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This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines a strategy for decarbonizing Canada's building sector to reach net-zero emissions. It emphasizes the need for deep energy retrofits of the existing residential housing stock, the adoption of higher building code standards, and the implementation of innovative financing to address high upfront costs and energy poverty.

The CLEAN Future Act, introduced on March 2, 2021, by U.S. Representative Frank Pallone and other House Energy and Commerce Committee leadership, proposes a framework to achieve a 100% clean economy in the United States by 2050. The briefing outlines the bill's targets for emissions reduction, its approach to climate federalism, investments in transportation and power, and provisions for environmental justice and worker transitions.

This research paper by Energy Innovation and the Paulson Institute argues that the scale and speed of urbanization in China will be a primary determinant of future global climate change. The authors propose six critical 'ingredients for success'—permeable urban form, transit-centered transportation, effective building codes, municipal finance reform, sustainability metrics for mayors, and a strengthened planning process—to prevent the proliferation of unlivable, auto-centric 'superblocks' and instead create sustainable, world-class cities.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the potential role of tax incentives in helping the German government achieve its goal of reducing primary energy demand in the building sector by 80% by 2050. The document compares international experiences with tax credits in Italy, the Netherlands, and the USA against the existing grant and loan programs provided by the KfW banking group.

This briefing by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) analyzes the economic viability, financial requirements, and energy savings associated with achieving the German government's 2010 Energy Concept targets for residential thermal retrofits. The report focuses on the feasibility of increasing the annual retrofit rate to 2% and the necessity of 'deep' retrofits to meet a target of reducing the building sector's primary energy requirement by 80% by 2050.

This fact sheet from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment outlines how transitioning to a low-carbon economy in Canada can provide immediate health benefits. It argues that current government commitments are insufficient to meet Paris Agreement targets and advocates for a shift toward renewable energy, plant-based diets, and active transportation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve public health outcomes.