The study found that the movement of water between freshwater bodies, or freshwater connectivity, can transport eDNA. This highlights the potential of eDNA to provide a comprehensive view of freshwater biodiversity.

Aquatic ecosystems are connected by waterways, which allow fish, plants, and other organisms to move from one place to another. This connectivity is important for the resilience of aquatic populations, but it can also make it difficult to track the DNA of these organisms. 

The study, led by Dr Joanne Littlefair, a lecturer in biological sciences at Queen Mary University of London, looked at three lake networks containing 21 lakes in Canada’s Boreal Forest at IISD Experimental Lakes Area. The researchers found that within-lake eDNA generally reflected the habitat preferences of the species, but that some eDNA was also transported into downstream lakes. Lakes with a higher degree of connectivity had more eDNA detections that could not be explained by conventional monitoring techniques. 

The findings have implications for the use of eDNA to monitor biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems. eDNA is a promising tool for biodiversity monitoring, but data must be interpreted in light of connectivity in the landscape. 

“eDNA can be used to detect the presence of species that are not easily monitored using conventional methods, including invasive species, or for monitoring the presence of rare or endangered species,” said Dr Littlefair”.  

“But it’s not all bad news. Our study showed that eDNA surveys can be carefully designed to consider the connectivity of the freshwater system being studied. In systems with high levels of connectivity, it is important to collect samples from multiple locations, which will allow us to build a complete picture of the biodiversity present”. 

The study also highlights the need for more research on the factors, such as effects of water movement, influencing the spatial resolution of eDNA detection. For example, if the water in an ecosystem is moving quickly, then it may be necessary to collect more samples to increase the chances of detecting eDNA. This research will help to improve scientists' understanding of how eDNA can be used to monitor and conserve aquatic biodiversity. 

The study was funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the WSP Montreal Environment department. The study was a collaboration between researchers from the UK’s Queen Mary University of London and the following Canadian institutions: McGill University, Lakehead University, IISD Experimental Lakes Area, and SHARCNET. Dr Littlefair worked at McGill University and then QMUL during the study.  

September 8, LUSAKA—The three-year Climate Adaptation and Protected Areas (CAPA) initiative, launching today in Zambia’s capital, will use nature-based solutions to support local communities in adapting to climate change while safeguarding critical ecosystems in and around protected areas in the Kavango-Zambezi and Greater Virunga landscapes in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in Belize and Fiji.

“CAPA will bridge the gap between protected areas management and climate change adaptation planning, while involving women and marginalized groups at all stages to ensure an inclusive approach,” said Anne Hammill, Associate Vice President, Resilience, at IISD.

Through the CAPA initiative, IISD, along with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), with support from Global Affairs Canada, will work with local communities, traditionally marginalized groups, women, and national and local authorities to design and implement concrete gender-responsive, conflict-sensitive, nature-based solutions for adaptation that can be implemented right away.

WWF Zambia Country Director, Nachilala Nkombo, says “CAPA represents a valuable opportunity to enhance climate change adaptation measures in the Kavango-Zambezi landscapes. By working closely with local communities, we can develop solutions that not only address climate change impacts but also empower communities to actively participate in safeguarding Zambia’s natural heritage.”

CAPA will implement a wide range of activities in each site to achieve its objectives, such as

• establishing native tree nurseries to support reforestation efforts, restocking community game ranches with native wildlife to restore ecological balance, and initiating the establishment of community forests in Zambia; 
• supporting restoration activities of agricultural lands adjacent to protected areas, through soil and water conservation, in Uganda; 
• promoting sustainable fisheries and establishing marine protected areas while supporting the development of climate-resilient alternative livelihood options in two communities in Fiji;
• establishing financial protections for marine reserves in the event of natural hazards in Belize.

“Through the CAPA initiative, Canada reaffirms its commitment to climate action and supporting sustainable development in international contexts,” said Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Canada’s Minister of International Development, at today’s launch event. “We are proud to partner with organizations like IISD, WWF, and WCS in implementing gender-responsive approaches that ensure inclusive and equitable outcomes for all.”

“CAPA aligns with Zambia’s commitment to sustainable tourism development and the conservation of our natural resources,” said Honourable Rodney Sikumba, Zambia’s Minister of Tourism. “By establishing community forests and engaging with traditionally marginalized groups, we can ensure that local communities are at the forefront to drive the climate adaptation agenda, fostering long-term resilience in line with our global goals on adaptation commitments.”

