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The document describes the U.S. plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) landscape in 2014, distinguishing between all-electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). It highlights that while PEVs represent less than 1% of new vehicle sales, they are the fastest-growing segment, with sales increasing 85% from 2012 to 2013. The text details specific models like the Nissan LEAF and Tesla Model S, discusses the necessity of expanding public charging infrastructure, and notes a downward trend in battery costs. Additionally, it outlines federal tax credits and various state-level incentives designed to encourage PEV adoption.

The report argues that sugar interests employ strategies similar to those of the tobacco industry to deceive the public and policymakers about the health risks of added sugar. It details tactics such as attacking scientific research, spreading misinformation through front groups, and using political contributions and lobbying to prevent the implementation of strict nutrition standards and sugar taxes. The document highlights the gap between actual American sugar consumption and recommended limits, while providing examples of local and international efforts to implement science-informed nutrition policies.

The document highlights how human-induced climate change is damaging U.S. cultural heritage, including prehistoric shell mounds in Florida, the historic districts of St. Augustine, and multiple NASA research and launch facilities. It emphasizes that sea-level rise and extreme weather are already causing structural damage and operational disruptions, calling for urgent national resources for adaptation and mitigation.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) submitted comments to the California Air Resources Board (ARB) arguing against reducing indirect land use change (ILUC) emissions estimates for biofuels. CATF contends that the GTAP model used by ARB undercounts emissions by ignoring water scarcity constraints, failing to distinguish between commercial and non-commercial forests, and using flawed yield improvement assumptions. Specifically, CATF cites research showing that accounting for irrigation constraints can increase land-based emissions by 27.5%. The document also highlights that climate-driven drought in the US Midwest may decelerate corn yields and that the current framework ignores nitrous oxide emissions from increased fertilizer use required to sustain yield growth.

Earthjustice sued the EPA for delaying standards to reduce toxic emissions from oil refineries, leading to a 2015 rule that introduced national fenceline monitoring for benzene and tighter controls on flaring and storage tanks. While the rule is estimated to reduce cancer risks for over one million Americans, Earthjustice and its partners argue the EPA underestimated community harm and failed to require real-time monitoring or prohibit routine flaring.

The 'Water for Our Future' event, hosted by the World Water Council, WWF, and The Coca-Cola Company, focused on three themes: Green Growth, Water Stewardship and Industry; Water for Food; and Enough Safe Water for All. The forum emphasized the necessity of 'multisector partnerships' and a shift from short-term water projects to long-term water services. Key discussions highlighted the undervaluation of water in the US, the critical role of farmers in water stewardship, and the need for inclusive planning that incorporates local communities and women. The report also presents case studies on the 'golden triangle' partnership in the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo basin and a public-private partnership for wastewater treatment in Jordan.

Earthjustice and a coalition of nonprofit organizations petition the EPA to regulate oil and gas wells as area sources, arguing that the rapid expansion of drilling—particularly via hydraulic fracturing—in metropolitan areas poses a non-negligible risk to public health. The document details the emission of toxic air pollutants such as benzene and formaldehyde, highlights the vulnerability of children and overburdened communities, and identifies significant regulatory gaps in existing EPA rules. It concludes that available technologies, such as green completions and vapor recovery units, can substantially reduce these emissions.

Friends of the Earth condemns President Obama's endorsement of Walmart's sustainability efforts, citing the company's low actual renewable energy usage, failure to meet emissions targets, and a significant criminal fine for toxic pesticide dumping.

CIEL argues that TTIP would allow the chemical industry to weaken safety regulations and limit access to critical health and safety data. The statement highlights the divergence between the U.S. risk-based approach and the EU's hazard-based REACH system, asserting that regulatory harmonization would likely result in lower standards. CIEL also warns that Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) mechanisms would enable corporations to bypass domestic courts and challenge public interest laws, creating a 'regulatory chilling effect'.

The document argues that subnational governments are essential for implementing sustainable development policies because they are closest to citizens' needs and can foster grassroots innovation. It emphasizes the need for 'vertical coordination'—the linking of local, subnational, national, and supranational levels—to ensure policy coherence. Using empirical research, the author identifies good practice examples in Europe (such as Tyrol, Austria) and other regions (such as Bhutan), while noting that many regions lack systematic links to national strategies due to political independence or administrative bottlenecks. The briefing recommends a 'metagovernance' approach that mixes hierarchical, market, and network styles to better integrate sustainable development across all levels of government.

