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Canada’s Role in the Global Energy Picture
This report, an excerpt from a paper presented at the Banff Dialogue in April 2010, argues for the creation of a coherent national energy strategy for Canada to better manage its diverse energy resources and navigate its heavy trade dependence on the United States while transitioning toward low-carbon energy.
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Document type: Report
Projecting the Evolution of the Internet, its Technologies, Communities and Management
This report details a March 2009 pilot workshop in Vancouver, British Columbia, hosted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and supported by Industry Canada. The session engaged 32 diverse Canadian stakeholders to explore the future of the Internet and its implications for sustainability, social cohesion, and governance. The workshop used four scenarios—Government-regulated, Unregulated market, VIPnet, and Internet commons—to identify critical uncertainties and formulate policy recommendations for the Canadian government.
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Document type: Report
Testimony Before the Select Committee On Energy Independence and Global Warming
This testimony by Rob Bradley of the World Resources Institute (WRI) argues that the United States is well-positioned to resume international leadership on climate change. Bradley asserts that the global landscape has shifted since the Kyoto Protocol, with major developing nations now presenting their own climate plans. He advocates for a new agreement based on the Bali Action Plan, which emphasizes "measurable, reportable and verifiable" (MRV) actions from both developed and developing countries to ensure mutual accountability and trust.
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Document type: Statement
Statement To the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce
In a statement to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce on January 15, 2009, Jonathan Lash, President of the World Resources Institute (WRI), advocated for the urgent enactment of domestic U.S. climate legislation. Representing the United States Climate Action Partnership (US CAP), Lash argued that climate trends are accelerating faster than models predicted and that the U.S. must lead a transition to a low-carbon economy through a market-driven, economy-wide cap-and-trade program and complementary clean energy investments.
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Document type: Statement
Choose the Future – Education for Sustainable Development – Conference Report
The 'Choose the Future: Education for Sustainable Development' conference, held in Winnipeg, Canada, from November 26–28, 2008, served as a forum for educators, business leaders, and government officials to discuss the integration of sustainable development (SD) into formal and non-formal education. Organized by the Manitoba Education for Sustainable Development Working Group (MESDWG), the event aligned with the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014) and showcased various initiatives, research, and leadership models aimed at fostering a culture of sustainability in Manitoba and across Canada.
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Document type: Report
Informante AII Guía para Parlamentarios sobre los acuerdos internacionales de inversión y sus implicancias en la creación de políticas internas
This 2007 guide for parliamentarians examines how International Investment Agreements (IIAs) and Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) can constrain domestic public policy. It highlights a systemic lack of parliamentary oversight in treaty negotiation and the use of international arbitration by foreign investors to challenge state regulations in countries like the US, Canada, and South Africa. The document details specific legal disputes, Bolivia's withdrawal from ICSID, and calls for greater transparency in UNCITRAL arbitration rules to protect human rights and state sovereignty.
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Document type: Guide
Market Mechanisms for Sustainable Development: How Do They Fit in the Various Post-2012 Climate Efforts?
This 2007 IISD report analyzes the compatibility of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and other market mechanisms for sustainable development (MMSD) with various proposed post-2012 climate regimes. It identifies that while the current project-based CDM works in regimes with differentiated targets, it would be incompatible with a system where all countries have binding targets. In such cases, the report suggests a shift toward Joint Implementation (JI)-style mechanisms or 'expanded CDM' models that include sectoral and policy-based crediting. The report emphasizes the need to balance the developed world's demand for low-cost, additional credits with the developing world's need for sustainable development dividends and equitable access to investment.
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Document type: Report
Why Build Green? Case Studies
This RMI fact sheet presents several case studies of green building projects across residential, commercial, and urban redevelopment sectors, highlighting the economic and environmental benefits of sustainable design, such as energy savings, increased property value, and reduced marketing costs.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Full Cost Accounting for Agriculture – Year 2 Report
This report, prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), develops a conceptual methodology called the 'Impact Pathway approach' to value changes in agri-environmental indicators. The report tests this methodology on five specific indicators: Risk of Water Erosion, Risk of Water Contamination by Phosphorus, GHG Emissions, Energy Use Efficiency, and Wildlife Habitat Availability. It identifies critical data gaps, particularly in transport modelling for water-related indicators, and explores linkages between these valuations and integrated economic-environmental modelling and social indicators.
