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The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) argues that the impact of self-driving vehicles depends on policy guidance. To prevent increased vehicle miles traveled and emissions, the UCS recommends pairing autonomous technology with low-carbon vehicles, integrating them with mass transit, and incentivizing shared rides. The brief also emphasizes the need for equitable access, a 'just transition' for displaced workers in trucking and taxi industries, and open data-sharing to inform science-based policy.

A group of Maine-based scientists urges Senators Susan Collins and Angus King to vote against the nomination of Scott Pruitt for EPA Administrator, arguing that his record of challenging science-based public health standards threatens the health and safety of Maine's residents.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) asserts that Ontario's coal plant phase-out significantly reduced air pollution and improved public health. In 2002, Ontario's five coal plants were responsible for 23% of sulphur dioxide (SO2) emissions, 14% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, 23% of airborne mercury, and 20% of greenhouse gas emissions. Between 2003 and 2012, SO2 emissions from these plants dropped by approximately 140,000 tonnes, contributing to a nearly 50% decline in annual air levels of SO2 and a 25% decline in PM2.5 across the province. A 2005 estimate valued the health impacts of coal plant pollution—including over 600 premature deaths and 1,900 hospital or emergency room visits annually—at $3 billion per year. Additionally, Toronto Public Health found that air quality improvements from 2000 to 2011 reduced premature deaths in Toronto by 23% and hospital admissions by 41%, attributing these gains in part to the coal phase-out.

The Health Collaborative advocates for a 2030 Canada-wide phase-out of coal-fired power plants, arguing that the federal government's current GHG reduction targets are too low compared to the potential benefits of a more aggressive plan.

The Lake Turkana Wind Power Project (LTWP) is a 310 MW wind farm in Kenya's Marsabit West County designed to increase national electricity supply by 15–20% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 740,000 tCO2eq annually. Costing €623 million, it represents Kenya's largest single private investment and aims to stabilize energy prices by providing power at approximately one-third the cost of fossil fuel generation. The project has created over 2,000 local jobs and includes corporate social responsibility programs through the Winds of Change foundation to improve local education, health, and water access. Despite these benefits, the project has faced challenges including funding withdrawals by the World Bank and local tensions regarding land rights and equitable job distribution.

The report analyzes the implementation of congestion charging and low emission zones in London, Singapore, and Stockholm. It highlights the importance of national legal safeguards, strong local political will, transparent revenue allocation, and effective public communication. Key findings include significant reductions in traffic volume and pollutants in all three cities, though the specific technologies used—such as London's ANPR and Singapore's DSRC—varied based on local needs and urban landscapes.

The paper analyzes four prominent studies of the Clean Power Plan (CPP)—conducted by the EPA, NERA Economic Consulting, Synapse Energy Economics, and M.J. Bradley & Associates—to explain why they produce conflicting results regarding electricity bills. By comparing these studies against a range of independent expert forecasts and empirical data, the authors find a strong correlation between the optimism or pessimism of a study's underlying assumptions and its final economic conclusions. Specifically, studies assuming higher costs for solar and wind power and less interstate cooperation tend to project higher compliance costs, while those assuming rapid technological progress and high energy efficiency savings project lower costs or even decreases in electricity bills.

The document outlines the intersection of climate change and public health in Canada, highlighting risks such as extreme heat, wildfires, and food insecurity, particularly in the Arctic and among Indigenous populations. It advocates for a rapid phase-out of coal-powered electricity by 2030, the implementation of a National Active Transport Strategy, and the integration of Health Impact Assessments into federal environmental processes to mitigate health risks and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The document discusses the increasing frequency and magnitude of extreme heat events in India, highlighting the role of climate attribution science in identifying the human-induced causes of these events. It emphasizes that such science helps decision-makers create targeted heat action plans that account for vulnerability, exposure, and local factors like the urban heat island effect, air pollution, and humidity. The brief notes that while aerosols can temporarily lower peak temperatures, their reduction through clean energy policies may increase heat wave intensity. It advocates for coordinated government responses, early warning systems, and capacity building to protect marginalized populations, such as slum dwellers and outdoor workers, who are most at risk.

The document explores the role of citizen science in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), categorizing projects into contributory, collaborative, and co-created models. It argues that citizen science can fill critical data gaps, particularly for marginalized groups, and foster public engagement and behavioral change. While acknowledging challenges regarding data quality and statistical bias, the brief asserts that well-designed projects produce data comparable to professional science. It provides a detailed matrix of potential applications across various SDG targets, including energy affordability, water sanitation, and biodiversity monitoring.

