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Grounding Global Water Risk Assessments in Local Data
This case study examines Unilever's approach to grounding global water risk assessments in local data. While using the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas for initial screening across 300+ sites in 100 countries, Unilever validates results with local facility managers to correct discrepancies. The document highlights how global models can overestimate risk in the Great Lakes region due to unmodeled human engineering, or underestimate risk in São Paulo, Brazil, by ignoring water quality degradation and local transfers. The study concludes that global data should serve as a starting point, supplemented by documented local feedback and iterative reviews to ensure effective water stewardship.
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Document type: Case study
Climate Adaptation: A Review of Federal Legislation Enacted Since 2017
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) reviewed federal legislation from the 115th through the 117th Congress to identify laws promoting climate adaptation and resilience. EESI identified 41 laws that address over 16 different climate impacts, ranging from acute events like wildfires to slow-onset events like thawing permafrost, though much of the federal approach remains centered on disaster response and recovery.
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Document type: Report
Submission for CNSC hearings Jun. 10, 2021 on behalf of Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
The Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) submitted a statement to the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) opposing the renewal of Ontario Power Generation's (OPG) site licence for the Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) site. CAPE argues that granting a licence before a specific reactor type is chosen prevents public oversight and ignores the risks associated with placing nuclear facilities in densely populated areas near the Great Lakes.
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Document type: Statement
Rural Communities Rise to the Challenge of Dual Disasters | Briefing | EESI
A briefing by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) detailing the challenges rural communities face regarding climate change, COVID-19 recovery, and flood resilience, specifically focusing on governance and funding barriers.
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Document type: Briefing
Federal Resources for Nature-Based Solutions to Climate Change
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.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Ontario's Nuclear Emergency Response Plan is Far from Adequate
A briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) arguing that Ontario's Nuclear Emergency Response Plan is outdated and insufficient to handle a catastrophic accident of the scale seen at Fukushima.
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Document type: Briefing
Trump FY2018 'Skinny' Budget Proposal: An Overview of the Sustainable Energy, Buildings, Transportation and Climate Implications
This policy brief by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) analyzes the Trump Administration's FY2018 'skinny budget' proposal. It details significant proposed funding cuts across multiple federal agencies, specifically targeting climate change programs, sustainable energy research, rural development, and public transportation infrastructure, while prioritizing national security and space exploration.
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Document type: Policy brief
Addressing Water Quality through Nutrient Management
This fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute examines the impact of agricultural nutrient runoff—specifically nitrogen and phosphorus—on water quality in the United States, focusing on the Upper Midwest, the Great Lakes, and the Gulf of Mexico. It details the environmental consequences of eutrophication and hypoxia, the legal and regulatory landscape including the Clean Water Act's exemptions for irrigated agriculture, and the role of the USDA's Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) in funding voluntary conservation efforts to reduce pollution.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Offshore Wind: Can the United States Catch up with Europe?
As of 2016, Europe dominated the global offshore wind market, with the UK, Germany, and Denmark leading in installed capacity. The United States, while possessing vast potential (over 4,000 GW), was in the early stages of deployment with its first commercial project at Block Island. The document highlights the technical advantages of offshore wind—such as stronger winds and proximity to coastal population centers—and notes the significant job creation potential in the EU sector.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Regulation of Cooling Water Intake Structures at Existing Facilities
The Stockholm Environment Institute critiques the EPA's cost-benefit analysis for cooling water intake regulations, arguing that monetized benefits are severely underestimated due to the exclusion of non-use values and errors in baseline mortality data. The authors suggest that when benefits are properly calculated and costs are reassessed, the regulations yield positive net benefits with minimal impact on electricity rates and a positive effect on employment and GDP. They strongly advise against site-specific calculations, recommending instead a national standard with a higher threshold for compliance.
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Document type: Statement
IISD Experimental Lakes Area
The IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) is a natural laboratory in northwestern Ontario, Canada, consisting of 58 small lakes and their watersheds used for whole-ecosystem scientific research. Operated by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, the facility conducts experiments to inform environmental policies and regulations regarding climate change, pollutants, and water management.
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Document type: Fact sheet
IISD Experimental Lakes Area’s Response to Ontario’s Commitments to Freshwater Protection in Preserving and Protecting our Environment for Future Generations: A Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan
The IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) provides a response to Ontario's environment plan, urging the government to integrate more rigorous scientific evidence into freshwater policy. Key recommendations include expanding pollutant monitoring to water bodies, setting specific phosphorus reduction targets for Lake of the Woods (18.4%), researching plastic prevalence, and utilizing IoT technology for real-time sewage monitoring.
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Document type: Statement
Watershed Indicators: The challenge of consistency
This report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) examines the difficulties of achieving consistency and coherency in watershed indicators across Canada and in transboundary contexts. Based on activities conducted by the Canadian Sustainability Indicators Network (CSIN) in 2014–2015, including webinars and a workshop, the document identifies systemic challenges such as jurisdictional fragmentation, varying data collection methodologies, and imbalanced institutional capacities. It provides a series of recommendations for developing and improving indicator frameworks to better inform policy and environmental management.
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Document type: Report