Search Climate Insights Directory
37 results
Clean Energy 101: Energy System Resilience
This guide by RMI defines energy system resilience as a community's ability to maintain critical services during and after extreme weather, distinguishing it from reliability, which refers to day-to-day grid performance. The document outlines the necessity of resilience due to climate volatility, aging infrastructure, and increasing grid strain, while highlighting that vulnerable populations and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are disproportionately affected by outages.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Guide
Unnatural Disasters: The Connection Between Extreme Weather and Fossil Fuels
This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the causal link between fossil fuel emissions and the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. It details the role of 'Carbon Majors' in global emissions, the financial disparity between industry profits and climate damages, and the growing use of litigation to hold these companies accountable. The document argues that a managed phase-out of fossil fuels, through both supply and demand reductions, is essential to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing
Priority Climate Action Plan Guide: Organic Waste & Landfill Methane Strategies
This guide by RMI provides recommendations for recipients of the US EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant (CPRG) planning grants to incorporate organic waste and landfill methane strategies into their Priority Climate Action Plans (PCAPs). It emphasizes the use of 20-year global warming potentials to highlight the urgency of methane reduction and suggests a combination of upstream waste prevention and downstream landfill control measures to achieve significant greenhouse gas reductions and community benefits.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Guide
The State of Electric School Bus Adoption in the US
This report by the World Resources Institute (WRI) analyzes the adoption of electric school buses (ESBs) in the United States as of June 2023. It tracks the number of committed vehicles, the impact of federal and state funding, and the distribution of these buses across different demographics and environmental conditions, highlighting a trend toward more equitable deployment in low-income and high-pollution areas.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Case Study – Storing Green Hydrogen to Safeguard Energy Security
This case study by RMI examines the Mississippi Clean Hydrogen Hub (MCHH), developed in collaboration with Hy Stor Energy, to demonstrate how large-scale geological storage of green hydrogen can enhance energy security and resiliency for the United States and its international partners. The document details how the MCHH can provide a secure, zero-carbon energy supply to critical industrial sectors, reduce dependence on volatile fossil fuel markets and imported commodities, and support strategic trade partners in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Case study
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Frequently Asked Questions
This fact sheet by the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL) examines Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), arguing that the technology fails to meaningfully reduce greenhouse emissions and may prolong dependence on fossil fuels. It details the technical limitations, safety risks, and economic costs of CCS, while contrasting it with more effective climate solutions like renewable energy and demand reduction.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
CEQ’s Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool Needs to Consider How Burdens Add Up
This research paper by the World Resources Institute analyzes version 1.0 of the White House Council on Environmental Quality's (CEQ) Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool (CEJST). While the update identifies more disadvantaged communities than the beta version, the authors argue it fails to account for cumulative burdens—where multiple environmental, health, and socioeconomic stressors overlap—which disproportionately affect communities of color.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Research paper
Dejemos de quemar dinero
The report proposes transforming fossil fuel electricity subsidies in the Dominican Republic into a blended finance model to install rooftop solar systems for low-to-middle income households and small businesses. By investing a few years' worth of subsidies into solar infrastructure, the government could eliminate the need for ongoing monthly subsidies, reduce carbon emissions, and lower long-term energy costs for citizens.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
2022 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker
The 2022 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker is a fact sheet by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) that lists hearings held by various U.S. House and Senate committees during 2022. The document serves as a comprehensive index of legislative inquiries into climate change, energy transition, environmental protection, and infrastructure implementation.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
2021 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker
The 2021 Climate, Environmental, and Energy Congressional Hearings Tracker is a fact sheet produced by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI). It provides a comprehensive list of hearings held by various House and Senate committees throughout 2021 that focused on climate change, energy transition, environmental protection, and infrastructure resilience.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
Federal Programs Support Diverse Environmental Workforce Opportunities for Veterans
This fact sheet outlines several federal and partner-led programs designed to transition military veterans into civilian careers within the low-carbon workforce, specifically focusing on land management, agriculture, conservation, and fisheries.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet
5 Reasons the US Should Cut its GHG Emissions in Half by 2030
This briefing by the World Resources Institute argues that the United States should set a greenhouse gas emissions-reduction target of 50% below 2005 levels by 2030. The document outlines how such a target is achievable through a combination of federal and local action, would stimulate economic growth and job creation, and is necessary to maintain international leadership and meet global warming limits of 1.5 degrees C.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Briefing
A RESILIENT FUTURE FOR COASTAL COMMUNITIES
This report by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) provides 30 federal policy recommendations to enhance the climate resilience of U.S. coastal communities. Based on a series of 16 Congressional briefings featuring 42 experts, the document outlines strategies across six themes: community engagement, land use and development, cultural heritage, climate data, disaster preparedness, and financing. It emphasizes the need for policies based on future climate projections, the integration of climate justice, and the prioritization of nature-based solutions over traditional gray infrastructure.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
SOLAR UNDER STORM FOR POLICYMAKERS
This report by the Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative and UN-OHRLLS, provides policymakers in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with best practices to increase the resilience of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems against extreme wind events. Based on field evaluations of failures and successes following hurricanes in the Caribbean and Pacific, the document outlines technical specifications for ground-mount and rooftop systems and emphasizes the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure infrastructure survives Category 5 storms.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Solar Under Storm Part II
This report provides engineering and design best practices to improve the resilience of rooftop solar PV systems against hurricane-force winds, primarily in the Caribbean. Based on an analysis of failures from 2017-2019, it identifies top-down clip failure and joint loosening as primary root causes of system collapse. Key recommendations include using vibration-resistant fasteners, avoiding ballasted-only systems in favor of mechanical attachments, and ensuring modules are not installed over roof edges or in high-pressure 'Zone 3' areas. Implementing these measures is estimated to increase EPC costs by roughly 5%.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Our Climate as an Infrastructure Asset
This report by RMI argues that the global climate should be viewed as a foundational infrastructure asset. It compares the high costs of climate inaction—categorized as direct physical losses, indirect economic growth reductions, and market uncertainty—against the relatively lower costs of preventive investments in energy efficiency, grid modernization, and carbon pricing.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Cities, Counties, and States Step Up Amidst Trump's Decision to Leave Paris Agreement
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.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Statement
Enhancing Resilience through Marine and Coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation
This policy briefing by the South African Institute of International Affairs examines the role of marine and coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in enhancing climate resilience, particularly in Southern and East Africa. It advocates for the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem services into national climate policies to protect vulnerable coastlines and livelihoods from sea-level rise and extreme weather events.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Policy brief
Marine and Coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation for Enhanced Resilience in Southern Africa: Synthesis Report
This synthesis report by the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) examines the role of Marine and Coastal Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EbA) in enhancing climate resilience in Southern Africa, specifically focusing on Mozambique, Seychelles, South Africa, and Tanzania. It advocates for the integration of biodiversity and ecosystem services into national climate policies and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to protect vulnerable coastal populations and ecosystems.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Report
Congressional Action on Resilient Infrastructure: Areas of Progress and Future Needs
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.
AI-generated
This summary is written by a language model reading the source document. It is not the publisher's words and is not a substitute for the original.
Document type: Fact sheet