Media Contacts

For further information or interview requests, please contact:

Hazel Zulu

Senior Liaison Officer, Canadian High Commission

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: +260 979 473 284                                   

Benetria Milambo

Communications Coordinator, WWF Zambia

Email: [email protected]

Mobile: +260 772 099 733

Marie Royer

Communications Officer, IISD

Email: [email protected]

August 23, 2023—In 2022, G20 members spent USD 1.4 trillion to support fossil fuels and could raise an additional USD 1 trillion per year by establishing a carbon tax floor of USD 25–50/tCO2e. These funds could help solve some of the most pressing global issues, according to a new report released today. 

The G20 members provided a record USD 1.4 trillion in public money to support fossil fuels in 2022, according to the study Fanning the Flames: G20 Provides Record Financial Support for Fossil Fuels by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and partners. That amount—which includes fossil fuel subsidies (USD 1 trillion), investments by state-owned enterprises (USD 322 billion), and lending from public financial institutions (USD 50 billion)—is more than double the pre-COVID-19 and pre-energy crisis levels of 2019.

“These figures are a stark reminder of the massive amounts of public money the G20 governments continue to pour into fossil fuels despite the increasingly devastating impacts of climate change,” said Tara Laan, Senior Associate at IISD and the lead author of the study. “The G20 has the power and the responsibility to transform our fossil-based energy systems. It is crucial for the bloc to put fossil fuel subsidies on the Delhi Leaders’ Summit agenda and take meaningful actions to eliminate all public financial flows for coal, oil, and gas.”

The researchers found that G20 members could raise an additional USD 1 trillion every year by setting minimum carbon taxation levels of USD 25–75/tCO2e, depending on country income. They warn that taxes on fossil fuels in G20 member countries currently do not reflect their costs to society—averaging just USD 3.2/tCO2e across the G20—with many members failing to impose windfall taxes on record profits that fossil fuel companies gained last year at the peak of the energy crisis.

Artificially lowering the price of fossil fuels is problematic because it increases the burning of fossil fuels, intensifying human-induced climate change and making extreme weather events—like heat waves, wildfires, torrential rains, and hailstones—more frequent and intense.

The authors recommend that G20 members set a clear deadline to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies—2025 for developed countries and 2030 at the very latest for emerging economies—to deliver on their 2009 commitment to reform subsidies. In addition, they should drop the qualifier “inefficient” from subsidies. Instead, they should name exceptional cases when subsidies could be considered justifiable—e.g., if essential for energy access—and improve the targeting of these subsidies to only include people who really need them.

IISD experts highlight that there are much better ways to support people during a crisis and that fuel subsidies are, in fact, a notoriously inefficient way to help the poor. Governments should instead provide social welfare through other mechanisms, like targeted welfare payments.

The report highlights the notable progress of some G20 members in this area. As the current G20 president, India can confidently demonstrate global leadership in this area, having reduced its fossil fuel subsidies by 76% from 2014 to 2022 while significantly increasing support for clean energy.

Shifting fossil fuel spending could help solve key global problems

Experts note that shifting less than a quarter of the USD 2.4 trillion generated from subsidy reform and carbon taxation could help close the wind and solar energy investment gap—USD 450 billion per year until 2030—to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, with public support leveraging additional funds from private investors.

It could also be used to help end world hunger (USD 40 billion/year), provide universal access to electricity and clean cooking globally, in ways aligned with net-zero emissions (USD 36 billion/year), and close the climate finance gap that developed countries committed to mobilize for developing nations (USD 17 billion/year).

Removing subsidies could also save thousands of lives by reducing fossil fuel-related air pollution, which is responsible for over 5 million deaths per year in G20 members and one in five deaths globally.

The study emphasizes the active role that needs to be played by state-owned enterprises, which dominate the energy landscape in many G20 member countries, and public financial institutions, which engage in considerable lending to fossil energy projects. Governments should, in particular, set a deadline for these state-owned institutions to create ambitious net-zero roadmaps that will allow them to diversify their businesses and lending portfolios and avoid the risks inherent in continued investments in fossil fuels, such as stranded assets.

“With fossil fuel companies gaining record profits amid the energy crisis last year, there is little incentive for them to change their business models in line with what’s needed to limit global warming. But governments have the power to push them in the right direction,” Laan said.

