Search Climate Insights Directory

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) allocated $12.1 billion to advance carbon management technologies in the United States. Two years into implementation, the Department of Energy (DOE) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have launched several key programs. The Carbon Capture Demonstration Projects Program has selected nine FEED study projects and three demonstration projects, including the Baytown, Project Tundra, and Sutter projects. The Carbon Storage Validation and Testing Program has awarded funding to projects across multiple states, including Texas, Louisiana, and Wyoming, to develop large-scale sequestration and transport infrastructure. Additionally, the EPA has allotted $48 million to 25 state and Tribal recipients to support the regulation of UIC Class VI wells. In the realm of carbon removal, the Regional Direct Air Capture (DAC) Hubs Program has selected two commercial-scale hubs in Texas and Louisiana for award negotiations. The document notes that while progress is underway, agencies have until 2026 to allocate remaining funds, and future success depends on shared transport networks and community engagement.

The document examines how climate change and sea level rise threaten coastal communities and military infrastructure, potentially leading to social instability and reduced military readiness. It advocates for the use of nature-based solutions—such as mangroves, coral reefs, and salt marshes—as cost-effective alternatives or supplements to artificial infrastructure to dissipate wave energy and reduce flooding. The author highlights specific military applications, including US Department of Defense projects in Florida and UK efforts in overseas territories, and suggests that supporting these ecological defenses in partner nations can bolster strategic alliances and global security.

The report asserts that the EPA's proposed rules for coal and gas power plants are technically feasible and will not threaten resource adequacy or operational reliability. It synthesizes six industry-standard studies showing that the U.S. grid can remain stable even if all unabated coal is retired by 2035. The authors argue that reliability risks are institutional rather than technical, stemming from slow interconnection processes and inadequate transmission planning. To manage the transition, the report recommends adopting 'connect-and-manage' interconnection processes, deploying grid-enhancing technologies, and proactively planning transmission for coal retirements.

The document reports that the annual frequency of high tide flooding in the U.S. has more than doubled since 2000 and is projected to more than triple again by 2050. This trend is driven by global sea level rise caused by ocean warming and melting ice, with U.S. coasts expected to see as much rise in the next 30 years (10-12 inches) as they did in the last 100 years. High tide flooding, which occurs when water levels exceed 1-2 feet above the daily average high tide, disrupts infrastructure, ecosystems, and supply chains, particularly affecting the Northeast, Southeast, and Gulf Coasts.

The report evaluates the CCIA for the Tetra4 Cluster 2 gas field expansion, which includes up to 400 test wells and 300 production wells. The author argues that the CCIA fails to meet South African legal requirements for a full life-cycle emissions assessment, specifically citing the omission of Scope 3 emissions from the final impact determination and several errors in Scope 1 calculations. Key technical failures identified include the use of outdated global warming potential (GWP) values, unrealistic flaring efficiency assumptions, and the omission of methane emissions from well drilling and operational gas production. Additionally, the report finds that the CCIA provides an unsupported claim that the project's LNG will replace more GHG-emitting fuels, while failing to account for the transport of 40% of the produced LNG.

The report argues that the U.S. must implement ambitious long-term capacity targets, holistic transmission planning, and strategic infrastructure investments to achieve a net-zero future. It emphasizes the need for coordinated site identification, streamlined permitting, and the development of a domestic supply chain and workforce to support a potential build-out of 250 to 750 GW of offshore wind by 2050.

The report critiques Tetra4's Cluster 2 gas expansion, citing significant data gaps in structural geology and hydrogeology. The author argues that the company's groundwater flow models and contamination simulations for methane and total dissolved solids (TDS) are unreliable because they ignore the complex nature of fractured-rock aquifers. Furthermore, the report contends that the proposed monitoring network is inadequate, relying on repurposed water-supply wells rather than strategically placed monitoring wells, and lacks essential analytical testing for carcinogens and radioisotopes.

REITs in the US control approximately 38.5 billion sq. ft. of solar-appropriate surface area, capable of generating over 25 percent of electricity used in US commercial buildings. While on-site solar is economically viable for 90 percent of the top 50 REITs by 2025, adoption is hindered by tax credit complexities, IRS recapture rules, and risks associated with tenant turnover and low energy intensity in industrial warehouses. Community solar is proposed as a solution to these barriers, offering additional tax credit bonuses of 10–20 percent when serving low- and moderate-income residents. Currently, only nine US states support rooftop community solar, though some leading REITs like Prologis, Lineage Logistics, Blackstone, Brookfield, and Hartz Mountain have already installed significant capacity.

