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The report outlines a framework for Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy (NAS), drawing on a review of 12 policy instruments from 11 countries. It identifies a global trend where adaptation planning is increasing and regularly updated, but implementation and monitoring and evaluation (M&E) remain weak. For Canada, the authors recommend establishing clear institutional arrangements, a unified climate risk assessment approach, and a robust M&E system. The report emphasizes the need for deep engagement with Indigenous Peoples to advance reconciliation and the integration of gender equality and social inclusion through Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+). It also suggests bridging the gap between climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction (DRR) and elevating nature-based solutions.

The document examines the ongoing negotiations within the WTO's E-commerce Joint Statement Initiative (JSI) regarding services market access. It highlights a significant trade imbalance where developed countries are net exporters of the targeted services, while most developing countries are net importers. The brief discusses the 'challenging' nature of these negotiations, the ambiguity of the legal architecture for the final outcome, and the lack of gender and social inclusion considerations. It suggests that developing countries could benefit from liberalizing 'core' telecommunications and computer services to bridge the digital divide, provided that progressive liberalization and special and differential treatment—similar to the Trade Facilitation Agreement—are incorporated into the final agreement.

The document is a comprehensive educational guide designed to teach the Ojibwe language using a scientific case study on mercury. It includes a full English-Ojibwe transcript of a video explaining the mercury cycle—from industrial emissions to biomagnification in fish—and the results of a seven-year ecosystem experiment. The guide provides detailed linguistic support, including sentence breakdowns, a glossary of terms, and a list of new words created specifically for scientific concepts like 'methylmercury'. It also includes a lesson planning form for educators to implement the material as a listening and sentence-structure exercise.

The document provides an overview of the May 11, 2021, draft consolidated text for a WTO agreement to discipline fisheries subsidies. It outlines three substantive pillars: prohibitions on subsidies for illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; subsidies for overfished stocks; and subsidies contributing to overcapacity and overfishing (OFOC). The brief highlights the 'hybrid' approach for OFOC, which prohibits specific subsidy types unless management measures are in place to maintain biologically sustainable levels. It also details proposed special and differential treatment (SDT) for developing countries and least developed countries (LDCs), including potential exemptions based on GNI per capita or share of global marine capture. Finally, it addresses institutional issues such as transparency, notification requirements, and the role of a potential new Committee to oversee implementation.

Mighty Earth alleges a significant gap between Sumitomo Corporation's public commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050 and its actual business practices. The report highlights Sumitomo's role in importing wood pellets from the US and Canada, which it claims destroys old-growth forests and increases CO2 levels. It also criticizes the company's ongoing development of coal-fired power plants in Southeast Asia, particularly in Bangladesh, noting that these projects cause severe local pollution and human rights issues. Financially, the report notes that Sumitomo has suffered substantial losses from coal-related assets, arguing that the company must accelerate its transition to renewable energy to avoid further stranded assets and environmental destruction.

The report examines the financial health of Roark Capital, noting that despite raising billions for funds like Roark Capital Partners IV and V, the firm has returned relatively little to investors. It highlights the underperformance of the Roark Capital Partners IV fund, which had an annual return (IRR) of just 0.09% as of September 2020. The document details declining sales and store growth at Jimmy John’s and slow expansion at other portfolio brands such as Orangetheory Fitness and Miller’s Ale House. Additionally, it notes that several large institutional investors, including the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, have exited or avoided new investments in Roark funds.

The analysis finds a growing trend of countries incorporating fossil fuel production into their national climate communications, with some establishing pathways for managed decline. However, a significant number of countries still plan for continued or expanded production, and many fail to address the equity and economic diversification needs of a just transition.

The report estimates that 1.2 billion tonnes of food are wasted on farms annually, representing 15.3% of global production. This waste contributes 2.2 gigatonnes of CO2 eq, approximately 4% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. The analysis reveals that high- and middle-income regions contribute a disproportionate share of harvest waste per capita. The document argues that farm-stage waste is driven not only by direct biological or technical factors but by indirect systemic drivers, including market power imbalances, rigid retail specifications, and the diversion of edible food to animal feed. It calls for a 50% reduction target from 'farm to fork' by 2030 and a shift toward holistic interventions involving governments, retailers, and citizens.

The document highlights the necessity of public-private collaboration to decarbonize heavy industry, which contributes approximately 30% of global CO2 emissions. It identifies the Leadership Group for Industry Transition (LeadIT), launched by Sweden and India, as a key arena for international cooperation toward net-zero emissions by 2050. The brief examines specific policy tools such as green public procurement, carbon contracts for difference, and carbon border adjustments, while referencing implementation experiences in countries including South Korea, Denmark, Sweden, Canada, and the UK.

