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The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) proposes a comprehensive federal strategy to cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions and oil use by approximately 50% by 2020. The framework prioritizes reducing energy demand through efficiency in buildings, transport, and industry before substituting supply with renewables and biofuels. Key recommendations include implementing 'feebates' for vehicles, establishing a 'Smart Grid', and creating a national 'energy corps' for workforce training. RMI argues that climate protection is profitable and that the U.S. should move toward a system where all energy production and saving methods compete fairly without distorting subsidies.

The document details Chile's shift from an inward-oriented import-substitution model to a highly liberalized trade regime. It covers the radical 'big bang' reforms of the military regime (1973-1989), the subsequent 'pragmatic orthodoxy' of the second trade reform, and the 'multi-track' approach adopted under democratic rule (1990-2005). The author argues that while the military regime implemented the structural shift, democratic governments provided the social legitimacy and macroeconomic stability necessary to sustain the open-economy model, leading to significant export diversification and poverty reduction.

The document advocates for the transition from incandescent and mercury vapour lighting to compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs), LEDs, and efficient fluorescent tubes in South African urban areas. It highlights that lighting accounts for approximately 12% of electricity use in the residential and commercial sectors, and replacing traditional bulbs with CFLs can reduce this by up to 75%. Using Cape Town as a model, the guide estimates that achieving penetration targets could save 8 million MWh of electricity and 7.5 million tonnes of CO2 by 2024. It identifies barriers such as high initial costs for low-income households and municipal reluctance to reduce electricity sales, while suggesting implementation strategies through procurement policy changes and Eskom's demand side management (DSM) subsidies. Case studies from Ekurhuleni and international examples from Australia, the USA, and India illustrate the economic and environmental viability of these interventions.

The document outlines the financial challenges and opportunities associated with transitioning to electric and hybrid-electric bus fleets, emphasizing that while initial capital costs are higher than internal combustion engine buses, the total cost of ownership can be competitive due to lower energy and maintenance expenses. It highlights evolving procurement models, such as leasing and the involvement of non-traditional stakeholders like utility companies, as well as the role of government grants, tax incentives, and concessional debt in reducing financial burdens.

The Local Government Renewables Action Tracker is an interactive web tool developed by the American Cities Climate Challenge Renewables Accelerator (a WRI and RMI partnership) to help U.S. local governments procure renewable electricity. It aggregates data from public and crowdsourced sources to track renewable electricity transactions and advocacy efforts by cities, counties, municipal utilities, and community choice aggregations, displaying the total capacity in megawatts of generation supported by these efforts.