The 2014 Automaker Rankings by the Union of Concerned Scientists evaluates the environmental performance of the eight best-selling automakers in the U.S. for model year 2013. For the first time since the series began in 2000, all eight analyzed companies reduced their average global warming emissions compared to 1998 levels. Hyundai-Kia is ranked as the 'Greenest Automaker,' unseating Honda, due to fleet-wide improvements in fuel efficiency through engine downsizing and turbocharging. Conversely, Chrysler is identified as the worst performer, earning the 'dirtiest tailpipe' distinction. The report attributes overall industry progress to more stringent federal fuel economy and tailpipe emissions standards, noting an 87 percent drop in smog-forming tailpipe emissions from the U.S. fleet since 1998.

The report highlights the vulnerability of iconic U.S. landmarks to climate-driven events. It details how sea level rise and storm surges threaten coastal sites like the Statue of Liberty and Jamestown, while increased heat and drought drive destructive wildfires in the West, affecting sites like Mesa Verde. The authors argue that climate resilience must become a national priority, requiring both resource allocation for site protection and a reduction in carbon emissions to mitigate future risks.

The report examines the vulnerability of iconic U.S. landmarks to climate change, highlighting risks such as sea level rise in coastal cities and increased wildfire activity in the Southwest. It argues for urgent national priority in climate resilience and carbon emission reduction to protect cultural heritage.

The document proposes a carbon offset mechanism to allow South African firms to reduce their carbon tax liability by up to 10% of actual emissions. It establishes that only South African-based credits from projects outside the carbon tax net are eligible to avoid double counting. The paper identifies a potential national demand for offsets of up to 30 million tonnes of CO2e per annum, with a projected supply exceeding 50 million tonnes, largely driven by land-use, forestry, and renewable energy projects. It suggests an initial reliance on international standards (CDM, VCS, GS, CCBS) while proposing the medium-term development of a domestic standard managed by the Designated National Authority (DNA), supported by an independent expert committee, a national registry, and accredited third-party verifiers.

The U.S. electricity grid is increasingly vulnerable to extreme weather events, with the average annual cost of severe weather rising from $20 billion in the 1980s to $85 billion in the 2010s. Aging infrastructure, graded D+ by the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2013, is susceptible to sea level rise, wildfires, droughts, and heat waves. The report highlights that thermal power plants are particularly at risk due to their heavy reliance on water for cooling, which can lead to production cutbacks or shutdowns when water is too warm or scarce. To improve resilience, the document recommends 'hardening' measures, such as sea walls and burying power lines, alongside the adoption of distributed renewable energy and energy efficiency to reduce overall demand and carbon emissions.

Earthjustice is challenging the U.S. EPA for failing to complete rulemaking that would require pesticide manufacturers to disclose 'inert' ingredients. Under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), only 'active' ingredients must be listed, despite inert ingredients often comprising 50 to 99 percent of formulations and potentially being hazardous or toxic. Following petitions in 2006 and a 2009 lawsuit, the EPA issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking in 2010 to consider requiring the listing of either all hazardous ingredients or all ingredients.

The report argues that the ACC-CEFIC proposal for chemical regulatory cooperation under TTIP is designed to benefit the chemical industry by slowing the regulation of toxic substances, bypassing democratic processes, and prioritizing trade over public health and environmental protection. It specifically warns that the proposal could freeze progress on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), undermine the EU's 'no data, no market' principle under REACH, and restrict the public's right to know through expanded confidential business information (CBI) protections.

The report argues that the ACC-CEFIC proposal for regulatory cooperation under TTIP is designed to benefit the chemical industry by slowing the regulation of toxic substances, undermining democratic processes, and prioritizing trade over public health and environmental safety.

Margaret Bowman of the Walton Family Foundation outlines a vision for water resilience in the Colorado River basin to address a projected gap of 3.2 million acre feet between water supply and demand by 2060. The proposed strategy relies on three primary pillars: upgrading agricultural irrigation to save an estimated one million acre feet, implementing urban water efficiency programs to save another one million acre feet, and utilizing wastewater and stormwater recycling to gain 1.2 million acre feet. Bowman advocates for market-based water banking and targeted augmentation over large-scale water import schemes. She emphasizes the interdependence of urban and agricultural sectors and highlights the 2012 international agreement between the United States and Mexico as a model for cooperation, citing a recent pulse flow experiment in the Colorado River delta as an example of ecological and social co-benefits.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) evaluates the NRC's 2013 performance, noting a decrease in the number and severity of 'near-misses' but highlighting critical inconsistencies in enforcement. While the NRC successfully managed the restart of the Fort Calhoun plant and identified gaps in aging component oversight, it is criticized for allowing the Diablo Canyon and Oconee plants to operate despite known seismic and fire safety risks, and for improperly withholding information regarding the Jocassee Dam's potential to cause a total meltdown at Oconee.