Search Climate Insights Directory

A September 2022 report by GreenLatinos based on a Consumer Reports survey finds high interest in electric vehicles (EVs) across all US racial demographics, with communities of color showing equal or greater interest than white consumers. However, systemic barriers—including lack of home charging access for renters in multi-unit dwellings, concerns over maintenance costs among Black and Latino respondents, and a lack of firsthand experience—hinder adoption. The report recommends targeted incentives for used EVs, expanded public and workplace charging infrastructure, and culturally relevant community outreach to accelerate equitable electrification.

A September 2022 report by GreenLatinos, based on a Consumer Reports survey, finds high interest in electric vehicles across all US racial and ethnic groups, including marginalized communities. However, adoption is hindered by systemic barriers. While white and Asian respondents are more concerned with the initial purchase price, Black and Latino respondents are more concerned with maintenance and repair costs. Charging infrastructure is a universal concern, but marginalized groups face greater challenges due to higher rates of renting or living in multi-family housing, and they express higher concerns regarding personal safety at public charging stations. The report emphasizes that personal experience with EVs strongly correlates with purchase intent and recommends targeted financial incentives, expanded public charging, and culturally relevant community outreach to bridge the adoption gap.

A September 2022 report by the Union of Concerned Scientists based on a Consumer Reports survey finds high interest in electric vehicles (EVs) across all racial and ethnic groups in the US, despite current adoption disparities. The report identifies that while charging logistics and cost are universal barriers, the specific nature of these concerns varies: Black and Latino respondents are more concerned with maintenance and repair costs and personal safety at charging stations, while white and Asian American respondents prioritize purchase price. The study emphasizes a strong correlation between firsthand EV experience and purchase intent, noting that systemic housing disparities (such as higher rates of renting or multi-unit dwellings among Black and Latino populations) limit access to affordable home charging. Policy recommendations include expanding used EV incentives, improving public and workplace charging infrastructure, and implementing culturally relevant community outreach.

The statement advocates for rigorous light-duty vehicle (LDV) standards and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure investment to address the disproportionate exposure of Latino/a/x communities to vehicle pollutants. It highlights that transportation is the largest source of pollution fueling the US climate crisis and notes significant health disparities, such as higher asthma rates among Hispanic children and increased fine particulate matter exposure in California and the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic regions. The document supports the February 2022 "Revised 2023 and Later Model Year Light-Duty Vehicle Greenhouse Gas Emissions Standards" as a critical step toward a clean transportation future.

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States produce significantly lower lifetime global warming emissions than gasoline vehicles, with the average EV reducing total lifetime emissions by 52% for sedans and 57% for pickup trucks. While EV manufacturing is more carbon-intensive due to battery production, the operational savings quickly offset this 'debt,' with breakeven points occurring between 17,500 and 21,300 miles. The report emphasizes that the emissions benefit of EVs increases as the electricity grid decarbonizes and recommends policies to accelerate renewable energy deployment, improve battery circularity, and increase vehicle efficiency.

The document outlines a set of strategic recommendations for decarbonizing India's road freight sector based on consultations with over 20 industry experts. Key priorities include the implementation of production-linked subsidies, the development of viable financing structures for smaller lenders, and the creation of specific use cases to demonstrate the viability of electric freight vehicles in Indian conditions. The paper argues that India is well-positioned to lead commercial vehicle electrification due to its evolving domestic ecosystem and significant freight corridors, provided there is sufficient policy and regulatory support.

British Columbia’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard reduced transportation emissions by an average of 6% annually from 2010 to 2020 and is projected to drive 31% of the province's 2030 reduction targets. The document proposes expanding the regulation to include jet and marine fuels, as well as direct air capture with permanent storage, to address hard-to-abate sectors and negative emissions. To maximize effectiveness, the author recommends closing the incentive gap that currently favors renewable diesel over low-carbon jet fuel, incorporating indirect land-use change (ILUC) into carbon footprint measurements to support advanced biofuels, and allowing direct air capture credits for projects located outside British Columbia to accelerate technology deployment.

The report argues that governments are reacting to the energy crisis by prioritizing short-term fossil fuel security over long-term decarbonization, risking a 'gold rush' for new gas infrastructure and domestic production. While some progress in renewables and green hydrogen is noted, the authors highlight a prevalence of 'bad practices' such as fossil fuel subsidies, tax cuts for petrol, and the expansion of LNG facilities. The document provides a framework of 'do's and don'ts', urging governments to instead focus on energy efficiency, electrification, behavioral changes, and the reinvestment of fossil fuel windfall profits into clean energy to avoid stranded assets and irreversible warming.

