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The document details the environmental footprint of geothermal power, distinguishing between hydrothermal and enhanced geothermal systems. It highlights that while closed-loop systems minimize air emissions and water contamination, open-loop systems release gases like hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide. The text notes that geothermal energy has significantly lower life-cycle global warming emissions than coal or natural gas, though it can be associated with land subsidence and increased earthquake frequency.

The document examines the environmental footprint of wind power, noting that while it is a clean energy source, it has specific impacts on land use, wildlife, and local communities. It highlights that land-based facilities in the US use between 30 and 141 acres per megawatt, though permanent disturbance is less than 1 acre per megawatt. Wildlife impacts, particularly bird and bat collisions, are described as relatively low and manageable through better siting and operational adjustments. Public health concerns regarding sound and vibration have not been found to have adverse effects in studies from Canada and Australia. Finally, the document notes that wind power's life-cycle global warming emissions (0.02 to 0.04 pounds of CO2e/kWh) are significantly lower than those of natural gas or coal.

The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) evaluated 17 US federal agencies on their media and social media policies to determine the freedom with which federal science is communicated. Using a rubric based on scientific openness, the UCS assigned letter grades (A-D or Incomplete). NOAA received the highest media policy grade (A, 97 points), while the Department of Energy received an 'Incomplete' (25 points). For social media, the NIH scored highest (A, 90 points), while the CPSC, NSF, and NRC received 'Incomplete' grades due to a lack of comprehensive policies. The assessment included FOIA requests and a survey of 72 federal scientists to provide context on how these policies are implemented in practice.

The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that in 2012, the NRC oversaw 14 'near-misses'—events increasing core meltdown risk by at least 10-fold—at U.S. nuclear plants. The report argues that the NRC frequently fails to enforce existing regulations, such as allowing the Palisades Nuclear Plant to operate for nearly a month despite cooling water leaks that required shutdown within six hours. It also highlights a significant perception gap between NRC senior management and staff regarding the agency's internal safety culture, where half of the workforce reported negative reactions from supervisors after raising safety concerns.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies hundreds of U.S. coal generators as 'ripe for retirement' due to high operating costs and vulnerability to 'energy-water collisions.' Many of these plants rely on once-through cooling systems that withdraw massive amounts of water and are subject to strict EPA temperature discharge limits. The report argues that replacing these aging plants with renewables or energy efficiency would significantly reduce national water withdrawals and consumption, particularly in states like Alabama, Maryland, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

The report evaluates 14 U.S. trade and business associations across three metrics: acceptance of climate science, support for climate action, and endorsement of specific policy proposals. The findings categorize these groups into three tiers: those that misrepresent science and offer limited policy support, those that accept science but offer limited support, and those that accept science and provide significant policy support. The authors argue that some associations use scientific misinformation and vague qualifiers to block meaningful climate policy, and they urge member companies to pressure their associations to adopt science-based positions.

The document analyzes how money spent on gasoline is distributed among stakeholders, finding that the majority goes to oil companies rather than local stations or the consumers themselves. It argues that drivers can save thousands of dollars over a vehicle's lifetime by choosing fuel-efficient or hybrid vehicles instead of continuing to fund oil company profits.

The document outlines a framework for businesses to eliminate tropical deforestation from their supply chains through public pledges, transparent sourcing, and the promotion of sustainable goods. It identifies palm oil, wood/paper, and meat (specifically beef) as key drivers of forest loss and provides sector-specific recommendations, such as strengthening RSPO standards for palm oil and reducing beef in processed meats to lower land-use pressure.

The report uses a computable general equilibrium (CGE) model to simulate two scenarios: a reduction in global beef consumption and a combined scenario of reduced beef and increased poultry/pork consumption. The findings indicate that reducing beef consumption leads to significant declines in cattle production and pasture land, particularly in the US, Latin America, and Australia. In the US, a beef-only reduction would decrease cereal grain acreage by 4% (3.5 million acres) and pasture land by 16% (100 million acres). The combined scenario shows that while beef production falls, poultry production increases significantly in regions like India (166%) and the US (36%), with global pasture land reductions totaling millions of acres across several regions.

