Search Climate Insights Directory
1,285 documents from Union of Concerned Scientists added on 23 October 2026
Climate Accountability Scorecard
The report evaluates fossil fuel companies using a scoring guide that measures corporate political disclosure, engagement with Congress, and support for climate policies. It finds a wide disparity in performance, with some companies like ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil receiving 'Good' scores for their policy frameworks, while others like CONSOL Energy and Arch Coal are rated 'Egregious' or 'Poor' due to their opposition to the Paris Agreement or lack of political transparency.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Climate Accountability Scorecard
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) developed a methodology to assess eight major investor-owned oil, gas, and coal companies on their climate responsibility. The assessment uses 28 metrics across four broad areas: renouncing disinformation, planning for a carbon-free world, supporting effective climate policies, and disclosing climate risks. Companies are scored on a five-point scale from 'advanced' to 'egregious' based on publicly available data from July 1, 2016, to June 30, 2018.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Climate Accountability Scorecard
The Union of Concerned Scientists' 2018 Climate Accountability Scorecard Appendix C evaluates fossil fuel companies based on their commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, use of internal carbon pricing, and transparency in reporting. The assessment finds that most companies, including ExxonMobil, Chevron, and Peabody Energy, have insufficient plans aligned with the Paris Agreement. While some companies like BP and Royal Dutch Shell have implemented internal carbon prices of $40 per tonne, the report highlights a general lack of comprehensive, company-wide net-zero targets and detailed disclosure of low-carbon research and development investments.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Climate Accountability Scorecard
The report provides a scoring framework and detailed evaluations for eight fossil fuel companies—Arch Coal, BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, CONSOL Energy, ExxonMobil, Peabody Energy, and Royal Dutch Shell—regarding their public statements on climate science, trade association affiliations, governance policies, and responses to shareholder resolutions. It identifies a systemic failure among these companies to implement policies preventing the spread of climate disinformation, with most receiving 'Poor' or 'Egregious' scores. The document also catalogues historical and recent disinformation activities by trade associations such as the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Soot to Solar
The Crawford Generating Station in Chicago closed in 2012 following community organizing by the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization (LVEJO). While a 2012 memorandum of understanding required stakeholder input for redevelopment, Hilco Redevelopment Partners announced plans in 2018 to build a logistics facility, which LVEJO opposes due to the risk of increased diesel pollution. The Union of Concerned Scientists proposes an alternative: a 10 megawatt solar farm and a 10 megawatt energy storage installation, leveraging the site's existing grid infrastructure and brownfield status under the Future Energy Jobs Act.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Soot to Solar
The E.D. Edwards Power Station in Illinois faces an uncertain future as its owner, Dynegy-Vistra, seeks state bailouts and relaxed pollution rules. The document argues that retiring the plant would improve public health and save consumers money, while the 206-acre site could be repurposed for a 41-megawatt solar farm and energy storage. However, a significant challenge remains in the form of high-hazard coal ash storage on-site.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Soot to Solar
The Fisk Generating Station in Chicago closed in 2012 following community activism. While the city has proposed a bus garage or park, the Union of Concerned Scientists suggests the site could support a 9 megawatt solar farm and a 10 megawatt storage facility, leveraging the Future Energy Jobs Act and brownfield incentives to create local jobs.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Climate Accountability at Chevron
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) found that while Chevron improved its emissions and political spending disclosures, it continues to misrepresent climate science, maintain leadership roles in trade groups that spread disinformation, and lacks a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from its operations or products.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
THE 2018 CLIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY SCORECARD
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) found that while ExxonMobil improved its scores in some areas—such as leaving the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and supporting a federal carbon tax—it continues to misrepresent climate science and maintain leadership roles in trade groups that spread disinformation. The company lacks a company-wide net-zero emissions target and has actively blocked climate-related shareholder resolutions.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Climate Accountability at Peabody Energy
The Union of Concerned Scientists evaluated Peabody Energy's climate actions from July 2016 to June 2018, finding that while the company follows best practices in political spending disclosure, it remains 'egregious' in its lack of emissions reduction targets and its support for the US withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement. The company is criticized for downplaying climate science in public statements and maintaining leadership roles in trade associations that spread climate disinformation.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
