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The policy brief proposes a 'feebate' system—where inefficient vehicles are surcharged and efficient ones are rebated—to overcome consumer discounting of long-term fuel savings. It outlines design recommendations from an RMI-hosted expert forum, including size-neutrality and manufacturer-level implementation. The brief cites France's 'bonus-malus' program as a successful example that significantly reduced new vehicle CO2 emissions, while noting that a U.S. version should prioritize technological innovation across all vehicle sizes rather than just shifting buyers to smaller cars.

The document argues that implementing fuel-efficiency standards and technologies for medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the U.S. would generate significant job growth, increase GDP, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights that while these vehicles represent only 4% of U.S. highway vehicles, they consume over 20% of fuel, and that widespread adoption of efficiency technologies could save 100 billion gallons of fuel by 2030.

A group of economists argues that California's clean energy policies, specifically AB 32, provide economic benefits through innovation, job creation, and reduced health costs, and that delaying these actions during an economic recession would be more costly than proceeding.

The report argues that improving the fuel economy of medium- and heavy-duty trucks through advanced technologies would create significant net job growth, increase GDP, and reduce global warming emissions, provided that policy interventions overcome existing market barriers.

The report argues that reducing global carbon dioxide emissions requires a shift from a narrow focus on R&D to a broader 'public works' model of innovation. It outlines four key principles: expanding innovation policy beyond R&D to include deployment and non-technical barriers; pursuing diverse technology and institutional pathways; treating CO2 reduction as a public good to justify government procurement and demonstration projects; and collaborating with rapidly industrializing nations. The document specifically illustrates these principles by suggesting the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) could accelerate building efficiency and small modular nuclear reactor (SMR) development through its unique procurement and infrastructure capabilities.

The document argues that improving the fuel economy of medium- and heavy-duty trucks in the U.S. would create significant job growth, increase GDP, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provided that market barriers are overcome through performance standards and incentives.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that current U.S. biofuels policy is costly and ineffective, primarily supporting mature food-based industries while cellulosic biofuels remain stalled. The report proposes the 'Billion Gallon Challenge' to provide capital support for the first billion gallons of annual cellulosic capacity and a 'Biofuels Performance Tax Credit' to replace existing credits with incentives based on actual life-cycle emissions reductions.

The North American climate policy landscape is marked by political uncertainty, with a strong reliance on U.S. legislative developments to shape Canadian policy dynamics. While regional initiatives in places like California and British Columbia drive progress, the lack of a federal price on carbon and the compartmentalization of policy-making hinder bilateral collaboration. The discussion highlighted the American Power Act (APA) as a potential framework, though its passage in 2010 faced significant hurdles due to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, competing legislative priorities, and upcoming mid-term elections. Experts emphasized that a 'wait-and-see' approach is insufficient and that long-term success requires balancing supply-side and demand-side policies alongside clear market signals for the private sector.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that current U.S. biofuel policies are costly and ineffective, primarily supporting mature corn ethanol industries while cellulosic biofuels remain stalled. The report proposes 'The Billion Gallon Challenge' to provide investment tax credits and loan guarantees for 10 to 20 new commercial-scale cellulosic facilities. Additionally, it suggests replacing existing tax credits with a 'Biofuels Performance Tax Credit' that rewards fuels based on their ability to replace oil and reduce global warming emissions. Together, these measures could reduce global warming emissions by nearly 100 million metric tons annually by 2022.

The author expresses concern that the Obama administration may sacrifice the EPA's regulatory authority over greenhouse gas emissions to ensure the passage of a Senate climate bill. The text highlights political opposition from figures like Senator Lisa Murkowski and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, while noting the efforts of Senators Kerry, Lieberman, and Graham to draft a bill. It emphasizes that a multi-tool approach—combining legislative action with EPA regulation—is essential to meet climate goals and maintain economic competitiveness.

The report documents that commuters in cars, buses, trains, and ferries are routinely exposed to high levels of diesel exhaust, with ultrafine particles (UFPs) serving as the most sensitive marker of fresh diesel emissions. Findings indicate that diesel soot dominates roadway particulate matter and that in-vehicle exposures are significantly higher than ambient outdoor air, particularly in 'pull' trains and highway tunnels. The study concludes that diesel particulate filters (DPFs) are highly effective at eliminating the soot plume behind vehicles, significantly improving air quality for following commuters and pedestrians.

