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The document argues that climate, water, and energy are intricately linked, requiring integrated modeling tools to understand cross-sectoral tradeoffs. To address this, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) linked its WEAP and LEAP systems. A California case study shows that meeting 5% of Southern California's urban water demand via desalination by 2049 could reduce water imports by 300 million cubic meters per year in normal years, but would increase the water sector's electricity use by approximately 3 TWh and GHG emissions by 1.4 million tonnes of CO2e per year.

The study uses the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) system to model how climate change and rising temperatures increase agricultural water demand, thereby reducing water supply reliability. It concludes that addressing these impacts requires fundamental changes to the operation of the water management system.

The GSA Net Zero Renovation Challenge aims to move beyond shallow retrofits by leveraging ESPCs to achieve deep energy savings (over 50%) and net zero energy in a portfolio of 30-35 federal buildings. A workshop convened by RMI and GSA identified key barriers to this goal, including long procurement timelines, high financing costs, and a lack of integrative design. Proposed solutions include streamlining the ESCO selection process from 18 months to approximately 8 months, blending appropriated funds with ESPC financing, and adopting a 'right steps in the right order' approach that prioritizes load reduction before selecting HVAC and renewable systems. The challenge evaluates projects based on absolute energy savings, technical and financial creativity, and progress toward EISA 2007 goals.

A coalition of environmental organizations argues that the EPA's proposed rules for the oil and gas industry are insufficient. They demand the direct regulation of methane, the inclusion of existing sources, the elimination of exemptions for certain wells, and the regulation of hydrogen sulfide and particulate matter. The coalition also calls for more stringent toxic air pollutant limits and a more comprehensive health risk assessment for vulnerable populations.

The document examines how unilateral carbon pricing creates production cost variations that may lead to 'carbon leakage'—the relocation of production to regions with less stringent environmental standards. It analyzes policy mechanisms to mitigate these risks, such as free allowances and Border Carbon Adjustments (BCAs), while highlighting the industry's strategic role in providing essential materials for low-carbon infrastructure. The brief argues that because the mining and metals sector is emissions-intensive and trade-exposed, policy design must account for specific commodity characteristics and long investment cycles to avoid jeopardizing economic viability and environmental integrity.

The report examines the role of hydropower in Latin America and the Caribbean's transition to low-carbon development. While the region relies heavily on hydropower—supplying 46% of its electricity—climate change poses risks through glacier retreat and precipitation variability. The authors advocate for integrated planning using the WEAP and LEAP tools to manage the water-energy nexus and navigate tradeoffs between hydropower, biofuels, and other water demands.

The report finds that U.S. thermoelectric power plants withdrew between 60 billion and 170 billion gallons of freshwater daily in 2008, with coal plants accounting for the majority of this use. It identifies significant regional disparities in water intensity, noting that plants in the East generally withdraw more water due to a higher prevalence of once-through cooling. The analysis reveals that power plants contributed to water-supply stress in 20% of the 400 stressed watersheds identified. Furthermore, the report highlights critical gaps and inaccuracies in U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data, including the total absence of reporting from the nuclear fleet. It argues that climate change and population growth will exacerbate these stresses, urging a shift toward low-water cooling technologies and low-carbon energy sources to ensure grid reliability and ecosystem health.

The report finds that U.S. power plants withdraw massive volumes of freshwater, with coal and nuclear plants being the most water-intensive. This demand contributes to water-supply stress in hundreds of watersheds and is exacerbated by droughts and heat waves. The authors highlight significant gaps and inaccuracies in EIA reporting and advocate for 'water-smart' energy choices, such as dry cooling and low-water renewables, to ensure energy reliability and water security.

The report analyzes six case studies—onshore wind in the U.S. and Spain, solar PV in the U.S. and Italy, a solar power tower in the U.S., and offshore wind in Denmark—to determine how policy impacts the cost of finance. It identifies seven policy impact pathways, finding that the duration of revenue support and revenue certainty are the most critical factors in reducing financing costs. The analysis shows that while most projects' costs and returns align with benchmarks, the Italian PV case experienced inflated costs and returns due to a rush to qualify for a Feed-in-Premium. The report concludes that policies reducing risk and providing revenue certainty are essential for attracting institutional investors and scaling innovative technologies.

The report examines the technical and operational challenges of implementing nodal pricing in Europe, contrasting the European model of separated energy and transmission markets with the US Independent System Operator (ISO) model. It highlights conflicts between market flexibility and transmission system operator (TSO) security needs, the potential for integrated energy and reserve markets to increase flexibility, and the technical uncertainties surrounding the EU Target Model's flow-based approach to congestion management.

