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Nature-based Resilience for Gulf Coast Communities: Using Regional Sediment Management to Sustain the Coast
This briefing by Derek Brockbank of the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) argues that shoreline recession in the Gulf Coast is caused by human activity benefiting the navigation industry and advocates for Regional Sediment Management (RSM) and nature-based resilience to sustain the coast.
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Document type: Briefing
Nature-Based Resilience for Gulf Coast Communities
This briefing transcript discusses the implementation of nature-based infrastructure—such as wetlands, oyster reefs, and dunes—to enhance coastal resilience against sea level rise and extreme weather in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. Experts highlight the cost-effectiveness and co-benefits of these solutions compared to traditional 'gray' infrastructure and call for federal policy reforms to prioritize the beneficial use of dredged sediment and pre-disaster mitigation funding.
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Document type: Briefing
Financing low-carbon buildings and energy efficiency in the green bond market
This briefing by the Climate Bonds Initiative examines the use of green bonds to finance low-carbon buildings and energy efficiency globally, with a specific focus on opportunities for Japan. It details the role of various issuers, including property companies, banks, and governments, and highlights the significance of the green securitisation market.
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Document type: Briefing
Comparing U.S. and Chinese Electric Vehicle Policies
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.
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Document type: Research paper
Increasing Home Value Through Home Energy Upgrades
This briefing by RMI discusses how energy efficiency upgrades, specifically attic insulation, can increase home resale value and provide additional benefits in terms of operational cost savings, health, and comfort. It references data from Remodeling magazine and the National Association of Realtors to demonstrate that certain energy projects offer higher returns on investment than typical home remodeling projects.
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Document type: Briefing
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
Should the Renewable Fuel Standard Be Reformed?
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute argues against reforming or repealing the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), asserting that the policy has successfully reduced petroleum dependence and stimulated the rural economy. While acknowledging challenges such as land use change and the 'blend wall,' the author contends that these issues should be addressed through the Farm Bill and EPA flexibility rather than statutory changes, which could jeopardize billions in private investment in next-generation biofuels.
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Document type: Statement
Combined heat and power (CHP)
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute describes combined heat and power (CHP) technology, which integrates the production of heat and electric power into a single process to increase energy efficiency and reliability. It details the current state of CHP in the United States, its economic and environmental benefits, its role in disaster resilience, and the policy barriers and goals associated with its expansion.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Combined Heat and Power: Pathway to Lower Energy Costs, Reduced Emissions, Secure and Resilient Energy Supply
This fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) describes the technology, benefits, and potential of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) systems in the United States. It highlights how CHP increases energy efficiency, reduces emissions, and provides resilient power during grid failures, while identifying regulatory barriers and the specific advantages of biomass-fueled systems.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Moving Away from Oil: Biofuels and Biobased Products
A statement from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute advocating for a transition from petroleum to biofuels and biobased products to reduce national oil dependence, improve climate outcomes, and create jobs.
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Document type: Statement
Developing an Advanced Biofuels Industry: State Policy Options for Lean and Uncertain Times
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) examines the state of the advanced biofuels industry in the United States following the 2008 economic recession. It analyzes national policy trends, identifies critical barriers to commercialization—including technological hurdles, market volatility, and regulatory uncertainty—and provides ten specific policy recommendations for state governments to support sustainable, local biofuel development during periods of limited fiscal capacity.
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Document type: Report
Heads above water
This fact sheet presents GIS-based estimates of populations in the conterminous United States living in coastal areas vulnerable to sea-level rise and storm surges, specifically those residing within 1 km of the coast or below 3 meters in elevation.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Con la cabeza fuera del agua. ¿Cuánta gente vive en las zonas costeras vulnerables de EE.UU.?
This fact sheet describes research by the Louisiana State University and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) using GIS to estimate the population of the continental United States living in coastal areas vulnerable to sea-level rise and storms.
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Document type: Fact sheet
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
Cellulosic Biofuels
This July 2008 fact sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) details the status of cellulosic biofuel production in the United States, highlighting the number of biorefineries in development, the technologies and feedstocks used, and the federal and state investments supporting the industry.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Failing the challenge
The report "Failing the challenge" by Friends of the Earth International is a critical response to Shell's 2003 corporate report. It argues that despite public commitments to sustainable development and human rights, Shell continues to cause significant environmental damage and health crises in communities surrounding its global operations, particularly in the Global South.
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Document type: Report
DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY
This teaching note describes the 'Waste Reduction Always Pays' (WRAP) program at the Dow Chemical Company, an employee-centered initiative designed to reduce pollution through a contest for small-scale capital investments. The document analyzes the program's strengths, such as top management support and financial savings, and its weaknesses, including a lack of strategic alignment and limited employee participation, while contrasting it with a different approach used at the Bayside Division.
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Document type: Guide
Dow Chemical (B): Waste Reduction at Bayside
This case study examines waste reduction efforts at Dow Chemical's Bayside Division in Maryland, contrasting its approach with the company's WRAP program used in the Louisiana Division. Bayside utilized statistical process control (SPC) training and a suggestion box system to identify and implement smaller-scale waste reduction projects.
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Document type: Case study
The U. S. Experience with Economic Incentives for Protecting the Environment
This report section details the use of economic incentives—specifically pollution charges, fees, and taxes—to protect the environment in the United States. It examines various instruments including water and air emission fees, solid waste disposal charges, product taxes, and specialized fees for wetlands and grazing, analyzing their roles in raising revenue and incentivizing pollution reduction.
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Document type: Report
U.S. States and the Global POPs Treaty
This report by the Center for International Environmental Law examines the United States' failure to ratify the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) despite signing it in 2001. It argues that federal laws (TSCA and FIFRA) are outdated and ineffective, leaving a policy void that has been filled by individual states. The document highlights the 'vanguard' role of Maine, California, and Washington, which have implemented their own bans on mercury, PBDEs, and lindane, and developed strategies to monitor and reduce bioaccumulative toxics (PBTs) to protect public health and wildlife.
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Document type: Report