Search Climate Insights Directory
97 results
Company Profile: Salesforce
Salesforce has achieved net-zero greenhouse gas emissions since financial year 2018 and aims for 100% renewable electricity for global operations by 2022. The company is implementing net-zero carbon building standards by 2030 and requires 50% of its suppliers by emissions to set reduction targets by 2025.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Wall Street Private Equity Landlords Snapping Up Apartment Buildings
The report details how private equity firms have aggressively expanded their ownership of U.S. apartment buildings, often employing 'value-added' or 'opportunistic' strategies to maximize returns. These strategies can involve pushing out lower-income tenants through rent hikes and neglect to convert properties into high-rent assets. The document identifies major players like Blackstone, Starwood Capital, and Brookfield Asset Management, noting their shift toward large-scale portfolio acquisitions and the use of high debt levels to finance growth.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Estimating consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions at the city scale
The document explains that consumption-based emissions inventories (CBEIs) capture the full carbon footprint of a city by including emissions from goods and services produced outside city borders. It identifies that for wealthy, industrialized cities, CBEIs are often significantly higher than territorial inventories. The guide details three main estimation approaches: spending data with input-output models, physical data with life-cycle analysis, and hybrid methods. It advises city planners to align their choice of methodology with their specific goals, such as resident education, peer comparison, or local policy design, while emphasizing the importance of detailed categorization to identify high-leverage areas for emissions reduction.
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Document type: Guide
Earthjustice Statement on the Passing of Judge William Newsom
Earthjustice honors the memory of Judge William Newsom, a former Board of Trustees member and environmental advocate who championed the protection of wilderness, wildlife, and water, and founded the Mountain Lion Foundation.
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Document type: Statement
Underwater
The report warns that sea level rise puts hundreds of thousands of US coastal properties at risk of chronic inundation, potentially leading to a collapse in real estate values and a significant erosion of local tax bases. Using a high sea level rise scenario, the analysis projects that by 2100, nearly 2.5 million properties valued at $1.07 trillion today will be at risk. The authors argue that current financial markets and government policies mask these risks, creating a 'narrowing window of opportunity' for communities to adapt. The report highlights particular vulnerabilities for low-income populations, the elderly, and specific states like Florida and New Jersey, while advocating for updated flood maps, transparent risk disclosure, and a shift away from subsidized insurance and disaster aid that encourages rebuilding in high-risk areas.
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Document type: Report
BETTER RENTALS, BETTER CITY
The report argues that targeting rental properties for energy efficiency is a high-impact strategy for cities to meet climate goals, as rentals often suffer from a 'split incentive' where owners do not pay utility bills. Using Boulder's 'SmartRegs' program as a model, the document outlines a seven-step roadmap for other cities: determining fit, analyzing impact, consulting stakeholders, developing financing, implementing measurement tools, establishing compliance, and creating disclosure frameworks. RMI's analysis of five US cities suggests that MESR policies could significantly reduce carbon emissions at a relatively low cost to municipal governments.
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Document type: Report
liability for inadequate climate policy
Milieudefensie, an association representing 80,000 members, asserts that Royal Dutch Shell plc is legally liable for its substantial contribution to global climate change. The document claims Shell has been aware of the causal link between fossil fuels and global warming since at least 1986, yet continues to prioritize oil and gas growth over sustainable energy. Milieudefensie demands that Shell align its investment decisions with the Paris Agreement, phase out oil and gas production, and reduce scope 3 emissions to zero by 2050. The letter argues that Shell's current strategy—which assumes fossil fuels will meet over 50% of energy demand by 2050—is unlawful under Dutch law and violates human rights. It further alleges that Shell has engaged in misleading PR and lobbying to obstruct climate policies in the EU and US.
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Document type: Statement
GUIDANCE NOTE TO ISSUERS AND VERIFIERS: SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE TO THE WATER INFRASTRUCTURE CRITERIA
The guidance note outlines the processes for evaluating the climate impact of water infrastructure bonds. It details a Mitigation Assessment to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions against baselines and an Adaptation & Resilience Assessment based on a binary scorecard. The latter evaluates an issuer's Vulnerability Assessment and Adaptation Plan across four key areas: water allocation, governance, diagnostic technical assessments (including hydrologic modeling), and the robustness of adaptation strategies. The document emphasizes the use of science-based methodologies, such as the WRI/WBCSD GHG Protocol and IPCC climate projections, and provides extensive examples from the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission to illustrate compliance.
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Document type: Guide
Ride-Hailing Drivers Are Ideal Candidates for Electric Vehicles
The report highlights the economic and environmental advantages of transitioning transportation network company (TNC) drivers to electric vehicles. It demonstrates that high-mileage drivers can achieve significant annual savings in fuel and maintenance, which eventually offset the higher initial purchase price of EVs. Using Austin, Texas, as a case study, the document details specific utility incentives and compares EV acquisition methods—purchasing, renting, and leasing—to guide TNC drivers toward electrification.
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Document type: Guide
Integrating Human Rights in Climate Action
The document outlines the structure of the 2018 Talanoa Dialogue, a facilitative process designed to raise climate ambition and inform future Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). It emphasizes that the Dialogue's participatory nature allows stakeholders to frame climate ambition through a human rights lens, including gender equality, food security, and a just transition. The briefing details a staged approach for input—from the preparatory phase ending in October to the political phase at COP-24—and advises contributors to use the 'Talanoa' methodology of sharing stories and positive experiences rather than adversarial 'name, shame, and blame' tactics to ensure their inputs are accepted by the Fijian presidency.
