Search Climate Insights Directory
131 results
Call to Action on Climate Change and Health
A 2019 statement from Canadian health professionals urging federal political parties to treat climate change as a public health emergency. The document details the existing health impacts in Canada—such as respiratory issues from wildfires and food insecurity in the Arctic—and argues that aggressive climate action (including phasing out coal by 2030 and reducing oil, gas, and transport emissions) would yield significant healthcare savings and save lives.
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Document type: Statement
Advancing Natural Infrastructure in Canada
This report summarizes a 2018 forum on advancing natural infrastructure (NI) in Canada. It highlights the economic value of NI in mitigating climate risks, such as flooding, and identifies critical barriers to its implementation, including restrictive public sector accounting standards and funding gaps in federal programs like the ICIP and DMAF. The report recommends adopting natural asset accounting, utilizing green and resilience bonds, and creating dedicated federal NI funding to complement traditional grey infrastructure.
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Document type: Report
Microsoft Word - Letter to TrudeauClimateHealth2018
A letter from global health professionals to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging the re-evaluation of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX) due to inadequate health and climate risk assessments.
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Document type: Statement
Municipal Weed Control: Lessons from Ground Zero
This report by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) examines how six Canadian municipalities manage weed control under cosmetic pesticide bans. It finds that cities can maintain acceptable green space standards without toxic pesticides by shifting resources toward cultural turf maintenance, mechanical control, and strategic prioritization of high-visibility areas, all while keeping budgets stable and maintaining public support.
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Document type: Report
The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Finance
The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Finance is a guide for regional governments on organizing and delivering financial solutions to enable low-carbon transitions. It outlines strategies for increasing capital availability, overcoming up-front costs, creating market incentives, and reducing procurement costs for clean energy assets.
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Document type: Guide
The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Mobility
The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Mobility is a guide by RMI that outlines strategic actions for regional governments to reduce the carbon intensity of transportation, which currently accounts for 14% of global greenhouse gas emissions.
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Document type: Guide
The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Buildings
The Carbon-Free Regions Handbook: Buildings provides a framework for regional governments to reduce emissions in the building sector, which contributes nearly one-third of global emissions. It recommends three primary actions: establishing net-zero codes for new buildings, mandating energy efficiency upgrades for existing buildings, and requiring utilities to implement energy-savings programs through energy efficiency resource standards (EERS).
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Document type: Guide
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
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 3
This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) in Canadian cities. It evaluates health and well-being indicators—including neonatal mortality, chronic disease, substance abuse, and health worker density—using data from Statistics Canada and other national sources to compare trends across various Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs).
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Document type: Briefing
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
Using carbon tax revenues to help attain climate goals: Insights for Washington State from existing programs
This research paper analyzes options for using carbon tax revenues to achieve climate goals in Washington State. It warns against focusing solely on the lowest-cost emission reductions, which often leads to pitfalls such as overpayment (economic rents), lack of additionality, and long lead times for project supply. Instead, the authors recommend a strategic approach that targets market failures, promotes social equity and long-term decarbonization, and leverages existing state energy and transportation programs.
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Document type: Research paper
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
LE PATRIMOINE COMPRÉHENSIF AU CANADA - MESURER CE QUI IMPORTE À LONG TERME
This executive summary, published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in December 2016, argues that Canada must move beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to measure 'comprehensive wealth' to ensure long-term sustainable development. Analyzing data from 1980 to 2013, the study finds that while Canada remains wealthy, its comprehensive wealth growth is slow and heavily reliant on the depletion of natural capital and a highly concentrated produced capital sector.
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Document type: Executive summary
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
Special Review of Atrazine: Proposed Decision for Consultation (REV2015-11)
A letter from the David Suzuki Foundation, Équiterre, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE), and Environmental Defence to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) criticizing the lack of rigour and limited scope of the special review of atrazine (REV2015-11).
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Document type: Statement
Canada’s Emissions Trends 2014 Report: Updates, outcomes and reflections
This briefing note by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes Environment Canada's 2014 report on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trends. It highlights a significant gap between Canada's projected 2020 emissions and its Copenhagen Accord pledge, noting that while some sectors show mitigation, growth in the oil sands and general economic expansion continue to drive emissions upward.
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Document type: Briefing