Search Climate Insights Directory

The report models a hypothetical national EPR framework in the U.S. to evaluate the economic benefits of harmonization over fragmented state-level policies. Key findings indicate that such a framework could reduce municipal waste management costs by 49%–53%, generate $111 billion in economic value added over 10 years, and significantly lower producer compliance costs. The analysis also highlights job creation in recycling infrastructure and innovation, particularly in the food and beverage sector, and examines the potential for improved domestic rPET markets and rural recycling access.

The document presents seven facts regarding the National Park Service (NPS) and its connection to Hispanic/Latino populations. It notes a significant underrepresentation of Latinos in the NPS workforce and leadership compared to their share of the U.S. population. It highlights historical figures like George Meléndez Wright and sites such as Chicano Park and Chaco Culture National Historical Park. The text also expresses concern over the removal of permanent workers since January 2025, the exclusion of U.S. territories from public surveys, and proposed mineral withdrawals in the Greater Chaco region.

The report argues that while next-generation geothermal has vast potential to provide clean firm power, its growth is hindered by a 'missing middle' financing gap, subsurface uncertainty, and outdated regulatory frameworks. It proposes five deployment levers: characterizing subsurface resources through data digitization and mapping, governing through streamlined permitting and clarified property rights, financing via procurement standards and convertible loans, connecting through improved transmission planning and workforce development, and innovating through sustained R&D and testbeds.

Climate change accounted for 27% of the rate of heat-related emergency room visits in the U.S. during 2018-2025. August 2026 was the warmest August on record globally, with record warmth affecting 13.2% of global land and ocean areas. In the U.S., Summer 2026 was the warmest on record for the contiguous region, and August 2026 was the warmest August for average, maximum, and minimum temperatures since 1895. Drought affected at least 81% of the contiguous U.S. as of September 8, 2026, and nearly 8.3 million acres burned year-to-date, driven by increased 'fire weather' days. Attribution analysis using the Climate Shift Index (CSI) indicates human-caused climate change drove summertime warming trends in 91% of analyzed U.S. cities. Additionally, a strong El Niño event is projected to peak around February 2027, with global temperature anomalies potentially reaching 1.7C above pre-industrial levels.

Despite the removal of federal tax credits for clean energy upgrades via the One Big Beautiful Bill Act of 2025, residential clean technologies in the US continue to offer significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions and cost savings. Using the Green Upgrade Calculator, RMI found that electric vehicles (EVs) generally lead in emissions reductions and cost savings in the West, while air-source heat pumps (ASHPs) are most effective for emissions in the Northeast and Midwest and for savings in the South. Rooftop solar provides the highest emissions impact in Hawaii and leads in cost savings in California, Florida, and the Northeast due to high electricity prices and sunlight. The report emphasizes that the most effective state and local programs will target specific household archetypes—such as high-mileage drivers for EVs or delivered-fuel users for ASHPs—and bundle technologies to maximize synergy and savings.

The document outlines the technical processes of hydraulic fracturing and its associated risks, including greenhouse gas emissions during drilling and the release of carcinogens and radioactive materials in 'produce-water'. It synthesizes literature linking UOGD to adverse birth outcomes, childhood cancers, and increased mortality. Additionally, it criticizes the Nova Scotia government's Subsurface Energy Research and Development Investment Program (SERDIP), managed by Dalhousie University, for lacking a clear health research plan and allowing the government to control the publication of findings.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the role of lithium in the energy transition, its global supply chain, extraction methods, and the environmental and social impacts associated with its production.

The document outlines a comprehensive framework for LDAR programs, emphasizing that well-implemented programs can reduce methane leaks by nearly 80%. It details the technical application of OGI cameras, a structured nine-step survey process—from planning to data reporting—and a typology of common leak sources such as valves, flanges, and compressor seals. The guide also provides regulatory benchmarks for survey frequency, repair timelines, and reporting templates to ensure accountability and effectiveness in methane mitigation.

June 2026 was the second-warmest June on record globally, with the Arctic experiencing its warmest June ever. In the U.S., 66% of the contiguous region faced abnormally dry or drought conditions by July 7, 2026, and the West and Southwest regions saw their warmest January-June period on record. A very strong El Niño is forecast to develop between October and December 2026, with an 81% probability, likely pushing global temperatures to or above 1.5C by October. Climate Central's analysis indicates human-caused climate change is a key driver of summertime warming in 91% of analyzed U.S. cities.

The report compares two pathways for meeting U.S. electricity demand growth through 2030: one relying on fossil fuels and another on clean energy. It finds that a clean energy scenario reduces the incremental cost of meeting demand by $5.1 billion annually in 2030 and offers greater protection against fuel price volatility. To realize these savings, the authors recommend setting ambitious clean energy targets, updating electricity system planning with market-based assumptions, reducing permitting and interconnection barriers, implementing fuel cost sharing to manage risk, improving grid utilization through technologies like surplus interconnection and high-performance conductors, and harnessing demand-side resources such as virtual power plants and distributed energy technologies.

The paper examines the UK's Enhanced Trade Partnerships (ETPs), which are non-binding memoranda of understanding that sit between informal commercial meetings (JETCOs) and binding Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). While ETPs frequently reference sustainability and can facilitate 'green' trade and regulatory diplomacy, the author argues they primarily serve offensive trade interests and lack the civil society oversight necessary to prevent 'greenwashing'.

