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Gas Pressure: Exploring the case for gas-fired power in South Africa
The report argues that South Africa does not need new gas-fired power generation until at least 2035, if ever, due to the falling costs of renewables and battery storage. It warns that current government momentum toward gas-to-power, including the RMI4P program and proposed LNG terminals, risks creating stranded assets and increasing electricity costs for consumers. The authors recommend a moratorium on gas-to-power development, focusing instead on rapid renewable deployment and energy efficiency.
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Document type: Report
Technical Assistance for Accessing SRF Funding Provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021
A coalition of organizations recommends that the EPA implement a comprehensive technical assistance (TA) strategy to help small, rural, and environmental justice communities overcome financial and capacity barriers when applying for SRF funding. The letter argues that without proactive TA—including one-on-one support, planning grants, and pre-development loans—funding will continue to be inequitably distributed toward wealthier applicants. Key recommendations include utilizing the $1 billion IIJA set-aside for outreach, training utilities in community engagement, and supporting green infrastructure projects to enhance climate resilience.
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Document type: Statement
Agua local se globaliza: narrativas agua
The briefing examines the limitations of current water management frameworks, such as Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) and the water-energy-food nexus, in addressing water teleconnections. Using case studies from Colombia and Southeast Asia, it demonstrates how agricultural exports (coffee and rice) transfer 'virtual water' across borders, creating dependencies that are not captured by traditional basin-level planning. The author contends that a multi-scale approach is necessary to integrate local challenges with regional and global economic connections.
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Document type: Briefing
Testimony Before the United States Senate Committee on Energy & Natural Resources FULL COMMITTEE HEARING ON CLEAN HYDROGEN
The testimony asserts that while electrification is critical, approximately 60% of U.S. energy-related CO2 emissions come from sectors like heavy industry and long-haul transport that are difficult to electrify. Hydrogen is presented as a versatile, carbon-free energy carrier capable of addressing these gaps. The author highlights specific opportunities in long-haul trucking, aviation, marine shipping, and ironmaking, while noting that the U.S. may require between 8 and 18 quads of hydrogen per year by 2050 for full decarbonization. To achieve this, the document advocates for federal R&D, the development of Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, and the implementation of production tax incentives to reduce costs through scaling.
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Document type: Statement
BRIEF OF AMICI CURIAE CLIMATE HEALTH NOW; SAN FRANCISCO BAY PHYSICIANS FOR SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SUPPORT OF DEFENDANT-APPELLEE CITY OF BERKELEY AND AFFIRMANCE
The brief asserts that gas appliances release harmful pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fine particulate matter (PM2.5), and carbon monoxide (CO), which lead to respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. It highlights that indoor pollution levels can be significantly higher than outdoor levels and that vulnerable populations, particularly children and communities of color, are disproportionately affected. Furthermore, it argues that gas appliances contribute to outdoor air pollution and climate change through the emission of criteria pollutants and methane, with methane leaks from stoves and water heaters potentially reaching 110 Gg per year. The document concludes that building electrification is a critical public health intervention that can provide substantial monetized health benefits, estimated at $3.5 billion annually for California.
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Document type: Legal commentary
pai-partners-un-pri-letter-2-2320b03b1a62d4f5.pdf
The Private Equity Stakeholder Project and the UE union argue that PAI Partners' commitment to ESG is contradicted by Refresco's labor abuses, safety violations, and environmental non-compliance.
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Document type: Statement
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation at U.S. Ports
The document examines the dual role of U.S. ports as both victims of climate change (facing sea level rise and extreme storms) and contributors to it through significant greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions. It details mitigation strategies such as electrification of machinery, shore powering for berthed ships, and the adoption of renewable energy. It also discusses adaptation measures, contrasting 'gray infrastructure' like seawalls with nature-based solutions such as mangrove restoration and living shorelines. The brief highlights specific initiatives at ports in Los Angeles, Long Beach, Savannah, Miami, and others, while noting the role of EPA programs and international certifications in driving sustainability.
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Document type: Briefing
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation at U.S. Ports
The document examines the dual role of U.S. ports as both significant emitters of greenhouse gases and vulnerable infrastructure facing climate threats like sea level rise. It details mitigation strategies, including electrification of machinery and shore powering for ships, and adaptation methods, such as nature-based shoreline protection and improved stormwater management. The brief highlights specific initiatives at ports in California, Georgia, and Florida, while noting the importance of federal resources like the EPA Ports Initiative in supporting these transitions.
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Document type: Policy brief
PRIVATE EQUITY’S DIRTY DOZEN
The report profiles 12 private equity firms—including Blackstone, Carlyle, and KKR—detailing their substantial portfolios of oil, gas, and coal assets. It argues that these firms fuel the climate crisis and environmental injustice while their executives accumulate immense wealth and social prestige. The document provides specific examples of environmental violations, such as oil spills and methane leaks, and highlights the firms' tendency to avoid global climate pledges like those made at COP26.
