Search Climate Insights Directory
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OPEN LETTER regarding authorization and approval letter for CDM project 2716 “Grid connected energy efficient power generation”
A coalition of organizations requests that the French government provide transparency regarding EDF Trading's involvement in and subsequently withdraw its approval for CDM project 2716, a coal-fired power plant in Mundra, India. The authors argue the project fails sustainable development criteria due to environmental damage, lack of community consultation, and flawed carbon crediting methodologies.
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Document type: Statement
ASEAN Leaders Can Act to Reduce Fires and Haze
A briefing by the World Resources Institute (WRI) calling for ASEAN leadership to address recurring fires and haze, using high-resolution satellite data from Riau Province to highlight the scale of illegal burning on peatlands and within company concessions.
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Document type: Briefing
TOWARD AN EVIDENCE-BASED FRACKING DEBATE
The report examines the risks associated with unconventional oil and gas development, specifically hydraulic fracturing, in the United States. It identifies significant threats to groundwater and surface water quality, air pollution, and induced seismic activity from wastewater injection. The authors highlight how corporate and political interference—including 'trade secret' exemptions and non-disclosure agreements—hampers scientific research and public knowledge. It critiques the 'patchwork' of state laws and federal loopholes, such as the 'Halliburton loophole,' and recommends mandatory baseline monitoring, full chemical disclosure, and the closing of federal regulatory gaps to protect public health and the environment.
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Document type: Report
Demand to withdraw approval letter for Adani Power's registered CDM project “Grid connected energy efficient power generation” (Project 2716)
A group of organizations is calling for the withdrawal of CDM project approval for Adani Power's thermal power plant in Gujarat, India. They cite a 2013 MoEF inspection report that found non-compliance with environmental regulations, specifically regarding fugitive emissions and reporting failures, arguing that the project no longer meets sustainable development criteria.
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Document type: Statement
[CMW Global Network] IFC's controversial funding on CDM
The document is a letter from Bikash Rath of the Regional Centre for Development Cooperation to World Bank President Dr. Jim Yong Kim. It demands the withdrawal of International Finance Corporation (IFC) funding from the Tata Mundra - Coastal Gujarat Power Ltd. (CGPL) 4000 MW coal power project in Gujarat, India. The author alleges that the project has caused massive social and environmental damage, including the depletion of groundwater, destruction of mangroves, and severe health impacts on local communities, while failing to conduct proper impact assessments or consult affected fishing and pastoralist groups.
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Document type: Statement
HALF THE OIL
The 'HALF THE OIL' plan outlines a pathway for the United States to halve its projected oil use by 2035. The strategy relies on two main pillars: efficiency (improving passenger and commercial vehicles, and retrofitting buildings) and innovation (scaling electric vehicles, cellulosic biofuels, and smart transportation systems). The plan argues that these steps will save billions of dollars, reduce pollution, and establish U.S. leadership in transportation technology.
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Document type: Report
Ending PATH To Coal Power
Earthjustice and the Sierra Club successfully opposed the Potomac-Appalachian Transmission Highline (PATH) project, leading American Electric Power and Allegheny Energy to withdraw their application in 2011. The project would have constructed 275 miles of high-voltage lines from West Virginia through Virginia to Maryland to support coal-fired power plants, including the John E. Amos plant. Opponents argued the lines were unnecessary due to energy efficiency gains and would have increased air pollution and mountaintop removal mining in Appalachia.
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Document type: Case study
PETITION TO THE UNITED STATES ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS Petition to Undertake Area-Wide Environmental Impact Statement on All Proposed Coal Export Terminals in Washington and Oregon
A coalition of environmental and health organizations petitions the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to move beyond project-specific reviews and undertake a comprehensive area-wide Environmental Impact Statement for proposed coal export terminals in the Pacific Northwest. The petitioners argue that the combined capacity of approximately 100 million metric tons of coal per year creates systemic risks to rail infrastructure, public health, and global climate that cannot be adequately assessed on a site-by-site basis.
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Document type: Statement
Testimony of Abigail Dillen, Coal Program Director Earthjustice Before the Subcommittee on Environment and the Economy Committee on Energy and Commerce U.S. House of Representatives Legislative Hearing on “Federal and State Partnership for Environmental Protection Act of 2013;” the “Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act of 2013;” and the “Federal Facility Accountability Act of 2013.”
Abigail Dillen of Earthjustice testifies that the 'Reducing Excessive Deadline Obligations Act of 2013' is a misguided attempt to derail lawsuits seeking to compel the EPA to regulate coal ash. The testimony highlights the severe environmental and health risks associated with the current lack of federal standards, including groundwater contamination by toxic metals, air pollution from fugitive dust, and the catastrophic potential for coal ash impoundment failures. Dillen emphasizes that the EPA has delayed necessary regulations for 13 years despite acknowledging their need, and that the proposed bill would leave the second largest toxic waste stream in the U.S. unregulated indefinitely.
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Document type: Statement
Transport and Environment in Sub-Saharan Africa (policy brief)
The document identifies critical transport-related issues in sub-Saharan Africa, noting that while the region has less than 3% of global motor vehicles, it accounts for over 11% of global road fatalities. It highlights rising urban air pollution due to fossil fuel use and inadequate emission standards, severe traffic congestion caused by poor infrastructure and land-use policies, and a policy bias toward automobiles that marginalizes vulnerable populations. Additionally, it notes that while Africa has the lowest historical greenhouse gas emissions, they are growing rapidly due to increased fossil-fuel use.
