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A CIEL analysis finds that 118 planned or underway petrochemical projects in the US could add 153.8 million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions annually, potentially increasing the sector's share of US greenhouse gas emissions from 5.2% to over 7%. The report highlights that ten megaprojects account for half of these potential emissions and that ammonia production is a significant growth area, with 95% of proposed US ammonia production derived from methane gas. Furthermore, the buildout is concentrated in already polluted areas like Louisiana's "Cancer Alley" and the Ohio River Valley, deepening environmental injustices.

Analysis by Climate Central indicates that June-August 2024 was the hottest season on record, with carbon pollution significantly increasing the frequency and intensity of risky heat days globally and in the U.S. Approximately 2 billion people worldwide experienced 30 or more risky heat days made at least three times more likely by climate change. In the U.S., the average person experienced 20 additional risky heat days, with the highest impacts concentrated in the South, Southeast, and Southwest, particularly in Florida and Puerto Rico.

The document details the decline of Steward Health Care, from its 2010 acquisition by Cerberus Capital Management to its May 2024 Chapter 11 bankruptcy. It highlights a pattern of 'asset stripping' and 'sale-leaseback' transactions with Medical Properties Trust (MPT) that allowed investors to extract hundreds of millions in dividends while the health system faced severe understaffing, equipment repossessions, and patient deaths. The author argues that an ineffective regulatory landscape enabled this 'pillaging,' leading to the closure of multiple hospitals across several US states and recommending strict new laws on hospital ownership, financial transparency, and dividend payouts.

The briefing links the increased frequency and intensity of US extreme weather events, such as the July 2023 heatwave and August 2024 California wildfires, to climate change driven by fossil fuels. It highlights that US oil and gas production emissions rose roughly 42% between 2011 and 2022 and notes that 88 large fossil fuel and cement companies are responsible for 48% of the rise in fire-danger conditions in the region. The document argues for corporate accountability, citing a Climate Analytics estimate that the 12 most polluting companies are responsible for USD 15 trillion in economic damages from 1985 to 2018. While the US has seen significant growth in solar and wind capacity and electric vehicle sales, primary energy consumption remains dominated by petroleum (38%), natural gas (36%), and coal (9%) as of 2023.

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.

A coalition of advocates argues that the EPA's disparate impact regulations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are essential for protecting marginalized communities from disproportionate environmental harms. The document details systemic environmental racism, provides case studies of both successful and failed civil rights enforcement, and urges the EPA to strengthen rather than roll back these protections.

The report details how Alden Global Capital, a hedge fund known for stripping local newspapers, has expanded into manufactured housing. Through its affiliate Homes of America, the firm has acquired over 10,000 lots in 138 parks across 17 states, spending over $275 million. The document argues that Alden employs a 'strip and flip' model, characterized by aggressive rent increases, high eviction rates, and the neglect of property maintenance to maximize profits. It highlights specific cases of resident displacement and financial abuse, particularly in Florida, and calls for state and federal policy interventions to protect vulnerable residents.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) evaluated 38 federal agencies on their adherence to scientific integrity metrics, finding that 71% scored 'poor' or 'worst'. The report argues that political interference in science disproportionately harms underserved communities and proposes a blueprint for the next presidential administration to strengthen scientific integrity through better policy enforcement, transparency, and the integration of environmental justice principles.

The United States saw a 60% increase in major weather-related power outages during the heat season between 2014-2023 compared to 2000-2009. The South region experienced the highest number of these events, with Texas and Michigan recording the most outages at the state level. These outages compound health risks for vulnerable populations, such as the elderly and children, particularly when overlapping with extreme heat waves. Proposed solutions for grid resilience include the implementation of microgrids, smart grid technologies, and physical hardening of infrastructure.

The report examines how the increasing frequency and severity of climate-driven disasters lead insurance companies to raise premiums or withdraw coverage, particularly in high-risk areas of the US. This process creates a 'domino effect' where the lack of affordable insurance makes homes unmortgageable, reduces property values, and increases homelessness. The authors highlight a cycle where insurers profit from these increases and reinvest in fossil fuels, further exacerbating the climate crisis. The document warns that widespread mortgage defaults and the devaluation of lender security could lead to a systemic financial crisis with global implications.

