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The report identifies that reaching Canada's 2050 net-zero target requires the electricity share of C&I building heating to rise from less than 15% to at least 75%. It highlights barriers such as cheap natural gas, knowledge gaps in the HVAC workforce, and financing constraints. To address these, the authors propose five catalysts: developing near-term electrification plans, integrating electricity and natural gas regulation, aligning utility planning with net-zero pathways, implementing building performance standards, and leveraging public-private financing to crowd in private investment.

The report identifies that Canada must increase the share of electricity in commercial and institutional building heating from less than 15% to at least 75% by 2050 to reach net-zero goals. It highlights three primary obstacles: the low cost of natural gas, a lack of internal planning capacity and a 'business-as-usual' bias among technical experts, and significant capital constraints for building owners. To address these, the report proposes five catalysts: short-term electrification plans for businesses, integrating net-zero mandates into utility and regulatory frameworks, aligning utility planning with net-zero trajectories to ensure clean energy supply, establishing building performance standards, and developing innovative public-private financing models. Examples of progress include the bi-energy strategy in Quebec and performance standards in Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal.

The report identifies that while light-duty EV adoption is progressing in Canada, medium- and heavy-duty vehicle (MHDV) electrification is lagging. It highlights three primary barriers: constrained vehicle supply, charging infrastructure gaps, and operational implementation challenges. To address these, the Electrifying Canada task force proposes four catalysts: the development of near-term corporate electrification plans, the alignment of utility planning with net-zero pathways, the establishment of ZEV sales mandates for MHDVs, and the use of public-private financing to crowd in private investment.

The report identifies the electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) as critical for Canada's 2050 net-zero goals, noting that this sector lags behind light-duty vehicle adoption. It highlights three primary obstacles: limited vehicle supply from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), charging infrastructure and grid capacity constraints, and high upfront capital costs. To address these, the document proposes catalysts including the development of short-term corporate action plans, the alignment of utility planning with decarbonization trajectories, the implementation of zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) sales mandates, and the creation of innovative public-private financing models.

The report identifies a critical gap between current Canadian utility planning and the electricity supply needed for net-zero, suggesting that consumption must at least double by 2050. It proposes five catalysts to accelerate this transition, focusing on three supply-side actions: embedding net-zero mandates into regulator and utility roles, aligning resource planning with decarbonization pathways, and leveraging private and Indigenous capital to fund infrastructure. The document highlights that while Canada has abundant renewable resources, conservative demand forecasting and regulatory frameworks focused solely on low cost and reliability currently hinder the necessary build-out.

The document identifies a critical gap between current electricity planning and the capacity needed for net-zero goals, proposing five catalysts—including regulatory reform and private investment—to accelerate the transition in Canada.

The report argues that while Canada has a clean electricity advantage, it faces a significant risk of complacency. It identifies three cross-cutting barriers: a 'plug-or-socket' dilemma between supply and demand, policy uncertainty, and a focus on 'wild card' technologies over 'safe bets' like electrification. To overcome these, the report proposes five catalysts: business-led near-term electrification plans, net-zero mandates for utilities and regulators, alignment of utility planning with net-zero pathways, the implementation of performance standards and ZEV mandates, and the use of innovative public-private-Indigenous financing to crowd in private investment.

The document outlines a strategic framework for Canada to accelerate business electrification to reach net-zero by 2050. It identifies key barriers, such as the 'chicken-and-egg' dilemma between electricity supply and demand, and proposes five catalysts: short-term corporate action plans, integrating net-zero into utility mandates, aligning utility planning with net-zero trajectories, establishing clear performance standards and carbon pricing, and attracting private investment through innovative partnerships.

The report argues that while Canada has a competitive advantage in clean electricity, industrial electrification is stalled by technical gaps, grid reliability concerns, and the low cost of natural gas. It focuses on the manufacturing, mining, and construction sectors, noting that industry electricity use must increase from 25% to 41% by 2050. To accelerate this, the authors propose three primary catalysts: the development of near-term corporate electrification plans and pilots, the alignment of utility planning with net-zero pathways to ensure power supply, and the use of financial mechanisms like carbon contracts for difference to provide carbon pricing certainty.

The report identifies the manufacturing, construction, and mining sectors as having high potential for electrification to reduce Canada's industrial greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights three primary barriers: technical readiness for hard-to-abate sectors, concerns over electricity reliability and availability, and the low cost of natural gas. To overcome these, the report proposes three catalysts: the development of short-term electrification plans by companies, the alignment of utility planning with net-zero trajectories, and the implementation of guaranteed carbon pricing mechanisms, such as carbon contracts for difference.

