Search Climate Insights Directory

CAPE advocates for a rapid transition away from fossil fuels, citing severe health impacts from fracking and oil sands, the failure of industry-led emissions reductions, and the necessity of Indigenous reconciliation in climate action.

As of October 2024, there are 12,241 committed electric school buses in the U.S., with nearly 5,000 already delivered or operating. Adoption is heavily driven by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, which funds 67% of all commitments and prioritizes high-poverty, rural, and tribal districts. While California leads in absolute numbers, the Northeast and Midwest have seen significant percentage increases. Seven states have enacted statutory zero-emission transition requirements, and WRI projects that 62% of all school bus sales will be electric by 2032 following revised EPA greenhouse gas emission standards.

The statement asserts a link between plastic-related chemicals—including flame retardants, phthalates, and heavy metals—and breast cancer, noting that racialized populations in Canada face disproportionate health burdens. It calls for the Canadian government to implement stronger domestic regulations and prioritize the removal of toxic chemicals during Global Plastics Treaty negotiations.

Friends of the Earth International calls for an end to state violence and repression in Mozambique following the October 9 elections, which opposition parties and observers claim were fraudulent. The organization links the current social unrest and high poverty rates—affecting 73% of the population—to IMF-imposed neoliberal policies and the export of wealth from fossil fuel and mining projects. It demands an inquiry into police killings, the restoration of internet and movement freedoms, and a transition toward a development model based on environmental, social, and gender justice.

Friends of the Earth International expresses solidarity with the people of Mozambique following elections on October 9, which opposition parties and observers describe as fraudulent. The organization denounces the brutal state repression of protests, which has resulted in at least 34 confirmed deaths and the use of live ammunition by police, particularly in Maputo. The statement links this political instability to deep poverty—affecting 73% of the population—and the exploitation of natural resources by transnational companies in collusion with political elites. It demands an end to state violence, the investigation of killings, the restoration of internet and expression freedoms, and a transition toward an equitable development model that respects the rights of local communities and indigenous peoples.

Friends of the Earth International expresses solidarity with Mozambicans protesting fraudulent elections and state repression. The organization links the current social unrest to systemic poverty and inequality driven by neoliberal policies, IMF-imposed measures, and the extraction of natural resources by multinationals. It demands an end to police violence, accountability for killings, and a transition toward an equitable development model that respects the rights of local and indigenous populations.

CAPE highlights the health and environmental risks of plastic, noting that 460 million tonnes of new plastic are produced annually and that the industry is the fastest-growing source of global industrial greenhouse gases. The organization calls for a just Global Plastics Treaty that limits production, eliminates unnecessary plastics, and prohibits hazardous chemicals. CAPE specifically criticizes the Canadian government for missing production commitments in recent statements and urges leadership ahead of the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) in Busan, Republic of Korea.

The author contends that hosting COP29 in Azerbaijan—a country with an authoritarian regime and a growing fossil fuel industry—threatens the summit's potential for real change. The text highlights Azerbaijan's lack of net-zero targets, its expansion of gas production, and its poor human rights record, including the detention of environmental activists. It also criticizes the European Union for increasing gas imports from Azerbaijan, which the author claims bolsters the regime's power. Finally, the document calls for the UN to reform the COP host selection process by introducing mandatory climate action and human rights requirements.

The document advocates for the integration of substantive and procedural human rights into the Global Plastics Treaty, noting that plastic pollution infringes upon rights to health, life, and a clean environment. It critiques the current Compilation Draft for treating public participation as voluntary and omitting the right to effective remedy, while recommending that the final treaty explicitly operationalize the right to a healthy environment and protect marginalized groups.

The paper evaluates Detroit's first-of-its-kind Community Benefits Ordinance (CBO), which requires developers of projects valued at $75 million or more receiving significant city subsidies to negotiate benefits with local communities. While the CBO has provided communities a 'seat at the table,' the authors identify significant flaws in the selection of Neighborhood Advisory Councils (NACs), insufficient resources for community negotiators, and weak enforcement of agreements. The report recommends lowering the investment threshold to trigger the CBO, increasing community-elected NAC membership, and adopting environmental justice frameworks to ensure a just energy transition.