The Deliver Electric Delhi pilot, involving 35 industry players, investigated barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption for final-mile delivery to support the Delhi EV policy. The report analyzes the economic case for electrification, comparing EV costs and performance against fossil fuel vehicles, and identifies the roles of policy, charging infrastructure, and finance in scaling adoption. If 100 percent sales penetration of electric final-mile delivery vehicles is achieved by 2030, it could result in 750,000 vehicles on the road, avoiding 14.2 million tons of CO2, 46,900 tons of NOx, and 530 tons of PM emissions over their lifetime.

The document argues that adopting California's ACT and HDO rules would significantly reduce toxic air pollutants and carbon emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in Connecticut, leading to substantial health savings and economic benefits by 2050.

The document examines the challenges ride-hailing drivers face when switching to electric vehicles in the US, Europe, and Canada, noting that EV adoption in this sector often lags behind the general vehicle stock. It proposes targeted interventions, including reducing up-front costs, expanding affordable charging infrastructure for renters and low-income communities, and improving driver education. The research utilizes data from Uber and a WRI methodology to evaluate 10 cities via scorecards.

The document outlines a project exploring the 'ripple effects' of deploying distance health and social care solutions. It specifically examines potential climate benefits from reduced transport and uses the SDG Synergies tool to identify conflicts and synergies with the UN Agenda 2030 goals, arguing that systematic, collaborative examination of these interactions improves policy effectiveness.

This briefing by the Stockholm Environment Institute explores how digital health and social care tools, such as Virtual Health Rooms (VHRs), can reduce carbon emissions and align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Using a case study of Storuman municipality in Sweden, the report estimates that VHRs can save approximately 31 tons of CO2 annually by reducing patient travel. It also details a co-production workshop that identified synergies between distance health solutions and SDGs related to health, climate action, responsible consumption, and public-private partnerships, advocating for a systemic, evidence-based approach to policy implementation to maximize benefits and mitigate trade-offs.

Cincinnati is developing a local electric transportation ecosystem involving the manufacturing of electric step vans by Workhorse and their adoption by Servall Electric. Servall is transitioning its fleet of 25 to 30 vehicles to electric and participating in the Run on Less – Electric (RoL-e) demonstration. The transition has resulted in a 75 percent reduction in daily fuel costs, dropping from approximately $60 for gas to $15 for electricity. Beyond financial savings, the electric trucks offer driver benefits such as 'one pedal driving' via regenerative braking and a lower vehicle architecture that reduces physical strain on drivers. The document also notes that urban last-mile delivery emissions in the top 100 global cities could increase by over 30 percent by 2030, reaching 25 million tons of CO2 annually.

The document examines the technological, economic, and environmental aspects of transitioning the U.S. transportation sector to electric vehicles. It highlights the role of falling battery costs, the necessity of expanding charging infrastructure, and the potential for significant public health improvements, particularly in marginalized communities. It also addresses challenges related to the sourcing of critical minerals like lithium and cobalt and the impact of regional climates on vehicle range.

The document examines the limitations of current US federal EV tax credits, which primarily benefit high-income households, and proposes reforms such as point-of-sale rebates, used-EV incentives, and income-tiered programs to accelerate adoption among low- and moderate-income communities.

The author contends that the United States faces a critical housing shortage that exacerbates economic inequality, public health risks, and climate change. By removing exclusionary zoning regulations and promoting infill, multi-family, and mixed-use development, the U.S. can reduce transportation emissions—the country's largest carbon source—and create a more equitable urban environment. The text calls for the federal government to incentivize local zoning reform through programs like the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) to enable '15-minute neighborhoods' and low-carbon construction.

The document advocates for clean fuel standards to decarbonize the transportation sector, which is the largest source of global warming pollution in the US. It explains how these standards use carbon intensity (CI) and a credit/deficit system to make clean fuels more affordable and polluting fuels more expensive. The text highlights the California Low Carbon Fuel Standard as a successful model and emphasizes the need for an equitable transition that benefits overburdened communities.

The report analyzes rural transportation in four Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, finding that while rural households face barriers like lower incomes and limited charging infrastructure, they stand to gain the most financially from electric vehicle (EV) adoption due to higher mileage and less efficient existing fleets. It proposes a comprehensive strategy including EV incentives, expanded public transit, active transportation planning, and broadband expansion to reduce the need for travel.

A coalition of scientists and health experts is calling on the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to implement a more stringent Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule. The authors argue that heavy-duty vehicles are disproportionately polluting, contributing significantly to global warming and public health crises, particularly in communities of color. They specifically criticize CARB's current proposal, which would result in zero-emissions vehicles making up only 4 percent of trucks on California roads by 2030, and advocate for higher sales standards to accelerate the transition from diesel to zero-emissions technologies.