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Trade-Related Subsidies – Bridging the North-South Divide
The document examines the conflict between domestic subsidy regimes and WTO trade liberalization goals, arguing that current measures like PSE, CSE, and AMS only track subsidy levels rather than their actual trade-distorting effects. It proposes 'terms-of-trade' as a superior metric for detecting unfair trade practices. The report provides case studies from India, Brazil, and the Southern African Customs Union (SACU), highlighting how subsidies in OECD countries—specifically in the EU and US—harm developing economies' agricultural sectors, such as sugar and beef, while noting that developing nations often use subsidies for social stability and food security.
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Document type: Report
A New Road
The report argues that hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) can bridge the gap between current conventional vehicle technology and the long-term adoption of hydrogen fuel cells. It categorizes hybrids into mild, full, and plug-in types based on technological steps like regenerative braking and electric-only drive. Modeling suggests a passenger fleet using advanced full hybrids could reach an average of 60 mpg, significantly reducing oil consumption and greenhouse gas emissions while remaining cost-effective for consumers over the vehicle's lifetime.
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Document type: Report
Clean Energy Blueprint
The Clean Energy Blueprint proposes a comprehensive set of policies to increase energy efficiency and renewable energy in the US. By 2020, the plan aims to have non-hydro renewables provide 20% of electricity, reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants by two-thirds compared to business-as-usual, and save consumers $440 billion. The report argues that these measures would eliminate the need for 975 new power plants and significantly reduce reliance on coal and natural gas.
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Document type: Report
drilling in detroit
The report argues that the US can significantly reduce its oil consumption and environmental footprint by aggressively raising Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. It proposes a path to 40 mpg by 2012 and 55 mpg by 2020 using evolutionary conventional technologies and hybrid electric vehicles. The analysis suggests these improvements would save consumers billions of dollars, create over 100,000 automobile industry jobs by 2020, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 888 million tons by 2020. Furthermore, the report contends that these fuel savings would far exceed the potential oil supply from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and that safety can be maintained or improved through better design and the reduction of weight disparity between light trucks and passenger cars.
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Document type: Report
Microsoft Word - Chapter V.FINAL.doc
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) asserts that the EPA's proposed MACT regulations for utility units lack rigorous economic analysis and fail to protect children from mercury risks. By modeling an 'Alternate Mercury Control Scenario' using the EPA's own Integrated Planning Model (IPM), CATF demonstrates that more stringent mercury emission limits are cost-effective, providing substantial health benefits—specifically avoided premature deaths from PM2.5 exposure—that far outweigh the incremental costs to the power sector. The document further claims the EPA misled the public regarding its compliance with Executive Order 13045 concerning environmental health risks to children.
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Document type: Statement
Putting Out the Fire: Reducing flaring in tight oil fields by improving utilization of associated gas
The document assesses the environmental and economic impacts of flaring associated gas in the Bakken and Eagle Ford formations, concluding that routine flaring is unnecessary due to the availability of mature alternatives like CNG trucking, NGL recovery, and gas-to-power generation. It argues that current regulations, such as those in North Dakota, are inadequate and calls for robust nationwide standards from the BLM and EPA to mandate gas capture.
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Document type: Executive summary
Potential Human Health Impacts Associated with Retirement of Nuclear Power Plants in Illinois
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) used US EPA COBRA modeling to estimate that retiring four Illinois nuclear plants (Byron, Dresden, Braidwood, and LaSalle) would lead to significant increases in PM2.5 pollution. Over a ten-year period, this shift is projected to cause between 1,200 and 2,700 premature deaths and $10 to $24 billion in monetized damages. While the pollution sources are spread across ten states, the most severe health impacts are concentrated in the Midwest.
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Document type: Report
Cutting the Crap: die Vorteile einer Strategie zu weniger Ressourcenverbrauch in deutschen Supermärkten
The report argues that German supermarkets, as dominant market gatekeepers, have a significant opportunity to reduce material consumption by approximately 20% through product innovation, reduced packaging, and new business models. It highlights a paradox where Germany is a leader in waste policy but remains one of Europe's largest waste producers per capita. The document calls for a shift from voluntary guidelines to binding national and EU-level resource efficiency targets to drive economic growth and job creation.
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Document type: Report
reducing_ghg_1993-06bb0235f061de93.pdf
This research paper proposes a 'combined strategy' to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by integrating international marketable permits, emissions fees, and country commitments. The author argues that while industrial countries are the primary source of emissions, a successful global regime must balance the economic stability of industrial nations with the development needs and fairness concerns of developing countries.
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Document type: Research paper
ÉCHANGE DE CHALEUR
The report argues that achieving a cost-optimal net-zero building sector in Canada requires a significant shift toward electrification and a reduction in gas use. It warns that current regulatory inertia and the continued expansion of gas networks risk increasing costs for taxpayers and jeopardizing climate goals. The document recommends that provincial governments legislate net-zero targets, move away from gas as the default heating option for new buildings, and provide regulators with the tools to manage a phased contraction of gas infrastructure while ensuring affordability and equity.