The Union of Concerned Scientists reports that cities in the US Midwest have experienced an increase in heat waves and dangerously hot, humid days over the last six decades. Analysis of ten cities, including St. Louis, Chicago, Detroit, and the Twin Cities, shows a rise in the frequency of heat waves and a corresponding loss of cool, comfortable summer days. These trends increase the risk of hyperthermia and dehydration, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those with pre-existing medical conditions. The document advocates for city-level preparedness and the reduction of fossil fuel emissions to mitigate these health risks.

The report examines biochar—charcoal produced from biomass to store carbon—as a method for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. While biochar could theoretically sequester carbon for thousands of years and improve soil fertility, a review of 212 peer-reviewed references indicates that current data are insufficient to accurately estimate its long-term stability. Consequently, the report concludes it is premature to rely on biochar as an effective climate mitigation tool or to allocate public resources for its deployment.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies a significant number of U.S. coal-fired power plants that are economically uncompetitive compared to natural gas and wind power. The report argues that retiring these plants, along with those already scheduled for closure, would improve public health and reduce carbon emissions without jeopardizing grid reliability.

The Union of Concerned Scientists identifies a range of 16 to 32 coal-fired generating units in Michigan as economically uncompetitive compared to natural gas and renewable energy. The report highlights that 87 percent of the state's coal capacity exceeds its 30-year design lifetime, and many of these plants lack modern pollution controls, contributing significantly to public health issues and carbon emissions. The document advocates for retiring these plants in favor of wind, solar, and energy efficiency to reduce CO2 emissions by up to 18.7 million tons annually and stimulate the state's clean energy economy.

The X-37B is a reusable unmanned spacecraft developed by the US Air Force. The Union of Concerned Scientists asserts that the vehicle's design—specifically its ability to land like an airplane—imposes significant penalties in terms of mass, cost, and maneuverability. The report concludes that for every potential mission the X-37B could perform, including orbital inspection, reconnaissance, and sensor testing, there are more efficient and cheaper alternatives, such as lightweight disposable satellites or capsule-based recovery systems.

Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles account for 20 percent of U.S. transportation fuel consumption despite being only 4 percent of vehicles. The document outlines how hybrid-electric, battery electric, and fuel cell technologies, along with external power systems and battery-powered auxiliary units, can reduce fuel costs and oil dependency.

The workshop explored how the tobacco industry's history of disinformation and the subsequent legal breakthroughs—specifically the discovery of internal documents—could inform strategies to hold fossil fuel companies accountable. Participants discussed various legal avenues, including public nuisance and RICO lawsuits, the scientific challenges of attributing specific climate damages to individual producers, and the need for a compelling public narrative to move beyond scientific evidence and mobilize public action.

The report examines the application of hybrid-electric, battery-electric, fuel cell, and plug-in hybrid technologies in the US trucking sector. It highlights specific use cases, such as urban delivery, port drayage, and auxiliary power units, noting that while medium- and heavy-duty trucks make up only 4% of road vehicles, they account for approximately 20% of transportation fuel consumption. The document argues that expanding electrification is a key strategy for doubling truck fuel efficiency and halving projected US oil consumption over 20 years.

A 2012 analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists found that climate science coverage in Fox News Channel and the Wall Street Journal's opinion pages was overwhelmingly misleading, frequently dismissing scientific consensus and denigrating scientists. The report recommends that News Corporation develop standards for accurate communication and distinguish between scientific evidence and policy debates.

One year after the Fukushima disaster, the Union of Concerned Scientists argues that while the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) initially responded well, it has since deprioritized the most critical recommendation for managing 'beyond-design-basis' accidents. Furthermore, the report warns that the nuclear industry's preference for the 'FLEX' strategy—which relies on portable emergency equipment rather than hardening infrastructure—is driven by cost and may undermine the NRC's ability to enforce higher safety standards.

The report concludes that there is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of biochar as a reliable climate change mitigation tool. A review of 329 references found that only 15 field studies measured biochar decomposition, and of those, only six provided data to estimate stability. These six studies showed wildly varying results, with mean residence times (MRT) ranging from 8.3 years to over 3,000 years. The authors argue that the science is too immature to justify public investment in biochar for carbon sequestration, as the influence of biochar on the whole system carbon balance remains poorly quantified.