The document argues that current annual matching for scope 2 emissions often overestimates renewable electricity use and fails to incentivise the deployment of new renewables. It proposes 'hourly matching' (or 24/7 reporting), where electricity consumption is matched with renewable generation in the same hour. While 100% hourly matching can be costly, the briefing suggests that targeting a range of 80-90% can maintain emission reduction benefits while reducing costs. The document notes that hourly matching is becoming more viable, with 45 operational projects across five continents and tariffs available for 73% of global electricity demand. It advocates for a phased implementation strategy to allow for necessary data and grid infrastructure upgrades.

Earthjustice's Counter/Act report details its multifaceted legal and advocacy response to the second Trump administration's environmental policy rollbacks. The organization has scaled up litigation, launched a dedicated enforcement team to fill gaps in federal oversight, and shifted focus toward state-level protections for clean energy and public health. Key achievements include defending electric vehicle infrastructure, challenging the repeal of the endangerment finding, and securing state-level wins on landfill emissions in Colorado and environmental justice laws in New Jersey.

The report identifies that approximately 80% of residential EV charger projects in Chile are rejected by co-owner communities because electrical networks are classified as common property under Law No. 21.442, requiring high assembly quorums for any intervention. While technical standards (RIC N°15) and urban ordinances (OGUC) provide pathways for installation, they do not override the need for community consent. Comparing jurisdictions in the US, Europe, and Brazil, the report finds a global trend toward recognizing an individual's right to install charging infrastructure. It concludes that the only scalable solution for Chile is a punctual modification of Law No. 21.442 to allow installations via simple notification, provided the owner bears all costs and adheres to safety standards.

The Multi-Family Housing Tracker documents the significant increase in private equity ownership of U.S. apartment complexes, noting that 228 identified firms own nearly 3 million units, or approximately 13% of the national total. The report highlights a heavy concentration in Sunbelt states and metropolitan areas, correlating these regions with sharp increases in 'cost-burdened' renters. It details a business model focused on rapid value increases through rent hikes and additional fees, while documenting widespread tenant complaints regarding poor maintenance, aggressive evictions, and the use of algorithmic pricing software like RealPage. The document concludes with recommendations for landlords, public officials, and institutional investors to implement rent caps, just-cause eviction protections, and responsible investment standards.

Virtual power plants (VPPs) are reaching scales that rival traditional power plants, with some programs exceeding 1 GW. Despite this, the document finds that utilities often fail to properly model VPPs in integrated resource plans (IRPs) and distribution system plans (DSPs), frequently treating them as fixed load adjustments rather than selectable resources. This planning gap leads to an underestimation of VPP value and a risk of redundant infrastructure investment. The author recommends that regulators and utilities develop detailed resource attributes for VPPs, allow for their growth in models, and evaluate their benefits across both bulk power and distribution systems.

The United States is well-positioned to lead the next-generation geothermal supply chain due to significant overlaps with the oil and gas industry, though gaps remain in superhot rock (SHR) compatible rigs and power conversion turbomachinery. While investment in the sector grew from $22 million in 2018 to $2.2 billion in 2025, the report warns that equipment supply chains could become a bottleneck for national-scale adoption. Developing a domestic supply chain could create over 100,000 jobs in wellfield and plant operations and catalyze manufacturing growth in regions like Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, New York, North Carolina, and South Carolina. To secure this advantage, the report recommends expanding the 45X advanced manufacturing production tax credit to geothermal and improving data on equipment capacity and production costs.

Climate Central analyzed data from 476 weather stations to track fire weather trends in the contiguous U.S. between 1973 and 2025. The analysis reveals a significant increase in fire weather days, particularly in the western U.S., where conditions are intensifying in spring and summer. While the eastern U.S. has seen smaller increases, some areas in the Southeast and Northeast are experiencing more frequent fire weather. The report highlights that climate change is driving these trends through warming temperatures and decreasing relative humidity, which prime landscapes for wildfires to ignite and spread.

The PJM region expects approximately 30 GW of new electricity demand by 2030, primarily from data centers, amid rising capacity market prices and slow interconnection timelines. In response, the PJM Board's January 2026 CIFP-LLA decision establishes a regional framework for load forecasting, 'bring-your-own resource' options, a 'connect and manage' curtailment approach, and a 'reliability backstop' capacity auction. RMI argues that states must operationalize this framework through specific retail-level actions: establishing large load tariffs (LLTs) to prevent cost-shifting, improving load forecast validation to reduce speculative requests, and implementing non-firm service tariffs to prioritize the curtailment of large loads over residential customers. Additionally, the briefing recommends that states pursue permitting reforms to accelerate new generation, deploy virtual power plants (VPPs) and advanced transmission technologies (ATTs) to expand grid capacity, and coordinate regionally to advocate for deeper PJM generator interconnection reforms.

The report argues that substituting tax-exempt public debt for investor-owned utility (IOU) equity and taxable debt can significantly lower transmission costs for ratepayers in New England. It identifies two primary paths: strengthening existing quasi-public entities or creating a new purpose-built transmission authority. The author emphasizes that any such vehicle must have a clear statutory mandate for FERC-jurisdictional transmission, non-recourse revenue-bond authority, the ability to form public-private partnerships, and governance structures that ensure state accountability and risk control.