Search Climate Insights Directory

The report highlights that over 66 million people in the US live near freight facilities, with higher concentrations of warehouses linked to increased cancer risks and air pollution. It advocates for Indirect Source Rules (ISRs), which require facilities to mitigate the 'indirect' emissions they attract, citing California's WAIRE program as a successful model for increasing zero-emission vehicle adoption and infrastructure.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) developed a spatial analysis using dasymetric mapping and source-specific buffers to quantify population exposure to freight pollution in the contiguous US. The research found that over 66 million people live near freight facilities and corridors, with higher concentrations of facilities strongly correlating with increased cancer risk, diesel particulate matter, and social inequities. To address this, the document reviews indirect source rules (ISRs), which require facilities to mitigate the pollution attracted by their operations through options such as zero-emission vehicle deployment, charging infrastructure, and on-site renewable energy.

The report identifies that over 66 million people in the U.S. live near freight facilities and corridors, with those near clusters of 11 or more facilities facing a 32% higher cancer risk from air toxics than the national average. It advocates for Indirect Source Rules (ISRs), which require facilities to mitigate the pollution attracted by their operations, as a tool to address these disparities. The author details best practices for ISR design and proposes various compliance options, including the deployment of zero-emission vehicles, charging infrastructure, and innovative solutions like using wastewater treatment plant methane for port power.

Friends of the Earth asserts that the Supreme Court's decision to weaken the Voting Rights Act of 1965 serves partisan interests and directly harms environmental justice. The organization argues that discriminatory redistricting silences low-income communities and communities of color, who bear the heaviest burdens of environmental pollution and climate change, thereby stripping them of the political power needed to advocate for health and safety. The statement calls for Congress to pass new voting rights legislation and for state legislatures to ensure fair representation.

The report asserts that FERC is legally obligated under the Natural Gas Act and the Administrative Procedure Act to conduct environmental justice analyses by considering the existing burdens of communities where new gas infrastructure is proposed. It argues that ignoring these compounding social and environmental costs would violate the requirement for reasoned decisionmaking, regardless of recent administrative memoranda directing agencies to avoid such assessments.

The report highlights that the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System (SRPS) has a high allocation to private markets, which obscures significant climate risks due to the opacity of these investments. It identifies specific exposure to fossil fuel assets through managers like BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) V and recommends the adoption of science-based climate targets and increased disclosure to mitigate financial risk.

Friends of the Earth International issues a statement condemning U.S.-led imperialism, specifically citing military actions in Palestine, Iran, Venezuela, and Lebanon, and the blockade of Cuba. The organization argues that imperialist strategies to control global resources and the economy result in severe human rights violations, environmental degradation, and the prolongation of fossil fuel reliance, thereby exacerbating the permanent climate crisis.

Amigos de la Tierra Internacional denounces US-led imperialism, specifically citing military actions in Iran, Venezuela, Lebanon, and Palestine, and the blockade of Cuba. The organization argues that imperialist aggression secures corporate control over resources and critical minerals, prolongs fossil fuel reliance, and diverts trillions in public funds from basic services to war. It calls for the dismantling of imperialist and corporate power, the redirection of military spending toward global recovery, and the adherence to international law to ensure environmental and social justice.

Friends of the Earth International denounces US-led imperialism and the actions of the US and Israel, asserting that military aggression and economic warfare—including sanctions and blockades—cause severe humanitarian crises and environmental degradation. The organization argues that imperialist control over resources, including oil and critical minerals, prolongs the fossil fuel era and threatens the climate. It calls for an end to these aggressions, the redirection of war funding toward global repair, and the dismantling of corporate power and far-right influence to achieve environmental and social justice.

The report identifies significant fossil fuel exposure within the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System's (SRPS) private market allocations, which comprise approximately 41% of its $74 billion in assets. It highlights specific controversial assets, such as the Rio Grande LNG terminal and the AES Corporation's power plant portfolio, and notes that 64% of energy companies associated with SRPS's private equity managers are fossil fuel-based. The document advocates for the adoption of five climate standards, including science-based targets and fossil fuel disclosure, to mitigate financial risks associated with the energy transition.

