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This policy brief advocates for a shift from short-term competitive grants to five-year base funding for community-based water monitoring (CBWM) in Canada. It highlights critical gaps in Canada's watershed knowledge—noting that 100 of 167 watersheds lack health scores—and argues that CBWM is a cost-effective method (> 3:1) to collect rigorous long-term data. The brief recommends a five-year pilot project to strengthen local capacities and suggests the Canadian Water Agency as a coordinator to improve data interoperability across federal, provincial, and local levels.

The report examines the intersection of climate change and agriculture in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. It highlights that while the Prairies are warming faster than most of Canada, leading to increased risks of drought, flooding, and pests, the agricultural sector also contributes significantly to national emissions, particularly through nitrogen fertilizer and livestock. The authors argue that current federal and provincial policies lack concrete sectoral targets and comprehensive strategies, recommending a shift toward agroecology, reinstated public extension services, and targeted financial incentives for beneficial management practices to ensure long-term viability.

The report presents a business case for investing in community-based water monitoring (CBWM) in Canada, highlighting its cost-effectiveness and scientific rigour compared to conventional public sector monitoring. It identifies a critical data gap, noting that 100 of Canada's 167 sub-watersheds lack sufficient data to report on health. Through case studies in the Lake Winnipeg basin, the Kaska Dena ancestral territory, and the Annapolis River, the document demonstrates that CBWM can reduce costs (e.g., a 3.4:1 expense difference in the Lake Winnipeg case) and integrate Traditional Knowledge. The author argues that the current 'non-profit starvation cycle'—driven by short-term, competitive grants—is incompatible with the long-term nature of environmental monitoring and recommends a 5-year core funding model to ensure data continuity and support Canada's climate and conservation targets.

The report advocates for a shift from short-term project-based funding to long-term core funding for community-based water monitoring (CBWM) in Canada. It highlights that 100 of 167 Canadian watersheds lack sufficient data for quality scoring, creating a gap that CBWM can fill more cost-effectively than professional government monitoring. Through three case studies—the Lake Winnipeg Foundation, the Kaska Guardians, and the Clean Annapolis River Project—the document demonstrates that CBWM can achieve a return on investment exceeding 3:1 and up to 11.6:1 in some instances. The report recommends the creation of a five-year pilot project and the use of a proposed Canadian Water Agency to coordinate these efforts to improve environmental governance and climate adaptation.

The report analyzes the evolution of gender-related provisions in trade agreements, categorizing them into five types: reaffirmation of commitments, avoidance of adverse effects, preservation of the state's right to regulate, promotion of women's economic empowerment, and cooperation mechanisms. It highlights a shift toward dedicated 'trade and gender' chapters in recent agreements, such as those involving Canada and Chile, though it notes these often lack enforceable targets or budgets. The author argues that current provisions are frequently 'gender-blind' or overly focused on women as formal workers, neglecting their roles as consumers, carers, and rights holders. To improve policy, the report advocates for ex ante gender impact assessments—citing Canada's GBA+ and the UNCTAD Trade and Gender Toolbox—and ex post monitoring to generate sex-disaggregated data. It concludes that for trade to be inclusive, gender mainstreaming must move beyond symbolic cooperation toward a holistic approach grounded in human rights frameworks like CEDAW.

The document argues that standard tax treaty models (OECD and UN) may lead to significant revenue losses for resource-rich developing countries if not adapted for the mining sector. It identifies three primary risks: the inability to tax offshore indirect transfers of mining assets, subcontractors avoiding a taxable presence (permanent establishment), and the loss of withholding tax on technical and management services. To mitigate these, the guide recommends adopting comprehensive domestic definitions of immovable property, implementing 'Extractives PE' or standalone extractive industry articles in treaties, and utilizing standalone 'fees for technical services' articles. It also warns against the 'locking in' of unsustainable tax benefits through fiscal stabilization clauses in Mining Concession Agreements (MCAs).

The document examines how tax treaties can lead to significant revenue losses for resource-rich developing countries through indirect asset transfers, subcontractor tax avoidance, and the erosion of the tax base via technical service fees. It analyzes 86 sample treaties and provides specific drafting recommendations, such as adopting standalone extractive industry articles, expanding the definition of 'immovable property' in domestic law, and implementing lower time thresholds for permanent establishments to ensure mining revenues are captured effectively.

The document outlines the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) model, a holistic approach designed to secure policy changes and full funding for large-scale conservation goals over a long-term timeframe. It details a five-phase development process—identification, assessment, readiness, design, and implementation—and emphasizes the necessity of a shared vision, a robust financial model, and independent fund administration. The guide provides specific case studies from Brazil (ARPA for Life), Colombia (Heritage Colombia), and Peru (Peru’s Natural Legacy), illustrating how transition funds and sustainable financing mechanisms are used to move from donor dependency to national financial sustainability.

