While most Canadians enjoy a high standard of living, numerous groups are being left behind in the country. A low income, for example, hampers almost 15% of Canadian households. The groups being left behind are very diverse—and include Indigenous Peoples (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit), recent and elderly immigrants, people with disabilities, lone-parent households, and members of the LGBTQ* community.

The factors that burden these groups are similarly diverse and the challenges for measuring their well-being relate to the empowering them in the data collection process as well as the specific risk factors they face. After all, marginalized groups may have different perceptions, values, and priorities, leading to diverging perceptions of their situation and the measures needed to improve their situation.

Leaving No Canadian Behind uses a combination of literature research, systematic scans, interviews, and data analysis to explore:

• measurement challenges related to leaving no one behind
• current international practices
• what is known about vulnerable populations in Canada
• available complementary data sources
• the role of data interoperability

The report shows there are several opportunities to provide space and support for bottom-up community-driven measurement that complements existing indicator frameworks and data—all while putting marginalized groups in charge of how their needs are measured.

Many countries and economic blocs are beginning to embark on transforming their economies into a circular model. This transition entails a deep paradigm shift set to address the triple crises of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and the unsustainable use of natural resources. In today’s globally connected economy, international trade will play a critical role in this equation by exploiting comparative advantages and economies of scale. Cross-border exchanges of goods and services related to the circular economy already occur at all stages of the value chain, including upstream services related to circular design, goods for refurbishment and remanufacturing, and trade in waste and secondary materials.

Governments can use a range of trade-related policy measures, including tariff and non-tariff measures, to encourage the transition away from the take–make–waste economic model. Regional trade agreements, among other mechanisms, can be a vehicle for cooperation on the trade and circular economy interface between specific trading partners. The European Union, for example, has a Circular Economy Action Plan, which will require mainstreaming circular economy objectives in its free trade agreements. As a contribution to this emerging debate, this policy brief explores possible options to incorporate circular economy-related provisions in trade agreements based on existing precedents.

The author describes how the negotiations have been affected by the new context of COVID-19 and highlights the pandemic’s impacts on e-commerce, economic development, and gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) aspects. Finally, the author gives an overview of the negotiations’ key issues where there are indications of convergence, and others where divergence remains, as the group prepares for the WTO’s Twelfth Ministerial Conference (MC12).

The author acknowledges substantive research support from Monica Werimo and Emmeline Perreve. This brief also benefitted from the review of Rashid S. Kaukab, Executive Director of CUTS International, Geneva and Sofia Baliño, Communications and Editorial Manager for IISD’s Economic Law and Policy program.

This material has been produced with funding by UK aid from the UK Government. The Umbrella Grant is a project of the Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund (TAF2+) and is implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, in consortium with CUTS International Geneva and BKP Economic Advisors.

Views expressed in the publication are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect HM Government’s official positions or those of the Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund (TAF2+).

This report builds on an earlier brief covering the Informal Working Group (IWG) on Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises' (MSMEs) work since its inception and incorporates some of the key considerations involving gender equality and social inclusion. The authors note the policy responses at the national, regional, and international levels to help MSMEs affected by the pandemic. Lastly, the brief summarizes some of the immediate next steps for the IWG, particularly in the lead-up to the World Trade Organization's (WTO) Twelfth Ministerial Conference.

This material has been produced with funding by UK aid from the UK Government. The Umbrella Grant is a project of the Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund (TAF2+) and is implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, in consortium with CUTS International Geneva and BKP Economic Advisors.

The report benefitted from Rhea Pradeep and Chidochashe Ncube’s research inputs and was substantively reviewed by Sofia Baliño and Rashid S. Kaukab.

Views expressed in the publication are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect HM Government’s official positions or those of TAF2+.

The National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process helps countries address the impacts of climate change on their economies, communities, and ecosystems. This includes efforts to promote adaptation in the health sector.

Developed in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), this report analyzes how health impacts are addressed in 19 NAP documents submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as of December 2020. Furthermore, it identifies areas of opportunity for greater consideration of health in NAP processes, toward climate-resilient health systems.

Along with the procedural steps and transitions that have taken place in the investment facilitation talks over the past year, the authors refer to the wider context of COVID-19 and what the pandemic has meant for investment flows and governance processes. They provide an overview of the latest available version of the investment facilitation texts, including the informal consolidated text and revised draft text, as of February 2021, and outline where the talks are expected to go next.

This material has been produced with funding by UK aid from the UK Government. The Umbrella Grant is a project of the Trade and Investment Advocacy Fund (TAF2+) and is implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, in consortium with CUTS International, Geneva and BKP Economic Advisors.

Views expressed in the publication are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect HM Government’s official positions or those of TAF2+.

Based on a survey of over 900 households in Jharkhand, this report finds that LPG subsidies are not well targeted and that poor households in Jharkhand can receive 2 times less in LPG subsidies than better-off consumers. The poorest 40% of households in rural and urban parts of Jharkhand received less than 30% of government LPG support in 2018/19 when LPG subsidies comprised nearly 28% of all Central Government energy subsidies.

Since May 2020, LPG subsidies per cylinder have been effectively removed. At the same time, the COVID-19 crisis has severely affected incomes, further stressing the need to provide support for affordable clean cooking for the most vulnerable.

The research analyzed strategies to improve LPG subsidy targeting but did not identify a “magic bullet” for easily improving LPG subsidy distribution among poor households. The main bottleneck in improving subsidy distribution appears to be the low consumption of subsidized LPG cylinders among poor households and the high consumption among better-off households. Until reasons for low consumption by poor households are better understood and addressed and an effective way is found to restrict benefits for better-off consumers, policy-makers can consider applying volumetric targeting to continue to limit overall subsidy expenditure.

Since the COVID-19 crisis began, many households in India have seen a dramatic fall in incomes and are anticipated to fall back into poverty. Coupled with Jharkhand’s existing high levels of poverty, this strongly suggests that the choice of any new targeting mechanism when LPG subsidies are reintroduced must be undertaken with care to not increase the hardships for any poor households.

The report recommends making energy access fairer for poor households by encouraging the Central and state governments to analyze who benefits most from LPG subsidies and test different strategies to improve targeting when they are reintroduced.

The Paterson Park Precinct project is part of Johannesburg's Corridors of Freedom Initiative, which seeks to improve social cohesion within the urban environment while maximizing environmental and economic benefits. The project is also part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Sustainable Cities Impact Program, which promotes holistic urban planning to maximize environmental and social benefits and avoid negative trade-offs. One of the components of the project included an upgrade of the stormwater infrastructure in the precinct area through a combination of grey and green infrastructure. This assessment aims to contribute to that discussion, particularly in light of the city's 2021 Climate Action Plan.

The Paterson Park Precinct project is part of Johannesburg's Corridors of Freedom Initiative, which seeks to improve social cohesion within the urban environment. Buildings (including social housing, sports facilities, and a recreational centre) are a core component of this project. The project is also part of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Sustainable Cities Impact Program, which promotes holistic urban planning to maximize environmental and social benefits and avoid negative trade-offs. The Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) application includes an economic and financial valuation of the Paterson Park Project – Buildings, a comparative economic and financial valuation of a building with higher energy and water efficiency requirements and a simulation of these values under different climate scenarios. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) data that was used for this assessment includes precipitation patterns, temperature changes, and heating and cooling degree days.

This report describes the Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) assessment of an agroforestry project in the municipality of Welkenraedt, Belgium. Agroforestry is nature-based infrastructure (NBI) that aims to maintain and restore soil productivity, combat erosion, maintain high water quality, and strengthen climate resilience in the area. Agroforestry is included in the municipality’s climate plans.