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The City of Menlo Park is implementing a zero carbon framework by 2025 through an updated General Plan and zoning requirements. Key measures include requiring 100 percent renewable energy for all energy uses (including natural gas) in new developments, mandating LEED certifications, and implementing transportation demand management to reduce vehicle miles traveled. The city is also addressing sea level rise by specifying minimum elevations for new buildings and promoting affordable housing to mitigate displacement in the Belle Haven community.

The document advocates for a transition from flat electricity rates to time-varying pricing to better align consumer demand with the availability of renewable energy. It details three primary rate structures—Time-of-Use, Critical Peak Pricing, and Real-Time Pricing—and explains how households can respond through discretionary shifts, interruptible loads, and energy storage. Using a pilot program from the Sacramento Municipal Utility District as a case study, the brief demonstrates that default enrollment in time-varying rates is more cost-effective and achieves higher aggregate savings than voluntary opt-in programs. The authors emphasize the need for transparent customer education, 'shadow billing,' and protections for low-income and vulnerable populations to ensure an equitable transition.

The report analyzes the implementation of congestion charging and low emission zones in London, Singapore, and Stockholm. It highlights the importance of national legal safeguards, strong local political will, transparent revenue allocation, and effective public communication. Key findings include significant reductions in traffic volume and pollutants in all three cities, though the specific technologies used—such as London's ANPR and Singapore's DSRC—varied based on local needs and urban landscapes.

The document outlines how urban transportation infrastructure in Alberta is vulnerable to rising temperatures and extreme weather, such as flooding and heat waves. It argues that resilience can be achieved through 'robustness' (using tools like the PIEVC protocol and green infrastructure), 'redundancy' (diversifying transportation modes and fuel sources), and 'resourcefulness' (engaging citizens via mobile apps and supporting shared mobility). The briefing recommends that Calgary and Edmonton undertake full vulnerability assessments, promote compact urban forms, and implement multi-modal networks to mitigate climate risks.

The document lists various training initiatives in California aimed at supporting the transition to electric buses and trucks. It details government programs like the California Energy Commission's ARFVTP, community college initiatives such as the Alternative Transportation and Renewable Energy Program, and nonprofit efforts like the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Training Program, focusing on workforce development, technical certification, and job placement in the clean energy sector.

The document provides executive summaries of national reports for Bulgaria, Estonia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Serbia, and the UK. It evaluates various energy efficiency scenarios—including Business as Usual (BAU) and those incorporating the impact of socio-economic barriers—using LEAP modelling and a Decision Support Tool (DST). The analysis consistently shows that while ambitious energy efficiency measures can meet EU targets, the presence of socio-economic barriers significantly reduces potential energy savings and GHG reductions across most studied countries and sectors.

RMI proposes that a nearly 100 percent renewable energy system is achievable by the mid-2050s by applying market adoption 'S-curves' seen in previous industrial revolutions to clean energy technologies. The briefing emphasizes that the transition is driven by declining costs, electrification of end-uses, and decentralized adoption rather than solely by government mandates. To meet the 1.5°C target, the document asserts that the energy sector must be paired with high-impact measures in the agricultural, forestry, and land-use (AFOLU) sectors to create net carbon sinks by mid-century.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) proposes that Vermont could leverage an initial $7 million public investment into $148 million of total clean energy investment over 15 years. This expanded financing capacity would support nearly 50 MW of new solar and wind power, save homes and businesses $14.6 million annually on electricity bills, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 111,500 tons by 2031. The report details existing Vermont programs—such as Efficiency Vermont, PACE financing, and the Clean Energy Development Fund—and suggests a more comprehensive, coordinated public-private financing initiative to meet the state's long-term goal of 90% renewable energy and efficiency by 2050.

The briefing explains that measuring electricity emissions through average factors often misrepresents the actual environmental impact of energy use. By adopting technology that tracks marginal emissions—the rate at which emissions change with a small change in load—consumers and corporations can optimize the timing and location of electricity use to maximize carbon reductions. The author highlights that harnessing end-use flexibility can make devices run 15 percent cleaner on average without cost or quality impacts. Practical applications include timing electric vehicle charging to avoid peaking plants and valuing renewable energy projects based on their specific carbon reduction potential rather than treating all megawatt-hours as equal.

