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This briefing by RMI outlines strategies and policy levers to reduce methane emissions from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in the United States. It proposes a two-pronged approach: improving the monitoring and control of existing waste and preventing new methane generation by diverting organic waste from landfills. The document advocates for stronger federal standards from the EPA to scale these reductions and protect adjacent communities.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) provides expert comments to the Washington Department of Ecology regarding the potential linkage of Washington's cap-and-invest program with the Western Climate Initiative (WCI) market administered by California and Quebec. SEI warns that because Washington's program is currently more stringent and has a longer time horizon (through 2050) than California's (authorized through 2030), full linkage could significantly lower allowance prices, reduce state auction revenues, and undermine Washington's emission reduction goals. SEI recommends that full linkage be contingent on California extending its program beyond 2030 and increasing its 2030 cap stringency to address a large bank of unused allowances. As an interim measure, SEI proposes 'restricted linkage' via a quota on imported WCI allowances to balance cost containment with environmental integrity.

This report by Energy Innovation and RMI evaluates the impact of five key state-level energy policies on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across six U.S. states using the Energy Policy Simulator (EPS). The analysis demonstrates that a coordinated policy approach can significantly reduce emissions, create jobs, and improve public health outcomes.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that Canada is unlikely to be the last country to sell oil due to a combination of declining global demand, price volatility, and higher production costs compared to Middle Eastern competitors. While Canada's heavy reliance on U.S. refineries provides a temporary buffer, the document suggests that ESG credentials will not protect market share and that the sector faces an existential threat as the world moves toward a post-peak oil market around 2030.

This report by Energy Innovation analyzes the building sector provisions of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), detailing how rebates, tax credits, and funding for building codes can accelerate decarbonization. It provides a roadmap for federal, state, and local policymakers to implement these incentives, emphasizing the need for complementary regulations—such as updated appliance standards and building codes—to overcome the challenge of slow building stock turnover and meet 2030 climate goals.

A November 2022 report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) based on a 50-state survey reveals that major U.S. companies in the technology, banking, and insurance sectors frequently employ state-level lobbyists who also represent the fossil fuel industry. The report highlights a contradiction between these companies' public net-zero climate goals and their reliance on 'multi-client lobbyists' who promote continued fossil fuel dependence.

This report by RMI examines the shift toward "climate-forward efficiency," which prioritizes energy efficiency, electrification, and demand flexibility specifically to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It analyzes the use of Performance Incentive Mechanisms (PIMs) to align utility business models—which traditionally favor capital investment and sales growth—with state climate goals.

This guide from the World Resources Institute outlines strategies for U.S. local governments to expand community solar access for low- and moderate-income (LMI) households, leveraging new federal incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act and various municipal-level interventions.

This policy brief by the World Resources Institute examines the impact of high-severity wildfires on forest carbon sequestration in the United States. It argues that historical fire suppression and climate change have created a dangerous feedback loop of severe fires that release stored carbon and permanently damage the ability of forests to recover. The document advocates for scaled-up 'fuel load treatments,' the development of markets for thinned biomass, and federal policy reforms to protect the land carbon sink and support rural communities.

This guide by RMI outlines five strategic steps for electric utilities to implement authentic community engagement to ensure an equitable clean energy transition, particularly in US states where legislation mandates equitable decarbonization.

This policy brief examines the polluter-pays principle (PPP), which requires pollution producers to bear the costs of managing and preventing environmental and human health damage. While established in European Union and OECD frameworks, the PPP faces challenges in universal international application due to ambiguities in defining 'the polluter' and differing national legal systems. The document explores the PPP's intersection with international climate change law, the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities (CBDR), and efforts by global financial institutions to implement carbon pricing.

This issue brief by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines how U.S. ports are addressing climate change through mitigation strategies—such as electrification and renewable energy—and adaptation measures, including gray infrastructure and nature-based solutions, to protect operations and improve the health of near-port communities.

As of August 2021, fewer than 1% of U.S. school buses are electric, with 95% still relying on diesel. Adoption is led by California and Montgomery County, Maryland, though deployment is heavily skewed toward suburban areas (64% of committed buses). While some electric buses are in highly vulnerable communities, this is largely due to targeted funding in California. Federal initiatives like the American Jobs Plan and Bipartisan Infrastructure Framework provide scaling opportunities, though the report warns that funding 'clean' fossil-fuel alternatives like natural gas hinders decarbonization goals.

This fact sheet outlines several federal and partner-led programs designed to transition military veterans into civilian careers within the low-carbon workforce, specifically focusing on land management, agriculture, conservation, and fisheries.

This guide by RMI provides a framework for updating electricity resource procurement processes for vertically integrated utilities in the US. It advocates for 'all-source', 'objective-aligned', and 'least-regrets' procurement to optimize the deployment of clean energy and distributed energy resources (DERs) during a period of significant projected investment.

This research paper examines on-bill financing programs as a tool to increase energy equity and clean energy adoption in rural, low-income, and under-resourced communities. It highlights how these programs remove barriers to entry by eliminating upfront costs and replacing traditional credit checks with utility bill payment history. Through case studies of the Hawaii GEM$ and OPALCO Switch It Up! programs, the paper demonstrates how tying financing to the utility meter rather than the individual allows renters and low-income homeowners to access solar PV and beneficial electrification projects while achieving net monthly energy savings.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the history, economic and environmental benefits, funding mechanisms, and legislative landscape of conservation corps in the United States, highlighting their role in climate action and workforce development.

This fact sheet explains the structure and application of revolving loan funds (RLFs) as a financing mechanism for environmental and climate resilience projects. It details the operational history of Maryland's Shore Erosion Control RLF and a feasibility study for a proposed RLF in the Puget Sound region of Washington state to support shoreline restoration and hazard mitigation.

This fact sheet explains how revolving loan funds (RLFs) can be used to finance coastal resilience and environmental improvements. It details the mechanics of RLFs, discusses federal legislative priorities like the STORM Act, and provides a detailed case study of the Maryland Shore Erosion Control Revolving Loan Fund alongside a feasibility study for a similar program in Puget Sound, Washington.

The briefing 'The New (Ab)Normal' describes the escalating frequency and severity of climate-driven catastrophes, using the 2020 wildfire season in Colorado and the western United States as a primary example. It argues that the world has entered a state of 'continuous escalation of catastrophe' and outlines five critical areas of impact: mass migration, health threats, financial instability, the need for resilient rebuilding, and the necessity of updating the electric grid. The author emphasizes that immediate global action to reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 is required to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius.