Explainers

We can’t make progress on sustainable development if we don’t understand it. Research papers and textbooks don’t always speak in plain language, which makes it hard to learn about the nuances of environmental negotiations or get clarity on what counts as a fossil fuel subsidy. IISD experts are here to help with accessible explainers on tricky topics. 

Highlights

How Can a Fossil Fuel Levy Cut Emissions and Finance Climate Action?

A levy on extracting fossil fuels could reduce emissions and help finance climate action. How can governments implement the most effective fossil fuel levy?

Explainer

October 24, 2024

Key takeaways from the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable

Anahí Wiedenbrüg, Yanne Horas, and Fernando Morra analyze the proposals from the Global Sovereign Debt Roundtable aimed at addressing debt challenges faced by developing countries.

Explainer

October 16, 2024

How Will a Global Plastics Treaty Impact Trade?

A global plastics treaty may influence trade by imposing new regulations on plastic production, fostering recycling efforts, and promoting sustainable alternatives while addressing potential challenges for developing economies.

Explainer

October 8, 2024

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Climate Change Risks and Resilience Options for Canada’s Built Infrastructure

Canada’s climate is changing, bringing new risks and challenges for the nation’s infrastructure. A new IISD report, prepared with support from Infrastructure Canada, reviews current literature on climate change hazards, impacts, and adaptation options for six types of built infrastructure across Canada.
Explainer July 9, 2021

Canada's National Adaptation Strategy: A roadmap

Most Canadians believe climate change is an urgent crisis and are feeling its impacts already. The federal government will soon develop Canada’s first-ever national adaptation strategy and our experts have ideas to make it effective.
Explainer June 16, 2021

Eight Ways Cities Are Building Climate Resilience

This essay looks at eight examples drawn from the Building a Climate-Resilient City research series prepared for the City of Edmonton and the City of Calgary by the Prairie Climate Centre.
Explainer April 10, 2017

A Guide to COP 22

Negotiators gathering from November 7–18, 2016, in Morocco face the monumental task of preparing for the implementation the historic Paris Climate Change Agreement. IISD brings you up to speed on the status of negotiations and the most significant items on the Marrakech Climate Change Conference agenda.
Explainer November 1, 2016

Unpacking Canada's Fossil Fuel Subsidies

Oil, gas and coal are multi-billion-dollar industries, and every year fossil fuel companies get billions in tax breaks and handouts that increase their profits even further. This website was created to cut through the jargon, so you can understand what’s really happening, debate it, and propose solutions for Canadians and Canada’s economy.
Explainer August 30, 2016