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The American Power Act of 2010
Friends of the Earth criticizes the American Power Act of 2010, a cap and trade bill proposed by Senators John Kerry and Joe Lieberman. The organization asserts that the bill would roll back Clean Air Act protections, allow for expanded offshore drilling, and provide financial giveaways to industrial polluters. It advocates for the Obama administration to utilize existing Clean Air Act protections while pursuing a stronger climate bill focused on clean energy investment and rapid emission cuts.
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Document type: Statement
Clean Energy and Climate Action: A North American collaboration
The North American climate policy landscape is marked by political uncertainty, with a strong reliance on U.S. legislative developments to shape Canadian policy dynamics. While regional initiatives in places like California and British Columbia drive progress, the lack of a federal price on carbon and the compartmentalization of policy-making hinder bilateral collaboration. The discussion highlighted the American Power Act (APA) as a potential framework, though its passage in 2010 faced significant hurdles due to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, competing legislative priorities, and upcoming mid-term elections. Experts emphasized that a 'wait-and-see' approach is insufficient and that long-term success requires balancing supply-side and demand-side policies alongside clear market signals for the private sector.
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Document type: Briefing
Global Warming's Six Americas
The document tracks shifts in American public opinion on global warming across six identified groups, noting a significant increase in the 'Dismissive' group and a decrease in the 'Alarmed' group. Despite diverging views on the urgency and cause of climate change, most groups support clean energy development and the regulation of carbon dioxide.
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Document type: Executive summary
Climate Change in the American Mind
The June 2010 survey of 1,024 American adults reveals a strong public preference for developing clean energy and protecting the environment over economic growth. While a majority support regulating carbon dioxide and funding renewable energy research, there is significant political polarization regarding international treaties and gasoline taxes. The data shows that 65% of respondents believe the U.S. should reduce greenhouse gas emissions regardless of other countries' actions, and 56% believe environmental protection improves economic growth.
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Document type: Research paper
Canada’s Role in the Global Energy Picture
The document examines Canada's position as a major energy producer and the risks associated with its fragmented, province-led energy approach. It highlights the tension between Canada's traditional energy exports—particularly oil sands—and the global shift toward clean energy. The authors argue that a national strategy is essential to meet climate goals, protect trade interests (especially with the U.S.), and establish global leadership in technologies like carbon capture and storage (CCS). It also assesses the current 'patchwork' of international energy governance, including the roles of the IEA, IRENA, and trade agreements like NAFTA.
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Document type: Report
Energy: The global picture and its implications for Canada’s role in going forward
The report analyzes a global energy regime in transition, driven by energy security, economic efficiency, and climate change. It highlights a 'business as usual' scenario where primary energy demand increases by 40% by 2030, dominated by fossil fuels, versus a low-carbon growth scenario requiring US$10.5 trillion in additional investments. The document emphasizes the critical roles of the U.S. and China in shaping this transition, noting that while China leads in public green investment, the U.S. focuses on 'clean energy jobs' and reducing oil dependence. It argues that a clear carbon price signal is essential to drive the private investment needed for a systemic shift toward carbon-free technologies.
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Document type: Report
A Missed Opportunity
Friends of the Earth opposes a 2009 US climate bill, asserting that it sets pollution reduction targets too low, provides excessive subsidies to corporate polluters, contains offset loopholes, and allows Wall Street traders to manipulate carbon markets.
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Document type: Statement
National Chairman's Annual Statement 2009
The National Chairman of the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) assesses the impact of the 2009 global financial crisis on the Western liberal order and the African continent. The statement advocates for Africa to avoid protectionism and instead develop a 'global stimulus plan' focused on infrastructure and clean energy. It calls for a new South African white paper on post-transformation foreign policy that aligns national interests with domestic socio-economic needs. Finally, it identifies climate change as a critical threat to 'global public goods' that requires active African participation in finding sustainable development paths.
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Document type: Statement
Friends of the Earth Does Not Support Club4Climate
Friends of the Earth-U.S. clarifies that it has no affiliation with Club4Climate, does not support its activities, and does not permit the use of its logo. The organization specifically rejects Club4Climate's promotion of a trip to a Greek island to "save the world," arguing that aircraft emissions are antithetical to fighting global warming and that the climate crisis requires a phaseout of fossil fuels and a transition to clean energy.
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Document type: Statement
Assault on Earthjustice and the Law
Earthjustice defends the necessity of citizen enforcement provisions in environmental laws, such as the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act, against legislative attempts by Congressman John Shadegg to limit legal challenges to offshore oil drilling and allow the waiver of legal requirements for energy projects.
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Document type: Statement
New Energy for America Jobs, Security & Prosperity for the 21st Century
The document records a multi-sector call for a U.S. transition to clean energy, arguing that government investment and regulation can simultaneously drive economic growth, reduce oil dependence, and address climate change.
