Search Climate Insights Directory

The analysis finds a modest positive correlation between the proportion of outdoor workers and worry about extreme heat at the county level, though this relationship varies by region. While the South and West show positive correlations, the Midwest and Northeast show negative correlations. At the state level, a stronger positive correlation exists. The document also notes a gap between heat worry and the implementation of worker protections, highlighting that some high-worry states like Texas and Florida have blocked local heat safety standards, while California's 2005 standards are linked to a 30% reduction in heat-related injuries.

RMI analysis indicates that repealing tech-neutral clean electricity tax credits, such as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Production Tax Credit (PTC), would significantly raise electricity costs for American farmers and rural electric cooperatives. For a mid-sized dairy farm, annual costs could increase by $10,000 in 2026, while Wisconsin’s Dairyland Power Cooperative could see project costs more than double, increasing annual costs by $137 million. These credits are described as essential for reducing operating costs, diversifying income, and improving grid resilience in rural areas, which already face a 33 percent higher energy burden than the rest of the nation.

The Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program is designed to demonstrate localized hydrogen production and end-use to create a synergistic national hydrogen economy. The author warns that planned funding cuts by the Trump administration would jeopardize an estimated 334,280 jobs and tens of billions of dollars in private sector investment. The document emphasizes that a network of hubs is necessary to create a viable market for hydrogen-fueled equipment and to maintain U.S. leadership in low-carbon hydrogen production and technology exports.

The analysis reveals a significant increase in fire weather days across much of the contiguous U.S., with the western U.S. experiencing far more frequent fire weather than the east. While the western U.S. has seen strong increases, particularly in the Southwest during spring and summer, parts of the eastern U.S. have also seen impactful increases, especially in the Southeast and Northeast. The study emphasizes that while human activity causes 87% of wildfires, fire weather primes the landscape for these fires to ignite and spread.

The Private Equity Stakeholder Project (PESP) urges the Wisconsin Joint Finance Committee to adopt bill 25-1647, which would grant the Department of Health Services (DHS) power to review and approve material transactions in the health sector. PESP argues that private equity's debt-heavy business model—characterized by leveraged buyouts, sale-leasebacks, and dividend recapitalizations—leads to higher costs, reduced staffing, and increased bankruptcy risks for healthcare providers. The testimony highlights that in 2024, 21% of healthcare bankruptcies involved private equity-owned companies, and 88% of the largest bankruptcies (liabilities over $500 million) had a history of private equity ownership. PESP supports the bill's expansive definition of 'material change transactions' to include joint ventures and sale-leasebacks, aiming to prevent the 'looting' of safety net hospitals and protect patient care quality.

The policy brief asserts that energy tax credits are critical for commercializing diverse energy technologies to meet rising demand from AI and data centers, while lowering costs for households and strengthening local economies. It highlights specific credits—including 45Y, 48E, 45Q, 45V, and 45X—as vital for the development of baseload power (advanced nuclear, geothermal, fusion), carbon capture, hydrogen, and critical mineral manufacturing. The author warns that repealing these credits or shortening their eligibility would increase energy prices, threaten jobs, and undermine U.S. leadership in global markets, particularly against competitors like China. Additionally, the brief emphasizes that mechanisms like direct pay and transferability are necessary for tax-exempt entities and high-cost projects, such as advanced nuclear, to monetize these incentives.

The report examines 26 state-level Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs) submitted under the Climate Pollution Reduction Grants (CPRG) program, finding that most plans rely on generalities and high-cost incentives rather than sector-specific strategies. It argues that states must transition from high-level commitments to tailored, long-term roadmaps that prioritize cost-effective tools, such as operating-cost supports and regulatory standards, while leveraging co-benefits like public health improvements and workforce development to maintain American industrial competitiveness against international peers like China and the EU.

The report examines the potential of advanced transmission technologies (ATTs), including grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) and advanced conductors, to expand US grid capacity. While pilots have demonstrated success—such as increasing capacity by 40% in the Midwest—widespread adoption is hindered by risk aversion, financial disincentives, a lack of integration into planning processes, and poor cross-utility coordination. The author suggests that large corporate energy users can accelerate deployment through policy advocacy at federal and state levels and by leveraging their influence to catalyze collaboration across different utility service territories.

