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78 results
Integrating Human Rights in Climate Action
This briefing tracks the integration of human rights into UN climate governance from 2010 to 2019. It highlights the progression from the Cancun Agreements to the Paris Agreement, where human rights, health, and the rights of indigenous peoples and vulnerable groups were explicitly recognized. The document details how COP decisions have mandated human rights considerations in capacity building, gender action, and loss and damage. It also reports that by December 2017, 76 Parties had referenced human rights in national reports and 24 countries had included them in their Intended Nationally Determined Contributions.
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Document type: Briefing
Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi)
The Sustainable Asset Valuation (SAVi) tool, developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), is a simulation-based methodology designed to integrate environmental, social, and economic risks and externalities into the financial valuation of infrastructure assets.
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Document type: Guide
How the UNSC and ASP can enhance cooperation with the ICC
This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies outlines recommendations for the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and the Assembly of States Parties (ASP) to address state non-cooperation with the International Criminal Court (ICC). It proposes specific legal and political mechanisms to ensure the ICC can effectively investigate and prosecute serious international crimes.
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Document type: Policy brief
Can US municipals scale up green bond issuance?
The Climate Bonds Initiative conducted a scoping exercise to identify the potential for US municipal issuers to scale up green bond issuance. The study identified USD 264 billion in outstanding bonds from 1,436 'pure-play' climate-aligned issuers—entities deriving more than 95% of their revenue from climate solutions—most of which are not currently labeled as green bonds.
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Document type: Report
PEER PRESSURE AND PEER LEARNING IN MULTI-STAKEHOLDER INITIATIVES
This report analyzes the effectiveness of peer learning and peer pressure within three Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives (MSIs): the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the Open Government Partnership (OGP), and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI). It evaluates how these initiatives use mutual dialogue, best practices, and sanctions to improve governance, transparency, and accountability among member states.
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Document type: Report
The Carbon-Free City Handbook: Biological Resources
The Carbon-Free City Handbook: Biological Resources is a guide by RMI that outlines three primary actions for cities to manage biological resources to reduce greenhouse gas emissions: organic waste diversion, urban forestry, and the promotion of plant-based diets.
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Document type: Guide
R-PACE: A GAME-CHANGER FOR NET-ZERO ENERGY HOMES
This insight brief by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) argues that Residential Property Assessed Clean Energy (R-PACE) financing can accelerate the adoption of net-zero energy (NZE) new construction in the United States. By attaching financing to the property rather than the owner, R-PACE addresses key market barriers such as high up-front capital costs and the split incentive between builders and homebuyers.
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Document type: Briefing
Integrated governance, finance and transparency for delivering climate goals
The Global NDC Conference 2017 report outlines the necessity of integrated governance, diverse financing strategies, and robust transparency frameworks to implement Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Key findings emphasize the need for high-level leadership to break down sectoral silos, the translation of NDCs into bankable project pipelines to attract private investment, and the use of the Enhanced Transparency Framework to build trust and track progress toward the Paris Agreement goals.
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Document type: Report
NUCLEAR WASTE CONSENT AND NON-CONSENT: A BRIEF HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
This briefing, presented at Stanford University on March 9, 2016, provides a historical analysis of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) attempts to site nuclear waste repositories and storage facilities. The author argues that the DOE has a history of failing to keep promises and ignoring 'non-consent,' leading to a pattern of litigation and failure in establishing long-term high-level waste (HLW) and spent nuclear fuel (SNF) solutions.
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Document type: Briefing
Plug-in Electric Vehicles
As of June 2014, the U.S. plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market was characterized by rapid growth, with sales increasing 85% between 2012 and 2013. The market was dominated by the Nissan LEAF, Chevrolet Volt, Toyota Prius Plug-in, and Tesla Model S. While PEVs offer zero tailpipe emissions and lower total cost of ownership due to cheaper fuel, challenges remain regarding the availability of public charging infrastructure (8,000 stations vs 150,000 gas stations) and high battery costs. Federal tax credits up to $7,500 and various state-level incentives in places like California, Colorado, and Georgia are used to drive adoption.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Crisis in the Crimea: A Violation of International Law
This research paper analyzes the legal implications of the 2014 annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, examining the conflict between the right to self-determination and the principles of territorial integrity and national unity under international law.
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Document type: Research paper
Issue Brief: Federal Funding for U.S. Transit and Roadway Infrastructure
This 2013 issue brief by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the funding crisis of the U.S. Highway Trust Fund (HTF), noting that federal fuel taxes have not been adjusted in 20 years. The document analyzes the resulting infrastructure deterioration, the reliance on General Fund transfers to maintain solvency, and various policy options—including inflation indexing, fuel tax increases, and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees—to close a $112 billion annual funding gap.
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Document type: Briefing
Federal Funding for U.S. Transit and Roadway Infrastructure
This policy brief examines the funding crisis facing the U.S. Highway Trust Fund (HTF), noting that federal fuel taxes have not been adjusted since 1993. It details the resulting infrastructure deterioration, the reliance on General Fund transfers to maintain solvency, and various proposed solutions including inflation indexing, fuel tax increases, and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fees.
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Document type: Policy brief
More deadly, destructive wildfires in today's news: can we prevent this being the new normal?
This statement from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues that U.S. forests are increasingly transitioning from carbon sinks to carbon emitters due to climate change, droughts, and wildfires. It highlights a critical funding gap for hazardous fuel reduction and ecosystem restoration, suggesting that expanding markets for wood products and bioenergy could provide a sustainable financial model for forest management.
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Document type: Statement
State Actions on Climate Change: A Focus on How Our Communities Grow
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes how state climate action plans in the United States incorporate land use, transportation, and green building policies as of July 2009. It finds that while transportation and green building are common, specific 'smart growth' land use practices are the least frequent component of these plans.
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Document type: Report
Food and Crop Waste: A Valuable Biomass Feedstock
This 2009 fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the potential of unharvested crops and food processing waste as biomass feedstocks for biofuels. It argues that these resources can provide renewable energy and chemicals without competing with food production, highlighting specific waste streams from the potato, orange, and tomato industries and the economic benefits of recycling these materials.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Energy by the Numbers: MISSISSIPPI
This 2009 fact sheet from the World Resources Institute provides data on energy consumption, electricity generation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trends in Mississippi, based on 2006 and 2005 data.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Energy by the Numbers: VIRGINIA
This 2009 fact sheet from the World Resources Institute provides data on energy consumption, electricity generation, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Virginia, based on 2006 and 2005 data.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Water and Watts
This briefing by the World Resources Institute examines the interdependent relationship between water and energy resources in the Southeastern United States. It highlights how electric power production relies heavily on freshwater for cooling, while water treatment and heating require significant energy, proposing policy priorities to improve efficiency in both sectors.
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Document type: Briefing
Greenhouse Gases and Human Well-Being
This research paper examines the relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and human well-being, using China as a primary case study. It analyzes how income per capita, energy production mixes, and geography correlate with CO2 emissions across 174 countries and 30 Chinese provinces, arguing that current high-consumption lifestyles in rich countries are incompatible with low-emission stabilization targets.
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Document type: Research paper