Search Climate Insights Directory
1,473 results
Going from Pump to Plug
The report finds that electric vehicles (EVs) are significantly cheaper to fuel and maintain than gasoline vehicles in the US. Analysis of 60 electricity providers across the 50 largest US cities shows that at least one rate plan in every location makes EV driving cheaper than the average new gasoline vehicle, with median annual fuel savings exceeding $770. While the initial purchase price of EVs is typically higher, federal and state incentives, along with declining battery costs, are increasing affordability. The report recommends policies to expand charging infrastructure, particularly DC fast charging in urban areas, and the implementation of time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates to further reduce costs and emissions.
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Document type: Report
ENHANCING NDCS BY 2020: ACHIEVING THE GOALS OF THE PARIS AGREEMENT
The document argues that current NDCs are insufficient to limit global warming to 1.5°C or 2°C and provides a framework for countries to update their pledges by 2020. It defines 'enhanced mitigation ambition' as actions that result in lower cumulative emissions than the original NDC. The proposed 'menu of options' includes strengthening GHG and non-GHG targets, aligning short-term actions with long-term decarbonization pathways, updating adaptation planning, and improving the transparency and clarity of reported data.
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Document type: Research paper
Clean Transportation Can Protect Our Environment and Grow Our Economy
The Union of Concerned Scientists proposes a regional emissions limit for the Northeast US transportation sector, modeled after the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) for electricity. The document highlights that transportation is the region's largest pollution source, contributing over 40% of global warming emissions and causing significant health costs. It recommends a cap-and-invest strategy to hold oil companies accountable and fund clean mobility solutions, including electric vehicles and expanded public transit.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Bonds and Climate Change
The report identifies a $895 billion climate-aligned bond universe as of mid-2017, consisting of $221 billion in labelled green bonds and $674 billion in unlabelled bonds from pure-play issuers. Transport and energy are the dominant themes, with China Railway Corp being the largest single issuer. The document highlights the growing importance of municipal and sovereign green bonds, particularly in the US and Europe, and provides a detailed analysis of Brazil's potential to expand its green finance market to meet its Paris Agreement targets. It concludes by advocating for a global green bond issuance target of $1 trillion per year by 2020.
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Document type: Report
BONOS Y CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO EL ESTADO DEL MERCADO 2017
The report identifies a $895 billion universe of climate-aligned bonds, including $221 billion in labeled green bonds. It highlights the dominance of the transport and energy sectors and the critical role of sovereign and sub-sovereign issuers, particularly in China and the US. The document argues for a massive acceleration of green bond issuance to reach $1 trillion annually by 2020 to support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
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Document type: Report
Clean Fuel Standard: Summary of stakeholder written comments on the Discussion Paper
The document summarizes over 125 written submissions and workshop contributions regarding the proposed Canadian Clean Fuel Standard (CFS). Stakeholders generally support the CFS's goal of reducing GHG emissions by 30 Mt annually by 2030, though they diverge on the feasibility of the timeline and the specific regulatory design. Key areas of discussion include the preference for an emission intensity-based approach over volumetric mandates, the need for flexible compliance pathways such as credit trading, and the importance of harmonizing the CFS with existing carbon pricing and international aviation and marine standards. Industrial sectors expressed significant concerns regarding competitiveness, carbon leakage, and the technical feasibility of fuel switching, while environmental groups advocated for broad sustainability criteria and the inclusion of indirect land use changes (iLUC) in life-cycle analyses.
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Document type: Report
Norme sur les carburants propres : Résumé des commentaires écrits des intervenants sur le document de travail
The document summarizes stakeholder responses to Canada's proposed Clean Fuel Standard (CFS). While there is broad support for the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 Mt by 2030, stakeholders express divergent views on regulatory design, specifically regarding sector-specific targets, the inclusion of indirect land-use change (ILUC) in life-cycle assessments, and the potential for policy duplication with carbon pricing. Key concerns include the economic impact on trade-exposed industries, the feasibility of infrastructure for low-carbon fuels, and the need for harmonization with international standards in aviation and shipping.
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Document type: Report
From Gas to Grid
The report argues that the electric vehicle revolution is inevitable due to falling battery costs and increasing consumer demand, making the urgent deployment of charging infrastructure a priority for U.S. utilities and regulators. It identifies high capital costs and unfavorable utility tariffs—specifically high demand charges—as primary barriers to the profitability of DC fast charging (DCFC). The authors advocate for a mix of Level 2 chargers for residential and workplace needs and DCFC for high-traffic corridors, supported by time-of-use (TOU) tariffs to optimize grid integration. Through case studies of California, Colorado, Hawaii, Ohio, and Texas, the report demonstrates how different regulatory environments and grid compositions influence the cost of charging and the potential for EVs to absorb excess renewable energy.
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Document type: Report
Is Your Business Fit for Tomorrow’s Markets? How to Do the Math
The guide argues that traditional business models focused on increasing sales are unsustainable given growing global populations and industrialization. It proposes a three-step analytical process: conducting a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to identify environmental hotspots, multiplying these impacts by projected demand growth to 2030, and analyzing the broader industry context, including competitors and community needs. The author suggests that companies must either innovate their products or shift their paradigms toward services—such as mobility services instead of just selling cars—to meet sustainability targets and avoid obsolescence.
