Search Climate Insights Directory
177 results
2024 Farm Bill: an opportunity for food and farm security
The document advocates for using the US Farm Bill to transition toward a sustainable food system that achieves net zero emissions in agriculture by 2040 and halts habitat conversion. It emphasizes the link between sustainable agriculture and human health, noting that 38 million individuals lived in food-insecure households in 2020. Key recommendations include protecting Inflation Reduction Act conservation funding, scaling up regenerative agriculture, reducing the 40% of food loss and waste, and improving data collection for climate and nature outcomes.
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Document type: Statement
Public Support for Holding Big Oil Accountable
The document presents data from a 2019 nationwide survey and several state-level polls showing that a majority of US voters believe oil and gas companies should pay for climate change damages. It highlights that support for suing these companies and requiring them to cover costs often increases after respondents are informed about the industry's history of deception.
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Document type: Fact sheet
The Warming Festive Season
The document reports that 97% of 246 analyzed U.S. locations experienced an increase in average temperature during the period from December 25 to January 5 between 1969 and 2021. It details regional shifts in snowpack and precipitation, noting that winter is the fastest-warming season for most of the U.S., which increases the likelihood of precipitation falling as rain rather than snow.
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Document type: Fact sheet
CLOSING THE EMISSIONS GAP BETWEEN THE IRA AND 2030 U.S. NDC: POLICIES TO MEET THE MOMENT
The report argues that while the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) significantly advances U.S. climate goals, it is insufficient on its own to meet the 2030 NDC. Using the Energy Policy Simulator (EPS), the authors propose a comprehensive set of additional federal, state, and local policies across the electricity, industry, transportation, and building sectors. The electricity sector is identified as the primary driver for 2030 reductions due to its ability to decarbonize faster than sectors limited by slow stock turnover. Proposed measures include a nationwide 80 percent clean electricity standard, stricter tailpipe emissions standards, and the electrification of industrial and building heating. The report estimates that this combined policy pathway would create 2.7 million additional jobs, grow GDP by $700 billion, and avoid 3,900 premature deaths by 2030.
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Document type: Report
Aggregated Renewables Purchasing: 5 Key Questions, Answered
The document outlines how U.S. local governments can use aggregated procurement—forming buyers' groups to pool demand—to lower costs and accelerate clean energy deployment. It identifies key benefits such as economies of scale and shared expertise, while noting barriers like lack of staff expertise and complex legal requirements. The guide provides five strategies for success, including appointing dedicated project managers and targeting a minimum aggregated demand of 20MW for optimal pricing, and suggests ways to integrate equity and community benefits into these contracts.
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Document type: Guide
IMPLEMENTING THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT: A ROADMAP FOR FEDERAL AND STATE BUILDINGS POLICY
The report analyzes the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) on the U.S. building sector, highlighting its potential to reduce annual emissions by 32 to 33 million metric tons of CO2e by 2030. It details various residential rebates (HEEHRA, HOMES), tax credits (25C, 25D, 45L), and commercial incentives (179D), while emphasizing that these must be paired with stricter appliance standards and updated building codes to overcome slow stock turnover. The document provides specific implementation guidance for State Energy Offices and utility regulators to ensure an equitable transition, particularly for low-to-moderate-income households.
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Document type: Report
The Fossil Fuel Lobbyist List
A 50-state survey by Global Energy Monitor reveals that major U.S. corporations in the tech, banking, and insurance sectors frequently employ lobbyists who also represent fossil fuel interests. This creates a paradox where companies with public net-zero pledges provide political cover and credibility to lobbyists promoting continued fossil fuel dependence. The report highlights specific companies—such as Amazon, State Farm, and Bank of America—and notes that weak state disclosure laws and the absence of a national database hinder accountability.
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Document type: Report
How Local Governments Can Advance Community Solar for Low- and Moderate-Income Households
The document outlines how U.S. local governments can leverage federal incentives, such as those in the Inflation Reduction Act, to advance community solar for low- and moderate-income (LMI) residents. It details specific actions including proactive community engagement, advocacy for state-level enabling legislation, providing direct financial subsidies, and reducing developer risks by acting as anchor subscribers or providing public land. The guide highlights various municipal examples from cities like Denver, Pueblo, and Anaheim to demonstrate how to integrate job training, bill discounts, and loan funds into solar initiatives.
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Document type: Guide
New England State Climate Action Assessment Using the UCS Resilience Gap Framework
The report evaluates the climate action plans and policies of Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New Hampshire using the UCS Resilience Gap Framework. It identifies a regional trend where mitigation and adaptation efforts remain siloed and equity goals are often articulated in policy but poorly implemented. Maine and Vermont are highlighted as regional leaders in alignment with the framework, while New Hampshire is noted for having an outdated plan and a lack of state leadership. The assessment reveals a widespread failure across all six states to account for maladaptation in their planning.
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Document type: Report
Clean Energy 101: Heat Pumps
Heat pumps are all-electric appliances that move heat rather than generating it, allowing them to provide both heating and cooling with high efficiency. They are available as air-source or ground-source systems and can be ducted or ductless. While upfront costs can be a barrier, they offer long-term savings over gas or electric resistance furnaces and eliminate indoor fossil fuel combustion risks. Recent technological advances have made them viable in cold climates, and they are increasingly integrated into climate action plans to improve energy security and public health.
