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Analysis of 241 U.S. locations shows that 95% have experienced summer warming since 1970, with an average increase of 2.4°F. The West, Southwest, Northwest, and western Texas saw the most heating, with Reno, Nevada, recording the highest increase at 11.1°F. Additionally, 58% of analyzed locations now experience at least two more weeks of above-normal summer days than in 1970. The document highlights that excessive heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the U.S. and disproportionately affects vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and people of color living in urban heat islands.

Bill S-5 introduces the first federal recognition of the right to a healthy environment in Canada and strengthens the framework for managing toxic substances by prioritizing CMRs and PBiT substances. It introduces accountability mechanisms for substance assessments, such as a 'watch list' and mandatory publication of reasons for delays. However, the document argues that further updates are needed regarding citizen lawsuits, national air quality standards, consumer product labelling, genetically modified animals, ocean dumping, First Nations reserve land protections, and plastic waste exports.

Germany's Federal Administrative Court overturned a lower court's decision, ruling that the German Environmental Legal Remedies Act (UmwRG) cannot be used to restrict the legal standing of environmental NGOs when such restrictions conflict with EU law and the Aarhus Convention. The court found that the NGO 'BUND Naturschutz' had standing to challenge a Bavarian ordinance reducing protected natural areas, citing the primacy of EU law and the Protocol on the Implementation of the Alpine Convention. This decision establishes that national laws restricting access to justice for environmental organizations must be disregarded if they prevent the protection of rights guaranteed by EU and international environmental law.

The document argues that major carbon producers are responsible for a significant portion of the increasing wildfire risk in western North America. It attributes 48% of the rise in fire-danger conditions since 1901 and 37% of the cumulative burned forest area since 1986 to emissions from 88 major fossil fuel and cement companies. In California, wildfires between 2017 and 2021 caused over $21 billion in economic damages and released an average of 53 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent annually. The report calls for corporate accountability, legal access to justice, and state-level policies to reduce emissions, improve forest health, and protect vulnerable communities.

As of December 2022, there are 5,612 committed electric school buses in the US, a significant increase driven largely by the EPA's Clean School Bus Rebate Program. While California leads in total numbers, adoption has expanded to all 50 states and is increasingly concentrated in low-income and minority communities, though the report emphasizes the need for continued focus on equity and infrastructure support.

The Life after Coal Campaign and the Fair Finance Coalition Southern Africa argue that the JET-IP is heavily skewed toward private sector interests and large-scale infrastructure, specifically green hydrogen, at the expense of community-led renewable energy and social investment. They highlight critical gaps in policy alignment, the lack of transparency regarding debt and loan agreements, and the failure to adequately address the health impacts of air pollution at the Medupi and Kusile power stations. The authors call for a reprioritization of funding toward transmission grid strengthening and socially owned energy models, while warning that the current approach to decommissioning coal plants, as seen at Komati, lacks the necessary community participation to be considered 'just'.

The report finds that if all 177 States adopting California's standards implement the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule, U.S. emissions could be reduced by 1,310 million metric tons of CO2e by 2050. This adoption would lead to three-quarters of U.S. cars being electric vehicles (EVs) by 2050, creating nearly 300,000 jobs and saving households an average of $238 annually. The analysis emphasizes that while the IRA provides near-term incentives, the ACC II mandate is necessary for long-term electrification goals. Case studies for Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York highlight significant state-level benefits, including substantial reductions in asthma attacks and premature deaths, particularly in communities of color.

The Life After Coal Campaign opposes Eskom's plan to install temporary bypass stacks at the Kusile power station, which would allow unabated SO2 emissions to restore generating capacity. The campaign argues that this proposal poses grave risks to human health, potentially causing up to 1,362 air pollution-related deaths and R25 billion in societal costs over 36 months at high utilization. They challenge the claim that the bypass will restore 2,160 MW, noting the plant's historical 33% capacity performance. Instead of the bypass, the campaign proposes investing the funds into solar PV and wind installations to accelerate the coal phase-out.

The Kurna community in Kano State, Nigeria, implemented the Afforestation Drive, a locally-led adaptation project using nature-based solutions to combat extreme heat and air pollution. Led by Dr. Dahiru Muhammad Hashim and the Panacea Foundation, the initiative planted over 2,000 adaptive trees in Kurna and expanded to plant 135,382 trees across Kano State. The project utilized an open-source digital data kit for monitoring and focused on indigenous species to improve air quality, reduce respiratory diseases, and create new livelihood opportunities through fruit trading. Despite success, the project faced barriers such as government bureaucracy and lack of funding, highlighting the need for a shift from top-down climate strategies to models that devolve decision-making and resources to frontline communities.