The document analyzes a draft WTO agreement designed to discipline fisheries subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, overfished stocks, and general overcapacity. It details the mechanisms for triggering subsidy prohibitions, the sustainability-related exemptions available to members, and the special and differential treatment (S&D) proposed for developing countries and least-developed countries (LDCs). Additionally, it examines the institutional framework for transparency, notifications, and the resolution of disputes, particularly in contested maritime jurisdictions.

The document examines the limitations of GDP as a measure of progress, noting that the pursuit of material gain leads to social inequity and environmental degradation. It identifies systemic roadblocks to redefining prosperity—including national reliance on GDP for revenue, cultural associations of success with consumption, and business models based on consumerism. The authors propose a suite of actions, such as the adoption of complementary well-being indicators, the potential introduction of wealth taxes to decouple growth from resource use, and a shift in corporate marketing to reshape societal values. Case studies from countries like Bhutan, Australia, and the UK illustrate various ways beyond-GDP indicators have been implemented.

The document examines the failure of existing multilateral systems to address global-scale chronic risks, such as the climate crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic. It highlights the stark disparity in climate-related deaths and GDP losses between high-income and low-income groups, noting that the Global North bears significant historical responsibility for emissions while the Global South suffers the most severe consequences. The authors propose 'de minimis multilateralism'—focusing on common aversions—and the creation of a Global Resilience Reserve Fund and a Climate Risk Atlas for Developing Countries to enhance human security and financial resilience.

The document argues for stronger international coordination to manage the environmental and social footprints of global supply chains, moving beyond voluntary commitments toward mandatory due diligence and standardized verification. It emphasizes the necessity of integrating 'decent work' into green economy policies to ensure a just transition, noting that environmental policies often lack social equity. Additionally, it addresses the dual nature of digitalization, which can enhance efficiency but also significantly increase energy consumption and emissions, calling for global governance on 'green artificial intelligence' and standardized environmental footprint methodologies.

The document argues that establishing a low-carbon electricity grid capable of handling increased demand from greening transportation, buildings, and industry is the essential foundation for the United States and Canada to meet their greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets.

The document argues that while Bill S-5 is a 'workable starting point' for modernizing the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), it requires amendments to ensure the right to a healthy environment is not undermined by 'balancing' clauses and that the regime for prohibiting toxic substances is more certain and transparent.

The document examines the role of Indigenous Peoples as stewards of 80% of the world's remaining biodiversity and their historical struggle for recognition within the United Nations and multilateral environmental agreements. It highlights the tension between Western commodified views of nature and Indigenous holistic perspectives, noting that while instruments like the Convention on Biological Diversity and the Nagoya Protocol have made strides in recognizing traditional knowledge, climate frameworks like the UNFCCC and initiatives like REDD+ continue to marginalize Indigenous voices and rights. The brief concludes that achieving global sustainability requires moving beyond tokenism to respect Indigenous self-determination and leadership.

The report concludes that the Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) is incompatible with EU law because it allows international tribunals to interpret EU law and undermines the regulatory autonomy of EU institutions. While the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has already ruled that intra-EU arbitration under the ECT is illegal (Komstroy), the report argues that extra-EU arbitration also poses significant risks. It highlights that the ECT lacks the procedural and substantive safeguards found in modern agreements like CETA. The authors suggest that the most effective remedy is a combination of withdrawal from the ECT, inter-se modification to eliminate the sunset clause between withdrawing parties, and interpretative declarations to prevent investors from circumventing these measures by relocating their seats outside the EU.

The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) lacks transparency regarding the greenhouse gas emissions intensities of the oils it stores, which hinders the ability to minimize climate impacts during drawdowns. The document notes that different oils vary significantly in their climate footprints based on production and refining methods, and that a mismatch exists between the SPR's lighter crudes and the deep-conversion refineries in Texas and Louisiana that primarily process them. It suggests that selectively purchasing the lowest climate-intensive oils for the current one-million-barrel daily withdrawal could save an estimated 90 million tons of CO2e.

The report evaluates the economic value of the Seal River Watershed, a pristine region in Northern Manitoba. It finds that the watershed provides at least CAD 214 million in annual ecosystem goods and services. The document argues that protecting such intact regions is critical for global biodiversity and climate goals, highlighting efforts to establish the area as an Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) led by the Sayisi Dene First Nation.