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The document assesses Ghana's progress in renewable energy (RE) and energy efficiency (EE), highlighting a government target of 10% RE in the energy mix by 2020. It identifies significant barriers, including the lack of a comprehensive legal framework, high upfront capital costs, and a pricing system that ignores environmental externalities. The author argues that international cooperation—through capacity building, credit support facilities, and the Clean Development Mechanism—is essential to accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy and improve rural electrification.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures concluded that no modifications to the Executive Council's (EC) Rules of Procedure are required to implement the functions assigned to the EC Bureau. The Committee analyzed the proposed functions—which include providing opinions on scientific and financial policy, evaluating the Executive Director, and overseeing EC working groups—and determined they are consistent with existing authority and the IAI Agreement. While the Committee suggested minor wording clarifications for functions related to reporting and evaluation, it maintained that the current regulatory framework is sufficient.

The report alleges that the NRC has failed to enforce 10 CFR 50.46, allowing 68 of 103 U.S. nuclear reactors to operate with a known vulnerability to containment sump clogging. This issue, which can lead to core meltdown and containment failure during a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA), has been resolved in dozens of PWRs globally but remains unaddressed in the U.S. The author contends that the NRC selectively uses risk-based probability arguments to justify inaction while ignoring its own regulations and the evidence provided by pseudo-plant-specific analyses from Los Alamos National Laboratory. The report calls for Congressional hearings to reform the NRC's enforcement and resolution processes for generic safety issues.

The document analyzes the rapid integration of transgenic crops in Argentina, particularly glyphosate-tolerant soybean, examining the interplay between structural economic reforms, intellectual property laws, and biosafety regulations. It assesses the distribution of benefits between farmers and technology providers, the environmental effects of combining GMOs with no-till farming, and the challenges posed by the illegal seed market and international trade barriers related to labeling.

The document outlines Canada's transition from a defensive posture regarding trade-related environmental barriers to a 'maturing' policy that seeks synergies between trade and sustainable development. It details a comprehensive regulatory framework including import/export bans on hazardous wastes and ozone-depleting substances, and a commitment to the 'principle of openness' through multistakeholder advisory bodies and transparency in the Canada Gazette. Canada's international engagement is highlighted through its participation in the WTO, the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation (NAAEC), and various multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs).

The document describes Class VI primacy as the authority granted by the EPA to states, territories, or tribes to manage the permitting of carbon dioxide injection wells for carbon capture and sequestration. It outlines the four-phase application process and the ten core requirements a state must meet to prove its program is at least as stringent as federal standards, including site characterization, well construction, and financial responsibility. The text argues that state-led primacy can lead to more efficient permitting and oversight due to better local knowledge of geology and community needs.

This October 2009 briefing document from the South African Department of Environmental Affairs outlines the logic, guiding principles, and stakeholder responses regarding the establishment of 'Listed Activities' and their associated minimum emission standards under the National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act (AQA). It details the transition from the older Atmospheric Pollution Prevention Act (APPA) to the AQA, the technical process for setting standards via the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), and the department's refusal to allow 'grandfathering' for old industrial plants.

The document argues that the European Commission's conclusions on nanomaterial transparency are biased toward industry interests and ignore the need for an EU nanoregister. It highlights significant data gaps in current REACH registrations, the potential health and environmental risks of nanomaterials like nanosilver, and the benefits of traceability for workers and consumers. The authors contend that a mandatory register would improve risk management and transparency without significantly harming competitiveness or innovation.

The Effort Sharing Regulation (ESR) is the EU's primary instrument for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in sectors not covered by the Emissions Trading System (ETS), accounting for approximately 60% of total EU emissions. For the 2021-2030 period, the ESR sets an overall target of -30% compared to 2005 levels, with individual Member State targets ranging from -40% to 0% based on GDP per capita. The regulation covers transport (35%), buildings (25%), agriculture (17%), industry (16%), and waste (5%). To ensure compliance, the ESR utilizes Annual Emission Allocations (AEA) and various flexibility mechanisms, including banking, borrowing, and trading units between countries, though some are criticized as 'loopholes' that may undermine decarbonization.

The document details the prevalence of coal ash ponds and landfills in Georgia, noting that the state ranks 8th in the U.S. for coal ash generation. It highlights the age and hazardous ratings of these sites, specific instances of water contamination and structural failures, and the lack of state-level regulations regarding liners, monitoring, and emergency planning.

The document details the prevalence of unlined coal ash ponds in Illinois, identifies specific power plants with groundwater contamination, and critiques the state's regulatory deficiencies regarding ash impoundment safeguards.

