Search Climate Insights Directory

This RMI guide explains how cities can use curbside charging to make EV ownership accessible for multifamily housing residents. It emphasizes the need for early engagement with program stakeholders (government and private entities) and community stakeholders to navigate the complexities of urban infrastructure. The document outlines various business models—including own-and-operate, lease, external operator, and concession—and suggests community engagement tools to build trust and increase adoption.

This guide by RMI outlines ten strategies for United States cities to advance inclusive electric mobility, focusing on affordability and accessibility for residents without private vehicles or home charging. It provides specific examples of municipal policies, from building code mandates for EV-readiness in Arizona to zero-emission delivery zones in California, to help cities navigate budget constraints and reduced federal funding.

This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines reconductoring—the process of replacing existing electrical transmission cables with advanced conductors—as a rapid and cost-effective method to increase the capacity of the U.S. energy grid. The author argues that reconductoring can bypass lengthy permitting processes, reduce energy costs, and support the transition to clean energy by enabling the connection of stalled renewable projects and meeting rising electricity demands from electric vehicles and data centers.

This guide by RMI describes resilience hubs as community-serving facilities designed to support vulnerable populations during and after extreme weather events. It outlines five foundational areas of support—power, communication, facilities, operations, and services—and provides six strategic lessons for cities implementing these hubs, emphasizing community partnership, energy efficiency, and the integration of solar and battery storage.

This guide by RMI provides strategic advice for municipalities to renegotiate franchise agreements with electric and gas utilities to advance climate, equity, and resilience goals. It emphasizes moving beyond narrow legal scopes to incorporate specific climate actions, equitable funding, and infrastructure resilience, while highlighting the importance of overcoming informational asymmetries during negotiations.

This briefing from RMI advises US local leaders to utilize existing federal funding opportunities to advance decarbonization, resilience, and environmental justice rather than waiting for new legislation. It outlines strategies for navigating over 100 existing programs, integrating equity via the Justice40 initiative, and seeking funds from non-traditional agencies.

This briefing transcript features a panel of experts discussing coastal resilience in the Great Lakes region, focusing on climate impacts, nature-based solutions, tribal adaptation strategies, and climate-smart agriculture. The discussion emphasizes the economic and environmental importance of the Great Lakes, the role of coastal wetlands in mitigating flooding and improving water quality, and the necessity of integrating traditional ecological knowledge and local leadership into federal and state policy.

This guide by the Stockholm Environment Institute explains how local governments can estimate consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions inventories (CBEIs) to understand the full carbon footprint of their communities, including emissions generated outside city borders.

The City of Minneapolis issued a USD 96 million green bond on 31 October 2018 to fund a new Public Service Center and an East Side Storage and Maintenance Facility, both of which are committed to LEED Gold certification. The bond, which matures in 2046, was reviewed by Kestrel Verifiers and represents the second such issuance from a Minnesota issuer in 2018.

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) advocates for the implementation of Minimum Efficiency Standards for Rentals (MESR) as a strategy for cities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve residential energy security. Using the 'SmartRegs' program in Boulder, Colorado, as a primary case study, the document provides a seven-step roadmap for other cities to integrate energy efficiency requirements into their rental licensing processes.

The Carbon-Free City Handbook: Biological Resources is a guide by RMI that outlines three primary actions for cities to manage biological resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: organic waste diversion, urban forestry, and the promotion of plant-based diets.

The Carbon-Free City Handbook, published by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in November 2017, provides a guide for city governments to implement 22 "no-regrets" actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The handbook focuses on five key sectors: buildings, transportation and mobility, electricity, industry, and biological resources, offering a framework for cities to transition toward 100% renewable energy and carbon-free operations through immediate, actionable, and economically viable policies.

The Community Energy Resource Guide, published by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in December 2015, provides a comprehensive roadmap for U.S. communities to develop energy action plans. It outlines a collaborative planning process, methods for analyzing energy landscapes, and specific tactics across the buildings, electricity, transportation, and industry sectors to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), prepared for Hunter Douglas, evaluates the energy savings potential of insulating honeycomb window shades in U.S. residences. Using EnergyPlus simulations across eight ASHRAE climate zones, the study finds that these shades can significantly reduce heating and cooling energy consumption, improve thermal comfort, and lower peak electricity demand, with existing homes seeing greater benefits than new homes.

This fact sheet from the International Institute for Sustainable Development argues that urban planning, specifically the creation of "complete communities," is an underutilized tool for reducing energy consumption and emissions, particularly in North America's car-centric cities.