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The report finds that while natural infrastructure (NI) efforts in the Canadian Prairies are nascent and often fragmented as site-specific pilots, there is growing momentum to use conserved, restored, or engineered ecosystems to meet water infrastructure needs. Grey infrastructure remains the default choice due to a lack of standardized valuation tools, limited municipal capacity, and a policy environment that often prioritizes resource development over restoration. The document highlights the critical need for watershed-scale collaboration, the integration of Indigenous knowledge and rights, and the mobilization of diverse capital—including private finance and endowment funds—to bridge the infrastructure gap and address climate-induced risks like floods and droughts.

The paper traces the evolution of Indigenous Peoples' engagement with the UNFCCC, highlighting the transition from marginal participation to the recognition of rights in the Paris Agreement. It argues that while institutional progress has been made, the actual integration of Indigenous knowledge into climate policy remains limited and often tokenistic.

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that 37% of the cumulative burned forest area in western North America since 1986 is attributable to emissions from 88 of the world's largest carbon producers. The report links these emissions to a rise in vapor pressure deficit (VPD), which increases atmospheric 'thirst' and dries out vegetation, thereby amplifying wildfire risk. It argues that these corporations should be held legally and financially accountable for climate damages, including the costs of wildfire suppression and recovery.

This briefing from the IAI Directorate provides an update on the partnership between the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the Belmont Forum, detailing the IAI's role as a member and co-Chair, and its participation in several Collaborative Research Actions (CRAs).

This briefing from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) updates the Conference of the Parties on its partnership with the Belmont Forum and its involvement in Collaborative Research Actions (CRAs) to address global change challenges in the Americas.

This briefing provides an update on the Latin America and Caribbean Initiative (LACI), an effort by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) to strengthen climate risk assessments and capacity building for adaptation and mitigation in the region.

The report outlines the progress of the LACI initiative, which aims to strengthen climate risk assessments to support local and regional decision-making. Following a scoping phase involving 14 countries to identify priorities and map capacities, the initiative has entered a pilot co-design phase with four specific projects focusing on El Salvador, regional data interoperability, Amazonia, and Jamaica.

This document is a report on the 2023 Extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties (CoP) to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), held via videoconference on 18 April 2023. The primary purpose of the meeting was the election of a new Executive Director for the IAI.

The 2023 Extraordinary meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) was held on 18 April 2023 to elect a new Executive Director. Following a recruitment process overseen by a 10-member search committee, Dr. Anna Stewart Ibarra was recommended and subsequently elected to a three-year term. The search committee highlighted the need for the IAI to bridge the gap between science and policy to address global environmental change challenges in the Americas.

On April 18, 2023, the IAI Conference of the Parties held an extraordinary meeting via videoconference to elect a new executive director. Following a selection process managed by a 10-member committee, Dr. Anna Stewart-Ibarra was recommended and subsequently elected to the position for a three-year term. The selection committee emphasized the need for leadership capable of bridging the gap between science and policy to address global environmental change in the Americas.

The Gender and Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, composed of representatives from several American nations and scientific bodies, has developed a draft implementation plan for the IAI's Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Policy. The report recommends the adoption of draft decisions to formalize the committee's monitoring role and to establish a new Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities Advisory Committee to ensure equitable participation in the Institute's scientific and strategic planning.

The document reports on the establishment and initial work of the IAI's Gender, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Committee, which has developed an implementation plan for the institute's gender policy. It recommends that the Conference of the Parties adopt provisional decisions to monitor this policy and establish a new Advisory Committee for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LC-AC).

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) took the unusual step of rejecting Enbridge Gas's $123.7 million Saint-Laurent Ottawa Nord pipeline project, citing the City of Ottawa's electrification plans and a projected decline in natural gas demand. The document explores how this decision challenges traditional utility business models—where returns are often based on pipeline mileage rather than gas volume—and highlights the risk of 'stranded assets' if new infrastructure is built despite decarbonization goals. It further discusses Enbridge's five-year plan, which advocates for a 'diversified' scenario including low-carbon gas and hydrogen, contrasting this with the City of Ottawa's preference for integrated energy planning to meet climate targets.

The report examines the 'Maritimes anomaly,' where New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island have achieved significantly higher heat pump adoption rates than the rest of Canada. It attributes this success to a combination of high energy poverty, a moderate Atlantic climate, existing institutional commitments to energy efficiency, and aggressive financial incentives. The document highlights the importance of 'stacking' provincial and federal grants and warns against the rise of unreliable installers.

The report analyzes a partnership between Hydro-Québec and Énergir to transition buildings to bi-energy heating (electricity and natural gas). While the agreement reduces natural gas consumption by over 70% and is more cost-effective for Hydro-Québec than full electrification, the authors warn of potential 'carbon lock-in' due to 15-year contracts and the uncertain availability of renewable natural gas to cover remaining fossil fuel use by 2050.

The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) denied Enbridge Gas's $123.7-million St. Laurent North pipeline project, citing Ottawa's community electrification plan and reduced future gas demand. This decision highlights a tension between traditional utility business models—which reward infrastructure ownership—and the shift toward net-zero emissions. The case underscores the need for integrated resource planning (IRP) and raises concerns about the risk of stranded assets being passed on to ratepayers as Ontario transitions away from fossil fuels.

The document examines a partnership between Hydro-Québec and Énergir to transition building heating to a 'dual energy' system, where electricity is used primarily and natural gas is reserved for cold snaps. While the agreement reduces natural gas consumption by over 70% and is more cost-effective for the grid than full electrification, the authors warn of potential 'carbon lock-in' due to 15-year contracts and the uncertainty of whether renewable natural gas (RNG) can replace the remaining 30% of gas demand.

The report analyzes why New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island have seen a surge in heat pump installations compared to the rest of Canada. It attributes this 'anomaly' to a combination of moderate climates, high energy poverty, existing electrical infrastructure, and aggressive financial incentives. The study highlights the role of established energy efficiency agencies and the effectiveness of combining heat pump rebates with broader home energy audits. It also notes challenges such as unreliable installers and administrative bottlenecks, offering lessons for scaling electrification across Canada.

The paper examines the rise of trade measures based on non-product-related process and production methods (PPMs) used to address climate change, biodiversity loss, and human rights. It analyzes the legal requirements for such measures to be WTO-compliant, highlighting the importance of non-discrimination and proportionality. The authors provide examples of current PPM-based policies, including forced labour import bans, deforestation-free supply chain regulations, and sustainability-linked tariff preferences in regional trade agreements, while noting ongoing WTO disputes between the EU, Indonesia, and Malaysia over biofuels.

A coalition of environmental and social organizations urges G7 nations to cease the promotion and financing of fossil fuel-based technologies, such as ammonia and hydrogen co-firing, in climate-vulnerable developing nations. The statement specifically criticizes Japan's Green Transformation (GX) policy and the continued investment in fossil gas in Southeast Asia, arguing that these 'false solutions' risk stranded assets and undermine the 1.5-degree Celsius Paris Agreement goal.