{"query_echo":{"q":"","filters":{"analysis_type":["regulatory impact assessment"]},"warnings":[{"code":"facet_value_not_in_vocabulary","message":"Value 'regulatory impact assessment' for facet 'analysis_type' is not in the controlled vocabulary."}]},"total":{"value":3,"relation":"eq"},"page":1,"page_size":20,"self":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/api/v1/search?analysis_type=regulatory+impact+assessment","stability":"beta","ai_marking":{"digital_source_type":{"uri":"http://cv.iptc.org/newscodes/digitalsourcetype/trainedAlgorithmicMedia","name":"Created using Generative AI"},"notice":"Summary and key insights are generated using artificial intelligence."},"results":[{"id":"ucs-000331","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/ucs-000331","title":"Endangering Generations","publisher":{"name":"Union of Concerned Scientists","organization":"union-of-concerned-scientists"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2020-02","source_url":"https://www.ucs.org/sites/default/files/2020-02/childrens-health-report-appendix.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The document outlines the technical approaches used to estimate children's exposure to chlorpyrifos and PFAS, the process for tracking children's product recalls, and the use of EPA Regulatory Impact Analyses to quantify the health benefits lost when air pollution standards were weakened or repealed.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000331#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"To estimate the number of children exposed to chlorpyrifos, the authors combined US Geological Survey land use data and 2016 county-level chlorpyrifos use data to identify contaminated farmland, then applied Census Bureau data for children under five to those specific geographic areas.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000331#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The analysis of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used GIS software to draw one, three, and five-mile radii around contaminated facilities to identify the number of schools, childcare facilities, and women of reproductive age (15-49) living nearby.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000331#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The study quantified the potential health benefits for children that would have been achieved if air pollution policies were fully implemented, citing that the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (2011) would prevent 130,000 asthma exacerbations in children aged six to 18 and 80,000 lower respiratory symptoms in children aged seven to 14 annually.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000331#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Strengthening the ground-level ozone standard from 75 to 70 parts per billion was estimated to prevent 230,000 asthma exacerbations in children aged six to 18 nationwide (excluding California) and 160,000 lost school days for children aged five to 17 nationwide each year.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000331#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The Clean Power Plan, which was repealed and replaced by the Affordable Care Act, was projected to prevent between 74,000 and 90,000 asthma exacerbations in children aged six to 18 and 130,000 to 140,000 school absence days for children aged five to 17 annually by 2030.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000331#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The Nitrogen Oxides State Implementation Plan (OAR 1998), which covered the District of Columbia and 20 states, was weakened by the Trump administration by making the most stringent air pollution monitoring non-mandatory.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000331#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The 2012 Passenger Vehicle Fuel Economy and Emissions Standards were estimated to prevent 3,500 asthma exacerbations in asthmatic children aged six to 18 and 2,100 lower respiratory symptoms in children aged eight to 12 annually by 2030.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"ucs-000331#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances","air pollution","greenhouse gas emissions","environmental impact of mercury","environmental regulation","Clean Power Plan"],"geography_discussed":["California","District of Columbia","Alabama","Connecticut","Delaware","Illinois","Indiana","Kentucky","Maryland","Massachusetts","Michigan","New Jersey","New York","North Carolina","Ohio","Pennsylvania","Rhode Island","South Carolina","Tennessee","Virginia","West Virginia","Wisconsin"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["methodology","quantitative analysis","regulatory impact assessment"]},{"id":"sei-002834","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/sei-002834","title":"Vision Zero","publisher":{"name":"Stockholm Environment Institute","organization":"stockholm-environment-institute"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":"2006","source_url":"https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/Future/vision_zero_FinalReportMarch06.pdf","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"The report examines Sweden's 'Vision Zero' policy, which shifts road safety responsibility from the individual user to the system designers to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries. While UK focus groups found the concept laudable, a stakeholder survey revealed significant skepticism regarding its achievability and cost-effectiveness in the UK. The document provides a cost-benefit analysis suggesting high potential savings and proposes a 'backcasting' implementation schedule for the UK through 2030, integrating road engineering, speed control, and sustainable transport.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#summary","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Sweden's Vision Zero policy, introduced in 1997, is based on the ethical premise that no human deaths or lifelong suffering from road traffic are acceptable, shifting responsibility from the road user to the system designers.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The core technical principle of Vision Zero is that the road transport system must be designed so that crash energy does not exceed the biomechanical tolerance of the human body.