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The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has introduced 'Direct Pay' (or elective pay), allowing tax-exempt entities and certain third-party financial organizations to receive cash back—between 30% and 70%—on clean energy project costs. This enables a model where a third party, such as the nonprofit RE-volv, pays upfront costs and leases the system to a recipient at a monthly rate lower than previous electricity costs. A 12kW project at the Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ in Compton, California, serves as an example, expecting to save over $180,000 in electricity costs over 20 years with no upfront payment. RMI's RISE Cohort is working to scale this model by providing technical assistance to local governments and financial institutions.

The U.S. transportation sector, responsible for nearly one third of national greenhouse gas emissions, is undergoing decarbonization through a combination of federal strategies, such as the U.S. National Blueprint for Transportation Decarbonization, and significant funding from the IIJA and Inflation Reduction Act. While progress is evident in the buildout of EV and hydrogen corridors and the growth of clean energy manufacturing jobs, the document argues that the U.S. is not yet on track to meet its goal of cutting all transportation greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Regional efforts are concentrated in the West Coast (hydrogen and EV corridors), Midwest (battery manufacturing and freight networks), Gulf Coast (low-emissions shipping and hydrogen trucking), and East Coast (EV manufacturing and I-95 freight corridors). To accelerate progress, the document recommends a federal clean fuel standard, improved inter-agency coordination, and stronger community engagement.

Earthjustice and partner organizations urge the EPA to reject California's SIP revisions, claiming they create loopholes for oil and gas polluters. The authors argue that RACT must apply to all wells regardless of production volume or oil gravity, and that the EPA failed to conduct a required environmental justice analysis. They contend that current exemptions for heavy oil and low-production wells disproportionately harm frontline communities and that monitoring and reporting frequencies are insufficient to ensure compliance with the Clean Air Act.

The report estimates that governments in Los Angeles County will need to spend at least $12.5 billion through 2040 to adapt to climate change, with municipal governments bearing the largest share. The highest costs are associated with stormwater management to mitigate flooding ($4.3 billion) and combating urban heat islands through cool pavements ($2.5 billion) and tree planting ($1.4 billion). The study highlights that these costs disproportionately affect low-income communities and communities of color, and argues that fossil fuel companies should be held legally accountable for these expenses.

The report finds that while only 5% of event-related local television segments provided climate change context, these segments reached over 17 million people across the 50 largest U.S. media markets. Audiences surged during extreme events, with local television viewership doubling in Orlando during Hurricane Ian and increasing 78% in Los Angeles during Tropical Storm Hilary. Extreme heat events, specifically the July 2023 heat streak in Phoenix, were most frequently linked to climate change, accounting for 48% of all climate-contextualized segments. Analysis of closed captioning shows that 96% of contextualized segments highlighted major impacts in categories such as health and safety, vulnerable communities, power supply, the economy, and travel disruption.

Climate Central analysis shows that winter's longest cold streaks have shrunk by an average of six days across 240 U.S. locations between 1970 and 2023, affecting 98% of the sites studied. These shorter cold periods threaten high-value fruit and nut crop production, snowpack-fed water supplies, Great Lakes ice cover, and the control of disease-carrying pests. While most locations saw decreases—with Las Vegas, Nevada experiencing a 21-day reduction—a few sites, including Los Angeles, California, saw streaks lengthen by two to five days.

The report argues that falling battery prices, driven by economies of scale and innovation (Wright's Law), will make battery electric heavy-duty vehicles (BEHDVs) more affordable than diesel equivalents sooner than previously estimated. Using updated BNEF forecasts, the study finds that by 2030, BEHDVs will be cheaper to purchase than diesel versions for four out of five analyzed vehicle types. This economic shift enhances the total cost of ownership (TCO) advantage and suggests that the benefits of the US EPA's proposed Phase 3 emissions standards are likely to exceed initial predictions.

The report analyzes how the energy and transportation sectors drive air pollution in the U.S., noting that while the Clean Air Act has significantly reduced overall emissions since 1970, severe exposure disparities persist. It highlights that people of color and low-income populations are more likely to live in areas exceeding health standards, often near 'pollution hot spots' that current monitoring networks may miss. Through case studies in California, New Jersey, and Indiana, the document illustrates the specific health burdens—including asthma and cancer—borne by marginalized communities living near ports, incinerators, and coal plants.

The document positions cities as central actors in the global movement to end fossil fuel dependence, noting that while they are major emitters, they can lead through 'city diplomacy' and local policy. It outlines 21 key recommendations divided into two main categories: enhancing city diplomacy and removing the 'social licence' of the fossil fuel industry, and implementing sectoral decarbonisation in transportation, energy, the built environment, and waste management. The brief emphasizes that urban action must be coupled with national-level pressure to ensure a just transition for workers and marginalized communities.

The document outlines various controversies involving CIM Group that have appeared in major media outlets, including tenant mistreatment, gentrification of minority neighborhoods, labor disputes, construction defects, and financial ties to Donald Trump. It highlights how these issues have led to public pressure on pension funds to divest from the firm.

