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The 2024 WWF Plastic Policy Summit highlighted the urgent need for a coordinated, multi-sector approach to end plastic pollution. Key recommendations include implementing legally binding global and national policies, such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), prioritizing environmental justice for fenceline communities, and shifting from voluntary initiatives to legislative mandates for reduction and reuse. The report emphasizes that while data gaps exist, current evidence justifies immediate action through product redesign, the activation of existing U.S. federal authorities, and the scaling of reuse infrastructure in cities.

Friends of the Earth International calls for an ambitious, legally binding global plastics treaty that covers the full lifecycle of plastics. The statement highlights the link between plastics and fossil fuel interests, the injustice of waste colonialism where rich nations export plastic waste to the Global South, and the need for production limits. It provides examples of grassroots resistance to petrochemical expansion in the US, waste reduction efforts in El Salvador, legal challenges to industry influence in Canada, and the essential role of informal waste pickers in Argentina.

Friends of the Earth International advocates for a comprehensive global plastics treaty that targets the full life cycle of plastics. The statement highlights the link between plastics and the fossil fuel industry, the issue of 'waste colonialism' where rich nations export plastic waste to the Global South, and the need to include production limits. It provides examples of grassroots resistance to petrochemical expansion in the US, waste reduction efforts in El Salvador, legal battles against industry influence in Canada, and the essential role of waste pickers in Argentina.

A pilot project by GreenLatinos and partners provided bilingual EV education to 600 households in Maryland, finding that while 76% of surveyed participants are interested in EVs, significant gaps remain in the understanding of tax incentives and literacy-accessible outreach.

The EPA is reviewing a petition from Earthjustice and community groups regarding the use of Significant Impact Levels (SILs) for ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in Louisiana and Texas. While the EPA has rejected the Title VI administrative discrimination portion of the petition due to ongoing litigation, it is conducting a broader national evaluation of SIL guidance through an internal workgroup convened in September 2023, with results expected by the end of 2024. In Louisiana, the EPA is monitoring the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality's (LDEQ) progress in addressing modeled National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) violations. LDEQ has identified 15 PSD permit actions since 2018 with predicted exceedances and is conducting case-by-case reviews to determine if these are indicative of actual violations or results of conservative modeling assumptions.

A joint statement by six environmental and health organizations providing recommendations to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Health Canada on the implementation framework for the right to a healthy environment (R2HE) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).

The Center for International Environmental Law identifies a 'Dirty Dozen' of insurers that have restricted coverage for California homeowners, citing climate risks, while maintaining significant financial ties to fossil fuels. This practice is described as a 'vicious cycle of uninsurability' that shifts the economic burden of the climate crisis onto households.

The document examines the integration of clean electrolytic hydrogen into the U.S. electric system, emphasizing its potential as long-duration energy storage for 'last mile' decarbonization. It analyzes how the design of the Section 45V tax credit—specifically the 'three pillars' of incrementality, temporal matching, and deliverability—will determine whether hydrogen production increases net greenhouse gas emissions or supports grid reliability. The authors warn that without these pillars, electrolysis could drive significant load growth (up to 32% by 2032) and potentially increase emissions. The brief also highlights risks related to NOx emissions, water consumption, and public safety, urging developers to engage early with host communities to ensure an equitable transition.

The IAI Science Diplomacy Center (SDC) is a regional initiative designed to foster science-policy dialogue and collaboration in the Americas, particularly Latin America and the Caribbean. Between 2023 and April 2024, the SDC established three priority pillars: Capacity Building, a Knowledge Hub, and Emerging/Evolving/Innovation Issues. Key achievements include the launch of a Science Diplomacy Training Program for Policy Makers, the expansion of the Science, Technology, and Policy (STeP) Fellowship program, and the development of a specialized science diplomacy curriculum with the University of Sao Paulo. The SDC is also building a Knowledge Hub to map experts, bibliography, and events, while engaging in strategic partnerships with organizations such as AAAS, UNESCO, and DiploCientifica to secure funding and expand regional training.

The report alleges that the Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided a $600 million loan to Indonesia's state-run utility, Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN), which lacks a 'no-coal' clause and may be used to fund coal expansion, including the Java 9 & 10 project. This contradicts ADB's public climate pledges and its October 2021 Energy Policy. The report highlights the severe health and environmental impacts of coal in Banten Province, where the Suralaya Power Station operates, and criticizes the lack of financial transparency as loan proceeds are mixed into PLN's general account.