Media Contacts

Tara Laan, Senior Associate, IISD: [email protected]
Anna Geddes, Associate, IISD: [email protected]
Aia Brnic, Senior Communications Officer, IISD: [email protected]
 

However, if Canada and the United States act together soon, we can develop systems to monitor and reduce the risks that these pollutants pose to the health of these critical ecosystems.

This is all according to two new studies conducted by researchers from the Rochman Lab at the University of Toronto, in collaboration with IISD Experimental Lakes Area, published in the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 

Both studies reveal widespread contamination of microplastics across the Great Lakes basin—nearly 90% of the water samples collected from the Great Lakes basin surpass at least one threshold for risk—and suggest appropriate next steps for monitoring contamination and risk, as well as mitigation. 

The first study identifies a need for a coordinated monitoring strategy for microplastics, which would necessitate developing standardized methods for measuring, characterizing, and reporting microplastics in the region – a need also recently emphasized by the Auditor General of Ontario in their recently published State of the Environment in Ontario report. 

The second study identifies a need to develop an ecological risk assessment and management framework for the region, where different levels of microplastics present in the water and sediment would trigger specific management actions. 

“It’s clear that microplastics in the Great Lakes are a problem for both Canada and the United States, and that their management should reflect this,” said Eden Hataley, Ph.D. Student, Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough.

“One way forward to address the issue could be via the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement – the longstanding commitment between the two countries that outlines binational priorities and actions to resolve transboundary environmental problems in the Great Lakes.”

In the first study, the research team sought to understand where, how much, and what type of microplastic pollution exists in the Great Lakes and what methods researchers typically use to measure it. Existing research efforts clearly show that microplastics are pervasive throughout the Great Lakes and associated rivers in water, sediments, and wildlife (including different species of fish, birds, frogs, and mussels). In general, levels of microplastics in the Great Lakes are comparable or relatively high compared to other water bodies. 

In the second study, the research team sought to understand the present risk of microplastics to species living in the Great Lakes. The research team found that reported levels of microplastics in nearly 90% of the water samples collected from the Great Lakes basin surpass at least one threshold for risk, however, all of the sediment samples collected from the Great Lakes basin remain below safe levels.  

The Rochman Lab, in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto, is a large research laboratory with a focus on pollution in aquatic ecosystems. The primary focus of Dr. Rochman and her trainees is on plastic pollution – aiming to better understand sources, fate and effects in rivers, lakes and oceans. 

IISD Experimental Lakes Area is the world’s freshwater laboratory. A series of 58 lakes and their watersheds in northwestern Ontario, Canada, IISD-ELA is the only place in the world where scientists can research on and manipulate real lakes to build a more accurate and complete picture of what human activity is doing to freshwater lakes. The findings from over 50 years of ground-breaking research have rewritten environmental policy around the world—from mitigating algal blooms to reducing how much mercury gets into our waterways—and aim to keep fresh water clean around the world for generations to come.

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For more information, please contact:

Sumeep Bath, Editorial & Communications Manager, IISD Experimental Lakes Area

[email protected] or (204) 599 2595
 

July 12, 2023, Phu Quoc, Viet Nam—Southeast Asia attracts billions of dollars a year in investment in the food, agriculture, and forestry sectors. This investment is crucial for food security and poverty alleviation, but to generate long-term sustainable benefits, such investment needs to be responsible. This is a key message of a new handbook developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), with technical support from the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), which was officially launched on July 11, 2023 at AIPA Caucus in Phu Quoc, Viet Nam.

Responsible investment is crucial for transforming food systems, making them more sustainable and resilient, and thereby enhancing food security and nutrition for all and contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Responsible investments generate positive socio-economic and environmental impacts, conserving biodiversity and genetic resources, supporting the integration of traditional and scientific knowledge, and promoting innovation and the use of appropriate technologies.

Food and agriculture remain a key priority in ASEAN Economy Community pillar, as indicated in the ASEAN Community Vision. In this regard, ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry adopted the ASEAN Guidelines for Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture, and Forestry in 2018. These ASEAN guidelines provide clear indications as to what kinds of investment should be promoted and what conditions should be put in place to attract such investment. They are grounded in the Committee on World Food Security’s Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems (CFS-RAI), the most comprehensive international guidance instrument defining responsible investment in agriculture.

