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This research paper compares the electric vehicle (EV) policies of the United States and China, focusing on financial incentives, charging infrastructure, research and development, and fleet procurement. It highlights China's more aggressive approach to subsidies and mandates compared to the U.S. system of tax credits and state-level incentives.

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.

This fact sheet describes the formation and goals of the United States Climate Alliance and other subnational efforts to uphold the 2016 Paris Agreement following the Trump Administration's decision to withdraw the United States from the accord.

This guidance document, produced by the Environmental Justice Leadership Forum on Climate Change, provides a framework for state agencies to incorporate equity and environmental justice (EJ) into the planning and implementation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 2015 Clean Power Plan (CPP). It emphasizes the need for meaningful community engagement, the use of EJ analyses to prevent disparate impacts, and the prioritization of public health and a 'just transition' for workers and overburdened communities.

This report by Energy Innovation describes California's climate and clean energy policy framework, highlighting the state's success in decoupling economic growth from greenhouse gas emissions. It details the combination of performance standards and a cap-and-trade program, the resulting growth in green jobs and clean technology, and the state's influence on federal and other state-level policies.

This report by Energy Innovation outlines a three-step framework for improving the performance of publicly-owned utilities (POUs), including municipal utilities, public utility districts, and cooperatives. It emphasizes the use of performance-management practices, governance reforms, and financial restructuring to align utility operations with customer values and public policy priorities.

This fact sheet examines the potential for deploying mid-level ethanol blends (E25 to E40) in the United States passenger vehicle fleet to improve fuel efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It discusses the role of ethanol as a renewable octane provider, the compatibility of existing vehicle fleets and retail infrastructure, and the lifecycle GHG reductions associated with different ethanol sources.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the potential for deploying mid-level ethanol blends (E25 to E40) as high-octane fuels in the United States. It discusses the technical benefits for engine efficiency, the existing compatibility of the vehicle fleet and retail infrastructure, and the potential for significant greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions compared to conventional gasoline.

This executive summary by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and HOMER Energy analyzes the economic transition of residential and commercial customers from grid-only electricity to grid-connected solar-plus-battery systems. The report argues that while total grid defection is possible, the more likely scenario is a gradual shift where customers use the grid as a backup, potentially leading to significant revenue loss for utilities and stranded assets for central generation owners unless new regulatory and pricing models are adopted.

This report by Energy Innovation outlines policy recommendations to help California achieve its goal of an 80 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions below 1990 levels by 2050. The authors argue that while the state is on track for its 2020 goals, it must accelerate policy development in electricity, buildings, transportation, and methane emissions, while expanding cooperation with other U.S. states and China.

This policy brief by the Climate Policy Initiative analyzes the financing gaps and technical barriers facing K-12 school districts in California to recommend strategies for allocating Proposition 39 funds. The authors argue that because private capital is currently available at low interest rates, Proposition 39 funds should be used as supplemental grants for deep energy-saving projects and as technical assistance, rather than as primary financing for short-payback projects that districts can already afford.

This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes the status and strategies for deploying plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) in the United States as of October 2012. It details federal, state, and local initiatives to build charging infrastructure, the role of 'model communities' in scaling adoption, and the integration of PEVs into government and commercial fleets to reduce petroleum dependence and greenhouse gas emissions.

This briefing by Energy Innovation argues that while fuel quality standards are a critical first step in reducing air pollution in China, long-term success depends on developing sustainable, dense, and walkable cities to avoid the car-reliant model of the 20th-century United States.

This 2011 fact sheet explains district energy systems, which use central plants and underground pipes to provide efficient heating and cooling to clusters of buildings. It highlights the role of combined heat and power (CHP) and renewable energy in these systems, noting that while over 700 such systems exist in the U.S., high upfront costs and policy gaps remain barriers to further expansion.

This 1998 report by the Rocky Mountain Institute examines water-saving technologies and practices for residential use, moving beyond the 1992 National Plumbing Standards to explore high-efficiency fixtures, graywater and rainwater systems, and sustainable landscaping.

This fact sheet by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment and partners advocates for the phase-out of coal-fired power plants in Alberta by 2030. It details the environmental and health impacts of Alberta's coal reliance, compares the province's energy targets with other jurisdictions, and proposes a replacement strategy based on energy efficiency and renewable energy.

This document is a fact sheet containing a table of individual green municipal bonds issued in the United States during 2017, detailing the issuers, amounts issued in USD, dates, project types, and CBI certification status.

This guide by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) provides best practices for universities to develop and implement effective campus climate action plans. It organizes its recommendations into three pillars: people (team assembly and stakeholder engagement), policy (investment decision-making and contracting), and plan (baseline development, renewable energy strategies, and portfolio-wide implementation).

The research paper "SENSE AND RESPONSE: A BIOCLIMATIC DIALOGUE OF PLACE" by Victor Olgyay explores the evolution of human interaction with the environment, from preindustrial symbiotic relationships to the ecological degradation caused by industrialization. The author advocates for a "performance based" regionalism in architecture that moves beyond reducing negative impacts toward a restorative approach, where buildings function as "ecological utilities" that actively provide ecosystem services and repair degraded landscapes.

This report chapter argues that the solution to global freshwater scarcity is not increasing supply through costly and environmentally damaging infrastructure, but radically increasing water productivity through efficiency and demand-side management across agriculture, landscaping, buildings, and industry.