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Document type: Report
investment_10nov03-538ba8e76fcf2a12.pdf
This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the evolution and application of the Minimum Standard of Treatment (MST) for foreign investments in international law, with a specific focus on NAFTA Chapter XI and the tension between customary international law and bilateral investment treaties (BITs).
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Document type: Report
Towards Assessing the Distributional Impacts of Meeting Kyoto Targets in Canada
This research paper introduces MARKAL-Equity, a model developed to assess the distributional impacts of meeting Kyoto Protocol emission targets on different income groups in Canada's residential sector. The study finds that low-income households are the most vulnerable to energy price increases, experiencing the greatest reductions in energy service demand and consumption, and lacking the financial capacity to switch to more efficient technologies compared to middle- and high-income groups.
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Document type: Research paper
CHLORINE AND THE PAPER INDUSTRY
This case study examines the conflict between the U.S. pulp and paper industry, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Greenpeace over the use of chlorine in bleaching processes. The central tension involves the production of toxic organochlorines, specifically dioxins, and the debate over whether the industry should move toward elemental chlorine-free (ECF) or totally chlorine-free (TCF) technologies. The document details the 'cluster rule' regulatory approach and the economic and environmental trade-offs associated with different bleaching standards.
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Document type: Case study
CODE GREEN
This fact sheet from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) urges physicians to lead efforts in mitigating climate change, framing it as a critical public health issue. It outlines the health risks of global warming, the feasibility of a low-carbon economy, and the role of carbon pricing, while providing actionable steps for medical professionals to engage in advocacy and personal lifestyle changes.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Pesticides utilisés à des fins esthétiques : politiques provinciales et règlements municipaux – Leçons tirées et meilleures pratiques
This executive summary examines provincial and municipal regulations regarding the use of pesticides for aesthetic purposes in Canada. It analyzes the structure, implementation, and effectiveness of these laws, identifying best practices and recommending improvements to reduce the use of non-essential pesticides.
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Document type: Executive summary
Advocacy and Mobilization Program (AMP) Evaluation
The Advocacy and Mobilization Program (AMP) was a capacity-building initiative run by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) from 2022 to 2025. Designed to transform healthcare professionals (HCPs) into planetary health advocates, the program combined foundational knowledge with skills training in communications and government relations, culminating in a 'Hill Day' of direct political advocacy. While the program successfully increased participant confidence and advocacy skills, it faced challenges with staffing capacity and peer networking, leading CAPE to recommend more flexible, 'lighter-touch' training models for future engagement.
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Document type: Report
Fossil-Fuel Pollution is Killing Canadians and Big Oil is Lying About It
This briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) argues for a federal ban on fossil-fuel advertising and 'greenwashing' in Canada. The document links fossil-fuel emissions to significant premature deaths and chronic health issues, whileS citing research that attributes 34,000 annual premature deaths in Canada to such pollution. CAPE advocates for a regulatory framework similar to the 1989 tobacco advertising restrictions to accelerate the energy transition and protect public health.
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Document type: Briefing
Briefing note: Future-proofing BC buildings toward net-zero
This briefing note from the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment argues for the removal of natural gas from British Columbia's buildings to meet climate targets and protect public health. It advocates for updating the Building Code and BC Energy Step Code to prohibit new gas connections and establish deadlines for existing buildings to transition to clean energy.
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Document type: Briefing
Green Offices Toolkit
The Green Offices Toolkit is a guide published by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment designed to help clinicians and office managers implement sustainable, eco-friendly improvements in health care practices. It provides practical strategies for reducing energy, water, and waste, while emphasizing the role of physicians as community leaders in addressing the health impacts of climate change.
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Document type: Guide
LNG, Fracking and Healthcare System Costs in British Columbia
A statement from a group of doctors and nurses, represented by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), urging the British Columbia government to halt the expansion of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) industries due to significant risks to public health, healthcare system costs, and climate targets.
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Document type: Statement
Health Advisory — LNG and Fracking in British Columbia
A health advisory letter from a group of doctors and nurses to the government of British Columbia, warning of the public health risks associated with the expansion of the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry and hydraulic fracturing (fracking).
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Document type: Statement