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Energy Storage
This policy brief from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the role of energy storage technologies in mitigating electricity industry challenges, integrating renewable energy, and improving grid reliability. It provides a technical overview of various storage methods, analyzes the impact of U.S. federal policies and legislation, and highlights specific large-scale implementation projects across the United States.
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Document type: Policy brief
More deadly, destructive wildfires in today's news: can we prevent this being the new normal?
This statement from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues that U.S. forests are increasingly transitioning from carbon sinks to carbon emitters due to climate change, droughts, and wildfires. It highlights a critical funding gap for hazardous fuel reduction and ecosystem restoration, suggesting that expanding markets for wood products and bioenergy could provide a sustainable financial model for forest management.
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Document type: Statement
GSA Net Zero Renovation Challenge Charrette
The GSA Net Zero Renovation Challenge is an initiative by the General Services Administration (GSA), the Office of Federal High Performance Green Buildings (OFHPGB), and the Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) to achieve deep energy savings in 30-35 federal buildings using Energy Savings Performance Contracts (ESPCs). A workshop held in October 2011 by RMI and GSA identified structural, contractual, and technical barriers to achieving net zero energy, proposing a shift toward integrative design, streamlined procurement, and shared risk to move beyond conventional shallow retrofits.
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Document type: Report
National and International Perspectives on Crime and Policing
This document is an introduction by Chandré Gould to a peer-reviewed collection of ten papers resulting from a December 2010 conference titled ‘Towards a coherent strategy for crime reduction in South Africa beyond 2010’. The collection explores the causes of crime, policing practices, and victimisation, with a primary focus on South Africa and additional perspectives from the United States and Mexico.
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Document type: Report
The Water-Energy Nexus in the Western States: Projections to 2100
This report by the Stockholm Environment Institute and Synapse Energy Economics models the water-energy nexus in the eleven-state Western Electric Coordinating Council (WECC) through 2100. It examines how different electricity generation pathways—ranging from business-as-usual to aggressive carbon and water reductions—impact water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and system costs. The analysis concludes that while power plants require water, their total consumption is significantly lower than agricultural and urban use, suggesting the water-energy nexus is a secondary driver of regional water stress compared to other sectors.
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Document type: Report
EPA begins greenhouse gas permit program
A fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute detailing the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) implementation of greenhouse gas (GHG) permitting standards under the Clean Air Act, focusing on new and modified large power plants and refineries.
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Document type: Fact sheet
State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how state climate action plans in the United States incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009. It finds that while transportation and green building are common, specific 'smart growth' land use practices are the least frequent component of these plans.
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Document type: Report
Sustainable Forest Biomass: Promoting Renewable Energy and Forest Stewardship
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the role of woody biomass from forest management as a renewable, low-carbon substitute for fossil fuels in the United States. It argues that while biomass can support forest stewardship and rural economies, federal policy must ensure sustainability to avoid overharvesting and biodiversity loss. The document provides a comprehensive set of policy recommendations across five areas: forest sustainability, renewable energy incentives, bioenergy incentives, feedstock development, and research and outreach.
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Document type: Report
BORDER WALL: BROADEST WAIVER OF LAW IN AMERICAN HISTORY
This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the legal history and environmental impact of the U.S.-Mexico border wall, focusing on the unprecedented authority granted to the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive all legal requirements to expedite construction.
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Document type: Report
Whole System Design
This guide introduces 'whole system design' for residential buildings, emphasizing the integration of passive solar strategies, thermal mass, and reflective roofing to reduce energy consumption. It argues that careful planning can make green homes cost the same or less than conventional ones and highlights financing options like Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs).
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Document type: Guide
Backgrounder: Phasing Out Alberta's Coal Plants
This fact sheet by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and partners advocates for the phase-out of coal-fired power plants in Alberta by 2030. It details the environmental and health impacts of Alberta's coal reliance, compares the province's energy targets with other jurisdictions, and proposes a replacement strategy based on energy efficiency and renewable energy.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Arizona’s Path to an Energy-Efficient Future
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute outlines the economic and environmental benefits of implementing energy efficiency policies in Arizona, specifically focusing on pollution reduction and cost savings by 2030.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Fact Sheet Critical Mineral Deep Dive: Lithium
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the role of lithium as a critical mineral for clean energy, its global supply chain, extraction and processing methods, and the environmental and social externalities associated with its production.
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Document type: Fact sheet
nirs-maps-state_nuclear_waste_transport_route_maps-5e936ce1772e71fd.pdf
This document consists of a list of figure captions for maps depicting Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) nuclear waste transport routes across various United States states and the District of Columbia.
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Document type: Report
Nitrogen management policies urgently needed
This report details several research initiatives supported by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) across the Americas. These projects focus on the intersection of environmental science and public policy, addressing nitrogen cycling, tropical dry forest conservation, climate services for agriculture, freshwater ecosystem risks, malaria transmission in the Amazon, water security in arid regions, oceanic carbon sequestration, the impact of highways on zoonotic diseases, and urban hydrological vulnerability.
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Document type: Report
REINVENTING FIRE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The provided text consists of fragmented pages from a Rocky Mountain Institute report titled "REINVENTING FIRE IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA," containing primarily headers and two data visualizations regarding emergency energy savings and solar PV costs.
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Document type: Report
SENSE AND RESPONSE
The research paper "SENSE AND RESPONSE: A BIOCLIMATIC DIALOGUE OF PLACE" by Victor Olgyay explores the evolution of human interaction with the environment, from preindustrial symbiotic relationships to the ecological degradation caused by industrialization. The author advocates for a "performance based" regionalism in architecture that moves beyond reducing negative impacts toward a restorative approach, where buildings function as "ecological utilities" that actively provide ecosystem services and repair degraded landscapes.
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Document type: Research paper
Natural Capitalism
This report chapter argues that the solution to global freshwater scarcity is not increasing supply through costly and environmentally damaging infrastructure, but radically increasing water productivity through efficiency and demand-side management across agriculture, landscaping, buildings, and industry.
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Document type: Report
NATURAL CAPITALISM
This report chapter explores 'green development,' demonstrating how the integration of resource efficiency, environmental sensitivity, and human well-being can lead to superior financial performance in real estate. Through various case studies of commercial buildings, residential developments, and hotels, the text argues that intelligent design reduces operating costs, increases labor productivity, and enhances property value while restoring community and ecological health.
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Document type: Report