by Dinah A. Koehler, PhD After winter Storm Blair blew through the Midwest this January, businesses in Kansas, Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Arkansas suffered significant disruption. Over 86% of businesses affected by the storm in these states reported weather-related monetary losses to the Census Bureau’s BTOS survey. In Nebraska 88% of businesses exposed to […]

For Canadian businesses with global development ambitions, Africa presents significant commercial opportunities. After years of polite distance, Canada has dusted off its foreign engagement playbook with its 2025 Africa Strategy. It’s not just aid this time – it’s trade, it’s investment, it’s institutional finance. The tone has shifted from “how can we help” to “how[…..]

by Dr. Dinah Koehler Widespread backtracking on climate change mitigation increases risk to businesses. The business impacts of extreme weather are already visible in real-time data, available to businesses today. Wildfire risk now affects one in six Americans, according to First Street Foundation. In 2024, billion-dollar severe weather events were heavily concentrated in the Midwest[…..]

Expect regulatory rollback across the board - clean power, GHG financial disclosure, environmental permitting, among others. This should ease the administrative burden and wait times for project developers - particularly if, as expected, Congress moves to enact a comprehensive permitting reform package. Trump's commitment to tariff maximalism remains an open question but we do have[.....]

President-elect Trump’s proposed agenda combines deregulation, relaxed tax rates, deep cuts to federal spending, and new broad-ranging tariffs. Stakeholder coordination and engagement will be critical to preserve federal programs and incentives. That will mean positioning issues in the prisms of the incoming administration’s “America First” priorities: trade, jobs, domestic manufacturing and innovation, and competition with[.....]

by Dr. Dinah Koehler At this year’s NYC Climate Week, I felt both energized by the scale of participation and burdened by the nagging sense of inertia that has plagued climate action for decades. The excitement in the air is tangible, but there’s also the risk of getting swept up in the frenzy or bogged[…..]

Protect your employees from the impact of extreme temperatures on the job Despite the predictions, the Paris games did not surpass those held in Tokyo in 2021 as the hottest on record. It did, however, increase awareness of the need for more robust heat protection strategies from employers and establishing a culture of acclimatization for[.....]

by Danielle Comeau As we head into the final week of June, I reflect on the powerful opportunity for action toward social and economic equity the month offers through Juneteenth (19), National Indigenous Peoples Day (21), and Pride all month. These observances invite us to honor the histories, celebrate the cultures, and acknowledge the struggles[…..]

Integrating employee wellness programs with nature-based activities has been proven to reduce stress, enhance moods, and increase psychological well-being. You can incorporate nature into your workplace by expanding office plants, encouraging outdoor meetings, and organizing nature walks and retreats. Employers who invest in employee wellness programs reap numerous benefits beyond improving the health of individual[…..]