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This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes the design of federal greenhouse gas (GHG) regulations for Canada's oil and gas sector. The authors argue that because the sector has a limited ability to deliver emission intensity improvements by 2020, regulations must incorporate compliance flexibility—both within the sector (via credit trading) and beyond the sector (via price ceilings and offsets)—to remain cost-effective while increasing environmental ambition.

This report examines the integration of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) within technical-vocational education and training (TVET) in Manitoba, Canada. It identifies promising practices, such as the development of a new alternative energy program and the inclusion of sustainability outcomes in curricula, while highlighting significant barriers including lack of funding for green equipment, insufficient teacher training, and a gap in provincial-level policy guidance. The report suggests strengthening partnerships with industry to identify green skill demands and expanding professional development for educators to better prepare students for a green economy.

This report analyzes the legal and institutional frameworks in Canada as they relate to Indigenous Peoples' Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCAs). It examines the tension between Canadian state law—characterized by a history of colonialism and assimilation—and the inherent rights of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples to govern their traditional lands and resources.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) evaluates the impact of British Columbia's carbon tax and provides recommendations for its future. The document argues that the tax has successfully reduced emissions without hindering economic growth and suggests maintaining the current policy structure while addressing emerging challenges such as natural gas expansion and price misalignment with the United States.

This report by Friends of the Earth International (ATI) details global campaigns to defend community rights against corporate interests and neoliberal paradigms. It highlights various case studies where local and indigenous communities have resisted extractive industries, such as mining in Costa Rica and the Philippines, oil exploitation in Nigeria, and tar sands in Canada and the US, while promoting alternatives like community forest governance and food sovereignty.

This case study report examines agricultural participation in Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) across four Canadian watersheds: the Okanagan Basin (BC), Lower Souris River (SK), Yamaska (QC), and Souris River (PEI). It analyzes the drivers and barriers to producer engagement, the institutional structures governing water management, and the resources provided by federal and provincial governments. The report concludes that while financial incentives are a primary driver for adopting beneficial management practices (BMPs), there is a critical need for better integration between high-level IWRM planning and on-the-ground agri-environmental implementation, supported by localized technical extension and consistent monitoring data.

This report evaluates Integrated Place-based Management (IPM) initiatives, focusing on how goals are defined and how monitoring and evaluation frameworks measure long-term environmental and governance impacts. It analyzes Canadian and international case studies to identify trends in the transition from short-term project reporting to long-term, adaptive monitoring that combines outcome-based environmental indicators with process-based governance indicators.

This report evaluates the feasibility of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from university data centres in Canada by analyzing three relocation or modification scenarios and proposing a 'green community cloud' alternative. The study focuses on three institutions: Dalhousie University, the University of Ottawa, and the University of Alberta.

This report, an excerpt from a paper presented at the Banff Dialogue in April 2010, argues for the creation of a coherent national energy strategy for Canada to better manage its diverse energy resources and navigate its heavy trade dependence on the United States while transitioning toward low-carbon energy.

This research paper, prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) for the 2010 World Resources Report, argues that existing government practices can be harnessed to manage the risks and uncertainties of climate change. The authors propose a framework of seven adaptive policy-making practices divided into 'planned adaptability' and 'autonomous adaptability' to help policy-makers navigate complex, unpredictable socio-economic and ecological systems.

This 2009 research paper examines the energy relationships between Canada, the United States, and Mexico, focusing on how their integrated energy infrastructure and differing regulatory regimes impact climate change policy. It details the energy profiles of each nation, discusses the role of agencies like the NEB and FERC, and identifies potential trade frictions such as 'Buy American' rules and low-carbon fuel standards. The author proposes three policy scenarios for 2020, concluding that a 'bottom-up' approach with increasing bilateral linkages between Canada and the U.S. is the most probable outcome.

This case study examines the environmental information infrastructure supporting lentil production and conservation tillage in Canada, specifically within the Prairie region. It analyzes how information flows between farmers, researchers, and organizations to manage soil fertility and erosion, while identifying gaps between farm-level informal monitoring and national-level formal reporting.

This research paper examines the potential for climate change mitigation through land-use measures in the agriculture and forestry sectors, focusing on the challenges of integrating these sectors into international policy frameworks like the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. It analyzes technical barriers such as permanence and leakage, the role of REDD in developing countries, and Canada's domestic approach to carbon accounting and emissions trading.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the role of agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) in climate change mitigation. It analyzes the potential for carbon sequestration in developing countries, the technical and financial obstacles to including these sectors in international agreements, and the specific policy positions and regulatory frameworks of Canada.

This resource handbook, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in 2008, provides guidance for First Nations communities in Saskatchewan on participating in environmental assessment (EA) processes. It outlines the roles of provincial and federal governments, the responsibilities of project proponents, and the legal framework surrounding the Crown's duty to consult. The document offers practical strategies for First Nations to build internal capacity, access funding, and engage in the EA process to protect their lands, rights, and cultural interests.

This research paper, prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for Environment Canada, outlines a conceptual framework for developing an Environment Outlook for Canada (EOC). It defines an environment outlook as a forward-looking integrated assessment that analyzes environmental change, causes, impacts, and policy responses to support proactive decision-making. The document details the potential scope, products, and governance structures for an EOC, emphasizing the need for a participatory process to ensure the resulting data is salient, credible, and legitimate.

This research paper, written by Dale S. Rothman of the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for Environment Canada, serves as a conceptual document for the development of the Canadian Environmental Outlook (CEO). It defines the CEO as an integrated environmental assessment designed to provide a forward-looking analysis of the interactions between society and the environment to support strategic decision-making and policy formulation in Canada.

This report, prepared by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), develops a conceptual methodology called the 'Impact Pathway approach' to value changes in agri-environmental indicators. The report tests this methodology on five specific indicators: Risk of Water Erosion, Risk of Water Contamination by Phosphorus, GHG Emissions, Energy Use Efficiency, and Wildlife Habitat Availability. It identifies critical data gaps, particularly in transport modelling for water-related indicators, and explores linkages between these valuations and integrated economic-environmental modelling and social indicators.

This research paper examines agri-environmental and rural development programs within the WTO framework, specifically focusing on the 'Green Box' of the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA). It analyzes the practices of the 'Quad' countries (EU, US, Canada, and Japan) and evaluates how the Doha Round negotiations might impact the ability of developing countries to implement similar sustainable agriculture policies.

This status report examines how climate change and variability are expected to affect outdoor recreation and tourism in the Canadian Prairie Provinces. It analyzes the relationship between the natural resource base (water, vegetation, and wildlife) and recreational activities, noting that while warmer temperatures may extend the summer season, they threaten winter sports and water quality. The report highlights the economic risks for rural communities diversifying into tourism and provides recommendations for more locale-specific climate scenarios and resource management strategies.