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Friends of the Earth expresses concern that EU-U.S. trade negotiations may weaken health and environmental safeguards, particularly concerning food safety, GM crops, and chemical regulations. The organization calls for the blocking of the Keystone XL pipeline and the implementation of the EU's Fuel Quality Directive to prevent the proliferation of tar sands. Additionally, it criticizes the 'EU 2030 package' as inadequate and argues that leaders are pursuing a corporate-driven agenda of deregulation rather than investing in energy efficiency and community-owned renewables.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reports its internal climate management and GHG emissions for the 2013 reporting year. WRI has established 2020 reduction targets for Scope 2 and Scope 3 emissions, supported by an internal carbon fee of $50/mt CO2e on business travel. While Scope 1 and 2 emissions decreased, Scope 3 emissions—particularly from purchased goods and services—increased. WRI identifies reputational and operational risks related to climate change and is piloting primary data collection with its supply chain.

The document outlines the value of Building Energy Modeling (BEM) in reducing first and operating costs while improving occupant satisfaction. It details the different purposes of BEM—comparison, compliance, and prediction—and provides a structured approach to the modeling process, software tools, and the contracting process, including a sample Request for Proposal (RFP).

Friends of the Earth criticizes the first round of Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations, asserting that the process is secretive and designed to benefit corporate CEOs and financiers. The organization warns that the agreement could lead to the rollback of environmental, food safety, and toxic chemical regulations, and calls for greater transparency and the release of draft negotiating texts to protect government authority to address the climate crisis and manage natural resources.

The report details a collaborative effort to increase energy savings in GSA buildings, noting that the National Deep Energy Retrofit (NDER) program has already increased average project savings from 18% to 39%. It proposes several strategies to achieve deeper retrofits, including the use of integrative design charrettes, expanding revenue streams to include tenant and O&M savings, and adopting 'Option C' measurement and verification for whole-building solutions. The document also emphasizes the need to shorten the preliminary audit phase and improve communication between GSA and energy service companies (ESCOs) to reduce project timelines, which typically stretch 18–24 months.

Erich Pica, President of Friends of the Earth, describes his arrest at the White House fence alongside 47 other leaders to protest the approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. He argues that denying the pipeline is a moral obligation for the U.S. president to avoid a future of climate chaos and to support affected communities in Nebraska and Texas.

The document outlines four types of cool roofs—naturally cool, coated, insulated, and green (vegetated)—and details their capacity to reduce building energy use, mitigate the urban heat island effect, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. It highlights specific benefits such as a potential 15 percent reduction in air conditioning energy for single-story buildings and the ability of green roofs to manage storm-water runoff, illustrated by examples in Washington, D.C.

The briefing argues that Shell exerts significant influence over the Rio+20 process by occupying senior leadership roles in a 'complex and hermetic web' of interlinked business associations and UN-affiliated initiatives. It details Shell's presence in the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), UN Global Compact, IPIECA, and IETA, highlighting how these entities coordinate through Business Action for Sustainable Development 2012 (BASD) to shape sustainable development policy.

The document argues for the implementation of strict EPA standards on coal-fired power plant emissions, specifically targeting mercury, benzene, and arsenic. It highlights the public health risks of mercury, the ability of many plants to already adopt pollution controls, and the potential for clean energy sources like wind and solar to replace polluting plants.

The statement criticizes the decision to allow oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean, highlighting the vulnerability of endangered species and Native subsistence communities. It argues that a spill would be catastrophic because the nearest coast guard station is over a thousand miles away and existing cleanup tests have been a "complete failure". The author calls for the President to use his authority to delay drilling until science proves that spills can be cleaned up safely.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reported an 18 percent increase in greenhouse gas emissions for fiscal year 2011 compared to 2010, driven by organizational growth, increased sub-grants to partners, and office expansions in Beijing and Washington, DC. To address this, WRI has established absolute reduction targets for 2020, including a 50% reduction in purchased electricity emissions and 20% reductions in business travel and other scope 3 emissions. The organization's mitigation plan focuses on an "avoid and shift" approach to efficiency, managing future growth to limit new emissions, and improving data collection through the installation of electricity sub-meters and the gathering of primary data from high-impact suppliers and partners.

