Search Climate Insights Directory
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Solar electricity every hour of every day is here and it changes everything
The report argues that rapid declines in battery costs have made near-continuous solar power (24/365 generation) an economic reality in sunny regions. In cities like Las Vegas, achieving 97% reliability for a constant power supply is now cost-competitive at $104/MWh, which is cheaper than new coal and nuclear power. The analysis demonstrates that a relatively small amount of storage—approximately 17 kWh of battery for every 1 kW of stable 24-hour power—is sufficient for most sunny locations. This shift allows solar to support 24/7 clean energy contracts for energy-intensive industries and significantly reduces the need for expensive grid expansions by allowing more capacity to be installed behind existing connections.
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Document type: Report
Drought, Heat, and Pests Stress Border Agriculture
The document outlines the agricultural stresses caused by climate change, specifically focusing on the US-Mexico border region where drought, groundwater depletion, and extreme heat are threatening farming viability and worker health. It highlights the link between agricultural collapse and migration in Central America and suggests reporting angles on water cuts, pest increases, and adaptation strategies.
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Document type: Guide
OUTSOURCING IN K-12 EDUCATION
The report argues that outsourcing critical school functions to private equity-backed firms prioritizes short-term profit over student wellbeing and worker stability, leading to lower service quality, increased staff turnover, and risks to student data privacy.
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Document type: Report
border-wall-reconciliation-bill-opposition-letter-20250521-final-ae7548d29d5e9ed7.pdf
A coalition of organizations opposes a proposed $46.5 billion allocation for U.S. border wall construction, arguing that existing barriers have wasted billions of taxpayer dollars, harmed border communities, and destroyed biodiverse ecosystems. The letter highlights the lack of effectiveness of the wall, the violation of tribal and private land rights, and the systematic waiving of 83 federal laws to expedite construction. The signatories urge Congress to instead fund remediation of existing damage and rescind the REAL ID Act waivers.
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Document type: Statement
Private Equity Detention and Surveillance Tracker
The Private Equity Detention and Surveillance Tracker details the involvement of private equity firms in the US mass incarceration system, covering facility management, healthcare, food services, telecommunications, and surveillance tools. It highlights how profit motives lead to cost-cutting in critical services, high markups on basic necessities, and the deployment of controversial surveillance technologies.
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Document type: Report
incendios forestales y calidad del aire
The document outlines the cyclical relationship between climate change and wildfires, highlighting how rising temperatures and droughts increase fire frequency while the resulting emissions accelerate global warming. It focuses on the US-Mexico border region—specifically Southern California, Arizona, and Northern Baja California—where smoke stagnation and limited healthcare access disproportionately affect migrants, outdoor workers, and marginalized urban populations in cities like Tijuana, Nogales, and El Paso. The guide suggests journalistic angles for investigating cross-border firefighting coordination between agencies like CAL FIRE and CONAFOR, the health impacts of smoke on vulnerable groups, and the effectiveness of local air quality monitoring tools.
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Document type: Guide
Wildfires and Air Quality
The document outlines the global feedback loop between climate change and wildfires, while highlighting the specific vulnerabilities of border communities and migrants in the US-Mexico region. It provides a framework for reporting on transboundary air pollution, the health risks of smoke exposure for marginalized groups, and the role of cross-border fire management coordination.
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Document type: Guide
More Frequent Fire Weather
The analysis reveals a significant increase in fire weather days across much of the contiguous U.S., with the western U.S. experiencing far more frequent fire weather than the east. While the western U.S. has seen strong increases, particularly in the Southwest during spring and summer, parts of the eastern U.S. have also seen impactful increases, especially in the Southeast and Northeast. The study emphasizes that while human activity causes 87% of wildfires, fire weather primes the landscape for these fires to ignite and spread.
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Document type: Research paper
border-wall-funding-6eb3fd29483446e9.pdf
A coalition of environmental and community organizations urges the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security to reject a $46.5 billion proposal for border wall construction, arguing that existing barriers have wasted billions of dollars, harmed border communities, and destroyed critical ecosystems.
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Document type: Statement
Dengue, polvo y desesperación: el costo oculto para la salud
The document outlines how climate change increases the prevalence of climate-sensitive diseases and strains healthcare infrastructure, particularly in vulnerable border communities and among migrant populations.
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Document type: Guide
Dengue, Dust and Despair: The Hidden Toll on Health
The document outlines how climate change increases the prevalence of climate-sensitive diseases and strains health infrastructure, particularly in lower-income areas and along the U.S.-Mexico border. It highlights the risks faced by migrants and local populations, including heatstroke, Valley fever, and mosquito-borne illnesses, while suggesting specific reporting angles and expert resources.
