Search Climate Insights Directory

The fact sheet identifies Sub-Saharan Africa as a food shortage hotspot and proposes combining soil, water, and nutrient management—specifically through ecological sanitation—to close the yield gap and build climate resilience.

The report argues that the United States can significantly reduce its reliance on fossil fuels by deploying a diverse mix of renewable energy sources, which have the technical potential to meet current electricity needs many times over. It highlights wind, solar, geothermal, bioenergy, and hydropower as key resources, noting that wind and geothermal are already competitive with new coal and natural gas plants in some cases. The document identifies critical barriers to this transition, including the need for a modernized transmission grid, streamlined siting processes, and sustainable biomass harvesting. It proposes a policy package featuring a national renewable electricity standard (RES) ramping up to 40% by 2030, extended tax credits, and increased R&D funding. While discussing carbon capture and storage (CCS) and advanced nuclear power as potential low-carbon supplements, the report notes significant cost uncertainties, infrastructure requirements, and safety risks associated with these technologies.

The document advocates for immediate action to combat climate change using existing technologies. It identifies fossil fuel combustion and deforestation as the primary drivers of CO2 increase and proposes five 'common sense' solutions: increasing vehicle fuel efficiency, modernizing the electricity system with renewables, improving energy efficiency in buildings, protecting forests, and increasing federal R&D for clean energy. It emphasizes that these steps would reduce emissions while saving consumers money and enhancing energy security.

The document outlines a technical framework for calculating fuel use across various truck types—including tractor-trailers, straight trucks, and cargo vans—using data from the Freight Analysis Framework (FAF) and the Vehicle Inventory and Use Survey (VIUS). It establishes baseline fuel economies (e.g., 5.8 mpg for tractor-trailers) and projects improvements by 2025 based on technology packages such as aerodynamic devices and hybrid-electric powertrains. Additionally, it applies these methodologies to estimate the current fuel use and future savings for the fleets of UPS, FedEx, PepsiCo, The Coca-Cola Company, and Walmart.

The report assesses fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) as a path toward a clean-vehicle future in the US, focusing on hydrogen and methanol as primary fuels. It analyzes the environmental benefits, such as the potential for 'zero-emission vehicles' (ZEVs) when using renewable hydrogen, and compares FCV performance and safety to gasoline vehicles. The document also addresses the infrastructure challenges of hydrogen distribution and the economic value of reducing urban air pollution in cities like Los Angeles and New York City.

The paper argues that reducing methane leakage from U.S. natural gas systems to under 1 percent of total production would make natural gas's climate impact lower than coal or diesel. It suggests that this can be achieved by cutting current emissions by one-half to two-thirds using cost-effective technologies, many of which have payback periods of three years or less. While EPA standards provide a foundation, the authors advocate for further federal rules under the Clean Air Act and state-level actions to address emissions from new and existing wells.

The document argues that carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) may be essential for limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C by 2050. It identifies key technical and regulatory challenges—such as permanence, MRV, and liability—that UNFCCC Parties must address to ensure safe and transparent CCS deployment.

The testimony argues that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is essential for mitigating climate change given that coal is responsible for over 40 percent of global CO2 emissions. The author calls for a global network of 15 to 20 demonstrations to move the technology from the 'valley of death' into commercialization, noting that technical understanding is already adequate for large-scale projects. A significant focus is placed on China, where coal-related emissions may reach 51 percent of the world's total by 2030, necessitating joint public-private partnerships and research exchanges. The document highlights existing initiatives like the Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum and the Global CCS Institute, while recommending that the U.S. formalize partnerships with the UK, EU, China, and Australia to avoid duplication and share regulatory knowledge.

The report argues that decentralized solar solutions in India's climate-vulnerable regions must move beyond traditional, siloed implementation models to incorporate climate-risk data, context-specific design, and innovative financing to ensure resilience against extreme weather events.

