Search Climate Insights Directory

RMI has launched the State CDR Atlas, a tool designed to help the 50 US states scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) by assessing their unique geographies, infrastructure, and regulatory landscapes. The Atlas evaluates states across eight CDR approach categories using two primary ratings: an Opportunity Rating based on natural resources and infrastructure, and an Enabling Policy Rating based on the current regulatory environment. Using Virginia as a case study, the document illustrates how the tool identifies specific gaps—such as Virginia's lack of government procurement programs for CDR—and provides guidance on Terrestrial Enhanced Weathering (TEW) as a specific CDR approach. The tool is intended as an orientation and prioritization resource rather than a final siting mechanism.

The OCI+ tool provides data on the methane intensity of global oil and gas resources, highlighting that the sector is responsible for an estimated one-third of global methane emissions. The tool aims to help policymakers, investors, and civil society prioritize the highest-emitting assets for mitigation. The document emphasizes that over half of industry methane emissions can be profitably reduced and notes the role of satellite monitoring in identifying super-emitters. Additionally, the OCI+ includes an environmental justice feature to map the risks posed by gas flaring to nearby communities, specifically utilizing 2022 US flaring data.

The document introduces the WEF security concept to operationalize sustainable development in mining. It details a conceptual framework based on availability, access, supporting infrastructure, and supporting institutions/policies. The guide provides a review of existing sustainability indicators and introduces WEFsat-Mining, an Excel-based tool for stakeholders to assess current WEF status, identify mining influences, and determine mitigation or enhancement actions. It also outlines stakeholder engagement practices and a four-stage participatory scenario planning process for regional landscape investment.

The Climate Impact Equity Lens (CIEL) tool shifts the focus from aggregate regional economic models to individual-level impacts of climate change. It identifies 'winners' and 'losers' by weighing avoided emission-reduction costs against climate damages. While most people currently see net gains from inaction, the tool indicates that by 2100, the majority of the global population will suffer net losses without far-reaching climate policy.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) utilizes a specialized gas analyser kit, specifically the ABB GLA-131 model, to detect methane and carbon dioxide emissions. The tool uses laser absorption spectroscopy to identify gas concentrations with high precision, including methane detection at levels below 1ppb. While the analyser can detect diffused emissions kilometers away from a source and confirm the gas identity, it is used for qualitative detection of concentrations rather than the quantification of emission rates, which would require additional meteorological data and scientific expertise. CATF employs the analyser as a complement to optical gas imaging (OGI) cameras to provide a more comprehensive view of emissions from sources such as landfills, gas capture wells, and anaerobic digesters.