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Document type: Briefing
Comparing U.S. and Chinese Electric Vehicle Policies
The document analyzes the different approaches the U.S. and China take to overcome barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption, such as high upfront costs and limited charging infrastructure. While the U.S. relies on a mix of federal tax credits and varied state-level incentives, China has implemented more aggressive central government subsidies, a 'dual-credit policy' for manufacturers, and significant government fleet mandates. China's approach has led to faster growth in EV registrations and a larger network of charging outlets compared to the U.S.
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Document type: Research paper
Subpoenaed Exxon Yet?
The document describes Exxon's legal strategy of initiating discovery processes in Texas against public officials and attorneys from California and Massachusetts. The author characterizes these actions as intimidation tactics designed to disrupt lawsuits filed by California jurisdictions against fossil fuel producers for their role in the climate crisis. It highlights previous failed attempts by Exxon to claim a conspiracy involving NGOs and prosecutors in New York and Massachusetts, and argues that the company is attempting to use municipal bond disclosures to allege fraud against the cities suing it.
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Document type: Statement
Achieving 1.5 degrees in the real world: Opportunities, barriers and trade-offs
The document argues that while the 1.5°C target is technically achievable, it is hindered by a lack of political will, insufficient institutional capacity in developing nations, and tensions between rapid decarbonisation and sustainable development goals. It highlights a significant investment gap, noting that the energy sector alone requires an additional $458 billion annually through 2030. The authors suggest that the traditional consensus-based international cooperation model is insufficient and advocate for 'coalitions of the willing' involving non-state actors and philanthropic support to build capacity in disadvantaged regions.
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Document type: Briefing
Active transportation needs a federal champion
The authors advocate for a federal champion for active transportation in Canada, citing significant health benefits, such as reducing chronic disease and premature deaths, and environmental benefits, including the reduction of air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. They propose several federal actions, including creating a dedicated infrastructure fund and establishing a modal share goal.
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Document type: Statement
3 Things Companies Can Do in 2018 to Push Global Climate Action
The document outlines a strategy for companies to drive global climate action by engaging with governments. It recommends that CEOs use high-profile events to advocate for the Paris Agreement, align corporate emissions-cutting efforts with national 'nationally determined contributions' (NDCs), and meet with government ministers to break down policy silos. The text highlights a gap in NDCs, noting that while 114 NDCs highlight renewable energy, far fewer address energy storage (31) or water conservation and reuse (33).
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Document type: Site page
FFL Partners – Speedy Cash/ Rapid Cash
The document details the acquisition of Curo Financial Technologies by FFL Partners and highlights the predatory lending practices of its brands, Speedy Cash and Rapid Cash. It cites high annual percentage rates of up to 729%, regulatory sanctions in California for excess fee collection, and a high volume of lawsuits filed against customers in Missouri.
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Document type: Case study
Going from Pump to Plug
The report finds that electric vehicles (EVs) are significantly cheaper to fuel and maintain than gasoline vehicles in the US. Analysis of 60 electricity providers across the 50 largest US cities shows that at least one rate plan in every location makes EV driving cheaper than the average new gasoline vehicle, with median annual fuel savings exceeding $770. While the initial purchase price of EVs is typically higher, federal and state incentives, along with declining battery costs, are increasing affordability. The report recommends policies to expand charging infrastructure, particularly DC fast charging in urban areas, and the implementation of time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates to further reduce costs and emissions.
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Document type: Report
Built to Last
The report argues that California's public infrastructure is deteriorating and based on outdated historical climate data, making it vulnerable to a 'new normal' of extreme heat, sea level rise, wildfires, and erratic precipitation. It proposes a 'climate-smart' framework based on rigorous science, equitable outcomes, financial transparency, and holistic planning. Key barriers identified include outdated design codes, a lack of actionable climate data for engineers, and systemic underinvestment in underserved communities. The author recommends updating state standards, establishing a centralized coordinating center for climate information, and adopting innovative financing mechanisms like resilience bonds to protect critical services and vulnerable populations.
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Document type: Report
Purchasing Power
The document details the positive outcomes of institutional food procurement policies, showing that local sourcing increases regional economic output and job creation. It highlights environmental benefits, such as reduced greenhouse gas emissions and water use through meat reduction, and projects significant health improvements—including lower sodium intake and reduced risks of type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer—for students and adults in Los Angeles County. Additionally, it analyzes the increasing availability of antibiotic-free chicken in the US supply chain and compares the cost of procuring such meat against the high medical costs of treating antibiotic-resistant infections.
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Document type: Report
Think Global, Act Local: The Role of Regional Actors in Climate Protection
The text examines how regional governments and cities can maintain climate ambitions despite national withdrawals from international agreements, such as the US's proposed exit from the Paris Agreement. It highlights the Under2MoU as a global sub-national alliance and details Baden-Württemberg's legal and strategic approach to climate neutrality, while noting that regional success remains dependent on supportive national and EU frameworks.
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Document type: Statement