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The report finds that heat pumps are the lowest-cost heating and cooling option for most Canadian households over the system's lifetime, though adoption is hindered by high upfront costs, information gaps, and structural barriers for renters. It recommends streamlining rebates, establishing one-stop shop services, and updating building codes to include cooling requirements.

The report finds that heat pumps are the most economical heating and cooling option for the majority of Canadian households over their system life cycle, particularly in cities like Vancouver, Montreal, and Halifax. Despite this economic advantage, adoption remains low due to behavioral, economic, and structural barriers, including high initial costs, lack of consumer confidence, and complex government rebate programs. The document argues that heat pumps are critical for both decarbonizing residential buildings and increasing resilience against extreme heat, which has caused significant mortality in regions like British Columbia. It recommends that governments maintain financial supports, simplify application processes through 'one-stop shops', implement indoor maximum temperature limits in building codes, and mandate high-efficiency, non-polluting systems in new constructions where electrically-powered heating is most cost-effective.

The document analyzes adaptation planning across 136 large coastal cities, finding that over 50% lack formal plans and most existing policies fail to align with actual climate risks. It introduces the ARPA and APC frameworks to measure policy alignment and credibility, noting a significant gap between planning and implementation. Furthermore, it highlights a critical lack of outcome-based monitoring and evaluation, with 95% of indicators focusing on outputs. The brief argues for the integration of 'subaltern' knowledge to improve the social legitimacy and effectiveness of urban adaptation.

The briefing assesses the intersection of climate change and U.S. national security, noting progress in regional strategies and whole-of-government planning while highlighting critical gaps in climate finance and implementation. It recommends that the U.S. institutionalize climate security through expanded personnel training, the development of a National Adaptation Plan, and the use of strategic foresight tools like wargaming to prepare for worst-case climate scenarios.

The document highlights the critical state of global freshwater ecosystems, noting that one in three freshwater species face extinction and only one-third of long rivers remain free-flowing. It identifies unsustainable agriculture and poorly planned infrastructure as primary drivers of degradation, both exacerbated by climate change. The author calls for the Global Biodiversity Framework to include specific numerical restoration targets by 2030: 300,000 kilometers of rivers and 350 million hectares of inland waters. It further advocates for the elevation of freshwater to the same priority level as land and sea in conservation goals, urging the use of nature-based solutions and financial support to ensure water security and support the clean energy transition.

The document outlines a framework for operationalizing the environment-health nexus in Asia and the Pacific, supporting a regional application of the 2022 global One Health Joint Plan of Action. It emphasizes the need for integrated decision-making across health, biodiversity, food systems, and climate action to protect human well-being and ecosystems. The text also highlights the increasing involvement of civil society health organizations in global biodiversity governance, specifically noting their participation in the 15th UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 15) to prioritize environmental determinants of health.

The Competition Bureau of Canada has commenced an inquiry into the Canadian Gas Association (CGA) following an application by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. The investigation focuses on whether the CGA engaged in reviewable conduct under the Competition Act through its "Fuelling Canada" advertising campaign and other public representations concerning natural gas.

The report identifies subnational pension funds as a significant source of untapped capital for urban climate action, estimating at least USD 9.5 trillion in assets across Brazil, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, South Africa, the UK, and the US. It details structural barriers such as low risk appetite and limited fund size, as well as external barriers like a lack of bankable project pipelines and ticket size mismatches. To overcome these, the document recommends the use of financial instruments such as blended finance, green bonds, and supply-side aggregation (pooling), while urging funds to make net zero commitments and build internal capacity.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) urges the Edmonton City Council to ban cosmetic pesticides, asserting that such bans are popular, cost-effective, and essential for protecting human and environmental health. CAPE argues that the current risk assessment approach is insufficient and advocates for an 'alternatives assessment' paradigm that prioritizes hazard prevention over acceptable risk. The document links pesticide use to broader planetary health crises, noting that pesticides can negatively impact soil biodiversity and carbon sequestration, thereby exacerbating the climate emergency. CAPE cites various health risks associated with pesticides, including links to cancers, reproductive problems, and Parkinson's disease, and points to successful bans in other jurisdictions as models for Edmonton to follow.

The document outlines the transition to electric trucks across passenger pickups, delivery vans, box trucks, and heavy-duty rigs in North America, highlighting that several segments are economically viable for electrification now and could significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

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 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 synthesizes scientific evidence on the wide-ranging health impacts of traffic-related air pollution (TRAP), emphasizing its disproportionate effect on marginalized populations and its role in exacerbating COVID-19. It advocates for decisive policy, legislative, and regulatory interventions to reduce emissions and protect public health.

The report finds that while Canadian community foundations (CCFs) have grown their endowments to nearly CAD 7 billion as of 2020, they have largely failed to use these assets to combat climate change. Most CCFs rely on vague 'ESG integration' for risk mitigation rather than pursuing climate-positive investments. The analysis reveals significant capacity gaps and a lack of diversity on investment committees, which often act as barriers to strategic change. The report recommends moving toward positive screening, increasing transparency of holdings, and joining the Canadian Philanthropy Commitment on Climate Change to align financial assets with community climate goals.

This policy guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development advocates for the integration of health and environmental sectors to address the "triple planetary crisis" of climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss. It aims to bridge the gap between health professionals and global environmental policy negotiations to support planetary health and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The report examines how six cities (Athens, Auckland, Barcelona, Glasgow, Lima, and Montreal) are evolving their climate adaptation tracking. It finds a general tendency to focus on outputs rather than outcomes, but highlights innovative approaches such as participatory planning in Lima, vulnerability mapping in Glasgow, and the creation of 'climate shelters' in Barcelona to better measure actual benefits to populations.

The author contends that climate, growth, and social goals are inseparable, warning that neglecting any of these dimensions undermines Canada's long-term competitiveness. The text highlights the vulnerability of high-emission provinces like Alberta and Saskatchewan, the growth potential of clean technology exports, and the disproportionate impact of climate change on low-income populations and Indigenous reserves. It concludes that recovery policies should move beyond a return to the status quo by addressing the interlinked nature of economic and social prosperity.

The Canadian Climate Institute introduces a framework of 11 indicators to track 'clean growth' in Canada, balancing economic prosperity with climate action. The report identifies that while most provinces have decoupled GDP growth from GHG emissions since 2005, significant gaps remain in technology adoption, data collection for climate costs, and the protection of vulnerable populations and ecosystems. It argues for a 'skeptical optimism' approach, where governments actively resolve barriers to transition rather than assuming growth will naturally follow emission declines.