The document outlines the status of coal ash ponds and landfills in Massachusetts, noting that between 300,000 and 600,000 tons of ash are generated annually. It highlights several EPA-identified damage cases where unlined landfills and ponds contaminated groundwater and air with metals such as arsenic and chromium. The text argues that the Massachusetts Solid Waste Act contains deficiencies by exempting coal ash from key solid waste regulations and local health board approvals.

Maryland generates over 1.9 million tons of coal combustion waste annually, ranking 23rd in the US. The state utilizes at least 31 landfills and minefills, as ponds are prohibited. However, the document highlights significant regulatory gaps, such as discretionary groundwater monitoring and a lack of financial assurance requirements. These deficiencies are linked to several contamination cases, including a $54 million settlement for the BBSS Gambrills site and documented groundwater pollution at the Brandywine and Faulkner facilities.

North Carolina ranks 9th in the U.S. for coal ash generation, producing over 5.5 million tons annually. The state's infrastructure is characterized by 37 ponds, 29 of which are rated "high hazard," meaning failure would likely cause human life loss and significant economic and environmental damage. Most ponds lack liners and leachate collection systems, with 27 ponds being over 30 years old. Documented failures include breaches at the W.H. Weatherspoon, Cliffside, and Roxboro stations, as well as a 2010 failure at the Sutton plant. Water contamination is widespread, with 13 documented cases involving high levels of selenium, arsenic, and other heavy metals in groundwater and surface water. Regulatory gaps persist, as ponds built before 1994 are not required to have liners or conduct groundwater monitoring, and landfill monitoring remains discretionary.

New York generates 2.8 million tons of coal ash annually, ranking 15th in the US. The document identifies six coal ash ponds and numerous landfills, noting that five specific sites have contaminated groundwater or surface water with toxins such as arsenic, lead, and selenium. It argues that New York state law is deficient because it allows the Department of Environmental Conservation to exempt coal ash monofills from certain permitting requirements and does not mandate groundwater monitoring or composite liners for all facilities.

The document details the distribution of 69 coal ash ponds across 23 plants in Ohio, noting that the state ranks 3rd in the US for coal ash generation. It highlights significant safety hazards, including ponds rated as 'poor' by the EPA and documented groundwater contamination at multiple sites. The text argues that Ohio's regulatory program is deficient because it exempts coal ash from the definition of solid waste, thereby avoiding requirements for groundwater monitoring, composite liners, and structural stability inspections.

Pennsylvania ranks first in the U.S. for coal ash generation, producing over 15.4 million tons annually. The state's disposal infrastructure consists of 77 ponds and 28 landfills, many of which are unlined and over 35 years old. The document details 10 specific cases of groundwater and surface water contamination, including the Bruce Mansfield Power Station's Little Blue Run Impoundment, the largest unlined coal ash pond in the U.S. It further argues that Pennsylvania's regulations are deficient because they grandfather in old impoundments and classify coal ash monofills as 'Class III residual waste landfills,' exempting them from protective requirements like composite liners.

The document details the presence of 18 coal ash ponds across 8 plants in Tennessee, noting that 14 are rated as either 'high' or 'significant' hazards. It highlights widespread groundwater and surface water contamination linked to Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) sites and the 2008 Kingston Coal Ash Spill, arguing that Tennessee's dam safety laws specifically exempt coal-ash dams, leading to inadequate oversight.

Virginia generates approximately 2.4 million tons of coal ash annually, ranking 18th in the U.S. The state's infrastructure includes 30 ponds at 11 plants, 13 of which are unlined and have an average age of 47 years, exceeding their 40-year projected lifespan. Eight ponds are classified as "significant hazard," with two rated in "poor" condition by the EPA, including sites at the Chesapeake Energy Center and Clinch River Power Plant. Contamination has led to two federal Superfund sites and significant ecological damage, such as a 1967 collapse at the Clinch River Plant that killed 217,000 fish. The document argues that Virginia's regulations are deficient, as they do not mandate composite liners, groundwater monitoring, or state inspections for all ash landfills and ponds.

The report argues that the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA) has transitioned from an 'outstanding' to an 'outdated' framework due to 1996 amendments that slowed the regulation of new contaminants and a chronic lack of federal infrastructure funding. It highlights critical failures in monitoring and sampling protocols, which allow water systems to use infrequent or misleading tests, and criticizes the lack of transparency in Consumer Confidence Reports. The document emphasizes that low-income, Black, and Indigenous communities disproportionately suffer from these weaknesses. A case study of the Red Hill Bulk Fuel Storage Facility in O‘ahu illustrates how the SDWA failed to detect and report jet fuel and PFAS contamination. Earthjustice calls for a modernized SDWA with streamlined chemical regulation, advanced monitoring technology, and at least $20 billion in annual federal funding.