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This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment within the large-scale mining sector. It analyzes immediate impacts on direct and indirect labor, the role of national lockdown policies, and the long-term structural shifts toward automation and localized supply chains, while providing recommendations for building future resilience.

This research paper by Aaron Cosbey of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the conceptual, legal, and geopolitical challenges of implementing Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs). It analyzes BCAs as tools to address industrial competitiveness and carbon leakage, while evaluating their compatibility with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and their potential impact on international climate negotiations.

This briefing provides an overview of Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) provisions within 68 Indian International Investment Agreements (IIAs) signed between 1995 and 2010. It categorizes these provisions into three types based on their formulation and examines the extent to which India defines the normative content of FET to guide arbitral interpretation.

This report examines the opportunities and challenges for the Canadian agricultural sector within evolving national and international climate change regimes. It analyzes the sector's mitigation potential, the role of bioenergy, the development of agricultural carbon offsets, and the impact of climate policies on international competitiveness and trade.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) discusses gaps in life-cycle assessments (LCAs) used to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the built environment. It argues that current LCAs may misdirect decarbonization efforts due to data gaps, lack of transparency, and the omission of biogenic carbon emissions from wood products.

This briefing describes a Canadian study by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) that identifies critical gaps in Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) used to measure greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the built environment. The study warns that current LCAs may mislead decision-makers by omitting biogenic carbon from wood products and ignoring regional variability, potentially resulting in suboptimal decarbonization efforts for buildings.

This research paper examines the distributive welfare impacts of energy price increases resulting from a Kyoto Protocol scenario—specifically a 6% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from 1990 levels. Using a welfare model based on consumer surplus and data from the Canadian residential sector, the authors simulate how different income groups are affected and propose compensation mechanisms to ensure equity.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) provides recommendations for integrating environmental and public interest protections into the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The author argues that the new agreement should move beyond the 'soft legal obligations' of recent mega-regional deals like CETA and the TPP, instead strengthening the legacy of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC) to ensure trade liberalization aligns with sustainable development.

This executive summary details an expert meeting held on June 13, 2018, in Ottawa, Canada, organized by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). The meeting brought together representatives from the Canadian government, academics, and civil society to discuss the reform of international investment law and the revision of Canada's model Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA). The discussions focused on transitioning from a traditional investment protection model to one that promotes sustainable development and addresses the negative impacts of Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms.

Demand for eco-certified fish is growing in the US and Europe, driven by young consumers and those viewing the products as status symbols. In the US, supermarket choice is influenced by eco-certification commitments, while Canada's primary European export markets include France, Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Spain.

This fact sheet by the International Institute for Sustainable Development evaluates Argentina's government support for fossil fuels, ranking it second among G20 non-OECD member countries. While the country shows relatively good transparency and low support for fossil fuel use, it provides substantial funding for oil and gas production, primarily through state-owned enterprise (SOE) investments.

This report, submitted by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to the UNFCCC First Global Stocktake, analyzes the failure of governments to align public financial flows with the Paris Agreement. It argues that public support for fossil fuels remains high and often increases, creating a financial barrier to clean energy deployment. The document provides evidence of subsidy trends, the impact of COVID-19 recovery packages, and offers a framework for fossil fuel subsidy reform (FFSR) to accelerate the energy transition while ensuring social equity.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the implications of the July 2025 International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the Obligations of States in Respect of Climate Change, specifically regarding environmentally harmful subsidies. It argues that the ICJ's findings transform the phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies from a political commitment into a legal imperative, potentially exposing states to international and domestic litigation.

This report is a response from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) to the United Nations Secretariat regarding the mandate review of the Internet Governance Forum (IGF). IISD recommends renewing the IGF's mandate for a second five-year term but argues that the forum must evolve from a general discussion space into a multi-function body with greater analytic capacity, increased transparency in its governance, and stronger linkages to global policy issues such as sustainable development and climate change.

The document outlines the International Institute for Sustainable Development's (IISD) 'CREATE' strategic framework for 2020-2025. This strategy focuses on five priority areas—Climate, Resources, Economies, Act Together, and Engage—to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resources, and fair economies in response to global disruptions including the COVID-19 pandemic.

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) promotes a watershed-scale bioeconomy that utilizes naturally occurring plant materials and agricultural by-products to create sustainable industries. By bundling tangible products (like bioenergy and bioplastics) with ecosystem services (such as nutrient recovery and carbon credits), IISD aims to improve water quality and rural economies. Examples include using cattails in the Lake Winnipeg region of Canada and common reeds at Wuliangsuhai Lake in China to remove excess nutrients from the environment while generating commercial revenue.

The IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is a natural laboratory in northwestern Ontario, Canada, consisting of 58 small lakes and their watersheds used for whole-ecosystem scientific research. Operated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, the facility conducts experiments to inform environmental policies and regulations regarding climate change, pollutants, and water management.

This fact sheet from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) describes the climate change research findings of the IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) in Northwestern Ontario, Canada. It highlights trends in air temperature, lake ice cover, water clarity, and the resulting impacts on lake trout populations.

This fact sheet describes the activities of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Energy Program, which provides guidance to authorities on transitioning to sustainable energy systems, reforming fossil fuel subsidies, and implementing international climate commitments.

This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development describes the ecological and economic importance of wetlands, with a specific focus on Manitoba, Canada. It details the services wetlands provide—such as flood mitigation, water filtration, and carbon sequestration—while highlighting the severe loss of these ecosystems due to agriculture and urbanization. The document also explores innovative uses for cattails as bioenergy and discusses regional conservation and restoration initiatives.