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Testimony Before the United States House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources H.R. 8665 – Supercritical Geothermal Research and Development Act and H.R. 7053 – Orphaned Well Grant Flexibility Act
The Clean Air Task Force (CATF) advocates for the passage of H.R. 8665 to accelerate the development of supercritical geothermal energy, which it describes as a high-density, 24/7 carbon-free power source capable of meeting significant energy demands. CATF argues that while the bill's structure is sound, its current $5 million annual allocation is insufficient to cover even a single deep geothermal well. Additionally, the testimony supports H.R. 7053 to provide states with more flexibility in using Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funds for plugging orphaned wells by reducing mandatory, costly methane measurements. CATF emphasizes that the U.S. can leverage its existing oil and gas workforce and subsurface expertise to lead in next-generation geothermal innovation, competing with countries like China, New Zealand, Japan, and Iceland.
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Document type: Statement
Financial risks of the Gavin Coal Plant for institutional investors
The Gavin Coal Plant, owned by Lightstone Generation (a Blackstone and ArcLight Capital Partners joint venture), faces significant financial instability due to declining revenues in the PJM Interconnection market and high debt burdens. The plant is also subject to substantial EPA-mandated cleanup costs for coal ash contamination following a June 2024 court ruling. With the broader U.S. coal industry in decline and institutional investors divesting from thermal coal, the report urges pension funds to pressure owners to retire the plant responsibly to avoid the community and financial losses seen in other coal plant closures.
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Document type: Report
Urban Heat Hot Spots in 65 Cities
Climate Central analyzed the urban heat island (UHI) index across 65 major U.S. cities, finding that 68% of the 50 million residents in these cities live in areas where the built environment increases temperatures by 8°F or more. The study identifies albedo, green space, and population density as the primary drivers of this effect. It also highlights a link between historical redlining and current heat disparities, noting that in 84% of 179 analyzed cities, historically redlined areas experience hotter summers than non-redlined areas.
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Document type: Research paper
Election of New UK Government Heralds Major Opportunities for Ambitious Action and Leadership on Climate, Development and Nature
The World Resources Institute calls on the new UK government to accelerate national climate policies, rebuild trust with the Global South through increased climate finance, and lead international efforts on biodiversity and energy transitions.
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Document type: Statement
The Impact of Geopolitical Change on Humanitarian Disarmament
The document analyzes the challenges facing humanitarian disarmament in a contemporary environment characterized by rising global antagonism, a redistribution of power toward the Global South, and the decline of democratic space for civil society. It argues that the success of past treaties, such as the Mine Ban Convention, is threatened by competing global priorities like climate change and the erosion of trust between major powers. The authors highlight the difficulty of building cross-regional coalitions and the risks faced by civil society organizations (CSOs) due to government restrictions and stigmatization. To remain effective, the brief suggests that disarmament efforts must become more inclusive, diversify funding sources, and shift communication strategies toward the self-interest of states rather than relying solely on moral arguments.
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Document type: Policy brief
Israel-Hamas conflict animates the reincarnated Canadian Jewish Defense League
The briefing examines the resurgence of the Canadian Jewish Defense League (JDL) through its rebranded entity, Israel Now. It details how the group uses social media, specifically the 'Never Again Live' platform, to target pro-Palestinian activists through doxxing and harassment. The document highlights the group's promotion of Jewish militancy, including firearms training, and its alignment with far-right, Islamophobic, and anti-immigrant rhetoric. It further notes the group's historical and contemporary links to violent extremist organizations and individuals, arguing that the Israel-Hamas conflict has provided an opportunity for the group to gain publicity and build coalitions.
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Document type: Briefing
NYS Houses Make Some Progress on Transportation but the Legislature Leaves Much to be Desired As Session Comes to a Close
The ElectrifyNY coalition expresses disappointment that the New York State Assembly failed to pass the Green Transit, Green Jobs bill and the Clean Deliveries Act, despite the latter passing the Senate. The coalition argues these failures hinder the state's ability to meet climate mandates and protect disadvantaged communities from air pollution. Additionally, the coalition raises concerns regarding bill S9292A/A9238A, which reduces the amortization period for zero-emission school buses from 12 to 8 years, suggesting the change may not account for the varying needs of school districts.
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Document type: Statement
Climate Change Reporting 101
The document serves as an introductory resource for journalists to understand the causes and impacts of climate change and how to report on them accurately. It defines key terms, explains the role of greenhouse gases and fossil fuels, and details the effects of warming on weather patterns. The guide offers specific phrasing to help reporters connect extreme weather events to human-caused climate change and distinguishes between mitigation and adaptation strategies. It also outlines international and national policy frameworks, such as the Paris Agreement and the US Inflation Reduction Act, while advising journalists on how to avoid pitfalls like greenwashing and the platforming of climate deniers.
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Document type: Guide
Vulnerable Cities: Coastal Flood Risk
Climate Central analyzed annual coastal flood risks for 23 U.S. cities using Risk Finder and the Coastal Risk Screening Tool. The analysis highlights the impact of human-caused sea level rise, noting it contributed 13% of Hurricane Sandy's damages in the Northeast. For specific cities, the report identifies annual likelihoods of flooding at various levels above Mean Higher High Water (MHHW), such as a 20% likelihood for Norfolk at MHHW +4 feet. The document also notes that atmospheric warming is increasing the proportion of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes globally and may lead to more frequent back-to-back storms and rapid intensification.
