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China's Actions on Clean Power
China has become a global leader in renewable energy investment and wind capacity, though it remains heavily dependent on coal for electricity and heat. While the 12th Five Year Plan sets targets for increasing non-fossil fuel use and reducing carbon emissions intensity, the country faces challenges such as grid connectivity for wind power and water shortages in arid provinces due to coal base construction. The government is also piloting emissions trading schemes in several cities and provinces as a precursor to a national system by 2015.
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Document type: Briefing
Climate Change and Your Health: Rising Temperatures, Worsening Ozone Pollution
The document details how climate-induced temperature increases exacerbate ground-level ozone pollution, leading to significant respiratory health burdens and economic costs. For the continental United States, the "climate penalty on ozone" is projected to cause millions of additional acute respiratory symptoms and thousands of additional hospitalizations for infants and seniors by 2020 and 2050, with health impact costs estimated at $5.4 billion in 2020 alone. In California, these effects could result in nearly 443,000 additional cases of serious respiratory illnesses and costs exceeding $729 million in 2020.
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Document type: Fact sheet
California Water Supply and Demand: Technical Report
The California Water Supply and Demand Model (CWSD) assesses how climate change affects water availability and usage in California, focusing on the energy, urban, and agricultural sectors. The model evaluates scenarios with no adaptation, slow adaptation, and fast adaptation across different climate projections (B1 and A2). Key findings indicate that without adaptation, agricultural water demand will rise due to higher temperatures, particularly in the San Joaquin Valley. While slow adaptation may only marginally reduce use, fast adaptation—driven by higher water prices and technological efficiency—could significantly decrease demand. The report also extends its agricultural analysis to other Western U.S. states, noting a general increase in water demand by 2100.
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Document type: Report
Reefs at Risk Revisited: Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean contains 13 percent of the world's coral reefs, with over 65 percent currently at risk from local threats, primarily overfishing. Projections indicate that by 2050, all areas in the region will be considered threatened due to the combined impact of local pressures and climate-related stressors such as thermal stress and acidification. While 19 percent of reefs are within marine protected areas, only 11 percent of the region's reefs are in MPAs with effective or partially effective management.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Reefs at Risk Revisited
The Reefs at Risk Revisited analysis finds that approximately 75 percent of global coral reefs are threatened by local and global pressures, with local threats affecting over 60 percent. Without intervention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and local pressures, threatened reefs could increase to over 90 percent by 2030 and nearly all reefs by 2050. While over 25 percent of reefs are in marine protected areas, only 6 percent are effectively managed. The report identifies 27 nations as most vulnerable to reef degradation, including Haiti, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Reefs at Risk Revisited: Middle East
The Middle East contains approximately 6 percent of the world's coral reefs, with nearly two-thirds currently at risk from local threats, most notably overfishing. While some areas of the Red Sea remain under low threat, the Persian Gulf is highly stressed, with over 85 percent of its reefs considered threatened. Projections indicate that thermal stress and ocean acidification will push all reefs in the region to threatened status by 2050. Currently, only 12 percent of the region's reefs are within Marine Protected Areas, though Egypt has significant coverage with about 50 percent of its reefs protected.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Reefs at Risk Revisited: Pacific
The Pacific contains over a quarter of the world's coral reefs, with nearly 50% currently affected by local threats such as overfishing and pollution. While the region has over 920 Marine Protected Areas covering 13% of its reefs, future climate change is projected to increase the proportion of threatened reefs to 90% by 2030 and nearly all reefs by 2050.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Economic Assessment of Forest Ecosystem Services Losses: Cost of Policy Inaction
The research evaluates the economic impact of forest area changes from 2000 to 2050, focusing on provisioning, regulating, and cultural services. Using a combination of market data, meta-analysis, and value transfer, the study finds that while managed forests may increase provisioning revenues, the loss of natural forests—particularly in tropical and boreal biomes—leads to significant welfare losses, primarily driven by the loss of carbon sequestration capacity. Brazil is projected to suffer the highest economic loss, potentially reaching 6% of its 2050 GDP.
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Document type: Research paper
Renewable Electricity Standards at Work in the States
As of February 2009, 28 U.S. states and Washington D.C. have implemented renewable electricity standards to increase the share of wind, solar, and bioenergy in their power supplies. The Union of Concerned Scientists projects these standards will support 76,750 MW of new renewable power by 2025, reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by over 183 million metric tons. While success varies by state—with Texas significantly exceeding its targets—the document argues that state leadership proves these standards can reduce market barriers, justifying a national renewable electricity standard to enhance energy security and fuel diversity.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Decarbonising materials for the energy system transition
The analysis finds that meeting 1.5°C targets in the EU will require massive quantities of steel, concrete, and glass, with cumulative emissions from material production reaching approximately 1.5 Gt CO2 by 2050. The authors argue that without decarbonising the upstream manufacturing of these materials via carbon capture and low-carbon hydrogen, the climate benefits of renewable energy deployment will be significantly constrained.
