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The report details the significant financial backing provided by private equity firms for both approved and proposed LNG export terminals in the United States. It argues that the rapid growth of this industry, driven by short-term price spikes, is incongruent with diminishing international demand and the EU's carbon reduction goals. The document highlights specific firms like KKR, I Squared Capital, and Fortress Investment, noting that such investments expose institutional investors to climate-related financial risks and cause environmental and social harm to frontline communities.

The report argues that the Dominican Republic can eliminate its annual US$2 billion electricity subsidy by investing 2.5 to 3 years' worth of those funds (US$4.5 to US$6 billion) into rooftop solar installations. Using a blended finance approach—combining government grants with local loans—the model aims to reduce household electricity costs by up to 90% over time while ending the government's reliance on volatile fossil fuel expenditures.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) reports that over 14 million people live within five miles of 104 ethylene oxide (EtO)-emitting facilities, with a disproportionate impact on people of color and low-income communities. EtO is a known carcinogen used primarily for medical sterilization, and UCS advocates for stricter EPA emissions controls and the adoption of less toxic alternatives.

In 2022, the U.S. experienced 18 billion-dollar weather and climate disasters causing $165 billion in damages and 474 deaths, with Hurricane Ian being the costliest hurricane on record. The year was the 18th hottest on record for the U.S., with 73% of analyzed locations experiencing warmer-than-normal temperatures. These events are part of a longer warming trend, with 98% of analyzed U.S. locations showing increased average annual temperatures from 1970 to 2021. Meanwhile, U.S. fossil fuel emissions increased by 1.5% in 2022, though the Inflation Reduction Act is expected to help double annual wind and solar PV capacity additions by 2027 compared to 2021.

The report finds that majorities in all 73 surveyed low-emission areas have experienced extreme weather, with unusually hot weather being the most common hazard. Most respondents attribute these events to climate change, yet significant gaps in individual and household preparedness exist, particularly in South America and Europe. Recovery times vary widely, with some populations in Central Asia and the Balkans expecting recovery to take a year or more.

The UCS Science Network aims to build a science advocacy movement by collaborating with partners to provide tools, training, and networking opportunities for scientists. The network emphasizes anti-racism, diversity, equity, and inclusion, seeking to build equitable partnerships between scientists and frontline communities. Recent successes include the 2022 Science Advocacy Movement Building School, the Science and Civics Guide for the 2022 midterm elections, and various workshops on power mapping and community advocacy conducted with organizations such as the National Science Policy Network and the American Geophysical Union.

Earthjustice's statement on the Omnibus Spending Package praises funding for federal agencies, solar energy in Puerto Rico, and water infrastructure in Jackson, Mississippi. However, it criticizes the bill for undermining the Endangered Species Act regarding right whales, extending EPA pesticide review deadlines, and failing to meet U.S. climate finance commitments to developing nations made at COP 27.

The 2022 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker catalogs hearings held by various U.S. House and Senate committees. The tracker covers a wide array of topics including the Inflation Reduction Act, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, electric vehicle infrastructure, methane pollution, and agricultural resiliency. It details the specific dates and titles of hearings across committees such as the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The report outlines the activities of the St. Louis Controlled Environment Agriculture (STLCEA) Coalition, which selected AeroFarms to develop a large-scale commercial vertical farm and community-based farms in the St. Louis region. It evaluates various energy strategies to reduce the high carbon footprint of indoor farming, including the use of stranded assets like river cooling, underwater turbines, and waste-to-energy systems. Additionally, the document describes the establishment of a Center of Excellence (CoE) led by The Yield Lab Institute to foster knowledge sharing and technological innovation in the fragmented CEA industry while addressing food insecurity and racial inequality in north St. Louis.

Earthjustice criticizes the continued reliance on a centralized fossil-fuel energy grid in Puerto Rico, citing the failure of LNG and coal plants and the resulting energy-related deaths following Hurricane Fiona. The organization advocates for the use of unspent FEMA funds to implement distributed rooftop solar and storage systems, as supported by US Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm and local communities like Adjuntas.