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Document type: Report
Alternative media: Alternative to what?
The paper examines various theoretical frameworks for 'alternative media,' ranging from participatory and identity-focused approaches to 'critical' and 'radical' media that challenge corporate monopolies. It highlights the role of these media in empowering marginalized groups—including Indigenous peoples, women, and social movements—and discusses the transition from grassroots practice to formal policy reforms, particularly in Latin America, under the framework of communication rights.
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Document type: Research paper
Reportando sobre el clima y las elecciones estadounidenses de 2024
The document argues that climate change is a critical electoral issue in the 2024 US elections and urges journalists to move beyond 'red-blue' political binaries to report on the scientific consensus and local impacts. It provides specific questioning frameworks for candidates, methods for debunking common climate myths, and suggestions for localizing climate stories across sectors like infrastructure, housing, and energy. The guide emphasizes that reporting on the climate crisis is a matter of professional journalism rather than activism, citing the role of the press in holding power accountable during historical crises.
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Document type: Guide
Warm Winter Days Boosted by Climate Change in U.S. Cities
Analysis by Climate Central indicates that carbon pollution significantly increased the likelihood of abnormally warm winter days across the U.S. from December 2023 to February 2024. Approximately 85% of the U.S. population experienced at least one day where warm temperatures were at least twice as likely due to climate change. The Midwest experienced particularly strong climate fingerprints, with Minneapolis showing the largest warm departure from normal temperatures among 487 global cities with populations over 1 million. San Juan, Puerto Rico, recorded the highest number of days influenced by climate change at Climate Shift Index level 2 or higher.
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Document type: Briefing
TESTIMONY OF EARTHJUSTICE BEFORE THE JOINT HEARING OF THE SENATE FINANCE AND ASSEMBLY WAYS AND MEANS COMMITTEES REGARDING THE FISCAL YEAR 2024-25 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY BUDGET PROPOSALS
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.
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Document type: Briefing
정책 입안자를 위한 요약
The International Panel on the Information Environment (IPIE) proposes a global AI auditing framework to address the lack of consistent standards and the tendency of current audits to overlook impacts on the global majority. The framework defines seven key functions: audit scope, auditor roles, stakeholder engagement, context-appropriate criteria, evidence requirements, methodology, and post-audit activities. It emphasizes the need for auditor independence, transparent results, and the inclusion of environmental and labor impacts to protect human rights and collective well-being.
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Document type: Executive summary
Edelman Trust Barometer Fact Check
Clean Creatives claims the Edelman Trust Barometer is compromised by the firm's ties to climate deniers and autocratic states, alleging that the data overstates trust in governments that are Edelman clients and contradicts the firm's public climate commitments.
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Document type: Statement
Climate Bonds Resilience Taxonomy Methodology
The Climate Bonds Resilience Taxonomy (CBRT) Methodology establishes a science-based framework to scale private and public financing for climate adaptation and resilience. It categorises investments into four types—adapting measures, adapted activities, enabling measures, and enabling activities—across seven thematic areas including Resilient Infrastructure and Resilient Natural Systems. The methodology employs a tiered screening process to ensure a "measurable reduction in vulnerability (or exposure)" while managing maladaptation risks and ensuring no significant harm to climate mitigation. The framework is designed for global applicability and interoperability with existing standards like the EU Sustainable Finance Taxonomy and the MDB Joint Methodology.
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Document type: Report
Climate Impacts and Costs
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.
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Document type: Report
Global Approaches to Auditing Artificial Intelligence
The report analyzes the fragmented ecosystem of AI audits, distinguishing between organizational conformity assessments and academic performance evaluations. It details the roles of internal, external, and community auditors, the methodologies used—such as input variation and benchmarking—and the current state of enforceable regulations in the US, Canada, EU, UK, and China. The document argues for a more diverse, trustworthy audit ecosystem with better data access and a focus on global impacts, including environmental and labor concerns, to move beyond 'null compliance'.
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Document type: Report
IPIE SUBMISSION TO THE UN AI ADVISORY BODY: RESPONSE TO THE INTERIM REPORT ON GOVERNING AI FOR HUMANITY
The IPIE argues that AI audits are the primary mechanism to operationalize governance, moving beyond simple transparency to ensure human rights compliance and the fair distribution of AI benefits. It proposes a global audit framework based on universal parameters—including fairness, transparency, and technical robustness—and offers the IPIE's scientific expertise to help the UN develop these international standards and research functions.
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Document type: Statement
Towards A Global AI Auditing Framework: Assessment and Recommendations
The report analyzes the current AI audit ecosystem, identifying critical gaps in auditor independence, data access, and the failure to account for global sociotechnical impacts. It uses New York City's Local Law 144 as a case study to illustrate how regulatory-driven audits often prioritize transparency over actual harm mitigation. To address these issues, the authors propose a comprehensive Global AI Auditing Framework that emphasizes multidisciplinary teams, participatory stakeholder engagement, and the inclusion of labor and environmental criteria to ensure accountability across the AI supply chain.
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Document type: Research paper