Civil society organizations are calling on the Canadian government to advance Bill C-28, the Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act, to committee before World Environment Day on June 5, 2021. The signatories argue that the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) requires modernization to address evolved scientific understanding of risks and current toxic threats, noting that it has been over two decades since the act entered into force. The letter highlights a lack of progress on recommendations from a 2017 committee report and cites three separate public petitions—collectively gathering over 23,000 signatures—demanding action on CEPA modernization.

The document outlines the environmental and economic benefits of bicycle infrastructure, noting that federal investment rose from $22.9 million in 1992 to over $970 million in 2017. It describes various infrastructure types, such as protected lanes and bike-sharing systems, and highlights a significant increase in cycling and e-bike sales during the Covid-19 pandemic. Data indicates that bicycle commute shares rose in many major U.S. cities between 1990 and 2015, and research suggests that replacing car lanes with bike lanes often has positive effects on local retail and food service businesses.

The IAI report for the 2020-2021 fiscal year indicates that only 57% of approved contributions were received by April 30, 2021, with 8 countries delayed by more than three years. Total expenditures from July 2020 to February 2021 were $777,655, which was 16.7% lower than the budgeted $933,333, primarily due to COVID-19 restrictions on travel and physical meetings. The report also notes that contributions remaining at $5,000 since 1992 have lost approximately 89% of their purchasing power.

This briefing document from the IAI Directorate updates the Conference of the Parties on the implementation of Decisions XXVIII/7 and XXVIII/8 regarding the invitation for Mitacs to become an Associate of the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI).

This briefing document from the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) updates the Conference of the Parties on the implementation of Decisions XXVIII/7 and XXVIII/8 regarding the invitation of Mitacs Canada to become an Associate of the IAI.

The document argues that climate change impacts are not equal and are influenced by intersectional factors such as race, gender, power, and poverty. It provides examples of coalitions uniting debt activists, homeless advocates, racial justice groups, indigenous leaders, women's rights organisations, and labour unions to address systemic inequalities alongside the energy transition. These collaborations range from demanding unconditional debt cancellation for the Global South and vaccine equality to promoting 'carbon banks' for Black farmers in the US and integrating trans rights into environmental movements. The briefing highlights that integrating a social justice lens—recognising interacting systems of oppression—is essential for a diverse and effective climate movement.

Reclaim Finance criticizes BNP Paribas for continuing to finance the expansion of oil and gas despite a pledge to reduce its exposure by 10% between 2020 and 2025. The organization argues that this target is inadequate given the climate emergency and is undermined by the bank's previous funding surges and the exclusion of equity and bond issuances from the commitment. Furthermore, the document highlights that BNP Paribas remains a top financier for majors like Shell, BP, Eni, and Total, contributing to the growth of high-risk sectors such as oil sands, shale gas, and Arctic drilling.

The paper analyzes the spatial politics of the Trans Mountain pipeline, the Coastal GasLink pipeline, and shale gas drilling in New Brunswick. It finds that project proponents typically 'scale up' benefits and 'scale down' impacts, whereas opponents employ the opposite strategy. The authors argue that understanding these spatial strategies can expose power dynamics and biases in legal processes and impact assessments.

The IAI Directorate reported progress in aligning its Scientific Agenda with its Strategic Plan, incorporating revisions from Canada, Argentina, and Colombia. Key scientific initiatives included transdisciplinary projects on vector-borne diseases in Jamaica and St. Lucia, and the development of a COVID-19 working group. The Directorate launched the Science, Technology and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, implemented in two countries, and established partnerships with Mitacs in Canada and the PAGES program. Efforts to bridge science and policy included a virtual workshop on drought policies for Southern South America and the creation of a fire monitoring platform for the triborder Amazon region (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru). The IAI also collaborated with the Belmont Forum on several Collaborative Research Actions (CRA) and published a special issue in the Journal Environmental Development on CRN3 results.

The IAI Executive Directorate reported progress in its strategic plan during 2020-2021 despite COVID-19 challenges. Key achievements include the launch of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) fellowship program, the development of a revised scientific agenda incorporating feedback from Canada, Argentina, and Colombia, and the execution of transdisciplinary projects on climate-driven vector-borne diseases in Jamaica and Saint Lucia. The IAI also expanded its partnerships with the Belmont Forum, Wellcome Trust, and Mitacs Canada, while contributing to the IPCC's chapter on Central and South America.

The document outlines the evolution of modern biotechnology and the subsequent development of the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to protect human health and biodiversity from the adverse effects of living modified organisms (LMOs). It details the Protocol's operationalization of the precautionary approach, its mechanisms for transboundary movement—such as the advance informed agreement (AIA) procedure—and its relationship with trade agreements like the WTO SPS Agreement. The brief also discusses the 2010 Nagoya-Kuala Lumpur Supplementary Protocol on Liability and Redress and highlights the ongoing challenges posed by emerging technologies like synthetic biology and gene drives.