Search Climate Insights Directory

The report examines the legal and political landscape of Canada regarding Indigenous peoples' rights to land and conservation. It argues that the Canadian state generally does not recognize ICCAs, instead maintaining a colonial framework that prioritizes Crown sovereignty and resource extraction over Indigenous self-determination. While comprehensive agreements for Inuit and some First Nations provide a level of co-management, most Indigenous peoples face systemic barriers, including the Indian Act and a lack of political will to respect inherent rights. The document highlights the 'duty to consult' as a critical legal tool and provides case studies on Torngat Mountains National Park, Gwaii Haanas, and Ipperwash Provincial Park to illustrate the spectrum from co-governance to violent conflict.

The document evaluates the British Columbia carbon tax as an effective model for low-carbon development that has reduced emissions without hindering economic growth. It compares BC's approach with other Canadian provincial and federal strategies, highlighting a closing gap in carbon pricing across the country. The briefing identifies key risks to future success, including the expansion of the natural gas sector and the lack of carbon pricing in the United States. IISD recommends retaining the tax and considering integrated mitigation and adaptation strategies.

The brief uses the Canadian Integrated Modelling System (CIMS) to evaluate proposed regulations requiring new or modified coal plants to meet a performance standard of 375 g CO2e/kWh. The analysis projects that these regulations would reduce electricity sector emissions by 5 million tonnes (Mt) in 2020 and 20 Mt by 2030, with an average cost of $26 per tonne of GHG reduced. The findings indicate that coal generation would be primarily displaced by natural gas turbines, which are expected to account for 77-78% of the replacement, while carbon capture and storage (CCS) and renewables would play smaller roles.

The report details the public health dangers of flooding, including drowning, waterborne diseases, mold-induced respiratory issues, and mental health trauma. It argues that climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme precipitation and sea-level rise, exacerbating these risks, particularly in areas with combined sewer overflow systems and high-density floodplain development.

The report examines how Canadian watershed organizations interact with the determinants of human health. Through self-assessments of five organizations—the Fraser Basin Council, Cowichan Watershed Board, Save Our Seine River Environment Inc., Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, and Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority—the study finds that while watershed activities often have implicit health benefits, there is a significant lack of explicit integration and capacity to collaborate with the public health sector. The authors argue that watersheds can serve as integrative mechanisms for intersectoral action, potentially delivering a "double dividend" of improved environmental and human health.

The report finds modest progress in reorienting Canadian teacher education toward sustainability, noting that while pedagogical approaches consistent with ESD are increasingly used, institutional adoption remains fragmented and often driven by individual faculty champions rather than faculty-wide mandates. Key barriers include funding challenges, communication gaps, and the constraint of provincial teacher certification requirements, which are largely determined by ministries of education rather than the faculties themselves.

The report analyzes EGS programs in the UK, Australia, France, Switzerland, the US, and Canada, emphasizing the shift from regulatory approaches to economic incentives. It highlights the importance of multifunctionality, geographic targeting, and public accountability. For Manitoba, it recommends a consolidated, watershed-based approach incorporating performance measurement and adaptive management.

The Canadian Internet Forum (CIF), held between November 2010 and February 2011, identified a consensus among stakeholders that the Internet's pervasive economic, social, and cultural impacts create a strong public interest in its future development in Canada. The process highlighted the need for a permanent public forum involving government, the private sector, and civil society to address the opportunities and challenges associated with Internet deployment and digital literacy.

The report examines IWRM initiatives in the Okanagan Basin (BC), Lower Souris River Watershed (SK), Yamaska Watershed (QC), and Souris River Watershed (PEI). It finds that while federal financial support for beneficial management practices (BMPs) is critical, there is a systemic disconnect between high-level watershed planning and on-farm implementation. Key drivers for farmer participation include financial incentives, a local 'sense of place,' and the availability of on-farm extension support. Barriers include complex bureaucracy, fear of regulation, and declining federal technical services. The report recommends a 'nested' approach to watershed management and a shift toward providing core operational funding for local watershed organizations to professionalize IWRM capacity.

The report examines the division of water management responsibilities between Canada's federal and provincial governments, highlighting significant gaps in monitoring, pollution control, and drinking water safety. It argues that the federal government should leverage its 'peace, order and good government' (POGG) power to provide national leadership, particularly in the face of climate change and the need for consistent water quality standards.