The National Clean Vehicle Program harmonizes fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions standards for light-duty vehicles through model year 2016, involving the NHTSA, EPA, and California Air Resources Board (CARB). The program aims to increase average fuel economy to nearly 34.1 mpg and reduce global warming tailpipe pollution by approximately 25% via a fleetwide target of 250 grams per mile. While California agreed to accept these federal standards through 2016, it retains the legal authority to set more stringent standards in the future.

The U.S. EPA and DOT finalized national greenhouse gas and fuel economy standards for model year 2012-2016 vehicles, aiming to increase combined average fuel economy to 34.1 mpg and reduce tailpipe emissions to 250 grams per mile. These standards, resulting from a compromise between the White House, automakers, and fourteen states, are projected to save consumers billions of dollars, reduce oil consumption by 1.2 million barrels per day, and cut global warming emissions by 209 million metric tons by 2020.

The document advocates for targeting black carbon—a potent short-lived climate forcer—as a 'no regrets' strategy to slow near-term global warming and reduce premature deaths. It identifies diesel engines, cook stoves, and agricultural burning as primary controllable sources and proposes specific regulatory and financial mechanisms, such as diesel particulate filters and clean stove deployment, to address them.

The report describes Feed-in Tariffs (FITs) as a policy tool to accelerate renewable energy deployment by providing guaranteed, long-term payment rates and grid access to producers. It highlights successful implementations in Denmark and Germany, while noting that Spain's high rates led to overinvestment and a subsequent global drop in solar panel prices. In the US, the report notes a lack of federal policy but identifies local efforts in Gainesville, Florida, and California, concluding with design recommendations such as using trial phases and binding caps to avoid windfall profits.

The document analyzes the challenges facing the U.S. advanced biofuels industry, including the 'valley of death' between pilot projects and commercialization, volatile petroleum prices, and regulatory uncertainties. It argues that while the federal government provides essential broad-scale support, state governments are uniquely positioned to guide the industry by leveraging local geography and resources. The report proposes ten specific policy options for states, ranging from resource inventorying and sustainable feedstock guidelines to the implementation of low carbon fuel standards and interagency cooperation, highlighting examples from states like California, Oregon, and Tennessee.

The author contends that the perceived intractability of nuclear proliferation, climate change, and oil dependence stems from a mistaken assumption that climate protection and oil displacement are costly. By applying 'integrative design' and 'micropower' (cogeneration and renewables), the author argues that energy efficiency and distributed generation are more profitable, faster to deploy, and more effective than nuclear power. Specifically, the paper asserts that phasing out nuclear power is a necessary condition for nonproliferation because civilian nuclear infrastructure provides the materials and knowledge required for weapons. The author proposes that the U.S. should reform the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) by redefining the obligations under Article IV to provide developing nations with efficient, non-nuclear energy security rather than nuclear technology.

The document describes a specific oceanographic mechanism on the Patagonian shelf where deep ocean currents force nutrient-rich cold water to the surface. This process, unlike wind-driven upwelling, remains active year-round, sustaining a vast food chain including phytoplankton, hake, and squid, and contributing to the ocean's role as a carbon sink. The influence of this system extends northward, fertilizing waters as far as Brazil.

The Patagonian shelf upwelling is a unique system driven by deep sea currents and bottom topography rather than wind, providing a year-round supply of nutrients that supports major fisheries and carbon sequestration in the South Atlantic.

The report argues that independent owner-operators in the U.S. are trapped in a cycle of using inefficient used Class-8 trucks due to subprime credit status and high upfront costs for new vehicles. It proposes the Federal Freight Efficiency Authority (FFEA), modeled after the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), to insure lease payments for new, efficient trucks. This mechanism would lower interest rates for truckers, increase their profit margins, and incentivize OEMs to produce more efficient vehicles. The author estimates that expanding this to small fleets could reduce Class-8 fuel consumption by 32%, saving 55 billion gallons of oil over ten years. The FFEA would be self-funded through insurance premiums and could potentially supplement the Highway Trust Fund with its profits.