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The document details a multi-stakeholder approach to ending plastic pollution, emphasizing source reduction, reuse systems, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR). It advocates for a full life cycle approach that integrates environmental justice and data transparency to inform policy at local, state, and federal levels in the United States, while aligning with an upcoming global plastics treaty.

GreenLatinos argues that affirmative action is a critical tool for addressing historical and systemic inequities in the US higher education system. The organization warns that the Supreme Court's ruling against affirmative action threatens the participation of communities of color and risks reversing progress toward a more equitable society. To illustrate the danger of removing these policies, the statement cites California's experience after Proposition 209, noting that while over half of the state's public high school graduates are Hispanic, only 25% of University of California freshmen are from this background, with representation dropping to 15% at UCLA and Berkeley.

Since 1970, average summer nighttime temperatures have increased in 95% of 241 analyzed U.S. locations, warming by an average of 3°F. These 'sweltering nights' are warming faster than daytime highs and increase heat stress, particularly for vulnerable populations and low-income households lacking air conditioning. The document highlights that the western U.S. has experienced the greatest warming, with Reno, Nevada, seeing the highest increase at 17.4°F.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) advocates for several reforms to California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) to address a decline in credit prices and prevent the program from becoming a regressive burden on low-income drivers. Key recommendations include capping lipid-based biofuels, phasing out credits for 'avoided methane emissions' from out-of-state manure lagoons, and excluding carbon capture used for enhanced oil recovery. UCS also calls for redirecting EV credit value to support overburdened populations and requiring strict community engagement for hydrogen projects in refinery areas.

The document details how quarrying by H-Young for the Malindi-Lamu road project in Kilifi County, Kenya, exacerbated water scarcity and health risks for the Bora Imani community, despite promises of poverty alleviation. While interventions by Natural Justice led to temporary remedies from NEMA and the Public Health Office, the company's eventual decommissioning of the site in February 2023 left the community struggling with water scarcity. The case emphasizes the need for sustainable environmental remedies, robust decommissioning plans, and climate-sensitive Environmental Impact Assessments.

The policy brief highlights a legal victory in Illinois where a court ordered the removal of 3 million cubic yards of coal ash near the Vermilion River. It argues that this case demonstrates the need for the EPA to close loopholes in its 2015 coal ash regulations, which excluded numerous sites often located in low-income communities and communities of color. While a May 2023 draft rule extends regulations to some previously excluded sites, the document asserts that all toxic coal ash dumps must be regulated to prevent groundwater contamination and health risks.

A statement signed by over 1,000 experts calling on the U.S. EPA to implement the strongest possible emissions standards for light-, medium-, and heavy-duty vehicles. The signatories argue that zero-emission vehicles are currently available and that the EPA should mandate 100% electric new vehicle sales by 2035 to protect public health and address the climate crisis, particularly in environmental justice communities.

The Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation aims to reduce light-duty vehicle emissions in California by 50% by 2040, mandating that 100% of new vehicle sales be zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) by 2035. The regulation applies to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) selling more than 4,500 light- and medium-duty vehicles annually, utilizing a 'vehicle value' accounting system to track compliance. OEMs can accrue value through ZEV and PHEV sales, environmental justice credits, and flexibility measures such as trading, banking, and pooling values.

The document argues that current US federal standards for landfill methane are insufficient and proposes a two-pronged approach: enhancing the monitoring and capture of methane from waste already in place and reducing the disposal of organic materials. It highlights that landfill methane emissions may be underestimated by a factor of two and that 54% of reporting landfills have adjacent communities exceeding national averages for low-income or people of color populations. Proposed solutions include the use of satellites, drones, and continuous sensors for leak detection, the adoption of biocovers, and the diversion of food waste to composting or anaerobic digestion. The authors call on the EPA to implement more ambitious federal standards under the Clean Air Act during its 2024 review.

The policy brief advocates for linking the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs with clean transportation corridors for heavy-duty trucking and marine shipping. It argues that while hubs provide localized production, corridors act as 'spokes' that expand the market beyond industrial off-takers and improve the economic viability of zero-carbon fuels. The author suggests that coordinating these programs will create a synergistic ecosystem, reduce conventional air pollutants in environmental justice communities, and position the U.S. as an exporter of low-emissions ammonia.

