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The report finds that if all 177 States adopting California's standards implement the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule, U.S. emissions could be reduced by 1,310 million metric tons of CO2e by 2050. This adoption would lead to three-quarters of U.S. cars being electric vehicles (EVs) by 2050, creating nearly 300,000 jobs and saving households an average of $238 annually. The analysis emphasizes that while the IRA provides near-term incentives, the ACC II mandate is necessary for long-term electrification goals. Case studies for Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York highlight significant state-level benefits, including substantial reductions in asthma attacks and premature deaths, particularly in communities of color.

The report finds that The Carlyle Group invested in 91 energy companies owning 972 assets between 2011 and 2021, with 90% of these being fossil fuel investments. These assets emitted an estimated 277 million metric tons of CO2e, with emissions growing at an average annual rate of 95%. The analysis highlights a significant disparity between Carlyle's fossil fuel investments ($22.4 billion) and its renewable energy commitments ($1.4 billion). Furthermore, the report documents that 84% of Carlyle's downstream US assets are located in areas with higher concentrations of low-income residents or people of color than state averages, and 47% of these plants have a record of environmental violations.

The document examines the concept of 'metal companionship,' where critical metals are often produced as co-products or by-products of major 'host' metals rather than as primary targets. This dependency creates significant supply inelasticity, price volatility, and risks of material loss in tailings. The author argues that understanding these associations can help identify new sources of metals, such as reprocessing mine waste, and inform national development strategies for producer countries.

The report finds that The Carlyle Group invested in 91 energy companies owning 972 assets from 2011 to 2021, with 90 percent of both companies and assets being fossil fuel investments. These investments emitted an estimated 277 million metric tons of CO2e, with a compound annual growth rate of 95 percent. The analysis highlights a significant disparity between Carlyle's fossil fuel capacity (peaking at nearly 10,000 MW in 2021) and its renewable capacity (just over 1,300 MW). Furthermore, the report documents that 84 percent of Carlyle's current US downstream fossil fuel assets are located in areas with higher percentages of low-income residents and/or residents of color than state averages, and 47 percent of these plants have a record of environmental violations.

A case study detailing the successful opposition to proposed gas plants in Astoria, Brooklyn, and the Hudson Valley. By utilizing New York's climate law, the PEAK coalition and Earthjustice blocked these projects, leading to the transition of the Astoria site to an offshore wind connection and the development of energy storage in Brooklyn.

The document examines the paradoxical future of the western United States, where warming temperatures are projected to cause both more severe droughts and a higher likelihood of catastrophic megafloods. It highlights that while the total number of atmospheric rivers may decrease, those that do occur will be more intense due to the atmosphere's increased capacity to hold water vapor. Furthermore, warming is shifting precipitation from snow to rain, leading to declining snowpack volumes in the Northern Hemisphere and the American Cordillera, which complicates water management and increases flood risks.

Atmospheric rivers are corridors of moisture that provide essential water resources to the western U.S. but also cause severe flooding and landslides. Climate change is increasing the intensity and moisture content of these storms, which is projected to raise annual flood damages in the western U.S. to between $2.3 and $3.2 billion by 2090. While a series of atmospheric rivers in early 2023 significantly reduced drought coverage in California, the trend toward warmer storms is reducing snowpack and increasing the risk of compounding climate hazards.

Embodied carbon, which accounts for 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, refers to the emissions released during the lifecycle of building materials. Reduction strategies include using carbon-storing materials like mass timber, adopting 3D printing and robotic automation, and implementing material efficiency through modular construction. In the US, the Inflation Reduction Act provides nearly $10 billion for reducing embodied carbon, while several states have adopted 'Buy Clean' laws. RMI research indicates that low-cost embodied carbon solutions can reduce emissions by 19 to 46 percent with cost premiums under 1 percent.

The document argues that current British Columbia regulations are insufficient to meet 2025 methane reduction targets, as emissions are often underestimated and compliance is low. It recommends implementing more stringent standards by 2025, including the elimination of routine venting and flaring, lower tank emission limits, and monthly instrument-based leak detection and repair (LDAR). The coalition also urges the province to accelerate its target for near-zero methane emissions from 2035 to 2030, aligning with the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI). Specific technical recommendations cover the adoption of zero-bleed pneumatic equipment, tighter standards for reciprocating and centrifugal compressors, and the implementation of a 'super emitter' response program based on third-party remote monitoring.

The World Resources Institute analyzes CEJST 1.0, finding that while it identifies more disadvantaged populations than the beta version, it lacks a mechanism to prioritize communities facing multiple overlapping burdens. The analysis reveals that non-white populations are disproportionately exposed to higher cumulative burdens, yet the tool treats all disadvantaged communities as equal for funding purposes. The authors recommend incorporating cumulative burden metrics, adjusting low-income eligibility for severely burdened areas, and establishing a rigorous monitoring framework for the Justice40 Initiative.

