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146 results
Electric School Buses
As of June 2024, the U.S. has 12,174 committed electric school buses, representing a 19-fold increase since June 2019. While these vehicles currently make up only about 3% of the national fleet, over 234,000 students now ride them, with the highest adoption rates in the West and South regions. The transition is largely driven by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, which provides $5 billion from 2022 to 2026 to reduce the 8.4 million metric tons of carbon pollution emitted annually by school bus fleets and mitigate health risks associated with diesel exhaust.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Krisis iklim bikin duniamu gawat darurat, sudah saatnya bersuara tiap hari biar duniamu nggak kiamat!
The document highlights Indonesia's climate crisis, noting record temperatures in Larantuka and the country's position as a top ten global greenhouse gas emitter due to coal dependency. It criticizes the government's continued construction of coal-fired power plants (PLTU), the use of biomass co-firing that threatens forests and indigenous peoples, and the environmental damage caused by nickel mining for electric vehicle batteries. The guide advocates for community-based renewable energy and provides a framework for individual and collective action, including reducing transport emissions, mindful consumption, and demanding political accountability.
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Document type: Guide
THE STATE OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING FOR MULTIFAMILY HOUSING
The report identifies a significant 'charging access gap' for U.S. residents in multifamily housing (MFH), who often lack on-site charging and must rely on public infrastructure. Analyzing 69 cities, the study found that no city achieved a 'best in class' ranking, with many cities—particularly in the Upper Midwest and Texas—showing high ratios of MFH units per public charger. The authors argue that this lack of reliable charging is a critical barrier to equitable EV adoption, especially for lower-income and non-white drivers. To address this, the report recommends a combination of EV-ready building codes, right-to-charge laws, curbside charging expansions, and streamlined utility interconnection rules.
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Document type: Report
Freedom to Move
The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) analysis indicates that reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) through increased transportation choices could save the U.S. up to $201 billion in energy infrastructure and $5.9 trillion in vehicle ownership costs by 2050. The report contends that current car dependence is driven by industry lobbying from the auto, fossil fuel, and road-building sectors, which receive over 75 percent of transportation spending. UCS recommends investing in diverse transportation networks, applying equity and climate lenses to project prioritization, and making planning processes more democratic to benefit the 30 percent of Americans who do not drive.
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Document type: Executive summary
Consumption-based emissions: a new frontier for EU climate policy
The report highlights that the EU is a net importer of CO2 emissions, with consumption-based emissions (CBEs) significantly exceeding territorial emissions. While the EU has focused on territorial targets, the authors argue that addressing CBEs is essential for global climate goals. Through case studies of Sweden, Denmark, and France, the report identifies a lack of standardized monitoring and binding targets as primary barriers. It recommends that the EU establish binding CBE targets, standardize carbon accounting, and expand policies like the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the EcoDesign Regulation to drive sustainable consumption and production globally.
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Document type: Report
World leaders can no longer afford to overlook black carbon
The document highlights the severe economic and health costs of black carbon, noting that in China, short-term exposure in 2017 cost over US$7.5 billion and long-term exposure over US$53 billion. It asserts that reducing black carbon is a "triple win" that would protect glaciers, save millions of lives—including over 400,000 annually in India and nearly half a million in Sub-Saharan Africa—and improve gender equality by reducing the US$800 billion annual loss in women's productivity caused by unclean cooking fuels. Despite these benefits, the author notes that only 12 countries included black carbon targets in their first Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), and warns that transportation-related emissions in Africa could double by 2040.
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Document type: Statement
Reducing the Risk of Investing in Electric Vehicles for Low-Income Consumers
The document examines the barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption for low-income consumers, specifically highlighting that while subsidies like the Inflation Reduction Act address upfront costs, high repair and maintenance costs remain a significant risk. It notes that for low-income households, the loss of a vehicle due to repair costs can lead to job loss and reduced access to healthcare. To mitigate these risks, the author suggests strategic investments in EV government fleets and public transportation, such as the EPA's Clean School Bus Rebates, which provide immediate air quality benefits to environmental justice communities without placing financial risk on vulnerable individuals.
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Document type: Briefing
Transport Choice Infrastructure Impact
The study identifies reliability, punctuality, and physical accessibility as the primary drivers of transport modal choice among Swedish residents, noting that transport cost is not necessarily a key factor. While most respondents share similar expectations regardless of sociodemographic group, some regional differences exist in how transport infrastructure is experienced.
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Document type: Research paper
ACT Now: How the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule Will Impact the Electric Grid and Fleets
The document identifies the electrification of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles as critical for meeting US climate targets, given that trucks contribute 23 percent of the US transportation sector's carbon footprint. It argues that inadequate charging infrastructure is the primary bottleneck, as high-powered chargers (50 to 750+ kW) often necessitate costly and slow grid upgrades. Using Geotab ITS telematics data from 15 states adopting the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) rule, the report aims to provide stakeholders with data on energy demand, grid impact, investment needs, and equitable prioritization of infrastructure.
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Document type: Report
How to Unlock IRA CPRG Funding for the Drivers and Cyclists Most in Need
The guide outlines how to leverage the $5 billion Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program, specifically the $4.6 billion in competitive implementation grants. It recommends two high-impact strategies to improve EPA scoring metrics: e-bike programs and targeted EV incentives for 'superusers'—high-mileage drivers who often have lower incomes. The author argues these approaches offer clear equity advantages, straightforward emissions calculations, and address gaps in existing federal legislation.