The report evaluates the potential for offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) in the US mid-Atlantic to compensate for limited onshore capacity. Using the SimCCS modeling toolset, the study identifies 199 facilities across 15 industry sectors with a total of 31.47 Mt of annual capturable CO2. It finds that while offshore storage capacity is vast—estimated at 621,221 MtCO2 across 125 candidate sites—the costs are significantly higher than onshore benchmarks, ranging from 95.5 to 147.9 $/tCO2. This cost disparity is primarily driven by offshore pipeline installation and storage expenses. The analysis suggests that capturing the full 31.47 MtCO2 would require a 7,789 km branched pipeline network and that emission prices between $95.5 and $103.5 per tonne could incentivize initial capture efforts.

The Centre for Environmental Rights, representing MEJCON-SA and MACUA, submitted a formal objection on May 9, 2023, against Tetra4 (Pty) LTD's application to amend its Water Use Licence (WUL) for the Cluster 2 expansion of gas and helium production near Virginia, Free State. The objection argues that the Integrated Water and Waste Management Plan (IWWMP) fails to adequately assess risks of groundwater contamination, radioactive waste, municipal water stress, and the compounding effects of climate change on a region critical for South African food security.

This document is a formal objection letter from the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER), on behalf of the Mining and Environmental Justice Community Network of South Africa (MEJCON-SA) and Mining Affected Communities United in Action (MACUA), regarding Tetra4's application to amend its Water Use Licence (WUL) for the Cluster 2 expansion of gas and helium production near Virginia, Free State. The document includes the original objections and the corresponding responses from Tetra4, focusing on risks to groundwater, radioactive contamination, waste management, and the impacts of climate change on water security.

This briefing from the IAI Directorate provides an update on the partnership between the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) and the Belmont Forum, detailing the IAI's role as a member and co-Chair, and its participation in several Collaborative Research Actions (CRAs).

The report finds that if all 177 States adopting California's standards implement the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule, U.S. emissions could be reduced by 1,310 million metric tons of CO2e by 2050. This adoption would lead to three-quarters of U.S. cars being electric vehicles (EVs) by 2050, creating nearly 300,000 jobs and saving households an average of $238 annually. The analysis emphasizes that while the IRA provides near-term incentives, the ACC II mandate is necessary for long-term electrification goals. Case studies for Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, and New York highlight significant state-level benefits, including substantial reductions in asthma attacks and premature deaths, particularly in communities of color.

Virginia has four commercial sterilizers located in Richmond and Virginia Beach, with nearly 726,000 residents living within five miles of these facilities. In Richmond, the Sterilization Services of Virginia facility is linked to elevated cancer risks, with EtO emissions contributing 70 percent of the air toxics cancer risk in its census tract. The area surrounding this facility has a higher concentration of people of color and low-income residents compared to the county average. In Virginia Beach, Lifenet Health owns two sterilizers, one of which was penalized over $64,000 by the EPA for Clean Air Act violations.

The document outlines the shift from static school bus business models to new arrangements necessitated by the different cost structures of electric school buses (ESBs). While ESBs have higher upfront capital costs, they offer lower operating costs and a lower total cost of ownership (TCO) over time, with TCO parity with diesel buses projected by 2029. The guide identifies six key roles in the ESB ecosystem—bus owner, charger owner, bus operator, bus maintenance provider, energy/fuel manager, and electricity customer—and provides examples of various business models, including Charging-as-a-Service and Transportation-as-a-Service, implemented by districts in California, Quebec, Virginia, Illinois, and Maryland.

A 50-state survey by Global Energy Monitor reveals that major U.S. corporations in the tech, banking, and insurance sectors frequently employ lobbyists who also represent fossil fuel interests. This creates a paradox where companies with public net-zero pledges provide political cover and credibility to lobbyists promoting continued fossil fuel dependence. The report highlights specific companies—such as Amazon, State Farm, and Bank of America—and notes that weak state disclosure laws and the absence of a national database hinder accountability.

The report examines Wellpath, a major provider of healthcare services to U.S. prisons and jails owned by H.I.G. Capital. It details systemic failures in patient intake, medication management, and staffing levels, citing investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice and other watchdogs. The document also analyzes Wellpath's expansion into non-correctional psychiatric care for children and its use of political contributions to secure contracts with local sheriffs.

The report details how the Radford Army Ammunition Plant (RAAP) uses open burn and open detonation (OB/OD) to destroy military munitions, releasing millions of pounds of toxins into the environment. It highlights a lack of transparency from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality (VDEQ) and the facility's failure to assess cumulative health impacts, resulting in elevated risks of asthma and cancer for nearby residents. The document recommends ending open burning, implementing third-party alternatives assessments, and conducting community health assessments.

As of June 2022, there were 12,720 committed electric school buses across 38 US states, representing approximately 2-3% of the national fleet. California leads adoption, and while deployment is high in communities of color and areas with high PM2.5 pollution, it remains lower in the lowest-income school districts.

Diesel trucks and buses in Virginia contribute a disproportionate amount of nitrogen oxide, fine particulate matter, and global warming emissions relative to their share of registered vehicles. The Union of Concerned Scientists advocates for the adoption of the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) rule to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles and address disproportionate pollution impacts in specific communities.