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

Why Trade Matters in the Plastic–Pollution Treaty Negotiations

The global push to end plastic pollution by 2040 highlights the critical intersection of trade and environmental action, with upcoming INC-5 negotiations focusing on reducing plastic production, consumption, and waste within a fair and effective international framework.

Explainer

November 22, 2024

What to Expect at Plastics INC-5

Q and A with Tallash Kantai of Earth Negotiations Bulletin on INC-5.

Explainer

November 18, 2024

What Drives Investment Policy-makers in Developing Countries to Use Tax Incentives?

The article explores the reasons behind the use of tax incentives in developing countries to attract investment, examining the pressures, challenges, and alternative strategies that exist.

Explainer

November 13, 2024

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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