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This briefing by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) outlines 17 federal energy policy goals designed to reduce U.S. oil use and greenhouse gas emissions by 50% each within 10 years. The strategy prioritizes reducing energy demand through efficiency in buildings, transport, and industry before substituting supply with renewables and a 'Smart Grid'. RMI estimates these goals could create over three million jobs by 2012.

This executive summary analyzes the economic threat of 'grid defection' in the U.S., where solar-plus-battery systems allow customers to bypass utilities. The report finds that grid parity is already occurring in Hawaii and is imminent in California and New York, potentially stranding utility assets and rendering the traditional kWh-based cost recovery model obsolete.

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes opportunities to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Canadian Class-8 truck fleet through the adoption of aerodynamic retrofits, low rolling-resistance tires, and auxiliary power units (APUs). It argues that government leadership, technical guidance, and financial incentives are necessary to overcome industry inertia and the fuel-efficiency losses caused by emissions regulations.

The 24/7 Carbon-Free Energy (CFE) Compact Guidebook outlines a global effort to decarbonize electricity systems through five key principles: hourly time-matching, local procurement, technology inclusivity, additionality of new generation, and maximizing system impact. It provides a roadmap for energy buyers, suppliers, and governments to transition from annual carbon-free claims to a more granular, hourly matching system using tools like Granular Certificates and smart metering.

The Stockholm Environment Institute has developed a tool based on the Water Evaluation And Planning (WEAP) system that allows water managers to model the impact of various management options on aquatic habitat and species viability. By analyzing daily hydraulic, substrate, and temperature conditions, the tool helps balance human water needs (urban, industrial, agricultural) with ecosystem health. It has been applied in California's Santa Clara Valley Water District and the South Fork Eel River to manage salmon habitats and evaluate the impact of policies, including cannabis cultivation and groundwater management laws.

This executive summary, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute for the Combat Climate Change (3C) initiative, examines how resource scarcity in biomass, metals, and water could hinder the transition to a low-carbon economy. It evaluates various scenarios for resource availability and proposes strategies—including technological innovation, policy shifts, and efficiency improvements—to ensure the viability of green technologies.

This policy brief, produced by the Stockholm Environment Institute in partnership with the 3C initiative, examines the water-energy nexus within the context of a low-carbon transition. It highlights that while low-carbon electricity technologies are essential for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, some may require as much or more water as fossil-fuel generation, potentially limiting their viability in water-stressed regions. The document provides a detailed case study of California to demonstrate how strategic technology choices—such as prioritizing solar photovoltaics over solar thermal and adopting dry-cooling systems—can simultaneously reduce emissions and water demand.

This report analyzes ten strategies to reduce energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California, Oregon, and Washington. It concludes that implementing these measures could reduce regional emissions by 200 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents (MMTCO2e) by 2020, representing a 26% reduction compared to a base case scenario. The analysis suggests these strategies could provide a net present value (NPV) of nearly $40 billion in direct economic savings between 2005 and 2020, primarily driven by energy efficiency and light-duty vehicle standards.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) has introduced the Water Beyond Boundaries (WBB) initiative to address gaps in Integrated Water Resource Management (IWRM). WBB seeks to create a new agenda for sustainable water planning by focusing on tele-connections beyond the watershed, early integration of ecosystem needs, and multi-scale participatory approaches to address social inequalities.

This fact sheet describes WEAP (Water Evaluation and Adaptation Planning), a software tool developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute for integrated water resources planning and policy analysis.

This fact sheet by the World Resources Institute explains the function, types, and regulatory status of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions registries, specifically focusing on the legal requirement for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish a national mandatory registry by mid-2008.

This briefing analyzes 23 subnational case studies from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and North America to provide recommendations for developing electric mobility (e-mobility) roadmaps in Vietnamese cities, specifically Da Nang, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City.

This guide by the World Resources Institute outlines five public-private financing mechanisms designed to overcome capital barriers for energy efficiency investments: on-bill financing, Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing, Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) models, loan guarantees, and loan loss reserve funds (LLRFs).

Dr. Jonathan Pershing of the World Resources Institute provided testimony to the US Senate Environment and Public Works Committee supporting the America’s Climate Security Act of 2007 (S. 2191). He argued that the bill's cap-and-trade system would provide a necessary price signal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at modest economic costs while positioning the United States to lead international climate action.

This report by the World Resources Institute examines how state-level climate policy innovation in the United States can influence federal regulation, a process termed "vertical diffusion." By analyzing thirteen cases of policy diffusion and specific initiatives like the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) and California vehicle emissions standards, the report identifies key drivers that encourage the federal government to adopt state-led climate policies.

A policy brief by the World Resources Institute arguing that the United States should shift its sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) strategy away from food and feed crops to avoid increasing food prices and environmental degradation, focusing instead on waste biomass, captured carbon, and clean hydrogen.

This briefing paper by the World Resources Institute analyzes the state of climate finance, carbon pricing, and data disclosure in the United States and China. It details the U.S. reliance on subnational carbon markets and the SEC's evolving disclosure rules, alongside China's implementation of the world's largest emissions trading scheme (ETS) and its 'South-South' finance mechanism. The document concludes by suggesting areas for bilateral cooperation, specifically in sustainable procurement, data standards, and subnational carbon market exchanges.

This briefing by the World Resources Institute provides a detailed status report on the climate policies, energy trends, and international cooperation of China and the United States as of early 2024. It outlines China's progress toward its 2030 and 2060 goals, the United States' implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the diplomatic efforts to maintain bilateral climate cooperation despite broader geopolitical tensions.

This briefing paper provides a detailed status update as of April 10, 2024, on the climate policies, energy trends, and bilateral engagement between China and the United States. It outlines China's progress toward its 2030 and 2060 carbon goals, the U.S. implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the diplomatic efforts to maintain climate cooperation despite broader geopolitical tensions.

This report by the World Resources Institute provides a comprehensive guide for U.S. businesses on the deployment and financing of on-site renewable energy systems, including solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind, and geothermal heat pumps. It details the economic and financial benefits, various ownership and financing models, and the associated risks and objectives for corporate energy management.