mission. The document provides specific technical advice on reducing energy and water consumption, managing toxic substances like mercury and pharmaceuticals, and minimizing waste through recycling and composting. It also emphasizes the role of physicians as community leaders who can influence patient health and environmental behavior through education and by modeling sustainable lifestyles.
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Document type: Guide
Climate Change Solutions with Immediate Health Benefits
The document outlines how climate mitigation strategies in Canada—such as phasing out coal, reducing building energy use, transitioning transportation, and shifting to plant-based diets—can simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve health outcomes by reducing air pollution and obesity.
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Document type: Fact sheet
NCDs & CLIMATE CHANGE SHARED OPPORTUNITIES FOR ACTION
The document highlights the synergies between climate change mitigation and the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), identifying key areas for multisectoral intervention. It emphasizes that shifting to clean energy, promoting active transport, and adopting sustainable food systems can reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and NCD risk factors like air pollution and physical inactivity. The briefing advocates for policy coherence across government ministries and a whole-of-society approach to achieve these health and environmental co-benefits.
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Document type: Briefing