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982 documents from RMI
Securitization in Action: How US States Are Shaping an Equitable Coal Transition
This briefing by RMI examines how several US states are using securitization—a financing tool that replaces high-cost utility capital with low-interest ratepayer-backed bonds—to facilitate the equitable retirement of coal-fired power plants. The document details how this mechanism can lower electricity rates for consumers, enable utility investment in clean energy, and provide funding for displaced workers and affected communities.
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Document type: Briefing
India’s Power Sector Must Plan for Climate Resilience
This briefing by RMI argues that India's power sector is insufficiently prepared for the increasing frequency of climate-induced extreme weather events. It advocates for a shift toward resilience-based planning, including grid hardening, the adoption of flexible energy sources, and the creation of system redundancies to prevent cascading failures across critical services and transportation.
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Document type: Briefing
The Carbon Emissions Impact of Demand Flexibility
This report by RMI evaluates the technical potential of demand flexibility in office and multi-family buildings to reduce carbon emissions by utilizing time-of-use emission factors, specifically within the context of New York City's Local Law 97.
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Document type: Report
Zero-Carbon Targeted Integrated Energy Planning
This report introduces Zero-Carbon Targeted Integrated Energy Planning (IEP) as a methodology for new urban development zones in China to support the national goal of carbon neutrality by 2060.
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Document type: Report
How to Make Finance Cheaper, More Accessible for EVs in India
This briefing by RMI examines the financial barriers to electric vehicle (EV) adoption in India, identifying risk as the primary driver of higher interest rates and down payments. It estimates the cumulative capital investment needed for India's EV transition and proposes a toolkit of financial instruments to lower the cost of capital and increase accessibility.
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Document type: Briefing
The United States Needs More Fast Chargers: China Can Show How
This report by RMI argues that the United States must rapidly expand its public direct current fast-charging (DCFC) infrastructure to meet decarbonization targets and ensure equitable EV access. It contrasts the current incremental growth in the US with China's aggressive, policy-driven scale-up, which has significantly lowered equipment costs and consumer prices through national priorities, utility tariff reforms, and concentrated charging stations.
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Document type: Report
How to Move America to Electric Vehicles
This policy brief by RMI argues that the United States requires a bold, coordinated national vision for transportation electrification by 2030 to meet climate goals and maintain global industrial competitiveness. It proposes specific targets for EV adoption and infrastructure, alongside a national industrial strategy to retool manufacturing and an aggressive fleet electrification plan.
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Document type: Policy brief
How to Fix Flaring for a Quick Emissions Win
This guide by RMI outlines the environmental impact of natural gas flaring, specifically within the United States, and proposes a seven-step framework for industry actors and policymakers to reduce and eventually eliminate routine flaring to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
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Document type: Guide
Taking the Bus to Zero-Emissions Mobility
This briefing by RMI argues that the electrification of public transit buses is a critical catalyst for achieving zero-tailpipe emissions in passenger and freight mobility. It emphasizes that buses are more adaptable and faster to deploy than light rail and suggests a phased approach to fleet electrification, supported by innovative financing and federal policy shifts to overcome high upfront costs.
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Document type: Briefing
Seeds of Opportunity
This report by RMI examines the economic development potential for rural American communities resulting from the expansion of onshore wind and utility-scale solar energy through 2030.
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Document type: Report
A New Dawn
A statement by RMI calling for the United States to adopt a robust industrial policy and public-private partnerships to regain global competitiveness in the clean energy transition following the inauguration of the Biden-Harris Administration.
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Document type: Statement
Massachusetts’ Governor Must Act to Secure Clean, Affordable Buildings
This statement from RMI argues that Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker's veto of bill S.2995, which included a net-zero stretch code, contradicts state research and economic realities. The document asserts that electrification of new buildings is essential to meet the state's 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target and is already economically viable for single-family homes and affordable housing developers.
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Document type: Statement
We Have New Leadership and a New Year—We Need New Housing, Too
This statement from RMI argues that reforming housing and zoning policies in the United States is a critical but overlooked component of climate strategy. The author contends that the current housing shortage and exclusionary zoning drive carbon emissions by forcing sprawl and auto-dependency, while simultaneously exacerbating economic and health inequities. The document calls for a shift toward infill, multi-family, and mixed-use development to reduce transportation emissions and improve affordability.
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Document type: Statement
Accelerating the Electric Vehicle Transition
This executive summary outlines the necessity of deploying over 50 million electric vehicles (EVs) in the United States within a decade to align the transportation sector with 1.5°C global warming limits, specifically highlighting the role of transportation network company (TNC) ridehailing services in accelerating this transition.
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Document type: Executive summary
Signs of Hope for US Federal Climate Action in 2021
This RMI briefing outlines recent US federal legislative activity and executive appointments at the end of 2020 that signal an increase in climate action for 2021. It highlights the passage of an energy package within coronavirus relief legislation, the introduction of bipartisan and renewable energy bills, and the strategic appointment of climate-focused personnel to the incoming Biden administration's cabinet.
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Document type: Briefing
Coming Back Stronger
This report advocates for a city-led infrastructure agenda in the United States to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic while aligning with a 1.5°C warming limit. It outlines priority investments across six sectors: access and mobility, buildings, power, broadband, water, and natural systems, arguing that cities are the most effective vehicles for delivering these 'future-proof' projects to create jobs and reduce social inequality.
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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
The New (Ab)Normal
The briefing 'The New (Ab)Normal' describes the escalating frequency and severity of climate-driven catastrophes, using the 2020 wildfire season in Colorado and the western United States as a primary example. It argues that the world has entered a state of 'continuous escalation of catastrophe' and outlines five critical areas of impact: mass migration, health threats, financial instability, the need for resilient rebuilding, and the necessity of updating the electric grid. The author emphasizes that immediate global action to reduce emissions by 50 percent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 is required to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
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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
Sub-Saharan Africa Stimulus Strategy
The Sub-Saharan Africa Stimulus Strategy proposes using post-pandemic recovery packages to transition sub-Saharan African countries toward carbon-neutral economies, thereby increasing resilience to external shocks and reducing dependence on fuel imports.
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Document type: Report
Now Is the Time for US Leadership on Electric Vehicles
This RMI briefing argues that the United States must accelerate its leadership in electric vehicle (EV) adoption to address climate change, noting that transportation is the country's largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. The document highlights rapid technological advancements in battery design, increasing demand from state governments and major corporations, and the necessity of scaling charging infrastructure to meet a zero-emissions mobility system by 2050.
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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
Taking a Regional Approach to Electric Vehicle Readiness
This report by RMI analyzes the regional readiness of 60 prominent US cities for electric vehicle (EV) adoption, focusing on infrastructure beyond city centers to address 'range anxiety'. The analysis evaluates metropolitan area readiness, day-trip destination readiness, and airport readiness, highlighting that while some cities and regions (particularly in California) are well-prepared, significant gaps in DC fast-charger coverage persist along major highways in several states.
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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