Why Canada Can’t Afford to Put Climate Adaptation on the Back Burner
Investing in climate adaptation measures is an opportunity to demonstrate foresight, show leadership, protect our economy, and keep Canadians safe. You may have heard Justin Trudeau and other leaders use the phrase “build back better” to highlight the importance of not
Vulnerable Mining Workers Need Stronger Social Protections
The mining sector hasn't been spared from COVID-19; with sites closing and mobility restricted, the livelihoods of vulnerable workers are in jeopardy. What can governments and industry do to ensure no one is left behind when the next pandemic strikes? Let's take a
How Cycle Lanes Can Help Ensure Low Emission Cities Post-COVID
The pandemic has shown us what a low emission city can look like, governments have swiftly created new bicycle lanes and promised greener investments. Such commitments are paramount for sustainable development and a healthy planet. What if our new normal offered us more time, health and
Sustainable Cotton or Recycled Polyester? The Conscious Shopper’s Dilemma
Some brands claim to be sustainable but not all of their products meet the same criteria and transparency gaps abound. How can the average consumer make the right decisions? Today’s USD 3 trillion fashion industry offers eco-minded consumers a plethora of sustainable and
Green Recovery Know-How From the Nordics
Nordic countries are well recognized for combining healthy economic growth with strong social and environmental policies. What's their secret to a green recovery? Since 2000, the Nordic economies grew 28%, while carbon dioxide emissions fell by 18%. Denmark, Finland, Norway and
Solving our Food Crisis Requires a Fundamental Transformation of the System
Global food supply is at an all-time high, yet so is hunger. Why the contradiction? And how can we solve this challenge with policy? The world is far from being on track to achieve SDG2—zero hunger—by 2030. At present, 2 billion people face moderate
World Leaders Must Play Their Part in Rethinking Trade to Help Us “Build Back Better”
While the question of who will lead the World Trade Organization is important, political leaders must also renew their commitment to working together if trade is to contribute to a more equitable, sustainable, and resilient world. Eight candidates are now competing
G20 Recovery Packages Benefit Fossil Fuels More Than Clean Energy
Decisions taken in response to the COVID-19 crisis today will lock in the world’s development patterns for decades. With policy decisions made on a daily basis, information about how public money is being spent can be hard to follow. That
The Environmental Consequences of COVID-19 in Fragile States
The COVID-19 pandemic could have severe impacts on the environment in fragile states, compounding the challenges faced by their governments and their populations. But it doesn’t have to be that way. For fragile states, the social and economic impacts of the
Environmentalists Should Pay Close Attention to the Racial Justice Movement
It might appear opportunistic to link the climate and racial justice movements at a time when race is shaping the conversation in the media, in our workplaces, and in our homes. But as Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson has recently explained, on
How Can a Six-Digit Trade Code Help the Environment?
Both the tariffs that countries impose on imports of physical things—from live horses to antique statues of horses—and the statistics on such trade are based on a set of around 5,400 six-digit numerical codes generated by the World Customs Organization (WCO) that
Financing COVID-19 Stimulus: Will high levels of public debt come back to haunt us?
As the Task Force for a Resilient Recovery begins work on low-carbon, resilient pathways for post-COVID-19 recovery, it’s worth taking a step back to examine how stimulus spending is actually financed and what patterns are emerging from the design and implementation of