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178 results
Manitoba’s Biomass Fuel: Protecting our environment and saving us money
This policy brief from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that biomass is a viable and abundant renewable energy source in Manitoba. It highlights the potential for both traditional and ecological biomass to replace fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide environmental benefits such as nutrient removal from landscapes. The document calls for the Government of Manitoba to support bioenergy markets through financial investment, infrastructure development, and research into high-value bioproducts.
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Document type: Policy brief
Stormwater Markets: Concepts and applications
This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the causes and impacts of urban stormwater runoff and evaluates various governance and financing mechanisms to manage it. The authors contrast traditional 'gray' engineered infrastructure with 'green' infrastructure (GI) and propose the development of stormwater markets—specifically through allowance trading and credits—to attract private investment and reduce the financial burden on public utilities.
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Document type: Report
Comments in response to the Draft Screening Assessment re Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S), Sodium Sulfide (Na(SH)) and Sodium Sulfide (Na2S)
A joint statement from five environmental and health organizations opposing a Draft Screening Assessment by Environment and Climate Change Canada that proposed hydrogen sulfide (H2S), sodium bisulfide (Na(SH)), and sodium sulfide (Na2S) do not meet toxicity criteria under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA). The organizations argue that H2S should be classified as toxic due to risks to communities near oil and gas operations, the adverse health effects of olfactory nuisance, and flaws in the government's neurological and respiratory risk analyses.
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Document type: Statement
Tracking the SDGs in Canadian Cities: SDG 1
This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 1 (ending poverty) across 13 Canadian cities. Using four specific indicators derived from UN recommendations and available data, the report finds that while child poverty is declining and social assistance coverage is broad, overall poverty rates have been volatile and are slowly increasing in most tracked cities, deviating from the 2030 target.
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Document type: Briefing
Overview: Pesticides & Human Health
This briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment summarizes three systematic reviews regarding the adverse human health effects of pesticide exposure. It details the types of pesticides, routes of exposure, and the specific risks posed to vulnerable populations, concluding that the health hazards of toxic pesticides outweigh the benefits of cosmetic use.
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Document type: Briefing
Ontario's Nuclear Emergency Response Plan is Far from Adequate
A briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) arguing that Ontario's Nuclear Emergency Response Plan is outdated and insufficient to handle a catastrophic accident of the scale seen at Fukushima.
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Document type: Briefing
Les pesticides et la santé humaine
This fact sheet by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment summarizes three systematic reviews to outline the adverse health effects of pesticide exposure, emphasizing the vulnerability of children and pregnant women and advocating for the ban of cosmetic pesticide use.
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Document type: Fact sheet
COSTS OF POLLUTION IN CANADA
This executive summary, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in June 2017, synthesizes existing studies to estimate the economic and health costs of pollution in Canada. It highlights that while some pollutants like urban smog are well-documented, significant data gaps exist for others, such as persistent organic pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions, meaning the total annual costs likely reach tens of billions of dollars.
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Document type: Executive summary
A PROJECT OF GREAT CONCERN: CHALK RIVER’S PROPOSED NUCLEAR WASTE SITE
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) opposes a proposal by Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) to build a large-scale nuclear waste site at Chalk River, Ontario, citing severe environmental and safety risks.
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Document type: Statement
RECALIBRATING CALIFORNIA’S CAP-AND-TRADE PROGRAM TO ACCOUNT FOR OVERSUPPLY
This report by Energy Innovation provides a quantitative analysis of the linked California-Quebec cap-and-trade program, identifying a systemic oversupply of carbon allowances. The author argues that emissions have fallen faster than regulators expected due to successful climate policies, technological innovation, and economic trends. While the program's price floor and holding limits act as stabilizers, the report suggests that the current oversupply has led to undersubscribed auctions. The author proposes four policy reforms—lowering caps, switching to annual compliance, increasing the price floor, and reducing free allowances—to drive more significant emission reductions and provide stable revenue for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.
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Document type: Report
Neonics, Bees & Food Security
This briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) examines the ecological and public health risks associated with neonicotinoid pesticides, focusing on their impact on pollinators and food security, and details regulatory responses in Ontario and by Health Canada.
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Document type: Briefing
Política Pública en Materia de Bonos Verdes: Principales Avances de 2016
This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative outlines the progress of public policy regarding green bonds in 2016 and projections for 2017. It highlights the emergence of sovereign green bonds, the role of green bonds in financing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and various innovative financial tools used by governments to attract private capital for climate infrastructure.
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Document type: Briefing
GETTING THE MOST OUT OF GRID MODERNIZATION
This research paper by Energy Innovation outlines a five-step framework for state regulators to design grid modernization programs that maximize benefits for customers. The authors emphasize the use of outcome-oriented metrics across three primary goals—affordability, resilience, and environmental performance—and suggest tying utility revenue to performance against these targets to align incentives.
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Document type: Research paper
Ontarios coal plant phase-out produced many health and environmental benefits
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) issued a statement responding to a Fraser Institute report, arguing that the phase-out of coal-fired power plants in Ontario provided significant health and environmental benefits. CAPE asserts that coal plants were major contributors to sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury, and greenhouse gas emissions, and that their closure contributed to measurable declines in air pollution and related health burdens.
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Document type: Statement
Public Policy Assessment and Advancing Science-Based Freshwater Protection
This briefing paper proposes a systematic, science-informed methodology to assess the adequacy of Canadian public policy in addressing threats to freshwater resources and aquatic biodiversity. It introduces a hierarchical threat classification system and a framework for identifying gaps between existing management instruments and scientific research needs to inform a pan-Canadian approach to freshwater management.
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Document type: Briefing
Building a Climate-Resilient City
This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development explores economic and financial strategies for building climate-resilient cities, with a specific focus on Alberta, Canada. It advocates for moving beyond traditional financial accounting to 'multiple-bottom-line' approaches and the valuation of ecosystem services to prioritize cost-effective adaptation over reactive disaster response.
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Document type: Briefing
Climate Change Adaptation and Resiliency for the Health Care Sector
This submission by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care and partners outlines recommendations for increasing the resiliency and sustainability of the Canadian health care sector in response to climate change. It emphasizes the need for infrastructure renewal, the adoption of renewable energy, and the integration of climate resiliency assessments into health care facility management to ensure continuous service delivery during extreme weather events.
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Document type: Report
Cosmetic Pesticides Bans: Highlights, Best Practices & Lessons Learned
This briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) outlines the regulatory landscape of cosmetic pesticide bans in Canada, comparing provincial and municipal approaches. It evaluates the effectiveness of 'white lists' versus 'black lists', examines the impact of specific bans through various studies, and provides a set of best practices for implementing effective prohibitions to protect human health and the environment.
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Document type: Briefing
Cosmetic Pesticides – Provincial Policies & Municipal Bylaws: Lessons Learned & Best Practices
This report by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) analyzes provincial policies and municipal bylaws regarding the cosmetic use of pesticides in Canada. It evaluates the structure, implementation, and efficacy of these regulations, identifying best practices for protecting public health and the environment while critiquing weaknesses such as broad exceptions for golf courses and the lack of indoor pesticide regulation.
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Document type: Report
Meeting Canada's Subsidy Phase-Out Goal: What it means in Ontario
This briefing from the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) discusses the commitment of Canada and other G-7 nations to phase out fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. It introduces a series of notes aimed at identifying both production and consumption subsidies, beginning with an analysis of Ontario, where the removal of environmentally harmful subsidies is presented as a necessary step alongside the province's previous achievements in phasing out coal and pricing carbon.
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Document type: Briefing