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57 results
Medium-Size Commercial Retrofits
The report finds that electrification retrofits for mid-sized commercial office buildings are cost-effective when tailored to regional climate conditions and gas utility rates. By analyzing a prototypical 50,000 square foot building, the study demonstrates that combining heat pump replacements with complementary measures—such as ventilation efficiency, peak demand management, and rooftop solar—can result in positive net present value compared to replacing gas equipment in kind.
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Document type: Report
Assessment of Opportunities in Haryana
The report argues that demand response for residential cooling can mitigate the grid stress caused by increasing air conditioner use during heatwaves in Haryana. By 2030, targeted load reduction of residential cooling could reduce peak load requirements by up to 400 MW, resulting in power purchase savings of up to INR 83 lacs per event. The document identifies barriers to implementation, including a lack of granular data on consumer behavior and the need for dynamic tariffs and smart meter penetration.
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Document type: Report
Tackling Australia’s Coal Mine Methane Problem
Australia's coal mines are a major source of methane, with evidence suggesting official reports significantly underestimate the actual emissions. The report highlights that a small number of 'super-emitter' mines contribute a disproportionate amount of emissions and warns that proposed new coal projects will further increase these levels. It advocates for a transition to direct measurement over emission factors, the adoption of ventilation air methane (VAM) abatement technologies, and the phasing out of coal, particularly the gassiest mines, to meet climate targets.
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Document type: Report
Electrifying Standards for New Passenger Cars and Trucks
The Biden administration's new emissions standards for model years 2023–2026 improve upon the previous SAFE rule, with fleet average emissions reductions rising up to 10 percent by model year 2026. While these rules are projected to reduce global warming emissions by 440 million metric tons and drive electric vehicle (EV) deployment to 14 percent by 2026, the Union of Concerned Scientists argues they are insufficient. The document highlights critical loopholes, such as the 'SUV Loophole' and 'off-cycle' credits, and asserts that all new vehicle sales must be electric by 2035 to prevent the worst impacts of global warming.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Designing a Neighborhood Microgrid
The document describes the use of HOMER Grid software to analyze solar and battery storage configurations for the Parker Village neighborhood in Highland Park, Michigan. It outlines financial assumptions, building stock electricity demand based on full electrification and heat pump use, and technology costs for solar PV, Tesla Powerpack storage, and backup generators. The analysis results in several recommended system configurations combining 1.1 MW of solar PV with varying levels of storage and backup options (diesel, natural gas, or grid connection) to ensure resilience and reliability.
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Document type: Report
Comments on how the global production gap can be considered in assessing the climate compatibility of UK’s future oil and gas licensing
The authors argue that any climate compatibility checkpoint for UK oil and gas licensing must be based on a rapid wind-down of production consistent with 1.5°C pathways. They highlight that while different IPCC scenarios vary in their assumptions regarding carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and methane reductions, all require production to peak by 2020 for oil and 2025 for gas. The authors suggest that as a high-income country with low revenue dependence on fossil fuels, the UK should adopt a precautionary approach and potentially decrease production faster than the global average to ensure an equitable transition. They further refute the claim that reducing UK production would not impact global emissions, citing empirical evidence that supply reductions increase prices and lower global consumption.
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Document type: Statement
Why Does Wind Energy Get Wasted?
The document challenges the notion that wind curtailment results from an oversupply of wind, using analysis of the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) to show that higher-cost coal plants often remain online while wind is curtailed. It identifies three primary drivers of this waste: inadequate transmission capacity, the practice of coal plants 'self-committing' to avoid being turned off, and a lack of battery storage. The author argues that addressing these infrastructure and operational shortcomings would reduce costs for consumers and lower carbon emissions.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Renewable Energy in the Minerals Sector: Assessing Opportunities for Africa
The document examines the transition of the mining sector from diesel and grid power to renewable energy (RE), primarily solar PV and wind. It argues that while RE has high initial capital expenditure, it offers lower long-term operating costs and provides a hedge against volatile fuel prices. The paper highlights the role of hybrid systems and energy storage in overcoming the intermittency of RE to meet the constant baseload demands of mines. It also explores the potential for portable RE systems for exploration sites and the use of rehabilitated mine land for utility-scale RE generation.
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Document type: Research paper
Coordinating Climate-Resilient Development Conducting Gender Analysis to Inform National Adaptation Plan (NAP) Processes: Reflections from six African countries
The document outlines a framework for integrating gender considerations into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) based on experiences in Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea-Conakry, Madagascar, and Togo. It argues that generic gender integration often focuses solely on women, whereas targeted analysis reveals nuanced differences in vulnerability and capacity between men and women. The proposed approach combines policy, institutional, and technical analyses to provide specific process and technical recommendations. Key findings highlight that while legal frameworks for gender equality exist, they are rarely linked to climate policies, and women remain significantly under-represented in decision-making for climate-vulnerable sectors.
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Document type: Briefing
Coordinating Climate-Resilient Development
The NAP Global Network supported Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea-Conakry, Madagascar, and Togo in conducting gender analyses to ensure climate adaptation is gender-responsive. The analyses revealed that while legal frameworks for gender equality exist, they are rarely linked to climate policies, and women remain under-represented in decision-making for climate-vulnerable sectors. The document argues that context-specific gender analysis is essential to avoid exacerbating inequalities and to unlock women's potential as agents of change in adaptation.