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Document type: Executive summary
o-nexo-floresta-clima-para-a-amazonia-brasileira-2b757150180f5abe.pdf
The document argues that the Brazilian Amazon's diverse ecological and productive capacities allow for a strategic reordering of land use, where agricultural productivity is increased in degraded areas while high-carbon-capture areas are restored. It proposes the Reversing Deforestation Mechanism (RDM), a jurisdictional payment-for-results system that remunerates net carbon removals from forest restoration. The report estimates that natural regeneration in deforested areas could capture up to 26 GtCO₂, with the RDM potentially generating US$ 784 billion over 30 years at a price of US$ 50 per ton of CO₂. This mechanism is presented as complementary to JREDD+ (focused on reducing deforestation) and the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF, focused on maintaining standing forests), together forming a financial architecture to support Brazil's Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
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Document type: Report
Advanced Clean Cars II: Electric vehicles can pave the way for clean air and a growing U.S. economy
The document argues that the adoption of California's Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule by all 16 '177 States' would significantly increase electric vehicle (EV) market share, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and provide substantial public health and economic benefits. Modeling suggests that while federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credits provide a temporary boost to EV sales, the ACC II mandate is necessary to sustain growth, potentially leading to 81 percent EV market share by 2050. The report highlights cumulative reductions of 1,310 million metric tons of CO2e, the prevention of 5,000 premature deaths, and the creation of 300,000 new domestic jobs by 2050.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Evaluating Policies for California to Reach 55 Percent Reductions by 2030 using the Energy Policy Simulator
The California Energy Policy Simulator (EPS) indicates that a 55 percent reduction in emissions by 2030 is achievable without new technologies and would generate significant economic and social benefits. The scenario projects a $55.4 billion increase in state GDP, the creation of 235,000 total jobs, and the avoidance of 1,829 premature deaths by 2030. Achieving this target requires accelerating the deployment of electrification, hydrogen, and carbon capture in industry, as well as reaching 90% clean energy for grid-scale generation by 2030.
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Document type: Briefing
Closing the Emissions Gap Between the IRA and 2030 U.S. NDC
The United States aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 50 to 52 percent below 2005 levels by 2030, but the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is projected to achieve only a 40 percent reduction. To close this gap, the document recommends stronger federal and state standards for electricity, industry, transportation, and buildings. Modeling indicates that achieving the NDC would significantly increase public health and economic benefits compared to the IRA alone, avoiding 6,800 premature deaths and adding $690 billion per year to GDP.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Federal Standards and State Support Necessary for Inflation Reduction Act’s Buildings Benefits
The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides significant funding for residential, commercial, and federal building decarbonization, including nearly $9.9 billion for high-efficiency electric residential buildings and $1 billion for building code adoption. Energy Innovation modeling suggests these provisions could save households $80 annually and create 1.2 to 1.3 million net new jobs by 2030. However, the document asserts that because of slow equipment turnover, the U.S. requires more stringent appliance standards and active implementation by state, local, and Tribal governments—including updated utility planning and workforce support—to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Economic Impacts of U.S. Senate “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” Energy Provisions Summary
The U.S. Senate's "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" is projected to reduce new electricity capacity by 340 GW by 2035, primarily affecting wind and solar. This reduction, combined with higher gas prices, is expected to increase wholesale electricity prices by 74% by 2035 and raise residential electricity rates by 10 to 18%. Consequently, the bill is forecast to cause annual GDP losses of $130 billion by 2030 and peak job losses of 900,000 in 2032.
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Document type: Briefing
IISD Contributes to Inclusive and Resilient Food Security
The IISD provides advisory services to developing countries on sustainable agricultural investment and voluntary sustainability standards. It has produced an analytical framework tracking agricultural economies in 117 countries and is pursuing goals for 2020 including gender equality in land-based investment, seed law analysis, and the Ceres2030 project to cost interventions for ending hunger.
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Document type: Fact sheet
iisd-global-food-security-fr-6940eb9b5340ae55.pdf
The IISD provides advisory services to developing countries on sustainable agriculture investments and voluntary sustainability standards to protect rural livelihoods and land rights. The organization produces analytical frameworks to track agricultural transformation in Africa and Asia, promotes gender equality in land-based investments, and analyzes seed laws and intellectual property. Additionally, the IISD collaborates on trade policy analysis for the WTO and the Ceres2030 project, which estimates the public investment costs required to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger).
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Document type: Fact sheet
Assessing the Electric Productivity Gap and the U.S. Efficiency Opportunity
The report identifies a significant disparity in electric productivity (GDP per kWh) across U.S. states. After normalizing for climate and economic composition, RMI finds a remaining gap of 1.2 million GWh annually. Closing this gap could reduce projected 2020 electricity demand by 34% compared to business-as-usual scenarios while maintaining economic growth.
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Document type: Report
THE ECONOMICS OF GRID DEFECTION
The report examines the economic viability of 'grid defection'—where customers use solar PV and battery storage to operate independently of the electric grid. It analyzes five U.S. geographies to determine when the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) for these systems undercuts retail utility prices. The findings suggest that grid parity is already present in Hawaii and is imminent for millions of other U.S. customers, threatening to strand utility assets and trigger a 'utility death spiral' of rising prices and falling sales.
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Document type: Executive summary