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Document type: Research paper
Drought Assessment & Projection for the Eastern Caribbean Using the CARiDRO Tool
The study uses the CARiDRO tool and the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) to analyze the 2009-2010 drought in the Eastern Caribbean and project future risks. It finds that the 2009-2010 event was a 1 in 40 years occurrence, but future droughts are projected to be more frequent, with an average recurrence of 1 in 5 years. The report suggests that the area affected by drought will increase after the middle of the 21st century, necessitating improved planning in water management and agriculture.
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Document type: Case study
Bangladesh and the Surging Sea
The report evaluates the risk of permanent inundation and frequent flooding in Bangladesh by 2100. Using high-resolution elevation data and two emission scenarios (RCP 2.6 and RCP 8.5), it finds that under high emissions, over 1,000 km2 of land and 8.6 lakh people could be permanently submerged. The Chittagong division is identified as having the highest population exposure risk. The analysis notes that results may be lower bounds due to elevation model errors and does not account for future shoreline defenses or population changes.
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Document type: Report
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Options for Pakistan: Industry Sector
The document outlines the current state of Pakistan's industrial emissions, which are projected to rise by 230% by 2030, and proposes specific technical mitigation measures across several sub-sectors to reduce these emissions.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Options for Pakistan: Waste Sector
The waste sector accounts for less than 2% of Pakistan's greenhouse gas emissions, but these are projected to grow from approximately 10 MtCO2e in 2012 to over 20 MtCO2e by 2030. The document identifies composting and landfill gas utilization as priority mitigation options, both of which are already being piloted in Lahore. Implementing these facilities in Karachi, Faisalabad, and Rawalpindi could reduce emissions by 0.90 MtCO2e and 0.88 MtCO2e respectively by 2030, while providing co-benefits such as improved soil quality, public health, and local energy production.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Economic Assessment of the Impacts of Climate Change in Uganda Briefing Note
The document examines the intersection of climate change, population growth, and malaria in Uganda's Tororo and Kabale districts. It projects that the economic costs of malaria in these areas could more than double by 2050, driven by rising temperatures and increased population exposure. The study emphasizes the need for district-specific adaptation strategies, such as Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLINs) and Indoor Residential Spraying (IRS), and calls for improved climate-malaria research and cross-ministerial collaboration to maximize health co-benefits.
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Document type: Briefing
SUMMARY OF MAJOR CLIMATE IMPACTS ACROSS THE THREE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS
The document details a progression of severe climate impacts in South Africa, moving from initial disruptions in marine resources, agriculture, and water availability to eventual large-scale uninhabitability, infrastructure collapse, and mass migration as temperatures rise toward 4°C+ by 2100.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Plastik & Klima
The document details how plastic production and disposal contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions, projecting that by 2050, these emissions could consume 10 to 13 percent of the remaining carbon budget. It identifies four main emission phases: raw material extraction and transport, refining and manufacturing, waste disposal, and the degradation of plastic in the environment. The report emphasizes that current climate models often underestimate these impacts and argues that the only effective solution is an immediate reduction in the production and use of plastics, alongside a halt to new petrochemical infrastructure.
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Document type: Executive summary
El plástico y la salud
The report details how plastic production and incineration contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions across four life cycle stages: extraction and transport, refining and manufacturing, waste management, and environmental degradation. It projects that by 2050, cumulative emissions could reach over 56 gigatonnes of CO2e, consuming 10% to 13% of the remaining carbon budget. The document concludes that reducing plastic production and use is the only effective way to mitigate these climate impacts.
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Document type: Report
Plastic & Climate
The report details how plastic production and incineration contribute significantly to global greenhouse gas emissions across four lifecycle stages: extraction and transport, refining and manufacture, waste management, and environmental degradation. It warns that by 2050, cumulative emissions from plastic could consume 10-13% of the remaining carbon budget, potentially making the 1.5°C climate target impossible to achieve. The document advocates for an immediate reduction in plastic production and the cessation of new petrochemical infrastructure to mitigate these impacts.
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Document type: Executive summary
A winning hand
The document outlines a strategy for Canada's emissions reductions, distinguishing between 'safe bet' solutions for short-term results and 'wild card' solutions for long-term, cost-effective reductions. By 2030, safe bets are expected to provide at least two-thirds of reductions, while wild cards provide less than one-third. By 2050, this dynamic may reverse, with wild cards potentially providing up to two-thirds of the reductions needed to reach the net zero target if they prove scalable and cost-effective.
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Document type: Fact sheet