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The document analyzes river flood risks in the EU27, finding that combined climate and socio-economic changes could increase expected annual damages (EAD) from €5.5 billion in the baseline period to €97.9 billion by the 2080s under a medium-high emission scenario (A1B). It emphasizes that socio-economic growth is as significant a driver of damage as climate change. Adaptation to maintain 1-in-100-year protection levels is projected to provide substantial benefits, reducing EAD by up to €50 billion per year by the 2080s, with estimated annual adaptation costs rising to €7.9 billion in the same period. The report highlights significant uncertainty across different climate models, which can project opposite directions of risk change at local levels, necessitating flexible and robust adaptation strategies.

The document uses the Dynamic Interactive Vulnerability Assessment (DIVA) Model to project that under a medium-to-high emissions scenario (A1B(I)), annual damage costs in the EU could reach €25 billion by the 2080s, with 250,000 people flooded annually. It argues that a combination of mitigation (to limit long-term rise) and adaptation (such as dikes and beach nourishment) is the most effective response, noting that adaptation can reduce annual damage costs by up to 90% with a high benefit-to-cost ratio.

The briefing examines the feasibility of Germany's goal to reduce building primary energy requirements by 80% by 2050. It finds that deep thermal retrofits for multi-family houses are economically viable for owners who capture full energy savings, especially when supported by KfW loans and grants. To achieve a 2% annual retrofit rate, public support would need to increase to between 2 billion and 8 billion EUR per year, depending on the energy standard targeted. If these targets are met, Germany could save 110 TWh and 7.5 billion EUR in energy bills annually by 2020.

The document analyzes the costs and benefits of comprehensive energy renovations for multi-family and single-family homes in Germany. It finds that such renovations are economically viable for most owners if they can claim the energy savings, and that current KfW funding makes them viable across all analyzed cost estimates. To reach a 2% annual renovation rate, the study estimates annual funding needs between 2-4 billion EUR for KfW 100 standards and 4-8 billion EUR for KfW 55 standards. Achieving these targets could result in total energy savings of 110 TWh and 7.5 billion EUR by 2020.

The report examines the 'water-energy nexus' in the western United States, specifically the eleven states of the Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC). It models eight scenarios from 2008 to 2100, varying by carbon emission goals, water conservation mandates, and energy efficiency levels. The primary finding is that while power plants require water, their total consumption is small compared to agricultural and urban use, making the water-energy nexus a secondary concern in the region's broader water crisis. The analysis suggests that carbon pricing (around $70 per ton) is a more likely driver for shifting energy strategies than water pricing, as water prices would need to exceed $4,000 to $7,000 per acre-foot to make water-conserving energy scenarios the least-cost option.

The report assesses how the EU can achieve a 30% greenhouse gas reduction by 2020, analyzing the interplay between the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS), renewable energy targets, and energy efficiency goals. It finds that full implementation of energy efficiency and renewable targets, combined with post-recession baselines, could lead to a domestic reduction of approximately 30%. The analysis also explores the impact of offsets and LULUCF accounting, noting that these mechanisms could reduce the required domestic effort to between 17% and 22% while still nominally meeting a 30% target. The report concludes that a 25% to 30% domestic reduction is consistent with long-term goals of 80% to 95% reduction by 2050.

The document details the 1984 construction of Amory Lovins's home, which utilized superinsulation, thermal mass, and passive solar design to eliminate the need for a conventional HVAC system. By focusing on functional end-uses rather than standard building codes, the design achieved a 99% reduction in space heating energy and a 90% reduction in electricity use compared to a conventional home of the same vintage. The study highlights that the capital costs of high-performance components were offset by the elimination of expensive heating equipment, resulting in a net construction cost increase of only 1% and a payback period of approximately six months based on 1983-84 prices.

The study establishes a significant positive correlation between temperature increases and cholera cases in Tanzania, predicting that a 1 degree Celsius rise in annual mean temperature increases the risk ratio for cholera by 23 to 51 percent. By 2030, the total economic cost of additional cholera cases and deaths—including treatment, productivity loss, and the value of statistical life—is projected to range from 1.4 to 7.8 percent of GDP. The authors argue that the costs of these climate-driven health impacts largely exceed the costs of preventive measures, such as household chlorination and improved water sanitation.

The report finds that Estonia's transport system is not developing sustainably, with car use and road freight growing in tandem with the economy, leading to high energy intensity and greenhouse gas emissions. While traffic fatalities have decreased significantly, urban air quality has suffered due to increased particulate matter from cars. The report compares Estonia's performance with EU averages and neighbors (Finland and Latvia), noting that Estonia has some of the least fuel-efficient new cars in Europe. Three scenarios for 2020 are analyzed: a 'BAAS' (baseline) scenario where trends continue, a 'TEHNO' scenario focusing on rapid vehicle efficiency gains, and an 'EFEKT' scenario focusing on mobility management and sustainable transport modes. The authors recommend a combination of both TEHNO and EFEKT measures, including CO2-based vehicle taxation, improved public transport and active mobility infrastructure, and integrated urban planning to decouple economic growth from transport demand.

