Search Climate Insights Directory

Earthjustice argues that the risks associated with offshore oil drilling are too high to proceed, particularly in the Arctic Ocean's Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The organization highlights that the Deepwater Horizon disaster demonstrates the inability to contain spills and argues that the Arctic presents unique challenges, such as frigid temperatures and ice-clogged seas, which would make a spill even more devastating and long-lasting.

The DiverSus Collaborative Research Network investigates the relationship between land cover change, functional biodiversity, and ecosystem services. The project aims to create a conceptual framework and empirical tools to assist land-use decisions by linking ecological data—such as carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling—with the livelihoods of social actors. Initial work includes case studies in Alaska, Costa Rica, Brazil, Bolivia, and Argentina, focusing on measuring functional trait values of dominant species and conducting social surveys to identify ecosystem services.

The statement argues that the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) has failed to ensure chemical safety and proposes three primary reforms: authorizing the EPA to phase out high-priority persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals; establishing a health-based safety standard for all chemicals where manufacturers bear the burden of proof; and mandating that manufacturers provide comprehensive, up-to-date data on chemical hazards and exposures. The author emphasizes that prioritization should determine the order of review rather than exclude chemicals from scrutiny, citing the failures of the EPA's ChAMP initiative and the potential benefits of aligning with the European Union's REACH regulation.

Earthjustice is calling on Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to block timber sales in the Central Kupreanof and Sue areas of the Tongass National Forest and to end a Bush-era exemption that prevents the Roadless Rule from protecting the forest.

The document outlines how climate action benefits U.S. national security through three primary channels: reducing reliance on foreign oil, transitioning to a distributed energy system to lower infrastructure vulnerability, and preventing climate-driven global instability. It specifically highlights that reducing petroleum consumption by 6 million barrels per day by 2030 could match current OPEC imports, and warns that climate change acts as a "threat multiplier" that could increase the burden on the U.S. military through humanitarian missions and threats to strategic bases like Diego Garcia.

The document identifies approximately 2 million mobile homes built before 1976 as the "worst housing stock" in the U.S., noting they are energy-inefficient and often house low-income, elderly, or disabled residents. It highlights that these structures are often ineligible for traditional weatherization programs and proposes the Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act of 2009 to provide rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The text details the differences between mobile, manufactured, and modular homes, and provides demographic data on residents of pre-1980 manufactured housing.

The document details the cost assumptions for oil, natural gas, and coal used in the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) Reference case. The UCS model primarily adopts assumptions from the EIA's AEO 2008 High Energy Project Cost and High Energy Price cases but modifies the duration of cost escalations. Specifically, the UCS Reference case limits pipeline cost escalation to 2014 and construction cost escalation to 2010, whereas the EIA often projected these increases through 2030. The text compares these assumptions with the AEO 2009 Reference case, noting differences in projected price trajectories for crude oil, wellhead natural gas, and coal through 2030.

The document asserts that the United States must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80 percent below 2000 levels by 2050 to avoid severe climate impacts. It argues that the cost of action is small relative to the global and national economy, while the cost of inaction is significantly higher, citing potential losses of over 3.6% of U.S. GDP annually by 2100. The text advocates for a policy mix of market-based cap-and-trade systems and sector-specific incentives, warning that 'safety valves' or price caps would undermine investment in new energy technologies.

The document details how rising temperatures in the Northwest are reducing springtime snowpack and shifting streamflow timing, which threatens water supplies, hydropower production, and salmon populations. It also highlights risks of increased forest fires, pest infestations, and coastal erosion due to sea-level rise, particularly in the Puget Sound region.

The document lists 22 provisions of a U.S. energy bill that the authors claim fail to address global warming or oil dependence. Key criticisms include the provision of billions in subsidies to the nuclear and coal industries, the weakening of the Clean Water Act and Safe Drinking Water Act, and the reduction of state authority over liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities and transmission lines.

The statement highlights recent oil spills in the Indian Ocean, the Philippines, and Lebanon, as well as leaks in Alaska, to illustrate the environmental risks and pollution associated with oil production and use.

The document analyzes the foreign policy platforms of candidates John McCain and Barack Obama ahead of the 2008 US election, arguing that while Africa will likely remain a low priority for any new administration, South Africa can leverage its role as a 'pivotal state' to secure military resources, trade benefits, and health funding. It highlights diverging candidate views on energy—with Obama favoring a 'cap-and-trade' system and McCain supporting increased nuclear power and Alaskan drilling—and suggests South Africa could engage the US on carbon-trading opportunities.

The document advocates for amending the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 to include federal forest residues as eligible feedstocks for the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS). It argues that utilizing these materials would provide a sustainable source of cellulosic biofuels without the indirect greenhouse gas emissions associated with agricultural land displacement. Furthermore, the author contends that creating markets for small-diameter trees through the RFS would make hazardous fuel reduction and forest restoration more cost-effective, reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfires and improving ecosystem health.

Hydroelectric power is a major source of emissions-free electricity that utilizes the hydrologic cycle to generate power via turbines. While it offers a flexible, renewable alternative to fossil fuels, it can cause significant ecological damage, such as blocking fish migration and emitting methane from reservoirs. The document details various turbine types, the role of pumped storage, and the potential for low-impact certification and new development in the U.S. and developing nations.

The paper examines how National Revenue Funds (NRFs) can mitigate the 'resource curse'—the negative correlation between natural resource wealth and economic growth. It argues that while NRFs can theoretically smooth expenditures and prevent 'Dutch Disease', their success depends more on the political-economic environment and institutional strength than on technical design. The author suggests that in countries with weak institutions, NRFs should be established through nation-wide multi-stakeholder consultations and given constitutional status to prevent unilateral government manipulation.

The document advocates for the continued protection of Bristol Bay from oil and gas development, highlighting that the region's annual fishery value of over $2 billion far exceeds the estimated $7.7 billion total value of oil and gas over a 25–40 year project lifespan. It emphasizes the area's role as a critical habitat for the world's largest sockeye salmon run, 16 whale species, and essential Red King Crab habitat, warning that an oil spill would have devastating impacts on these resources and the thousands of jobs they support.

The document outlines a strategy for U.S. energy independence based on three pillars: resilient infrastructure, phasing out unreliable fuel sources, and eliminating oil reliance. It advocates for decentralized 'micropower' over nuclear power to reduce proliferation risks and suggests that oil use can be eliminated by the 2040s through tripled-efficiency vehicles and advanced biofuels at a fraction of the current market price of oil.

The document advocates for the adoption of the Solis bill (H.R. 4800) to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in the United States. The signatories argue that the Solis bill ensures timely EPA action, adopts a health-based regulatory standard, and respects state-level protections. In contrast, they claim the Gillmor bill (H.R. 4591) would weaken safeguards by introducing cost-benefit standards and preempting state regulations.

The report identifies over 330 ecosystem indicators across 22 initiatives in Canada's North, highlighting a significant gap between the abundance of individual research projects and the lack of coherent, systemic indicator frameworks. It argues for a more holistic interpretation of ecosystems that includes human community health and external stressors like climate change, while emphasizing the need for data aggregation, international standardization, and meaningful community involvement to make monitoring scientifically and managerially relevant.

The authors propose using the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to hold the United States accountable for climate change impacts on the Inuit. They argue that U.S. emissions, representing approximately 25% of global totals, have caused sea ice retreat and permafrost thaw, threatening Inuit culture and violating rights such as the right to life, health, and property. While the IACHR cannot mandate emission cuts or compensation, a formal finding of human rights violations would provide moral and political leverage and support future litigation.