Search Climate Insights Directory

This briefing outlines an 8-point plan to mobilize the $75 trillion held by institutional investors toward the low-carbon transition via the bond market. It argues that while climate-resilient infrastructure provides the long-term, secure assets pension funds and insurers seek, current deal flow is too small and fragmented. The plan proposes aggregating small projects into investment-grade offerings, utilizing public sector risk-sharing and regulatory leverage, greening development banks, and implementing standardized climate bond certifications to bridge the annual investment gap of $1 trillion to $1.3 trillion.

This briefing proposes the "Deep Energy Efficiency Pays" (DEEP) program, a new demand-side management (DSM) approach designed to encourage whole-building retrofits over single-measure upgrades. By offering additional incentives for projects that meet a specific energy savings threshold, the program aims to align the interests of utilities, building owners, and energy service providers to achieve significant energy reductions and market transformation.

A statement from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute advocating for a transition from petroleum to biofuels and biobased products to reduce national oil dependence, improve climate outcomes, and create jobs.

This 2010 report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) analyzes the potential for the United States to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through existing federal regulatory authorities and announced state actions through 2030. The study evaluates three levels of regulatory ambition—'Lackluster', 'Middle-of-the-Road', and 'Go-Getter'—across various sectors including power plants, transportation, and industry. It concludes that while existing tools can drive significant reductions, they are insufficient on their own to meet the Obama Administration's Copenhagen pledge or the IPCC's recommended targets for limiting global temperature increases.

This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how state climate action plans in the United States incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009. It finds that while transportation and green building are common, specific 'smart growth' land use practices are the least frequent component of these plans.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the energy inefficiency and poor living conditions of approximately 2 million mobile homes built before 1976 in the United States. It argues that because these structures are in such disrepair, they cannot be weatherized and must be entirely replaced with energy-efficient units to reduce carbon footprints and utility costs for low-income residents.

A statement by Norman Dean, Executive Director of Friends of the Earth, regarding the Supreme Court's decision to hear a case on whether the Bush Administration must regulate carbon dioxide emissions under the Clean Air Act.

This July 2008 fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the status of cellulosic biofuel production in the United States, highlighting the number of biorefineries in development, the technologies and feedstocks used, and the federal and state investments supporting the industry.

A letter dated February 28, 2006, from several U.S. state Attorneys General to the House Committee on Energy & Commerce opposing specific provisions of HR 4591. The bill aims to implement the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs Treaty), but the signees argue it contains overly broad preemption language and flawed EPA review procedures that would hinder state and federal environmental protections.

This document is a fact sheet containing a table of individual green municipal bonds issued in the United States during 2017, detailing the issuers, amounts issued in USD, dates, project types, and CBI certification status.

This fact sheet by the Climate Policy Initiative proposes the creation of a California Green Bank to leverage private capital for clean energy technologies. It suggests using revenues from carbon emissions allowance auctions to fund a quasi-public institution that would address financing gaps for homeowners, small businesses, and innovators, thereby accelerating the state's transition to a low-carbon economy.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute outlines the technology, environmental benefits, and economic considerations of hybrid-electric buses compared to conventional diesel and compressed natural gas (CNG) buses in North America.

This fact sheet details the distribution of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) grants for high-speed rail projects across four US regions: West, Midwest, Southeast, and Northeast, as well as additional planning awards.

This document consists of a list of figure captions for maps depicting Final Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (FSEIS) nuclear waste transport routes across various United States states and the District of Columbia.

This research paper by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes the gap in industrial electric productivity across the United States. It argues that while exogenous factors like electricity prices and state incentives play a role, the primary constraints are internal business barriers. By addressing these barriers through holistic design and policy support, the U.S. industrial sector could save 300,000 GWh annually.

This fact sheet from the World Resources Institute explainsL explains Energy Savings Certificates (ESCs), which are tradable certificates representing energy savings—typically one megawatt-hour (MWh)—used by utilities to meet energy efficiency targets in compliance and voluntary markets.

This fact sheet by the World Resources Institute explains the function, types, and regulatory status of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions registries, specifically focusing on the legal requirement for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to establish a national mandatory registry by mid-2008.

This fact sheet defines Renewable Electricity Standards (RES) as policies requiring a minimum percentage of electricity to come from renewable sources. It outlines how these policies operate in the United States, noting that as of April 2008, 25 states and the District of Columbia had implemented them. The document discusses eligible resources, the role of 'carve-outs' for specific technologies like solar, and the modest economic impacts on energy prices and business opportunities.

This guide by the World Resources Institute outlines five public-private financing mechanisms designed to overcome capital barriers for energy efficiency investments: on-bill financing, Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing, Sustainable Energy Utility (SEU) models, loan guarantees, and loan loss reserve funds (LLRFs).

This report by the World Resources Institute provides a comprehensive guide for U.S. businesses on the deployment and financing of on-site renewable energy systems, including solar photovoltaic, solar thermal, wind, and geothermal heat pumps. It details the economic and financial benefits, various ownership and financing models, and the associated risks and objectives for corporate energy management.