Search Climate Insights Directory
125 results
The Climate Crisis Domino Effect
This research paper by the Center for International Environmental Law examines how climate-induced extreme weather is driving an insurance crisis in the United States, which in turn threatens housing affordability and financial stability. The authors argue that insurance companies are exacerbating the crisis by raising premiums to recoup losses while simultaneously reinvesting profits into fossil fuel companies.
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Document type: Research paper
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.
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Document type: Briefing
Evidence Shows Three Pillars Remain Crucial for 45V Hydrogen Tax Credit to Protect Climate, Consumers, Industry
This research note by Energy Innovation argues that the U.S. Treasury Department must maintain the "three pillars" (incremental, deliverable, and hourly-matched clean electricity) in the final rules for the Section 45V Clean Hydrogen Production Tax Credit. The author contends that weakening these rules would undermine climate goals, increase electricity costs for consumers, and stifle the development of a flexible, domestic electrolyzer industry.
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Document type: Research paper
How States Can Use Low-Carbon Fuel Standards to Incentivize Clean Hydrogen-Derived Fuels
This policy brief by RMI outlines how U.S. states can utilize Low-Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS) to incentivize the adoption of clean hydrogen and hydrogen-derived fuels, particularly for hard-to-abate sectors like aviation, maritime shipping, and long-haul trucking. It analyzes existing programs in California, Oregon, and Washington to provide four key lessons for future state policies to ensure clean hydrogen is directed toward high-priority uses rather than sectors where electrification is more efficient.
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Document type: Policy brief
1 in 7 families live in energy poverty; states can ease that burden
This research paper by RMI analyzes energy burden—the proportion of household income spent on electricity and fuel—across all 50 US states using 2020 Energy Information Administration data. It finds that extremely low-income households face a disproportionately high energy burden, often exceeding the 10% threshold for energy poverty, and evaluates how federal funding from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and specific state-level policies can mitigate these burdens while pursuing decarbonization.
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Document type: Research paper
Towards a science-based definition of unabated fossil fuels
This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics argues for a rigorous, science-based definition of 'unabated fossil fuels' to prevent the use of weak policies and inadequate technologies from undermining the Paris Agreement goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C. It highlights that while the term has become central to G7, G20, and UN climate negotiations, the lack of a consensus definition allows for interpretations that may include low carbon capture rates or ignore upstream emissions.
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Document type: Briefing
Carbon Mineralization Needs Greater Policy Support to Reach Carbon Removal Potential
This briefing from the World Resources Institute argues that carbon mineralization requires increased and customized federal policy support to reach its potential for large-scale carbon removal. While some funding exists through broad carbon removal initiatives, the document highlights a gap in dedicated support compared to technologies like direct air capture and outlines necessary advancements in research, deployment incentives, and safety regulations to scale the technology responsibly.
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Document type: Briefing
Understanding California's Low Carbon Fuel Standards Regulation
This guide explains California's Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS), a market-based regulation designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in the transportation sector by capping the carbon intensity of fuels.
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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.
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Document type: Report
Comparing the Cost to Travel: Electric Vehicle Fill-Up Savings by State
This report by Energy Innovation analyzes the cost savings of operating electric vehicles (EVs) compared to gas-powered vehicles across the United States, focusing on 'fill-up' costs for sedans, SUVs, and trucks. Using a custom cost comparison tool, the authors find that EV drivers in every state save money per trip and annually, though the magnitude of these savings varies significantly based on state-level electricity rates and gasoline prices.
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Document type: Report
What’s hot (and cool) about heat pumps? - Zero Carbon Analytics
This guide by Zero Carbon Analytics explains the role of heat pumps in decarbonising buildings and industry, detailing their technical operation, economic viability, and the policy barriers to their global adoption.
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Document type: Guide
Understanding California’s Advanced Clean Truck Regulation
This fact sheet explains the Advanced Clean Truck (ACT) regulation adopted by California in 2020, which requires original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to increase the percentage of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs) and near-zero-emissions vehicles (NZEVs) in their annual sales from 2024 to 2035.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Reality Check: The Missing Pieces of New York’s “Climate Math” Debate
This briefing by RMI examines the debate over emissions accounting methods in New York State, specifically focusing on the shift to a 20-year global warming potential (GWP20) timeframe and the inclusion of upstream and biogenic emissions. The author argues that this 'new climate math' increases climate benefits without necessarily increasing costs, as physical emissions remain constant regardless of the accounting timeframe used.
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Document type: Briefing
5 Things to Know About Carbon Mineralization
Carbon mineralization is a carbon dioxide removal (CDR) process that accelerates the reaction between CO2 and alkaline minerals (like those in basalt) to permanently store carbon as solid carbonates. While it offers potential co-benefits such as strengthened concrete and the neutralization of toxic mine tailings, scaling the technology poses risks including induced seismicity, high water usage in arid regions, and environmental impacts from increased mining. The document emphasizes the need for standardized measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) protocols and updated mineral mapping to scale the process responsibly.
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Document type: Fact sheet
Understanding California’s Advanced Clean Cars II Regulation
This guide explains the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) regulation in California, which aims to reduce light-duty vehicle emissions by 50 percent by 2040. The regulation mandates that original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) increase the sale of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), culminating in a requirement that 100 percent of sales be ZEVs or PHEVs by 2035.
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Document type: Guide
Mitigating Landfill Methane Key Strategies and Policy Levers to Drive Emissions Reductions
This briefing by RMI outlines strategies and policy levers to reduce methane emissions from municipal solid waste (MSW) landfills in the United States. It proposes a two-pronged approach: improving the monitoring and control of existing waste and preventing new methane generation by diverting organic waste from landfills. The document advocates for stronger federal standards from the EPA to scale these reductions and protect adjacent communities.
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Document type: Briefing
TOP STATE ENERGY POLICIES TO CUT CARBON EMISSIONS
This report by Energy Innovation and RMI evaluates the impact of five key state-level energy policies on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across six U.S. states using the Energy Policy Simulator (EPS). The analysis demonstrates that a coordinated policy approach can significantly reduce emissions, create jobs, and improve public health outcomes.
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Document type: Report
Why Canada Is Unlikely to Sell the Last Barrel of Oil
This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) argues that Canada is unlikely to be the last country to sell oil due to a combination of declining global demand, price volatility, and higher production costs compared to Middle Eastern competitors. While Canada's heavy reliance on U.S. refineries provides a temporary buffer, the document suggests that ESG credentials will not protect market share and that the sector faces an existential threat as the world moves toward a post-peak oil market around 2030.
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Document type: Policy brief
IMPLEMENTING THE INFLATION REDUCTION ACT: A ROADMAP FOR FEDERAL AND STATE BUILDINGS POLICY
This report by Energy Innovation analyzes the building sector provisions of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), detailing how rebates, tax credits, and funding for building codes can accelerate decarbonization. It provides a roadmap for federal, state, and local policymakers to implement these incentives, emphasizing the need for complementary regulations—such as updated appliance standards and building codes—to overcome the challenge of slow building stock turnover and meet 2030 climate goals.
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Document type: Report
The Fossil Fuel Lobbyist List
A November 2022 report by Global Energy Monitor (GEM) based on a 50-state survey reveals that major U.S. companies in the technology, banking, and insurance sectors frequently employ state-level lobbyists who also represent the fossil fuel industry. The report highlights a contradiction between these companies' public net-zero climate goals and their reliance on 'multi-client lobbyists' who promote continued fossil fuel dependence.
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Document type: Report