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Protecting Public Health from Climate Change: A Global Call to Action
The Global Climate and Health Alliance asserts that climate change is the greatest global health threat of the 21st century, particularly impacting sub-Saharan Africa. The document commits health professionals to reducing the carbon footprint of medical institutions, increasing health system resilience, and advocating for a binding global agreement that prioritizes human health and equitable emissions reductions.
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Document type: Statement
GREEN FOOTSTEP: CALCULATIONS AND DATA SOURCES
The document explains the methodology of the Green Footstep tool, which calculates the net carbon flow of building projects by analyzing site development, construction, and operation. It defines carbon neutrality as achieving a net carbon storage level equal to or greater than the site's native state. The paper provides specific formulas for calculating native site carbon storage, emissions from site development, and operational emissions. For construction emissions, it details an Economic Input-Output Life Cycle Assessment (EIO LCA) approach based on 1997 US economic data, offering coefficients for residential, multifamily, manufacturing/industrial, and commercial/institutional sectors. It also includes a historical validation comparing 1997 energy intensity coefficients with 1967 data, noting a general decrease in energy intensity for most sectors except commercial and institutional buildings.
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Document type: Research paper
Getting to Zero: A Pathway to a Carbon Neutral Seattle
The report outlines a pathway for Seattle to reach net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. By implementing aggressive strategies across transportation, buildings, and waste, the city could reduce per capita core emissions by 91% relative to 2008 levels. Key drivers include a massive shift toward electric vehicles, deep energy efficiency retrofits in the built environment, and a transition to low-carbon energy sources like biomass-fired district energy. While the scenario achieves a 90% reduction in core emissions, the report notes that the final 10% may require offsets or sequestration.
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Document type: Report
Considerations of Global Equity and Burden-Sharing in Community-Scale Climate Action Planning
The authors argue that current community-scale emissions targets, such as 80% reductions by 2050, do not account for the UNFCCC principle of "common but differentiated responsibility." By applying the Greenhouse Development Rights (GDR) framework to Seattle, the study finds that an equitable global obligation would require the city to become carbon "negative" before 2020. This does not imply physical sequestration but rather a role where wealthy cities dramatically reduce their own emissions while financing low-carbon transitions in developing regions. The paper suggests that communities can use offsets or direct technology and financial transfers to meet these obligations and recommends that local governments integrate global equity into their official climate action plans.
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Document type: Research paper
RTEA Namibia Sectoral Paper - Ecotourism and the Informal Carbon Market: Is the Climate Right for Change?
The document argues that Namibia's tourism economy faces a risk of decline if it does not address the indirect impacts of climate change, specifically tourists' concerns over the carbon footprint of their travel. It proposes a shift toward carbon-neutral products, the creation of a national policy on climate change and tourism, and the establishment of a national body to oversee the quality of carbon-offset products to secure a comparative advantage over other destinations.
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Document type: Policy brief
Carbon Pricing 101
The document defines carbon pricing as a market-based strategy to internalize the costs of climate impacts, driving a shift toward a clean energy economy. It details two primary mechanisms: cap-and-trade, which limits total emissions through tradable allowances, and carbon taxes, which set a fixed fee per ton of carbon. The text emphasizes that while both can effectively reduce emissions, they require complementary policies and careful design to address equity concerns, such as the regressive impact on low-income households and the economic transition for fossil-fuel-dependent communities. It highlights existing examples like the EU-ETS and RGGI, and suggests that revenues from these programs can be used for rebates, clean energy investment, or deficit reduction.
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Document type: Guide
Plantar S.A. CDM project: Global warming continues unabated
A group of Brazilian and international organizations opposes the approval of Plantar S.A.'s CDM project, "Cultivated Biomass as a Renewable Source of Energy for Pig Iron Production". The authors argue that the project lacks additionality because the company has already been planting eucalyptus since 2000 and that the operations cause significant environmental degradation and social injustices, including the displacement of indigenous and peasant communities.
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Document type: Statement
BIOFUELS - AT WHAT COST ?
The report finds that Malaysia's ambitions to become a global biodiesel producer have been undermined by volatile feedstock prices and the high cost of production relative to petroleum diesel. While the government provided limited support through soft loans and tax incentives, a proposed B5 blending mandate would likely increase the national subsidy burden. The industry's profitability is precarious, relying heavily on exports to the EU and US, where it may benefit from subsidy loopholes. Environmentally, the report argues that the presumed carbon benefits of biodiesel are offset by greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and peatland conversion, while socially, global biofuel demand has contributed to rising food prices.
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Document type: Report
World Resources Institute Annual Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Inventory Report Fiscal Year 2002
WRI's fiscal year 2002 CO2 emissions were 1,306 metric tons, representing a 3.5% reduction from 2001. The primary emission sources were purchased electricity (42%) and air travel (40%). While air travel emissions have decreased to 1% below 2000 levels, electricity emissions have risen 24% since 2000, largely due to increased cooling requirements from another tenant in WRI's non-separately metered building. WRI has adjusted historical data using improved methodologies and now holds a surplus of carbon offsets. To maintain its commitment, WRI is exploring new ways to fund offsets and has published the 'Working 9 to 5 on Climate Change' guide to help other organizations reduce their footprints.
