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The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) is conducting a "mini shadow review" to evaluate the implementation of the Highveld Priority Area (HPA) Air Quality Management Plan (AQMP) within the Nkangala District Municipality (NDM). The CER seeks to identify resource gaps and determine if air quality in areas such as eMalahleni and Middelburg has improved since the HPA was declared in 2007. The questionnaire focuses on regulatory clarity, financial and human resource capacity, dust reduction measures, emissions from domestic coal burning, and industrial pollutant and greenhouse gas reductions. The CER notes that data from the DEA/South African Weather Service between 2009 and 2015 suggests that "exceedances of ambient air quality standards have increased slightly" and that equipment malfunctions have created data gaps.

The policy brief asserts that global climate success depends on the 20 largest emitting nations adopting a small set of high-impact policies across four sectors: electricity, buildings, industry, and transportation. It emphasizes that policy design is critical to avoid inefficiencies and suggests the use of 'Best Practice Networks' (BPNs) to provide technical expertise to governments to ensure these policies are effectively implemented.

The document outlines strategies for US states to ensure that the Clean Power Plan does not disproportionately burden low-income communities and communities of color. It emphasizes the need for 'high impact' engagement, the conduct of formal Environmental Justice (EJ) analyses, and the avoidance of carbon trading mechanisms that may allow power plants to avoid on-site pollution reductions. The guide also advocates for a 'Just Transition' that provides economic development and job training in communities heavily dependent on fossil fuels.

The study investigated the December 1, 2015, rainfall event in Chennai, where some stations recorded up to 494 mm of rain in 24 hours, causing an estimated US $3 billion in economic costs. Using observational data and regional climate models, researchers found no detectable effect of human-induced climate change on the probability of this extreme one-day rainfall. The analysis suggests that the cooling effect of aerosols in the western Bay of Bengal likely counteracted greenhouse gas warming, while non-anthropogenic factors, such as El Niño and sea surface temperature anomalies, played a more significant role.

The analysis estimates that the 2015 global temperature anomaly was 1.05ºC above the 1850–1900 pre-industrial average. This warming is primarily attributed to anthropogenic forcing, with smaller contributions from El Niño and solar activity. The year 2015 is identified as likely the first to cross both the 1ºC temperature anomaly and the 400 ppm CO2 thresholds.

The Clean Air Task Force supports the EPA's first direct regulation of methane in the oil and gas sector but argues that the proposal is insufficient. It recommends expanding the rule to cover liquids unloading, pneumatic controllers, well site compressors, and storage vessels. It further contends that the proposed variable frequency for leak detection and repair (LDAR) is inadequate, advocating instead for a fixed quarterly minimum. Finally, it urges the EPA to use section 111(d) to regulate existing sources, noting that 90 percent of 2018 emissions are expected to come from sources existing in 2011.

The submission by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) and partners details the 'triple threat' posed by Alberta's coal plants: air pollution, mercury contamination, and greenhouse gas emissions. It provides health-cost estimates for Alberta and uses Ontario's coal phase-out as a successful case study for improving public health outcomes. The authors recommend a complete phase-out of coal by 2025, avoiding new natural gas investments, and transitioning to renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The Clean Air Task Force criticizes the EPA's reliance on voluntary programs to reduce methane emissions from existing oil and gas infrastructure, arguing that such measures lack the enforceability and participation rates necessary to achieve significant climate goals compared to mandatory regulations under the Clean Air Act.

The document presents a framework for achieving clean air in China, emphasizing the need for a robust air quality management system, the application of Best Available Control Technologies (BACT), and the alignment of fiscal policies with pollution goals. It advocates for the removal of fossil fuel subsidies, the implementation of a coal cap to reduce coal's share of the energy structure to less than 50% by 2030, and the adoption of Euro 6 fuel standards by 2018 for heavy-duty trucks and off-road vehicles. The experts highlight that integrating air pollutant and greenhouse gas reductions is more cost-effective than treating them separately.

The document argues that the current 75 ppb ozone standard is insufficient to protect public health, particularly for sensitive populations like children and asthmatics. It advocates for a 60 ppb primary standard based on scientific evidence of lung function decrements and inflammation at that level. It also calls for a separate secondary standard of 7 ppm-hrs using the W126 metric to protect vegetation and ecosystems, specifically in Class I areas.