The document compares different policy instruments for increasing energy efficiency in appliances across several EU member states, finding that while subsidies often lead to greater CO2 reductions, energy taxes generally provide higher welfare gains and lower administrative costs. The effectiveness of these policies varies significantly by product type and country, with tax credits for boilers proving highly cost-effective in Italy and Denmark, and the ban of inefficient washing machines being preferable to manufacturer tax credits in Italy and Poland, despite high overall welfare costs.

The document outlines a 'menu' of 'must have' and 'nice to have' actions for municipal governments, utilities, civic groups, and businesses to facilitate the transition to plug-in vehicles. It uses a hypothetical city modeled on Denver, Colorado, to estimate that achieving a goal of 10,000 plug-in vehicles (2% of registered vehicles) over five years would result in a net cost of approximately $10 million and create 250 net new jobs, while avoiding 2 million gallons of oil annually by 2014.

The report estimates that the total investment for new housing, renovation, and infrastructure required for a reunited Cyprus would range from €6.3 billion to €8.6 billion, with an average of €7.2 billion over five years. Public sector spending is estimated at €4.3 billion, while private sector spending would be €2.9 billion. The authors identify various financing options, including EU grants, multilateral loans from the EIB and CEB, and borrowing from Greek, Turkish, and local Cypriot banks. Despite these sources, the report forecasts a funding shortfall of approximately €1 billion over the first five years, necessitating bilateral international assistance of €205 million per year. Economically, the reconstruction boom is projected to increase the real GDP growth rate by 3 percentage points, averaging 7.1% in the first five years, and create over 33,000 new jobs.

The report provides a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of 40 low-carbon interventions in Mexico, focusing on electricity, oil and gas, end-use energy, transport, and agriculture and forestry. It argues that Mexico can stabilize its greenhouse gas emissions at 2008 levels by 2030 while maintaining economic growth, provided it overcomes institutional and regulatory barriers. The study highlights 'win-win' interventions with positive economic returns and significant co-benefits for public health and energy security.

The study examines how carbon pricing affects the chemical sector by analyzing individual production processes to identify specific leakage risks. Using Germany as a representative example, it finds that while most chemical sub-sectors face moderate cost increases, certain basic chemicals—such as calcium carbide, chlorine, and soda ash—experience significant cost increases relative to their net production value. The report suggests that for some substances, like chlorine, high transport costs and risks may mitigate leakage, while others may require tailored policy instruments such as conditional free allowances or state aid.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the Diesel Emissions Reduction Act of 2005 (DERA), a proposed $1 billion federal grant and loan program to reduce diesel fine particle (PM2.5) emissions. CATF highlights that diesel exhaust causes 21,000 premature deaths annually and that existing engines will remain in service for decades, necessitating funding for retrofits, rebuilds, and repowerings to meet air quality standards and provide immediate climate benefits by reducing black carbon.

The testimony by the Clean Air Task Force (CATF) urges the U.S. Senate to oppose the Clear Skies Act (CSA), claiming its emission caps for sulfur, nitrogen, and mercury are too weak and implemented too late to protect public health and the environment. CATF presents modeling showing that alternative proposals, such as the Clean Power Act, would result in significantly fewer deaths by 2020 with negligible increases in retail electricity prices. The document further argues that CSA fails to address carbon dioxide emissions from power plants and would effectively repeal critical Clean Air Act provisions, including New Source Review and visibility protections for National Parks. It concludes that the EPA already possesses the authority to achieve greater gains through existing rules like the Clean Air Interstate Rule (CAIR) and mercury MACT standards.

The report finds that diesel pollution caused an estimated 3,000 premature deaths and $21.5 billion in health costs in California in 2004. While new engine standards will reduce emissions over time, the longevity of existing engines means significant health risks persist. The authors argue that full implementation of California's Diesel Risk Reduction Plan and increased funding for the Carl Moyer Memorial Air Standards Attainment Program could prevent 11,000 premature deaths and save between $48 billion and $70 billion by 2020.

The report argues that California can significantly reduce its global warming impact by mandating the adoption of existing and near-term vehicle technologies. Modeling shows that currently available improvements in engines, transmissions, and air conditioning could reduce fleet average heat-trapping emissions by 20%, while advanced technologies available within five years could achieve a 40% reduction. These improvements are presented as cost-effective, with fuel savings offsetting initial costs within a few years, and would provide a model for other U.S. states and Canada.

The Intelligent Travel project in York tested personalised travel planning on 5,701 households, resulting in a 16 percentage point reduction in car trips and a 28 per cent reduction in car distances driven among the intervention group. The study found that targeted incentives, particularly free bus passes and pedometers, effectively increased bus and walking trips, while cycling and car-sharing incentives had less impact. The report argues that such 'soft' behavioural interventions are highly cost-effective compared to traditional road-building schemes and can be scaled up to significantly reduce urban congestion and air pollution.

The document examines the evolution of diversion in South Africa, moving from disjointed, discretionary practices in the 1990s toward a regulated system under the Child Justice Bill. It details the Bill's mechanisms for expanding diversion, such as compulsory assessments and preliminary inquiries, and categorizes diversion options into three levels based on offence severity. The paper also analyzes the role of the National Institute for Crime Prevention and the Reintegration of Offenders (NICRO) as a primary provider and presents cost-benefit analyses suggesting that increased diversion spending would lead to overall government savings by reducing child detention. Evaluation studies of specific programmes like SAYStOP and DIME generally show positive outcomes in reducing recidivism and improving child well-being.