The report examines ten indigenous carbon market projects across Canada, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. It highlights diverse methodologies—including afforestation, avoided deforestation, and traditional fire management—to demonstrate how carbon revenues can support environmental, cultural, and economic goals. The document identifies systemic challenges such as a lack of federal policy, difficulties with third-party verification of tribal land governance, and the technical complexity of proving 'additionality'. It recommends participatory planning, the use of voluntary markets for 'co-benefits', and the development of indigenous-specific verification resources to ensure local ownership and sustainability.

The study examines three scenarios for greening data centres at Dalhousie University, the University of Ottawa, and the University of Alberta. It finds that relocating to remote renewable sites (Scenario 1) or urban low-emission grids (Scenario 2) is economically unviable due to high capital costs. Only on-site waste heat recovery (Scenario 3) showed a positive net present value for one institution. The report suggests a 'green community cloud' managed by CANARIE as a more viable alternative to individual university efforts.

The report analyzes how the Canadian agricultural sector can contribute to greenhouse gas reductions and the economic implications of emerging climate policies. It highlights the potential for carbon sequestration in soils and the role of bioenergy, while discussing the complexities of implementing a national cap-and-trade system. Key concerns include the integrity of agricultural offsets, the risk of carbon reversal, and the impact of international trade rules and U.S. policy alignment on Canadian competitiveness.

The document examines Canada's position as a major energy producer and the risks associated with its fragmented, province-led energy approach. It highlights the tension between Canada's traditional energy exports—particularly oil sands—and the global shift toward clean energy. The authors argue that a national strategy is essential to meet climate goals, protect trade interests (especially with the U.S.), and establish global leadership in technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS). It also assesses the current 'patchwork' of international energy governance, including the roles of the IEA, IRENA, and trade agreements like NAFTA.

The paper analyzes the technical and political requirements for linking cap-and-trade systems in North America, specifically focusing on the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. It argues that while linking reduces overall carbon costs and GDP impacts, it may not significantly mitigate production leakage. The authors identify critical design elements requiring harmonization—such as cap type, offset limits, and enforcement quality—and conclude that divergent national interests make a fully integrated system unlikely, with a minimal U.S.-Canada link and a more significant U.S.-Mexico link being the most probable outcome.

The report examines the integration of agricultural practices into Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) frameworks across Canada and internationally. It identifies the watershed as the appropriate planning unit and highlights the critical role of private agricultural landowners in achieving environmental sustainability. Through an inventory of provincial initiatives and global case studies, the document analyzes the social, economic, and technical drivers of success, emphasizing the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration, long-term monitoring, and financial incentives for beneficial management practices (BMPs). It concludes with recommendations for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) to coordinate federal efforts and increase support for watershed-scale agricultural sustainability.

The report assesses government support for liquid biofuels in Canada, finding that total transfers between 2006 and 2008 ranged from C$860 million to C$1.02 billion. It argues that these subsidies are an expensive way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve fossil fuels, often providing poor value for money compared to purchasing carbon offsets. While Canada has implemented some effective targeting and caps to limit costs, the report highlights poor transparency, a lack of rigorous environmental evaluation, and the potential for future infrastructure costs driven by blending mandates.

The report details a workshop held on March 26, 2009, which brought together academics, policy-makers, and researchers to assess Manitoba's readiness for climate change. It identifies key climate risks for the Prairie region, such as water scarcity and ecosystem shifts, and outlines existing provincial activities like the 'Beyond Kyoto' action plan and various sustainable agriculture and water management projects. Participants highlighted significant barriers to adaptation, including short-term policy thinking, a lack of community-level capacity, and the absence of an overarching provincial adaptation strategy. The document proposes the creation of a Manitoba Climate Research Table to coordinate efforts and break down institutional silos, and discusses the Regional Adaptation Collaborative (RAC) program funded by Natural Resources Canada to address water issues in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba.

The report argues that the Lake Winnipeg Basin is highly suitable for water quality trading (WQT) because agricultural nonpoint sources contribute between 59% and 97% of phosphorus loads in the Canadian portion of the basin. It proposes a multi-level architecture combining inter sub-basin trading (using a trading ratio model to meet overall lake targets) and intra sub-basin trading (using reverse auctions to incentivize best management practices). The authors suggest that the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and Canada Water Act provide the necessary regulatory basis, and recommend a composite market structure to minimize transaction costs.

The document analyzes the landscape of emissions trading schemes (ETS) in North America, noting that while regional initiatives like the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) and Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) are advanced, national efforts in the US and Canada face coordination challenges. It argues that linking is logical due to economic ties, but current designs—particularly Canada's intensity-based targets—create barriers to bilateral links with absolute-cap schemes. The author concludes that a US federal scheme would likely preempt most state schemes, while Canada may use equivalency agreements to allow provincial schemes to persist.