The 2018 Climate Accountability Scorecard
The 2018 Climate Accountability Scorecard evaluates eight major oil, gas, and coal companies, finding that while some have made minor improvements due to shareholder and legal pressure, their overall actions remain insufficient to align with the Paris climate agreement. The report highlights continued reliance on trade associations that spread disinformation and a systemic failure to set company-wide net-zero emissions targets.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Climate Accountability THE 2018 CLIMATE ACCOUNTABILITY SCORECARD
The 2018 Climate Accountability Scorecard evaluates Royal Dutch Shell's response to climate change, noting that while the company acknowledges climate science and supports the Paris Agreement in principle, it lacks a concrete net-zero action plan and maintains ties to industry groups that spread climate disinformation.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Three Strategies to Move the Region Forward
The document argues that the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region can significantly reduce climate pollution and consumer costs by investing in vehicle efficiency, electric vehicles (EVs), and clean fuels. An analysis by M.J. Bradley and Associates indicates that these strategies could cut on-road CO2 emissions by 37% by 2030 and 78% by 2050 (relative to 1990 levels), while saving consumers over $1 trillion on petroleum-based fuels by 2050. The report emphasizes that electrification is the largest driver of emissions reductions and suggests policy mechanisms such as a Clean Fuel Standard and a regional clean transportation investment fund to achieve these goals equitably.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Decarbonizing Transportation
The document consists of a series of data tables (Appendix F) detailing the financial and environmental impacts of transportation decarbonization across several US states. It tracks costs such as incremental vehicle costs and charging infrastructure against benefits like gasoline and diesel fuel savings, as well as monetized greenhouse gas (GHG), NOx, and PM2.5 reductions. The data is split between 'MID' and 'HIGH' scenarios for each state, projecting outcomes through 2050.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Soot to Solar
The report argues that accelerating the retirement of coal plants in Illinois in favor of clean energy technologies will improve public health, reduce carbon emissions, and lower electricity bills without compromising grid reliability.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Executive summary
Soot to Solar
The report argues that accelerating the retirement of coal plants in Illinois, beyond the mandates of the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA), would significantly improve public health and provide economic gains. Modeling shows that replacing coal with wind, solar, and energy storage is affordable and does not compromise grid reliability, as demonstrated by a case study of the Waukegan plant. The analysis highlights that pollution-burdened communities of color and low-income residents stand to benefit most from this transition.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Soot to Solar
The document outlines the technical framework for the 'Soot to Solar' analysis, utilizing the Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) and HOMER Pro models to evaluate energy scenarios in Illinois. It specifies cost and performance assumptions for various generation technologies, calculates the social cost of carbon and health benefits of emission reductions, and assesses the feasibility of replacing natural gas peaker plants with storage and solar. Additionally, it includes land availability assessments for former coal sites and a public health impact analysis conducted with the Clean Air Task Force.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Soot to Solar
The Waukegan Generating Station in Illinois causes significant health harms, including an estimated 18 premature deaths annually, and disproportionately affects people of color. Analysis indicates that the plant's coal units can be retired without impacting electricity reliability, as generation can be replaced across the PJM regional transmission organization. The document proposes a just transition involving site remediation, energy storage, and the use of nearby brownfield sites for solar projects under the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA).
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Soot to Solar
The Wood River Power Station in East Alton, Illinois, retired in 2016, leaving behind hazardous coal ash ponds that pose risks to groundwater and human life. Despite these dangers, the site's existing utility infrastructure makes it a viable candidate for a 46 megawatt solar farm and 10 megawatts of storage, which could support local economic development and leverage the Future Energy Jobs Act.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
accountability-climate-disclosure-sign-on-letter-e6e3ee91efcacf6a.pdf
The document is a formal letter to Senator Elizabeth Warren from 33 organizations supporting the Climate Risk Disclosure Act of 2018. The signatories argue that standardized climate risk disclosure by the Securities and Exchange Commission is essential for investors to assess physical, financial, and legal risks, such as stranded assets and refinery flooding, thereby accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and maintaining financial stability.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement