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The report examines why the Direct Planting (PD) system, despite its benefits for farmers and the climate, has seen low adoption rates in Brazil. It identifies social learning—learning from neighbors and peers—as a key driver of diffusion, but notes that soil heterogeneity acts as a barrier because the system must be adapted to specific soil conditions. The study finds that soil diversity most significantly hinders adoption at intermediate levels (18% to 50%), while formal diffusion channels, such as cooperatives and training centers, complement social learning by helping regions reach a critical mass of users. The authors argue that public policy should prioritize temporary, itinerant training in areas with low soil heterogeneity to trigger autonomous social learning.

The April 2013 survey indicates that while a majority of Americans (63%) believe global warming is happening, there was a 7-point decline in this belief since Fall 2012, potentially due to a cold winter and March. About half of Americans believe global warming is human-caused and express worry about the issue. However, global warming is primarily perceived as a distant threat affecting future generations, other species, and people in developing countries more than individuals personally. There is also a trend of Americans feeling they have sufficient information to form opinions on the subject.

The report finds that a growing majority of Americans (74%) believe global warming is affecting U.S. weather, with many attributing recent extreme heat, drought, and record temperatures to climate change. It details regional variations in perceptions, noting that Midwesterners were particularly sensitive to drought and crop harm in 2012, while Westerners reported higher rates of forest fires. The data shows an increase in the number of Americans reporting personal harm to health, property, or finances from extreme heat and drought.

A 2012 survey of 1,008 American adults found that 82% personally experienced an extreme weather event in the previous year, and a majority believe U.S. weather is worsening. While many link high-profile disasters to global warming, only about a third of respondents have both an emergency plan and a supply kit. The report also highlights a public interest in hearing weathercasters discuss global warming, despite infrequent occurrences of such discussions in forecasts.

The document identifies approximately 2 million mobile homes built before 1976 as the "worst housing stock" in the U.S., noting they are energy-inefficient and often house low-income, elderly, or disabled residents. It highlights that these structures are often ineligible for traditional weatherization programs and proposes the Energy Efficient Manufactured Housing Act of 2009 to provide rebates for ENERGY STAR qualified homes. The text details the differences between mobile, manufactured, and modular homes, and provides demographic data on residents of pre-1980 manufactured housing.

Hourly rainfall intensity in 126 U.S. cities has increased by an average of 15% since 1970, with the heaviest 1% of downpours intensifying most in the Northeast (+60%) and Midwest (+45%) between 1958 and 2021. Future warming of 2°C is projected to increase precipitation during the heaviest events by an average of 17% across U.S. counties. The document highlights that flood risks disproportionately affect people of color, those in mobile homes, and Black communities along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, noting that rainfall changes between 1988 and 2017 caused approximately $73 billion in flood damages.

The report finds that a majority of Americans in 2012 were unfamiliar with fracking and undecided about whether to support or oppose it. Among those who had formed an opinion, views were split, though a slim majority viewed the practice as 'bad'. Support and opposition varied significantly by gender, age, political affiliation, and geographic region, with conservatives and older males more supportive, and liberals, younger people, and residents of the Northeast and West more opposed. Associations with fracking were primarily divided between environmental concerns (linked to opposition) and economic or energy supply benefits (linked to support).

The document critiques the framing of 'nature-based solutions' (NbS) as compatible with agroecology, asserting that NbS are instead used by corporate and financial interests to maintain industrial agriculture and create speculative assets. It contrasts agroecology's holistic, emancipatory approach with the NbS model, which focuses on carbon sequestration to justify 'net zero' distractions and the continued use of fossil fuels and synthetic inputs. The text highlights how NbS can lead to land grabs and the marginalization of small-scale producers, opposing the goals of land reform and food sovereignty.

The document identifies critical gaps in the Clean Development Mechanism's (CDM) regulations regarding public access and participation. It argues that because the CDM's success depends on public support, it must actively engage stakeholders—including local communities and NGOs—to avoid the vulnerabilities and pitfalls faced by other international institutions. The authors provide a blueprint of recommendations to improve project success rates and achieve sustainable development through transparency and independent oversight.