Search Climate Insights Directory

This report analyzes electric generation procurement by vertically integrated utilities in the United States, contrasting 'all-source' procurements—which are technology-neutral—with single-source processes. Using case studies from states like Colorado, Georgia, and New Mexico, the authors argue that utilities often exercise monopsony power to favor self-built, gas-fired generation over cheaper renewable alternatives. The report provides five best practices for regulators to ensure fair, competitive, and cost-effective procurement of power plants.

A guide by RMI providing six recommendations for homeowners to improve health, save money, and reduce carbon emissions during COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders, focusing on energy efficiency and electrification.

This briefing by RMI argues that the electric vehicle (EV) sector represents a massive untapped opportunity to drive global demand for renewable energy. It proposes that EV charge point operators (CPOs), mobility service providers (eMSPs), and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) should implement 100% renewable energy charging solutions, starting with large fleets, to stimulate new renewable energy capacity and reduce operational costs compared to internal combustion engine vehicles.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) outlines various United States federal funding and technical assistance programs available to implement nature-based solutions for climate resilience. It details programs from agencies including the EPA, FEMA, HUD, NOAA, USDA, and USFWS, highlighting how these resources support green and natural infrastructure to mitigate hazards like flooding and extreme heat.

This insight brief introduces 'hours of safety' as a metric to quantify how long a building envelope can maintain safe indoor temperatures during power outages in extreme cold. Using simulations of five building types in Duluth, Minnesota, the research demonstrates that high-performance envelopes, such as those meeting Passive House standards, significantly extend the time residents can safely shelter in place compared to older or code-compliant homes.

The City of Santa Cruz issued a USD 21 million green bond on December 12, 2019, to fund capital improvement projects for its water system.

This briefing by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the status of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and the role of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs). It details the two primary cooperation avenues (Article 6.2 and 6.4), the challenges of establishing a rulebook—including debates over additionality and double counting—and provides examples of pilot projects and national strategies, particularly focusing on Canada's preparations.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) responds to President Trump's November 4, 2019, formal notice to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement, highlighting the role of subnational entities and private companies in maintaining climate commitments.

The Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) Strategy 2020–24 outlines the organization's mission to bridge science, policy, and practice to support sustainable development. The strategy focuses on three primary impact areas: reducing climate risk, promoting sustainable resource use and resilient ecosystems, and improving health and well-being. To achieve these, SEI employs a theory of change centered on changing agendas, enhancing capacities, and improving decisions through the co-creation of knowledge and the development of specialized tools.

This technical annex assesses progress toward the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) Goal 2, which aims to eliminate deforestation from agricultural commodity production (palm oil, soy, paper, and beef) by 2020. The report finds that current efforts by governments and companies are insufficient to meet this target, noting a stagnation in new corporate commitments and significant gaps in reporting, transparency, and the inclusion of indirect suppliers.

This report presents the perspectives of signatories of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its 2014 inception. It evaluates progress toward ten global goals to end natural forest loss by 2030, identifying systemic barriers such as weak governance, insufficient financing, and land tenure insecurity, while highlighting successful multi-stakeholder partnerships and nature-based solutions.

This report evaluates the progress of the New York Declaration on Forests (NYDF) five years after its inception. It finds that despite increased awareness and technological monitoring, global deforestation has accelerated, and most 2020 targets will be missed. The document highlights a critical gap in funding, where investments driving deforestation vastly outweigh those for conservation. It emphasizes that indigenous land rights and strong political will are essential prerequisites for success, while corporate progress is stalled by supply chain complexity. The report calls for a paradigm shift toward 'green finance' and nature-based solutions to align forest protection with global climate and sustainable development goals.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes employment trends in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate resilience, focusing on the United States and global leaders. It utilizes data from the 2019 U.S. Energy Employment Report (USEER) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to quantify jobs across various green technology sectors.

This fact sheet provides a comprehensive overview of employment statistics in the renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate resilience sectors, focusing primarily on the United States while providing global comparisons. It utilizes data from various sources, including the U.S. Energy Employment Report (USEER) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), to detail job growth, sectoral distributions, and the challenges of quantifying emerging fields like climate adaptation.

This report proposes a framework for 'International Mitigation Partnerships' (IMPs) to leverage Article 6 of the Paris Agreement and natural climate solutions, specifically within the forest and land sector, to bridge the global emissions gap by 2030.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines legislative progress made by the 115th Congress to improve the resilience of U.S. infrastructure against extreme weather and climate change. It details specific provisions in laws affecting disaster recovery, water systems, national defense, and natural infrastructure, while identifying remaining gaps for the 116th Congress, such as energy grid resilience and National Flood Insurance Program reform.

This fact sheet details the Mill City Solar Loan, a USD 242 million Solar Asset-Backed Security (ABS) issued on March 20, 2019, by Paramount Equity Mortgage, LLC (operating as Loanpal). The notes are backed by residential consumer solar loans for energy systems and storage, with a maturity date of March 20, 2043.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the role of energy storage in enhancing grid resilience, integrating intermittent renewable energy, and managing peak demand. It details various storage technologies—including pumped-storage hydropower, batteries, compressed air, thermal, hydrogen, and flywheels—comparing their technical specifications, costs, and current global applications.

This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) examines utility regulatory reform efforts across 10 U.S. states to identify effective processes for transforming the power sector. It argues that traditional quasi-judicial regulatory processes are inadequate for the scale and complexity of current energy transitions and proposes a four-stage framework—initiation, vision communication, conduction, and delivery of outcomes—to achieve more transformational results.

This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the use of green bonds to finance low-carbon buildings and energy efficiency globally and specifically within Japan. It details the role of various issuers, including financial institutions, sovereign entities, and asset-backed securities (ABS), while highlighting the potential for Japan to leverage its technical expertise in energy efficiency to expand its green bond market.