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The report examines the 'customer journey' of households in Kiambu County, Kenya, adopting Philips advanced cookstoves distributed via the Visionary Empowerment Programme (VEP). It identifies that while trust in local microfinance partners drives initial sign-ups, actual adoption is hindered by a lack of user-centric value propositions, poor fuel supply chains for pellets, and a 'start-up phase' where users struggle with new routines. The study concludes that users often 'stack' stoves, using the advanced model only for specific tasks, and that a holistic approach considering the end-user's definition of 'improved' is essential for achieving health and climate goals.

The document is a sign-on letter from a broad coalition of organizations and officials requesting that the Obama administration prioritize offshore wind power development, specifically along the Atlantic coast. The coalition advocates for a bold development goal of 22 GW by 2030, increased federal incentives, and improved collaboration between federal agencies and state governments to support the Clean Power Plan.

Energy Innovation used the Energy Policy Simulator to determine that a specific combination of six policies could meet the Clean Power Plan's goal of reducing power sector CO2 emissions by 32 percent by 2030 while saving the U.S. economy nearly 40 billion dollars between 2016 and 2030. The recommended package focuses on improving coal plant efficiency, accelerating coal retirements, enhancing building and industrial energy efficiency, implementing a 25 percent national average renewable portfolio standard, and increasing transmission capacity. The report contrasts this approach with more expensive alternatives, such as those relying heavily on nuclear power or carbon capture and storage.

The 'Green and Smart Town Development Guidelines' by China Development Bank Capital outlines 12 measurable green guidelines across urban form, transport, and energy/resources, alongside six smart city strategies. The guide aims to reduce urbanization costs from 8.6% to 6.8% of GDP by implementing compact development, transit-oriented design, and resource efficiency. It provides specific benchmarks, such as limiting block sizes to 2 hectares and requiring 70% of buildings to meet MOHURD one-star green standards, supported by international case studies from Portland, Stockholm, and Copenhagen.

The guidelines establish a 'first green, then smart' approach, where smart technologies are used to optimize the outcomes of sustainable urban design. The framework covers six smart categories: telecommunications, mobility, governance, energy management, safety, and public services, supported by global case studies to demonstrate economic and environmental viability.

The report finds that significant portions of the U.S. East and Gulf Coast electricity grids are exposed to coastal flooding, with the Delaware Valley specifically facing risks to 79 substations and 35 power plants under current Category 3 hurricane conditions. It warns that reliance on historical flood data underestimates future risks as sea levels rise, potentially leading to widespread, long-lasting power outages. To address this, the authors recommend a combination of infrastructure adaptation (protection, accommodation, and retreat) and the deployment of decentralized clean energy technologies—such as solar with storage, combined heat and power (CHP) plants, and microgrids—to ensure critical facilities remain powered during grid failures while reducing the carbon emissions that drive sea level rise.

The report examines how rising sea levels and storm surges threaten critical electricity infrastructure, such as substations and power plants, in five major U.S. coastal regions. It finds that significant portions of the grid are already exposed to flooding, which can lead to widespread and prolonged power outages. The authors argue that current planning relies on outdated historical data and recommend a shift toward decentralized, resilient clean energy systems—including microgrids, energy storage, and combined heat and power plants—alongside infrastructure adaptation strategies like protection, accommodation, and retreat.

The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that significant portions of the U.S. East and Gulf Coast electricity grids are exposed to storm surge, a risk that will increase as sea levels rise. In southeastern Florida, the number of major substations at risk from a Category 3 storm is projected to triple by 2070. The report advocates for a shift from centralized grids to decentralized, resilient power systems—such as microgrids and renewable energy with storage—to protect critical facilities and reduce carbon emissions.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) analysis finds that two-thirds of U.S. states may be exposing electricity consumers to financial risks due to overreliance on natural gas. These risks include price volatility, potential carbon pricing costs, and the possibility of stranded assets such as underused plants and pipelines. The report rates states across five categories, identifying Florida as the only state with a "High" risk rating in all five. To mitigate these risks, the report advocates for prioritizing renewable energy and energy efficiency over natural gas as a primary solution for carbon reduction under the federal Clean Power Plan.

The Union of Concerned Scientists analyzed 50 U.S. states to identify those at high risk of natural gas overreliance in the power sector. The analysis uses five metrics: the share of in-state electricity production from natural gas in 2014, the increase in that share from 2008 to 2014, the share of new capacity being built from natural gas (2014–2017), total projected natural gas capacity in 2017, and 2013 power sector carbon dioxide emissions. The report highlights that excessive reliance on natural gas exposes ratepayers to fuel price volatility and the risk of 'stranded assets' from infrastructure that may become underused or abandoned. It also notes that a shift from coal to gas is insufficient for long-term climate goals due to continued significant emissions upon combustion.