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Document type: Briefing
Realización de análisis de género para orientar los procesos del Plan Nacional de Adaptación (PNAD): Reflexiones de seis países de África
The NAP Global Network supported Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Ethiopia, Guinea-Conakry, Madagascar, and Togo in conducting gender analyses to ensure climate adaptation investments are equitable and sustainable. The process involved institutional, normative, and technical analyses to identify how gender dynamics influence climate vulnerability and adaptation capacity. Key findings highlight a gap between existing general gender policies and their application in climate planning, as well as significant gender disparities in education, decision-making, and sectoral roles. The document recommends a participatory, multi-expert approach to gender analysis and emphasizes the role of the Green Climate Fund (GCF) in incentivizing gender-responsive NAPs.
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Document type: Briefing
Conduire des analyses sur les questions de genre en vue d’orienter les processus des Plans nationaux d’adaptation (PNA) : Réflexions de six pays d’Afrique
The document describes a framework for integrating gender analysis into National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) across six African nations, highlighting the need to move beyond binary views of women's vulnerability toward a nuanced understanding of gender dynamics. It identifies systemic gaps in institutional coordination and capacity, while providing technical evidence on how gender disparities in education, labor roles, and decision-making affect climate adaptation outcomes.
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Document type: Briefing
Nordic Green to Scale for countries: Unlocking the potential of climate solutions in Kenya and Ethiopia
The report analyzes 10 specific climate solutions for Kenya and Ethiopia, focusing on their potential for emission reductions, associated costs, savings, and co-benefits to inform policy recommendations.
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Document type: Report
Soot to Solar
The Waukegan Generating Station in Illinois causes significant health harms, including an estimated 18 premature deaths annually, and disproportionately affects people of color. Analysis indicates that the plant's coal units can be retired without impacting electricity reliability, as generation can be replaced across the PJM regional transmission organization. The document proposes a just transition involving site remediation, energy storage, and the use of nearby brownfield sites for solar projects under the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA).
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Document type: Fact sheet
LIMITACIÓN DEL IMPACTO DE LAS DEDUCCIONES DE INTERESES EXCESIVAS EN LOS INGRESOS MINEROS
The document examines how multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the mining sector use debt financing to reduce taxable income in host countries. It details common profit-shifting techniques, such as 'debt push down' and the use of hybrid instruments, and evaluates various regulatory responses. The primary recommendation is the adoption of OECD BEPS Action 4, which limits net interest deductions based on a fixed ratio of EBITDA, complemented by withholding taxes and transfer pricing rules.
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Document type: Guide
LIMITING THE IMPACT OF EXCESSIVE INTEREST DEDUCTIONS ON MINING REVENUE
The document examines how multinational enterprises (MNEs) in the mining sector use debt financing to shift profits from host countries to offshore jurisdictions. It details common base erosion techniques—such as debt 'push downs', interest rate markups, and hybrid instruments—and evaluates various policy responses. The primary recommendation is the implementation of BEPS Action 4, which links net interest deductions to a fixed ratio of taxable EBITDA (between 10% and 30%). The guide also discusses complementary measures including thin capitalisation rules, interest withholding tax (IWT), and transfer pricing regulations, while emphasizing the need to balance tax base protection with the maintenance of an attractive investment climate.
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Document type: Guide
The UNFCCC National Adaptation Planning Model: A Foundation for Fulfilling Post-2015 Commitments
The document argues that the institutional architecture developed under the UNFCCC for National Adaptation Programmes of Action (NAPAs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) provides a ready-made foundation for achieving the global adaptation goal of the Paris Agreement and SDG target 13.1. It highlights that while developing countries, especially Least Developed Countries (LDCs), have led in strategic adaptation planning, developed countries can now leverage these best practices. Furthermore, the brief suggests that the support mechanisms used for NAPs—such as technical guidelines, the NAP-Global Support Programme, and NAP Central—could be replicated to help developing countries craft the mitigation and adaptation components of their NDCs.
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Document type: Policy brief
Progress on the New York Declaration on Forests – An Assessment Framework and Initial Report: Technical Annexes
The report evaluates global natural forest loss using two proxy indicators: annual gross tree cover loss (Hansen/GFW) and annual net natural forest change (FAO FRA). While FAO data suggests a declining trend in net loss that could meet the 2020 target, Hansen/GFW data indicates that gross tree cover loss has remained high and actually increased by 9% between 2010 and 2014 compared to the 2001-2010 baseline. The document highlights the critical difference between gross and net loss, noting that net accounting can mask the loss of primary forests if they are replaced by regenerated forests, which have lower carbon storage and biodiversity value.
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Document type: Report
HALF THE OIL SOLUTION: HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK EFFICIENCY
The document analyzes proposed US heavy-duty vehicle standards for model years 2018–2029, noting they would reduce oil consumption by 550,000 barrels per day by 2035 and avoid 1 billion metric tons of emissions. However, the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) argues that a 40 percent reduction in fuel consumption is achievable by 2025, which would save an additional 200,000 barrels of oil per day and avoid 40 million metric tons of annual emissions compared to the government's 36 percent target for 2027.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Three Energy Gamechangers for China and the World
The briefing proposes that China can avoid energy insecurity and pollution by 'reinventing fire'—transitioning from fossil fuels to energy efficiency and renewables. It identifies three key areas for transformation: oil-free mobility, integrative design for buildings and industry, and redefining the electric grid. The text focuses on oil-free mobility, suggesting that combining vehicle lightweighting (using carbon-fiber composites) with electrification can reduce energy needs by half to two-thirds and make electric vehicles more economic. It also emphasizes the need for logistics optimization to address low loading rates and the use of advanced biofuels or hydrogen for heavy-duty transport where electrification is not viable.
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Document type: Briefing