Following the 2007 Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA, the EPA established authority to regulate greenhouse gases (GHGs) under the Clean Air Act. This led to the 2009 Endangerment Finding and subsequent regulations targeting vehicle fuel economy and power plant emissions. Key initiatives include the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for light- and heavy-duty vehicles and the Clean Power Plan, which aims for a 30 percent reduction in the U.S. power sector's carbon emission rate by 2030 compared to 2005 levels.

The document details the EPA's trajectory in regulating greenhouse gases (GHGs) following the 2007 Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts v. EPA. It outlines key milestones including the 2009 Endangerment Finding, the development of fuel economy standards for light- and heavy-duty vehicles, and the introduction of the Clean Power Plan to reduce carbon pollution from power plants. The timeline also tracks critical judicial decisions that have both affirmed and limited the EPA's authority under the Clean Air Act.

The report examines the potential of South Africa's shale gas reserves, estimated by the US Energy Information Administration as the eighth largest globally. It contrasts a 'Base Case' of no fracking with a 'Shale Boom' and a 'Blue Bridge' scenario. While a shale boom could boost GDP and reduce poverty, it risks significant water contamination in the semi-arid Karoo region and may increase long-term carbon emissions by delaying renewable energy investment. The authors propose a 'Blue Bridge' approach, using an excise tax on fracking to fund renewable energy infrastructure, which they argue could maximize economic growth while ensuring long-term environmental sustainability.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute advocates for mandatory funding in the 2013 Farm Bill's energy title to support biofuels, biomass, and bio-based products. It argues that such investment is necessary to develop biomass feedstock production, finance the first commercial-scale advanced biorefineries, and help rural communities transition to renewable energy, citing the 2008 Farm Bill's $1 billion investment as a successful precedent.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute advocates for $1.3 billion in mandatory funding for the 2013 Farm Bill's energy title to support the transition to sustainable bio-based products and renewable energy. The organization argues that such investment is necessary to establish biomass production systems, support the first commercial-scale advanced biorefineries via loan guarantees, and help rural communities shift away from expensive fossil fuels.

Earthjustice filed a lawsuit in 2011 against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for failing to limit coal mine pollution, including methane, nitrogen dioxide, volatile organic compounds, and soot. Despite the availability of technology to capture or burn methane, the EPA denied a petition in 2013. Subsequently, in 2014, the Obama administration introduced an initiative to reduce methane emissions and tasked the Bureau of Land Management with studying pollution limits.

The SACC project investigates the exchange processes between the deep ocean and the continental shelf of eastern South America, specifically testing the hypothesis that the Subtropical Shelf Front (STSF) is a primary site for shelf water transfer. Initial findings indicate that the Patagonia shelf absorbs approximately 17 Tg C per year and that freshwater inputs from the Rio de la Plata and Patos Lagoon significantly influence ecosystem production in the Southwest Atlantic.

The 'Energy 101' Model Curriculum is a one-semester interdisciplinary framework developed by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). It aims to foster 'energy literate decision making' by combining the science of energy with economic, ethical, societal, and international factors. The curriculum is structured into five units: Introduction to Energy, Energy Basics, Energy Sources, Energy Technology and Practice, and Energy Policy and Decision-Making. It utilizes the National Training & Education Resource (NTER), an open-source cloud-based platform, to provide instructional materials and interactive graphics. The framework is currently being tested at the University of Maryland, with further implementations planned at Harford Community College and Cecil Community College.

The document outlines a framework for businesses to eliminate tropical deforestation from their supply chains through public pledges, transparent sourcing, and the promotion of sustainable goods. It identifies palm oil, wood/paper, and meat (specifically beef) as key drivers of forest loss and provides sector-specific recommendations, such as strengthening RSPO standards for palm oil and reducing beef in processed meats to lower land-use pressure.

The document analyzes the rise of atmospheric CO2, which reached a record high of over 400 ppm in May 2013, and discusses the resulting climate impacts and the necessity of immediate mitigation to avoid dangerous warming.