The new handbook on Promoting the Application of the ASEAN Guidelines for Responsible Investment in Food, Agriculture and Forestry: A Practical Handbook for ASEAN Parliamentarians was developed based on feedback provided by the AIPA Member Parliaments. It highlights the role of parliamentarians as key strategic change makers to boost responsible investment in the region. It provides a comprehensive overview of the specific actions ASEAN parliamentarians can take to support the creation of enabling environments for attracting more responsible investment in food systems, including through passing appropriate laws, ensuring adequate financing, and providing parliamentary oversight.

“The finalization of the handbook demonstrates the crucial role of parliamentarians in their effort to mitigate food insecurity through implementing the guidelines into laws, policies, or national institutional framework, and monitoring,” said the Secretary-General of AIPA, Siti Rozaimeriyanty Dato Haji Abdul Rahman, yesterday during the launch of the publication at the 14th AIPA Caucus meeting hosted by the National Assembly of Viet Nam.

“To address the challenge of food insecurity and malnutrition, FAO collaborates with a wide range of partners to support the 2030 Agenda through the transformation to more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems. An important vehicle to support the 2030 Agenda is investment in food systems. This holds particularly for ASEAN as the region is home to a large number of agribusinesses and forestry companies, as well as small-holder farmers,” said Mr. Rémi Nono Womdim, FAO Representative in Viet Nam, yesterday during his introduction of the handbook.

The handbook is based on a previous edition developed by FAO and IISD for parliamentarians worldwide entitled Responsible Investments in Agriculture and Food Systems: A Practical Handbook for Parliamentarians and Parliamentary Advisors but, like the ASEAN guidelines it addresses, is tailored to the specific context and needs of the ASEAN region.

ASEAN Member States have experienced rapid economic growth in recent decades. As indicated in the ASEAN Food and Nutrition Security Report 2021, the combined total GDP of the 10 ASEAN Member States doubled between 2008 and 2019, and the proportion of the population living below national poverty lines declined between 2005 and 2018 across all ASEAN Member States. Yet, an estimated 46% of the population in the ASEAN region is unable to afford a healthy diet and faces economic, physical, social, and cultural barriers to accessing nutritious, safe, and affordable foods.

ASEAN’s parliamentarians have a crucial role to play in establishing the kind of environment that attracts the investments needed to tackle these challenges, and the new handbook provides them with the knowledge to play that role effectively.

Media contact

[email protected]

July 5, 2023, Cape Town—South Africa should develop national and municipal plans to deploy energy storage to ease the current electricity crisis and reduce the need for load shedding during periods of peak power demand, finds a new report released today.

South Africans experienced more scheduled power cuts in the first 6 months of 2023 than in all of 2022. Energy storage—such as grid batteries and pumped hydro—can help balance electricity supply and demand, improve grid stability, and boost energy providers’ financial returns, finds the study Watts in Store: Explainer on How Energy Storage Can Help South Africa’s Electricity Crisis (Part 1) by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD).

“While deployment of batteries at commercial, industrial, and residential sites is accelerating, the rollout is happening in an uncoordinated manner, primarily as a self-funded response to
worsening load shedding,” says Richard Halsey, policy advisor at IISD and the lead author of the report. “South Africa needs national and municipal grid storage strategies, which will provide a positive signal to the energy storage industry that it can safely develop supply chains.”

IISD researchers identified seven benefits of energy storage that are particularly important for the constrained South African power system this year. Among those with immediate effect, adding batteries to consumer-located generators can lower demand for Eskom power, while the existing pumped hydro can reduce the need for load shedding when power consumption is at its peak.

In the long term, energy storage can also complement intermittent utility-scale renewable energy, optimize the use of congested grids, contribute to better use of existing power plants, improve public supply of electricity, and could be a cost-effective alternative to immediate grid expansion in some cases. 

Grid batteries an immediate strategic priority

While South Africans are already widely and rapidly installing consumer batteries (located at consumer premises), grid storage (located on the electricity grid) has received relatively little attention, authors found. Yet, grid batteries have recently seen rapid growth worldwide, thanks to an 80% drop in the cost of lithium-ion batteries since 2013. The main benefit is that they can be deployed much faster and offer more services than other grid storage technologies, such as pumped hydro.

“With the current electricity crisis requiring fast and effective measures, grid batteries can be an important part of the solution,” Halsey says. “That doesn’t mean pumped hydro is not needed, as it can provide longer-duration storage and should be considered a complementary technology.”