The U.S. has seen a steady increase in the frequency and cost of billion-dollar weather and climate disasters since 1980. In 2022, by September 30, the country had already experienced 15 such events totaling $29.3 billion in losses, exceeding the historical annual average of seven. The time between these disasters has shrunk from 82 days in the 1980s to an average of 18 days between 2017 and 2021, reducing the time available for recovery and preparation. While hurricanes are the most costly event type, the overall trend of increasing extremes is linked to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions, with projections suggesting further intensity without rapid emissions cuts.

The Union of Concerned Scientists calls for the immediate replacement of World Bank President David Malpass, citing his refusal to state that fossil fuel combustion causes climate change. The organization argues that the World Bank's mission to end poverty is inextricably linked to climate change and that the institution must stop financing fossil fuel projects to support low-income countries in transitioning to clean energy.

Summer 2022 was the third hottest on record for the contiguous U.S., with significant influence from climate change on both daytime and nighttime temperatures. Using the Climate Shift Index, the analysis shows that nearly half of the contiguous U.S. experienced 15 or more days where average temperatures were at least twice as likely due to climate change. The period was also marked by extreme precipitation in Missouri and Kentucky, widespread wildfires burning over 6.7 million acres, and severe drought affecting 94% of Hawaii and 85 consecutive weeks in Puerto Rico.

The document examines how human-caused climate change and warming sea surface temperatures are increasing the proportion of intense tropical cyclones and the frequency of rapid intensification events. It highlights that tropical cyclones are the costliest weather disasters in the U.S., with 73% of billion-dollar storms since 1980 having undergone rapid intensification. The text notes that while landfalling hurricane frequency in the continental U.S. remained stable from 1900-2017, economic losses have risen due to increased population and wealth along the Gulf and East Coasts.

The document expresses a mix of support and concern regarding the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. While praising the $369 billion investment in clean energy, environmental justice, and health affordability, the signatories criticize the bill's continued support for fossil fuel leasing and its reliance on carbon capture and nuclear energy. The organizations call for further executive action to freeze oil and gas permits and the passage of the Environmental Justice for All Act to protect frontline communities.

A coalition of 121 public interest groups and tribal communities is calling on the EPA to strengthen the Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule. They argue that current exemptions for 'legacy ponds' (surface impoundments at plants retired before October 19, 2015) and 'inactive landfills' (those that stopped receiving waste by that date) leave nearly a billion tons of toxic waste unregulated. The petitioners claim the EPA is in violation of a 2018 D.C. Court of Appeals order and its own statutory duties under RCRA to review regulations every three years. The document highlights specific contamination sites in Indiana, Tennessee, Florida, Puerto Rico, and Illinois, emphasizing that these pollutants disproportionately affect low-income and BIPOC communities.

The document outlines how climate change impacts mental health through direct, indirect, and vicarious risks. It provides data on depression and PTSD following disasters like hurricanes, highlights widespread climate anxiety among Americans and global youth, and discusses strategies for building individual and community resilience.

RMI advocates for a comprehensive transformation of the global economy across ten key fronts to meet the 1.5C climate target. These priorities include increasing political ambition, decarbonizing buildings and transportation, phasing out coal and gas, scaling green hydrogen, and enhancing emissions transparency. The organization emphasizes the need for a three- to six-fold increase in zero-carbon capital investments and the integration of mitigation and adaptation efforts, particularly in the Global South, to ensure an equitable transition.

The report finds that USCA states can meet 100% of their electricity consumption with renewables by 2035, even with increased demand from electrification. This transition would significantly reduce air pollution, prevent 6,000 to 13,000 premature deaths, and lower average household energy burdens from 3.7% to 3.0% by 2040. While the transition creates substantial net jobs in renewable installation, the authors argue that proactive equity policies are necessary to ensure benefits reach marginalized communities and fossil fuel workers.

Earthjustice denounces AES Puerto Rico for two decades of coal ash pollution in Guayama, citing contaminated groundwater, increased chronic disease rates, and an ineffective remediation plan. The statement highlights the failure of the EPA and local authorities to enforce the Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) rule and calls for the immediate removal of toxic waste and restoration of the South Coast Aquifer.