The document identifies three primary energy challenges for cities in the global South: the urgent need for increased access, unsustainable growth in energy demand, and the risk of locking in carbon-intensive development models. It proposes three scalable solutions: accelerating the shift to cleaner cooking fuels, scaling up distributed renewable energy (specifically solar PV), and increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and appliances. The authors argue that these interventions provide dual benefits, improving health and livelihoods for the urban poor while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution for the city as a whole. Implementation requires coordinated governance, policy reforms such as removing fossil-fuel subsidies, and innovative financing models like pay-as-you-go schemes.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) warns that the appointment of Scott Pruitt to lead the EPA threatens the agency's ability to protect public health and the climate, citing Pruitt's record of questioning climate science and fighting emissions reductions.

The New Climate Economy report 'Better Cities, Better Growth: India’s Urban Opportunity' finds that compact cities in India experienced faster economic growth from 2002-2012 than sprawled cities. Smart urban growth could save India between $330 billion and $1.8 trillion annually by mid-century, representing up to 6 percent of GDP. The document identifies three target areas for reform: land regulations, sustainable urban infrastructure (such as bus rapid transit), and the strengthening of urban local governments. It highlights the high costs of car-driven growth, citing Delhi as an example where traffic congestion and air pollution create significant economic and livability crises.

The report argues that Olam, a Singapore-based agribusiness, operates a 'black box' in its palm oil supply chain by concealing the identity of its suppliers, which allows the company to source oil from producers engaged in deforestation. In Gabon, the report alleges that Olam has cleared approximately 20,000 hectares of forest since 2012, violating FSC standards. In Southeast Asia, Olam's lack of transparency is linked to the 'haze' crisis caused by peatland and forest fires. The document calls for Olam to adopt a 'zero deforestation' policy, publish its supplier list, and restore destroyed habitats.

The report identifies 14 subsidy schemes for coal-fired power in China, quantifying the total value at CNY 252.4 billion (USD 37.7 billion) in 2014 and CNY 120.8 billion (USD 18 billion) in 2015. Key support mechanisms include power purchase guarantees, premiums for low-emission plants, and infrastructure investments in rail and grids. The authors argue that these subsidies provide coal an advantage over renewables and should be integrated into G20 fossil fuel subsidy review processes.

The report evaluates the early stages of SDG implementation in the Baltic Sea Region (BSR), analyzing 11 countries: Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Russia, and Sweden. It finds that while the region performs well in areas like poverty reduction, renewable energy share, and corruption, it struggles significantly with domestic material consumption and energy intensity. Implementation is currently fragmented, with varying institutional responsibilities and a general reliance on existing administrative structures. The report emphasizes a critical need for improved monitoring systems and stronger political leadership at the parliamentary level to ensure the 2030 Agenda is integrated across all government sectors.

The report 'Lifting Europe’s Dark Cloud' examines the health consequences of coal power emissions in Europe, highlighting that 22,900 premature deaths were caused by these plants in 2013. It argues that current EU legislation, specifically the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), is undermined by widespread 'derogations' that allow over half of European coal plants to exceed safety limits. The authors model three scenarios, demonstrating that adopting the most stringent 'Best Available Techniques' (BAT) could reduce annual premature deaths from 8,900 (under proposed BREF limits) to 2,600, while slashing annual health costs from 24.3 billion to 7.1 billion euros. The document calls for the removal of legal loopholes, the immediate adoption of revised LCP BREF standards, and a total phase-out of coal in favor of renewable energy.

The document argues that electrifying heavy-duty vehicles in California can significantly reduce air pollution and global warming emissions while creating job opportunities for underserved communities. It provides a life cycle emissions analysis comparing battery and fuel cell electric buses to diesel and CNG alternatives, finds that current EV technology meets many urban operational needs, and recommends targeted workforce training and financial incentives to ensure an equitable transition.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly on September 20, 2016, Manish Bapna proposed three priorities for the Open Government Partnership: integrating climate and governance agendas, upholding governance standards to protect civic space, and expanding the open government movement to include subnational governments and a wider array of civil society groups.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) opposes New York City's proposed biodiesel heating fuel mandate, arguing that increasing demand for vegetable oil-derived biodiesel drives the expansion of palm oil production. This expansion leads to the destruction of tropical peatland forests, particularly in Indonesia and Malaysia, resulting in significant carbon dioxide releases and public health crises. CATF contends that even soybean-based biodiesel contributes to these impacts through global market fungibility and that current USEPA lifecycle analyses underestimate these greenhouse gas emissions.