The report details the implementation of a survey conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and Iowa State University's Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology (CSSM) to examine the role of science and government oversight in food safety. It outlines the sampling process for 8,122 employees across the FDA, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), and USDA Agriculture Research Service (ARS), the data collection procedures used between March and May 2010, and the resulting response rate of 21.62%. The document also includes the full survey instrument, which investigates political interference in science, job satisfaction, and the influence of business interests on public health decisions.

The North American climate policy landscape is marked by political uncertainty, with a strong reliance on U.S. legislative developments to shape Canadian policy dynamics. While regional initiatives in places like California and British Columbia drive progress, the lack of a federal price on carbon and the compartmentalization of policy-making hinder bilateral collaboration. The discussion highlighted the American Power Act (APA) as a potential framework, though its passage in 2010 faced significant hurdles due to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, competing legislative priorities, and upcoming mid-term elections. Experts emphasized that a 'wait-and-see' approach is insufficient and that long-term success requires balancing supply-side and demand-side policies alongside clear market signals for the private sector.

The report outlines the results of expert dialogues held between 2009 and 2010 focused on North American energy and climate collaboration. It highlights a period of significant political uncertainty, particularly regarding U.S. federal legislation, and argues that Canada and Mexico must engage actively in policy discussions to avoid becoming "policy takers." Key areas for cooperation include carbon pricing, renewable energy investment, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and transportation fuel standards. The document emphasizes that while a unified "North American Bubble" for emissions targets is unlikely, pragmatic, sector-specific coordination and the harmonization of technical standards offer viable paths forward in the absence of a continental regulatory framework.

The document compares U.S. EPA Climate Leaders’ offset protocols for landfill methane, manure digesters, and afforestation with those of the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), California Climate Action Registry (CCAR), and Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX). It emphasizes that protocols are essential for defining eligibility and quantification, which in turn drives project development and ensures the credibility of offset markets.

Friends of the Earth refuses to support the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, stating that the bill fails to implement the necessary national and international actions to mitigate climate change and promote a clean energy economy, attributing these failures to the influence of oil and coal interests in Congress.

As of February 2009, 28 U.S. states and Washington D.C. have implemented renewable electricity standards to increase the share of wind, solar, and bioenergy in their power supplies. The Union of Concerned Scientists projects these standards will support 76,750 MW of new renewable power by 2025, reducing annual carbon dioxide emissions by over 183 million metric tons. While success varies by state—with Texas significantly exceeding its targets—the document argues that state leadership proves these standards can reduce market barriers, justifying a national renewable electricity standard to enhance energy security and fuel diversity.

The World Resources Institute (WRI) reported total CO2 emissions of 1,125 metric tons in 2006 and 1,288 metric tons in 2007, representing increases of 6% and 21% respectively over its 2000 base year. These increases are attributed to a 33% growth in staff and the expansion of office space in Washington, DC. To maintain a "net zero" balance, WRI utilized the Chicago Climate Exchange for 2006 offsets and transitioned to Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) under the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism for 2007, sourcing credits from wind and landfill gas projects in India and China. Management activities included achieving LEED Gold Certification for office expansion and planning a 3,600-square-foot green roof. WRI also utilized Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to cover 100% of its 2007 electricity use, though it maintained a conservative accounting approach by purchasing offsets for all reported emissions regardless of REC value.

Friends of the Earth welcomes the Supreme Court's decision to review a 2003 EPA ruling that denied the agency's authority to regulate carbon dioxide as a pollutant. The organization argues that the lack of regulation has coincided with a 16 percent increase in global warming emissions since 1990 and contributed to severe weather events and economic losses, such as the $57.6 billion in insurance losses from 2005 hurricanes.

Friends of the Earth-U.S. condemns President George W. Bush's 'major emitters' summit as a 'go-it-alone strategy' that prioritizes voluntary measures over the United Nations framework, claiming this approach isolates the U.S. and risks a 'global warming catastrophe'.