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Document type: Guide
Community Health Impacts of Air Pollution in the U.S.
The report analyzes how the energy and transportation sectors drive air pollution in the U.S., noting that while the Clean Air Act has significantly reduced overall emissions since 1970, severe exposure disparities persist. It highlights that people of color and low-income populations are more likely to live in areas exceeding health standards, often near 'pollution hot spots' that current monitoring networks may miss. Through case studies in California, New Jersey, and Indiana, the document illustrates the specific health burdens—including asthma and cancer—borne by marginalized communities living near ports, incinerators, and coal plants.
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Document type: Report
How the EU can decarbonise overlooked heavy-duty vehicles
The Clean Air Task Force recommends that the EU implement a 100% CO2 emissions reduction target for new heavy-duty trucks by 2035, remove incentives for low-emission vehicles by 2030, and eliminate loopholes like the 'carbon correction factor'. The author asserts that zero-emission technologies, such as battery electric and fuel cells, are already commercially available and that regulatory certainty is required to prevent the EU from losing up to 11% of its market to China and the US by 2035. Adopting these standards is projected to add 27 billion EUR to the EU GDP and create 23,000 jobs.
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Document type: Statement
Understanding California's Low Carbon Fuel Standards Regulation
The California Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) is a market-based regulation designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation by capping the carbon intensity of fuels. The program uses a credit and deficit system where fuels with lower carbon intensity than a gasoline/diesel benchmark generate credits, while higher-intensity fuels generate deficits. These credits can be generated through fuel supply, carbon capture and storage projects, or zero-emissions vehicle infrastructure capacity. While the program has spurred innovation in low-carbon fuels, critics like the NRDC argue that it over-incentivizes biomass-based fuels—which account for nearly three-quarters of credits—potentially diverting resources from the transition to electricity and zero-emissions vehicles.
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Document type: Guide
Fact sheet: Early Estimate of National Emissions 2022
Canada's 2022 emissions rose by 2.1% from 2021 to 685 Mt CO2e, though they remain 6.4% below 2005 levels. The increase was primarily driven by oil and gas production and the building sector, which together accounted for 72% of the rise. While the electricity sector has seen a 55.6% reduction since 2005, overall progress is hindered by a growing, energy-intensive economy that offset the 22.9 Mt CO2e reduction achieved through climate policy and market drivers.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Elements for the First Global Stocktake Outcome
The document outlines key recommendations for the first Global Stocktake (GST) at COP28, arguing that the outcome should serve as a 'global accelerator' for climate action. It emphasizes the need for enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with ambitious 2030 and 2035 targets, supported by increased climate finance. Specific high-impact areas for acceleration include shifting away from fossil fuels, transforming food and land-use systems, decarbonizing transport, and increasing funding for adaptation and loss and damage.
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Document type: Briefing
The EV Battery Supply Chain Explained
The document outlines the EV battery supply chain—divided into upstream (mining), midstream (processing/refining), downstream (assembly), and end-of-life—highlighting China's current dominance. It discusses the environmental and human rights risks associated with mining critical minerals like lithium and cobalt, and details US legislative tools such as the Inflation Reduction Act designed to 'de-risk' the supply chain and foster domestic economic growth.
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Document type: Guide
Urban Land Use Reform
The report argues that discriminatory, car-centric land use policies in the United States have created housing shortages and increased transportation emissions. By implementing reforms such as upzoning, urban infill, and transit-oriented development in Austin, Charlotte, and Denver, RMI finds that vehicle miles traveled can be reduced by up to 13%, building energy use by up to 16%, and local greenhouse gas emissions by up to 14% compared to business-as-usual development.
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Document type: Report
EV Batteries 101: The Basics
The document explains that most electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries, specifically lithium nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) and lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistries. It details the technical advantages of lithium-ion technology, such as high energy density and durability, and describes the internal movement of electrons between the anode and cathode via an electrolyte. Finally, it identifies the primary minerals used in these batteries—lithium, cobalt, manganese, nickel, and graphite—while noting the social and environmental concerns associated with their mining.
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Document type: Guide
Klimatkalkylatorn version 2.0
The report details the methodology of the Klimatkalkylatorn version 2.0, which calculates individual carbon footprints based on four consumption areas: housing, food, transport, and shopping. It utilizes 2019 data from Statistics Sweden (SCB) and other sources to assign emission factors to spending and usage patterns. The tool incorporates Global Warming Potential (GWP) over 100 years for CO2, methane, and nitrous oxide, and compares individual results against Swedish and global averages, as well as a 2030 target of 4 tonnes of CO2e per person.
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Document type: Report
Blueprints for a Green City
The briefing highlights the economic and environmental value of urban nature—such as forests, street trees, and wetlands—as a tool for climate mitigation and adaptation. It asserts that the global value of urban nature's benefits is nine times its costs and provides specific examples from Sacramento, Ahmedabad, and Curitiba to demonstrate how nature-based solutions can reduce building energy demand, lower the carbon footprint of stormwater management, and decrease transportation emissions. The document concludes by calling for an increase in annual investment in urban nature projects from $32 billion to $135 billion by 2030 to realize an estimated $2 trillion in annual net benefits.
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Document type: Briefing