Search Climate Insights Directory

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the financing gaps and technical barriers facing K-12 school districts in California to recommend strategies for allocating Proposition 39 funds. The authors argue that because private capital is currently available at low interest rates, Proposition 39 funds should be used as supplemental grants for deep energy-saving projects and as technical assistance, rather than as primary financing for short-payback projects that districts can already afford.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) describes the technology, benefits, and potential of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems in the United States. It highlights how CHP increases energy efficiency, reduces emissions, and provides resilient power during grid failures, while identifying regulatory barriers and the specific advantages of biomass-fueled systems.

This report summarizes a two-day charrette held in November 2012 to address challenges in planning, investment, and execution of energy efficiency and renewable energy for Fort Collins Utilities and the FortZED net zero energy district project.

This fact sheet details the Obama administration's fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget proposal regarding sustainable energy, clean energy technology, and energy efficiency across multiple federal agencies.

This report by the Climate Policy Initiative compares energy efficiency policies for buildings in China, Germany, and the United States. It analyzes four primary policy intervention points—new construction, building retrofit, equipment, and operations—and examines how different national building stocks, climatic conditions, and economic environments shape the priorities and effectiveness of these policies.

This fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute details the Obama Administration's fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget proposal, focusing on investments in clean energy, energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, and climate resilience across multiple federal agencies.

This research paper by RMI explores the transition of the U.S. electricity sector from a traditional value chain to a 'value constellation' at the distribution edge. It examines how the rise of distributed energy resources (DERs) challenges existing utility business models and proposes new regulatory and economic frameworks to better integrate these resources for improved system efficiency, resilience, and reliability.

This case study examines the role of the United States government in the development and market adoption of low-emissivity (low-e) windows. It details how federal research, computer modeling tools, standardized rating systems, and labeling programs like ENERGY STAR catalyzed private sector investment and led to widespread commercial success in building energy efficiency.

A statement from World Resources Institute (WRI) President Andrew Steer responding to President Obama's State of the Union address, outlining four specific actions the U.S. administration can take to meet its 2020 greenhouse gas emissions target.

This briefing examines how public authorities can manage and modify existing public-private partnerships (PPPs) to improve their economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Using the United Kingdom's Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and its transition to Private Finance 2 (PF2) as a primary case study, the document provides a framework for 'health checks' to assess value-for-money, life-cycle environmental impacts, and social returns during the lifetime of long-term contracts.

This policy brief describes India's Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT) scheme, a market-based energy efficiency mechanism targeting energy-intensive industries. Launched in March 2012 under the National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency, the scheme uses plant-specific energy consumption reduction targets and tradable energy savings credits to reduce emissions and enhance industrial competitiveness.

This fact sheet by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) examines the need for harmonizing demand-side management (DSM) energy efficiency data in the United States. It argues that while DSM programs are widespread and budgets have grown to over $8 billion as of 2011, inconsistent evaluation methods and reporting practices hinder their effectiveness in climate policy-making. The document maps various policy drivers for data harmonization—ranging from integrated resource planning to the Clean Air Act—and identifies the specific decision-makers and potential climate benefits associated with creating common definitions and reporting formats.

This executive summary from the Climate Policy Initiative assesses climate finance flows in Germany for the year 2010. It maps the sources, intermediaries, and sectors of investment to understand the current level of funding and the role of public policy in mobilizing private capital for the energy transition (Energiewende).

This executive summary from the Climate Policy Initiative provides a snapshot of climate finance in Germany for the year 2010. It analyzes the volume of investments, the primary sources of funding, and the effectiveness of policy instruments, while highlighting significant gaps in data collection and monitoring (MRV) systems.

The Landscape of Climate Finance 2012 executive summary estimates annual global climate finance flows for 2010/2011 at approximately USD 343-385 billion. The report details the roles of public and private sources, the importance of financial intermediaries, and the distribution of funds toward mitigation and adaptation, noting that current levels remain insufficient to limit global temperature rise to below two degrees Celsius.

This statement from the Climate Policy Initiative discusses the role of industrial audits and data transparency in maximizing the public health and environmental benefits of California's cap and trade system.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) outlines the environmental impact of international shipping and evaluates various technological and operational strategies to improve energy efficiency and reduce particulate emissions, particularly in the Arctic.

This policy brief examines the implementation and impacts of Iran's Targeted Subsidies Reform Act, which began in December 2010 to phase out energy subsidies and replace them with cash transfers. It details the challenges of price adjustments, the fiscal burden of universal cash payments, and the complicating effects of international sanctions on inflation and the foreign exchange market.

This op-ed argues that the 2012 Farm Bill is critical for U.S. energy security, specifically through the funding of bioenergy and rural energy efficiency programs to reduce dependence on petroleum imports.

This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute examines the relationship between energy and environmental policies and job creation in the United States. Through a survey of 36 existing studies and original analysis using IMPLAN 2009 data, the authors argue that shifting investments from fossil-fuel to non-fossil-fuel industries generally leads to net employment gains. The report provides a quality checklist for job impact studies and demonstrates these principles by modeling a transition to a coal-free energy sector by 2050.