International Institute for Sustainable Development

In Manitoba, Canada, buildings make up about 17% of provincial emissions. New research finds that investing in deep energy retrofits can help reduce energy use, reduce heating & cooling costs, and grow green industries. Recognizing Manitoba’s extreme climate, with temperature swings of over 70°C annually, the report from the International Institute for Sustainable Development and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives explores the challenges and opportunities of moving residential buildings to net-zero emissions. The report proposes a publicly supported deep energy retrofit (DER) program that would renovate a building envelope, including insulation, air sealing, & mechanical upgrades with the goal of reducing energy use by more than 50%. A publicly-funded DER program can support renters, low-income homeowners, & social housing residents by reducing energy bills, create jobs in trades, manufacturing, & more, + develop local low-carbon industries. Decarbonizing Manitoba’s building sector by 2050 requires urgent action but authors find that, with the right policies in place, it is also an opportunity to: 🔷 Create good jobs and addressing workforce inequalities 🔷 Develop home-grown green industries 🔷 Improve housing conditions (e.g., warmth, cooling, air quality) 🔷 Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from natural gas heating Read the report: https://lnkd.in/g89_a_8Z

As nature-based solutions (NbS) for adaptation projects gain momentum, it is more important than ever to ensure they are effective, inclusive, and sustainable. With recognition and financing for NbS for adaptation increasing, it is essential to understand how to design effective, inclusive, and sustainable projects for target communities and ecosystems. Our checklist for practitioners synthesizes multiple internationally recognized principles, criteria, and standards, providing an easy-to-use assessment framework to help determine the extent to which NbS for adaptation projects meet those benchmarks. 🔎 https://lnkd.in/gmsjvSPu

🌍 Equity in trade is no longer just a concept—it’s a crucial topic for discussions shaping our global future. Alice Tipping shares her thoughts on how the theme of equity emerged repeatedly during the #WTOPublicForum. Her insights highlight the growing recognition of fairness and inclusion in different areas of trade policy discussions. How can equity transform trade practices around the world? Ieva Baršauskaitė | Andrew Aziz | Facundo Calvo | Tristan Irschlinger | Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder | Anne Hammill | Rashmi Jose | Antoine B. | Hans Baumgarten | Katharina Schmidt

Senegal’s plan to boost its economy through expanding into LNG production comes as European demand is forecast to fall and market competition is on track to intensify. A new IISD report warns that ramping up investment in LNG will entrench fossil fuel dependency, risks stranded assets, and would leave the economy more vulnerable to international price shocks. Meanwhile, bringing more LNG online will come at a high cost requiring significant infrastructure investment, yet much of the revenue may never reach government budgets if LNG profits are reinvested into further deployment. With global LNG demand set to decline, and revenues uncertain, the gov’t must consider a scenario where revenues are negligible.  Senegal already faces a range of climate-related challenges, including heat stress, shifting malaria patterns, and rising sea levels, while existing LNG exploration work has already reduced coastal communities’ access to fertile fishing waters. Renewable energy investments do not face the same risks as LNG and are already having a positive impact on Senegal’s economy with costs falling  rapidly.  Prioritizing clean energy deployment, managing environmental and socio-economic risks, and re-evaluating LNG deployment should be key priorities for the Government of Senegal.   👉 Read the new International Institute for Sustainable Development report:  https://lnkd.in/gnjXynVz

NEW REPORT | Trans Mountain Pipeline subsidies could soar to $18.8 billion.    Despite its own policy to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, Canada continues to subsidize oil transportation through the Trans Mountain Pipeline. According to a new report, operating the pipeline with discounted tolls (the price companies pay to use the pipeline) for transporting oil will result in a subsidy of $8.7 billion to $18.8 billion—equivalent to $581 to $1,255 per Canadian household over the operating lifespan of the TMP.    In July 2023, the government released a policy framework to end all inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. Yet it continues to subsidize the industry, and this support does not meet its criteria for efficiency.     Says report author Thomas Gunton: “The most feasible way to phase out this subsidy would be to set a cost recovery levy on all oil shipments from Western Canada, thereby requiring oil companies to cover the full costs of TMP.”     Read the full report: https://bit.ly/3MM5Wuu #ReEnergizingCanada #FossilFuels Nichole Dusyk | Philip Gass | Laura Cameron

📢 #HIRING Are you a student with a passion for sustainability at a university based in Switzerland ? IISD's Geneva Internship Program for Winter 2025 is open for applications, offering the exciting opportunity to acquire direct practical experience. Our Geneva office has teams focused on Economic Law and Policy, Energy, Resilience, Communications, Project Management, and Tracking Progress on the SDGs. Interested? Apply now! https://lnkd.in/gjpw47f2 #GreenJobs #ClimateJobs #SustainabilityJobs #EnvironmentalJobs

Coming up—Pricing emissions in international aviation and maritime transport. Aviation & shipping represent 6% of global CO2 emissions, yet the sectors receive broad exemptions for fossil fuel taxation. With aviation and shipping growing rapidly how can governments reform subsidies to support the energy transition and help lower the playing field for more cleaner alternatives? Join members of the Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives including Subsidies alongside international energy and transport experts for an insightful discussion on fossil fuel subsidy reform and other options. Register now: https://lnkd.in/g4akdsF9 Ivetta Gerasimchuk | Giovanni Sgaravatti | Tristan Smith

Calling Manitobans! Wondering how we can reduce greenhouse gasses from one of our highest emitting sector? On September 19, join IISD and Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives experts at the Manitoba Legislature in Winnipeg for a closer look at how policy-makers can act to cut residential building emissions, support net-zero goals, and reduce home energy costs.

☕ Mahembe Coffee, a family company from Rwanda leads the way in sustainable business. With a mission to become a regional leader in quality coffee, Mahembe Coffee is committed to a fully sustainable and transparent value chain that betters the lives of its farmers. Despite facing challenges like finding well-paying markets and an aging farmer population, Mahembe follows responsible investment principles with a clear strategy for developing their business in a socially responsible way. Their journey is part of a series of case studies by IISD to explore how investees of impact investors are complying with the Committee on World Food Security’s Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI). These principles aim to provide agribusinesses with examples of how to implement concrete actions that result in positive outcomes for local communities. Discover more about how agribusinesses are putting principles into practice at our upcoming launch event. Join ADA asbl and IISD as we unveil the key findings from the case studies and discuss strategies for encouraging agricultural value chain actors to align their business practices with the CFS-RAI principles to attract impact investors. Register now: https://lnkd.in/g4s9ZhRP

The energy transition requires a huge increase in #CriticalMinerals. Fresh from speaking at the SwissFoundations #StiftungsSymposium, IISD’s Nathalie Bernasconi-Osterwalder unpacks key priorities for accelerating the transition 👇