Note

This paper is the first in a two-part series about energy storage in South Africa, exploring
how energy storage can contribute to solving the electricity crisis in South Africa, why grid-located batteries are a strategic focus area, and the status quo of current plans and projects. Part 2 will take a deeper look at grid-located batteries: how to maximize benefits, minimize risks, and create a more enabling environment for deployment.

Media Contacts

Richard Halsey, Policy Advisor, IISD’s South Africa team: [email protected]
Aia Brnic, Communications Officer, IISD: [email protected]

June 27, 2023, Ottawa – As the global economy moves away from fossil fuel dependence, the Canadian oil and gas sector is not well positioned to weather the drop in demand for their products, putting the workers and communities that rely on the sector at risk, according to a new report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). 

Setting the Pace: The Economic Case for Managing the Decline of Canada’s Oil and Gas Production finds that the oil and gas sector’s historical role as one of Canada’s economic engines is changing with the global shift towards a carbon-neutral economy by 2050.  

Given that Canada exported 80% of its domestic oil production in 2021 and that more than 94% of those exports are shipped to the United States, the country is far too reliant on a single market that will be buying less and less of its product. In this period of transition, there is considerable risk associated with overinvesting in assets that may be of little value in the near future. 

Nor can the Canadian oil industry count on marketing itself as a producer of clean or ethical oil to preserve market share. The IISD report notes that the primary buyers of Canadian oil—refiners in the American Midwest—are focused on price, reliability, and quality. The same applies to the carbon intensity of oil products: intensity per barrel is not part of the decision-making process among Canada’s largest purchasers.  

“Oil refiners in the U.S.—Canada’s main customers—simply don’t care about environmental, social, and governance credentials,” says Aaron Cosbey, Senior Associate at IISD and co-author of the report. “They just want the product at the specified price and quality. And consumers will not force them to care. Gasoline is not like coffee—you won’t see an eco-label on gas at the pump.” 

Market for oil products is shrinking 

The report further notes that the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) will accelerate the shift to a clean energy economy, with profound effects on Canada’s oil and gas industry.  

Near-term decreased demand for oil will be driven primarily by the electrification of passenger vehicles, which currently account for 27% of global demand. Data additionally suggests that falling demand for oil to heat buildings and generate electricity will lead to a peak in global oil demand by the end of this decade. Plastics—the second biggest end use—will be a more durable source of oil demand in the near term, but not in the long term, and that won’t be enough to stop a sharp decline in overall demand post-2030.  

“As economies decarbonize, the risks and economic costs associated with Canada’s continued reliance on fossil fuels will intensify,” says Nichole Dusyk, Senior Policy Advisor with IISD and co-author of the report. “These risks and costs must be factored into policy and business decisions and signalled to investors. The consequences of not doing so are potentially catastrophic for the workforce and communities that depend on this industry.” 

Market for natural gas is uncertain 

While the declining trajectory for global oil demand is clear, the outlook for gas is more uncertain. However, high liquified natural gas (LNG) prices have slowed demand in growth markets, while also leading to a rush of new LNG developments. The anticipated result is a glut of LNG, starting in 2025, that will drive down prices and make it difficult for Canadian exports to compete even if low prices keep demand high. 

The largest share of global gas demand (39%) goes to electricity generation. Now, however, “the costs of wind, solar, and storage technologies are competitive with combined-cycle gas in many jurisdictions,” notes Dusyk.  Similarly, heat pumps are emerging as an efficient means to electrify heating and cooling in residential buildings, as well as in some industrial processes. 

Actions government can take 

The IISD report highlights international experience as showing that a successful transition is possible, but it needs intention, planning, and time to help avoid the consequences of a potentially volatile demand decline. 

The report lists four actions that the Government of Canada can take immediately: 

• Continue strengthening climate policies, including through the implementation of the Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act and Plan. 
• Support subnational and Indigenous governments’ plans and programs on economic diversification. 
• Align fiscal policy with the reality of the expected decline in the oil and gas sectors.  
• Explore tools within the federal government’s jurisdiction to end expansion and prepare for phasing down of the production and use of oil and gas. 

Conclusion 

“The less the oil and gas sectors are prepared for the upcoming downturn, the more economically and socially painful the transition will be. As such, there is a strong public interest in ensuring that the eventual decline of Canada’s oil and gas sectors is well managed,” says Dusyk.  

