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This research paper by Ellen Vaughan and Jim Turner argues that mandatory, minimum building codes are the most effective and least expensive method to protect public health, safety, and the environment. The authors advocate for the adoption and enforcement of current model codes—specifically those updated every three years—to reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and vulnerability to natural disasters while stimulating economic innovation in the building sector.

This briefing argues that the international community should use the process of Syria's accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) as a catalyst for a broader, holistic approach to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) disarmament, specifically within the Middle East.

The Durban Declaration on Climate and Health is a statement signed on December 4, 2011, by health professionals from over 30 countries during the UNFCCC's 17th Conference of the Parties. It asserts that climate change is a major global health threat and calls on national delegations to integrate public health objectives into climate agreements and transition away from fossil fuels.

This research paper describes the creation, calibration, and validation of a climate-driven water resource systems model designed to analyze the impact of electric power generation on water resources in three river basins in the southeastern United States.

This report evaluates the costs and benefits of the United Kingdom's biofuel industry and its associated support policies, focusing on employment, emissions abatement, and the role of biofuels in meeting EU renewable energy targets.

This fact sheet describes an initiative by the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research to strengthen adaptive management capacity and water security in the arid Americas through science-policy dialogues and integrated assessments of surface and groundwater use.

This report, published by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) in September 2013, reviews 16 benefit and cost studies of distributed photovoltaics (DPV) conducted between 2005 and 2013. It aims to establish a foundation for valuing distributed energy resources (DERs) by identifying methodological best practices and gaps in how the electricity sector quantifies the costs and benefits of DPV.

This 2013 issue brief by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the funding crisis of the U.S. Highway Trust Fund (HTF), noting that federal fuel taxes have not been adjusted in 20 years. The document analyzes the resulting infrastructure deterioration, the reliance on General Fund transfers to maintain solvency, and various policy options—including inflation indexing, fuel tax increases, and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees—to close a $112 billion annual funding gap.

This issue brief from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the role of energy storage technologies in mitigating electricity industry challenges, integrating renewable energy, and improving grid reliability. It details various storage technologies—ranging from pumped hydro and compressed air to advanced batteries and flywheels—and analyzes the impact of U.S. federal policies, specifically FERC orders and Department of Energy (DOE) initiatives, in overcoming implementation barriers.

This policy brief from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the role of energy storage technologies in mitigating electricity industry challenges, integrating renewable energy, and improving grid reliability. It provides a technical overview of various storage methods, analyzes the impact of U.S. federal policies and legislation, and highlights specific large-scale implementation projects across the United States.

This policy brief examines the funding crisis facing the U.S. Highway Trust Fund (HTF), noting that federal fuel taxes have not been adjusted since 1993. It details the resulting infrastructure deterioration, the reliance on General Fund transfers to maintain solvency, and various proposed solutions including inflation indexing, fuel tax increases, and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees.

A letter from multiple organizations to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry requesting the suspension of the Keystone XL review process due to alleged conflicts of interest and misrepresentations by Environmental Resource Management (ERM), the firm hired to prepare the Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement (SEIS).

Carroll Muffett, President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), provided testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on July 24, 2013, regarding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The statement argues that TTIP could undermine public health and environmental protections, particularly in the chemicals sector, by prioritizing the removal of regulatory barriers over safety standards. Muffett advocates for the retention of national rights to determine health protection levels and the exclusion of investor-state dispute settlement mechanisms.

Carroll Muffett, President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), provided testimony to the U.S. House of Representatives on July 24, 2013, regarding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Representing CIEL, Friends of the Earth, and the Sierra Club, Muffett argued that the agreement's focus on reducing regulatory barriers could undermine public health and environmental protections, particularly in the chemicals sector, by favoring industry interests over safety standards.

Carroll Muffett, President and CEO of the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on July 24, 2013, regarding the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). Representing CIEL, Friends of the Earth, and the Sierra Club, Muffett argued that the U.S. chemical regulation system is inadequate and that TTIP risks weakening existing environmental and health standards in the EU and U.S. states rather than improving them.

Friends of the Earth issued a statement criticizing the first round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, arguing that the process lacks transparency and prioritizes corporate interests over environmental and public health regulations.

This research paper examines the welfare costs of drought plan transactions between the El Dorado Irrigation District (EID) in California and its customers, using a discrete continuous choice (DCC) model within a water evaluation and planning (WEAP) model to estimate consumer welfare loss.

This statement from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues that U.S. forests are increasingly transitioning from carbon sinks to carbon emitters due to climate change, droughts, and wildfires. It highlights a critical funding gap for hazardous fuel reduction and ecosystem restoration, suggesting that expanding markets for wood products and bioenergy could provide a sustainable financial model for forest management.

This research paper by GLOBE International examines the relationship between domestic climate change legislation and a country's negotiating position within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It argues that strong national laws act as an enabler for international ambition by creating political space, increasing economic competitiveness, and building confidence among leaders and investors.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) analyzes President Obama's June 2013 climate change action plan. It examines the shift toward Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sector-regulation for electricity, the potential for alignment with subnational carbon pricing systems, and the implications for Canada's own regulatory approach and the Keystone XL Pipeline approval.