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The report details how climate change threatens the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) through sea level rise, intense storms, and extreme heat. It provides specific projections for sea level rise in New Jersey and New York City, notes the increasing frequency of 'nuisance flooding' at The Battery, and highlights the vulnerability of critical assets like LaGuardia Airport's Runway 13/31. The document quantifies historical damages, such as the billions lost during Superstorm Sandy, and lists a comprehensive set of potential adaptation costs, including flood-proofing buildings, elevating infrastructure, and mitigating heat-induced rail and road degradation.

The report analyzes over 2.4 million messages from approximately 1,000 US-linked DVE accounts. It finds that while Telegram was the most active platform by volume, X generated the highest engagement. Racially and Ethnically Motivated Violent Extremists (REMVE) were the most active group, but Anti-Government & Anti-Authority Violent Extremists (AGAAVE) drove the most engagement. Key narratives centered on targeted hate, elections, and religion. The report highlights specific spikes in anti-migrant hate regarding Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, and reactions to the arrest of Telegram CEO Pavel Durov.

In 2024, WRI supported over 150 U.S. cities and counties in accelerating clean energy deployment and helped over 60 cities claim more than $12 million in tax credits via the Inflation Reduction Act's elective pay mechanism. The organization advanced next-generation geothermal technologies, launched a database of 50 community benefits frameworks for transmission projects, and supported the deployment of electric school buses (ESBs) through initiatives like the RVXDS project in California. WRI also focused on reforming power markets and grids, providing technical assistance to the PJM Cities and Communities Coalition and researching interregional transmission procurement.

An analysis of 2020 Residential Energy Consumption Survey data reveals that extremely low-income US households—those earning less than 30% of the state median income—face a disproportionately high average energy burden of 14%, exceeding the 10% threshold for energy poverty. The report highlights that the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act could save American families approximately $38 billion on electricity bills through technology upgrades and rebates. It identifies successful state-level interventions, such as California's percentage of income payment plans (PIPPs) and Colorado's low-income community solar programs, as models for alleviating energy poverty. The analysis further notes that extremely low-income households in southern states experience the highest energy burdens, often correlating with higher income inequality and diversity indices. The document concludes that states can simultaneously pursue decarbonization and energy affordability, citing Colorado and Washington as examples of states integrating specific energy affordability policies into their climate targets.

The document asserts that the United States lacks a centralized plan to manage the reliable transition of its electricity sector, noting that current decarbonization targets are set without sufficient coordination to ensure grid reliability. It argues that market-based mechanisms, such as Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs) and Energy Imbalance Markets (EIMs), are insufficient on their own to incentivize the specific generation resources needed for both resource adequacy and operating reliability. The author highlights that while New York and California are beginning to explore reliability-informed planning, a broader alignment between state policymakers, regulators, and grid operators is necessary to prevent reliability risks as fossil-fuel resources are retired.

The report argues that Canada must add over 10 GW of zero-emission capacity annually until 2050 to reach its climate goals. To achieve this, it proposes a 'fast track' permitting process for modest projects using proven technologies, contrasting with an existing track for large-scale or experimental projects. The proposed framework focuses on three pillars: technology (proven, low impact), location (objective, binary criteria), and timeline (fixed limits for each project phase). It emphasizes the central role of municipal and Indigenous governments in granting approvals to ensure social acceptability and the protection of key ecological elements. The document also analyzes the constitutional competencies of federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous authorities to implement these reforms.

The briefing assesses the health and economic co-benefits of a 45% emissions cap on Canada's oil and gas sector. It projects that such a cap would avoid approximately 4,860 premature deaths between 2030 and 2040, resulting in an economic benefit of CAD $45.1 billion. The document highlights the link between oil and gas emissions and pollutants like NO2, PM2.5, and ozone, which contribute to respiratory and cardiac diseases. It also criticizes the federal government for failing to conduct a promised independent health study on communities near the oil sands and calls for a national study on the health costs of oil and gas production, similar to research conducted in the U.S.

The report identifies a critical gap in the energy policy lifecycle, which it terms the "policy valley of death," where a lack of effective planning prevents financial incentives from achieving emissions targets. It argues that waiting for a decarbonized system to self-assemble through individual projects is inefficient and fails to address the scale of mid-century needs. To resolve this, the authors propose five principles for effective energy planning: being proactive and risk-aware, adopting a multi-jurisdictional and systems-perspective, co-creating plans with all stakeholders, utilizing comprehensive scenario-based analysis, and establishing actionable roadmaps with accountable progress tracking. The document further details five essential components for a durable plan: a stakeholder engagement roadmap, proactive risk-aware analysis, an implementation roadmap, progress tracking mechanisms, and knowledge-sharing centers.