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Document type: Report
How to Help Your Community Fund Electric School Buses in the US
The document outlines the financial landscape for electric school bus (ESB) adoption in the US, noting that while ESBs can cost up to three times more than diesel buses upfront, they offer significant lifetime operational savings. It details various funding mechanisms—including grants, rebates, vouchers, and loans—and identifies specific funding sources from the federal government (such as the IIJA), state programs (like California's HVIP), and local utilities or air quality districts. The guide also emphasizes the role of financing and 'stacking' multiple funding streams to make electrification viable for school districts.
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Document type: Guide
Stronger carbon pricing is the way to net zero
The authors propose a two-pronged approach to reach net-zero electricity in Canada by 2035: removing the output-based pricing system (OBPS) for electricity to increase emission incentives while rebating revenues to consumers, and implementing a performance-standard regulation to limit emission intensity of new and existing facilities.
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Document type: Research paper
Misons sur l’avantage électrique du Canada
The Canadian Climate Institute proposes a two-pronged strategy to reach carbon neutrality in the electricity sector by 2035. First, it recommends enhancing carbon pricing by eliminating the Output-Based Pricing System (OBPS) for electricity and using financial instruments like the Canada Infrastructure Bank to reduce investment uncertainty. Second, it suggests a clean electricity standard that sets emission intensity ceilings for new plants and mandates full carbon neutrality for all plants by 2035, allowing for flexibility through carbon offsets to ensure grid reliability.
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Document type: Policy brief
Drawdown’s Health and Education Solution
The document presents Project Drawdown's 'Health and Education' solution, which advocates for universal education for girls and boys and voluntary family planning for women and couples. It argues that these interventions reduce greenhouse gas emissions by slowing population growth and improving individual decision-making agency. The brief estimates that adopting this solution could avoid roughly 70 gigatons of CO2-equivalent by 2050, with significant impacts in both low- and high-income countries. It calls for the integration of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and education into national climate strategies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
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Document type: Policy brief
Finding the Way to Zero
The report outlines a consensus among approximately 30 Canadian civil society organizations to prioritize absolute emissions reductions over carbon removals and offsets. Key recommendations include establishing a firm fossil fuel phase-out date, ending subsidies for nuclear and carbon capture technologies, and integrating Indigenous reconciliation and just transition principles into climate policy. The document highlights a tension between incremental government targets and the systemic change required to align with a 1.5°C warming limit.
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Document type: Report
Vers l’objectif de carboneutralité
The report details a series of virtual workshops held in 2021 involving approximately 30 civil society organizations to discuss Canada's net-zero goals. The findings highlight a strong consensus on the need for absolute emission reductions, the phase-out of fossil fuels, and the prioritization of 'safe bets' like clean electricity and energy efficiency over uncertain technologies. Key areas of concern include the role of carbon capture and storage (CCS), the use of carbon offsets, and the necessity of integrating climate justice and Indigenous reconciliation into national strategies. The document concludes with a set of proposed 'guardrails' and policy demands to guide Canada's transition to carbon neutrality.
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Document type: Report
Considering decentralized water infrastructure and land use change in hydrologic analysis
The report examines how agricultural expansion and the proliferation of decentralized water storage, such as 'atajados' (artificial ponds), are altering the hydrologic balance in Bolivia's Chiquitano dry forest. Using remote sensing and field verification, researchers identified significant volumes of unmapped surface water storage and increasing groundwater extraction, which may reduce baseflows and threaten downstream ecosystems. The document argues that current hydrologic models lack this decentralized data and recommends improved regulation and monitoring of water use to support long-term planning.
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Document type: Fact sheet
What the Advanced Clean Truck Rule Will Do for Connecticut
The document argues that adopting California's ACT and HDO rules would significantly reduce toxic air pollutants and carbon emissions from medium- and heavy-duty vehicles in Connecticut, leading to substantial health savings and economic benefits by 2050.
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Document type: Fact sheet
SOWING A PLASTIC PLANET
The report exposes the agricultural sector as a major user of intentionally added microplastics through plastic-coated agrochemicals. It argues that these products directly pollute soils and food chains, acting as vectors for toxins while potentially increasing the toxicity of the active ingredients. The document challenges industry claims of 'climate-smart' efficiency and calls for a comprehensive global ban on primary microplastics in agriculture.
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Document type: Report
State of Global Environmental Governance 2022
The report provides an overview of global environmental governance in 2022, noting a return to face-to-face multilateralism after the pandemic. Key achievements include the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the launch of plastics treaty negotiations, and the agreement to establish a loss and damage fund for vulnerable countries. It also examines the integration of human rights into environmental policy and the impact of the war in Ukraine on environmental governance.
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Document type: Report
État de la Gouvernance environnementale mondiale 2022
The 2022 state of global environmental governance was marked by a post-pandemic return to in-person multilateralism, resulting in significant milestones such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the agreement to establish a loss and damage fund for vulnerable countries. The report notes the rise of 'nature-based solutions' across various treaties and the formal recognition of the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment by the UN General Assembly. However, geopolitical tensions, specifically the war in Ukraine, and ongoing financial gaps continue to challenge the implementation of these global goals.
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Document type: Report