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Document type: Guide
POSITIVE DISRUPTION
The report presents five scenarios demonstrating that global warming can be limited to well below 2 C° if the world leverages exponential technological improvements and S-curve market diffusion. It highlights that experts often underestimate the speed of energy transitions by ignoring learning rates and systemic feedbacks. The proposed pathways involve reducing energy demand by approximately 60% through efficiency and electrification, shifting the electricity supply to over 90% renewables by 2040 in aggressive scenarios, and transforming agriculture, forestry, and other land use (AFOLU) into a net carbon sink by the mid-2040s.
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Document type: Report
Incentives Boost Sales and Decrease Costs, Benefiting Consumers and Industry
The document asserts that financial incentives, particularly the federal tax credit, are essential for bridging the price gap between electric vehicles (EVs) and gasoline cars while battery costs decline. It highlights that EVs offer significant fuel savings and lower global warming emissions, and that government support fosters domestic manufacturing and R&D. The brief warns that premature removal of these incentives would stall US leadership in EV technology, citing a sharp drop in sales in Georgia after its state tax credit ended in 2015.
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Document type: Policy brief
Open letter sent to the eight political party leaders at the UK parliament
Scientists for Global Responsibility urges UK political leaders to prioritize climate action through home energy conservation, renewable energy, and energy storage, while ending subsidies for fossil fuels and new nuclear power commitments.
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Document type: Statement
Revisiting the proposal for a new EU DSO entity: the options
The document analyzes the proposed EU DSO entity, identifying risks such as conflicts of interest in drafting Network Codes (NCs) and potential discrimination against smaller market players. It evaluates four options: scrapping the proposal, creating an independent Consultation Forum, embedding strong regulatory safeguards, or limiting the EU DSO's mandate while transferring rule-setting tasks to ACER. The author concludes that a combination of strong safeguards and a limited consultative mandate is the most desirable approach to ensure non-discrimination and alignment with EU climate and energy goals.
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Document type: Briefing
BP's corporate reporting regarding oil demand forecast to 2035: potential legal risks
ClientEarth asserts that BP's 'base case' oil demand forecast to 2035 is at odds with independent analysis and automotive industry trends, potentially misleading investors and exposing BP to compensation claims under UK law.
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Document type: Statement
NATIONAL REPORTS ON ENERGY EFFICIENCY POLICY SCENARIO ANALYSIS FOR THE RESIDENTIAL AND TRANSPORT SECTORS
The report finds that while Estonia's building sector is relatively well-controlled due to existing regulations, a 19% further reduction in energy consumption is needed to meet 2030 EU targets. In contrast, the transport sector's energy demand is projected to grow by 18% by 2030 under business-as-usual conditions, failing both national and EU targets. The most effective interventions identified are large-scale building shell renovations and the adoption of fuel-efficient, electric, and hybrid vehicles.
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Document type: Report
Door-to-Downtown
The Door-to-Downtown (d2d) pilot in Boulder, Colorado, tested a public-private partnership to shift residents and visitors from personal vehicles to shared mobility services. By offering a $5 discount on inbound trips, the program attracted 5,400 registrants and generated nearly 2,500 trips, primarily peaking on Fridays. The pilot demonstrated that MaaS can alleviate downtown parking pressure and provide a scalable model for future electric and autonomous vehicle integration to meet carbon reduction goals.
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Document type: Report
INDIA LEAPS AHEAD: TRANSFORMATIVE MOBILITY SOLUTIONS FOR ALL
India can reduce its passenger road-based energy demand by 64% and carbon emissions by 37% by 2030 by adopting a 'transformative' mobility paradigm. This approach emphasizes a shift from private vehicle ownership to a system based on shared, electric, and connected services. The report outlines a three-phased implementation strategy (2017–2032) focusing on system integration, shared infrastructure, and scaled manufacturing. Key recommendations include establishing a central data sharing institution, implementing 'feebates' and ZEV credits, and developing standardized swappable batteries for 2- and 3-wheelers. The proposed 'change model' utilizes a national learning platform and regional 'lighthouse' change labs to scale economically viable solutions from the state to the national level.
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Document type: Report
Charging Smart Drivers and Utilities Can Both Benefit from Well-Integrated Electric Vehicles and Clean Energy
The report examines the potential for electric vehicles to act as flexible loads to balance electricity supply and demand, particularly to mitigate the 'duck curve' caused by high solar penetration. It analyzes technical barriers, utility roles, and rate designs, concluding that managed charging can reduce system costs and emissions if aligned with clean energy availability.
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Document type: Report
Two California Policies Critical to Reducing Emissions from Cars and Trucks
The document examines how California's LCFS and Cap-and-Trade Program work together to reduce transportation emissions. The LCFS mandates a reduction in the carbon intensity of fuels, while Cap-and-Trade puts a price on carbon and generates revenue for clean technology investments. The author argues that neither policy is sufficient alone and recommends extending both to 2030 to provide the stability needed for long-term infrastructure and vehicle transitions.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Promises and Limits of Biomethane as a Transportation Fuel
The document examines biomethane derived from landfills, wastewater treatment centers, and dairies as a replacement for diesel and natural gas in California's heavy-duty vehicle fleets. While acknowledging its climate benefits over fossil fuels, the authors highlight that California's total biomethane potential from waste would meet only 3% of the state's natural gas demand and 15% of its diesel consumption. The report warns that promoting compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles could inadvertently increase reliance on fossil natural gas due to this supply gap. It concludes that biomethane provides the greatest emissions reductions when used to generate electricity or hydrogen for electric vehicles, but that battery electric vehicles powered by the grid remain the most effective path for meeting climate goals.
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Document type: Fact sheet