“The most influential factor affecting the viability of the Canadian oil and gas sector is the peak and decline of global demand, which will inevitably be disruptive,” adds Cosbey. “The oil and gas sectors of the future will not be the drivers of prosperity we've known in the past, whether we measure that in jobs, investment, or government revenues." 

Media contact: 

Victoria Foote, Communications Advisor, IISD: [email protected],  647.290.9384 

June 1, 2023, New Delhi—The implementation of decentralized solar plants under the government’s Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthan Mahabhiyan (PM-KUSUM) program can boost farmer incomes, help India reach 50% of non-fossil power capacity by 2030, and improve the financial viability of distribution companies (DISCOMs), according to a new report launched today.  

The report—titled Implementing Solar Irrigation Sustainably: A Guidebook for State Policy-makers on Implementing Decentralized Solar Power Plants and co-authored by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), Consumer Unity and Trust Society International (CUTS), and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)—provides practical solutions for state governments to unlock and speed up the rollout of the PM-KUSUM scheme that has been slow for several reasons, such as the pandemic-related disruption and financial constraints faced by farmers and developers. 

The study finds that decentralized solar power plants can be a win–win strategy for farmers, local communities, state governments, and DISCOMs.

“Solarized agricultural feeders not only improve the quality and reliability of power supply for farmers, but they also generate new green jobs that are geographically well-distributed among communities, and reduce power purchase costs for the state and DISCOMs—all impacts which increase farmers’ income and improve crop productivity,” said Anas Rahman, Policy Advisor at IISD and a co-author of the report.  

But states need a well-thought-out implementation design plan to maximize deployment outcomes and benefits, and should address the issue of financing that remains the biggest challenge to the PM-KUSUM’s success, the report finds. For instance, states can boost investments by reducing the risk perception of the scheme and by increasing tariffs to make returns more attractive for farmers and developers.

In addition, to ensure a successful deployment of decentralized solar plants, it will also be key to effectively allocate responsibilities among concerned departments, facilitate information exchange, undertake infrastructure planning—like deciding the optimum capacity of the plants—and promote linkages to energy and water efficiency, the authors of the report said.

Noting that decentralized solar power plants are not yet widely deployed across the country, the study also identifies areas in the implementation scheme that require on-the-ground experiments to generate evidence for policy formation, specifically in the areas of water incentives and agrivoltaics. 

“It is clear that new challenges for implementation and sustainable scheme outcomes will arise in the future as more plants are deployed. It will therefore be critical for states to learn by doing—gathering data on implementation and constantly refining deployment approaches based on the data will be particularly important,” Anas Rahman said.

This report was supported by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). 
 

Media Contacts

Anas Rahman, Policy Advisor, IISD: [email protected]
Siddharth Goel, Senior Policy Advisor, IISD: [email protected]

WINNIPEG, May 10, 2023–The water infrastructure upon which millions of Canadians in the Prairie provinces depend—from pipes to wastewater treatment facilities—is aging and depreciating at an alarming rate. However, natural infrastructure (NI) can offer a practical and cost-effective solution when scaled up and adopted across all levels of government.

This is all according to a new report released today by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), a Winnipeg-based think tank.

The report argues that communities across the Prairies face pervasive water infrastructure challenges, and the stress put on these systems due to the impacts of climate change—including natural disasters, such as flooding, drought, and wildfires—is making the situation worse.

According to IISD, natural infrastructure can help by providing essential water infrastructure services at a fraction of the cost of grey infrastructure while also improving the resilience of communities to the impacts of climate change.

“We need to up our game,” said Dimple Roy, Director, Water Management, IISD.

“With the pressures facing water systems across the Prairies, we need a renewed focus on water management and infrastructure,” said Roy.

“We found that natural infrastructure can help to bridge the gap, with many promising examples across the Prairies. It’s less expensive, easier to maintain, and comes with many other benefits to communities. But, if we are going to address the water infrastructure gap, we need to adopt natural infrastructure solutions at a larger scale. And soon.”

Several communities across the Prairies have implemented and had success with natural infrastructure projects, as outlined in the report. This includes:

• 6.6 million acres of restored and conserved wetlands and natural habitat under Ducks Unlimited Canada’s care across Canada, estimated to provide more than CAD 5.31 billion in ecosystem services annually, including water supply, wastewater treatment, and water purification.
• Pelly’s Lake, an engineered wetland in Manitoba, provides CAD 2 million annually in clean water and flood protection benefits.
• Winnipeg’s urban tree canopy covers 17% of the city. It provides CAD 3.23 million annually in stormwater management by reducing runoff due to absorption from trees.