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Document type: Report
International Environmental Law and Foreign Direct Investment
The document examines the intersection of international environmental law and foreign direct investment (FDI), highlighting the tension between global capital flows and sustainable development. It analyzes emerging legal principles such as the precautionary principle and polluter pays principle, the impact of treaties like the Montreal Protocol and the Kyoto Protocol, and the role of international financial institutions in setting environmental benchmarks. The authors argue that while international investment agreements often lack enforceable environmental requirements, there is a growing trend toward greater corporate accountability through transnational litigation and the application of home-country laws to activities abroad.
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Document type: Research paper
COP27 Survival Kit
The document outlines a shift from climate denial to 'discourses of climate delay' and provides a toolkit for 'pre-bunking' and rebutting misinformation. It emphasizes targeting 'Persuadables'—people without strong opinions on climate action—and using specific framing and paid media to break through social media echo chambers.
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Document type: Briefing
How will H.R. 5376 help the United States Build Back Better?
The Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376) allocates $555 billion to climate change and clean energy to reduce emissions by over one billion metric tons by 2030. The legislation employs a sector-wide approach, providing tax credits and grants for zero-emission vehicles, clean hydrogen, carbon capture (via enhanced 45Q credits), and renewable energy. It specifically targets the decarbonization of heavy industry, the power sector—including support for existing nuclear plants—and agricultural and forestry sequestration, while directing 40% of investment benefits to disadvantaged communities.
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Document type: Executive summary
The Last Climate Frontier: Leveraging the Arctic Council to make Progress on Black Carbon and Methane
The report argues that the Arctic is warming twice as fast as lower latitudes, with black carbon and methane having a disproportionate impact. It proposes that the U.S., during its 2015-2017 Arctic Council Chairmanship, should champion best practices in the oil and gas sector, advocate for a heavy fuel oil ban in shipping, promote clean energy for residential heating, and implement strategies to curb open burning.
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Document type: Report
A Fusion Engine for Growth
The report assesses the European Union's fusion energy ecosystem using a SWOT analysis and proposes a shift toward a 'Key Enabling Technologies' (KET)-based strategy. It recommends consolidating governance under the Fusion for Energy (F4E) Joint Undertaking, establishing public-private partnerships, and separating fusion regulation from fission regulation to attract private investment and accelerate commercialisation.
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Document type: Executive summary
HOW TO STOP A SHELL PITCH IN FIVE STEPS
The document outlines five steps for media agencies to refuse pitching for Shell, citing the company's decision to freeze renewable energy investments, its history of denying climate science despite internal knowledge since 1989, and the fact that clean energy investments comprise less than 2% of its capital expenditures. It also warns agencies about the reputational risks associated with Shell's history of human rights abuses and misleading advertisements.
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Document type: Guide
COP22 Finanzas Verdes: Hacia dónde va el mercado de bonos verdes
The green bond market experienced rapid growth between 2013 and 2016, with total emissions reaching USD 81 billion in 2016. The market is increasingly dominated by the private sector, with corporate and bank emissions rising from less than 1% in 2010 to 66% in 2016. While mitigation projects—specifically clean energy, energy efficiency, and low-carbon transport—receive approximately 75% of funds, financing for adaptation grew from less than 1% in 2011 to 5% of total emissions, driven largely by US municipalities. China emerged as a leading market, projecting to be the largest globally. To support the Paris Agreement, the Climate Bonds Initiative targets annual green bond emissions of USD 1 trillion by 2020. The document recommends that governments implement national capital mobilization plans, apply international standards like the Green Bond Principles and Climate Bonds Standard, and develop national verifier networks to reduce market friction and prevent greenwashing.
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Document type: Briefing
FINAL: COP28 Health Open Letter for signatory review
The Global Climate and Health Alliance and various health leaders argue that a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels is essential to prevent overwhelming health consequences and to achieve the 1.5°C target of the Paris Agreement. They highlight that air pollution from fossil fuels causes 7 million premature deaths annually and cost the global economy over US$8.1 trillion in 2019. The letter calls for a just energy transition that prioritizes marginalized communities, the redirection of fossil fuel subsidies toward clean energy, and the exclusion of fossil fuel industry lobbyists from climate negotiations.
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Document type: Statement
Beyond Sustainability: The Power of Indigenous Healthy Energy Homes
The report examines how substandard housing in Indigenous communities in Canada contributes to poor health outcomes and energy poverty. It proposes 'Healthy Energy Homes' as a holistic solution to reduce healthcare costs, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and improve affordability. The authors argue that overcoming current governance and funding barriers requires a national, Indigenous-led approach to housing.
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Document type: Report