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The document asserts that ISDS mechanisms act as a major barrier to environmental and climate policies by allowing foreign investors to challenge state regulations. It highlights a lack of transparency, the phenomenon of 'regulatory chill' where states avoid policy for fear of arbitration, and the failure of 'modernized' treaties to limit risks. The authors argue that investment treaties do not significantly increase foreign direct investment but do impose high costs on states, particularly in the Global South. They recommend that states terminate old treaties, carve out climate measures from ISDS scope, and shift dispute resolution to domestic judicial systems.

The IISD supports the draft Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act for enshrining the Sustainable Jobs Secretariat and Partnership Council and incorporating International Labour Organization principles. However, it argues the bill must be strengthened by moving principles from the preamble into the body of the legislation and adding specific mechanisms for Indigenous partnership, regional planning, and worker support programs.

The destruction of the Nova Kakhovka dam in Ukraine has triggered a massive humanitarian and environmental crisis, causing widespread flooding, infrastructure loss, and contamination of the Dnipro River with sewage, chemicals, and fuels. The IISD highlights unprecedented long-term risks to biodiversity in the Kakhovka reservoir, the Dnipro Estuary, and the Black Sea coastal region. Beyond the dam collapse, the document notes the broader impact of Russia's invasion, including a 29.1 percent decline in Ukraine's GDP and threats to global food security, the clean energy transition, and multilateralism.

The report details the NAP Global Network's support for 22 countries in leveraging their National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes to create Adaptation Communications (AdComs) for the UNFCCC. It argues that utilizing NAP results for AdComs is effective regardless of whether a country is in the early stages of the NAP process or has been implementing it for several years, thereby boosting the profile of adaptation needs and progress while avoiding redundant reporting burdens.

The report examines the global palm oil sector, highlighting the growth of VSS-compliant production and the challenges faced by smallholders. It analyzes how climate change and geopolitical conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, affect supply and pricing. The document argues that while VSSs can reduce deforestation and improve yields, the lack of consistent price premiums and high certification costs hinder their adoption by smallholders. It concludes with recommendations for better price transparency, living wage benchmarks, and stronger government support to build a more sustainable value chain.

The document outlines a comprehensive approach to integrating biodiversity co-benefits into nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate adaptation. It proposes a six-stage implementation cycle—ranging from system understanding and risk assessment to monitoring and learning—and emphasizes the need for a mix of biodiversity, structural, and functional indicators to measure success. The report highlights the importance of traditional knowledge, inclusive governance, and long-term monitoring to avoid socio-ecological trade-offs and ensure the sustainability of adaptation projects.

The report outlines a framework for integrating biodiversity co-benefits into the lifecycle of nature-based solutions (NbS) for climate adaptation. It emphasizes moving beyond simple area-coverage metrics toward indicators of ecosystem functioning and health. The authors advocate for a multidisciplinary approach that integrates Traditional Knowledge, human rights-based frameworks, and inclusive governance to avoid socio-ecological trade-offs. The document provides a step-by-step implementation cycle—from system understanding and risk assessment to monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL)—supported by a list of global standards and technical resources.

The document details the proceedings of the 2022 IISD Forum on Natural Infrastructure Performance and Metrics, focusing on the Canadian Prairies. It argues that while natural infrastructure (NI) is essential for water management, a lack of standardized metrics and economic valuation tools hinders its large-scale adoption. The report outlines a framework for scaling NI through improved data sharing, regional watershed-scale planning, the integration of Indigenous knowledge via 'Two-Eyed Seeing', and the use of economic valuation tools like SAVi to engage municipal decision-makers.

The report examines how high-frequency, real-time water quality monitoring can improve watershed management and decision-making, particularly in the Winnipeg River basin. It contrasts the advantages of automated sensors—such as rapid response to contamination and lower long-term cost per measurement—with limitations including sensor drift, maintenance costs, and data management burdens. Through case studies at the Powerview-Pine Falls drinking water facility and Lake 227, the document demonstrates the utility of real-time data for optimizing water treatment and tracking algal bloom dynamics.

The report examines the economic vulnerability of Canada's oil and gas sector due to declining global demand and increasing price volatility. It argues that a 'business-as-usual' approach risks stranded assets and severe socioeconomic disruption. Drawing on case studies from Denmark, Germany, Illinois, and Colorado, the authors propose a 'policy trifecta' of ambitious climate targets, managed energy phase-downs, and proactive economic diversification to ensure an equitable transition.