The document argues that limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C requires an immediate stop to burning fossil fuels, urging governments to halve global fossil fuel use by 2035 and stop new fossil fuel project investments. It highlights the role of cities and businesses in this transition, noting that solar and wind are already cheaper than new fossil gas electricity in most C40 city locations. Examples of city-level action include fossil gas bans in new buildings in several US cities and renewable energy targets in Los Angeles, Mexico City, and Seoul. Additionally, over 200 companies with nearly US$1.5 trillion in revenue are calling for clear phase-out timelines, 100% decarbonised power, and the reform of fossil fuel subsidies.

The report examines various legislative attempts to curb the growth of corporate landlords in the US, focusing on strategies to deconsolidate the housing market. It analyzes proposed and enacted measures such as ownership caps in North Carolina, excise taxes in California and Ohio, and right of first refusal laws in California and Colorado. While many of these bills failed in committee due to political opposition, the report highlights successful examples like Los Angeles's 'mansion tax' and Colorado's protections for manufactured housing residents as models for future housing justice efforts.

The report details a pattern of negative publicity surrounding CIM Group, focusing on tenant mistreatment in Virginia, DC, and Colorado; the gentrification of minority neighborhoods in Los Angeles and New York City; construction defects in luxury towers; and ethically questioned business ties to Donald Trump and Jared Kushner. It further highlights the resulting pressure on public pension funds, such as CalPERS, to divest from the firm due to these controversies and past allegations of bribery involving placement agents.

The document argues that the U.S. transition to electric vehicles risks leaving behind low-income, rural, and minority communities due to 'charging deserts' and financial barriers. It outlines five strategies for local governments to ensure equitable access: utilizing community input for siting, prioritizing multifamily housing and charging deserts, expanding urban curbside charging, increasing pricing transparency, and supporting diverse e-mobility modes. The guide emphasizes that overcoming disparities in homeownership and energy burdens is essential for a just energy transition.

The author argues that the EPA must authorize the California Air Resources Board's 2020 At-Berth Rule to stop ships from burning toxic bunker fuel while docking. The document highlights a spike in pollution during the pandemic, noting that cancer-causing diesel pollution at the Port of Los Angeles rose by over 50 percent in 2021. It criticizes a 'backdoor deal' that allows outdated 2007 rules to persist, claiming that EPA approval could eliminate 3,000 pounds of deadly air pollution daily in the region.

The People’s Collective for Environmental Justice, Communities for Better Environment, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, and Sierra Club argue that the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD) has violated the Clean Air Act (CAA) by failing to penalize major stationary sources for ozone precursor emissions. The petitioners claim that Rule 317, intended as an alternative fee program for the 1979 one-hour ozone standard, is a "paper exercise" that allows polluters to avoid fees through unrelated credits. Furthermore, they assert that SCAQMD has completely failed to adopt required fee programs for the 1997 and 2008 eight-hour ozone standards. The document emphasizes that these failures disproportionately harm low-income communities and communities of color in the South Coast Air Basin, which is described as having the worst ozone pollution in the United States.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) calls on Blackstone to implement enforceable labor standards across its global portfolio after the US Department of Labor found systemic child labor violations at Blackstone-owned Packers Sanitation Services Inc (PSSI). Despite initial denials, PSSI eventually reached an agreement with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) to protect workers' rights to organize. PESP asserts that child labor is a byproduct of broader issues like low wages and dangerous conditions, and urges Blackstone to adopt the Private Equity Labor Rights Platform and cease union-busting tactics.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) argues that private equity ownership of rental housing increases risks to tenants, citing examples of steep rent hikes, inadequate maintenance, and abusive eviction practices by firms like CIM Group, The Blackstone Group, and Progress Residential. PESP recommends that the FHFA establish a public rental registry for beneficial owners, cap annual rent increases at 3%, mandate habitability standards, and codify tenant rights, including just-cause eviction and the right to organize.

Climate Central analyzed 18,945 census tracts across 44 major U.S. cities, finding that 41 million people (approximately 55% of the analyzed population) live in areas where the urban heat island (UHI) effect increases temperatures by 8°F or more. The study identifies albedo, green space percentage, and population density as the primary drivers of this effect, with New York City exhibiting the highest average UHI index. The analysis categorizes cities by heat patterns—concentrated cores, diffused zones, or sprawling intensity—and highlights that structural inequities often lead to disproportionate heat exposure for people of color and low-income populations.

The report details how Pipeline Health, backed by firms including Stanton Road Capital, Davidson Kempner Capital Management, and Deerfield Management, utilized sale-leaseback transactions and complex subsidiary structures to monetize hospital real estate. It highlights the closure of Westlake Hospital in Illinois, which occurred despite promises to regulators, and the sale of Weiss Memorial Hospital's parking lot for luxury housing. The document concludes that these practices led to Pipeline's own Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2022 and recommends stricter state and federal oversight of private equity acquisitions of safety net hospitals.