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The document outlines recommendations for the EPA to integrate climate justice into environmental protections. It emphasizes the need for transparent, holistic decision-making, the acknowledgment of historic biased policies, and the strengthening of the National Environmental Protection Act (NEPA) to better account for cumulative stressors and the specific needs of marginalized communities and non-mainland US territories.

In December 2024, 166 out of 191 analyzed U.S. cities were warmer than normal, with the most significant anomalies occurring in Montana. While long-term warming trends are evident—with 189 of 191 stations showing positive trends since 1970—daily climate attribution via the Climate Shift Index (CSI) remained generally low, though specific cities in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska saw several days where temperatures were significantly more likely due to climate change.

Analysis by Climate Central shows that all 50 U.S. states and 99% of 242 analyzed major cities have warmed since 1970. Alaska was the fastest-warming state, while Reno, Nevada, experienced the highest city-level temperature increase. The document links these trends to rising greenhouse gas concentrations, which reached 427 ppm of CO2 in 2025, and advocates for the transition to zero-emission vehicles, solar and wind power, and heat pumps to mitigate future risks.

The report argues that the US can significantly reduce its reliance on newly mined minerals for electric vehicle (EV) batteries by prioritizing energy efficiency, right-sizing battery range, and implementing robust recycling policies. Through a 'Very Low Demand Scenario,' the authors demonstrate that newly mined lithium needs could be reduced by 48% from 2025 to 2050, saving 1.5 million metric tons of material. The analysis emphasizes that while electrification is essential for decarbonization, a systems-wide approach—including investments in public transit and rail to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)—is necessary to create a sustainable and just supply chain.

The document outlines how overfishing undermines food security, livelihoods, and spiritual practices, while contributing to climate change and human rights abuses. It advocates for stronger international fisheries management, the elimination of harmful subsidies, and the expansion of marine protected areas.

The document identifies a rapid increase in climate lawsuits against major fossil fuel producers, noting that annual filings nearly tripled since 2015. It categorizes these cases into primary types—most notably compensation for climate damages, misleading advertising, and emissions reductions—and highlights emerging trends such as criminal liability claims and challenges to project permitting. The analysis emphasizes the role of attribution science in quantifying corporate liability and the potential for landmark rulings, such as the one against Shell in the Netherlands, to set global precedents.

The document explains how climate change—specifically warmer winters, hotter summers, and altered precipitation—is expanding the range and survival of disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes and ticks. It highlights specific threats in the US, such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis in New England and Lyme disease in the Northwest, while noting that over 8 billion people could be at risk of malaria and dengue by the end of the 21st century if emissions continue to rise. The guide advises reporters to examine weather patterns, social determinants of health, and to consult vector biologists.

The document explains how climate change—specifically hotter summers, milder winters, and altered rainfall—is expanding the geographic range and longevity of disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes and ticks. It highlights specific threats in the US, such as the rise of Lyme disease in the Northeast and eastern equine encephalitis in New England, while noting a global risk where over eight billion people could be susceptible to malaria and dengue by the end of the 21st century. The guide advises reporters to examine weather patterns, consider social determinants of health, and consult vector biologists.

The document details how rising sea surface temperatures, driven by human-caused climate change, are increasing the frequency and intensity of rapid intensification in tropical cyclones. It highlights that 70% of billion-dollar tropical cyclones in the U.S. since 1980 underwent rapid intensification, contributing to over $1.4 trillion in damages and nearly 7,000 deaths.

Human-caused climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of wildfires in the U.S., exposing millions of homes and hundreds of thousands of miles of roads and power lines to risk. Approximately one-third of U.S. homes and 116 million people are located in counties with high or very high wildfire risk, with the highest concentrations in Western states and Florida. Between 2000 and 2019, over 265,000 miles of roads and power lines in the contiguous U.S. were exposed to large fires. The risk is further amplified by the expansion of the wildland-urban interface, which grew by about 31% between 1990 and 2020.

The briefing examines how battery energy storage systems (BESS) can replace fossil fuel generation to ensure grid reliability. It details three primary functions of batteries: balancing variable renewable energy supply and demand, providing stability services like frequency and voltage regulation, and enabling 'black start' capabilities to restore power after blackouts. The author contends that batteries often offer lower costs and faster response times than thermal plants. To maximize these benefits, the document recommends that utilities conduct analytical studies to identify specific reliability needs and utilize all-source procurement processes to ensure the most cost-competitive resources are selected.