The document argues that while consumer-led battery deployment is rapid, grid-scale energy storage—particularly batteries—is a strategic priority that remains under-developed in South Africa. It details how storage can reduce load shedding, optimize existing grid infrastructure, and support a just energy transition by providing public benefits. The authors recommend the development of national and municipal strategies to create an enabling environment for grid battery deployment.

The report evaluates three flood risk reduction scenarios in Thessaly, Greece: nature-based infrastructure (NBI), hybrid infrastructure, and grey infrastructure. Using the SAVi methodology, it finds that NBI—consisting of riparian forest and floodplain restoration—offers the highest benefit-to-cost ratio (2.9) over 25 years. Notably, the carbon storage value of NBI (EUR 12.8 million) exceeds the total implementation costs for both NBI (EUR 6.8 million) and hybrid options (EUR 9.3 million).

The document emphasizes the need to establish a global monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) system under the global goal on adaptation (GGA) framework by COP 28. It argues that the GGA should prioritize enhancing adaptation action and meeting the needs of developing countries over becoming a prolonged methodological exercise. The report highlights that the Glasgow-Sharm-el Sheikh (GlaSS) work program, established at COP 26, aims to operationalize the GGA, with the goal of finalizing a framework for adoption at COP 28 to increase the visibility of adaptation and inform finance directions.

The document outlines a framework for implementing the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) scheme in India, specifically focusing on feeder-level solarization. It argues that while solarizing agricultural feeders can increase farm incomes and reduce the financial burden of electricity subsidies on distribution companies, implementation must account for the 'water–energy–food nexus' to avoid negative impacts on groundwater. The guide offers practical suggestions on financing, inter-departmental coordination, and the integration of innovative approaches like agrivoltaics to maximize social and environmental benefits for low-income and marginal farmers.

The document examines the simultaneous use of land for agriculture and photovoltaic power generation in India, drawing on evidence from over a dozen pilot projects and stakeholder interviews. It aims to support the adoption of agrivoltaics by providing policy recommendations, business models, and financial and technical transition mechanisms, specifically linking these efforts to the PM-KUSUM scheme for decentralized solar power.

The report evaluates the restoration of the Mallorquín Swamp in Barranquilla, Colombia, using a sustainable asset valuation (SAVi) approach. It finds that nature-based infrastructure (NBI) provides greater societal value and better climate adaptation benefits at a lower cost than grey infrastructure alternatives, particularly when combined with investments in ecotourism.

The document examines the limitations of traditional gender-blind cost-benefit analyses (CBAs) in transport planning and proposes a framework for integrating gender-disaggregated data and qualitative dynamics. Using a case study of a Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) plan in Coimbatore, India, it demonstrates how gender-sensitive mapping can reveal links between infrastructure, women's time poverty, and access to education. The author recommends that planners identify gender-specific dynamics via causal loop diagrams, improve the collection of disaggregated data, and monetize gender-specific outcomes to ensure investments do not inadvertently reinforce existing inequalities.

The executive summary argues that Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy requires a revitalized cross-departmental governance structure to ensure effective implementation. It identifies the need for clarified institutional roles, formalized accountability mechanisms, and coordination structures that account for departmental differences in mandates and financing. The report suggests that success depends on senior-level leadership, increased awareness of adaptation's unique characteristics compared to mitigation, and sufficient funding for adaptation units and secretariats.

The executive summary advocates for a shift from traditional 'grey' water infrastructure to natural infrastructure in the Canadian Prairies to combat climate vulnerabilities and infrastructure deterioration. It highlights the region's significant loss of wetlands and the need for policy and funding reforms to support nature-based solutions.

The assessment of Coimbatore's proposed Non-Motorized Transport (NMT) network reveals that while traditional benefit-cost ratios suggest the project is not investment-worthy, a sustainable valuation (S-BCR) shows a ratio of 4.75 per USD invested. The project, which involves 300 km of routes to be completed by 2035, is projected to generate a cumulative net benefit of USD 486.1 million between 2022 and 2045, primarily driven by avoided costs from traffic accidents and improved public health.