The report posits that Iran's nuclear power program is economically unviable and creates security ambiguities that could be resolved by shifting toward energy efficiency and renewables. It suggests that international cooperation in these sectors would align with Iran's economic interests, reduce the domestic case for nuclear power, and potentially halt a regional nuclear arms race. The author highlights Iran's significant wind and solar potential and compares this transition to experiences in Argentina and Brazil.

Rooftop solar in the United States experienced rapid growth between 2008 and 2014, driven by a 45% decrease in household system prices from 2010 to 2014 and the rise of third-party ownership models. The technology provides significant environmental benefits, including zero carbon emissions and minimal water use during electricity generation, while supporting a domestic industry that employed over 170,000 people by 2014. Growth is further sustained by federal and state policies such as net metering, feed-in tariffs, and a 30% federal investment tax credit.

Earthjustice, representing a coalition of environmental and community groups, urges the City of Oakland to reject the development of a coal export terminal at the former Oakland Army Base. The letter asserts that the project would disproportionately burden the low-income, predominantly African American community of West Oakland with particulate matter and diesel pollution, while violating California's greenhouse gas reduction goals. It argues that proposed mitigations, such as covered rail cars, are ineffective and that the project is an economic risk due to declining global coal demand. Finally, the document claims the project lacks necessary environmental review under CEQA and NEPA and that the City possesses the legal authority to ban the terminal to protect public health.

The report examines the applicability of the 169 Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets to Sweden's domestic context. Through a rapid screening and detailed interpretation of selected targets, the authors find that the majority of SDGs are relevant to Sweden, challenging the notion that they apply only to developing nations. The paper highlights significant gaps in areas such as youth unemployment, income inequality, and sustainable consumption. It argues that national implementation requires a political, government-led process to translate vague global targets into specific, measurable national goals, emphasizing the need for policy coherence and cross-sectoral coordination.

The paper analyzes reference and alternative scenarios for China's CO2 emissions, finding that while reference paths project emissions to double by 2050, alternative paths suggest a peak around 2030. It identifies GDP growth, energy intensity, and the energy mix as primary drivers, arguing that deep decarbonization through industrial restructuring and non-fossil fuel expansion is necessary to meet climate goals.

Skanska advocates for a progressive COP21 agreement to provide legislative certainty for green investments and details its 'Journey to Deep Green' strategy. This approach focuses on near zero environmental impact and net zero energy performance, as demonstrated by the Solallén residential neighbourhood in Sweden and the Bentley Works facility in the UK, both of which utilize solar and renewable energy systems to reduce carbon footprints.

The document outlines the implementation of President Obama's Climate Action Plan (CAP), focusing on three primary goals: cutting U.S. carbon pollution, preparing for climate impacts, and leading international efforts. Key achievements include the finalization of the Clean Power Plan to reduce power sector emissions by 32% by 2030, the establishment of the State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, and the formation of bilateral climate agreements with China, India, and Brazil. The report details a series of executive orders, agency regulations, and budget requests aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing national infrastructure resilience.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) asserts that allowing interstate trading between states with separate, unmerged emission rate targets creates a perverse economic incentive to operate higher-emitting power plants in states with more lenient targets. This 'leakage' problem would displace lower-emitting generation, leading to higher overall system emissions and increased operating costs. CATF provides a quantitative example showing that relaxing the merger requirement could result in 20 percent more emissions and nearly 50 percent higher dispatch costs. The document further argues that this risk is widespread, noting that 26 states have target emission rates below the 1000 lbs./MWh new source performance standard for natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) units. Finally, it contends that limiting interstate trading to renewable energy credits (RECs) would not solve the problem, as renewable resources in states with higher targets would generate disproportionately more credits, allowing for greater continued use of fossil resources in more stringent states.

The Sarulla Geothermal Power Plant case study demonstrates how public risk mitigation, including guarantees and feed-in tariffs, can attract private investment for geothermal energy in Indonesia. The project benefited from access to proven resources, which reduced exploration risk and allowed the developer to pay USD 70 million for completed exploration. While the project is expected to increase Indonesia's geothermal capacity by 20% and save 1.3 mt of CO2 annually by 2018, its levelized cost of electricity (USD 7.8-8.2 ¢/kWh) remains 40-60% higher than coal in Indonesia when excluding emission and health costs. The study suggests that public finance should prioritize exploration and field development, as commercial lenders are more willing to fund construction once resource risks are mitigated.

The Great Barrier Reef has lost more than half of its coral cover over the last 40 years, driven largely by climate change. The author asserts that Australia's commitment to increase coal production, specifically through new mega-mines in the Galilee Basin, exacerbates this threat by contributing to global carbon emissions and requiring harmful dredging and increased shipping in the World Heritage Area. Earthjustice and Environmental Justice Australia claim the reef meets up to six of the eight World Heritage Convention criteria for being 'in danger,' urging the World Heritage Committee to reverse its draft decision and list the site to enhance its protection.