Carbon Market Watch (CMW) urges the Article 6.4 Supervisory Body to avoid shortcuts in developing recommendations for removal activities, emphasizing that temporary carbon storage should not be equated with permanent emission reductions. CMW argues that current forestry and land-use credits lack permanence, and that buffer pools are insufficient to manage reversal risks. The organization specifically opposes the inclusion of tonne-year accounting, claiming it creates a false equivalence between temporary storage and permanent removals, and criticizes the proposed definition of removals for including 'products' and 'processes' rather than focusing solely on outcomes.

The document advocates for reforming the Competition Act to address greenwashing, which it describes as a market distortion that prevents consumers from making informed choices and hinders firms investing in environmental quality. The authors propose several amendments, including updating the Act's purpose clause to include environmental and climate considerations, establishing clear substantiation standards for environmental claims, and requiring public disclosure of the data used to support such claims. They also suggest introducing enhanced penalties for environmental harm, expanding private rights of action for consumers, and allocating penalties to the Environmental Damages Fund. The statement highlights that while other jurisdictions like the EU, France, and California have implemented mandatory disclosures or bans on generic claims, Canada lacks dedicated statutes for regulating environmental claims to the general public.

The analysis concludes that for long-haul heavy-duty trucking, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs) outperform battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in terms of refueling stops, total dwell time, and cargo capacity. While BEVs offer higher energy efficiency, their heavy batteries significantly reduce payload and require a more extensive and larger infrastructure buildout. Infrastructure modeling indicates that a full transition to BEVs would require stations approximately 10 times the size of current diesel stations, whereas FCEV stations, while still larger than diesel, are more comparable, especially if updated safety regulations are adopted. The report suggests that while BEVs will be important for the broader transition, FCEVs are the most efficient strategy for the specific challenges of long-haul heavy-duty transport.

This fact sheet details the involvement of private equity firms in the incarceration industry, listing specific companies providing commissary, communications, healthcare, and construction services to millions of incarcerated people across the U.S. and internationally.

The report details how Blackstone, the largest landlord in the U.S., has aggressively expanded its housing portfolio by adding over 200,000 units in two years. It highlights a shift from a voluntary eviction moratorium to a wave of eviction filings in late 2022, often for minimal rent arrears. The document argues that Blackstone leverages legal loopholes in California to charge new tenants significantly higher rents than previous residents and has spent millions of dollars to defeat rent control measures. It also notes that a majority of Blackstone's properties are located in neighborhoods with high populations of people of color.

The document evaluates the transition to a western RTO, arguing it could streamline clean energy deployment, improve grid reliability, and reduce costs, while warning of risks regarding California's Renewables Portfolio Standard, gas plant retirements, and governance shifts.

The document argues that adopting the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) and Heavy-Duty Omnibus (HDO) rules in Rhode Island would significantly reduce toxic air pollutants and carbon emissions from medium- and heavy-duty (M/HD) vehicles. By 2050, these policies are projected to reduce NOx emissions from M/HD vehicles by over 80% and PM2.5 by over 20%, leading to approximately $150 million in health care savings and over 6,000 avoided minor respiratory illnesses. Economically, the transition is expected to provide commercial fleets with over $15 million in annual savings by 2050 and eliminate over 2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide cumulatively through 2050.

The report examines the lifecycle of the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) refinery, from its 2012 formation via private equity and public subsidies to its 2019 explosion and subsequent closure. It highlights how a reliance on discounted Bakken crude, high regulatory costs, and private equity management contributed to financial instability. The author argues that the lack of proactive city planning and community capacity left Philadelphia unprepared for the refinery's demise, resulting in a bankruptcy auction that determined the land's fate with minimal public input. Key lessons include the need for technical resources for community oversight, the importance of honest engagement with labor unions for worker transitions, and the increased operational risks associated with financially distressed refineries.

An analysis of 215 U.S. locations reveals that 84% have experienced a long-term decrease in winter chill since 1980. This trend threatens the $27 billion U.S. non-citrus fruit and nut industry, as many temperate trees require sustained cold temperatures to ensure proper flowering, pollination, and fruit yield. The study highlights significant chill decreases in key producing regions, particularly in California, Washington, and the Southeast, affecting high-value crops such as grapes, almonds, and strawberries.

The document provides a comprehensive set of definitions for geothermal energy stakeholders, categorizing terms into internal heat, rock and fluid parameters, system types, locations, operations, and project finance. It emphasizes superhot rock (SHR) geothermal, which involves resources at or above 374°C, and distinguishes between conventional hydrothermal systems and unconventional methods like Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) and closed-loop circuits. The glossary also outlines the technology readiness level (TRL) scale and the projected economic competitiveness of SHR at the Nth-of-a-kind scale.