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Investors and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) have formally requested that Chevron Corporation improve its public disclosures regarding the physical risks climate change poses to its coastal refineries. The authors argue that Chevron's SEC Form 10-K filings fail to address material risks such as sea level rise and enhanced storm surges, despite the vulnerability of specific sites like the Pascagoula, Mississippi and Kapolei, Hawaii refineries. They highlight that the 2005 damage to the Pascagoula refinery from Hurricane Katrina demonstrates the potential for material impacts on production and cash flows.

A letter from investors and the Union of Concerned Scientists to Exxon Mobil requesting disclosure of physical climate risks to coastal refineries, citing SEC guidance and the vulnerability of specific Texas and Louisiana facilities to sea level rise and storm surges.

Investors and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) are calling on Marathon Petroleum to improve its public disclosures regarding the physical risks of climate change. They argue that the company's SEC Form 10-K filings fail to address the vulnerability of coastal refineries to sea level rise and storm surges, despite evidence of past disruptions and scientific projections for the Gulf of Mexico.

The letter expresses concern over Phillips 66's limited disclosure of physical climate risks in its SEC Form 10-K filings, specifically highlighting the vulnerability of the Bayway refinery in New Jersey to sea level rise and storm surges.

A letter from investors and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) to Valero Energy Corporation requesting the disclosure of physical climate risks at its coastal refineries. The authors argue that Valero has failed to report material risks related to sea level rise and storm surge in its SEC Form 10-K filings, despite the vulnerability of facilities in Texas and Louisiana and previous disclosures made by the former owner of the Meraux refinery.

The document outlines various energy storage technologies—including pumped hydro, batteries, thermal, compressed air, flywheels, and hydrogen—detailing how they balance electricity supply and demand. It highlights the transition from a reliance on pumped hydroelectric storage toward rapidly scaling lithium-ion batteries, noting a 72 percent drop in battery capital costs between 2015 and 2019. The guide argues that energy storage enhances grid reliability, enables higher renewable energy integration, and provides community benefits by replacing polluting fossil fuel 'peaker' plants and increasing resilience against extreme weather.

The document describes the four primary components of the US electricity grid: individual generators, transmission lines, distribution networks, and consumer load. It details the technical differences between power sources, such as the low flexibility of coal and nuclear plants compared to the rapid ramping of natural gas plants. The text outlines the regulatory roles of state Public Utility Commissions (PUCs) and the federal Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), and notes the three main US transmission networks: the Western Interconnection, the Eastern Interconnection, and ERCOT. It also traces the grid's history from the victory of alternating current (AC) over direct current (DC) to the 'restructuring' of the 1970s that allowed for wholesale competition. Finally, it identifies potential improvements through energy storage, smart meters, and distributed generation like residential solar panels.

The document highlights that every region of the United States has seen an increase in heavy precipitation over the last 50 years, a trend expected to continue as the climate warms. It identifies five 'hidden' health risks following floods: drowning in vehicles, contamination of drinking water, sewage backup in homes, contamination of recreational waterways, and toxic indoor mold. The text argues that while immediate dangers like drowning and electrocution are known, the long-term public health burdens—including respiratory issues, gastrointestinal diseases, and mental health problems—are often overlooked. It calls for aggressive reductions in carbon emissions from fossil fuels and the creation of more resilient communities to mitigate these escalating risks.

Georgia has emerged as a leading U.S. market for electric vehicles, driven by state tax credits for vehicles and charging infrastructure. In 2014, EV drivers in Georgia saved an average of over $850 in fuel costs, contributing to a total state saving of $10 million and a reduction of over 22,000 tons of climate change emissions. The document highlights that EVs offer lower maintenance costs and lower global warming emissions than conventional vehicles, with benefits increasing as Georgia's electricity grid incorporates more renewable energy. To sustain growth, the report emphasizes the need for ongoing policy support, consumer education, and public-private partnerships.

The report argues that while open records laws are essential for government transparency, they are increasingly weaponized to target scientists and academics whose work threatens vested interests. By requesting vast amounts of private correspondence, draft papers, and raw data, harassers aim to chill speech, distract researchers from their work, and undermine scientific integrity. The document provides numerous case studies across fields such as climate science, tobacco research, and environmental health, noting that public universities are often unprepared to handle these intrusive requests. It calls for clearer legal exemptions to protect the scientific deliberative process and the development of institutional guidelines to safeguard researchers while maintaining public accountability.