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Document type: Policy brief
Protecting The Public From Coal Mine Pollution
Earthjustice filed a lawsuit in 2011 against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to limit coal mine pollution, including methane, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and soot. Despite the availability of technology to capture or burn methane, the EPA denied a petition in 2013. Subsequently, in 2014, the Obama administration introduced an initiative to reduce methane emissions and tasked the Bureau of Land Management with studying pollution limits.
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Document type: Case study
JAKARTA DECLARATION FOR STRENGTHENING THE THE RIGHT TO ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION FOR PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
The Jakarta Declaration, issued by representatives from several Asian nations, argues that access to environmental information is critical for public health and pollution control. It calls for the operationalization of Freedom of Information (FOI) laws, the adoption of proactive disclosure requirements for air and water quality, and the creation of mandatory pollutant release and transfer registers. The document emphasizes that environmental data, including emissions from private and state-owned corporations, should not be restricted by claims of commercial confidentiality when it relates to public health.
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Document type: Statement
A CITIZENS’ GUIDE TO ENERGY SUBSIDIES IN THAILAND
The document provides a comprehensive overview of energy subsidies in Thailand, detailing the mechanisms used to subsidize LPG, NGV, diesel, electricity, and biofuels. It argues that while these subsidies aim to ensure affordability, they often disproportionately benefit higher-income groups, encourage wasteful consumption, and create fiscal strain on the government and state-owned enterprises. The guide outlines the negative impacts of these subsidies, such as fuel smuggling and environmental degradation, and suggests reform strategies based on international experience, emphasizing the need for market-based pricing and targeted social assistance.
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Document type: Guide
Reducing the Shale Gas Footprint Through the Center for Sustainable Shale Development: A Good Start, But No Substitute for Tight Federal and State Regulation
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) has endorsed a set of fifteen water and air protection standards developed with shale gas producers in the Marcellus region, to be overseen by the Center for Sustainable Shale Development (CSSD). These standards include a ban on discharging fracking water to surface waters, a 90% water recycling requirement, and zero gas discharge to the air for wells in production. While CATF views these as the toughest standards globally, it maintains that voluntary industry agreements are not a substitute for government regulation and advocates for federal mandates on carbon capture and storage for natural gas power production.
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Document type: Statement
From the Common Agricultural Policy to Sustainable Food Systems
The author criticizes the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) as an unequal and unsustainable system that prioritizes industrial production over environmental health and small-scale farming. The text advocates for a shift toward 'sustainable food systems'—defined as those guaranteeing food sovereignty and internalizing environmental costs—and highlights the role of the Greens in Belgium in promoting short supply chains, urban agriculture, and the relocalisation of food production to protect rural social fabrics.
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Document type: Statement
A Costly Diagnosis
The report examines the health and economic impacts of Alberta's heavy reliance on coal-fired electricity, which generated 64 per cent of the province's electricity in 2012. Using the Illness Cost of Air Pollution (ICAP) model and other data, the authors estimate that coal plants contribute to hundreds of premature deaths and thousands of emergency department visits annually. The report identifies a wide range of pollutants, including nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, mercury, and particulate matter, which affect respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurological health. Economically, the report argues that the true societal cost of coal—including health damages and the social cost of carbon—ranges from 3.6 to 13.7 ¢/kWh, far exceeding the market pool price of 6.6 ¢/kWh. The authors conclude that the current system effectively subsidizes coal power at the expense of public health and recommend that Alberta accelerate the retirement of coal units beyond the 50-year limit allowed by federal regulations.
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Document type: Report
Climate Technology & Development Case study: Bus Rapid Transit
The document examines Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as a cost-effective, low-carbon alternative to private car-based transport in rapidly growing cities. It details the hardware and software components of BRT, analyzes the value chain and organizational roles (owner, manager, and asset manager), and discusses the political economy challenges, such as resistance from informal transport operators and car owners. The report emphasizes that while BRT is a mature technology, its success depends on local context, institutional capability, and integration with broader transport networks.
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Document type: Case study
Short-Lived Climate Pollutants: Why Are They Important?
The document identifies short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs)—including black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)—as gases and particulates with atmospheric lifetimes of less than 20 years that contribute to approximately half of global warming. It argues that while CO2 reduction is vital for long-term stability, SLCP mitigation offers faster results to slow the rate of warming, particularly in sensitive regions like the Arctic and Himalayas. The text details the specific radiative forcing and warming potentials of these pollutants, their primary sources (such as oil and gas production and biomass burning), and the associated co-benefits for food security and public health.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Commission’s proposal for a 7th EU Environment Action Programme
The author argues that the European Commission's proposal for the 7th EU Environment Action Programme is a 'mockery' of environmental policy because it contains no concrete actions, instead repeating existing Treaty provisions and vague objectives. The text claims this approach prioritizes economic growth over environmental protection and warns that the EU's failure to provide strong environmental leadership may lead to the renationalization of environmental issues by Member States.
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Document type: Statement
Public Health, Energy & Climate Change
A survey of Maryland residents in 2013 found that air pollution is viewed as the top personal health risk and that a majority of residents believe climate change is already harming people in the United States. The study highlights a strong public preference for renewable energy sources over fossil fuels and nuclear power due to health concerns. It also reveals that residents with multiple pre-existing medical conditions are more likely to perceive themselves as vulnerable to climate-related health impacts. Additionally, the report notes high public support for government prioritisation of protecting public water supplies and human health from environmental threats.
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Document type: Report