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"In the UK, focus group participants generally viewed the Vision Zero objective as an inspiring and admirable goal, though many questioned its practical achievability due to inherent human error.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"A survey of UK stakeholders showed strong opposition to adopting Vision Zero, with 79% against it, citing concerns over costs, the inherent risk of life, and the belief that it would lead to overly restrictive policies for motorists.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The report estimates that the full implementation of Vision Zero in the UK could provide annual benefits of £9.9 billion in terms of prevented fatalities and serious injuries, totaling approximately £111 billion over 10 years.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Swedish experience suggests that the most effective interventions for reducing fatalities include road network improvements, speed reduction in urban and rural areas, and technical measures like alcohol ignition interlocks.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The proposed 'backcasting' pathway for the UK to achieve Vision Zero by 2030 involves three phases: a preparatory phase of consultation, a second phase (until 2020) focusing on media, speed control, and law reform, and a final review phase.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The report identifies significant policy synergies where Vision Zero could simultaneously reduce greenhouse gas emissions, noise pollution, and obesity by encouraging a modal shift toward walking and cycling.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-8","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"Critics of the policy, including some Swedish researchers, argue that rejecting cost-benefit analysis (CBA) in favor of an ethical 'zero' target can lead to inefficient resource allocation and may potentially increase overall mortality if funds are diverted from other health priorities.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-9","date_modified":"2026-10-23"},{"text":"The report suggests that a successful UK implementation would require a multidisciplinary approach involving the NHS, vehicle manufacturers, and a new independent agency for comprehensive fatality investigations, similar to the Swedish model.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"sei-002834#insight-10","date_modified":"2026-10-23"}],"climate_tags":["sustainable transport","greenhouse gas emissions","urban design","air pollution"],"geography_discussed":["European Union","Norway","Germany","Denmark","Finland"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["policy assessment","cost benefit analysis","backcasting","SWOT analysis","regulatory impact assessment"]},{"id":"cer-000194","url":"https://climateinsightsdirectory.org/document/cer-000194","title":"2014-05-30-fa46-natref-submission-05-2012-018e25d4b2c23688.pdf","publisher":{"name":"Centre for Environmental Rights","organization":"centre-for-environmental-rights"},"document_type":"report","language":"en","date_published":null,"source_url":"https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/2014-05-30-FA46-Natref-submission-05-2012.pdf?x21779","generator":"Climate Insights Directory","generated_fields":["summary","key_insights","climate_tags","geography_discussed","analysis_type"],"summary":{"text":"A June 2012 submission by the Natref refinery to the South African Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) regarding proposed Minimum Emission Standards (MES). Natref argues that inflexible national point source emission standards are impractical for existing facilities and proposes a 'bubble' approach to emissions management to ensure socio-economic sustainability and energy security.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000194#summary","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},"key_insights":[{"text":"Natref argues that requiring existing facilities to retrofit to meet the same standards as new plants is not standard international legal practice and is socio-economically unsustainable when combined with other regulatory requirements for waste, water, and carbon emissions up to 2020.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000194#insight-1","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The refinery's inland location creates specific operational constraints, as it must burn high-sulphur fuel oil internally because there is no local market for bunker fuel, unlike coastal refineries.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000194#insight-2","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Natref's contribution to the Vaal Triangle Airshed Priority Area (VTAPA) is reported as 10.4% for NOx, 5.4% for SOx, and 4.2% for PM, noting that PM is the priority pollutant in that area.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000194#insight-3","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The company proposes a 'bubble' approach for emissions management, which it claims is international practice and Best Available Technology (BAT), while suggesting the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit remain a point source for Particulate Matter (PM).","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000194#insight-4","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Natref estimates that the combined investments for Clean Fuels, Air Quality Act (AQA), Water Act, and Waste Act changes over the next 5 to 8 years will exceed R11.5 billion (at +40% accuracy), which could seriously affect refinery profitability.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000194#insight-5","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"The submission highlights a lack of domestic engineering and manufacturing capacity in South Africa, noting that many workshops in the Vaal Triangle are currently occupied by Eskom expansions.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000194#insight-6","date_modified":"2026-08-17"},{"text":"Natref proposes specific emission limits for existing combustion installations, suggesting 8 mg/Nm3 for PM and 2500 mg/Nm3 for SO2, contrasting with DEA's proposed 120 mg/Nm3 for PM and 1700 mg/Nm3 for SO2.","ai_generated":true,"unit":"cer-000194#insight-7","date_modified":"2026-08-17"}],"climate_tags":["energy transition","air quality","industrial emissions","refining"],"geography_discussed":["Vaal Triangle","Durban","Sasolburg"],"frame_perspective":[],"analysis_type":["policy submission","regulatory impact assessment"]}]}