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The assessment finds that the Kakono Hydropower Plant (HPP) is the most sustainable and cost-effective energy option for northwestern Tanzania, demonstrating high climate resilience and the highest net societal benefits. Compared to a utility-scale diesel plant and a gas-solar PV portfolio, the HPP offers the lowest levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) and the most attractive net present value (NPV), particularly when environmental and social externalities are internalized. While the HPP causes some habitat loss and carbon emissions during construction and reservoir operation, these are offset by significant employment generation and the avoidance of high fossil fuel emissions. The report concludes that the HPP is a viable investment for multilateral banks like the African Development Bank, provided that mitigation strategies for GHG emissions and habitat loss are implemented.

The document details a modeling framework combining EnergyPATHWAYS (EP) for demand-side stock accounting and the Regional Investment and Operations (RIO) model for supply-side least-cost optimization. It outlines nine scenarios for the U.S. energy transition, including a 'Zero CO2 2050' case and various electric vehicle (EV) adoption speeds. The methodology emphasizes high temporal and spatial resolution, co-optimizing electricity and fuel systems to meet economy-wide emissions constraints.

The report 'Driven to Waste' estimates that 1.2 billion tonnes of food, or 15.3% of global production, is lost on farms. When combined with retail and consumer waste, total global food loss and waste is estimated at over 2.5 billion tonnes (approximately 40% of all food produced), contributing 10% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. The document highlights a geographic disparity: high- and middle-income countries in Europe, North America, and Industrialised Asia contribute 58% of global harvest loss, while low-income countries account for 54% of post-harvest farm-stage loss. It argues that farm-stage loss is driven by downstream market decisions and asymmetric power balances, and calls for national governments to include food loss and waste in Paris Agreement national carbon plans.

The document traces the evolution of climate change within U.S. National Security Strategies from 1991 to 2017, noting a shift from viewing it as a distant foreign threat to an urgent domestic and global security risk. It argues that while the Department of Defense has led in addressing these risks, congressional funding for military installation resilience remains insufficient. The authors recommend that the next NSS expand its scope beyond the energy sector to include 'ecological security'—addressing biodiversity loss and ocean health—and incorporate non-linear planetary thresholds and sophisticated environmental monitoring to better forecast systemic risks.

A coalition of environmental, health, and labor organizations urges the SCAQMD to reject natural gas trucks as a viable alternative to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) for heavy-duty fleets. The coalition argues that gas trucks do not provide sufficient air quality benefits, exacerbate climate change through methane leaks, and create stranded assets. They contend that battery electric trucks are already operationally suitable for most drayage and heavy-duty needs and offer a superior total cost of ownership (TCO) due to declining battery costs and lower maintenance requirements.

Egypt's updated NDC outlines a comprehensive strategy to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change by 2030. The plan focuses on transitioning the electricity sector to 42% renewable energy, reducing associated gas flaring in the oil and gas sector by 65%, and shifting transport toward low-carbon mass transit. Adaptation priorities include rehabilitating 20,000 km of irrigation canals, protecting the Nile Delta from sea-level rise, and enhancing agricultural resilience. Implementation is heavily dependent on international financial support, with an estimated total requirement of USD 246 billion.

The document analyzes the dual potential of autonomous vehicles (AVs) to serve as a climate solution or an environmental liability. While AVs could reduce emissions through electrification, platooning, and shared transit, the proliferation of single-occupancy AVs risks increasing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and urban sprawl. The brief emphasizes that achieving climate goals requires integrating AVs into multimodal, electric urban systems that prioritize mass transit, biking, and walking over private vehicle use.

The document analyzes the impact of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the Trans-Asian Railway (TAR) Network on rail standardization, specifically the shift toward high-speed, standard-gauge rail. Using examples from Malaysia, Cambodia, and Lao PDR, it highlights that while technical standards are a concern, the primary challenges are project costs, debt sustainability, and the need for cross-border trade facilitation. The author recommends that African nations prioritize integrated regional planning, transparency in procurement, and low-carbon transport strategies to maximize the development impacts of rail expansion.