The document outlines the Project Finance for Permanence (PFP) model, a holistic approach to securing long-term ecological, social, political, organizational, and financial sustainability for conservation areas. It details a five-phase process—identification, evaluation, preparation, design, and implementation—and emphasizes the need for a shared vision, a robust financial model, and independent fund management. The guide provides specific case studies from the Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program, including ARPA for Life in Brazil, Herencia Colombia, and Patrimonio Natural del Perú, illustrating how these frameworks are applied to protect millions of hectares of biodiversity.

Research organizations tracking global recovery spending report that current green recovery spending represents only 10%–20% of global totals, which is insufficient for a low-carbon transition. The statement urges governments to adopt 'do-no-harm' principles, eliminate public finance for fossil fuel production, and increase support for nature-based solutions and low-income economies to ensure a just and green recovery.

The G20 countries account for 84% of global greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels and 90% of global GDP, yet their climate commitments and financial contributions remain insufficient. While some G20 nations have submitted enhanced 2030 NDCs and net-zero targets, others, such as Brazil and Mexico, have reduced their ambitions. The document highlights a failure to meet the 2010 pledge of $100 billion annual climate finance for developing countries, noting that finance is often misdirected toward middle-income countries rather than the most vulnerable, and increasingly provided as loans rather than grants. Furthermore, G20 countries have provided more funding to fossil fuels (over $315 billion) than to clean energy (around $280 billion) since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The success of COP26 is heavily dependent on resolving climate finance disputes, specifically the fulfillment of the $100 billion annual goal for developing countries. Beyond this, the agenda includes establishing a post-2025 quantified finance goal, increasing adaptation funding, and addressing loss and damage. Parallel to formal UNFCCC negotiations, private sector initiatives like the Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero and political signals regarding the cessation of fossil fuel investments are expected to influence the outcome.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) asserts that the government must shift from risk management to a hazard prevention paradigm to protect public health. Key recommendations include eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, reforming the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), implementing a just transition for workers and Indigenous peoples, and adopting a planetary health lens to integrate climate adaptation and mitigation.

The document critiques the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and the 'A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy' plan for failing to engage Indigenous peoples beyond tokenism. It asserts that these policies entrench settler colonial relations and exclude Indigenous rights holders from decision-making processes. The author emphasizes that meaningful climate action requires repairing relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, respecting generational knowledge, and shifting toward Indigenous-led policy initiatives.

The document critiques the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change and the 'A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy' plan for failing to establish genuine nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous peoples. It asserts that current consultation processes are superficial, structurally exclude Indigenous voices from working groups, and ignore the role of the fossil fuel industry in violating Indigenous rights. The author emphasizes that integrating Indigenous knowledge systems—which view the Earth as a living, sacred entity—is essential for addressing the climate crisis. To remedy these failures, the document proposes a shift toward community-level engagement and the creation of an expert advisory council representing Canada's five biomes to ensure territory-based solutions.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) welcomes the findings of the Alberta Public Inquiry Into Anti-Alberta Energy Campaigns, which concluded that no individuals or organizations committed wrongdoing or illegal acts, but rather exercised their rights to free speech. The IISD reaffirms its commitment to advocating for the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies and a clean energy transition, noting that countries with 2050 net-zero targets represent 68% of global GDP and that IEA forecasts project a decline in oil demand.

The National Sea Grant College Program, established in 1966 under NOAA, operates a network of 34 university programs to build resilience in coastal and Great Lakes regions. The program focuses on four key areas: healthy coastal ecosystems, sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, resilient coastal communities and economies, and environmental literacy and workforce development. Between February 2019 and January 2020, the program protected over 1.8 million acres of habitat and generated $412.4 million in economic benefits from an $80 million investment. A specific example of its impact is seen in Tybee Island, Georgia, where Sea Grant research helped create the city's first sea level rise plan, resulting in over $700,000 in flood insurance savings for property owners. The program was reauthorized through Fiscal Year 2025 with approximately $483 million in funding.

The Climate Policy Initiative analyzed public climate commitments from over 350 private financial institutions across four sectors. While assets committed to net zero have grown to over USD 93 trillion, the report finds a significant lack of interim targets, detailed transition plans, and comprehensive fossil fuel phase-out strategies.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) Directorate's mid-term report for the 2021-2022 intersessional period details progress in science, capacity building, and communication. Key achievements include the expansion of the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, the launch of the IAI Transdisciplinary (TD) Academy, and the securing of approximately 1.3 million Euros for a drought information project in the La Plata basin. The Directorate also reports contributions to the IPCC 6th Assessment Report and the development of climate-health tools in the Caribbean.

The IAI Executive Direction reports progress on transdisciplinary research, particularly regarding climate-sensitive infectious diseases in the Caribbean and drought monitoring in the La Plata basin. The report highlights the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program and the launch of the IAI Transdisciplinary Academy to improve the interface between science and public policy in the Americas.