The briefing proposes that the US congressional super committee avoid austerity cuts to social services and environmental enforcement by targeting "environmentally harmful spending" and generating revenue through a carbon tax and other levies. It highlights the "Green Scissors 2011" report, which identifies up to $380 billion in potential savings over five years from subsidies to the oil, gas, coal, nuclear, and biofuels industries. Additionally, the authors suggest a carbon tax could generate significant revenue, citing a proposal that could have yielded $600 billion over 10 years, alongside potential taxes on sulfur dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions and a currency transaction levy.

The study finds that building energy codes in the U.S. are associated with a roughly 10% decrease in primary energy use per housing unit and a 16% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions per average code household. These results are consistent with, and potentially higher than, standard engineering simulation estimates. The analysis also identifies a fuel-switching effect, where codes encourage a shift toward natural gas and away from other fuels like fuel oil, likely due to code provisions allowing tradeoffs between building envelope efficiency and high-efficiency equipment.

The briefing argues that traditional utility rebate programs, which focus on single-technology upgrades, yield only 1 to 5 percent whole-building savings. In contrast, a 'deep retrofit' approach—optimizing the building as a whole—can achieve 30 to 50 percent savings. To scale this, the authors propose the 'Deep Energy Efficiency Pays' (DEEP) program, which provides an additional incentive for projects that meet a specific energy savings threshold (e.g., 30 percent). This incentive is designed to 'tip' the economics of projects that would otherwise be financially unviable for building owners. The document highlights the Empire State Building as a successful example of a deep retrofit and discusses existing programs in California and Connecticut as precursors to this model.

Using WEAP and SALMOD models, the study finds that climate change leads to lower summer base flows and higher water temperatures in Butte Creek, increasing adult thermal mortality for spring-run Chinook salmon. While ceasing water diversion for power production improves survival time, the authors conclude that simple operational changes are unlikely to prevent the long-term extinction of the species in this location.

The authors argue that the EPA's cost-benefit analysis for cooling water intake structures (CWISs) is fundamentally flawed due to the systematic underestimation of environmental benefits and the overestimation of costs. By incorporating a wider range of non-use values, correcting recreational value estimates based on the Bay Shore Power Plant study, and using revised cost estimates from Powers Engineering, the authors demonstrate that the most stringent regulatory options (Options 2 and 3) can yield positive net benefits. They further contend that the economic impact on electricity rates would be minimal and that stricter regulation would actually be more beneficial for national GDP and employment. Finally, they strongly oppose the use of site-specific calculations, suggesting instead a national standard with a higher threshold (e.g., 500 MGD) to protect smaller facilities while maintaining high environmental benefits.

The report examines the growth of local and regional food systems in the U.S., highlighting their potential to create tens of thousands of jobs and improve public health and environmental sustainability. It identifies barriers to scaling these systems, such as inadequate infrastructure and safety nets, and recommends increased federal funding and research to support small-scale farmers and low-income consumers.

The report finds that commercial fisheries in the Bristol Bay base study area generate annual economic activity between $4.1 billion and $5.4 billion. Using a value-chain analysis and input-output modeling, the study tracks value from an average annual landings value of $463 million to a final retail value of $2.2 billion to $2.9 billion. The analysis emphasizes that the economic benefits extend globally, as permit holders reside in multiple U.S. states and international markets purchase the processed seafood. The authors argue that these figures provide strong economic support for protecting the region's marine ecosystems from threats such as climate change and infrastructure projects related to oil, gas, and mining.

The document analyzes the transition to nodal pricing, noting that US Independent System Operators (ISOs) typically recover implementation costs within one year through efficiency gains. It details the use of Financial Transmission Rights (FTRs) and Auction Revenue Rights (ARRs) to hedge locational price risks and maintain market liquidity. The paper compares the US ISO model with European TSO structures, arguing that ISOs provide a more transparent framework for information sharing and system security, particularly as renewable energy penetration increases. It also highlights the Iberian experience in optimizing day-ahead and intraday markets to accommodate wind power forecasts.

The authors assert that 80 percent of global energy needs could be met by renewables by 2050, as stated by the IPCC. They critique a New York Times op-ed by Robert Bryce, arguing that his claims regarding the environmental impact and land requirements of wind and solar are based on faulty calculations. The text highlights that a 33 percent renewable electricity mandate in the US would require approximately 800 square miles of land, which is less than one third of the forest area destroyed by mountaintop removal coal mining. The authors advocate for a diverse energy platform including renewables, natural gas, and nuclear power, evaluated through honest life-cycle criteria.

The document details how climate-induced temperature increases exacerbate ground-level ozone pollution, leading to significant respiratory health burdens and economic costs. For the continental United States, the "climate penalty on ozone" is projected to cause millions of additional acute respiratory symptoms and thousands of additional hospitalizations for infants and seniors by 2020 and 2050, with health impact costs estimated at $5.4 billion in 2020 alone. In California, these effects could result in nearly 443,000 additional cases of serious respiratory illnesses and costs exceeding $729 million in 2020.