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Climate 2030 Blueprint
The document outlines conservative estimates for biomass energy supply in the US, focusing on energy crops, agricultural residues, forestry residues, and urban/mill residues. It details the use of the POLYSYS model to assess land-use changes, specifically for switchgrass, and provides the methodology for calculating land-use impacts for other renewable energy technologies and avoided coal mining.
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Document type: Report
Cooler Smarter Trivia Night Kit
The Cooler Smarter Trivia Night Kit is a guide designed to help individuals host educational trivia events to encourage a 20% reduction in personal carbon footprints. It includes a sample agenda, planning tips, and five rounds of trivia questions covering energy efficiency, transportation, diet, and climate policy. The kit emphasizes science-based advice to help participants navigate conflicting messages about emissions and identifies specific high-impact changes, such as improving home insulation and reducing meat consumption.
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Document type: Guide
corporate-climate-appendix-c-5e2d88c488a45c55.pdf
The document details the climate-related activities of various corporations, including utilities, oil and gas producers, and manufacturers. It tracks their public statements, lobbying spending, and affiliations with trade organizations and think tanks, highlighting discrepancies between public sustainability claims and political actions.
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Document type: Report
Appendix D. Summary of Key Climate Related Votes in Congress
The document lists key climate-related votes in the U.S. Congress between 2003 and 2011 used to determine if legislators support or reject climate science. In the House, votes on the Energy Tax Prevention Act of 2011, the American Clean Energy and Security Act, and various amendments regarding EPA authority and intelligence estimates were used. In the Senate, criteria included votes on the Climate Security Act, the Climate Stewardship Act, and resolutions concerning the EPA's Endangerment Finding and global warming pollution limits.
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Document type: Report
National Call to Action on Global Warming
The Union of Concerned Scientists and various endorsing organizations call for U.S. legislation to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius. The proposal advocates for economy-wide emission cuts of 25% by 2020 and 80% by 2050 (relative to 1990 levels), the implementation of a cap-and-auction system to fund mitigation and climate justice, and a strategic shift toward renewable energy and energy efficiency to create green-collar jobs and protect vulnerable communities.
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Document type: Statement
The Energy-Water Collision
The U.S. electricity system relies heavily on freshwater, with cooling power plants accounting for 41 percent of all freshwater withdrawals. This dependence creates a 'collision' where energy production competes with municipal, agricultural, and ecosystem needs, a situation exacerbated by global warming. The report details regional risks—such as hydropower instability in the Northwest and cooling water shortages in the Southeast—and highlights low-water alternatives like wind, solar photovoltaic, and dry-cooling systems.
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Document type: Report
Ripe for Retirement
The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies a range of 153 to 353 coal-fired generating units in the U.S. that are economically uncompetitive and should be retired. These units, totaling up to 59 GW of capacity, are typically older, underutilized, and lack modern pollution controls. The report argues that retiring these units, alongside 288 already scheduled for closure, would not jeopardize grid reliability and could reduce annual CO2 emissions by 245 to 410 million tons if replaced by natural gas, renewables, or energy efficiency.
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Document type: Executive summary
Microsoft Word - greatplains.doc
The Great Plains region has experienced increasing average temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns, with winter temperatures in northern states rising by more than 6°F over the last 30 years. Climate change is projected to exacerbate the depletion of the High Plains (Ogallala) aquifer, particularly in the southern region where unsustainable water use and extreme heat are already prevalent. Agriculture and livestock are highly vulnerable; rising temperatures are expected to shift crop zones, increase pest prevalence, and reduce livestock yields, with a projected 10% decline in cow/calf and dairy operations under higher emissions scenarios. Ecosystems, specifically prairie potholes and playa lakes, face threats from altered evaporation and recharge rates, which impacts migratory birds and aquifer replenishment. The document also highlights the vulnerability of 65 Native American tribes on rural lands facing water quantity and quality issues.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Raising the Bar in Wisconsin
The Union of Concerned Scientists finds that increasing Wisconsin's renewable electricity standard to 25% by 2025 is achievable and affordable. Under the most likely 'No Hydro Imports' scenario, the state would see a $59 million reduction in electricity bills (when accounting for carbon savings), the creation of 2,650 new jobs, and a reduction in CO2 emissions equivalent to removing 2.1 million cars from the road. The analysis highlights Wisconsin's significant technical potential in wind, solar, and biomass to meet these targets while reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Beginsels om Sosiale Geregtigheid in ‘n Digitale Era te Bevorder
The document establishes principles for social justice in the digital age, arguing that effective communication is essential for addressing global issues like climate change and poverty. It advocates for a holistic approach to digital technologies that protects human dignity and ensures equitable access to information, infrastructure, and sustainable energy.