The document analyzes the financial burden on Wisconsin Electric Power Company (WEPCO) ratepayers resulting from the early retirement of the coal-fired Oak Creek Power Plant and warns against repeating these mistakes by investing in new natural gas plants. It argues that clean energy alternatives and better regulatory scrutiny of load forecasts can prevent future stranded assets.

The research examines public responses to wood-based electricity production in Wisconsin, arguing that support for renewable energy is not a simple binary of acceptance or non-acceptance but is instead influenced by socio-spatial contexts, community histories, and identities.

The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that industrial agriculture is the leading cause of wetland loss over the last 250 years, which increases flood risks and releases stored carbon. In the Upper Midwest, 30 million acres of wetlands provide approximately $23 billion in annual residential flood mitigation benefits, with long-term value estimated between $323 billion and $754 billion. The document urges the US government to use the upcoming farm bill to increase funding for USDA conservation programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program and Wetland Reserve Easements, to protect these ecosystems.

Industrial agriculture is a primary driver of wetland loss in the US Upper Midwest, where 30 million acres of wetlands provide critical flood mitigation and carbon sequestration. The report estimates that these wetlands provide nearly $23 billion in annual residential flood mitigation benefits, with long-term value between $323 billion and $754 billion. Recent legal shifts, specifically the 2023 Supreme Court ruling in Sackett v. EPA, have reduced federal protections under the Clean Water Act, leaving many wetlands vulnerable. The author argues that the next farm bill should expand the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) cap, increase funding for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and link crop insurance to conservation practices to mitigate flood risk and support environmental justice for marginalized communities.

The document outlines the prevalence of climate anxiety, distinguishing it from clinical pathology and highlighting its link to pro-environmental behavior. It provides guidance for journalists on nuanced reporting and lists specific resources for both reporters and the public to manage climate-related distress.

The document outlines the prevalence of climate anxiety, particularly among youth and vulnerable populations, and advises journalists to treat these feelings as reasonable responses to environmental threats rather than pathologies. It emphasizes the link between climate distress and pro-environmental action and provides a directory of resources for both reporters and the public.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has introduced 'Direct Pay' (or elective pay), allowing tax-exempt entities and certain third-party financial organizations to receive cash back—between 30% and 70%—on clean energy project costs. This enables a model where a third party, such as the nonprofit RE-volv, pays upfront costs and leases the system to a recipient at a monthly rate lower than previous electricity costs. A 12kW project at the Watts-Willowbrook Church of Christ in Compton, California, serves as an example, expecting to save over $180,000 in electricity costs over 20 years with no upfront payment. RMI's RISE Cohort is working to scale this model by providing technical assistance to local governments and financial institutions.

The document explains how climate change—specifically warmer winters, hotter summers, and altered precipitation—is expanding the range and survival of disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes and ticks. It highlights specific threats in the US, such as Eastern Equine Encephalitis in New England and Lyme disease in the Northwest, while noting that over 8 billion people could be at risk of malaria and dengue by the end of the 21st century if emissions continue to rise. The guide advises reporters to examine weather patterns, social determinants of health, and to consult vector biologists.

The document explains how climate change—specifically hotter summers, milder winters, and altered rainfall—is expanding the geographic range and longevity of disease-carrying insects like mosquitoes and ticks. It highlights specific threats in the US, such as the rise of Lyme disease in the Northeast and eastern equine encephalitis in New England, while noting a global risk where over eight billion people could be susceptible to malaria and dengue by the end of the 21st century. The guide advises reporters to examine weather patterns, consider social determinants of health, and consult vector biologists.

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) has driven significant clean energy investment and job growth in the US, particularly in Republican-led areas, despite political efforts to repeal it and general public unfamiliarity with the law's specific provisions.

The document examines the risk of 'sleeper species'—non-native species that remain inconspicuous until environmental shifts, often driven by climate change, trigger rapid population growth. Focusing on the Laurentian Great Lakes, it details how vectors like ballast water and recreational boating introduce these species and highlights the economic and ecological damage caused by examples like zebra mussels and spiny water fleas. The brief advocates for a shift toward prevention and early detection through international collaboration, unified regulatory frameworks for shipping, and citizen science engagement to mitigate the rising costs of biological invasions.

A June 2024 survey of 802 likely voters in Wisconsin reveals that 63% of respondents believe taxpayers face increased costs due to climate change and 63% support litigation against major oil and gas companies to recover these costs. A significant majority (81%) believe oil and gas companies should be responsible for at least some portion of the state's future climate costs, with 47% stating they should be responsible for all or most of them.