A coalition of environmental organizations urges the EPA to prioritize MERP funding for enhanced monitoring, compliance assurance, and the permanent plugging of marginal conventional wells, while limiting financial assistance to private operators.

A group of NGOs, including Urgewald and Oxfam France, denounced the hostile environment at French banks' annual general meetings, where community representatives testifying on the impacts of oil and gas projects faced booing, racist comments, and security misconduct. The statement specifically highlights the BNP Paribas meeting on May 16, 2023, and calls for the bank's management to ensure respectful debate and issue apologies to the affected representatives.

The report analyzes the impact of a massive fire at the Doral incinerator, which burned from February 12 to March 2, 2023. It finds that air quality frequently reached unhealthy or hazardous levels for particulate matter (PM2.5) and exceeded action levels for chlorine, VOCs, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen cyanide, contradicting early official claims. Water testing in onsite retention ponds showed exceedances of sanitary sewer and groundwater standards for copper, lead, zinc, sulfates, and boron. The document also details the emergency demolition of asbestos-containing structures and a history of five fires at the facility in recent years, using these findings to advocate for a transition to a Zero Waste system in Miami-Dade County.

The report details a massive fire at the Doral waste incinerator that occurred from February 12 to March 2, 2023, causing significant air and water pollution. Despite initial official claims that air quality was not concerning, monitoring data showed levels of particulate matter (PM2.5) and other toxins that were unhealthy or dangerous for residents. The document also highlights water contamination in on-site retention ponds, the presence of asbestos in demolished structures, and a history of previous fires and regulatory violations at the facility. It concludes by advocating for a transition to a 'Zero Waste' model to protect marginalized communities.

The document analyzes the lithium supply chain for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, highlighting a distributive injustice where the 'Lithium Triangle' (Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile) suffers environmental degradation and water scarcity while North America gains from reduced urban pollution. It argues that science diplomacy—integrating scientific evidence into transnational policy—can establish sustainability thresholds and geochemical tracing methods to ensure responsible sourcing. The authors recommend using sustainability science to define mining standards and employing lithium isotope analysis to verify the origin of materials, drawing parallels from successful agricultural supply chain policies.

The document outlines a framework for a Just Energy Transition (JET) in Latin America, the Caribbean (LAC), and Africa, emphasizing the need to move beyond fossil fuel dependence toward sustainable, community-led energy systems. It identifies shared priorities between the regions, such as social participation and economic diversification, while noting distinct challenges: LAC focuses more on financing mechanisms and existing renewable capacity, whereas Africa emphasizes social justice, energy access for 600 million people, and the legacies of colonialism. The brief calls for a full phase-out of fossil fuels by 2040, grant-based climate finance, and safeguards for the extraction of transition minerals.

This report by the Union of Concerned Scientists highlights the challenges and successes of frontline communities in the US and Puerto Rico in building climate resilience. It identifies four key themes: displacement, government negligence, funding inequities, and the effectiveness of community-driven solutions. The authors argue that while scientific solutions exist, a lack of political will and bureaucratic barriers hinder progress. The report provides specific recommendations to shift toward inclusive, community-led adaptation strategies that respect tribal sovereignty and prioritize the lived experiences of marginalized populations.

The report analyzes the impact of passenger vehicles manufactured before 2004 in California, finding that while they represent only 19% of registered vehicles, they produce the majority of nitrogen oxides and reactive organic gases. This pollution contributes to the formation of PM2.5, which is linked to significant health issues and premature deaths. The study demonstrates that exposure to this pollution is inequitably distributed, disproportionately affecting Latino, Black, and low-income communities, particularly in Southern California. The authors recommend prioritizing vehicle replacement incentives for disadvantaged populations and expanding non-private transportation alternatives.

The Union of Concerned Scientists provides a how-to guide for creating inclusive panels in science and policy conversations. It offers specific advice for organizers to avoid unconscious bias and tokenism, and provides a framework for invited speakers to advocate for diversity, including suggested scripts for requesting more diverse lineups or declining all-White/all-male panels.

The authors argue that traditional site-level conservation interventions are insufficient because they fail to address the disproportionate role of distant wealth in biodiversity collapse and may overlook local communities as sources of solutions. They propose 'Connected Conservation', a model that aims to diminish three dominant negative flows from centres of wealth and amplify three marginalized positive flows within biocultural centres to achieve biodiversity goals with justice at the centre.