The document outlines the technical approach used by the Union of Concerned Scientists to analyze climate risks at specific refineries owned by Valero, Phillips 66, Exxon Mobil, Marathon Petroleum, and Chevron. It details the data sources for refinery capacity and boundaries, the sea level rise projections based on the IPCC's RCP 4.5 scenario, and the use of the National Weather Service's SLOSH model to simulate storm surge from Category 1–5 hurricanes. Additionally, it explains the criteria used to score company disclosures of physical climate risks based on SEC filings and Ceres methodology.

The report examines the vulnerability of U.S. coastal oil refineries to sea level rise and storm surge, focusing on five major companies: Valero, Phillips 66, Exxon Mobil, Marathon Petroleum, and Chevron. It argues that these companies fail to adequately disclose material physical climate risks to the SEC, despite guidance issued in 2010. The analysis uses SLOSH MOM modeling to demonstrate that current and future sea level rise increases the likelihood of facility inundation and operational disruptions. The report highlights the resulting financial risks for investors and the environmental and health risks for neighboring communities, particularly those in the Gulf Coast region.

The Union of Concerned Scientists argues that increasing Minnesota's renewable energy standard to 40 percent by 2030 would drive over $6 billion in new capital investments and reduce reliance on imported electricity without significantly impacting retail rates. The analysis indicates that such a policy would increase wind capacity to nearly 6,000 MW and utility-scale solar to over 600 MW by 2030. While a strengthened RES helps position the state to comply with the EPA's Clean Power Plan, the report notes that coal would still provide 38 percent of electricity in 2030 without additional policy actions. The authors recommend combining the strengthened RES with an increased energy efficiency standard of 2 percent annually by 2020.

The report argues that the AFOLU sector, which accounts for approximately 24% of global warming pollution, offers significant potential to close the emissions gap. By analyzing eight major emitters—the United States, Indonesia, China, India, Brazil, the European Union, Mexico, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—the authors find that median mitigation potentials for these countries could cover 76% of the 2020 emissions gap and 44% of the 2030 gap. The report emphasizes a combination of supply-side production efficiencies and demand-side consumption changes, such as reducing beef consumption and food waste, to achieve these reductions.

The document asserts that 90 entities, including 50 investor-owned companies, are responsible for 63% of industrial CO2 and methane emissions since 1751. It argues that these companies ignored scientific warnings as early as 1988 and actively worked to discredit climate science. The author calls for these producers to stop disinformation, disclose financial risks, support the 2°C warming target, and pay for climate-related damages.

The report finds that AFOLU mitigation potentials for eight major emitters—the United States, Indonesia, China, India, Brazil, the European Union, Mexico, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—could reduce the 2020 emissions gap by approximately three-fourths and the 2030 gap by nearly half. The United States has the highest individual potential at 23 Gt CO2eq, while Indonesia, China, and India also show substantial potentials between 0.75 and 1.75 Gt. These potentials are derived from three primary activities: reducing emissions from deforestation and peatland clearing, decreasing agricultural emissions (such as methane and nitrous oxide), and increasing carbon sequestration through reforestation and ecosystem restoration.

The document examines the distinct advantages of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (HFCEVs), asserting that both are essential to meet climate goals. BEVs are highlighted for their efficiency and use of existing home electricity infrastructure, while HFCEVs are presented as superior for larger vehicles, longer ranges, and drivers without home charging access. The text emphasizes that these technologies are complementary rather than competitive, as they address different consumer needs while both eliminating tailpipe pollution.

An analysis of 52 tide gauges along the US East and Gulf Coasts indicates a steep increase in tidal flooding events over the next 30 years. By 2030, over half of the studied communities are projected to experience at least 24 tidal floods annually. By 2045, one-third of these locations could face flooding more than 180 times per year, with some areas in the mid-Atlantic potentially inundated more than 10 percent of the time. The report argues that while local flood-proofing and federal resilience investments are necessary, the only long-term solution to slow sea level rise is the swift reduction of global warming pollution.

The analysis warns that sea level rise will cause tidal flooding to become chronic and widespread across the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts by 2045. Many communities will see a tripling or more of annual flood events, with some locations facing over 180 floods per year. The report emphasizes the need for urgent local and national adaptation strategies, including infrastructure upgrades and emissions reductions, to manage the inevitable disruptions to daily life and infrastructure.

The report warns that tidal flooding will become chronic and disruptive for many US coastal communities by 2030 and 2045, necessitating urgent local adaptation and national carbon emission reductions.