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Document type: Report
Superhot Rock Geothermal in Cambodia
The document highlights that just 1% of Cambodia's estimated superhot rock geothermal resource could provide 304 GW of energy capacity, far exceeding the country's 2021 electricity consumption of 10,156 GWh. This resource could theoretically replace all coal and electricity imports, reducing electricity sector emissions by approximately 4 megatonnes of CO2eq. Superhot rock geothermal is presented as a land-efficient alternative to other renewables, requiring roughly 12 km² per 1 GW, and as a means to foster socio-economic development through job creation and foreign investment.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Comments on the EU Methane Strategy Roadmap
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) urges the European Commission to implement mandatory Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) programs and strict venting/flaring standards across the domestic oil and gas supply chain. CATF argues that the EU must not delay emission reductions while waiting for better measurement and reporting, citing successful precedents in North America. Furthermore, the document emphasizes that achieving carbon neutrality requires the EU to leverage its buying power to reduce methane emissions from imported oil and gas through legally binding import standards or economic structures.
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Document type: Statement
Superhot Rock Energy Project
The Japan Supercritical Geothermal Project (SCGP) aims to demonstrate superhot rock (SHR) energy by 2040, with planned drilling between 2021 and 2027. The project targets five locations—Niseko, Yuzawa, Appi, Kuju, and Kakkonda—aiming for depths of 3,000-4,000 meters, temperatures of 350-500°C, and pressures exceeding 22.0 MPa. These sites are characterized by various volcanic and metamorphic basement rocks resulting from the subduction of the Pacific and Philippine Sea plates. The Japanese government has identified supercritical geothermal power generation as a key technology within its Green Innovation Strategy to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Carbon Capture & Storage in France
France aims to capture 30-50 Mt of annual CO2 by 2050, focusing on seven key industrial clusters and leveraging a conservative estimated storage resource of 4.8 Gt. The government has launched a national CCUS strategy and provided €5.6 billion for industrial decarbonisation, including 'carbon contracts for difference' for specific CO2 streams. Key projects include the Dkarbonation and GOCO2 initiatives, which focus on export terminals and pipeline infrastructure for hard-to-abate sectors like cement and steel.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Captura e Armazenamento de Carbono em Portugal
The document argues that carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a cost-effective solution for Portugal to reach carbon neutrality by 2045, particularly for hard-to-abate industries like cement and pulp and paper. It highlights a theoretical geological storage capacity of 7.09 GtCO2 and proposes the development of industrial clusters, specifically in the Lusitanian Basin, to scale the technology.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Superhot Rock Geothermal in Chile
The document highlights that just 1% of Chile's superhot rock geothermal resource could provide 1385 GW of energy capacity, potentially meeting the country's projected 2050 electricity demand and replacing all coal and gas imports used for electricity production. It argues that this energy-dense resource would require significantly less land than other energy sources and support Chile's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Superhot Rock Geothermal in China
The document highlights that just 1% of China's superhot rock geothermal resource could provide 10,513 GW of energy capacity, potentially replacing all fossil fuels used for electricity production and reducing carbon emissions by approximately 5,943 megatonnes. It argues that this energy source offers a low land-use footprint, provides reliable 24/7 power, and allows for a transition of the existing oil and gas workforce into the zero-carbon sector.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Superhot Rock Geothermal in Colombia
The document highlights that just 1% of Colombia's estimated superhot rock geothermal resource could provide 207 GW of capacity, generating over 1,721,577 GWh of electricity. This amount is significantly higher than Colombia's 2021 electricity consumption of 84,425 GWh and its projected 2050 demand of 280,338 GWh. Utilizing this resource could theoretically replace all coal and gas in the country's electricity production, reducing emissions by approximately 13 megatonnes of CO2eq, which represents 8% of Colombia's Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goal. The technology is described as having a very low land footprint, requiring roughly 12 km² per 1 GW, and providing reliable 24/7 power that reduces the need for excess transmission and backup generation.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Superhot Rock Geothermal in Morocco
The document highlights that just 1% of Morocco's superhot rock geothermal resource could provide 165 GW of capacity, potentially meeting the country's projected 2050 electricity demand and replacing all coal and gas imports used for power generation.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Superhot Rock Geothermal in Papua New Guinea
The document highlights the immense potential of superhot rock geothermal energy in Papua New Guinea, noting that just 1% of its resource could provide 358 GW of energy capacity. While not expected to reach commercial scale in time for the country's 2030 NDC goals, the technology is presented as a long-term solution for clean firm power, efficient land use, and a transition pathway for the existing oil and gas workforce.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Superhot Rock Geothermal in South Korea
The document highlights that just 1% of South Korea's superhot rock geothermal resource could provide 50 GW of capacity, meeting 68% of its 2021 electricity demand and potentially replacing 48% of its coal imports. It argues that this energy-dense, 24/7 renewable source could significantly reduce carbon emissions and land-use requirements compared to other energy technologies.
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Document type: Fact sheet