Friends of the Earth International has issued a statement condemning the March 12, 2026, acid attack on Andrie Yunus, deputy coordinator of KontraS, in Jakarta. The organization describes the attack as part of a systemic threat to democracy and human rights in Indonesia, characterized by increasing violence, criminalization, and surveillance of activists. The statement highlights Yunus's role in providing legal assistance to Indigenous Peoples and farmers resisting environmentally destructive projects. It calls on the Indonesian government to conduct a transparent investigation and urges the UN Human Rights Council and Special Rapporteurs to intervene to ensure accountability and protection for defenders of territories and the environment.

Friends of the Earth International expresses condemnation following an acid attack on Andrie Yunus, Deputy Coordinator of KontraS, on 12 March 2026 in Jakarta. The organization describes the attack as part of a systemic pattern of violence, criminalization, and surveillance targeting activists, including those defending territories and environmental rights. The statement calls on the Indonesian government to conduct a transparent investigation and urges the United Nations Human Rights Council and Special Rapporteurs to monitor the situation to ensure accountability and protection for defenders.

CAPE NB advocates for the passage of Bill 23 in New Brunswick, arguing that enshrining the right to a healthy environment is a critical preventative health measure that reduces strain on the medical system and protects vulnerable populations.

The author contends that the Trump administration's approval of BP's Kaskida project, an ultra-deepwater drilling venture in the Gulf, risks a disaster similar to Deepwater Horizon and exacerbates toxic air pollution in refinery hubs like Port Arthur, Texas. The text highlights that Kaskida could access 10 billion barrels of oil but carries a six-fold increase in incident risk compared to other deepwater projects, with a potential worst-case spill of 4.5 million barrels. The author criticizes the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management for a limited 10-day public comment period and argues against new drilling given that the U.S. is already producing record levels of oil.

The document examines the role of the proposed UN Legally Binding Instrument (LBI) in addressing corporate impunity for environmental and human rights abuses. It argues that existing voluntary frameworks, such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, are inadequate because they lack enforceable obligations. The LBI is presented as a mechanism to turn the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment (RtHE) into actionable obligations, including strict liability for parent companies and extraterritorial jurisdiction. The text highlights specific cases of corporate harm in Uganda, Chile, Senegal, India, Brazil, Colombia, Serbia, Iraq, and the 'Lithium Triangle' to illustrate the need for binding regulation. It also discusses how recent Advisory Opinions from the International Court of Justice and the Inter-American Court of Human Rights reinforce the necessity of state-led regulation of private actors to prevent climate and environmental harm.

The document advocates for a legally binding international treaty to end corporate impunity for environmental and human rights abuses, highlighting the insufficiency of voluntary frameworks and the potential of the UN's Open-Ended Intergovernmental Working Group (OEIGWG) process to establish enforceable obligations, extraterritorial jurisdiction, and effective remedies for affected communities.

A survey of 930 registered U.S. voters reveals broad support for clean energy research and policies, such as soil restoration (88%) and carbon dioxide regulation (77%). While 58% prefer candidates who support climate action, significant political polarization remains regarding the priority of global warming for the president and Congress. Notably, 67% of voters believe global warming affects the U.S. cost of living, primarily impacting utility bills and groceries. The report also highlights a majority opposition (58%) to local data center construction due to concerns over electricity costs, and a general trust in climate scientists (71%) and primary care doctors (65%) as information sources.

The report analyzes the governance of energy transition minerals in Colombia, focusing on copper and nickel. Through case studies of the Quebradona project and the Cerro Matoso mine, it identifies systemic failures in environmental mitigation, human rights protections, and benefit distribution. It argues that current regulatory frameworks are insufficient to prevent the 'enclave economy' model and proposes seven priority safeguard areas—including mandatory environmental licensing for exploration and strengthened prior consultation—to align Colombian mining with a just energy transition.

The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that the Trump administration has granted Clean Air Act exemptions to over one-third of 546 eligible industrial facilities, including coal plants and chemical manufacturers. This policy affects nearly 4.6 million people and over 4,300 schools and daycares, with a disproportionate impact on communities already facing high environmental and social stressors. The administration utilized a national emergency provision in March 2025 to allow a two-year exemption, which the EPA intends to make permanent.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) welcomes the introduction of a licensing regime and personal liability for directors in the Water Services Amendment Bill [B24 – 2025] but warns that the Bill concentrates too much power in the Director General and lacks mandatory environmental and public health standards for licensing. The CER argues that the Bill fails to address systemic under-funding of infrastructure and climate-change resilience, and it calls for the inclusion of mandatory climate-adaptation plans and a national framework for wastewater reuse.