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Document type: Guide
Scaling Up Clean Electricity
The report identifies a critical gap between current Canadian utility planning and the electricity supply needed for net-zero, suggesting that consumption must at least double by 2050. It proposes five catalysts to accelerate this transition, focusing on three supply-side actions: embedding net-zero mandates into regulator and utility roles, aligning resource planning with decarbonization pathways, and leveraging private and Indigenous capital to fund infrastructure. The document highlights that while Canada has abundant renewable resources, conservative demand forecasting and regulatory frameworks focused solely on low cost and reliability currently hinder the necessary build-out.
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Document type: Report
Développer l’électricité propre
The document identifies a critical gap between current electricity planning and the capacity needed for net-zero goals, proposing five catalysts—including regulatory reform and private investment—to accelerate the transition in Canada.
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Document type: Report
Canada’s Electrification Advantage in the Race to Net-Zero
The report argues that while Canada has a clean electricity advantage, it faces a significant risk of complacency. It identifies three cross-cutting barriers: a 'plug-or-socket' dilemma between supply and demand, policy uncertainty, and a focus on 'wild card' technologies over 'safe bets' like electrification. To overcome these, the report proposes five catalysts: business-led near-term electrification plans, net-zero mandates for utilities and regulators, alignment of utility planning with net-zero pathways, the implementation of performance standards and ZEV mandates, and the use of innovative public-private-Indigenous financing to crowd in private investment.
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Document type: Report
L’électrification comme avantage du Canada dans la course vers la carboneutralité : cinq catalyseurs pour accélérer l’électrification des entreprises
The document outlines a strategic framework for Canada to accelerate business electrification to reach net-zero by 2050. It identifies key barriers, such as the 'chicken-and-egg' dilemma between electricity supply and demand, and proposes five catalysts: short-term corporate action plans, integrating net-zero into utility mandates, aligning utility planning with net-zero trajectories, establishing clear performance standards and carbon pricing, and attracting private investment through innovative partnerships.
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Document type: Report
The Climate Consequences of Plastics | Briefing | EESI
The briefing examines the climate and environmental justice impacts of plastic production, highlighting the role of the petrochemical industry in generating greenhouse gas emissions and toxic pollution. Panelists discuss the failure of plastic recycling, the disproportionate burden on low-income communities and 'Cancer Alley' in Louisiana, and various policy interventions. These include single-use plastic bans in New York and the European Union, extended producer responsibility (EPR) laws in Maine and Oregon, and local reuse ordinances in Berkeley, California. The discussion emphasizes the need for a shift toward durable, reusable packaging and the closure of waste management loopholes.
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Document type: Briefing
CLIMATE CENTRAL SOLUTIONS BRIEF: CLIMATE-FRIENDLY HOMES
The document argues that electrifying homes and businesses is a critical pathway to net-zero emissions, noting that these buildings account for 13% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights high-efficiency heat pumps, smart thermostats, and weatherization as key upgrades that can reduce emissions and lower utility bills. The brief emphasizes that while individual actions are important, systemic support through government incentives, building codes, and financing is necessary to overcome barriers, particularly for low-income households and renters in multifamily housing.
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Document type: Briefing
Federal Resilience Programs: North American Wetlands Conservation Act
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA), established in 1989, is a federal grant program dedicated to protecting and restoring wetland habitats for migratory birds in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Wetlands provide critical ecosystem services, including storm protection valued at $23.2 billion annually in the U.S., carbon sequestration, and wave energy absorption. Since its inception, NAWCA has funded over 3,000 projects, protecting more than 32 million acres of wetlands and leveraging $1.6 billion in federal funds into over $4.6 billion in matching grants. Recent funding was reauthorized through the America’s Conservation Enhancement Act of 2020, with annual funding of up to $60 million through Fiscal Year 2025.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Protecting Biocultural Heritage and Land Rights
The document examines three climate adaptation projects by the W8banaki Nation: lake sturgeon habitat restoration, medicinal plant preservation, and riverbank erosion assessment. It highlights the importance of integrating traditional Indigenous knowledge with western science and argues for flexible, long-term, community-led funding models over rigid, top-down provincial programs.
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Document type: Case study
Protéger le patrimoine bio-culturel
The document examines how the W8banaki Nation integrates traditional knowledge with science to adapt to climate change in the Ndakina territory. It highlights three projects: the conservation of the lake sturgeon, the management of medicinal plants and invasive species, and the assessment of riverbank erosion. The study argues that successful adaptation requires 'bottom-up' planning, flexible and stable funding, and the active involvement of knowledge holders to ensure cultural continuity and territorial integrity.
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Document type: Case study
Phosmet
Phosmet is a U.S. registered pesticide used in 40 states, primarily on orchards and grapes, and is currently under registration review. It is associated with serious health effects, including cancer, neurodevelopmental harm, and reproductive toxicity, with exposure occurring via food, drinking water, and occupational contact. The pesticide is applied to a significant percentage of several common crops, including peaches (55%) and nectarines (50%).
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Document type: Fact sheet