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The report alleges that Blackstone, the largest landlord in the U.S., has exploited housing shortages to maximize returns. It highlights significant rent increases in San Diego, a shift toward increased evictions after 2022, and the use of investor capital to fight rent control initiatives in California. Additionally, the document examines Blackstone's use of RealPage's YieldStar software amid allegations of industry-wide price-fixing.

The report finds that Alberta can almost completely decarbonize its electricity generation within the next decade using wind, solar, and gas with carbon capture. While federal Clean Electricity Regulations are a point of political contention, modelling suggests they have little impact on the long-term supply mix compared to the massive projected growth in electricity demand driven by industrial electrification. The transition's success depends on scaling up transmission infrastructure and maintaining policy stability to attract private investment.

The report concludes that Alberta has the natural resources and capacity to decarbonize its electricity production almost completely within the next decade. It highlights a transition dominated by wind, solar, and natural gas with carbon capture and storage (CCS), while noting that the primary challenge is not land availability but the expansion of transmission infrastructure to meet a potentially doubling demand for electricity driven by industrial electrification.

The report argues that private equity firms are compromising the 'just transition' to a green economy by utilizing temporary staffing models that lower job quality, wages, and safety. It highlights specific cases, such as Blackstone-owned Tradesmen International and American Securities-owned Solv Energy, to illustrate a pattern of OSHA violations, wage theft, and unfair labor practices. The document concludes that implementing portfolio-wide labor standards and increasing unionization are essential to protect workers and mitigate investment risks.

The report argues that poor ballot design and inaccessible education materials lead to higher rates of uncounted votes, particularly among marginalized populations. It provides specific guidelines for election officials to reduce overvotes and undervotes through better layout, plain language, and accessibility features for voters with limited English proficiency and disabilities.

The US electric school bus (ESB) market is expanding rapidly, with 12,167 commitments across 1,514 districts as of June 2024. While upfront costs remain three to four times higher than diesel buses, federal programs like the EPA's Clean School Bus Program and the Inflation Reduction Act provide significant subsidies. The market now offers 26 models across Types A, C, and D, with nameplate ranges between 100 and 300 miles. The transition involves complex integration of high-voltage vehicle systems, charging hardware (Level 2 and Level 3 DCFC), and charge management software to optimize costs and grid impact. Emerging solutions like repowering existing diesel buses offer a lower-cost alternative, typically ranging from $110,000 to $180,000.

The briefing examines how battery energy storage systems (BESS) can replace fossil fuel generation to ensure grid reliability. It details three primary functions of batteries: balancing variable renewable energy supply and demand, providing stability services like frequency and voltage regulation, and enabling 'black start' capabilities to restore power after blackouts. The author contends that batteries often offer lower costs and faster response times than thermal plants. To maximize these benefits, the document recommends that utilities conduct analytical studies to identify specific reliability needs and utilize all-source procurement processes to ensure the most cost-competitive resources are selected.

Climate Central reports that 89% of 242 analyzed U.S. locations have seen an increase in annual 'warning days' (heat index 80°F to 94°F) since 1979, with the most significant rises in the Ohio Valley and Upper Midwest. Between 1992 and 2022, 986 U.S. workers died from heat exposure, and from 1980 to 2016, an average of 421 million work hours were lost annually, costing $14 billion. The document highlights a lack of comprehensive federal heat standards, noting that only five states have such protections, while some states like Florida and Texas prohibit local municipalities from enacting their own heat safety laws.

The document argues that reducing embodied carbon—which accounts for an estimated 11% of global emissions—is a necessary technology transition that must be completed by 2050. It presents a business case for developers, noting that embodied carbon often comprises a substantial part of Scope 3 emissions and that failure to adopt low-carbon practices could lead to stranded assets. The guide divides recommendations into building-level strategies (reducing material use, increasing utilization, switching to low-carbon materials, and designing for disassembly) and corporate-level strategies (institutionalizing practices, prioritizing retrofits, marketing successes, reporting Scope 3 emissions, and aggregating demand through buyer coalitions).

The report examines how the increasing frequency and severity of climate-driven disasters lead insurance companies to raise premiums or withdraw coverage, particularly in high-risk areas of the US. This process creates a 'domino effect' where the lack of affordable insurance makes homes unmortgageable, reduces property values, and increases homelessness. The authors highlight a cycle where insurers profit from these increases and reinvest in fossil fuels, further exacerbating the climate crisis. The document warns that widespread mortgage defaults and the devaluation of lender security could lead to a systemic financial crisis with global implications.