The report finds that while the number of non-state and subnational actors setting climate targets is growing, there is limited evidence that this ambition is translating into realized impacts. Full implementation of individual targets could reduce 2030 emissions by 2.0 to 2.5 GtCO2e/year, while international cooperative initiatives' goals could lead to a reduction of 16 GtCO2e/year. However, progress is uneven, with only half of city governments and 80% of companies meeting their 2020 targets.

The Municipality of Rosario, Argentina, established the Urban Agriculture Program (PAU) in 2002 to combat food scarcity and unemployment following the 2001 economic crisis. The program provides low-income residents access to underutilized land for agroecological production, creating livelihoods for nearly 300 urban farmers, 65% of whom are women. Beyond social benefits, the program reduces greenhouse gas emissions by localizing food production and improves urban resilience to flooding by enhancing soil absorbency. The initiative has been institutionalized through the 2015 Green Belt Project, which designated 800 hectares of peri-urban land for agriculture, and is integrated into the city's strategic and environmental plans.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, acting for groundWork, submitted a formal objection on 18 June 2021 to the Water Use Licence (WUL) application for the Nseleni Independent Floating Power Plant (NIFPP) at the Port of Richards Bay. The objection argues that the 12-page application is 'woefully deficient and incomplete,' failing to provide necessary data on water resource impacts, climate change, and the full scope of associated infrastructure to allow for an informed decision.

The U.S. oil and gas sector exhibits extreme variability in methane emissions, with some small producers and specific large companies contributing disproportionately to totals. The author argues that the EPA must implement a regulatory floor mandating best practices to reduce leaks and flaring, noting that existing technology could reduce sector methane emissions by 65% at little to no cost.

The Canadian Climate Institute's review of carbon pricing in Canada finds that while progress is being made, the current 'patchwork' of systems suffers from uneven price signals, inconsistent emissions coverage, and a lack of transparency. The report recommends establishing a common standard for emissions coverage, replacing point-of-sale rebates with direct revenue recycling, and aligning benchmarks for large emitter programs to reduce competitiveness risks and emissions leakage.

The Canadian Climate Institute evaluates Canada's diverse carbon pricing instruments, noting inconsistencies in emission coverage and price signals. It recommends establishing a common emission coverage standard, improving transparency, and harmonizing benchmarks for large emitters to enhance efficiency and equity.

The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) criticizes Canada's low climate finance contributions relative to its wealth and emissions, urging the government to double its annual funding to $5.2 billion and prioritize adaptation for the most vulnerable communities.

London's Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) uses road fees to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and toxic air pollution, which disproportionately affect low-income and non-white residents. Integrated with broader clean mobility measures, the ULEZ has significantly reduced the number of polluting vehicles in central London and lowered NO2 concentrations. The program is supported by financial funds to help low-income residents and small businesses transition to compliant vehicles, with the goal of reducing air pollution exposure disparities by 85% by 2030.

The text highlights the human costs of plastic pollution, noting that production and incineration facilities are often sited in marginalized communities without adequate consultation. It links plastic production to respiratory and immune system health issues and climate change, while calling for extended producer responsibility and federal legislation to protect vulnerable populations.

The document outlines a discussion on transitioning the U.S. energy system, focusing on repurposing existing infrastructure, ensuring the affordability and reliability of renewables, and addressing the impacts of energy modernization on marginalized communities and the workforce.

Fossil-fuel burning appliances in the US contribute significantly to outdoor and indoor air pollution, climate change, and public health disparities. Gas appliances are particularly problematic, emitting more than twice as much NOX as gas power plants. RMI proposes that the EPA implement a NOX standard of performance under Clean Air Act Section 111(b), requiring all new appliances to be electric by 2030. This transition could avoid over 500,000 tons of NOX and 14,400 tons of PM2.5 annually by 2045, potentially saving over 3,750 lives per year and providing $21 billion in annual economic benefits. The document emphasizes that electric appliances are cost-effective and that policies should include incentives to ensure low-income consumers can access these technologies.

A statement by Milieudefensie (Friends of the Earth Netherlands) regarding a landmark legal victory against Shell, where a Dutch court ordered the company to reduce its CO2 emissions by 45% within ten years to align with the Paris Agreement.