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Document type: Statement
La comunicación para la justicia social en la era digital
The document outlines the challenges and opportunities of digital technologies from a social justice and theological perspective. It identifies systemic inequalities—such as digital divides, gender-based violence online, and the 'attention economy'—and proposes a set of communication rights and principles to create a digital ecosystem based on equity, transparency, and the common good.
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Document type: Statement
igbo.100days-7c00755121774403.pdf
The statement argues that effective communication is essential for addressing global issues such as climate change, gender-based violence, and human rights. It calls for a strategy to democratize access to modern technology, information, and clean energy (solar and wind) to ensure all individuals can participate in society and express their identities and cultures without discrimination.
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Document type: Statement
Power Up
The document asserts that clean energy technologies now have the potential to replace 75% of existing fossil fuel demand, with renewable electricity exceeding 40% of the global power mix in 2024. It highlights that solar and wind are increasingly cost-competitive, displacing over 650 TWh of fossil fuel use between 2023 and 2024. The report notes a strong business preference for renewables, with over 90% of polled executives viewing access to renewable electricity as critical for investment decisions. It specifically warns that oil demand is expected to peak and decline this decade as electric vehicles (EVs) scale, and that gas infrastructure risks becoming stranded as renewables and electrified heat reduce demand. Additionally, it identifies China as the first 'electrostate' due to its rapid electrification and clean tech production.
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Document type: Executive summary
The Climate Has Changed
The report finds that companies in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) achieve a high average internal rate of return (IRR) of 17% on low-carbon investments, significantly outperforming European companies. Energy efficiency measures are the primary driver of emissions reductions, delivering an average IRR of 16.7%. The document also highlights that LAC companies are setting emissions targets that are, on average, 14% more ambitious than science-based recommendations. It argues that this strong business case should encourage regional governments, particularly Peru, to push for more ambitious international climate agreements.
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Document type: Report
El clima ha cambiado América Latina y el Caribe
The report highlights that companies in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) achieve an average internal rate of return (IRR) of 17% on low-carbon investments, with energy efficiency projects specifically yielding 16.7%. It notes that the region's energy demand is 54% met by renewables and that LAC companies generate double the emission savings per dollar invested compared to those in the US. The document encourages the use of 'smart policies' such as cap-and-trade and renewable energy policies to further accelerate decarbonization.
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Document type: Report
Power Sector Opportunities Reducing Carbon Dioxide Emissions Arkansas
WRI analysis indicates that Arkansas could reduce power sector CO2 emissions by 39 percent below 2011 levels by 2020 through a combination of infrastructure optimization and clean energy strategies. Key opportunities include increasing the utilization of natural gas plants to 75 percent, expanding combined heat and power (CHP) systems, improving coal plant efficiency, meeting energy efficiency targets, and increasing renewable energy sources to 15 percent of the state's electricity.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Green Energy Policy In China
The document evaluates China's pledges to reduce carbon intensity and increase non-fossil fuel energy use by 2020, arguing these goals are achievable but require policies beyond 'business as usual'. It highlights the importance of a new biannual emissions reporting system and advocates for sustained U.S.-China bilateral cooperation in clean energy research and technology deployment.
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Document type: Briefing
Bridging the Gap Between Energy and Climate Policies in Brazil
The report argues that Brazil must expand its climate mitigation efforts beyond forestry to include the energy sector, as emissions from energy and land use change are now roughly equal. It identifies the transport, industry, and power-generation sectors as the primary areas for abatement, specifically suggesting the expansion of wind and solar energy and the electrification and hybridization of the transport fleet.
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Document type: Report
Opportunities to Reduce Water Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in the Chinese Power Sector
The document evaluates over 20 combinations of power-generating technologies and cooling systems to identify strategies for reducing the environmental footprint of China's power sector. It highlights energy efficiency as the most cost-effective and impactful strategy for reducing both emissions and water use. While wind and run-of-river hydroelectric power are identified as low-impact alternatives, the report warns that certain low-carbon technologies, such as Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), can significantly increase water consumption. The World Resources Institute recommends that China implement sectoral water withdrawal quotas and align technology deployment with regional water availability.
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Document type: Briefing
Southeast Energy Consumption by Fuel, 2006
In 2006, the Southeast region's energy consumption was approximately 80 percent dependent on fossil fuels, which was slightly lower than the national average of 85 percent. The regional mix was characterized by higher proportions of coal and nuclear energy and a lower proportion of natural gas relative to the national average.
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Document type: Fact sheet