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Document type: Guide
Electric Vehicle Charge Up
The U.S. public EV charging network grew more than six-fold between 2016 and 2025, reaching nearly 196,000 ports. While California leads in total numbers and northeastern states lead in density, significant coverage gaps remain in the southern, central, and plains regions. To support a projected 33 million EVs by 2030, the U.S. may need 1 million additional public chargers, including 170,000 DC fast chargers.
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Document type: Policy brief
Earthjustice Statement on the Passing of Rep. Grijalva
Earthjustice President Abigail Dillen describes Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva as a "giant in the environmental movement" who championed the right to clean air, water, and a healthy environment. The statement highlights his legislative contributions, specifically the Environmental Justice for All Act, and his local efforts to combat TCE pollution in South Tucson and protect lands surrounding the Grand Canyon.
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Document type: Statement
flash-act-letter-final-51513bbe1d30fc8a.pdf
The document is a formal letter from a coalition of organizations to the U.S. House Subcommittee on Federal Lands opposing H.R. 1820 (the FLASH Act). The authors argue that the bill's mandates for road construction and border barriers would cause severe environmental harm, including habitat destruction and increased fire risk, while claiming that several sections are unnecessary because existing laws and agreements already grant the requested authorities to border security agencies.
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Document type: Statement
The Rise of Batteries Plus Solar
Batteries are scaling up rapidly in the US, supporting record solar growth and reducing reliance on gas and coal. In 2024, California and Nevada became the first states to exceed a 30% annual solar share. California's battery capacity grew nearly twentyfold between 2020 and 2024, allowing batteries to become the largest electricity source during evening hours in April 2024. Texas also saw significant growth, installing 3.9 GW of utility-scale battery capacity in 2024. Nationally, the US added 36 GW of new solar capacity in 2024, with 10 GW of utility-scale batteries added, reflecting a trend toward co-located solar-plus-battery projects.
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Document type: Report
For the first time, wind and solar produced more electricity than coal nationwide
In 2024, wind and solar produced 17% of US electricity, overtaking coal for the first time as coal fell to 15%. This transition is evident in 24 states, driven by market dynamics, cost-effectiveness, and policy mandates like the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in Illinois.
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Document type: Report
Monthly Attribution Overview February 2025
In February 2025, U.S. temperature anomalies were split, with 92 cities warmer and 99 cooler than the 1991-2020 normal. Despite an average anomaly of -0.3°F and significant cold in the Northern Rockies and Plains, no city set a low temperature record for the month. Conversely, Phoenix, Arizona, recorded its hottest February on record. Analysis using the Climate Shift Index (CSI) indicates that temperatures in many cities remained warmer than they would have been without climate change, as more cities experienced days with positive than negative CSI values. Long-term trends show that 189 out of 191 analyzed stations have warmed since 1970, with Juneau, Alaska, being the fastest-warming station for February.
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Document type: Report
border-wall-funding-opposition-letter-20250212-7b9b28be34aba137.pdf
The document is a formal letter from a coalition of environmental and community organizations urging U.S. budget committees to oppose additional funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall. The authors argue that the approximately $18.74 billion already spent has resulted in an ineffective barrier that harms border communities, violates tribal rights, and destroys critical biodiversity. They specifically highlight the use of the REAL ID Act to waive 83 laws, bypassing environmental and civil rights protections. The coalition calls for the rescission of these waivers and the funding of remediation efforts for existing damage.
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Document type: Statement
GRID RELIABILITY IN THE CLEAN ENERGY TRANSITION
The report examines the technical and institutional challenges of maintaining grid reliability in the United States as fossil fuel plants retire and demand grows from data centers and electrification. It argues that reliability does not require traditional baseload power but can be achieved through a combination of wind, solar, battery storage, and demand-side flexibility. The authors highlight that while 80-90% clean electricity is achievable with current technology, reaching 100% may require 'clean firm' resources like enhanced geothermal or advanced nuclear. Key recommendations include reforming interconnection queues, expanding interregional transmission, and implementing performance-based incentives for utilities to prioritize demand-side solutions.
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Document type: Report
Los acuíferos transfronterizos Santa Cruz y San Pedro en Arizona y Sonora: estado actual y análisis de meta-datos
The text highlights the intense commercial and social dynamics of the Sonora-Arizona border region, noting that current economic and political events are jeopardizing the ongoing binational dialogue. It utilizes structural indicators and observations of social action in neighboring communities to critique cross-border public policies and calls for a permanent debate involving academics, politicians, public officials, businesspeople, and students.
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Document type: Research paper