The document examines the barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption for low-income consumers, specifically highlighting that while subsidies like the Inflation Reduction Act address upfront costs, high repair and maintenance costs remain a significant risk. It notes that for low-income households, the loss of a vehicle due to repair costs can lead to job loss and reduced access to healthcare. To mitigate these risks, the author suggests strategic investments in EV government fleets and public transportation, such as the EPA's Clean School Bus Rebates, which provide immediate air quality benefits to environmental justice communities without placing financial risk on vulnerable individuals.

Private equity firms have invested in 85% of operating and 73% of proposed US LNG terminals, contributing significantly to global emissions. The briefing highlights that six firms—PIMCO, Brookfield, KKR, Blackstone, York Capital Management, and Global Infrastructure Partners—account for over 75% of these financed emissions. It argues that LNG may be worse than coal when lifecycle methane emissions are considered and uses the Rio Grande LNG project as a case study of private equity acquiring assets after more accountable investors exit due to climate risks.

The document outlines key drivers of change in Asia and the Pacific, focusing on the dual nature of artificial intelligence, the risk of losing traditional ecological knowledge, and the influence of power relations on environmental outcomes. It proposes a transition away from consumerist economic models toward systems prioritizing planetary health, alongside the need for robust governance and the protection of the rights of nature and marginalized groups.

The EPA has finalized a rule requiring commercial sterilization facilities to install control technology to reduce ethylene oxide emissions, which could eliminate an estimated 90% of such emissions. This action follows lawsuits by Earthjustice after the EPA missed multiple Clean Air Act deadlines to update air toxics standards. Ethylene oxide is a known human carcinogen that poses significant health risks, particularly to workers and low-income communities of color living near facilities.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) advocates for the passage of Bill C-226, arguing that environmental racism creates 'pollution hotspots' that disproportionately harm the health of Indigenous and racialized communities. CAPE links these exposures to severe health outcomes, including cancer and respiratory illnesses, and calls for a national strategy that integrates planetary health and Traditional Knowledge to address these systemic injustices.

The document outlines the GIS-based methodology used to assess the proximity of electricity generating units and substations to environmental justice (EJ) populations in Massachusetts. It details the data sources used, including S&P Global and utility plans, and explains the criteria for identifying EJ neighborhoods based on state law. The analysis specifically focused on utility-scale projects and proposed infrastructure to ensure that future siting decisions do not replicate past failures of overburdening vulnerable populations.

The analysis reveals that over 80% of existing polluting electricity generating units and nearly 70% of substations in Massachusetts are located in or near environmental justice (EJ) neighborhoods. It warns that current trends in proposed infrastructure, including a new fossil-fuel peaker plant and several substations, continue to overburden these communities. The authors recommend integrating cumulative impact assessments, expanding the Energy Facilities Siting Board to include EJ and Indigenous representation, and prioritizing public health and climate targets in siting decisions.

The statement by Friends of the Earth International criticizes the proposed EU-Mercosur trade agreement, highlighting its potential to accelerate deforestation and climate change while undermining small-scale farmers in both Europe and Latin America. It calls for a shift toward a people-centered trade model that prioritizes social rights and environmental sustainability over corporate profit, especially in light of the rise of climate-denying leadership in Argentina.

CAPE argues that biodiversity loss, climate change, and pollution form an interconnected crisis that directly harms human health. They recommend a 'planetary health' approach to Canada's 2030 National Biodiversity Strategy, emphasizing the protection of green and blue spaces, the reduction of hazardous chemical pollution, and the recognition of the human right to a healthy environment. The document highlights the mental health benefits of nature exposure and the risks of zoonotic diseases resulting from habitat destruction. CAPE specifically calls for the phase-out of hazardous pesticides, the end of fossil fuel subsidies, and the centering of Indigenous knowledge and self-determination in conservation efforts.

The EESI 2023 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker catalogs hearings across numerous House and Senate committees. House activity was led by the Natural Resources (28 hearings) and Energy and Commerce (24 hearings) committees, focusing on energy security, grid reliability, and critical minerals. Senate activity was prominent in the Environment and Public Works (22 hearings) and Budget (10 hearings) committees, with a strong emphasis on the economic costs of climate change, infrastructure resilience, and the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.