The briefing establishes that fossil fuels are responsible for approximately 70% of carbon dioxide emissions since the industrial revolution, with a small number of companies contributing a disproportionate share. It highlights the role of attribution science in linking specific extreme weather events to climate change and details the growing trend of using the 'polluter pays' principle in litigation and legislation to hold these companies financially accountable. The document further argues that to meet the 1.5C target, global fossil fuel production must decrease significantly by 2030, supported by a transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles.

The report advocates for a transition from traditional cost-of-service regulation (COSR) to comprehensive performance-based regulation (PBR) to better align utility incentives with modern societal and environmental goals. It proposes a 'Four Pillars Model' consisting of incentivizing cost efficiency, removing throughput incentives, equalizing incentives for capital and operating expenses, and incentivizing targeted outcomes. The document includes an overview of PBR tools and uses Hawaii's framework as a case study for implementation.

The report finds that U.S. residential electricity rates have generally kept pace with economy-wide inflation since 2010, and that states with high clean energy growth often see rates rise slower than inflation. Instead, the report identifies natural gas price volatility, wildfire mitigation and liability costs, aging coal plant investments, and rising transmission and distribution costs as the primary drivers of rate spikes. It further argues that the regulated utility business model incentivizes capital-heavy investments over more cost-effective operational solutions, which compounds these costs for consumers.

The document argues that traditional cost-of-service regulation (COSR) creates perverse incentives—such as 'gold plating' and 'capex bias'—that hinder the affordable deployment of clean energy and demand-side management. It proposes a transition toward Performance-Based Regulation (PBR), which compensates utilities based on target outcomes rather than costs. The guide details a 'Four Pillars Model' for comprehensive PBR: incentivizing cost-efficiency, removing the throughput incentive, equalizing capex and opex incentives, and incentivizing targeted outcomes. Key tools discussed include revenue decoupling, multi-year rate plans (MYRPs), and performance incentive mechanisms (PIMs). The text contrasts incremental PBR, which layers tools onto COSR, with comprehensive PBR, which fundamentally restructures the regulatory framework, citing Hawaii's 2020 framework as a comprehensive example.

The paper examines the barriers faced by students with disabilities during the transition to electric school buses in the US. It highlights systemic failures in current transportation, such as broken wheelchair lifts and the segregation of disabled students onto separate buses. The authors argue for the application of Disability Justice and Environmental Justice frameworks to ensure that the transition prioritizes marginalized communities and incorporates Universal Design. Key recommendations include involving disabled youth in decision-making, improving infrastructure like sidewalks, and ensuring that electric buses are more accessible than the gas-powered vehicles they replace.

Between March and May 2024, global temperature records were broken for three consecutive months. Using the Climate Shift Index (CSI), the analysis found that approximately one in four people worldwide experienced temperatures at least three times more likely due to climate change (CSI level 3+) daily. Exposure peaked on April 6, 2024, with 2.7 billion people affected. The most severe impacts were concentrated in Africa, Southeast Asia, Central America, and South America, with 44% of Africa's population experiencing the most extreme attributable heat (CSI level 5 for 60+ days). The report also highlights a strong regional contrast in the U.S., where coastal areas and islands showed higher CSI signals despite lower temperature anomalies compared to the Upper Midwest.

Using the Climate Shift Index (CSI), Climate Central found that human-caused climate change significantly boosted spring warmth in 2024, affecting 300 million people in the U.S. and approximately one in four people globally. The strongest influence was observed in coastal and island regions, such as Puerto Rico and Florida, while areas with the highest temperature anomalies, like the Upper Midwest, showed lower CSI levels due to higher historical temperature variance.

The document details the technical approach for mapping disruptive flooding and its impact on critical infrastructure across US territories. It describes the use of NOAA tide gauge data, digital elevation models, and three sea level rise scenarios (low, medium, and high) to project inundation. The analysis overlays these flood maps with datasets covering housing, education, industrial sites, energy, government, and health facilities, while incorporating socioeconomic data from the White House Council on Environmental Quality to assess impacts on disadvantaged communities.

The briefing examines how distributed solar, particularly through schemes like PM Surya Ghar and PM-KUSUM, can mitigate the financial distress of Indian Discoms by reducing the cost of supplying subsidized consumers and lowering power procurement costs. It highlights the potential for distributed solar to contribute significantly to India's 2030 renewable energy purchase obligations (RPO) and suggests that the adoption of virtual power plants (VPPs) and battery storage could further modernize the grid and manage peak demand.