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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 document argues that a just transition requires wealthy, high-emitting nations to phase out fossil fuels first and fastest while providing financial and technological support to less wealthy countries. It outlines a broad menu of policy tools across resource management, financial markets, fiscal and monetary policy, economic diversification, and global governance to manage the decline of fossil fuel production and consumption equitably.

An analysis of 476 weather stations from 1973 to 2023 shows that fire weather seasons are lengthening and intensifying across the contiguous United States, with the most significant increases occurring in the West. While the East has seen more modest increases, both regions are experiencing a notable rise in fire weather days during the spring. The Southwest has seen the most dramatic growth, with some areas experiencing fire weather twice as often as they did 50 years ago.

The paper identifies three fundamental flaws in the current GHG Protocol Scope 2 Market-Based method: it fails to accurately measure emissions based on the timing and location of electricity use, it does not value firm CFE and balancing resources, and it does not prioritize actions that reduce real-world emissions. To address these, the authors propose five key improvements: implementing location-matching based on deliverability, adopting hourly time-matching, treating all forms of CFE (compliance, non-bypassable, and voluntary) equally, ensuring EACs are allocated to those who financially support them, and removing 'grid CFE' from inventories unless substantiated by EACs. The authors also suggest establishing a standardized 'Baseline' CFE score for utility service areas to better distinguish between required and voluntary procurement efforts.

The document analyzes the emergence of 'equity PIMs'—regulatory tools that provide financial rewards or penalties to utilities based on their performance regarding equity metrics. It identifies seven US jurisdictions using these tools to address energy poverty and the inequitable distribution of clean energy benefits. The report distinguishes between program-based and outcome-based PIMs, discusses the role of reporting metrics and scorecards as precursors to financial incentives, and argues that PIMs must be part of a broader regulatory strategy including cost-control reforms and low-income assistance to be effective.

RMI analysis indicates that Illinois households could save over $2,800 annually by implementing a combination of vehicle electrification standards, climate-driven agency planning, and renewed transit investments. These strategies could reduce pollution by up to 305 million metric tons between 2024 and 2050 and prevent thousands of deaths annually through reduced crash fatalities, improved air quality, and increased physical activity. While Illinois has received federal funding via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act, the report notes the state has yet to adopt clean vehicle standards or integrate climate metrics into infrastructure project scoring.

The report finds that private equity-owned companies accounted for approximately 21% of all healthcare bankruptcies in 2023, with a further wave expected in 2024. It attributes this trend to the private equity business model's reliance on excessive leverage, dividend recapitalizations, and aggressive growth strategies, which leave companies vulnerable to rising interest rates and labor costs. Case studies of firms like Envision Healthcare and Air Methods highlight how the No Surprises Act further impacted companies reliant on surprise billing. The report warns that these financial failures lead to service closures, layoffs, and threats to publicly-funded healthcare infrastructure.

The report identifies 219 facilities in Pennsylvania eligible for 45Q tax credits, emitting 82.5 million metric tons of CO2 annually. While the Lockport and Knox formations offer a theoretical storage capacity of 510 to 1,640 million metric tons, low permeability across most assessed saline aquifers poses a significant challenge to commercial viability. Alternative storage options include depleted oil and gas fields, CO2-enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and the Marcellus and Utica shales, though the latter requires further research.

The report details a decade of significant growth in U.S. solar and wind power, noting that solar generation increased more than eight-fold and wind more than doubled between 2014 and 2023. It highlights the leading roles of states like California and Texas, the emergence of small-scale solar, and the potential for these technologies to drive the U.S. toward its 2035 goal of 100% carbon pollution-free electricity, although current projections suggest the 2030 emissions target may be missed.

The report analyzes the federal permitting process for high-capacity electric transmission lines in the U.S., identifying systemic delays caused by poor interagency coordination, capacity shortages, and regulatory misalignment between federal and state authorities. Based on a dataset of 37 projects and case studies, it argues that while litigation is often cited as a primary barrier, it is rarely the sole cause of project failure. The authors recommend that the President prioritize transmission as a national priority, that Congress consolidate siting authority for multi-state projects, and that agencies adopt more agile, transparent, and collaborative environmental review processes, including expanded use of programmatic EISs and categorical exclusions.