Canada needs to add over 10 gigawatts of new zero-emission electricity annually until 2050 to reach net zero. The author argues that current inclusive permitting processes are too slow and complex. They propose a two-track system: one for major or unproven projects and a second, expedited track for proven technologies like wind, solar, and lithium-ion batteries. This fast-track process would rely on binding, objective 'yes/no' criteria focusing on local government support, avoidance of key ecological features, and the mitigation of uncompensated off-site impacts. The paper concludes that all five orders of government (federal, provincial, territorial, municipal, and Indigenous) have the legal authority to implement these reforms, and recommends that municipal and Indigenous governments lead the project decisions for fast-track approvals.

GreenLatinos identified 308 projects totaling over $3 billion in investments from 23 programs across five federal agencies in California, Colorado, Florida, New York, and Texas. The analysis finds that IIJA funds are reaching Latine communities at the state level, with specific instances of investment at city, county, and regional-ecosystem levels. Additionally, some Latine-led and Latine-serving universities, community groups, and nonprofits have received funding to build capacity for environmental stewardship and addressing environmental injustices, although these investments are smaller in ratio compared to general infrastructure investments.

The document analyzes how New York and California are reforming their permitting processes to overcome delays in clean energy deployment, highlighting the use of 'one-stop shops', legal deadlines, and community benefit agreements. While these reforms aim to improve financial viability and public support, the study identifies risks such as imprecise legal language, potential infringement on Indigenous rights, and persistent bottlenecks in grid interconnection that require federal intervention.

The document analyzes how New York and California are reforming permitting processes to overcome delays in clean energy deployment. Key measures include creating 'one-stop shop' agencies, setting statutory time limits for approvals, and mandating community benefit agreements to reduce local opposition. While New York has seen project approval timelines drop from five-ten years to under two years, challenges remain regarding administrative capacity, Indigenous rights, and the failure of state reforms to address the critical backlog of grid interconnections, which remains a federal jurisdiction.

The report examines Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) as legally binding contracts between developers and communities to ensure equitable outcomes in energy transitions. Through nine case studies and an analysis of DOE, DOT, and EPA guidelines, it identifies critical failure points—such as lack of representative stakeholders and poor enforceability—and proposes best practices for planning, negotiation, and monitoring to better align project development with community needs.

The document warns that loosening the 'three pillars' of 45V rules—additionality, deliverability, and hourly matching—will lead to higher consumer electricity costs. It explains that because electrolyzers are massive electricity users, expanding their use without corresponding new clean generation forces markets to use more expensive generators. The author draws parallels to cryptocurrency mining in Texas and New York, where increased demand raised wholesale prices. Citing studies from Princeton University's ZERO Lab and TU Berlin, the briefing suggests that failing to enforce these rules could result in double-digit percentage increases in electricity prices, with specific projections of 8% in California and 10% in Colorado.

The report asserts that the EPA's proposed rules for coal and gas power plants are technically feasible and will not threaten resource adequacy or operational reliability. It synthesizes six industry-standard studies showing that the U.S. grid can remain stable even if all unabated coal is retired by 2035. The authors argue that reliability risks are institutional rather than technical, stemming from slow interconnection processes and inadequate transmission planning. To manage the transition, the report recommends adopting 'connect-and-manage' interconnection processes, deploying grid-enhancing technologies, and proactively planning transmission for coal retirements.

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 report highlights a critical gap in US public health policy: the lack of comprehensive, science-based indoor air quality (IAQ) guidelines. While the US regulates outdoor air via the Clean Air Act, indoor environments—where people spend approximately 90% of their time—remain largely unregulated. The document details how pollutants like nitrogen dioxide from gas stoves and wildfire smoke exacerbate health risks, particularly for vulnerable populations. It reviews existing international models from the WHO and Health Canada, and limited US efforts in states like California and Texas. RMI recommends that the EPA use its authority under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA) to develop federal guidelines, which could then inform building codes, product safety standards, and electrification efforts to reduce combustion pollution.

The guide outlines how state, local, and tribal governments can utilize CPRG funding to reduce methane emissions by implementing upstream organic waste diversion and downstream landfill gas controls. It emphasizes the use of 20-year global warming potential (GWP) for GHG inventories to highlight the urgency of methane action and details specific policy measures, such as organic waste bans and advanced monitoring technology, to achieve rapid emissions reductions and community benefits.

The guide explains how Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) function as 'nutrition labels' for building materials by reporting life-cycle assessment (LCA) data, specifically Global Warming Potential (GWP). It argues that current EPDs suffer from inconsistencies due to varying data sources and proprietary datasets. To achieve an 'ideal EPD' that supports fair carbon reduction policies, the author recommends that Product Category Rules (PCRs) mandate facility-specific data, limit product variation within single reported values, and require supply-chain-specific data for upstream processes. The document also identifies barriers to adoption, such as high up-front costs for small businesses and the lack of a universal public database, while noting US government initiatives like the EPA's grant program and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 aimed at advancing EPD development.

The document explores community ownership of clean energy infrastructure as a means to address socio-political and techno-economic barriers to deployment. It details various ownership models used in the US and Europe, including LLC direct ownership, partnership 'flips', and cooperatives, while highlighting the potential impact of the US Inflation Reduction Act's transferability and direct pay provisions.