Smaller communities and networks in the Prairies, such as Okotoks in Alberta, Avonlea in Saskatchewan, Sagkeeng First Nation, and Dunnottar in Manitoba have also implemented NI projects. However, smaller communities typically face an uphill battle in putting these projects in motion, with less capacity to implement, a lack of policy direction to focus on these types of solutions, and the fact that funding often favours shovel-ready projects.

"To see more natural infrastructure on the Prairies, we need to ensure adequate and more accessible funding and to enact policies at all levels of government that make it easier for those who want to implement natural infrastructure to do so—including smaller municipalities, rural counties, Indigenous communities, agricultural producers, industry, and investors,” said Roy.

“To speak to the business sector, we also need to make a stronger business case to show why NI is a cost-effective and impactful option that provides a clear return on investment,” she added.

Natural infrastructure involves the conservation, restoration, or enhancement of natural landscapes to provide specific results. For example, wetlands can naturally house excess water during floods, green roofs can help manage runoff, and forests, grasslands, and restored stream banks can replenish groundwater, mitigate flood- and drought-related risks, support fisheries, and provide opportunities for recreation.

IISD has launched the Natural Infrastructure for Water Solutions (NIWS) initiative, bringing together NI experts from across the prairies. The intention is to better support the implementation of NI with a network of experts and resources, and to engage with governments to develop stronger policies, investments and decision-making processes that ensure Canada's Prairie provinces are better equipped to manage and maintain their water infrastructure. 

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For more information or to schedule an interview to discuss these findings, please contact:

Sumeep Bath,

Editorial and Communications Manager, IISD Experimental Lakes Area,

[email protected]

February 9, 2023, Ottawa – Providing billions more in additional government support to capture emissions from Canada’s oil and gas production is not aligned with credible net-zero pathways and Canada’s near-term emissions reduction targets, according to new International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) research.

Limited Emissions Reduction

The new IISD analysis finds that the five carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) projects currently operating in Canada’s oil and gas sector capture about 2.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent per year—only 1.3% of the sector’s pre-pandemic emissions.

“We need rapid and deep emission reductions in Canada’s oil and gas sector, but CCUS hardly makes a dent in the sector’s emissions, much less national emissions—even though it’s a technology that’s been around since the 1970s,” says Angela Carter, Energy Transition Specialist at IISD and co-author of the policy brief.

Expensive

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, CCUS is one of the most expensive emissions reduction measures due to its high energy needs and the infrastructure required. IISD finds that, to date, the Canadian government has committed at least CAD 9.2 billion in public support for CCUS in the oil and gas sector. This includes a 50% CCUS investment tax credit announced in 2022 projected to cost CAD 8.6 billion over the first eight years—double the financial support for CCUS offered by the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act.

The Pathways Alliance—six companies operating 95% of oilsands production—has asked the federal government to cover CAD 10.9 billion of a CAD 16.5 billion CCUS hub they’ve proposed. To fund this, the group has suggested dipping into the Canada Growth Fund, a CAD 15 billion pot of public money intended to spur private investment in clean technology, as well as other government funds. But Carter says, “If the goal is to cut Canada’s emissions, there are much more effective ways for the government to spend 15 billion dollars than on CCUS.”

Used to Increase Oil Production

IISD also notes that around 70% of the carbon captured in existing Canadian facilities is pumped into aging oil wells to extend their life by decades and extract additional oil.

The researchers say that whether the carbon is used to extract more oil or stored underground, publicly funding this technology contributes to higher emissions by prolonging existing fossil fuel production and supporting the sector’s stated ambition to grow by 30% over the next 10 years.

Conclusion: Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage Is not a Solution for Canada’s Oil and Gas Emissions

As Canada seeks to substantially lower its emissions by 2030 and reach net-zero by mid-century, its oil and gas sector—the country’s largest and fastest-growing source of emissions—faces the serious challenge of decarbonizing production.

“CCUS in the oil and gas sector is expensive, slow to build, and unproven at scale,” says Laura Cameron, co-author of the report and a policy analyst at IISD. “Applying CCUS to oil and gas production does not align with the timescale or ambition necessary to meet Canada’s climate commitments. The best thing the government can do is stop subsidizing CCUS, invest in industries with a better long-term outlook, and set a stringent oil and gas emissions cap.”