The report identifies 219 facilities in Pennsylvania eligible for 45Q tax credits, emitting 82.5 million metric tons of CO2 annually. While the Lockport and Knox formations offer a theoretical storage capacity of 510 to 1,640 million metric tons, low permeability across most assessed saline aquifers poses significant challenges for commercially viable injection. Alternative options include depleted oil and gas fields, CO2-enhanced oil recovery (EOR), and the Marcellus and Utica shales, though the latter requires further research. Due to the geographic mismatch between emission sources and high-quality storage sites, the report concludes that CO2 pipelines will likely be necessary.

Earthjustice warns that a new 'model' bill for cryptocurrency mining, promoted by the Satoshi Action Fund, would shield miners from local zoning and noise ordinances and interfere with utility regulators' ability to set fair electricity rates. The briefing details how proof-of-work mining strains electric grids, increases electricity costs for residents, causes significant noise and environmental pollution, and fails to deliver promised economic benefits.

In 2022, the United States had over 4.2 million climate jobs, with clean energy job creation outpacing overall job growth. Energy efficiency was the largest sector with 2.2 million jobs, followed by public transportation (821,220) and electricity transmission and distribution (over 703,000). Significant growth was observed in clean vehicles, which grew by 14.7%, and grid modernization, which saw an 11.6% increase in electricity transmission and distribution. Federal laws like the Inflation Reduction Act are expected to create over 303,500 annual construction jobs and 100,000 permanent jobs. Adaptation and resilience jobs are emerging across all 50 states, though exact total figures are unavailable.

Earthjustice urges New York State to increase funding for water infrastructure and environmental protection while accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to electricity. The testimony specifically advocates for the NY HEAT Act to downsize the gas system, the RAPID Act to speed up electric transmission, and the Green Transit, Green Jobs bill to electrify bus fleets. It also calls for urgent action on childhood lead poisoning and the reduction of agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, while opposing 'false solutions' like hydrogen and renewable natural gas.

The U.S. clean energy sector saw record growth in 2023, particularly in solar installations and EV sales, supported by the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. However, the transition faces significant headwinds from rising interest rates, supply chain shortages for transformers, and a lagging transmission system. To meet 2035 carbon-free electricity goals, annual renewable installation rates must nearly double, and transmission capacity may need to double or triple.

The Canadian Climate Institute suggests that using case-by-case impact assessments to determine if projects comply with emissions reduction pathways is inefficient and subjective. Instead, the author argues that overarching policies—such as industrial carbon pricing and the oil and gas emissions cap—are better suited to ensure projects align with climate goals. This shift would allow the regulatory review system to focus on averting specific environmental harms and engaging Indigenous Peoples while accelerating the approval of clean growth projects to maintain global competitiveness.

The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) urges the EPA to finalize Phase 3 regulations for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) covering model years 2027-2032. The document highlights that HDVs contribute 59% of ozone- and particle-forming NOx emissions and 55% of particle pollution in the US, leading to significant health damages and deaths. It asserts that the industry is already transitioning toward zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), citing new battery-electric and fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) models from manufacturers like Mercedes, Nikola, and Tesla. Furthermore, the document details extensive federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) intended to build out charging and hydrogen refueling infrastructure, arguing that these resources make strong regulatory standards feasible and necessary.

The document describes natural gas as a fossil fuel primarily composed of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. It details the process of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and its negative consequences, including the contamination of millions of litres of clean water, the triggering of earthquakes, and the release of harmful air pollutants like VOCs and PM2.5. In British Columbia, the expansion of the LNG industry is noted to threaten Indigenous lands and water sources, such as the Wedzin Kwa river. The text asserts that methane is responsible for one-third of global warming and that 'renewable natural gas' is a form of greenwashing. It concludes by calling for a moratorium on new fracking permits and a transition away from methane for heating and cooking.

The document outlines the environmental and health risks associated with hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and methane gas, highlighting the disproportionate impact on Indigenous communities in British Columbia and the role of methane in global warming.

New England's energy transition requires a massive shift from fossil fuel reliance to a decarbonized grid, with peak electricity demand projected to double to 55 GW by 2050. The report argues for a 'clean energy portfolio approach' combining solar, offshore wind, energy storage, and interregional transmission to ensure reliability and affordability. It highlights significant sociopolitical barriers, including community opposition and outdated permitting processes, and recommends comprehensive state-level reforms and proactive community engagement to accelerate deployment.