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37 results
Setting consumption-based emission reduction goals
This research paper, prepared for the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality by the Stockholm Environment Institute, discusses the rationale and methodology for setting consumption-based greenhouse gas emission reduction goals. It argues that supplementing Oregon's existing sector-based targets with consumption-based goals would provide a more comprehensive and equitable approach to climate mitigation by accounting for the full carbon footprint of goods and services consumed within the state.
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Document type: Research paper
Policy Opportunities to Increase Material Circularity in the Buildings Industry
This policy brief by RMI provides recommendations for municipalities to increase material circularity in the buildings sector to reduce embodied greenhouse gas emissions. It focuses on two primary objectives: incentivizing the direct reuse of building structures and materials, and increasing the diversion of construction and demolition (C&D) waste from landfills to be used as recycled content in new manufacturing.
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Document type: Policy brief
INCREASING ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGING ACCESS AT MULTI-UNIT DWELLINGS: WORKSHOP SUMMARY REPORT
This report summarizes a 2020 workshop on the barriers to electric vehicle (EV) charging access in California's multi-unit dwellings (MUDs). It identifies key obstacles such as outdated electrical infrastructure, split incentives between landlords and tenants, and restrictive parking zoning. Proposed solutions include 'make-ready' utility investments, updated building codes, and the adoption of lower-cost Level 1 charging to ensure equitable access for low- and moderate-income residents.
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Document type: Report
Green Bond Fact Sheet
This fact sheet details a USD 271 million green bond issuance by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority on June 25, 2020, to refinance the development of the Transbay Transit Center in San Francisco.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Getting Back on the Bus and Back to Work
This briefing by RMI examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public transit, arguing that the crisis provides a unique opportunity to modernize transit systems through data-driven redesign, the prioritization of bus lanes over single-occupancy vehicles, and the continued pursuit of bus electrification to improve health and climate outcomes.
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Document type: Briefing
Estimating consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions at the city scale
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.
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Document type: Guide
Green Bond Fact Sheet
This Green Bond Fact Sheet details a USD 1bn senior unsecured green bond issued by Boston Properties on November 28, 2018, with a 10-year tenor maturing on December 1, 2028.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Electric Buses: Benefits Outweigh Costs
This fact sheet, based on interviews with EESI staff, examines the transition from diesel to battery-powered electric buses (BEBs), highlighting their environmental and health benefits, economic trade-offs, and the current state of deployment in the United States and globally.
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Document type: Fact sheet
National Human Rights Institutions and the 2018 Talanoa Dialogue
This briefing note provides an overview of the 2018 Talanoa Dialogue on Climate Ambition, outlining how National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) and civil society can integrate human rights-based perspectives into the process to inform future national climate commitments.
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Document type: Briefing
Green Bond Fact Sheet
A Green Bond Fact Sheet detailing a USD 111 million solar asset-backed security (ABS) issued by Sunrun on June 1, 2015.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Ride-Hailing Drivers Are Ideal Candidates for Electric Vehicles
This guide by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) argues that ride-hailing drivers for transportation network companies (TNCs) are ideal candidates for electric vehicle (EV) adoption due to high vehicle utilization, which maximizes savings on fuel and maintenance and increases potential carbon offsets.
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Document type: Guide
Integrating Human Rights in Climate Action
This briefing by the Center for International Environmental Law describes the 2018 Talanoa Dialogue, a facilitative process designed to raise climate ambition and inform future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement. The document provides a roadmap for civil society and indigenous peoples to integrate human rights, gender equality, and just transition principles into the dialogue's narrative through a specific, story-based methodology.
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Document type: Briefing
Comparing U.S. and Chinese Electric Vehicle Policies
This research paper compares the electric vehicle (EV) policies of the United States and China, focusing on financial incentives, charging infrastructure, research and development, and fleet procurement. It highlights China's more aggressive approach to subsidies and mandates compared to the U.S. system of tax credits and state-level incentives.
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Document type: Research paper
Subpoenaed Exxon Yet?
A statement by CIEL President & CEO Carroll Muffett criticizing Exxon's legal strategy of filing discovery requests and lawsuits against public officials, attorneys, and organizations investigating the company's role in the climate crisis.
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Document type: Statement
Building a Climate-Resilient City: Agriculture and food security
This briefing from the International Institute for Sustainable Development examines strategies to build climate-resilient urban food systems, focusing on the cities of Calgary and Edmonton. It argues that strengthening local food production and diversifying supply chains can mitigate risks posed by extreme weather and global supply shocks.
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Document type: Briefing
THE CALIFORNIA CLIMATE AND CLEAN ENERGY POLICY STORY
This report by Energy Innovation describes California's climate and clean energy policy framework, highlighting the state's success in decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions. It details the combination of performance standards and a cap-and-trade program, the resulting growth in green jobs and clean technology, and the state's influence on federal and other state-level policies.
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Document type: Report
ENERGY SAVINGS FROM WINDOW SHADES
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.
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Document type: Report
Interoperable Transit Data
This RMI report advocates for interoperable transit data (ITD) as the foundation for 'Mobility as a Service' (MaaS), a system designed to replace personally owned vehicles with on-demand, multimodal transport. It identifies barriers such as fragmented payment systems, inconsistent data licensing, and regulatory differences between public and private providers. The report proposes solutions including public-private partnerships, the development of new data standards, and pilot projects to demonstrate the economic and environmental benefits of reducing single-occupancy vehicle trips.
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Document type: Report
THE ECONOMICS OF BATTERY ENERGY STORAGE
This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) analyzes the economic value of battery energy storage in the U.S. electricity grid, arguing that 'behind-the-meter' (customer-sited) deployment offers the highest potential value because it can provide the widest array of services. The authors identify thirteen fundamental services across three stakeholder groups—ISO/RTOs, utilities, and customers—and demonstrate through four case studies that 'stacking' multiple services (using a battery for several different purposes over its lifetime) is essential for achieving positive net economic benefits under current cost structures.
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Document type: Report
Plug-in Electric Vehicles
As of June 2014, the U.S. plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market was characterized by rapid growth, with sales increasing 85% between 2012 and 2013. The market was dominated by the Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Prius Plug-in, and Tesla Model S. While PEVs offer zero tailpipe emissions and lower total cost of ownership due to cheaper fuel, challenges remain regarding the availability of public charging infrastructure (8,000 stations vs 150,000 gas stations) and high battery costs. Federal tax credits up to $7,500 and various state-level incentives in places like California, Colorado, and Georgia are used to drive adoption.
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Document type: Fact sheet