The guide argues that US states are uniquely positioned to scale the carbon dioxide removal (CDR) industry by leveraging their specific geographies and regulatory authority. It outlines a framework for state leadership based on four core pillars: adopting approach-neutral and performance-based definitions of CDR, setting explicit removal targets aligned with carbon budgets, creating clear regulatory and permitting environments, and ensuring community-supported deployment through transparency and equity. The document emphasizes that CDR should complement, not replace, aggressive emissions reductions to avoid moral hazard.

The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region is planning an estimated US$123.6 billion in new LNG infrastructure, primarily concentrated in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. Mexico has the world's third-largest planned LNG export buildout at 73.6 mtpa, largely intended to export U.S. gas from the Permian Basin. Argentina is proposing the 30 mtpa Argentina GNL Terminal to export gas from the Vaca Muerta shale basin, a project described as a "carbon bomb." Brazil is pursuing the world's fourth-largest LNG import expansion at 36.5 mtpa to reduce reliance on Bolivian gas and mitigate hydropower instability during droughts. These developments risk creating stranded assets and locking the region into gas dependence, contradicting IEA recommendations that the LNG trade peak this decade to limit warming to 1.5“. The report argues that the region's abundant renewable resources offer a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuel volatility.

A coalition of national and regional organizations is calling on Utah's House representatives to support S. 3853, the Radiation Exposure Compensation Reauthorization Act, noting that for the first time since 1990, affected downwinders and uranium miners lack access to compensation and cancer screenings.

RMI has launched the State CDR Atlas, a tool designed to help the 50 US states scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) by assessing their unique geographies, infrastructure, and regulatory landscapes. The Atlas evaluates states across eight CDR approach categories using two primary ratings: an Opportunity Rating based on natural resources and infrastructure, and an Enabling Policy Rating based on the current regulatory environment. Using Virginia as a case study, the document illustrates how the tool identifies specific gaps—such as Virginia's lack of government procurement programs for CDR—and provides guidance on Terrestrial Enhanced Weathering (TEW) as a specific CDR approach. The tool is intended as an orientation and prioritization resource rather than a final siting mechanism.

The briefing advocates for a coordinated approach to building decarbonization and resilience in the US, emphasizing that these goals are complementary. It specifically prioritizes 'passive measures'—such as weatherization and envelope retrofits—to manage peak electricity demand, improve energy affordability, and extend the 'hours of safety' for occupants during power outages, particularly for vulnerable populations.

The document contains a series of congressional remarks, including a specific recognition of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) on its 40th anniversary. Representative Emanuel Cleaver highlights EESI's history since the 1970s, its mission to provide objective information on climate and clean energy to Congressional staff, and its role in organizing the annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum.

As of June 2024, the U.S. has 12,174 committed electric school buses, representing a 19-fold increase since June 2019. While these vehicles currently make up only about 3% of the national fleet, over 234,000 students now ride them, with the highest adoption rates in the West and South regions. The transition is largely driven by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program, which provides $5 billion from 2022 to 2026 to reduce the 8.4 million metric tons of carbon pollution emitted annually by school bus fleets and mitigate health risks associated with diesel exhaust.

The briefing examines the expansion of LNG infrastructure in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting significant planned investments in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. It argues that these projects risk becoming stranded assets and conflict with global climate goals to limit warming to 1.5°C, suggesting that the region should instead prioritize its abundant renewable energy resources.

The 2024 Private Equity Climate Risks Scorecard reveals that 21 analyzed private equity firms are responsible for an estimated 1.17 gigatons of annual emissions from upstream operations, LNG terminals, and coal plants. The report argues that the industry's lack of transparency and continued investment in fossil fuels obstruct the global transition to a 1.5°C warming scenario. It ranks firms from 'B' to 'F', with EIG Global Energy Partners receiving the lowest grade due to its high emissions and low alignment with climate demands. The authors call for mandatory disclosures and a just transition for workers and impacted communities.

The document evaluates three industry-proposed methods for reducing carbon emissions from gas plants: hydrogen cofiring, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and biomethane. It concludes that these approaches often fail to achieve targeted emissions reductions when full life cycle impacts—such as upstream methane leakage, energy penalties, and production emissions—are considered. Furthermore, the brief argues that these technologies perpetuate environmental and social inequities by maintaining the operation of gas plants. In contrast, the report finds that transitioning to renewable energy sources like wind and solar provides superior reductions in carbon, air, and water pollution while offering lower costs and fewer land-use impacts.