As of June 2024, the U.S. has 12,164 committed electric school buses, with 67% funded by the EPA's Clean School Bus Program. Adoption is widespread across 49 states, with California leading in total numbers, while the Southeast has seen significant recent growth. The report finds that deployment is increasingly equitable, with a majority of buses now located in high-poverty districts and areas with high air pollution, though adult asthma rates show a more even distribution.

The Center for International Environmental Law examines the "Insuring Our Future Act" (Assembly Bill A9905A/Senate Bill S9435) in New York. The bill targets the contradiction of insurance companies raising premiums due to climate-driven disasters while continuing to finance the fossil fuel industry. It proposes a five-year phase-out of fossil fuel investments and underwriting, alongside protections against "bluelining" and sudden non-renewals for policyholders.

The report details the collapse of Steward Health Care, tracing its trajectory from a nonprofit system in Massachusetts to the largest for-profit private hospital operator in the US, and finally to a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on May 6, 2024. It argues that the system was 'pillaged' through a combination of leveraged buyouts, sale-leaseback transactions with the real estate investment trust Medical Properties Trust (MPT), and massive dividend payouts to private equity investors and executives. These financial strategies resulted in over $9 billion in liabilities, including $6.6 billion in lease obligations to MPT. The report highlights the human cost of this financial engineering, citing hospital closures, service cuts in obstetrics and behavioral health, and critical patient safety failures, such as the repossession of essential medical equipment. It concludes with policy recommendations to increase financial transparency, limit debt-funded dividends, and restrict sale-leaseback transactions in healthcare to prevent similar failures.

The report examines the economic landscape of the Louisiana River Parishes, highlighting a paradox where high industrial activity from petrochemical plants masks significant unemployment, worker outflow, and high household debt. It finds that while median incomes are higher than the state average, they fall below the regional living wage for families, and the population is experiencing a gradual decline. The workforce is characterized by a high concentration of low-skill 'Tier 3' jobs and a reliance on commuting outside the community for employment.

The report details the systemic impacts of plastic pollution on municipal infrastructure, public health, and ecosystems, asserting that a small number of petrochemical and FMCG companies knowingly exacerbated the crisis by promoting inadequate recycling solutions. It provides a guide for government attorneys to use nuisance, products liability, and consumer protection laws to hold these polluters accountable, drawing parallels to successful litigation against the tobacco and PCB industries.

The Union of Concerned Scientists analysis finds that climate-driven sea level rise will expose over 1,600 critical infrastructure assets in the US to disruptive flooding at least twice per year by 2050. Public and affordable housing are the most vulnerable assets, with a disproportionate burden falling on disadvantaged communities. By 2100, the scale of risk depends heavily on global emissions, with the high scenario potentially affecting 15,081 assets. The report recommends science-informed planning, scaled-up funding, and a focus on reducing historical inequities to build coastal resilience.

The report argues that decentralized election administration in the US has created a patchwork of transparency policies that can undermine democratic legitimacy and disproportionately affect marginalized communities. It provides specific recommendations for improving the accessibility and accuracy of voter files, the transparency of ballot processing and tracking, and the implementation of robust ballot curing and risk-limiting audit procedures.

The document outlines the risks associated with private equity's expansion into various U.S. healthcare sectors, detailing financial strategies that prioritize short-term profit over patient safety and recommending stronger regulatory oversight.

The report outlines a multi-phase strategy to establish a specialty crop industry in the Mid-Mississippi Delta (Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee) as a climate-resilient alternative to California's production. It identifies suitable crops, analyzes labor and infrastructure gaps, and proposes innovative, equity-focused business models to ensure wealth creation for underserved farmers. The project has transitioned from research to action through the 'Collective Impact Framework' and the launch of the Delta Harvest pilot project.

Between 2000 and 2023, 80% of major U.S. power outages were caused by weather, with a significant increase in frequency during the last decade. Severe weather, winter storms, and tropical cyclones are the primary drivers, with Texas and the Southeast region among the most affected. The document highlights the vulnerability of aging infrastructure and the disproportionate impact on marginalized and medically vulnerable populations, while suggesting grid hardening, microgrids, and emissions reductions as paths toward resilience.