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This briefing from the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines strategies to build climate-resilient urban food systems, focusing on the cities of Calgary and Edmonton. It argues that strengthening local food production and diversifying supply chains can mitigate risks posed by extreme weather and global supply shocks.

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.

The Community Energy Resource Guide, published by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in December 2015, provides a comprehensive roadmap for U.S. communities to develop energy action plans. It outlines a collaborative planning process, methods for analyzing energy landscapes, and specific tactics across the buildings, electricity, transportation, and industry sectors to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

This fact sheet provides an overview of the software tools, online platforms, and research activities developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) to support climate change mitigation and adaptation. The document details specific tools for energy planning (LEAP), water resources planning (WEAP), consumption-based environmental impact accounting (REAP), and knowledge sharing for adaptation (weADAPT), while outlining SEI's strategic focus on capacity-building and the integration of these tools to address sustainable development challenges.

The 2012 Seattle Community Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory, prepared by the Stockholm Environment Institute, analyzes emissions from 1990 to 2012. It distinguishes between 'core' emissions (road transportation, building energy, and waste) and 'expanded' emissions (including industry, air, marine, and rail travel). The report finds that while absolute core emissions declined slightly, per person emissions dropped significantly despite population and job growth.

This research paper presents a long-term scenario for deep greenhouse gas (GHG) abatement in Seattle, Washington, focusing on a 'core' emissions framework and bottom-up scenario analysis to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

This 2011 fact sheet explains district energy systems, which use central plants and underground pipes to provide efficient heating and cooling to clusters of buildings. It highlights the role of combined heat and power (CHP) and renewable energy in these systems, noting that while over 700 such systems exist in the U.S., high upfront costs and policy gaps remain barriers to further expansion.

This research paper explores the application of global equity and "burden-sharing" principles to community-scale climate action planning. Using the City of Seattle as a case study, the authors apply the Greenhouse Development Rights (GDR) framework to demonstrate that an equitable global mitigation obligation for a wealthy city would require it to go carbon "negative" by 2020, meaning it must reduce its own emissions while financing low-carbon transitions in developing regions.

This briefing by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides a comprehensive guide for homeowners to reduce their carbon footprint through energy-efficiency measures. It establishes a baseline for the typical American single-family home and outlines a strategic, cost-effective path toward achieving climate neutrality by 2012 through a combination of behavioral changes, equipment upgrades, green power, and carbon offsets.

This 1998 report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the U.S. Department of Energy examines how energy-efficient building design—specifically improvements in lighting, heating, and cooling—can lead to significant increases in worker productivity, reduced absenteeism, and improved work quality. Through eight case studies of commercial and industrial facilities, the authors argue that the economic gains from productivity often far exceed the direct energy cost savings, making efficient design a highly cost-effective business strategy.

This case study describes a fictitious company, MultiPaint, Inc. (MPI), which faces a crisis when toxic contamination is discovered at its idle downtown manufacturing site. Despite a recent marketing campaign emphasizing environmental safety, the company must navigate legal, financial, and public relations challenges while evaluating five distinct options for the contaminated property.

This research paper, prepared for the Government of Manitoba by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, examines models for measuring sustainable development performance at the provincial, state, and municipal levels. It reviews specific initiatives in Alberta, Oregon, Colorado, Seattle, and Jacksonville to identify strengths and weaknesses in indicator selection and application. The document proposes a causal framework based on the Pressure-State-Response (PSR) model to better link human activities to environmental and social outcomes, providing a methodological guide for developing a sustainable development reporting system in Manitoba.

This teaching note, prepared by the World Resources Institute's Sustainable Enterprise Program, discusses a life-cycle analysis comparing disposable and reusable diapers conducted by Arthur D. Little for The Procter & Gamble Company. It evaluates the environmental trade-offs between the two options and details P&G's corporate responses to negative publicity regarding disposable diapers.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute outlines the technology, environmental benefits, and economic considerations of hybrid-electric buses compared to conventional diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in North America.

This report chapter argues that climate change can be mitigated profitably through a 'resource productivity revolution.' It details the science of the greenhouse effect and asserts that energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable land-use practices are more cost-effective than continuing fossil fuel reliance or investing in nuclear power. Using examples from the U.S., Sweden, and India, it demonstrates that reducing carbon emissions can lower costs and improve living standards.

This fact sheet describes the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), an international non-profit research organization focused on sustainability, climate change, and environmental policy. It outlines SEI's organizational structure, its commitment to open access and collaborative research, and the specific thematic focuses of its eight global centers.

This research synthesis briefing from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) outlines the institute's work on sustainable consumption, production, and trade. It focuses on the development of consumption-based accounting tools to reveal the full environmental costs of goods and services, the role of government and business in driving sustainable behavior, and the vulnerabilities inherent in complex global supply chains.