The paper advocates for a shift in agricultural research toward marker-assisted and genomics-assisted conventional breeding, particularly for 'orphan crops' like sorghum and millet. It highlights a 69 percent gap between 2006 production and projected 2050 needs, arguing that conventional breeding is superior to genetic modification for complex yield traits. The authors recommend doubling R&D funding in low- and medium-income countries to 1.0 percent of agricultural production value and promoting the sharing of genomic data.

The document argues that the auto-rickshaw sector can support sustainable urban transport in India by providing first-and-last-mile connectivity and door-to-door alternatives to private vehicles. To achieve this, it recommends shifting from two-stroke to four-stroke engines to reduce PM10 emissions, implementing separate emission standards for HC and NOx, and improving vehicle design and road infrastructure to enhance occupant safety.

The analysis identifies that U.S. petroleum refineries, which contribute approximately 3% of all U.S. emissions, can deeply decarbonize through fuel switching to clean hydrogen, electrification, and carbon capture, utilization and storage. In the long term, the paper argues that refineries can shift to renewable feedstocks to produce low-carbon fuels for aviation, shipping, and trucking, potentially reducing fuel carbon intensities by up to 80%.

Virginia can achieve nearly 80 percent of the EPA's emission rate target for 2020-2030 through planned coal plant retirements and the use of combined heat and power (CHP) and natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) plants. To meet the remainder of the target, the state can implement energy efficiency measures to achieve 1.3 percent annual energy savings and increase renewable energy generation to 15 percent by 2025, leveraging untapped wind and solar potential.

The report outlines strategies for U.S. companies to adopt on-site renewable energy, focusing on solar, wind, geothermal, and solar thermal technologies. It details various ownership and financing models—ranging from direct ownership to third-party power purchase agreements—and analyzes the associated financial incentives, operational risks, and corporate benefits such as cost hedging and brand enhancement.

The world faces a 69 percent gap between 2006 crop calories and those required by 2050 for a population of 9.6 billion. Closing this gap through production alone would require increases exceeding those seen between 1962 and 2006. The document proposes a 'menu of solutions' categorized by reducing consumption, increasing production on existing land, and reducing emissions. Key strategies include cutting food loss and waste in half (reducing the gap by 20%), achieving replacement level fertility in sub-Saharan Africa (reducing the regional gap by 25%), and shifting 20% of future beef consumption to other proteins. It warns that aggressive bioenergy targets could widen the food gap to 100%.

The report concludes that the realistic potential for large-scale soil carbon sequestration is limited due to scientific uncertainties, practical implementation challenges, and nutrient requirements. It argues against treating soil carbon as a primary offset for emissions, suggesting instead a 'no-regrets' strategy where carbon sequestration is a cobenefit of boosting crop and pasture productivity, agroforestry, and soil restoration, particularly in nutrient-deficient regions like sub-Saharan Africa.

The document examines desalination as a potential water source for Cape Town, noting that while it provides a rainfall-independent supply, it is often the most expensive option and carries significant energy and environmental costs. It details existing small-scale plants in South African municipalities and warns against over-investing in large-scale facilities based on experiences in Australia.

The document examines the role of fossil gas in South Africa, detailing its current use in power generation and chemical feedstock, while arguing against its use as a 'bridge fuel'. It highlights the high global warming potential of methane leaks, the risk of stranded assets, and the availability of cheaper renewable alternatives combined with energy storage. The author concludes that South Africa should avoid new gas exploration and infrastructure to align with the 1.5°C warming limit and its own 2050 net-zero target.

The document presents a comparative analysis of multiple carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies and nature-based solutions, detailing their Technology Readiness Levels (TRL), estimated costs per tonne of CO2, and annual mitigation potentials. It highlights that while some methods like afforestation and BECCS have substantial contributions in Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs), others such as biochar and soil carbon sequestration are still in development or not yet incorporated into these global pathways. The analysis also weighs the co-benefits, such as improved biodiversity and soil health, against risks including land competition with food production and potential carbon reversal.