The briefing establishes that fossil fuels are responsible for approximately 70% of carbon dioxide emissions since the industrial revolution, with a small number of companies contributing a disproportionate share. It highlights the role of attribution science in linking specific extreme weather events to climate change and details the growing trend of using the 'polluter pays' principle in litigation and legislation to hold these companies financially accountable. The document further argues that to meet the 1.5C target, global fossil fuel production must decrease significantly by 2030, supported by a transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles.

As of June 2024, the U.S. has 12,164 committed electric school buses, with 67% funded by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program. Adoption is widespread across 49 states, with California leading in total numbers, while the Southeast has seen significant recent growth. The report finds that deployment is increasingly equitable, with a majority of buses now located in high-poverty districts and areas with high air pollution, though adult asthma rates show a more even distribution.

The Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) Hydrogen Hub is projected to create 220,000 direct jobs in California, including 130,000 in construction and 90,000 permanent positions. The initiative encompasses 35 major projects located across the Los Angeles Basin, Bay Area, Central Valley, and Inland Empire. The hub is supported by an extensive network of partners spanning government agencies, labor unions, academic institutions, and private sector companies across the energy, transportation, and technology industries.

Manitoba's transition to a net-zero economy requires expanding its electricity grid to accommodate significant load growth from the electrification of space heating, transportation, and industry. While the province currently generates 99% of its electricity from non-emitting sources, projections suggest installed capacity may need to double by mid-century. The report compares modelling from Manitoba Hydro and Navius Research, noting a divergence in the projected role of natural gas; Manitoba Hydro's aggressive electrification scenario relies heavily on gas for winter peak demand, whereas Navius suggests a greater role for intermittent renewables and storage. To ensure a cost-effective transition, the report recommends establishing a permanent electricity task force, creating a detailed energy roadmap, expanding the mandate of Efficiency Manitoba, and ensuring meaningful Indigenous participation and ownership in clean energy projects.

The research note advocates for "strong 45V rules" based on three pillars: incremental, deliverable, and hourly-matched clean electricity. The author contends that weakening these rules would allow dirty hydrogen production to qualify for subsidies, potentially increasing net CO2 emissions by 100-200 MMT per year and raising wholesale electricity prices by 10%. Conversely, strong rules are presented as a way to drive domestic manufacturing of flexible electrolyzers, align U.S. standards with the European Union, and ensure the long-term viability of the hydrogen industry beyond the tax credit's expiration.

The report finds that U.S. residential electricity rates have generally kept pace with economy-wide inflation since 2010, and that states with high clean energy growth often see rates rise slower than inflation. Instead, the report identifies natural gas price volatility, wildfire mitigation and liability costs, aging coal plant investments, and rising transmission and distribution costs as the primary drivers of rate spikes. It further argues that the regulated utility business model incentivizes capital-heavy investments over more cost-effective operational solutions, which compounds these costs for consumers.

The report argues that Blackstone, the largest landlord in the U.S., exploits the affordable housing shortage to maximize returns. In San Diego, Blackstone increased rents by 38% across 66 properties acquired in 2021, nearly double the market average. The document details Blackstone's use of RealPage's YieldStar software for rent setting, its financial contributions to defeat California rent control initiatives, and its shift toward resuming evictions after August 2022 to increase 'economic occupancy'.

The document highlights the risk of insufficient electricity generation during summer heat waves in North America, driven by projected peak load growth of 38 GW through 2028. It proposes Virtual Power Plants (VPPs)—aggregations of distributed energy resources (DERs)—as a key tool to enhance grid reliability and community resilience. VPPs are presented as more affordable than gas peakers or batteries and can be deployed in 6-12 months. The briefing outlines three essential policy principles: expanding the DER asset base, ensuring fair compensation, and enabling value stacking. Case studies from the US and Canada demonstrate VPPs' ability to provide peak capacity, reduce infrastructure costs, and offer backup power during extreme weather.

The report concludes that no single technology can achieve California's 2045 net-zero goal, requiring a diversified portfolio of electrification, carbon capture and storage (CCS), biofuels, hydrogen, and carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Key findings highlight a massive required grid expansion of 130–460 GW and the critical role of Direct Air Capture (DAC) to offset hard-to-abate emissions. The analysis suggests that while a 100% carbon-free grid is the current goal, a slightly lower constraint (e.g., 99%) could significantly reduce costs and overbuilding by allowing the use of clean dispatchable power like NGCCS.

The document details how integrating solar energy with agriculture (agrivoltaics) and ecosystem functions (ecovoltaics) can reduce water use, diversify farm income, and support biodiversity. It highlights specific benefits for disadvantaged communities and provides recommendations for financing, pilot projects, and permitting to encourage adoption over traditional solar installations.