Search Climate Insights Directory

This policy brief by RMI argues that low-carbon fuels—specifically green hydrogen, biomethane, and synthetic methane—are impractical for heating buildings in New York State. The document contends that these alternatives are energy-inefficient compared to heat pumps, require costly and risky infrastructure upgrades, pose health hazards, and divert critical resources away from energy efficiency and electrification goals mandated by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).

This executive summary describes a 2009 study conducted in the Búzi District of Sofala Province, Mozambique, to evaluate the prospects of establishing an information and communications system for early warning of wildfires. The study was part of the ACCESA project, which aimed to reduce community vulnerability to climate change through community-based fire management (CBFiM). The document identifies significant gaps in institutional coordination and information flow regarding wildfires and provides recommendations for improving national monitoring, danger classification, and local reporting systems.

This case study by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) details a deep energy efficiency retrofit of the Empire State Building in New York City. The project focused on reducing thermal loads and upgrading systems to achieve significant energy savings and carbon reductions, utilizing an integrative design process and life cycle cost analysis to balance financial returns with environmental goals.

This report evaluates a pilot project for the local management of rural electricity supply in Tanzania, specifically focusing on the Urambo Electric Consumers Co-operative Society (UECCO). It examines the transition from a state-managed utility model (TANESCO) to a community-managed cooperative, analyzing technical, financial, and sociological outcomes.

This 1992 report by the Stockholm Environment Institute evaluates the technical, financial, and socio-economic impacts of rural electrification projects implemented by the Tanzania Electric Supply Company (TANESCO). The study finds that while electrification has provided substantial individual benefits—such as improved lighting and security—it has largely failed to achieve wider macro-economic goals, including the promotion of agro-industry and the reduction of deforestation. The report highlights severe financial losses in isolated diesel-powered areas, low supply reliability, and administrative weaknesses, recommending a restructuring of TANESCO's organization and a revision of tariff policies to improve sustainability.

This case study describes a pilot project in Guilin, China, focused on implementing climate-smart water technologies and innovations in rice farming. The project, part of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, aims to reduce water demand and improve resource use decisions through intelligent measuring devices and a specific water-saving irrigation mode.