The guide advises consumers to first consider car-free alternatives to reduce costs and carbon emissions. For those who need a vehicle, it recommends the lowest-emission option, noting that EVs produce less than half the lifetime heat-trapping emissions of gasoline cars. It discusses the trade-offs between battery size and cost, explains three levels of charging (Level 1, Level 2, and DC fast charging), and addresses the impact of cold weather on battery range.

The document argues that adopting the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) and Heavy-Duty Omnibus (HDO) rules in Rhode Island would significantly reduce toxic air pollutants and carbon emissions from medium- and heavy-duty (M/HD) vehicles. By 2050, these policies are projected to reduce NOx emissions from M/HD vehicles by over 80% and PM2.5 by over 20%, leading to approximately $150 million in health care savings and over 6,000 avoided minor respiratory illnesses. Economically, the transition is expected to provide commercial fleets with over $15 million in annual savings by 2050 and eliminate over 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide cumulatively through 2050.

A coalition of environmental justice organizations argues that the EPA's proposed regulations for the oil and gas sector must be strengthened to protect Black, Latine, tribal, and low-income communities. The commenters detail how these groups suffer disproportionate health risks from air and water pollution, economic burdens from orphaned wells and property devaluation, and heightened climate vulnerability. They recommend specific policy enhancements, including stricter leak detection and repair (LDAR) requirements, the elimination of routine flaring, and more robust community monitoring and well-closure mandates.

As of September 2022, there are 13,053 committed electric school buses in the US, spanning 483 school districts across 39 states. California leads adoption, and the largest funding source is California's Hybrid and Zero-Emission Truck and Bus Voucher Incentive Program. While adoption is high in areas with significant air pollution and among communities of color, the highest number of buses are concentrated in districts with the lowest percentages of low-income households.

ClientEarth argues that the UK government has significantly reduced its ambitions for soil health, moving from a goal of all soils being sustainably managed by 2030 to only 60% of agricultural soils. The submission highlights a fragmented regulatory landscape, poor enforcement by the Environment Agency, and the risk that the Retained EU Law Bill will create a 'regulatory gap' by removing cross-compliance standards. ClientEarth advocates for a new legal framework with binding targets, a universal definition of 'healthy soils', and a shift away from purely voluntary schemes like the Environmental Land Management schemes (ELMs), which they argue lack the mandatory minimum standards necessary to achieve national environmental goals.

Project GAIA establishes a framework to integrate gender equality and social inclusion into its investment cycle, requiring all approved projects to develop specific GESI Action Plans. The plan focuses on five pillars: governance, leadership, employment, capacity building, and consumption (access to basic services). It sets platform-level targets, such as achieving 30% women in governance by year one, and project-level requirements, including mandatory gender assessments and the use of sex-disaggregated data in impact reporting. The framework also incorporates safeguarding measures against sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment (SEAH) and gender-based violence (GBVH).

The report details CAPE's 2023 efforts to reduce toxic exposures in Canada, highlighting the passage of Bill S-5 to modernize the Canadian Environmental Protection Act and the launch of the Place-Based Power Project focusing on extraction impacts in Northern B.C., Alberta, and the Northwest Territories.

The report finds that a rapid transition to renewable energy is 2-16 times better for nature and society than a business-as-usual scenario across 27 of 30 metrics, significantly reducing air pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate-related land degradation. While the transition increases demands on critical minerals, water for bioenergy, and river fragmentation from hydropower, the report argues these risks can be mitigated through strategic planning, low-conflict siting, and circular economy practices.

The proposal outlines a 24-month program to address five key barriers to climate finance and mitigation in Paraguay. It focuses on developing a National SLCP Strategy, strengthening the accreditation process for Sudameris Bank and the Agencia Financiera de Desarrollo (AFD), creating a Private Sector Engagement Strategy for the AFOLU sector, updating the national MRV system, and developing a high-quality GCF project concept note.

GreenLatinos opposes a permitting bill introduced by Senator Joe Manchin and the American Petroleum Institute, claiming it disproportionately harms Latino/a/e and other communities of color. The organization advocates for the passage of the Environmental Justice for All Act and the adoption of the Latino Climate Justice Framework to protect vulnerable populations from fossil fuel pollution.

ClientEarth warns that the UK government is in breach of the Environment Act 2021 due to missed deadlines for environmental targets and the Environmental Principles Policy Statement. The organization argues that these delays, combined with the 'sunset' provisions of the Retained EU Law Bill, risk a governance gap where EU-derived environmental protections are revoked before domestic replacements are fully operational.