The 4th Canadian PhD and Early Career Workshop in Environmental Economics — supported by Sustainable Prosperity — was hosted at the University of Ottawa from June 1st to June 2nd. This annual workshop brings together PhD students and early career researchers working on topics in Environmental Economics, Natural Resource Economics, Energy Economics, Economy of Climate Change, Energy Economics, and other related disciplines.
There are a number of reasons why more and more studies are showing that environmental regulations bring economic dividends. This short paper and the two Policy Briefs that accompany it explore what we believe are the top three.
This week Sustainable Prosperity lost one of its biggest champions as well as a friend in Alan Nymark. Alan was a lifelong champion for the idea that we can grow an economy that values environmental protection and has room for all.
It turns out we have a data void in Canada. If you’ve been following our series of blogs on #GreenTape (the first looked at environmental regulation and innovation, the second at good design of environmental regulation, you’ve seen how environmental regulation, when designed well, can bring both economic and environmental returns. You’ve also seen that retrospective analysis of environmental regulations can provide meaningful insight into where, when and how to design environmental regulation.
We have all heard the saying, “I’m drowning in red tape”. It’s a common rebuke from businesses and others being forced to comply with regulation. Green tape, the environmental equivalent of red tape, refers to the rules and regulations that limit pollution or protect ecosystems. While green tape also draws its fair share of complaints, it turns out environmental regulation can be designed in a way to produce environmental and economic benefits that can outweigh at least some of the drawbacks – if not all of them.
Thirty years ago, as concerns grew over dioxins appearing in fish downstream from pulp and paper mills, Swedish firms developed chlorine-free pulp bleaching technologies. Developing these technologies helped protect fish and ecosystems. What’s more, it opened up new markets in Germany for the Swedish firms’ more-environmentally-friendly products, and allowed the leading firms to sell their technology to other jurisdictions. A win for the environment and the economy.
This report provides the rationale for local governments to consider green infrastructure strategies and introduces six market-based tools that are used across Canada and the United States to support such strategies.
The new Canadian federal government has committed to develop a national climate change plan in co-operation with provincial and territorial governments. Under the previous federal government Canada had committed to a 17% reduction below 2005 levels by 2020 and a 30% reduction by 2030. Environment Minister Catherine McKenna has promised that the previous government’s 2030 commitments will be a “floor” for federal ambition. The big question is: where will these GHG emissions reductions come from?
This week saw Canadians get excited about the 2016 Census, crashing servers and flipping out on social media in their rush to be counted and to contribute to building good data sets. And rightly so – data sets (and the analysis we do based on them) help drive good public policy.
This report provides an overview of Statistics Canada’s efforts to measure the state of Canada’s natural capital (ecosystems, land and sub-soil resources), the demands placed upon it by human activities and the efforts undertaken to manage these demands.
The Natural Capital Symposium is an annual event hosted by the Natural Capital Project (NatCap) at Stanford University that brings together dynamic and inspiring scholars, professionals and experts on natural capital from all around the world.
For many of those who have been following Sustainable Prosperity's work, you've likely heard about our Linking Natural Capital & Productivity project.
Since its humble beginnings in New York City in 1970, Earth Day has been a celebration of the ecosystems and biodiversity on which we all depend for food, livelihoods, and our quality of life, as well as a call to action to share the earth and not squander our natural heritage.
Sustainable Prosperity is pleased to provide the Province of British Columbia feedback on its second phase of consultation for the development of its 2016 Climate Leadership Plan.
Sustainable Prosperity commends the Government of Ontario for its ambitious Draft Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy and we welcome the opportunity to provide input.
The economic case for the transition to a green economy is becoming more and more compelling with the release of new figures on the rising cost of inaction on climate change, and falling prices for renewable power generation.