The document argues that a shift in US climate policy under Donald Trump increases financial risks for investors and businesses, regardless of whether the US formally withdraws from the Paris Agreement. It identifies three primary risk categories: physical risks from increased global emissions, transition risks as the global shift to a low-carbon economy continues, and policy/legal risks including unpredictable litigation. The briefing concludes by recommending that the business community publicly pressure the US administration to maintain its climate commitments and stay in the Paris Agreement.

The report argues that CETA fails to be a 'gold standard' for the environment, citing weak enforcement of environmental commitments, the risks posed by the Investment Court System (ICS), and the potential for increased imports of carbon-intensive tar sands oil. It highlights a lack of transparency in negotiations and suggests that the agreement's regulatory cooperation and domestic regulation chapters could hinder the EU's ability to implement ambitious climate and environmental policies.

The report finds broad support among U.S. registered voters for participating in the Paris COP21 agreement, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and transitioning to renewable energy. While political divisions exist, majorities across party lines support taxing or regulating pollution, funding renewable energy research, and investing in national infrastructure, particularly roads, bridges, and water systems.

The United States Mid-Century Strategy (MCS) provides a roadmap for deep decarbonization by 2050, focusing on three primary pillars: transitioning to a low-carbon energy system, enhancing the land carbon sink, and reducing non-CO2 emissions. The strategy emphasizes a combination of aggressive energy efficiency, near-complete decarbonization of the electricity grid, and the deployment of carbon removal technologies like BECCS. It argues that these goals are compatible with robust economic growth and suggests that a carbon price starting at $20 per metric ton in 2017 could put energy CO2 emissions on a consistent pathway. The report also highlights the critical role of U.S. forests and soils in sequestering carbon and the necessity of international cooperation to drive down technology costs and prevent emissions leakage.

The document advocates for increasing electric vehicle (EV) availability in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, noting that while 55% of regional consumers are interested, availability lags significantly behind California. It calls for the expiration of a regulatory exemption that allows sales in California to count toward compliance in Northeast states and suggests updating ZEV program credits to account for rapid improvements in battery range.

The study evaluates the Netherlands' progress toward the Paris Agreement's goals across the power, transport, buildings, industry, and agriculture sectors, concluding that while the country leads in electric vehicle sales, it lags in renewable energy supply and requires substantially strengthened climate policy to meet its obligations as a developed nation.

The report examines Colombia's struggle to transition toward green growth while remaining heavily dependent on oil and coal exports. It highlights a fragmented state where ministries tied to extractive industries often oppose environmental regulations. While the country has a low-carbon electricity grid dominated by hydropower, it is vulnerable to climate-induced droughts, leading to a push for thermal power and fracking. The report suggests linking renewable energy incentives to post-conflict rural development and leveraging a vanguard of sustainable private sector companies to drive a national transition.

The report argues that the rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) requires a shift in regulatory paradigms to ensure that new loads benefit rather than impair the electricity grid. It emphasizes the role of state utility regulators in designing smart charging policies, rate structures, and infrastructure ownership models. Through case studies of California and Washington, the document illustrates different approaches to EV deployment and integration, highlighting the need for adaptive regulation, such as scalable pilots and scenario-based distribution planning, to manage the unpredictable nature of EV adoption.

The 'Reinventing Fire: China' roadmap proposes a transition to a low-carbon energy system by 2050, focusing on demand reduction and a shift to non-fossil fuels. The analysis compares a 'Reference Scenario' with a 'Reinventing Fire Scenario,' finding that the latter can support 600% incremental GDP growth while keeping 2050 primary energy demand within 1% of 2010 levels. Key strategies include aggressive efficiency gains in industry, buildings, and transportation, alongside a power sector transition where 82% of electricity is non-fossil by 2050. The roadmap estimates a net present value savings of 21 trillion RMB and significant reductions in CO2, SO2, and NOX emissions.

The briefing examines the economic potential of demand flexibility, highlighting how smart household devices and aggregated commercial and industrial loads can lower system-wide peak demand and grid costs. It emphasizes that while individual residential devices offer some savings, the full value of flexibility is realized through aggregation and participation in wholesale and ancillary service markets via distributed energy resource management platforms.

The report analyzes the fragmented state of Chinese logistics, where low barriers to entry and poor regulatory enforcement lead to overloading and low truck utilization. It argues that improving efficiency could save the Chinese economy up to RMB 1T annually and prevent freight emissions from growing from 4% to 16% of total CO2 emissions. The document proposes five key solutions: logistics information platforms, best-practice sharing mechanisms, equipment standardization, urban logistics master planning, and tax/toll reform.